Hall Jackson Wilkerson
b. 26 December 1860, Knoxville, Knox, Tennessee to John and Mary Ann (Branham) Wilkerson
d. 26 December 1934, Knightstown, Henry, Indiana
bur. Glen Cove Cemetery, Knightstown, Henry, Indiana

Hall Wilkerson and Martha Childress gravestone

m/1. about May 1856, Tennessee
Cathrine [–?–]

m/2. 29 July 1904, Knoxville, Knox, Tennessee
Martha Florentha “Flora” Childress
b. 17 October 1880, Bearden, Knox, Tennessee, to Elisha Pharoh and Susannah Jane (Weaver) Childress
d. 27 February 1965, Indianapolis, Marion, Indiana
bur. Glen Cove Cemetery, Knightstown, Henry, Indiana

Martha Florentha Childress m/2.
Ira Lester Johnson
d. 5 May 1963, Indianapolis, Marion, Indiana

Children with Cathrine [–?–]:

• John Michael Edward (1881-1916) married Cora May Swatzell
• Rev. Rufus Hall (1882-1965) married Julia Privett
• Charles (1889-1946) married Bertha Wallace
• Laura/Larie Jane (1891-1921) married Carl O. Sharp

Children with Martha Florentha Childress:

• Elmer (1906-1964) married Margaret Bell Slack
• Zella Beatrice (1908-1992) married (1) Ophir Orlo Richison, (2) Delbert Albert Smith, (3) Forester Rosenbarger
• Ethel Samantha (1912-2000) married Lyle Forrest Rozzell
• Everett Elisha (1915-1968) married May Beatrice Michael

Hall Jackson and Flora moved to Indiana from Tennessee shortly after their marriage in 1904. He was about 20 years older than his new bride and had grown children just slightly younger than Martha. Several of the children from his first marriage moved to Indiana as well.

During the early years of their marriage Hall and Flora lived in Muncie and Progress in Delaware County, Indiana. Later they moved to Knightstown, Henry County, Indiana, and their children graduated from high school there.

While in Delaware County, Hall worked at the Kitselman Wire Mill, but when they moved to Henry County, some of his children remember him making home-made candies, apparently to sell. Flora took in washing and did housework for others to help support the family and continued doing such work to support herself after Hall’s death. Hall and Flora raised their children in a strict Baptist home, but Hall was also said to be a drinker. Flora did not remarry until many years after Hall’s death. She and her second husband lived in Indianapolis until Ira’s death just a couple of years before Flora’s. Ira was buried in Vincennes with his first wife and Flora is buried with Hall in Knightstown where they spent most of their years together.

Submitted by:
Shirley Richison Fields
Avon IN
E-mail: richison@me.com