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Genealogy for
Martha Edna Gilley 

 Parents 
Click for more Information about James Gilley.
James Gilley
1811 - 1879

Laithey Bass
1817 - 1873
Click for more Information about Laithey Bass.


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About Martha Edna Gilley
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Martha Edna Gilley
4/28/1838 - 1/16/1916
(Shown at age 22)
Martha Edna Gilley was born on April 28, 1838 in Dale, Alabama and died on January 16, 1916 in Holmes, Florida. She lived to be 77 years old.

Her father, James Gilley, is given land in AL by Zacaras Pate. Zacaras, Private in Captain McPhantton's Company 3rd Regiment, North Carolina Militia, 1816, was issued a land bounty which he transferred to James. James submitted his script and received a land deed in 1853 for Township 2N, 24E -- which is located in present-day Geneva County, AL.

On the 1900 census she says she has given birth to 12 children and 9 are still living. This means 3 of her children die during childhood.

Children: Jesse E. (1858-1942),Jincy F. (1860-) James W.(1862-1948), Martha L.(1865-),Eli F.(1866-), Thomas J.(1868-1951), John Green(1869-1930), Charles A.(1871-1934), Asa Lee(1874-1961),Warren Ely(1878-1960) and Sarah Alice (1882-1946).
Records
Census6/19/1850 Southern Division AL (Dale County) 12 yrs old 
Recorded as a family beginning on line #3: James Gilley (age 39), Siethy Gilley (age 33), Asa H A (16), Martha M E (12), Drusilla E J (10), Lydia A S F (8), Susan A C (6), James L C M (2), John A J (1), and William Sconyers (age 18). Everyone was born in AL except the parents who were born in GA. James is a farmer. William Sconyers is also a farmer. James children as well as William are attending school. Siethy cannot read or write.  
Census6/16/1900 Ponce de Leon FL (Holmes County) 62 yrs old 
family #34: Benjamin F. Ward (age 66 born1834), Martha E. Ward (62,1838),Warren Ward (21,1879),Sarah Alice Ward(18,1882)Ace Ward (28,1872),Ella Ward (24,1876). Warren, Sarah, Ace & Ella were born in FL. Others born in AL. Benjamin is a farmer. Warren & Ace are Log Drivers. All can read & write.  
Census4/25/1910 Ponce De Leon FL (Holmes County) 72 yrs old 
Family#158: Benjamine F Ward (age 77)AL, Martha E. Ward (74)AL, Sarah Alice Ward (30)FL, grandson, Fred Ward (6)AL, Benjamin is a farmer. All can read & write (except Fred). Bemjamin parents were born in SC, Martha's AL. They have been married 53 years. 
Graveyard/Tombstone1/16/1913 Ponce de Leon FL (Holmes County) 74 yrs old 
Otter Creek Cemetery : Mary Eddney Gilley Ward - April 28, 1838 to January 16, 1913 w/o Benjamin   Source:  http://www.floridagenealogyproject.com/counties/holmes/cemeteries/otter.htm

