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Martha Susannah Alberty: A Turbulent Life

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Martha Susannah Alberty

Martha Susannah Alberty was one of my husband’s maternal great grandmothers. She was born on 15 June 1858, the last of two sons and six daughters born to John Alberty and Susannah Douthit of Newton County, Missouri. Both the Alberty and the Douthit families had migrated from North Carolina.

Martha likely had no memory of her father, as he died on 28 August 1861 when she was barely three years old. I have found no evidence of the cause of death of John Alberty so am unsure whether he fell ill or died from a cause related to the Civil War, such as bushwhackers, which were common in southwest Missouri.

In any case, Martha lived with her mother, siblings and perhaps some extended family members until 30 September 1867, when her mother married (2) Isaac Sturgell in Newton County. How Isaac came to meet Susan, as she was called, is unknown as Isaac lived in Barry County, which partially borders Newton. The Alberty and Douthit clans lived in Van Buren Township while Isaac lived southeast of Cassville, in White River, well over 55 miles away.

Isaac was the only father that Martha ever knew, but it was not a happy home by any account. The Alberty children still at home moved with their mother to Barry County, so they were uprooted from friends and neighbors. The newly blended household consisted of the three youngest Alberty children, along with Isaac’s three sons by his first wife, Mary Bandy. Mary left Isaac sometime between 1861, when she gave birth to her youngest child, George, and 1867, when Isaac remarried. However, when Mary left and removed to Peoria County, Illinois, she took their three daughters with her. As far as I can determine, the brothers and sisters – Isaac’s and Mary’s children – never saw each other again. In addition, the girls never again saw their father nor the boys their mother. A sad situation all the way around.

By the summer of 1875, Susan sued Isaac for divorce, stating that he squandered the small amount of estate she had inherited from John Alberty, he didn’t provide care or food for her or the children and he brought “lewd women” into their home. It doesn’t quite sound like an idyllic marriage and, based on the records that Isaac has left behind, he wasn’t an easy man with whom to get along.

One positive event came from the Sturgell-Alberty marriage. Susan returned to Newton County, likely to be near her own family, and it was there that Martha Susannah married Abijah Houston Sturgell, her former step-brother, less than a year after their parents divorced, on 5 June 1876.


Abijah Houston Sturgell

It’s difficult to try to explain situations that happened long ago, but Abijah, or Byge as he was called, seemed to be somewhat cut off from his father and his brothers, George W. and Andrew J. (Jack or Jackson). I say that because Isaac, George and Jack migrated all through the southwest corner of Missouri and the northwest corner of Arkansas, appearing on tax rolls and land records together. Byge’s name never appeared on the same document as one of his father’s, including the final papers for Isaac’s Homestead Act application in Barry County, Missouri. Both of his brothers deposed for it.

Isaac seemed to appear and then disappear in and out of Barry County, where Byge and Martha were living, every few years. It is hard to say how much contact they had with him, but I think he lived with them for at least a short time in the early 1900s as one of their children remembered Isaac poking her with a broomstick as she hid from him under a bed. By 1902, Isaac’s home was the County Farm – the local poorhouse – so he was out of their house.

Through the years, Byge and Martha had eleven children born to them, sadly lost three of their daughters at young ages, including their first born, named for each of their mothers:

Mary Susannah, born 18 October 1877; died 27 November 1878
Julia Ann, born 5 January 1879; died 5 March 1968; married Columbus (Lum) Taylor, 7 March 1895.


Julia and Lum Taylor

Maggie Clementine, born 8 November 1880; died 18 October 1921; married William “Al” Periman, 25 February 1897.


Maggie and Al Periman

John Houston, born 15 April 1882; died 1941, Chickasha, Grady County, Oklahoma; married Della Brooks, 12 November 1902.


John Houston Sturgell

Lee Rue, born 3 December 1884; died 16 August 1947; married Gertrude Shirley, 8 August 1906.


Lee Rue and Gertrude Sturgell

Nora Bell, born 5 November 1886; died 28 July 1960, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; married John D. Periman, 18 August 1901


John and Nora Periman with son Elzee

Gertie Mae, born 6 December 1888; died 8 December 1900
Amy Cora, born 21 August 1891; died 19 May 1964, Castroville, Medina County, Texas; married Frank Richard Slemp, 22 August 1910, Chickasha, Grady County, Oklahoma


Frank and Amy Slemp with son Homer

Oscar Eldon, born 13 September 1893; died 15 June 1968, Anadarko, Caddo County, Oklahoma; married (1) Ethel Anne Nation, 16 September 1915, Anadarko, Caddo County, Oklahoma (2) Martha Henderson, 11 September 1943, Caddo County, Oklahoma


Oscar and Ethel Sturgell

Glena Agnes, born 29 February 1896; died 16 December 1907
Andrew Herman (Bud), born 6 October 1898; died 27 January 1989, Blanchard, McClain County, Oklahoma; married Jessie Lee Ellen Nixon, 22 October 1921, probably in Oklahoma.


