Martha E. Houser ^{2 3 4 5 6 7}

   Another name for Martha was "Mattie E." Houser.^{1 8}

  Burial Notes:

In addition to the two smaller gravestones for Samuel and Martha, there is one larger tree trunk shaped monument with their names, birth and death dates on the same site. The inscription on this larger marker makes it seem as if the gravestones for both of them may only be cenotaphs or empty graves with only a memorialization as the grave stone marker.

This larger tree trunk shaped grave marked has an area of where the bark appears to be peeled away containing a message that begins "In Memory Of". Beneath that is the name of Martha indicating that she died in Chicago, Illinois. Beneath that is the memorialization to Samuel indicating that he died in Denver, Colorado.

The question is if their bodies were ever shipped back to Nebraska for burial there. It would seem likely that Martha, was indeed buried there as her smaller gravestone has some inscription information indicating as a minimum her age at death of 37 years.

Samuel remarried and continued to live in the Tecumseh area. There are no known details about his death in Denver which occurred 42 years after Martha's. It seems as if his smaller gravestone has no inscription on it other than his name. The stone is greatly weathered so perhaps it is no longer readable.

But if both of their original smaller stones had complete inscription information then why was the larger tree trunk shaped stone erected?

Nearby is a gravestone for their daughter, Jessie, which appears in a similar shape and form as the smaller gravestones for Samuel and Martha. It has complete inscription information.
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  Noted events in her life were:

• She appeared on the 1850 US Census in , Logan County, IL on 1 November 1850. ¹⁰

1850 US Census
Page 224A, Roll 116, Dwelling 774, Family 783
, Logan County, Illinois
Martha E. Houser..1..IL
(Living with parents.)
.

• Disproven Birth Date: 1851, Illinois. ⁶ This birth year was referenced by her age of 9 on the 1860 census. This year cannot be correct because she was enumerated on the 1850 US Census.

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• She appeared on the 1860 US Census in Lincoln, IL on 28 August 1860. ⁶

1860 US Census
Page 344, Roll 200, Dwelling 2442, Family 2508
Lincoln, Logan County, Illinois
Martha Houser..9..IL
(Living with parents.)

NOTE - If her birth date was 5 Jun 1849, then her age should have been 10 or 11 instead of 9.
.

• She appeared on the 1870 US Census in East Lincoln Township, Logan, IL on 6 August 1870. ⁷

1870 US Census
Page 62, Dwelling 473, Family 480
East Lincoln Township, Logan County, Illinois
Married within the year (Nov)
Martha Davidson..21..IL..Keeps House
(Living with husband and grandmother.)
.

• She appeared on the 1880 US Census in Tecumseh, NE on 4 June 1880. ¹

1880 US Census
Page 663D, District 302, Dwelling 105, Family 106, Roll 751
Tecumseh, Johnson County, Nebraska
Mattie Davidson..Wife..30..IL..Keeping House
(Living with husband and 4 children.)
.

• She appeared on the 1885 Nebraska State Census in Tecumseh, NE on 3 June 1885. ²

1885 Nebraska State Census
Page 15, Dwelling 114, Family 114, Ward 2
Tecumseh, Johnson County, Nebraska
Martha Davidson..Wife..36..Keeps House

(Living with husband and 3 children.)
.

• She was buried after 28 March 1886 in the Tecumseh Cemetery in Tecumseh, NE.

Plot: Block 54 Lot 1
Find A Grave Memorial #80070602

The smaller gravestone apparently has some inscriptions on it but nearly all of the information has weathered away and the only readable information is "37 y".

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Martha married Samuel Presley Davidson in November 1869.^{1 2} (Samuel Presley Davidson was born on 8 October 1847 in Mount Zion, IL,^{1 2 7 8 12 13} died on 8 December 1928 in Denver, CO ⁸ and was buried after 8 December 1928 in Tecumseh, NE ⁸.)

  Noted events in their marriage were:

• They have conflicting marriage information of 7 December 1869. This alternate marriage date appears on a gravestone marker for Samuel Davidson and his first wife, Martha Houser.

• They appeared on the 1870 US Census in East Lincoln Township, Logan, IL on 6 August 1870. ⁷

1870 US Census
Page 62, Dwelling 473, Family 480
East Lincoln Township, Logan County, Illinois
Married within the year (Nov)
S. P. Davidson..22..IL..Lawyer
Martha Davidson..21..IL..Keeps House
Sidney Bryan..71..KY

NOTE - Living next to Martha's parents. Sidney Bryan was Martha's grandmother.

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• They appeared on the 1880 US Census in Tecumseh, NE on 4 June 1880. ¹

1880 US Census
Page 663D, District 302, Dwelling 105, Family 106, Roll 751
Tecumseh, Johnson County, Nebraska
S. P. Davidson..Self..32..IL..Lawyer
Mattie Davidson..Wife..30..IL..Keeping House
Mary Davidson..Dau..8..IL
Jessie Davidson..Dau..5..NE
Nellson M. Davidson..Son..3..NE
Grace Davidson..Dau..1..NE
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• They appeared on the 1885 Nebraska State Census in Tecumseh, NE on 3 June 1885. ²

1885 Nebraska State Census
Page 15, Dwelling 114, Family 114, Ward 2
Tecumseh, Johnson County, Nebraska
S. P. Davidson..Head..36..Lawyer
Martha Davidson..Wife..36..Keeps House
Jessie Davidson..Daughter..16..At School
Nelson Davidson..Son..8
Roscoe Davidson..Son..4
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