Benjamin Stafford and wives

16. Benjamin³ Stafford (William¹, Robert²) was born 28 May 1810 in Highland County, Ohio to Robert and Sarah Stafford nee Bullock.^1,2  Blanchard's History of Morgan, Monroe & Brown Counties in Indiana contains a biographical sketch indicating Benjamin was the third of the seven children born to Robert and Sarah (Bullick [sic]) Stafford, natives of North Carolina and of English ancestry.¹  This reference does not cite facts presented in this biography, so further evidence is needed to determine the accuracy of the information in the sketch. The records filed for settlement of Robert Stafford's estate, however, do confirm that Benjamin Stafford of Morgan County, Indiana was Robert's son.² Blanchard's account also states that Robert and Sarah Stafford went from Ohio to Monroe County, Indiana in 1818 and remained there until March 1820 when they moved to Morgan County.¹  Research has not been conducted by this researcher in Monroe County to determine if they did indeed live there for a short time prior to their migration to Morgan County.

Benjamin Stafford married Miss Ruthie Gifford, daughter of Jesse Gifford and Sarah Marshall on 15 February 1830 in Morgan County, Indiana.¹  Their household was not listed under Benjamin Stafford's name in Morgan or Johnson Counties in Indiana in 1830. The only Benjamin Stafford household enumerated in Indiana, was in Greene County and he had several children living in the household. While it is possible that this could be their household, it seems unlikely since they married four months prior to official census day for the 1830 census.  

Benjamin and Ruth Stafford were the parents of a single daughter they named Sarah.  She was born about 1832 in Indiana^1,3  and married Martin Wall when she was in her mid to late twenties.⁴  There is a tombstone in Freeman Cemetery in Johnson County, Indiana that in inscribed with the name Ruth Stafford.⁵  The stone is very old and in poor condition.  It has been broken or is sunken and only the words "Ruth Stafford Died November" are legible.  Her stone is not far from Robert Stafford's stone and appears to be similar in shape and age. [See photograph of tombstone below.] By the time the 25-year old, Benjamin Stafford, purchased the 40-acre parcel of land in Section 11 of Township 12 North of Range 1 East,² he had married his second wife, .³ 

Not long after Ruth Stafford's death, Benjamin married a second time to Margaret A. E. Price.  They were married in Johnson County, Indiana on 17 March 1835.⁶ Margaret and Ben Stafford were the parents of eight children, who are named below.  Research is not completed for each of their children and records are needed to document their lives.  Benjamin and his family lived in Morgan County and are enumerated on the census records there in 1840,⁷ 1850,⁸ 1860,⁹ 1870¹⁰and 1880.¹¹  Benjamin and Margaret were married about 17 years and had eight children when she died 06 March 1852¹² leaving him with a house full of children to raise.

Information in another biography written by Noah Majors indicates Benjamin married a Miss Sloan after Margaret's death.⁴  However, no documentation has been found for this marriage record and they did not have any children.  It is possible that Mr. Majors was mistaken about her name since there is a marriage record for Benjamin Stafford and Elizabeth Porter, who were married on 01 November 1852.¹³ Apparently, this marriage did not last long as there is a marriage record for Benjamin Stafford and Susan Fry, who were married on 15 July 1854.¹⁴ Evidence is needed to determine what Susan Fry's maiden name was.  Tradition from one researcher descending from this line is that her surname was Wall before she married Mr. Fry, but no marriage record has been found to document this.  Research is needed to determine if this is correct.

Benjamin and Susan Stafford nee Fry had seven children together.¹  Benjamin Stafford was the father of 16 children with three of his wives.  He was a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church and his political affiliation was with the Republican party.⁴ Benjamin did not leave Indiana, but remained in the Morgan and Johnson County area his entire adult life.  He died at the age of 80 on 25 March 1891 and is buried in Morgan County.¹⁵ 

Suggestions for additional research:

• Need Benjamin Stafford's probate file.

+44

i.

Sarah⁴ "Sally" A. Stafford 

b. about 1832 in Indiana;³ d. 06 July 1869 in Centerton, Morgan County, Indiana; m. Martin Wall⁴

i.

Infant⁴ Stafford 

No information available at this time.

ii.

Nancy Jane⁴ Stafford

b. about 1836 in Indiana;³ d. [?]; m. Mr. Woods¹

iii.

John Robert⁴ Stafford

b. 17 July 1837 in Morgan County, Indiana;¹⁵ d. 22 August 1899¹⁵ in Morgan County, Indiana m. Naomi "Oma" Gobble on 20 March 1858 in Morgan County, Indiana.¹⁶

iv.

Frances "Marion"⁴ Stafford

b. 30 May 1839 in Morgan County, Indiana;¹⁸ 14 May 1908¹⁸ in Morgan County, Indiana m. (1) Emeline M. Adams on 13 June 1858 in Morgan County, Indiana.¹⁹ (2) Rebecca Doyle on 04 Sep 1870 in Morgan County, Indiana²⁰

v.

William M. H. ⁴ Stafford

b. 03 March 1841 in Morgan County, Indiana;²¹ d. 16 December 1900 in Morgan County, Indiana;²¹ m. Ruhamey E. Kephart 04 March 1870 in Morgan County, Indiana²²

vi.

Harriet E.⁴ Stafford

b. 03 March 1843 in Morgan County, Indiana;²³ d. 09 March 1845 in Morgan County, Indiana; buried at William Cemetery on William Mary Drive, Martinsville, Indiana.²³

vii.

Benjamin "Barnard"⁴ Stafford

b. about 1847 in Morgan County, Indiana;³ d. 1927²⁴ m. (1) Cynthia Ann Ware on 186 April 1866²⁵ (2) m. Susan M. Dooley on 02 February 1877 in Morgan County, Indiana;²⁶ 

viii.

