Martha Thompson Wallin: A Brief Story, A Meaningful Glimpse

Picture taken in late 1930's or early 1940s

Martha Thompson Wallin (updated: 4/9/26)

This post highlights Martha Wallin Thompson, a great grandaunt in the Thompson family and the twin sister of my great grandmother, Mary Thompson Peterson.

Why She Matters

My great grandmother, Mary Thompson Peterson, died in 1897 at the age of 26. Because of that, there are no photographs or later-life records that show what she might have looked like as she grew older.

Martha, her twin sister, provides a rare glimpse into that missing part of the story. Seeing Martha in later photographs helps me imagine what Mary may have looked like and what her life might have been like had she lived longer.

Through Martha, there is a small but meaningful connection to the life my great grandmother never had the chance to live.

Martha Thompson was born 14 November 1871 in Madison County, Arkansas, to William Thurman Thompson and Mary Elizabeth Watkins. In the 1880 census for Madison County, both Martha and Mary Thompson are listed as eight years old, which supports the conclusion that they were twins.

By 1900, Martha was living in Washington County, Arkansas, in the household of her mother. On 31 October 1908, she married Frank Wallin, as documented in their marriage license.

The couple appears in the 1920 census in Crawford County, Arkansas, and later in the 1930 census in Madison County, Arkansas.

Frank Wallin died in 1939. His obituary notes that he was 68 years old, born in Kentucky around 1870, and that he was survived by his wife, Martha Wallin.

Martha Wallin died in January 1941 in Huntsville, Madison County, Arkansas. Her obituary reports that she was 70 years old and that funeral services were held in Huntsville with burial in the local cemetery. Her death certificate confirms her full name as Martha Wallin, her birth date of 14 November 1871, and identifies her parents as Thurman Thompson and Elizabeth Watkins.

At this time, no records have been found indicating that Martha and Frank had any children.

The following photograph, taken in Madison County, Arkansas in the late 1930s or early 1940s, shows (left to right): Martha Thompson Wallin, Paul Peterson, Charles Peterson, and Bertha Lawson Peterson.

Timeline

• 1871: Birth in Madison County, Arkansas
• 1880: Age 8, Madison County, Arkansas
• 1900: Age 28, Washington County, Arkansas, living with mother
• 1908: Married Frank Wallin on 31 October 1908
• 1910: Not located in census
• 1920: Age 49, Crawford County, Arkansas, living with husband
• 1930: Age 57, Madison County, Arkansas, living with husband
• 1941: Death in Huntsville, Madison County, Arkansas

Mary Thompson

Mary Thompson was born in Madison County, Arkansas on 14 November 1871 to William Thurman Thompson and Mary Elizabeth Watkins.

There is only a small amount of information available on her.

Mary only shows up in one census record.  In 1880 she lived with her parents in Madison County, Arkansas and was listed as 8 years old.  According the record, she and her sister Martha were both 8 years old.  I've assumed that the two girls were twins.

If I assume that Mary and Martha were twins, then her birth date would 14 Nov. 1871, the same as Martha's-see post titled Martha Thompson Wallin (Roy's Aunt).

The next time Mary Thompson Peterson shows up is in 1897.  She and her family were living in Nevada, Missouri and the local newspaper became aware of her dire situation and made it public news.  If you read the post Robert Peterson's Family History you will get the background to the following articles:

Thursday, February 11, 1897 (Nevada Daily Mail)

Friday, February 12, 1897 (Nevada Daily Mail)

Saturday, February 13, 1897 (Nevada Daily Mail)