Andrew Herman “Bud” Sturgell

Of the three children who died in childhood, two predeceased their father, Mary Susannah and Gertie Mae. The third I will mention in a minute.

One might think that as the 20th century began and Isaac, the source of a good part of the family’s stresses, was living at the County Farm, that life was on the upswing for Byge and Martha. A couple of newspaper clippings told a different story. From the 12 January 1905 Cassville Republican newspaper:


B. Sturgle is in bad health and has been for some time.

Next, on 30 March 1905, also in the Cassville Republican:


Bige Sturgle who has been sick so long is reported worse.

Finally, on 8 June 1905, Abijah’s death was announced:


Bigey Sturgle died Saturday and was buried Sunday at the Snider cemetery. He left a wife and several children to mourn his departure.

Nothing is mentioned about the reason for Abijah’s poor health, but through the family has come the story that he was working in the barn and an oil lamp fell over and started a fire. Abijah was badly burned and he never recovered. What a horrible, painful way to die!


Martha, left, with Bud, Amy, Frank and Nora Slemp and Oscar

I’ve been to the Snider Cemetery in Barry County and Abijah’s and Martha’s graves are in a wooded area like this picture. Everyone is looking so somber and from the ages of the children, it looks as if this picture might have been taken after Abijah’s funeral when the family was still at the cemetery.

Martha buried her husband on 6 June 1905. Four months later, on 29 October 1905, she married Benjamin Wagner in Barry County. He is probably the Ben Wagner living in Mineral Spring Township in the 1900 census, born July 1843 with wife Martha F., born April 1842.

A year and a half after her father died, Glena Agnes passed away on 16 December 1907, aged just eleven years old.

Martha Alberty Sturgell Wagner was enumerated as married with Oscar and Bud Sturgell in the home in 1910, but no sign of husband Ben Wagner. Whether Ben died or they separated and/or divorced, I don’t know as no records have been found.

However, on 19 July 1911, Martha married for the third and last time to J.A. Clevenger, again in Barry County, Missouri. J.A. Clevenger was likely Joseph A. Clevenger, who also lived in Mineral Spring Township. He was born about 1868 and listed as married in 1910, but there was no wife in the home, just his 70 year old mother and three children.

If this is J.A. Clevenger, then he outlived Martha by many years, as he died in 1939.

Abijah’s and Martha’s oldest son, John Houston, moved to Oklahoma. Martha and Bud made at least one trip to Chickasha, where Houston, as he was known, made his home. They stood outside for a photograph – the second of the only two pictures known to exist of her.


Home of John Houston Sturgell in Oklahoma

Martha died on 10 July 1916 in Barry County at the relatively young age of 58. She was buried next to Abijah in the Snider Cemetery.


Gravestone of “Abigah Huston” and Martha “Susanah” Sturgell

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Alberty, Sturgell

Martha Susannah Alberty Sturgell Wagner Clevenger (1858-1916)

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Martha Susannah Alberty was born 15 June 1858 in Newton County, Missouri. She was the daughter of John S. Alberty and Susannah Douthit. Her father died in 1861, although it doesn’t seem to be tied into the Civil War. Her mother raised the family on her own until she married Isaac Sturgell on 30 September 1867 in Newton County.

This marriage, although ending in divorce, had a definite impact on Martha’s life, as she married Isaac’s son, Abijah Houston Sturgell, on 5 June 1876, also in Newton County, Missouri. The timing is actually quite interesting because her mother was in the midst of divorcing Abijah’s father at the time of Martha’s and Byge’s (as he was known) marriage. Martha was also the baby of her family – I wonder what her mother thought about her marrying Isaac’s son? That must have made for some interesting conversations!

In spite of their parents’ difficulties, Abijah and Martha were happily married and had a large family, settling next door to Newton County in Barry County, where the Sturgells had been living.

