Great Grandmother Susana J. Markham Bond

I’ve spent quite a lot of time working on identifying the family of Susana J. Markham. The 1860 census, the only instance where I find her with a birth family, shows her name as Sus. J. Markham, living with parents Carter Markham and wife Lucinda (Thompson). Both my mother and Aunt Jackie remember her name as Mary Markham, and were quite adamant about that. I don't know where the Mary came from, maybe a nickname. However, Susana Markham Bond died before either was born, so maybe they were remembering someone else.

Scott Markham, who lived either with or next to our Bond family, was a mystery person to me for quite a long time, but helped me pinpoint the family of Carter Markham. Scott is shown on the 1900 census in Fannin County, TX living with Charles Bond and wife Martha, and is listed as nephew, although technically he was neither person’s nephew.   Our Benjamin M. Bond family is there also, with daughter Grace.

It wasn’t until death certificates from Texas became available online that I pinpointed Scott's father as John T. Markham, brother of Susana, and son of Carter Markham and Lucinda Thompson. Interesting, both Scott and Charles Bond married ladies from the Nichols family, which is probably a large part of why they stayed in close contact. In 1910 they are next to each other in Johnston County, Oklahoma, along with other Bond, Timmons and Markham families. By 1920 they were back in Texas, living in Burkburnett County, Texas. His name is sometimes listed as G.S. Markham, and other times J. S. Markham, but his wife’s name, Fenette (?), stays nearly the same, though she gave information for his death certificate as Janette Nichols Markham.  Those census takers weren't exactly fussy about getting spellings, or even names, correct.

Susana’s gravestone in the Bond family plot, Hilger Cemetery, Fannin County, Texas, where her husband and other family members are buried, shows her simply as S.J. Markham. On their son’s death certificate (Marvin Claude Bond) his mother’s name is listed as Susana Markham. She died on February 20, 1892. I’d still love to know what the J stands for. Maybe my mother’s name: Josephine? And maybe, just maybe, there's someone out there with a photograph of Susana Markham.  Wouldn't that be grand?