Grant S.⁴ Stafford

b. about 1848 in Morgan County, Indiana;³ d. 18 January 1911²⁶ m. (1) Miranda Fultz 04 November 1868²⁷

i.

Mary⁴ Stafford 

b. about 1855 in Morgan County, Indiana;⁹ d. before 01 August 1936²⁸ m. (1) Edward M. Parson [?]^{1, 29}

ii.

James⁴ Stafford

b. 25 April 1857 in Morgan County, Indiana;³⁰ d. 1928³⁰ m. (1) Emma Gerrita Rowan on 04 November 1877³¹  (2) Indiana Seaton on 14 April 1898 5:133 in Morgan County, Indiana;²⁶ Catherine "Kitty" Loring on 20 May 1914 in Marion County, Indiana²⁷ 

iii.

Garrett⁴ Stafford

b. about September 1859 in Morgan County, Indiana;⁹ d. [? probably between 1860⁹ and 1870¹⁰

iv.

Priscilla⁴ Stafford

b. about September 1859 in Morgan County, Indiana;⁹ d. [?] m. Jeremiah McKinley on 04 January 1879^1,32

v.

Martha⁴ Stafford

b. about September 1862 in Morgan County, Indiana;^10,33 d. [?] m. Manford Myrick on 02 February 1881^1,34

vi.

Emeline "Emma"⁴ Stafford

b. about 1864 in Morgan County, Indiana¹⁰ d. 01 August 1936 in Morgan County, Indiana;²⁸  m. Clayborn or Clayton[?] Gooch on 11 September 1880³⁵

vii.

Oliver P. Morton⁴ Stafford

b. 30 September 1866 in Morgan County, Indiana³⁶ d. 07 November 1936 in Morgan County, Indiana;³⁶  m. Ida Ritter on 09 June 1894³⁷

Benjamin Stafford

Census

• 1840 - Morgan County, Indiana

• 1850 - Clay Township, Morgan County, Indiana

• 1860 - Clay Township, Morgan County, Indiana

• 1870 - Clay Township, Morgan County, Indiana

• 1880 - Clay Township, Morgan County, Indiana

Marriage Records

• Need record for Stafford - Gifford marriage.

• Stafford – Price marriage record (17 March 1835), Johnson County Marriage Record Book 1:82; Johnson County Clerk’s Office, Franklin, Indiana.

• Stafford – Porter marriage record (01 November 1852), Morgan County Marriage Record Book C:12; Morgan County Clerk’s Office; Morgan County Public Library, Martinsville, Indiana.

• Need record for Stafford - Sloan marriage.

• Stafford – Fry marriage record (15 July 1854), Morgan County Marriage Record Book C:144; Morgan County Clerk’s Office; received from Morgan County Public Library, Martinsville, Indiana.

Land Patents 

• Certificate No. 21447 - US to Benjamin Stafford of  County, Indiana - Lot 10 of Subdivision of Fractional Section 11 in Township 12 of Range 1 East in the district of Crawfordsville, Indiana, containing 40 acres, (16 September 1835).

Deed Records

• US to Benjamin Stafford Land Patent (2 July 1837) - Morgan County Deed Book E:437-438 - Page 437 / Page 438.

• Stafford - Stafford warranty deed (17 June 1840) - Morgan County Deed Book G:447.  Legal description:  SW 1/4 of the NW 1/4 of Section 4 in Township 12 North of Range 1 East containing 33.91 acres. Page 447.

• Stafford - Stafford warranty deed (28 November 1843) - Morgan County Deed Book J:107.  Legal description:  NW 1/4 of the NW 1/4 of Section 4 in Township 12 North of Range 1 East containing 33 acres. Page 107 top / Page 107 bottom.

Tax Records

Note these tax pages were double page ledgers with the amount of tax due for each person listed horizontally.  The personal property was listed on the right page of the ledger for each year.

• Benjamin Stafford - 1842 Tax; FHL Film 193017

• Benjamin Stafford - 1843 Tax; FHL Film 193017

• Benjamin Stafford 1844 -  page 1 / page 2; FHL Film 193017

• Benjamin Stafford 1845 -  page 1 / page 2; FHL Film 193018

Death and burial

• Date of death:  25 March 1891 in Morgan County, Indiana

• Buried at William's Cemetery on Blue Bluff Road, Morgan County, Indiana, photograph donated by Argil Mahan, a descendant of Benjamin Stafford.

• Ruth Stafford tombstone in Freeman Cemetery, Johnson County, Indiana, photographed by Sharlene Miller.

• Benjamin and Margaret Stafford tombstones in William's Cemetery on Blue Bluff Road, Morgan County, Indiana, photograph donated by Argil Mahan, a descendant of Benjamin Stafford.

• Susan E. Stafford tombstone in William's Cemetery on Blue Bluff Road, Morgan County, Indiana, photograph donated by Argil Mahan, a descendant of Benjamin Stafford.  (Picture 1 - after cemetery cleaned; Picture 2 - prior to cleaning)

Will

• Need a copy of Benjamin Stafford's will or probate file.  If no probate file need to determine if he owned land at the time of his death.  

Family Photos

• Wall Family Reunion - - photo courtesy of Argil Mahan, a descendant of Benjamin Stafford. If any one can identify others in this photo, I would like to post the names.

• Emma Gerrita Stafford nee Rowan, daughter in law of Benjamin and Susan Stafford; wife of their son, James Stafford.  Photos courtesy of Argil Mahan.

• Elsie Viola Stafford Stewart, daughter of James and Gerrita Stafford nee Rowan.  Photo courtesy of Argil Mahan.