Martha R. Buchanan1

b. 20 January 1826, d. 8 November 1900
Dr. Benjamin Zimmerman and Martha (Buchanan) Zimmerman
(cropped)
FatherJames Buchanan2,3 b. 7 Apr 1781, d. 1 Dec 1829
MotherNancy Ryburn2,4 b. 3 Jan 1795, d. 9 Apr 1874
Birth20 Jan 1826 Martha R. Buchanan was born on 20 Jan 1826.5 
Marriage12 May 1847 She married first Dr. Benjamin F. Zimmerman, son of Abram Zimmerman and Mary (?), on 12 May 1847 in Washington County, Virginia.1 
Cens-185020 Sep 1850 Three years after their marriage Martha and Benjamin were recorded on the 1850 census for Washington County with their two year old daughter, Mary. Benjamin owned real estate valued at $1,524.6 
Residence1854  Benjamin was the owner of the first house in Bristol, Virginia (called Sapling Grove to 1865, then Goodson to 1890), which he had built in 1854. It stood in the 400 block of present State Street and was of solid brick construction. The property also held a detached brick kitchen and a two room, brick office building with slave quarters in the rear. Benjamin was the town's first physician and used the smaller brick building as his office. The house itself fronted on the sidewalk and as a result of a survey error the front wall of the house sat in Tennessee, while the remainder of the building was in Virginia. Dr. Zimmerman was reported to find this quite humerous.7 
Widowed  Martha and Benjamin did not have an opportunity to enjoy their new home together for long. Benjamin died in November 1854, leaving Martha a widow with two young daughters. She was also approximately three months pregnant. She gave birth to a son the following May whom she named after his father. The baby did not survive childhood and was buried in the same cemetery with his father. 
Cens-18606 Oct 1860 The 1860 census recorded Martha and her 2 young daughters living in the household of Nancy Buchanan, Martha's mother. It is not clear if Nancy had moved into Martha's home or vice versa, as both women then owned property in what would later be known as Bristol. The census recorded the fact that Nancy owned $7,340 in real estate, Martha owned $4,000 in real estate and personal property valued at $2,000. Mary, age 11, was listed as owning real estate valued at $1,500, and both daughters owned personal property valued at $2,000.8 
Cens-1860- Slave28 Sep 1860  Martha's property included 3 slaves: a 17 year old male, a 15 year old female and a young infant.9 
Land-Quit8 Jun 1859  Her real estate holdings also included a share in the tract of land on Baker's Creek in Washington County formerly owned by her deceased father [and on which she and her mother may have been living].10 
Marriage1861 She married second John Keys in 1861.11 
Cens-187014 Jun 1870 In 1870, nine years after her marriage to John Keys, Martha was recorded living in Goodson township [later Bristol], Washington County, Virginia with John. Martha's two daughters, Mary Buchanan and Nancy (Buchanan) Zimmerman, as well as Martha's nephew Charles Worley (son of her deceased sister Amanda) were also recorded with them.12 
  Martha's mother, though still living, was no longer part of the household. It is likely that Martha and John Keys were now occupying the home built by Martha's first husband Benjamin Zimmerman as Martha's obituary states that she lived in the home for many years.11 
Contract17 Aug 1874 In August 1874 Martha and her brother Jackson entered into an agreement whereby Martha and John were to clothe, nurse and care for Jackson during his lifetime. They also agreed to pay all his doctors bills and other medical expenses. In exchange Jackson conveyed to them his undivided share in the tract of land formerly belonging to Martha and Jackson's deceased father.13 
Cens-18807 Jun 1880 Accordingly, the 1880 census reflected the presence of Jackson in the household. Martha's daughter Mary had married; she, her husband and two children were also living with Martha and John.14 
1887  Jackson Buchanan died of rheumatism in 1887. 
Residence  In her latter years Martha moved to a home in North Bristol.11 
Cens-190018 Jun 1900  This was no doubt where she was living when the 1900 federal census taker knocked on her door. Martha was 74 and widowed. Living with her were her daughter Mary Spurgeon (51), Mary's husband B. [Bruce] and their 29 year old son John.15 
Death8 Nov 1900 Martha died of cholera at her home in North Bristol, Virginia, on 8 Nov 1900.11,5 
Burial10 Nov 1900 According to her obituary Martha was buried on 10 Nov 1900 in the family burying ground on the hill near her home. Specifically, she appears to have been buried in the Zimmerman-Keys square at East Hill Cemetery in Bristol.11,16 
Obituary Martha's obituary described her as a gentle woman. It relates how she often told the younger generation of the times when there was no Bristol, except a small village in King's Meadow on the old stage coach line. The obituary also states that she was the mother of four children, two of whom did not survive her.11 
Religion Martha was a lifelong member of the First Presbyterian Church of Bristol.11 

Family

Dr. Benjamin F. Zimmerman b. 26 Feb 1821, d. 11 Nov 1854
Children
ChartsDescendants of Mathew Ryburn and Jane Beattie
Last Edited23 Oct 2013

