Catherine Fleeman (1820-1895), wife of Thomas G. Stafford and mother of James Thomas Stafford. Married 17 August 1843. Her children include James Thomas (the second-born), the ggrandfather of John William Stafford and gggrandfather of the author of these pages. Besides James Thomas, the marriage also produced seven other children: Elizabeth A., Sarah L.V., Frances M., Bulah Ann, Martha Josephine, John S., and Mary C. Thomas and Catherine were born in Smith County TN and married in Macon TN. Their first two children were born in Smith County TN, the next four in Missouri, and the last two in Illinois.
Catherine's father was John Fleeman. Her mother's maiden name was Lucinda. Catherine lived at Jonesboro, IL, in 1863, and in Makanda in October 1866. She moved to Jackson County in 1870. She received a widow's pension on 21 June 1864. Microfilm stored at the Jackson County Historical Society in Murphysboro IL shows that a Catherine Stafford assisted Dr. Frank M. Agnew of Makanda in many deliveries, including the births of her grandchildren George Preston, Morten Lee, Lillie Gertrude, and Lewis Preston; and her ggrandchildren Ernest Lee Stafford (24 April 1896) and James Ralph (18 May 1891). She is probably the midwife, "Aunt Mary," that William Warren Townes described to me in 1991.
Last Updated 12/22/04