Martha Ellen (Keeney) Handsaker (1862 - 1911)

Born 1 Dec 1862 in Goshen, Lane, Oregon, United States

Ancestors

Wife of Nelson Erastus Handsaker — married 19 Sep 1886 in Lane County, Oregon, United States

Died 6 Dec 1911 at age 49 in Tacoma, Pierce, Washington, United States

Biography

Birth and Early Life

Martha Ellen Keeney was born on 1 December 1862 in Goshen, Lane, Oregon, United States to Jackson Keeney and Amanda Morse. She was the first born of 4 children who lived past infancy^[1]

Her parents moved to Eugene, Lane, Oregon sometime before 1870 when she was 8.

Marriage and Family

Martha married Nelson Erastus Handsaker on 19 September 1886 in Lane County, Oregon when she was 23 and he was 25.

They moved to Ellensburg, Kittitas, Washington by 20 May 1887 when the Washington Census was taken. On this date they did not yet have children. Her husband was a stenographer.

Children of the Handsaker-Keeney Marriage

1. Willard Nelson Handsaker was born on 19 July 1887 in Ellensburg, Kittatas, Washington, United States. He married Bertha Wilhelmina Skartvedt (1893-1975) in 1918. Nelson died on 19 December 1987 in St. Paul, Ramsey, Minnesota, United States.
2. Erwin Keeney Handsaker was born on 22 December 1888 in Tacoma, Pierce, Washington, United States. He died on 30 January 1913 in Vancouver, Clark, Washington, United States at the age of 24. Not married.
3. Amanda Henrietta Handsaker, known as Anna, was born on 18 April 1893 in Tacoma, Pierce, Washington, United States. She married Ralph Mortimer Heaton (1875-1957) in 1924 in Tacoma, Pierce, Washington when she was 31 and he was 49. Anna died on 17 September 1961 in Tacoma, Pierce, Washington, United States at the age of 68.
4. Dorothy Ellen Handsaker was born on 3 August 1898 in Tacoma, Pierce, Washington, United States. She married Paul Matthew Scott (1910-1962) in 1945 in New York, USA when she was 47 and he was 35. Dorothy died on 24 February 1977 in Brookline, Norfolk, Massachusetts, United States.

Later Life

Martha and Nelson moved next to Tacoma, Pierce, Washington before the 5 June 1900 Census was taken. She had then given birth to four children and all four were living. She had been married for 14 years. Nelson worked as a clerk for the Western Pacific Rail Road and they lived at 1017 North O Street next door to his parents and siblings who remained at home at 1015 North O Street. Nelson and Martha with their children and his mother.

Death and Burial

Martha preceded her husband in death. She died on 6 December 1911 in Tacoma, Pierce, Washington, United States at the age of 49. She was buried in the Keeney Cemetery, Pleasant Hill, Lane, Oregon. Find A Grave: Memorial #38300323

Sources

• 1870 United States Federal Census on16 June in Eugene, Lane, Oregon. Family 212. ^[2]
• 1880 United States Federal Census on 8 June in Eugene, Lane, Oregon. Family 23. ^[3]
• 1887 Washington State and Territorial Census on 20 May 1887 in Ellensburg, Kittitas, Oregon, USA. Bottom left and top right Page, no page #, Lines 30 and 1. ^[4]
• 1900 United States Federal Census on 5 June in Tacoma, Pierce, Washington. Family 123. ^[5]
• 1910 United States Federal Census on 19 April in Tacoma, Pierce, Washington. Family 155. ^[6]
• January 1911 Tacoma, Washington, USA U.S. City Directories, 1821-1989.
• 1920 United States Federal Census on 2 January 1920 on 1017 Cushman in Tacoma, Pierce, Washington. Page 1A, Line 21. Shows her husband as a widower with the two youngest daughters at home.
• Find A Grave Index. Photos of Martha and her headstone are available.
• Washington Deaths for Martha E. Handsaker and states names of parents.
• Washington Select Death Certificates for Martha E. Handsaker.
• Keeney, Ralph Ray. Wagon Ruts West. Unknown: Keeney, R.R., 1983. It is out of print, but the author had granted pieces of it for educational purposes. The entire article is available here. ^[7]

Footnotes

1. ↑ Her mother's gravestone notes an unnamed infant with no dates
2. ↑ 1870: Keeney, A.J. 49, b. Missouri, farmer, head; Amanda J. 43, b. Indiana, wife; James 16, b. Missouri, son; William 13, b. Missouri, son; John 10, b. Oregon, son; Martha 8, b. Oregon, daughter; Benjamin 6, b. Oregon, son; Alva A. 3, b. Oregon, son; Thomas P. 5 months-January, b. Oregon, son.
3. ↑ 1880: Keeney, A.J. 58, farmer, head; Amanda 53, wife; Martha 17, daughter; Benjamin F. 14, son; Andrew 13, son; Thomas P. 10, son.
4. ↑ 1887: Handsaker, Nelson, head, stenographer; Martha wife.
5. ↑ 1900: Handsaker, Nelson E. 39/b. Dec 1860 in Illinois, married 14 years, Clerk in N.P.R.R., head; Martha E. 37/b. Dec 1862 in Oregon, 4 children born and living, wife; Willard N. 12/b. July 1887 in Washington, son; Erwin K. 11/b. Dec 1888 in Washington, son; Amanda 7/b. April 1893 in Washington, daughter; Dorothy E. 1/b. August 1898 in Washington, daughter; a servant.
6. ↑ 1910: Handsaker, Nelson E. 49, married 23 years, clerk in railway office, head; Martha E. 47, 4 children born & living, wife; Willard N. 22, single, Civil engineer, son; Erwin K. 21, Civil engineer, son; Anna H. 16, daughter; Dorothy E. 11, daughter; Henrietta 77, b. Illinois, widow, 4 children born & 3 living, mother.
7. ↑ Keeney, R.R.: For Andrew Jackson family also see article available here.