#30 of 52...Martha Jane Chapman

As I do more research I find myself wondering more and more about the lives of my female ancestors.  I wonder what their lives were really like?  What were their likes and dislikes?  What kind of personality they had?  Were they strict and formal?  Were they lenient and relaxed?  Did they have a sense of humor or were they serious?  I want to relate more to them.  I do the same for my ancestors but especially for my grandmothers.

Today I'm focusing on a 2nd great grandmother on my mother's paternal side; Martha Jane Chapman.  Martha Jane "Mattie" Chapman was born 2 November 1870 in Putnam County, Georgia to John Fields Chapman and Martha Jane Allen, a daughter of John Allen.

John Fields Chapman and Martha Jane Allen had four children before her death. He remarried and had more children with his second wife.

1). Martha Jane "Mattie" Chapman (1870-1960) **my great great grandmother
2). William M. Chapman (1872-1944)
3). Maggie Chapman (abt 1874-     )
4). John T. Chapman (1876-      )

Mattie Chapman married James David Thomason 4 April 1886 in Newton County, Georgia.  Together they had ten children that survived childhood.  They had two known children to have passed young.

1). Willie Thomason (1888-1962)
2). Charlie Woodson Thomason (1890-1956)
3). Mary Lou Thomason (1892-     )
4). Henry Grady Thomason (1894-1980)
5). David Luther Thomason (1896-1967)  **my great grandfather
6). Susie Thomason (1899-1983)
7). Ludie Bea Thomason (1903-1988)
8). Howard Thomason (1908-1952)
9). Sallie Cleo Thomason (1911-2003)
10) Claude L Thomason (1915-1990)

Mattie gave birth to at least 12 children with 10 surviving to adulthood.  Mattie lived to be nearly 90 years old. She passed away 16 Aug 1960. She was widowed at the age of 67 when her husband died from a freak accident.  I wonder what she was like?  I've seen a couple of photos of her.  I can see the resemblance in her face of some of my aunts and even my Mama a little.  I did not get the opportunity to know that side of my family very well.  

Below is a photo I found on Ancestry.com.

Mattie Jane Chapman Thomason and her brother William (Buddy) Chapman

phyllishillking originally shared this on 5/18/2011 on Ancestry.com