Sarah Martha Hess

Sarah Martha Hess was born 1858, probably in Independence County, Arkansas.    She was the daughter of Hiram Hess and Sarah (last name unknown).

Three year old Martha appears on the 1860 Newton County census, in Van Buren Township, south of Boxley with her parents.

The Hess family moved to Springfield, Missouri in August 1864.    Virginia's father died there in 1866.    

Prior to 1871, Martha's mother, Sarah, returned to Arkansas with her children.    They settled in Izard County (now Stone County).

The 1880 Stone County, Arkansas census, Richwoods Township, shows 22 year old Martha Hess living at home with her mother, Sarah Hess, 63, widowed; her sister Christiana Meadows, 32; and her 4-year old niece, Eliza Julia Jones.

Martha married William Francis M. Griffin on December 6, 1883, in Stone County, Arkansas.

William F. M. Griffin was born 1861, in Arkansas, according to census.    He was the only child of Francis M. Griffin, who was born April 1841, in Tennessee and Martha J. (maiden name unknown), who was born June 1845, in Tennessee, according to the 1900 census.    The 1880 Stone County, Arkansas census shows the family in Blue Mountain Township.    William F. M. was 18 years old on the census.

William F. M. Griffin died between 1895 and 1900, probably in Stone County, Arkansas.

The 1900 Stone County census, Franklin Township, shows Martha and her children living with her in-laws.     The census shows Francis M. Griffin, 59; Martha J., wife, 54; Sarah M., daughter-in-law, 38, widowed, had given birth to 6 children, all 6 of them were still living; Francis V., grandson, 15; John B., grandson, 13; James E., grandson, 10; Nancy J., granddaughter, 9; William I., grandson, 7; and Maggie R., granddaughter, 5 years old.

The 1910 Stone County census, Harris Township, shows Martha S. Griffin, 43, married 1 time, a widow, had given birth to 6 children, 5 children were still living, a farmer who rented her farm; John B., son, 23, a farm laborer on home farm; Ed J., son, 20, a farm laborer on home farm; and Maggie R., daughter, 15, a farm laborer on home farm.   

Children of William Griffin and Martha Hess