Matteer
Louisiana
1830 – 1879
Johnson-Matteer Mystery
The family always believed that Louisiana’s last name was Johnson. However, no records have been found for Louisiana with the Johnson name or any similar name. Her maiden name was Matteer, which is proven based on records and DNA. Prior to marrying Lemuel, she married James Badgley. Thus, she is found in records as Matteer, Badgley, and McCracken.
So, where did the idea that she was a Johnson come from? It is possible that the conclusion was drawn because Andrew’s middle name was Johnson. However, it is likely that he was named after President Andrew Johnson, who had taken office the year before his birth.
Another possibility is their friendship with the Johnson family in Crawford County, Kansas.
Alternately, it may have come from William T. McCracken’s first wife Louretta Johnston. Family believed that she was a cousin to Louisiana.
Louisiana Matteer was born in Washington County, Ohio in 1830. In 1846 she married James Badgley in Watertown, Washington, Ohio. They had two children: Mary Ann and Louis.
It is unknown what happened to her marriage to James. It is possible James died either in Ohio or in the move west. However, a James Badgley married in 1861 in Washington County, Ohio. It seems possible that this is the same James that she married. If so, they must have parted ways.
Marriage to Lemuel
In any case, Louisiana and her children came to be in Lee County, Iowa by 1859 when she married Lemuel McCracken.
Children
Mary Ann married John Macklin and moved to Quincy, Illinois where she had at least 8 children, including James, George, Adeline, Martha, Bertha, and Eleanor. Adeline “Addie” married John Brown. They lived in Adams County, Illinois and had seven children. Martha married John Shurte with whom she had one known child. She later married Wilson Boswell. They had four known children. Bertha first married Richard Law. They had two known children. She later married Richard Neal with whom she had one child. Eleanor (Elnora) married Willard Kealen. They raised their children (7) in Adams County, Illinois. Little is known about Mary Ann and John’s other children.
After 1860, Louis disappears. His fate is unknown.
Louisiana died in Bates County, Missouri in 1879.