Martha Livina was born January 10, 1857 in Gainsboro, N.C. They were married March 11, 1874. Her husband died at an early age and she was a widow for 58 years. She died November 20, 1940 at Joshua, Texas.

She was a very busy, strict, religious woman and was well thought of in the community. When she was forty-eight, her daughter, Mamie, died leaving a newborn daughter, Eva. She kept Eva until her father remarried five years later. Remember, there were no modern conveniences, no electricity. When it was time to give Eva a bottle of milk, Cephas or Guy would milk a cow -- yes, even at night.

Her son, Guy stayed on the farm with her until her death at the age of 83. She outlived six of her eight children.

Source: Thelma Carrell Jones