Citations

  1. [S4] D.E. Brown, Marriages of Washington Co., VA 1781-1853, p. 68. Abstract reads: Benjamin Zimmerman and Martha R. Buchanan, 12 May 1847 by James King.
  2. [S10] "Journal of Mary Jane Beaty (Davis) Moffett", p. 9. James and Nancy Ryburn Buchanan's children were: Jackson, Jane (Jane died when small), Amanda, Menerva, Elen, Sarah Ann, Martha, Evadna.
  3. [S28] Gerald H. Clark, Guardian Bonds Washington Co., VA, p. 27. Nancy Buchanan named guardian of Jackson D., Amanda, Minerva, Mary E., Sarah Ann, Martha and Avadna James Buchanan, orphans of James Buchanan, deceased. Bond: $1,200. Sureties: Beatie Ryburn, William Davis, Robert B. Edmondson and Jacob Merchant.
  4. [S705] Nancy Buchanan will (1874), Washington Co., Virginia Will Book 18: 319. The will was dated 26 Jan. 1874 and recorded 22 June 1874.
  5. [S1059] Lineage application of Nannie Zimmerman Carter, national no 77,392, Daughters of the American Revolution (John Buchanan), dated 2 Feb. 1910. Mrs. Carter, a daughter of Martha Buchanan, recorded her birth as 20 Jan. 1826 and death as 8 Nov. 1900.
  6. [S367] Benjamin Zimmerman household, 1850 U.S. Census, Washington Co., VA, pop. sched., 67th district, p. 171b (stamped), dwelling 1515, family 1515, viewed online at Ancestry.com, June 2003, image 208 of 289. Recorded data includes: Benjamin Zimmerman 28, farmer, owns real estate valued at $1,524; Martha 23; Mary 2; all b. VA.
  7. [S1341] "First House stood on State Street", Bristol Herald-Courier, April 2, 2006, page 5. Article authored by Bud Phillips, local historian who contributes a column titled Pioneers in Paradise.
  8. [S234] Nancy Buchanan household, 1860 U.S. cens, Washington Co., VA, pop. sched., Western District, p. 704 (added script), dwelling 2492, family 2430, viewed online at Ancestry.com, June 2003, image 340 of 361. Reported data includes: Nancy Buchanan, 65, owns real estate valued at $7,340, personal property of $800; Jackson, 44; Sarah 36; Martha Zimmerman 33, owns real estate valued at $4,000 and personal property of $2,000; Mary Zimmerman 11, owns real estate valued at $1,500 and personal property of $2,000; cont. on p. 705: Nancy Zimmerman, 9, owns personal property valued at $2,000; all b. VA.
  9. [S1308] Martha Zimmerman, owner, 1860 U.S. census, Washington Co., Virginia, slave schedule, p. 29 (original script), line 1, viewed online at Ancestry.com. 3 slaves: 2 males (17 and 9/12y) and 1 females (15y); 1 slave house.
  10. [S1337] Washington Co., Virginia, Deed Book 25: 169. Two quit claim deeds, both dated 8 June 1859 and recorded 26 Nov. 1860, isolated 44 acres to Mahlong and Mary E. (Buchanan) Susong. The remaining 194.5 acres was deeded to Jackson Buchanan, Evadna (Buchanan) and Edward Stoffle, Martha Zimmerman, Sarah A. Buchanan, and Amanda (Buchanan) and George Worley.
  11. [S632] Shelby Ireson Edwards, "Births, Deaths, Marriages From Bristol Newspapers", Holston Pastfinder, Volume 21, Number 82: p. 49. This record contains a transcription of Martha Buchanan Zimmerman Key's obituary from the Bristol News, dated Friday, 9 Nov. 1900.
  12. [S635] John Keys household, 1870 U.S. cens, Washington Co., Virginia, pop. sched., Goodson township, p. 79b (stamped), dwelling 16, family 16, viewed online at Ancestry.com, John Keys, 42, dry goods merchant, owns real estate valued at $7,000, Martha R. 42, keeping house; M. Zimmerman 20, Nancy Zimmerman 18, Charles Worley 13, owns real estate valued at $600.
  13. [S1335] Washington Co., Virginia, Deed Book 31: 261. The deed, dated 17 Aug. 1874, was recorded 8 Sept. 1874.
  14. [S165] John Keys household, 1880 U.S. Census, Washington Co., VA, pop. sched., Goodson District, ED 95, page 48 (103D), dwelling 283, family 326, viewed online at www.Ancestry.com, John Keys 52, farmer; Martha R. 54, wife; Jackson Buchanan 64, bros-in-law, farmer, single, maimed crippled or otherwise disabled; Nannie Zimmerman 28, sgl; Bruce Spergeon, 36, b. TN, boarder, farmer; Mary M. Spergeon, 30; John R. Spergeon 4; Mathi B. Spergeon, female, 1; all born VA except Bruce.
  15. [S1540] Martha R. Keys household, 1900 U.S. cens., Bristol, (Independent City) Virginia, pop. sched., Bristol, ED 144, sheet 24A (p. 205 stamped), dwelling 395, family 406, viewed online at Ancestry.com, Jul 2006, image 23 of 29. Enumeration includes: Martha R. Keys, 74, b. Jan. 1826, wid, mother 2 [?] children, both living, b. VA, parents b. VA, owns home; May [Mary?] Spurgeon, daughter, 51, b. May 1849 VA, marr 26 yrs, mother 3 children, only 1 of whom is living; B. Spurgeon, son-in-law, 56, b. Apr. 1844, b. TN, marr 26 yrs, Justice of the O__; John R. Spurgeon, grandson, 29 [?], b. Sept. 1876 TN, father b. TN, mother b. VA, farmer.
  16. [S2] Catherine McConnell, High On A Windy Hill, p. 350. Martha R. Keys, 1826-1900.
  17. [S3] Moore and Stephens, Washington Co., VA Birth and Death Records, p. 230. Abram C. Zimerman, 4 yrs old, d. 23 Apr. 1853 of inflammation of the brain, child of Benj. F. & M. Zimerman. The date and age on this death record suggest that Abram should have been born prior to the 1850 census, however, he does not appear on that record. Either his age or date of death was likely misread from the original record.
  18. [S3] Moore and Stephens, Washington Co., VA Birth and Death Records, p. 163. Benjamin F. Zimerman, b. 29 May 1855; parents: Benj. F. & Martha Zimerman.