Martha Eleanor Loftin
wife of John Stainback Wilson

The Atlanta Journal, Wednesday evening, June 11, 1919, p. 11

Mrs. Martha Loftin Wilson, widow of the late Dr. Stainback Wilson and mother of W. S. Wilson, a prominent Atlantian, died Wednesday morning at 8 o’clock at Mr. Wilson’s residence 558 Spring Street.
Mrs. Wilson before her marriage was Miss Martha Eleanor Loftin. She was born in Clarke County, Ala on January 18, 1834, was educated in the Dayton Masonic Institute of Alabama, was married to the late Dr. John Stainback Wilson in 1850.
During the civil war she had a varied experience in the Confederate hospitals in Richmond, where her husband was a surgeon, as well as in Camps Winder and Jackson. Just before the fall of Atlanta, Dr. Wilson was ordered here. In the fighting at Jonesboro, after Atlanta had been captured by General Sherman, Dr. and Mrs. Wilson were under fire attending the wounded, a large number of whom were placed under their care and sent to Macon. Dr. Wilson died in 1892.
From early childhood Mrs. Wilson was a member of the Baptist denomination and took a prominent part in various Baptist activities, being the first corresponding secretary of Women’s Missionary Union of Georgia and president of the Central committee of Georgia Baptist Women, appointed by the Southern Baptist Convention in 1878. Her membership was in the Second Baptist Church where she was active in the work of the church and Sunday School.
Mrs. Wilson is survived by one daughter, Mrs. W. J. Hudson of Mobile; three sons, Mr. W. S. Wilson of Atlanta, Mr. J. C. Wilson of Los Angeles, Mr. Arthur A. Wilson of Jersey City, one sister, Mrs. C. Ennis Kerr of Decatur, as well as a number of grandchildren and great grandchildren.
The funeral will be held at 11 o’clock Thursday morning at the Second Baptist Church. Dr. Henry Alford Porter, the pastor, will conduct the services, assisted by Rev. A. T. Spaulding and Rev. Virgil Norcross.
Interment will be at Oakland Cemetery.