Mary Florence Watson and Robert Jefferson McCarta

Robert and Mary are my 2nd great-grandparents. Robert Jefferson McCarta, sometimes McCarty, was born 1 November 1852 in Catahoula Parish, Louisiana. His parents were William J. McCarta (1825-1862) and Sarah Ann Peirce (1832-1900). Robert married Ophelia E. Roberts 11 November 1873 in Louisiana. I find them in the 1880 census with Robert, O.E., a son H.W and Ophelia’s sister Alice Roberts. Ophelia sadly died some time before 1887, when he marries my 2nd great-grandmother Mary Florence Watson.

Mary was born Nov 1868 in Louisiana. Her parents are Jacob H. Watson (B 1840) and Elizabeth.

On the 1900 census, I find the family living in Catahoula Parish with Robert’s daughter born to Ophelia, Mittie M, born Dec 1884 and four children born to Robert and Mary, Susie B born Oct 1887, Minnie born Nov 1888, Robert Leo born May 1890, Mary M born June 1893 along with Robert’s mother Sarah A born March 1832. One thing that I noted on the census -that I had not noticed before- is it states that Mary F had seven children and only four living. I am not sure how to locate the other three children. I have not found grave markers for them. Also missing from the census is Robert and Ophelia’s son born about 1878.

Robert passed away on 22 December 1907 in Catahoula Parish, Louisiana, leaving Mary to care for seven children.

I found Mary and her seven children living on the 1910 census, where it lists Mary as a farmer on a general farm. Between the 1900 census and when Robert passed away, they added three more children to the family, Corrine born 1900, Maude born 1902 and John Marable born 1904. According to the 1910 census Mary has had seven children and seven living. I am not sure which is correct but maybe this is why I can not find any grave markers for additional children.

By 1920 Mary was living with her sixteen year old son John M, still living in Catahoula Parish. For some reason, on this census they used her name as Florence instead of Mary.

At some point between 1920 and 1926 Mary moved to Oklahoma to help her daughter Maude Stigall with her children. The story that was told to me was that Maude had suffered some type of break down and needed help. Maude moved to Oklahoma at the same time my great-grandmother Minnie did. They both married cattle herders, who worked for the Miller’s Brothers 101 Ranch. Both Maude’s husband Rolla and Minnie’s husband Harry made a cattle drive to Louisiana where they met and married. Maude was only sixteen when she married.

Mary passed away on 7 April 1926 in Marland, Noble, Oklahoma. I have also been told that the date on Mary’s grave marker is incorrect and was placed many years after she passed. As of today I have not found any other date for her death.