Martha Jane Williams was the sixth child of William and Hepsabeth Williams, born on 14 December 1840 in Marion County, Tennessee.
It’s not likely that she had any memories of life in Tennessee as she was wasn’t even three years old when they left for Lafayette County, Arkansas.
Martha had a difficult life because of the Civil War.
Martha married (1) Jackson T. Lackey, born c1826 in Arkansas, on 31 August 1858 in Lafayette County, Arkansas.
Jackson may well have died because of Civil War activities as he was living on 13 June 1860 when the census taker came around, but died before 17 March 1861 when Martha Lackey married (2) John Forrest, Bradley County, Arkansas, which is several counties directly east of Lafayette County.
Jackson and Martha had one known child.
Child: (Lackey)
- James A., born March 1859, Arkansas; died 18 April 1935, Lafayette County, Arkansas; married Martha E. Ricketts, 23 February 1881, Ouachita County, Arkansas.
Interestingly, given previous Williams family members living in Tyler, Smith, Texas, that is exactly where James Lackey lived in 1900 with his wife, Martha, his mother Martha Forrest, and his cousin Ida E. Jones, all living with him.
Martha, in 1900, reported on the census that she had given birth to eight children, but only two were living.
However, she gave birth to at least six children with John Forrest, who died before 1880.
The Forrest children were probably all born in Nevada County, Arkansas. Since typhoid fever was going around in 1875, it’s possible that one or more of the Forrest children died from it.
Children: (Forrest)
- Jeachey, born c1860; died before 1900
- Calvin, born c1864; died before 1900
- Jackson, born c1866; died before 1900
- George, born c1868; died between 1870-1900
- Martha, born c1868; died between 1884-1891; married James Alexander Plumley, 21 August 1884, Nevada County, Arkansas
- David Wilson, born 6 April 1870; died 7 May 1941, Sabine Parish, Louisiana; married Mae Walker, c1925
- John, born c1873; died between 1880-1900. He may be the John Forrest who married Cora Ashford, 13 August 1895, Smith County, Texas.
Martha Jane (Williams) (Lackey) Forrest died on 22 June 1918 and is buried in Lafayette County, Arkansas.