Person:Martha Owen (3)

Martha Owen (Motley/Turbett) bur. DM,IA Woodland Cem. Death cert./photo. Esther Braught Fleenor gave to me during my June 24, 2001 visit to her Indianola, IA apartment a five generation original photo of Martha Owen/Motley/Turbett, her daughter Ida Motley Braught (Mrs. Cortes Braught), Ida's son Orville Brauaght, Orville's daughter Gertie Braught Stouffer and Orville holding Gertie's son Billie Stouffer, b. May 1928, well bundled (so photo was taken late 1928). Between 1865 (birth of last Motley child at Ladoga, IN) and 1869 (Warren Co., IA marriage to William Stewert Turbett) Martha obviously moved from Indiana to Madison Co, Iowa. The reason could have been due to some Montgomery Co. embarrassment with a criminal case regarding Jonathan S. Owen alledged murder of his wife (trial July 1859). Although Owen was found innocent by the jury, local people continued to feel that he was guilty. Something obviously happened to her husband James Motley between 1860 and 1869. Did he die, was there a divorce, or what?. Also, there is undocumented family rumor that James Motely abandoned Martha and their three daughters, which had to be after the inception of their last child born in 1865. He was reported to have died in Feb. 1868 at KY. Recall also that these were years of the U.S. Civil War. Why did she select to go to Warren Co., Iowa? Notice that a younger sister, Louisa Owen was in that area of Iowa to marry David E. Braught, Jr. in Sep 1870. Martha was either divorced from James Motley or he had indeed died in 1868 as Martha was single to marry Turbett in Jan. 1869 at Winterset, Madison Co., IA. She and Turbett (born in Indiana according to the son's record in 1900 Polk Co. Iowa Census) had their son, Wm. Homer Turbett, born Mar 1878 (probably in Madison Co., IA, because of his obituary saying that he moved to Des Moines when he was age 3), nine years after their marriage (Martha was then age 36, Turbett's age not yet certain beyond being born about 1819 according to 1870 census). 1870 Census of Madison Co., Iowa, City of Winterset, Ward 1,pg. 167 shows: William Turbett, age 51 born PA, laborer; Martha, age 29 b. Ind.; Ida 9 b. Ind; Ara 7 b. Ind; and Nettie, 5 b. IA. This data points out that Martha apparently moved from IN to Iowa between Ara's birth (1863) and Nettie's birth (1865). We know that she married W.S. Turbett in Madison Co, IA in Jan. 1869 and this census a year later points out significant age difference in Martha and her second husband, W.S. Turbett. 1880 Census of Madison Co., Iowa, City of Winterset (NA film T9-0353pg.130C): Turbett, Martha, 37, b. IN (widowed) Turbett, Ida, dau, 19, b. IN Turbett, Ara, dau, 17, b. IN Turbett, Nettie, dau, 15, b. IN Turbett, Willie, son, 7, b. IA Also, 6 male boarders from Ohio living there (her income). Notice that the girls are then using the surname of Turbett, not Motley (were they legally adopted?). Also obviously, she was in Indiana as Mrs. Owen in 1865 and in Iowa as Mrs. Turbett by 1873, as shown by data for her children. There is a record at LDS showing an 1880 US Census at Lane, Greenwood, KS (FML film 1254382, NA Film #T9-0382, pg. 301B with Martha Owen born 1842 in Indiana, age 38, housekeeping married to Richard J. Owen. Her father was born in KY and mother born in VA. We know this is not our Martha, but worth noting at least to avoid future confusions or consider other family ties. Her maiden name is not given here, but the dates, names, locations, and coincidence is interesting. 1900 Census Polk Co., Iowa she (widow) and her son Willie, 27 bookkeeper, are living with Daughter Nettie and her husband Edward Eens (Evens), an attorney and their son, Fred Eens, age 16. At that time all four of Martha's children are listed as living.

1. ↑ ^1.0 1.1 Death Certificate Martha Owen Motley Turbett.
2. ↑ Martha is buried at Des Moines Woodland Cemetery, but the approx. two week date distance between death and burial deserves added documentation or explanation.