Martha Ann's Maiden Name is Found

 The maiden name for the wife of James Wilson is 
Martha Ann Little

For years Wilson family historians have searched for a maiden name for Martha Ann, the wife of James Wilson of Collin County, Texas.  About 13 years years ago, Randy Wilson left the following message on Ancestry.com:

Martha Ann Unknown's surname may have been Little??? One or more of our deceased relatives believed that Martha Ann's surname was Little; we don't have documentation for this but will do further research.  This information (may have been a recollected guess) would have came from Martha Ann Wilson's granddaughter, Martha Ann Roberts Tucker who died in 1959.

Since there was no documentation to support this information, nothing more was done.  Since then there has been a lot of research done on the James Wilson family in general, but no maiden name ever found for Martha Ann.  And as of yet, no marriage record has ever been found.  So Martha Ann has been without a maiden name for years😢.

But recently while using the new "Full Text" search on FamilySearch.org, a civil court document from 1882 Collin County, Texas was found and BINGO -- Martha was recorded by her maiden name.  The above information left on Ancestry.com from Randy Wilson was correct.   

Martha Ann's maiden name is Little. 

The 1882 civil court document concerns the estate of Martha A. Wilson, who married James Wilson in Tennessee and moved with him to Collin County, Texas in 1845.  Martha died without a will in August 1873. The record, dated January 1882, involves family members—Mary C Helms, Elizabeth Roberts, and W. B. Wilson—who are heirs of James and Martha residing in Collin County. The dispute centers on property acquired by James and Martha Wilson during their marriage.

1882 Collin, Texas Civil Case Papers
FamilySearch.org, Image Group #008408172

A summary of the document will first be given, then there will be a transcription of the above page.  Make note that this is only one page of 150 pages involved in this civil court case spanning from November 1881 to June 1882.

Names and Relationships

• James Wilson and Martha A. Little Wilson (married; citizens of Tennessee; later residents of Collin County, Texas)
• Mary C. Helms and J.S. Helms  (married; residents of Collin County, Texas)
• Elizabeth Roberts and W.J. Roberts (married; residents of Collin County, Texas)
• W. B. Wilson (residing in the Chickasaw Nation division of Indian Territory)

Dates

• 1843: James Wilson and Martha A. Little - marriage in Tennessee (Note: This date is inaccurate)
• 1845: James and Martha Wilson - immigration to Texas, settled in Collin County
• 1873 August: Martha A. Wilson - death in Collin County, Texas
  1881-1882: Civil court dispute in Collin County, Texas 
  
  Summary of Document 
  

  This document from the District Court of Collin County, Texas, dated January 1882, concerns the estate of  Martha A. Wilson, deceased wife of James Wilson. James and Martha married in Tennessee, moved to Texas in 1845, and lived in Collin County until Martha’s death in 1873. The case involves their heirs  – daughter, Mary C Wilson Helms and her husband J.S. Helms; daughter, Elizabeth Wilson Roberts and her husband W.J. Roberts; and son, W. B. Wilson, regarding property identified as community property belonging to James and Martha Wilson. 

• Transcription of above document:

• The State Texas}   In the Hon District Court of
  Collin County}       Collin County, Texas
  Jany Term AD1882

  In the Hon District Court aforesaid
  Mary C Helms who is joined by her husband J S Helms & Elizabeth Roberts who is joined with W J Roberts all of whom reside in Collin County Texas and W B Wilson who resides in the Chickasaw division of the Indian Territory plaintiffs herein complaining of A. M. Wilson who resides in Collin County Texas would represent and show that heretofore towit on the day of 1843 James Wilson and Martha A Little being then citizens of the Tennessee intermarried and afterwards towit on the day of 1845 they emigrated the State of Texas and settled in Collin County in said State and lived together in said County & State as husband and wife until the death of the said Martha A Wilson who died in Collin County Texas intestate on towit the 16^th day of August 1873 . That during the time the said James Wilson and Martha A Wilson lived together as husband and wife they accumulated acquired considerable property real and person among which was the tract of land and premises herein described Plaintiffs over and charge that was the community property of the said James Wilson and his deceased wife Martha A Wilson 
  
  Additional Wilson Family Posts:
  James Wilson in Jail
  Chambersville Cemetery