Children:

Mary Susannah, born 18 October 1877; died 27 November 1878
Julia Ann, born 5 January 1879; died 5 March 1968; married Columbus W. Taylor, 7 March 1895
Maggie Clementine, born 8 November 1880; died 18 October 1921; married William Al Periman, 25 February 1897
John Houston, born 15 April 1882; died 1941; married Della Brooks, 12 November 1902
Lee Rue, born 3 December 1884; died 16 August 1947; married Gertrude Shirley, 8 August 1906
Nora Bell, born 5 November 1886; died 28 July 1960; married John D. Periman, 18 August 1901
Gertie May, born 6 December 1888; died 8 December 1900
Amy Cora, born 21 August 1891; died 19 May 1964; married Frank Richard Slemp, 22 August 1910
Oscar Eldon, born 13 September 1893; died 15 June 1968; married (1) Ethel Anne Nation, 16 September 1915 (2) Martha Henderson, 11 September 1943
Glena Agnes, born 29 February 1896; died 16 December 1907
Andrew Herman (Bud), born 6 October 1898; died 27 January 1989; married Jessie Lee Ellen Nixon, 22 October 1921

In spite of their overall happy life, Byge and Martha, like their friends, suffered through some difficult times, too. Their first child, Mary Susannah, named for her two grandmothers, died just after her first birthday. That must have been doubly difficult for Abijah, as his mother, Mary, took his sisters to Illinois in the 1860s, leaving his father, Isaac with their sons. I doubt he ever saw his mother or his sisters again so losing his first child, named for his mother, had to be even harder.

They lost two other daughters, Gertie, at the age of two years and Glena, when she was only eleven years old.

I have only one photo of Abijah, taken when he was a young man:

AbijahSturgell - C
Abijah Houston Sturgell

This photo is a picture of a picture and I don’t know who has the original – probably a Sturgell cousin still living in Missouri – but the original is in poor condition. My husband worked a bit of Photoshop magic to darken the image and fill in some of the especially faded areas in the middle of the picture around Byge’s chin and neck.

Martha was widowed on 2 June 1905 when Abijah died. There is no death certificate giving a cause, but local newspapers supplied the painful details. From the Cassville Republican on 12 January 1905:
B. Sturgle is in bad health and has been for some time.

Next, on 30 March 1905, there was a newspaper update:

Bige Sturgle who has been sick so long is reported worse.

Finally, on 8 June 1905, the final notice was published:

Bigey Sturgle died Saturday and was buried Sunday at the Snider cemetery. He left a wife and several children to mourn his departure.

What was this long illness that eventually took Abijah’s life? When Dave and I went to Missouri and met Sturgell cousins, they said he had been working in the barn when a lamp fell over and caught fire. He was badly burned. I can only imagine what a painful death this must have been, as the January newspaper clipping implied that the accident had been some time in the past.

Martha still had four children at home when her husband died – Lee Rue, Amy, Oscar and Bud. Four months later, she married Benjamin Wagner on 29 October 1905 in Barry County, Missouri. I have found no records for Ben Wagner. By 1910, Martha Wagner was head of household with Oscar and Bud at home with her. It says she has been married twice, and currently for five years, but Ben is nowhere to be found.

Sturgell1910Crop
Wagner/Sturgell Household in 1910

On 19 July 1911, Martha married her third husband, J.A. Clevenger, likely Joseph A. Clevenger, who was also living in Mineral, Barry County in 1910. His wife at the time was Jennie. Joseph was ten years younger than Martha if he is the right man.

I have a photo with Martha:


Martha, on left with children and son-in-law

The way everyone is dressed, I am wondering if this was taken right after Abijah was buried. I have been to the Snider Cemetery and one would need a machete to cut through the trees and undergrowth. It looked very much like the trees in the background in this picture. Martha was with sons Bud and Oscar, daughter Amy and John and Nora Periman.

Martha died at the young age of 58 on 10 July 1916. She is buried next to Abijah at the Snider Cemetery, but I have no death certificate for her, either. It is possible she died in Oklahoma and her body was shipped back to Cato for burial. J.A. Clevenger survived her, passing away in 1939.

Alberty, Sturgell

Abijah Houston Sturgell

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Abijah Houston Sturgell was the one son of Isaac and Mary Bandy Sturgell who stayed put. Byge’s brothers, Andrew Jackson and George Washington Sturgell, went wandering through the Arkansas Ozarks with their father. Byge, on the other hand, remained in Barry County, Missouri. He married Martha Susannah Alberty on 5 June 1876 in nearby Newton County, Missouri. She was the daughter of John Alberty and Susannah Douthit. Susannah was the unfortunate widow who married Abijah’s father, Isaac, as his second wife.

There is no family lore as to how Isaac and Susannah met, but Susannah apparently had no objections to Byge marrying her daughter. (This wedding took place two years after Susannah’s bitter divorce from Isaac.)

