Life History

Notes

• I have not found a maiden name for Margaret Terry, wife of Isom Terry.  She appears to be the third wife of Isom, and after having one child, Jackson H, they divorced in Arkansas.  Isom's wife Ceatta died about 1863; so Isom must have married Margaret about 1864; but the 1900 census reports their son Jack's birthday as June 1864.  I have been unable to find her death information or a burial record, though most of the Terrys were buried in Johnson County, and many at Ft Douglas.
  
  The first record I found for Margaret was the 1910 census, where she is reported living in the home of her son Jackson.  Here she is reported as Divorced.
  
  This information on the disposition of her relationship to Isom, and her surname here as Terry, seems to clear up the some uncertainty some descendants had about whether Isom and Margaret had actually been married.
  
  1910 Federal Census, Johnson County, Arkansas, 23 May, Pilot Point, District 63, page 7A,  Fort Douglas and Local Rd, Hse #104, Fam #112
  Terry, Jackson H  Head  M W 45  Married 29 years  AR KY AR Farmer Rents
  Terry, Catharine Wife F W 44 Married 29 years 7 children/7 living KY KY KY
  Terry, Walter L Son M W 21  AR AR KY Farmer
  Terry, Willie M Dau F W 19 AR AR KY
  Terry, George L  Son M W 17 AR AR KY
  Terry, Allen E  Son M W 15 AR AR KY
  Terry, Dewey  Son M W 10 AR AR KY
  Terry, Maggie Dau F W 8 AR AR KY
  Terry, Margaret Mother F W 79 Divorced 7 children/2 living AR AR KY [b abt 1931]
  
  I later found the 1880 census, where Margaret is the head of the household with only her son Jack with her.  Here the report of her marital status is ambiguous.  There is one column for Widowed or Divorced.  The enumerator marked this box, but did not designated a W or D.  The date given for her husband Isom's death, however, is 1888. and his wife in the 1880 census is Celia, this should have meant Divorced.
  
  Because Isom's wife was Celia in 1880, it appears that Isom married Margaret some time after about 1863, when it is reported his wife Ceatta died.  But they were divorced some time after Jackson's birth around 1865.  Isom's family seems to have been missed in the 1870 census.
  
  1880 Federal Census, Franklin County, Arkansas, 14 June, Boston Township, District 58, page 25, Hse #153, Fam #156
  Terry, Margaret  M [sic] F 50   Widowed/Divorced (marked, not specified] Keeping House Cannot read or write TN TN AL
  Terry, Jack  W M 15 Son Single No Occup Attended School this year Cannot read or write AR KY TN
  
  Margaret does not appear with her son Jackson's family in 1920, probably indicating she died before the 1920 census.  I have not found her death or burial information.

Sources

• 1. 1880 Federal Census, Franklin County, Arkansas
  • 14 June, Boston Township, District 58, page 25, Hse #153, Fam #156
• 2. 1910 Federal Census, Johnson County, Arkansas
  • 3 May, Pilot Point Township, District 63, page 7A, Ft Douglas and Local Rd, Hse #109, Fam #112
• 3. Email Sources
• 4. 1920 Federal Census, Johnson County, Arkansas
  • 31 January, Pilot Rock, District 64, page 9A, Hse/Fam #142
• 5. Arkansas, County Marriages Index, 1837-1957
• 6. 1900 Federal Census, Franklin County, Arkansas
  • 9 June, Boston Township, District 187, page 5A,  Hse #74, am #76
• 7. Military Gravestone of Isom Terry, Ft Douglas Cemetery, Johnson County, Arkansas
• 8. Arkansas Marriages, 1851-1900
• 9. Find a Grave Memorial Registry
• 10. 1910 Federal Census, Johnson County, Arkansas
  • 23 May, Pilot Point, District 63, page 7A,  Fort Douglas and Local Rd, Hse #104, Fam #112