Rev. Dr. Edward Silver, Martha Hansen, Nancy Jennings 1838-1877

George and Martha lived in Illinois for seven years. After their son, Edward, married Martha Elizabeth Hansen in 1838 they moved with Edward to Missouri. They followed the National Pike to St Louis and Boone’s Lick Road to Rocky Fork Township in Boone County in Missouri.

Edward gradually purchased a total of 80 acres (#1 in map left) George purchased 40 acres (#2). M. G. Singleton and William Yates were two of their slave holding neighbors. Singleton purchased more than 1200 acres over several years. That’s more than two sections or two square miles.

Edward and Martha soon had four children, Isaac, George, Martha and John. Tragically Edward’s wife, Martha, died in 1845. Soon Edward married Nancy Jennings. Sidney Maupin Silver was born in 1846. Two other children would follow. Edward and George W Silver were among the first members of the Pleasant Grove Missionary Baptist Church (#3 on map) which was constituted April 18, 1853. According to the History of Boone County, the member built church, completed in 1855, was still in use in 1882. The Centralia Baptist church was organized on April 17, 1871. Edward and Nancy Jennings Silver, and their daughter Elinder were among the original members.

After meeting in other church buildings for eleven years they worshipped for the first time in their own building in 1882. Having been ordained in 1877 Rev Edward Silver certainly would have been one of the participants at the dedication. Marriage records in Boone County are not available yet but to the east is Audrain County whose early marriage records reveal that Rev Silver officiated at three weddings on 04 Jul 1883, 15 Jan 1878, and 03 Mar 1886.

http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~cramsey/AudrainCoMOMarrbyGROOMbyCR.html

George Silver III died on February 22, 1870. Martha Moore Silver died on November 27, 1881. They were buried in the Pleasant Grove Cemetery, Boone County.

37

Obituary: Reverend Edward Silver

One of the oldest and most respected of Missouri citizens, and a faithful Baptist divine, died at the home of his son, Sidney Maupin Silver, six miles east of Mexico, Thursday, May 7th 1896.

Rev. Silver was a native of Indiana and was born May 5th, 1816, which made him 80 years and 2 days old. He came to Missouri in 1838 and located in Boone County on a farm 4 miles south of the present town of Centralia, where he lived up to the latter part of 1890 when he made his home with his son, S.M. Silver, with whom he lived up to his death. He leaves 8 children, 6 sons and 2 daughters. Besides S.M. of this vicinity there are Mrs. McKensie of Moberly, Mrs. Mat Turner of Saling Township, J.H. of Centralia, George H. and Lock W. of Oklahoma, Isaac in Kansas and Martin in Charles County.

Reverend Silver was ordained in 1877 and faithfully consecrated himself to the cause of the church. The funeral services were conducted at Centralia by Reverend Hardy and the burial took place on the farm which he first purchased when he came to Missouri.

Silver Threads

http://homepages.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~silver/south/archive/2005-03.html

[Editor’s note: The headline on an obituary I have not been able to read refers to Rev. Dr. Edward Silver. If this title is accurate Edward returned to college for a Doctor of Divinity degree]