Mary Ann and the Borderless Puzzle . . .

Her husband, William Baldwin, became a corporal in the 1^st Kansas Battery – Light Artillery, but never came home from the war. He was killed by an accidental shell explosion on January 15, 1863 in Fayetteville, Arkansas. The where-abouts of his grave are unknown.

Their story begins in Illinois. Mary Ann was raised in the household of Jonathan Farmer. Why was it necessary for Mary Ann to live away from her parents? Did her parents die? Were they unable to care for their children and sent Mary, and perhaps others, to live with friends or neighbors? No evidence to suggest either so far. And there is no suggestion that the Farmer’s took in her brother George.  

Mary Ann and William were married in McLean County, Illinois on November 28, 1837. The census tracks their migration from McLean County to Mason County, Illinois, and then to Lawrence, Kansas by 1860.

No evidence of George J. Mathews however; although his marriage to Charlotte Shuler places him in Kansas as early as 1857. In fact, the only evidence linking Mary Ann and George as siblings comes from a sworn affidavit from his Widow’s Certificate File (WC102860), dated October 22, 1886.

In that document, she testifies that she is the brother of George J., was present at the birth of his son George W., and further states that George J. had never been previously married. Never previously married.

Of course, this fully contradicts the other 50+ pages of the file in which Emeline Mathews testifies that she had been his wife since 1845, and mother of his children. Excuse me gals, but one of you is lying or terribly, terribly misinformed. Or your lawyer is lying for you to secure the deceased's pension.

Mary Ann moved on to Denver with some of her children. The 1880 census shows them living in Arapahoe County, Colorado. Mary Ann’s last name is listed as Britton, perhaps in error. She died about 1893, probably in the Denver area. Still, no indication of what became of her dear brother, George; or if he is truly the husband of Emeline Mathews and the father of her children. 

 
In an ongoing effort to clarify and define the Mathews lineage, I’m collaborating with a fellow genealogist in Corvallis, Oregon. He is a descendant of a Jonathan Mathews, who we can place in 1850 Illinois, living in the same township as George and Emeline. His research notes the Farmer name, as well as the Lash and Funk names, commonly sprinkled along the Mathews line. Many pieces and many possible combinations . . . .