Martha J. Ashcraft Waddell was born in the portion of Hardin County, Kentucky that later became Larue County. Her parents were Jediah and Barbara Miller Ashcraft. Both her parents were descended from early Kentucky pioneers, and they moved on from Kentucky to become pioneers in the Kansas Territory.

Jediah and Barbara left Kentucky about 1852 with at least eight children, including Martha. It is likely they located in Missouri for a short time; their son, Samuel was born in Missouri in 1854.

Martha married David Waddell on 4 Mar 1855 in Buchanan County, Missouri.

The Ashcrafts and the Waddells all lived near Mt. Pleasant, Atchison County, Kansas by 1860.

David Waddell became one of the most well-known Baptist ministers in northeast Kansas, establishing numerous churches, including the Jordan Creek Church where both David and Martha are buried.

--Bonnie Ward Williamson

Thanks to contributor Bess Jr for the following newspaper obituaries giving the correct date of death that I had mis-read from the stone.

"Waddell

Mrs. Martha Waddell died at her home in Doniphan on May 4, 1899. Reverend Conner of Atchison conducted funeral services from the Jordan Creek Baptist Church, and friends form far and near came to pay the last tribute of respect to one they had long known and loved.

Mrs. Waddell was born in Larue County Kentucky, February 5, 1836. She was married to David Waddell in 1854, and soon after they came to Doniphan, where they have lived the greater part of the time, and where they raised a large family of children.

Besides her husband, eight children survive her: Edward Waddell, of Butte, Montana, Georgia, David and William Waddell and Mrs. Richard Ballard of Doniphan County, and three grown daughters, who live at home. Mr. John Ashcraft of Orr, and Mrs. B. P. Curtis of Bendena, are brother and sister of deceased.

Mrs. Waddell was a true mother and at all times devoted to her family and home. Her care and her prayers for her children made up in large part the sum of her life. Her influence however, did not stop here, for she had a large circle of friends whom she loved to entertain in her home with true openhearted hospitality.

She was always a true member of the Baptist Church, and her every day deeds accorded with the religion she professed. Her Bible was her constant companion and during the past year, while consumption and pain slowly wasted her life away, she held even more firmly to the faith of her early womanhood. She passed into the unknown with fearlessness, faith and hope. Her family and friends in their sorrow, have much to comfort them, and they have a rich legacy in the memory of her patient, unselfish life.

Life's drama for her was not enacted before the footlights of a gazing, thoughtless public. She lived quietly and modestly away from the great throng. She lived simply and truly and bore, through the sorrow and sin that escapes not one of us, in her heart that dew of youth, on her lips the smile of truth.

We will not give ourselves over to grief, even though death has taken a loved one from us. The God of Life and the God of Death, are they not one? The first is good we know, and surely must the other be, for God himself is good - F.E.K."

The Kansas Chief - Troy, Kansas - Thursday, May 25, 1899 - Page 12.

"Mrs. Martha Waddell, wife of the Reverend Waddell of Doniphan, and who is well known in Atchison, died late Saturday afternoon at the Waddell home near Doniphan of a complication of diseases. She was 63 years of age."

From The Atchison Daily - Monday, May 8, 1899 - Page 5.

"Mrs. Martha Waddell, wife of the Reverend David Waddell, a pioneer Baptist Preacher of Doniphan County, died near Doniphan this afternoon, May 4th, 1899, aged 63 years."