Notes for: William Martin Bodine
I'm wondering if Mariah and Mary, his two wives, might not be the same person. The names Mariah and Mary are really synonyms and they were both born in Kentucky around 1830. However, Mariah appears in the 1860 Census with children born in 1853 and 1856 and William did not marry Mary until 1869. Unless there is some mistake in this info, then it does appear he married twice.
MBP says he became a prominent lawyer. I am guessing that the William M. Bodine who is in the 1880 Census of Martinsville, Clark Co., IL is this William. That does need checking, though. That census gave me this William's wife's name and child, Leona. It also gave me their approximate birth dates and birth states. All I had was William's name - William Martin Bodine and the fact that MBP said he became a well-known lawyer.
From Ronny Bodine:
William Bodine, a trader, lived 1860-1870 in Darwin Township, Clark County, Illinois with his family. In 1880, William Bodine was a lawyer in Martinsville, Clark County. In 1900, Mary E. Bodine, age 71, was now widowed and living in Martinsville.
On 9 Oct 1895, The Clark County Herald published an article entitled "The Old settlers" which reported on an annual reunion and dinner. Among the 480 attendees was William M. Bodine, age 65, of Martinsville, who said he came to Clark County in 1830.
On 9 Feb 1899, The Clark County Herald published a listing of the signatures on a petition to allow everyone the right to employ the physician of their choice. Mary E. Bodine signed the petition, likely an indication that she did so in place of her husband who was now deceased.