Martha Dorothy Stephens

Martha's name first appears in the 1850 census. Her family lives in Westmoreland County in Cople parish. Her age is given as 8. Her father works as a farmer and owns real estate valued at $400, he is unable to read or write.

The 1860 census shows Martha and her family have moved to Northumberland County and are near Union Village post office. Her father is still farming and has land worth $800 and personal property of $358, he still cannot read or write. His birthplace is given as Northumberland. Her mother is marked as being born in Middlesex. All of the children listed are marked as born in Westmoreland.

Martha married Richard Luke Fallin on March 26th, 1865. They were wed at Gibeon Baptist Church. Richard was a confederate cavalry veteran. They went on to have 13 children.

The 1870 census shows Richard as a farmer in the Washington township of Richmond County nearest the Warsaw post office. His farm was valued at $300 and personal property at $100. Martha and he were listed along with children; Arsena, 4, and Mary E., 1. Richard's mother, Ann, also lived with them.

The 1880 census still shows the family again in the Washington township of Richmond County. Richard is still farming. He and Martha are both listed as able to read but not write. Eight children are listed with them.

The 1900 cenus shows the family in the same area. Richard is still working as a farmer at age 63. His is marked as owning his own home mortgage free. He and Martha are both marked as able to read and write this time. Eight children are still living with them. Martha is marked as having given birth to 13 children with 10 still alive.

In 1910 the family still lived in the same place, the census tells that they lived on the road from Haynesville to Middleton's Mill. Martha's age is given as 69. Richard's age is given as 73. He still works as a farmer. Five of their children still live at home, the four sons are listed as laborers on the farm. Richard is noted as a Confederate Army Veteran.

Richard died on the 26th of July, 1915 and was buried at Gibeon Baptist Church. Martha signed up for a Confederate Widow Pension in April of 1916. She gave her age as 75. She said that she lived in Village in Richmond County with her children and that she had no income and was dependent on her children. She valued her real estate at $82 and personal property at $74.

The 1920 census does show her living with three of her children. Wellington was listed as the head of the family, 35 and single. A farm operator, he is the only working household member. His brother Sedrick, 40, and sister Mary, 49, also live with him. Martha's age is given as 79.

Martha died August 29th, 1924. She was buried at Gibeon Baptist Church the next day. Her cause of death was heart related. A secondary cause listed on her death certificate was "loss of mind." According to Fallin descendants Martha did suffer from something like alzheimers late in life and was prone to "wander." One account said that she had to be tied up in the house for her safety.