Martha McClure Stagner King Russell Coleman

COLEMAN, MARTHA MCCLURE STAGNER KING RUSSELL (1845 ~ 1915). Martha McClure Stagner King Russell Coleman, wife of Confederate veteran Henry Coleman, was born in the Republic of Texas, in Fayette County, in 1845, to Levi and Elizabeth (Archer) McClure. The third of four children, Martha's mother, Elizabeth, died sometime after her birth and her father, Levi, Sr., married Denisa Harrison Gage. At least one other child, a daughter, Alvarina, was born to this union, circa 1852.

While key information concerning Martha's life has yet to be discovered, it has been found that she married William H. Stagner in Fayette County, on May 1, 1859. Together, they had at least one child, a daughter, Julia Alverena, who was born March 1, 1866. The location of her birth is not currently known. Sometime after Julia's birth, Martha's marriage to William ended, possibly due to his death. It is believed that he died sometime between 1866 and 1869, as Martha appears in Hood County, Texas in the 1870 U.S. Census married to a William King. The date and location of this marriage have not yet been discovered.

Seven years after her marriage to William King, Martha married again, this time to B. H. Russell on January 4, 1877, in Hood County. This marriage appears to have lasted only a short time, though Martha did give birth to a daughter, Mary, who was born circa 1878. After her marriage to Russell ended, Martha married Henry Coleman, a Confederate veteran, on April 1, 1879. Still living in Hood County, Martha, Henry, his four sons from a previous marriage and Martha's daughters, Julia and Mary, were found living ogether in the 1880 U.S. Census.

After 1880, Martha's whereabouts are unknown until April 22, 1910, when she is found living with her step-sister, Alvarina North, and her husband, William, in Austin. It is believed that she lived there until June 23, 1913, when she moved to the Confederate Woman's Home. Martha remained there until her death, July 30, 1915. She was buried in the Texas State Cemetery that same day, not far behind her brother, Levi McClure, Jr., who was a Confederate veteran and was a resident of the Texas Confederate Home.

Information taken from: materials provided by descendant Vickie O'Bannon; 1860, 1870, 1880 and 1910 U.S. Censuses; Cook, Geraldine Elkins, Hood County Marriages: 1875 to 1900, (1983); and Death Certificate #16377.