52 Ancestors Week 14: The Maiden Aunt

#52 Ancestors



This has been a challenge to find one person to write about. Today I am going to talk about 2 Martha Gilberts. The first Martha Gilbert is my first cousins three times removed, the second Martha Gilbert is my great-grand aunt.

Many Gilbert researchers have the first Martha Gilbert, the daughter of Francis M Gilbert, married to William Lill. I have to disagree with this. She is clearly shown living in the home of her father in the 1880 Census for Shoal Creek, Lumpkin, Georgia, United States.(1)   She is listed as the age of 26 and single, which in that time frame would make her an old maid. The Martha E Gilbert who married William Lill had children by 1875 and 1877, which would seem to indicate she is not the daughter of Francis Gilbert.

The second Martha Gilbert , daughter of Simeon Gilbert, is shown living in his home in the 1860 and 1870 Census records. She is not in the 1880 Census with her family. I think she may have been the Martha Gilbert who married William Lill and had 2 children by him.

Martha Gilbert Lill is shown in the 1900 and 1910 Census in the home of her son Andrew Lill. Martha E Gilbert is named in the 1939 death record her son Andrew Lill. Also in the U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007 of her daughter Callie Lill Haynes. You can view William Lill’s Profile on Ancestry.com


So my quandary is which Martha Gilbert married William Lill ? At this time I have him married to Martha the daughter of Francis but I truly think his spouse was the daughter of Simeon. I do have one DNA match on Ancestry that is from the line of William Lill I need to explore. This may be the way to answer the question of who married William and which Martha is the maiden aunt.








(1)"United States Census, 1880," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/M8G6-Q4K : 11 August 2017), Martha Gilbert in household of Francis M Gilbert, Shoal Creek, Lumpkin, Georgia, United States; citing enumeration district ED 147, sheet 372C, NARA microfilm publication T9 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 0156; FHL microfilm 1,254,156.

52 Ancestors Week 13: The Old Homestead


I grew up hearing stories of the Ellis homestead. Mom would tell stories of how she and her siblings would be there with her grandparents and how great-grandpa David Ellis would gather them around the fireplace in the evenings and read to them from his Bible. Stories of learning to swim and playing in the woods near the farm. I had built up a mental picture of a small white house filled with love and laughter.

About a year after joining WikiTree I ran into a distant cousin Ruth who had taken her father back to see the old homestead. She had photos of the Ellis hearth, as the house was long gone. (to see this photo please visit the profile for David Ellis on WikiTree) This was such a surprise and joy for me to see. Here before my eyes was the fireplace my mother sat near as a child. I could almost see and hear then sitting there listening to my great-grandpa David Ellis read from his Bible. I could hear my mamaw Sophia Ellis Samples telling the children to be still and listen.

We have a Facebook group consisting of cousins from the line of Sophia Ellis Samples and Charles Samples that we are using to share old photos as we find them. I have seen some wonderful old pictures lately of my Aunts and Uncles. One picture that brought me great joy is a photo of the Ellis homestead taken in 1956.

In this photo, shared by a cousin, I see before me the homestead my grandmother Sophia lived in. My mom and her siblings had played on that front porch as children. I can not put into words the wonder and excitement at seeing this place of my dreams. No, it was not white, no it was not small but I know it was filled with love and joy.






The photo was taken Jan 1957



There is one photo of him and his 2 daughters, Sophia and Mary, I have which shows him in the latter part of his life. I am not sure where this was taken but I think the year was 1956. I have always wondered if this was taken at his home on Racoon Creek.





From left to right: Sophia Ellis Samples, David Ellis, Mary Ellis Hall


I am going to return to my old box of photos and see what other treasures I have that have not been added to our shared family tree on WikiTree. Until next time I hope all have a safe and joy-filled week.