Maggie's Timeline

Hannah Yount (1848-1911) was my first cousin, 5x removed. She and her husband James Estes (1847-1885) were married 22 December 1867 in Bollinger County, Missouri. They had seven children, the youngest being Margaret Dorthula Estes. She lived an all too short, but eventful life as shown in this timeline.

1883  March 17th - Margaret Dorthula "Maggie" Estes was born in Bollinger County, Missouri to James Estes and Hannah Yount.

Otto Sylvester Estes
(1881-1884)

1884  Maggie's brother Otto Sylvester died at the age of 3 years.  He was laid to rest at Lessley Ridge Cemetery in Bollinger County, Missouri.

1885  January 22nd - Maggie's father died before she was 2 years old.  He was laid to rest at Lessley Ridge Cemetery in Bollinger County, Missouri.  A couple of months later, Grover Cleveland was inaugurated as the 22nd president of the United States.

1886  October 28th - The Statue of Liberty is dedicated.

1889  March 4th - Benjamin Harrison is inaugurated as the 23rd president of the United States.  A month later, Oklahoma is opened to settlers.

1890  - Battle of Wounded Knee is fought in South Dakota -- the last major battle between Indians and U.S. troops.

1896  May 27th - A series of 18 tornadoes touch down in eastern Missouri and southern Illinois.  One tornado destroys a large section of St. Louis, killing 255.

1897  March 4th - William McKinley is inaugurated as the 25th president of the United States.

1898  - Spanish-American War:  the U.S. defeats Spain and gains control of the Philippines, Puerto Rico, and Guam.

1900  June 8th - Maggie and her family were enumerated for the 1900 census of Bollinger County, Missouri.  They were living next door to her uncle Pinkney Estes and family.  A couple of months later on August 12th, Maggie married William A. Stroder.  Since Maggie was under the age of eighteen, her mother Hannah had to give consent for the marriage.

1901  September 6th - President William McKinley is shot and later dies from his wounds.  He is succeeded by vice-president Theodore Roosevelt.

1902  - Maggie and William had a son, Elmer Dale.

1903  - The United States begins digging the Panama Canal. The canal opens in 1914, connecting the Atlantic and Pacific oceans.

1904  April 30th - The World's Fair opened in St. Louis, Missouri.

1905  - Maggie and William had a son, William.

1907  - Maggie and William had a daughter, Ubba.  Later that year, Maggie's husband died.

1908  - Henry Ford introduces the Model T car, priced at $850.

1909  March 4th - William Howard Taft is inaugurated as the 27th president of the United States.  Less than a month later, on April 19th, Maggie married John M. Austin at Bollinger County, Missouri.  This was John's second marriage, so Maggie became step-mother to John's children from his previous marriage.  At the time of their marriage, that included three children living at home.

Robert Estes
(1878-1909)

1909  June 16th - Maggie's brother Robert died.  He was laid to rest at Mount Zion Cemetery in Bollinger County, Missouri.

1910  May - Maggie and John Austin are enumerated for the 1910 census of Cape Girardeau County, Missouri.

1911  February 5th - The Missouri State Capitol was completely destroyed by fire after being struck by lightning.  Two months later, on April 17th, Maggie's mother died.  She was laid to rest at Lessley Ridge Cemetery in Bollinger County, Missouri.  That same year, Maggie had John had a son named Utah.

1913  March 4th - Woodrow Wilson is inaugurated as the 28th president of the United States.

1914  - Maggie and John had a daughter, Gladys.

1916  - Jeannette Rankin of Montana becomes the first woman elected to Congress.

1917  - The United States joins World War I.

1918  January 16th - Maggie and John had a son, Clyde.  Less than a month later, on February 3rd, Margaret Dorthula "Maggie" Estes Stroder Austin died in Cape Girardeau County, Missouri.  The cause of death was Puerperal Septicemia.  This is also known as puerperal fever, or "childbed" fever.  It is a serious form of sepsis contracted by a woman during or shortly after childbirth.  Maggie had been under a physician's care since four days after the birth of her youngest son, but she could not be saved.  Maggie was laid to rest at Stroderville Cemetery ("Stroder Graveyard" per death certificate) in Cape Girardeau County, Missouri.

All of Maggie's children were raised by the Austin and Stroder families.  In a neat twist of fate, one of John Austin's daughters from his first marriage married a brother of Maggie's first husband.  In 1920 and 1930, the children of Maggie and William Stroder are living with Gertie K. Stroder (their uncle) and his wife America Roxie Austin (their step-sister / aunt).

In doing research for this timeline, I noticed something Maggie missed.  A little more than a year after her death, the governor of Missouri signed a law granting presidential suffrage to women.  The 19th amendment to the U. S. Constitution was added 26 August 1920.  I wonder if this was something Maggie was interested in, or maybe passionate about?

(The style for this timeline was inspired by Apple of Apple's Tree and the timeline she created for her second great-grandmother Sarah Ann Wisner Camfield. Thanks for the inspiration! I hope I didn't copy too much!)