Person:Mary Christopher (7)

Mary, age 13, is first seen in the 1850 census with her mother living between the white Redden families. In the 1860 census she lists herself as a washerwoman as does her mother. She may have had a son named James Stewart as early as 1859 as there is such a boy living in the Brushy Fork community, though he is listed with the George Manuel family. Mary appears to have married James H. Stewart about 1860. She had three boys and a girl with James. The boys (Charles N., Marion, and Francis) were born in the 1860s; Sarah was born in 1872. James H. remarries in March 1877, so Mary must have died by then. She and her family lived near her parents, Simeon and Harriet Wilmot all her married life. This was probably especially important while James was serving in the Civil War from 1863-1865.

Their marriage date is inconclusive. Sometimes the Brushy Fork families did not record their marriages, so there may be no record of these two marrying. However, the records in Edgar County for 1860 and Douglas County in 1867 are intriguing. Our Mary's father's last name could have been Christopher. A white Thomas Christopher lives in the New Albany/Hitesville district of Coles County in 1850 though he can't be located in the 1840 census. She could also be Mary Pollard and be James Stewart's second wife and Francis and Sarah might be her only biological children since this is the child who is living with the Wilmots in 1880 (though granted she is also the youngest). If she is Mary Pollard, she is not the same woman as Mary J. Pollard who married Ely Hinds in Douglas County in 1870 and who is the daughter of George & Eliza Pollard. All of this makes it sound unlikely that our Mary Redden is Mary Pollard; it seems more plausible that she could be Mary Christopher.

1. ↑ ^1.0 1.1 Coles, Illinois, United States. 1850 U.S. Census Population Schedule
   18 Sep 1850.

   Independence,
   House 8 Family 8
   Harriett Redden age 39, black b. MD
   Isaac age 20, mulatto, b. IL
   Mary age 13, mulatto, b. IL
   Nancy age 8, black, b. IL
   Jane age 3, black, b. IL

2. ↑ Douglas, Illinois, United States. 1860 U.S. Census Population Schedule
   p. 11, 3 Jul 1860.

   in T15 N R 14 E Post Office: Oakland; H 666 F 662
   Family 666 House 662 (all considered black; first four cannot read or write)
   Simon Wilmott, age 42, b. in Ky; farmhand; personal property valued $100.
   Harriet age 50 b. KY washerwoman
   Mary age 21 b. IL washerwoman
   Nancy age 16 b. IL washerwoman
   Jane age 14 b. IL
   Alice 3 b. IL (probably the only child who is born to Sim & Harriet)
   House 655 Family 651 George Manuel household includes a James Stewart age 1. It is hard to tell which household he really goes with since the households are mixed up for the Brushy Fork area.

3. ↑ Douglas, Illinois, United States. 1870 U.S. Census Population Schedule
   p. 29, 12 Aug 1870.

   Camargo Twp., P. O. Camargo House 205 Family 205
   Stewart, J. H. age 35 white Farm Laborer $150 Real property $200 Personal property b. NC
   Stewart, M. A. age 35 white keeping house b. IL cannot write
   " , Charles N. age 9 white b. IL
   " , Marion age 3 male white b. IL
   " , Francis age 7/12 male white b. IL
   Even though they are listed as white, they are living between two or three black and mulatto families, and in fact they are one household away from Simeon Wilmot's household which includes Mary's mother, Harriet.

4. ↑ Douglas, Illinois, United States. 1880 U.S. Census Population Schedule
   p. 32, 22 Jun 1880.

   Camargo Twp., House 254 Family 265
   Steward, James H. age 39 black Farmer b. IN parents b. IN
   ", Sarah M. age 24 black keeping house b.IN parents b. IN
   ", Marion age 14 mulatto male b. IL parents b. IN
   ", Francis age 11 black male b. IL " "
   ", Nola J. age 2 mulatto b. IL " "
   ", James I or J. age 9/12 b. IL " "
   This family is headed by the same James H. Stewart as the 1870, but Mary has died and James has remarried.
   House 229 Family 240 Simeon Wilmot's household includes a Sarah Stewart age 8, who is his granddaughter, b. IL Father b. IN, mother b. IL

5. ↑ ^5.0 5.1 Illinois State Archives, and Illinois State Genealogical Society. Illinois Statewide Marriage Index, 1763–1900. (Springfield, IL: Illinois State Archives, 1985–Present).

   James H. Stewart married Sarah Goss 1877 Mar 1 Bk. 1/p. 21 Douglas County
   
   James H. Stewart married Mary Christopher 1860 Sept 7 Bk. B/p. 36 Edgar County
   
   James Stewart married Mary Pollard 1867 Sept 21 Bk. 1/p.86 #783 Douglas County