Mattie Anita Bradshaw ^{1 2 3 4 5}

   Cause of her death was carcinoma of bladder.⁸

  General Notes:

Mattie's parents were James Houston Bradshaw and Emma Amadilla Arnold (shown as Ametta Arnold on the death certificate). Her father was born in Texas, her mother in Mississippi. At the time of the 1880 census, the family lived in McLennan County, Texas, where her father farmed. She had a brother Billie. Mattie had 4 children from her previous marriage to James W. Hood. They were Helen, Lorena, Mary Mabel, and Ruby. At the time of the 1910 census, she was divorced and working as a cook in a hotel in Marble Falls, Burnet County, Texas. Her daughter Lorena was waitressing there. Mattie was paying a mortgage to own her home. At the time of the 1920 census, she was married to William Shoultz. Her daughters Lorena and Ruby Hood lived with the new family. She had two children with William: Juanita and Jewel.

She was listed as 4 on the 1880 census. In 1900 she gave her birth date as Feb 1877 and age as 23. In 1910 she gave her age as 30. In 1920 she gave her age as 40. Her birth certificate filed on affidavit in 1945 showed her birth date as 4 Feb 1876. Her death certificate showed her birth date as 4 Feb 1875. Her daughter, Juanita (Mrs. R. E. Coward) was the informant on the death certificate.

Her great granddaughter, Susan Turner Polansky, said that the story that came out in a deathbed revelation was that Mattie was actually a full blood Indian. Her parents drowned crossing the Mississippi River on the great migration. (Trail of Tears was 1831-1837. It is unclear what migration is meant.) She was found by settlers and taken in. The Bradshaw's adopted her and raised her as white. Her nickname was Blackie, which may be based on how dark she tanned. Susan believes this would be impossible to prove, and may be embellished. If it is true, it may account for the uncertain age. It would also mean that the Texas birth place is probably wrong.

  Additional Information:

• Alt. Birth, Feb 1877. ²

• Alt. Birth, 4 Feb 1875. ⁸

• Death Certificate Image: here.

Mattie married William Nathan Shoultz, son of Albert Nathan Shoults and Annie Koch. (William Nathan Shoultz was born on 22 Dec 1891 in , Bastrop County, Texas,⁹ died on 4 Feb 1937 in San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas ⁹ and was buried on 5 Feb 1937 in Mathis, San Patricio County, Texas, ⁹.). The cause of his death was rheumatic heart disease with acute cardiac failure, decompensatory heart disease.⁸