Matilda, known as “Tillie,” was the daughter of Uriah Anderson and Edna “Edney” Huddleston.

She married four times; on the info for her marriage to Joseph “Joe” Alonzo Shoults, it identifies her father as Jeff Anderson. So was his name Uriah Jefferson Anderson, or some such? Maybe we’ll never know.

There are a number of records indicating her birthplace as Missouri, but several others indicate Arkansas, thus the latter seems to be the preferred location. It’s quite possible it occurred in a border county.

The burial places of three of her children are not yet confirmed; they were all by Joe and included her first born (a set of twins) and a daughter named Edna Alia Shoults.

In the 1940 St. Louis census, the thrice-widowed Matilda is listed as “Florence” Hamshire; living with her are her divorced daughter, Roseanna “Anna” Schroer; grandson, Lester Schroer; and half-sister, Dicey Caroline Keeling.

Dicey is listed as Carolyn in 1940 and that is known to be her middle name. In view of that odd occurrence, it is assumed Florence is Tillie’s middle name, and I’ve listed it so (although this is the only record I’ve located utilizing that “second name”).

Tillie was married to:

(1) Charles Quinlan (1881; widowed by him, date unknown—death per 2nd marriage info)

(2) Joseph “Joe” Alonzo Shoults (1884; widowed by him, 1916)

(3) Pierre “Chicken Pete” Louis Clerc (1919; widowed by him, 1925)

(4) Joseph J. Hamshire (1928; widowed by him, 1930)

Information on Charles’ death and burial has eluded me. Joe is buried in Mount Hope; Pierre in Hillsboro (Cemetery), the town where the couple resided after their 1918 marriage (they are listed in Central Township, Hillsboro Village in 1920); Joseph Hamshire is buried in Calvary Cemetery, near his first wife.

Joe Shoults was married twice prior to marrying Tillie. Joseph Hamshire had also been widowed, while Pete was divorced. Tillie’s mother was also married thrice. You could go broke just buying rice for this family.

Although I’ve been corrected in referring to France-born Pierre as “Chicken Pete,” a story written—and posted—by the being fastidiously correcting me actually identifies him as such, so I stick with that. At one point, Pete had the Hillsboro Poultry Farm and was the manufacturer of a number of related products.

As mentioned, Tillie and Joe had a set of twins. There were also twins in two of their children’s families; a possible set of twins in one of their grandchildren’s family; and another possible set of twins among Joe’s siblings. So, weddings and multiple births are a thing with us.

More info on three of her husbands (no dates or info on Charles) can be seen on their own memorials.

Bio by: Jimmy Zielinski, 2nd-Great-Grandson

========
========