I have found a marriage certificate for Mary Jane Walker to Elisha E Towns on Mar 4, 1872 in Telfair County (signed by W.? Campbell, Deputy Clerk).
The Telfair County (337 District) 1880 Census lists her as the wife of Elisha Edward Towns, age 24, with 3 daughters and 1 son (Mary C, Isabelle, Sussie, and James A.). She would have been born around 1856.
The 1900 Telfair (Towns District) census lists Elisha Towns as head of household, but there is no wife listed. Children are: Mary C., Belle, Sarah M, Hilton, Mary Jane, Alice, Arthur, Ella. It also states that the "mother" of these children was born in Georgia.
The 1910 Telfair (Militia Dist 1885) census lists Eliza J as the wife of Elisha Towns, so she died before May 1904 (Elisha married Eliza) and at least after 1890. My grandfather was born in 1890 and my mother says she remembers him saying his mother died when he was a "couple years old". The 1900 census lists a younger sister, Ella, age 8, so she was born around 1892. (Theory? Possibly she died in childbirth in 1892? No proof.)
I have a photo that we believe is Elisha Towns and his wife, Mary Jane. It was given to us by my Aunt Pauline Garrison who stated it was Elisha Towns and Mary Jane. We also have a tintype that we believe is Mary Jane Walker holding a baby and think it may be my grandfather, Arthur Jackson Towns. It also looks like she is nursing him. She looks like the same person that is in the photo with Elisha Towns.
It is believed that Elisha is buried in an unmarked grave at the Bethlehem (Sandhill) United Methodist Cemetery in Telfair County. According to my Aunt Pauline, her brother, James, knew where he was buried (their father, Arthur Jackson Towns told him). My Uncle James died before he told Aunt Pauline where Elisha was buried. I have been to the cemetery and looked all over but couldn't find Elisha's grave.
Any information on the Walker family would be greatly appreciated. I know various branches of my family have been looking for information for a very long time.
Karen Ivey Herndon
kih1962@cox.net
Father:
William J Walker 1834–
Birth 1834 • Tennessee
Death Unknown
Mother:
Frances Caroline Quinn 1841–
Birth 1841 • Tennessee, United States
Death Unknown
Husband:
Elisha E. Towns
1852–1927
Children:
Mary C Towns 1874–
Isabelle Towns 1875–1945
James A. Towns 1877–
Sussie Towns 1879–1975
Sarah G Towns 1882–
Joseph Cecil Hilton Towns 1882–1920
Mary J Towns 1886–
Alice Towns 1888–1964
Arthur Jackson Towns 1891–1950
Ella Towns 1892–
1880 Telfair Co, GA census lists my Mary as the wife of Elisha at age 24 and both her parents were born in Georgia.
1860 Alabama census says Mary is age 1, so she would have been born in 1859 instead of 1856. It also states William was born in AL and Frances was born in TN, and that Mary was born in AL.
1870 Alabama census is consistent with the 1860 census and says that she is age 11.
I discarded this as a possible match because of the discrepancy in the census records.
Do you have further proof that this is the same Mary other than census records?
Thanks, I appreciate your taking the time to reply.
Karen
P.S. I have also seen her matched up with various other families, including being the daughter of Peter Tatum Towns, which I don't think that is possible. I tried to verify the census records on all of that but nothing else lines up.