Aged 67y

Wife of Dr. Charles

Martha Williams Warden was born September 28, 1828 to Washington and Hester (Stephens) Williams in Cincinnati, Ohio. She was the second born of nine children and the oldest daughter. The family had moved to Terre Haute, Vigo, Indiana where most the sibling were born. About 1845 the family moved to Ottumwa, Wapello, Iowa. Martha met a Doctor by the name of Charles Chunn Warden. They were married on June 13, 1846 in Ottumwa. Martha was 18 and Charles was 29.


Martha's family was getting ready to head west and finally took off in the spring of 1850. Martha was the only child who didn't travel with them. By this time she had one son and another child on the way. She was a good writer and
always mentions the children. Older brother James was always promoting the promise land and told her to tell "Doc" the price of stock or food.

Martha gave birth to twelve children over the span of 27 years, almost a child every other year, the last at the age of 47. They named many after her loving brothers and sisters. Five of the children; Richard, William, Harry, Elizabeth, and Walter never made it past infancy. They are all buried in the same cemetery with one tombstone to mark them all, but all names are on the stone.Martha passed away on July 16, 1893 at Wapello just about a month after their 47 wedding anniversary, She was 64 years old,Charles lived on another ten years to pass away at the age of 86. Besides the five infants the following children are also buried in the same cemetery; Frank C Warden, Laura Racine, and Hester Stephens Warden. The four other children born to this union were; Charles Warden, Sarah Williams Fann,and of course Lucy Nottingham Brockman.

Martha was preceded in death by brothers James Stephens Williams and Richard M Williams. Surviving her were brothers William Henry Williams, Edward B Williams,
and Harrison Taylor Williams. Also sisters; Lucy Ann Nottingham, Letitia "Leah" Holland, and Mary A Graham.
Dau: Laura Racine Find A Grave Memorial# 98383659
Dau: Hester Stephens Warden Find A Grave Memorial# 30065045