52 Ancestors 52 Weeks-Week 25

Mary Ann "Polly Ann" Allman

Mary Ann was called Polly Ann, even in some records. For a long time I was not certain that I had found the right one because of this. In her first marriage she was listed as Polly Ann Allman.

She was the daughter of Samuel and Rebecca Ann Hatton Allman, and born in Jackson County, Indiana.

In the 1850 census I found Mary Ann with her parents in Brownstown, Jackson County, Indiana. It lists Samuel, 30, Rebecca A., 27, Mary A. 13, John, 11, Minerva, 9, Nancy E., 4, and Philip, 6 months. Samuel is listed at having been born in Virginia, and his occupation is farmer.

On October 3rd, 1852, John Martin and Polly Ann Allman were married. She was just 15. Both received the 'Consent of father' beside their name. His has more writing I cannot read. I will work on it later.

In the 1860 Census in Sparksville, Washington County, Indiana, John Martin is listed as 25, Polly Ann, 23, Rebecca Elizabeth is 3. The census was taken on the 12th of July. Samuel, my great-great-grandfather, was born in February of that year. He would have been about 5 months old at the time of the census, which obviously did not list infants. John was listed as a farmer born in Indiana.

This is where things get cloudy. The family story was that John fought in the Civil War. Did he? There were several John Martins that did, and I will look at that when I focus on John. I can say that at this point, I do not know. I also don't know if he and Polly were divorced, or if he died.

Mary, "Polly", is not listed in the 1870 census that I have been able to find.

There is a record of a Mary Ann Martin marriage in 1869 to a Reuben Cockerham. Her sister, Nancy, married a Cockerham and her on her father's second marriage record it says, Oath of Danl. H. Cockerham next to Sam's name, which is, I believe, Reuben Cockerham's father. I don't know what that means. I will have to take it up later.

The things that I find strange here, is that I am unable to find Mary Ann after 1860. Another thing is, the first child of John and Polly was born 5 years after they married.  I cannot find any between those dates. Also, Reuben Cockerham would have been 5 years her junior, having been born in 1842. This one is going to take a while.

Sources:
1850 U.S. census, National Archives Microfilm Publication M432, 1009 rolls; Records of the Bureau of the Census, Record Group 29; National Archives, Washington, D.C.
"Indiana Marriages, 1811-2007," FamilySearch; John Martin and Polly Ann Allman, 03 Oct 1852; citing , Jackson, Indiana, county clerk offices, Indiana; FHL microfilm 1,314,624.
1860 U.S. census, population schedule. NARA microfilm publication M653, 1,438 rolls. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.
"Indiana Marriages, 1811-2007; FamilySearch; Reuben Cockerham and Mary Ann Martin, 19 Jan 1869; citing , Jackson, Indiana, county clerk offices, Indiana; FHL microfilm 1,314,625.
"Indiana Marriages, 1811-2007; FamilySearch; Samuel Allman and Mary Hall, 01 Jan 1853; citing , Jackson, Indiana, county clerk offices, Indiana; FHL microfilm 1,314,624.

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