Mordella Stephen Munson

     Mordella Stephen Munson was born on 12 July 1875 at Bailey's Prairie, Brazoria County, Texas.¹ She was the daughter of George Poindexter Munson and Matilda Agnes Davis. She and Thomas William Caldwell obtained a marriage license on 29 February 1896 in Houston, Harris County, Texas.² She married Thomas William Caldwell, son of Robert Milam Caldwell and Mary Elizabeth House, on 4 March 1896 in Houston.² She died in a car accident on 10 June 1957 in Phoenix, Maricopa County, Arizona, at age 81.³ She was buried in Angleton Cemetery, Brazoria County, Texas.³
     
     Mordella Stephen Munson was named for her father's brother, Mordello Stephen Munson. Always called Maud, she was born soon after the family's move from Austin's Bayou to a new home at Bailey's Prairie. She was not yet three years old when her father died in 1878. Agnes and the three children, George, Maud and Sarah, remained at Bailey's Prairie until sometime after 15 June 1880, on which date they appear with Agnes' new husband, J.B. Hawkins, in the census. At an unknown date they moved to Columbia. Agnes died there in 1882. The orphaned children were ages 9, 6 and 5. They went to live with Mordello and Sarah Munson at Ridgely Plantation. Several entries in Sarah's diary beginning February 26, 1882, record their arrival:

"Sabbath, Emma's birthday . . . We heard this morning of the death of Mrs. Hawkins. Poor Agnes how sad I feel to hear that she is gone, and feel for the poor little orphans." On the next day she records: "Mr. Munson (Mordello) told Mr. Shapard to tell Mr. Hawkins to send the children out on the train tomorrow. Emma put up the bed and fixed up Doll's room." An entry on the next day says, "Waddy went up to meet the little children but they did not come," and on March 2: "Waddy went to the depot and found the children there, he brought Georgie home (on his horse), and Emma and Armour went up and brought Maud and Bittie (Sarah) down. Poor little things are perfectly delighted to get back. Mr. Munson and the boys went fishing again, caught a nice mess of trout & perch." On March 4 she wrote, "Waddy sent the wagon for the children's things this evening," and on March 7, "I commenced my school again. Have an addition in George, Maud and Bittie."

     Maud was the first of the children to marry. She and Will Caldwell were half first cousins by virtue of each being a grandchild of Ann Binum Pearce. Seven years later, Maud's sister Sarah married Will's brother Milam.

Mordella Munson appeared on the 1 June 1880 Federal Census of Brazoria County, Texas, in the household of her mother Agnes, and stepfather J.B. Hawkins.⁴

Brazoria County Records show that George P. Munson, Mordella Munson and Sarah K. Munson, minors, became wards of Mordello and Sarah's oldest son Henry William Munson III, 18 February 1884. A partial inventory of the estate of Munson minors was returned the following day. In the inventory was a claim for $369.05 against the estate of J.B. Hawkins, deceased. Munson wrote that the minors "own an undivided interest in several tracts of land in Brazoria county also a few head of cattle, but that the interest of said minors in said lands is in an undivided condition and is in charge of their uncle of said minors Col MS Munson who will preserve said lands for said minors and there is no necessity for any orders of court or other legal steps about the property of said minors except the above claim against the Estate of JB Hawkins Deceased."⁵

Maud S. and Thomas W. Caldwell appeared on the 1 June 1900 Federal Census of Angleton, Brazoria County, Texas, enumerated 2 June 1900. Their daughter Mary A. was listed as living with them, as were Maud's brother George B. Munson and sister Sarah K. Munson.⁶

Maud S. and Tom W. Caldwell appeared on the 15 April 1910 Federal Census of Fort Bend County, Texas, enumerated 30 April 1910. Their children Mary A., John H.B. and Maud E. were listed as living with them.⁷

Maud and C.A. Caldwell appeared on the 1 January 1920 Federal Census of Velasco, Brazoria County, Texas, enumerated 2 February 1920. Their children Mary, John, Ethel and Louise were listed as living with them.⁸

Maud S. Caldwell appeared on the 1 April 1930 Federal Census of Houston, Harris County, Texas, enumerated 3 April 1930. Her children John H. and Louise were listed as living with her.⁹