This person is listed as "Virenda" Stanley in the 1870 & 1880 U.S. Censuses, but as "Elvira" on her gravestone - not sure why there's a discrepancy.
According to her Henry County, Illinois, death record, Vira E. Martin died of “puerperal insanity”, an archaic medical term for severe postpartem depression, causing once calm women to physically and verbally strike out at both themselves and those around them. At its most severe the disease could result in infanticide or suicide. Even at its less extreme a woman's behaviour could seem disturbing and bizarre, leading to the neglect of her child, home and her own body. The death record entry above Vira E. Martin is for a 2-day-old boy who died on 11/1/1885 of “Inanition” (decline from inadequate nourishment; starvation). It’s likely that the infant was Vira’s.
Henry A. Martin married Virenda's sister Loubena Stanley on 9/2/1886, nearly a year after Virenda died.
Contributor: Zephyr891 (49500513

This person is listed as "Virenda" Stanley in the 1870 & 1880 U.S. Censuses, but as "Elvira" on her gravestone - not sure why there's a discrepancy.
According to her Henry County, Illinois, death record, Vira E. Martin died of “puerperal insanity”, an archaic medical term for severe postpartem depression, causing once calm women to physically and verbally strike out at both themselves and those around them. At its most severe the disease could result in infanticide or suicide. Even at its less extreme a woman's behaviour could seem disturbing and bizarre, leading to the neglect of her child, home and her own body.

Virenda/Elvira gave birth to Henry Clay Martin on 10/28/1885. He survived and was raised by his father and his aunt Loubena (his mother's sister), who became his stepmother when she married his father on 9/2/1886, nearly a year after Virenda/Elvira died.
Contributor: Zephyr891 (49500513)