Abijah and Martha had eleven children born to them in Barry County over the following twenty-two years:

1. Mary Susannah, born 18 October 1877. She was named for her two grandmothers, Mary Bandy Sturgell and Susannah Douthit Alberty. Sadly, Mary Susannah died just past her first birthday on 27 November 1878.
2. Juliann, born 5 January 1879; died 5 March 1968 in Chickasha, Grady Co., OK. She married Columbus W. (Lum) Taylor on 7 March 1895 in Barry County, MO.
3. Maggie Clementine, born 8 November 1880; died 18 Oct 1921 in Monett, Barry Co., MO. She married William Al Periman on 25 Feb 1897 in Barry County, MO. Al was the older brother of John Periman, who married Maggie’s sister, Nora.
4. John Houston, born 15 April 1882; died 1941 in Chickasha, Grady, OK. He married Della Brooks on 12 Nov 1902, Barry County, MO.
5. Lee Rue, born 3 December 1884; died 16 Aug 1947, Oak Ridge, Barry, MO. He married Gertrude Shirley on 8 Aug 1906 in Barry County, MO.
6. Nora Bell, born 5 November 1886; died 28 July 1960, Oklahoma City, OK. She married John D. Periman on 18 Aug 1901 in Barry County, MO.
7. Gertie May, born 6 Dec 1888; died two days after her 12th birthday on 8 December 1900, Barry County, MO.
8. Amy Cora, born 21 August 1891; died 19 May 1964 in Castroville, Medina, TX. She married Frank Slemp on 22 August 1910, in Chickasha, Grady, OK.
9. Oscar Elden, born 13 September 1893; died 15 June 1968 in Anadarko, Caddo, OK.
10. Glena Agnes, born 29 February 1896; died 16 December 1907 in Cato, Barry, MO.
11. Andrew Herman (Bud), born 6 October 1898; died 27 January 1989 in Blanchard, McClain, OK.

It must have been difficult for Abjiah to see the break up of his family as he was growing up. He was only twelve at the time that his father married Susannah Alberty. Because of the fact that he named his first child “Mary,” I would say that he loved his mother and likely missed her and his sisters very much.

However, Uncle Bud Sturgell had good memories of his family life as he grew up with the exception of Abijah’s death. He remarked that Abijah died of burns when an oil lamp tipped over and started a fire.

Part of the story was omitted, though. I had assumed from Uncle Bud’s description that Abijah died at the time of the fire or immediately after. That was not the case. There are few death records to be found in Missouri pre-1916 and Abijah’s is not one of them. I tracked down microfilms of the Cassville Republican newspaper for 1905. It appears that the fire happened sometime in 1904.

From the Cassville Republican, 12 January 1905 under the “Mountain Home” section says:

“B. Sturgle is in bad health and has been for some time.”

To me, “for some time” implies at least a month and perhaps longer. “B. Sturgle” was Bige, short for Abijah, Sturgell.

Next, on 30 March 1905, there is another mention. Part of this sentence is cut off of the copy, but says “Bige Sturgle’s condition is no better. . . .” It’s been many years since this copy was made off the microfilm, but I think the missing part of the sentence says “since June.” If so, Abijah, or Bige, had been suffering for nine months at this point.

The final mention of Abijah was found in the 8 June 1905 issue of the Cassville Republican.

“Bigey Sturgle died Saturday and was buried Sunday at the Snider Cemetery. He left a wife and several children to mourn his departure.”

Thus, Abijah suffered for about a year before finally succumbing to the effects of the accident. I can’t imagine a much more painful way for someone’s life to end.

If Abijah ever had his picture taken, it may not have survived as no one in the family seems to have a photo of him. I wonder if this photo of the family was taken around the time of his funeral:

Sturgell Family
Sturgell Family

Widow Martha Susannah is on the left. The young boy next to her is Bud Sturgell and I believe the girl behind him is Amy. the couple in the middle look like John D. Periman and Nora Bell Sturgell who married in 1901. They had no surviving children until son Elzie was born in 1909. Next to Nora is Oscar Elden Sturgell.

Everyone in the picture is quite dressed up, the way they would be if attending a funeral, particularly that of their husband and father. I have been to Snider Cemetery and visited the family graves there. It is a very wooded area with a small clearing where the graves are. In fact, it looks very much like the foliage behind the family. If this was taken after Abijah’s burial on 3 June 1905, Bud would have been 6 1/2 years old, Amy would have been almost 14 and Oscar just short of 12 years old. That seems to be a close match to the children’s ages in this picture.