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Click on any of the News, Events, or Discoveries buttons above to see historical things that happened during Martha Gilley's life. These are only some of the major events that affected the life and times of Martha, her family, and friends. For example, Martha is 2 years old when Oregon Trail is established
AgeDateEvent
2 1840 Alabama reports a total population of 590,756 on the 1940 Federal Census. This includes 335,185 whites, 255,571 blacks, 253,532 slaves, zero Native Americans, and others.
12 1850 State population=771,623. The 1850 Federal Census reveals the White population=426,514; African-American population=345,109; Slave population=342,844; Free black population=2,265; Urban population=35,179; Rural population=736,444; Cotton production in bales=564,429; Corn production in bushels=28,754,048; Number of manufacturing establishments=1,026.
AgeDateEvent
4 1842 Congress passes the Armed Occupation Act of 1842. It entitles persons willing and able to bear arms against the Indians and establish themselves in villages along the borders of Indian territory ownership of their land after 5 years.
4 1842 Second Seminole Indian War ends and some of the Seminole Indians living in FL are moved to the Indian Territory
7 1845 Florida becomes the 27th state to join the United States. William Moseley becomes the first governor and David Yulee the first senator.
12 1850 Florida's total population has grown to 87,445. This includes about 39,000 slaves and 1,000 free blacks. Indians were not counted.
17 1855 Third Seminole Indian War begins and war breaks out with most of the battles occurring in Central Florida. It ends three years later when Chief Billy Bowlegs and his band are forced to move from Florida.
23 1861 No Floridian's voted for Lincoln during the 1860 election. On Jan. 10, 1861, Florida seceded from the U.S. and joined the Confederate States of America a few weeks later.
26 1864 Battle of Olustee is a Confederate victory. Union troops pull back
27 1865 Battle at Natural Bridge (Wakulla County) is a Confederate victory.
27 1865 May 10th -- Union troops occupy Tallahassee. While Tallahassee was the only Confederate state capital east of the Mississippi River that had not been captured, Union troops occupy the capitol following the surrender of the major Confederate armies in the east.
32 1870 During the 1870s, the remaining Seminole Indians begin establishing trading posts and other economy with local settlers.
44 1882 The Florida Central and Western Railroad Company was created. It combines the Florida Central, Jacksonville, Pensacola, and Mobile railroads.
45 1883 Three railroad companies are merged to form the Florida Transit and Penisular Railroad Company. Thee are: Florida Transit Railroad Co., Peninsular Railroad Co, and the Tropical Florida Railroad Co.
46 1884 Most railroads in Florida are passed into the hands of a single company owned and operated by a single management, under the name of The Florida Railway and Navigation Company. It has more that 500 miles of main track in operation and about 300 miles of track under construction. The longest route was the "Western Division" which ran from Tallahassee to Jacksonville - 209 miles.
68 1906 An attempt to drain the Everglades and convert it to farmland begins.
AgeDateEvent
1 1839 Goodyear invents vulcanized rubber, opening the door for tires and other rubber products.
6 1844 The first telegraph message is sent by Morse, who later invents the Mores Code
15 1853 The process of creating steel is invented by Besermer in Britain and Kelly in the U.S.
18 1856 The first Neanderthal fossils are found near Germany
21 1859 Charles Darwin publishes "Origin of Species" and begins the evolution theory.
27 1865 Mendel publishes his papers on genetics and introduces the concept to the public.
31 1869 Cro-magnon Man fossils are found in France
39 1877 Edison invents the phonograph permitting music and voices to be recorded and replayed.
41 1879 Edison invents the electric light bulb.
51 1889 The first calculating machine is invented and uses punch cards
57 1895 Wireless telegraph and the "antenna" are invented but it covers a very short distance.
59 1897 First ship to shore message is sent using an improved form of wireless telegraph
62 1900 Freud publishes his book "The Interpretation of Dreams"
62 1900 The cause of yellow fever is discovered. It is proven that the fever is spread by mosquitoes. This rallies an effort to provide better mosquito control.
63 1901 First transatlantic wireless telegraph is sent.
64 1902 The first Tyrannosaurus Rex fossil is discovered.
65 1903 Wright Brothers complete the first successful flight with an airplane at Kitty Hawk
66 1904 The first vacuum tube diode is invented by Fleming
68 1906 Kellogg sells the first box of Corn Flakes
68 1906 The triode vacuum tube is invented
68 1906 Electrons are discovered by Thomson
74 1912 The unsinkable Titanic sinks on its first trip to New York drowning 1,513 people.
75 1913 Ford builds the first assembly line into his automobile production plant
76 1914 The first traffic lights (which is only red or green) are put up in America; Construction of the Panama Canal is completed
AgeDateEvent
23 1861 NEWS HEADLINES: American Civil war begins at Ft. Sumter, located in Charleston Harbor, VA.
24 1862 NEWS HEADLINES: May 20, 1862 the US government passes the Homestead Act to provide cheap land for settlement of lower Southeast and West.
44 1882 NEWS HEADLINES: Edison creates the first large power station in New York City, making it the first place in America to have electricity.
47 1885 NEWS HEADLINES: Eastman invents the box camera. For the first time photography becomes affordable for the average citizen.
70 1908 NEWS HEADLINES: Henry Ford produces the first Model T automobile
74 1912 White residents of Forsyth County, GA, drive the black population out.
75 1913 NEWS HEADLINES: Edison invents motion pictures
AgeDateEvent
2 1840 Oregon Trail is established
4 1842 Second Seminole Indian War ends and thousands of Seminole Indians are forced to move west of the Mississippi.
17 1855 Third Seminole Indian War begins. It ends three years later when Chief Billy Bowlegs and his band are forced to move from Florida.
22 1860 Presidential election puts Abraham Lincoln in office. The campaign has heated the issues regarding slavery in the south.
24 1862 May 20, 1862 the US government passes the Homestead Act to provide cheap land for settlement of lower Southeast and West.
25 1863 Abraham Lincoln issues the "Emancipation Proclamation" freeing slaves.
27 1865 American Civil war ends with General Lee's surrender at Appomattox, VA. Reconstruction begins in the "old South"
30 1868 An eight-hour work day is established for federal employees.
37 1875 Tennessee enacts Jim Crow law.
38 1876 The National League of Baseball is founded
71 1909 The National Association for Advancement of Colored People is formed (NAACP)
72 1910 Boy Scout and Girl Scout Organizations are introduced in America and the concept of a "week end" meaning time off from regular work begins to take root. The British Empire covers 1/5th of the world land area.
AgeDateEvent
71 1909 The "Piltdown Man" hoax -- a fake archeological discovery announced by dishonest scientists who wanted to "prove" that human beings had evolved in Europe
76 1914 World War I - Following the crisis touched off by the assassination of Archduke Ferdinand of Austria in Sarajevo, Germany declared war on Russia and additional countries joined the war within several days.


Marriages
Benjamin Ward
Born about 1834 and died on June 23, 1923
Click for more information about Benjamin Ward.


The Children of Martha Edna Gilley

84 years old
Martha E. Luisar Ward
Born somewhere in Alabama on April 22, 1866 and died in Montgomery Co., Texas on May 10, 1952. She was 86 years old.

She married John Caswell in Walton Co. FL.
Children: G. Cleveland Caswell (Nov.1888), Katie A. Caswell (Aug.1890), Mary Velma Caswell (Aug. 1892) & Johnnie Caswell (April 1898).

...
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