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Note: The following was written by Mary Etta Martin Tidwell: "I was born on May 16, 1887, in Callahan County, Texas; daughter of Robert Edward and Hannah Olivia Hanks Martin. Robert Martin was a farmer. Two older brothers died in infancy. Five brothers and one sister lived to adulthood. Both grandparents lived in Abilene, in addition to many aunts,, uncles, and cousins. Visiting in the homes of relatives was a common practice,as all were very close in relationships. Being the oldest in the family, I was my mother's constant helper. In fact, almost a mother to the younger ones.
I attended school in Callahan County, Texas, then in Abilene, Texas. Later attended Belton College in Belton. Got a teaching certificate and taught in Cross Plains one year, and one year in Noodle, Texas. I met and married Wilner R. Grayson while teaching at Noodle. We lived near Trent where W.R.,Jr. was born. Lived in Dallas then moved to Bovina in 1929 where we farmed then moved to Hobbs, New Mexico in 1935 where I lived until 1968, when I moved to Lubbock, Texas.
As a child, I was brought up in a religious atmosphere, attending the Methodist church regularly. After marriage to W.R. Grayson, I joined the Baptist Church and have been active in many phases of its work until recent years. I taught a Sunday school class for 30 years and sang in the choir for 17 years, was president of the Woman's Missionary Union for 5 years and was in some kind of church work for 33 years in Hobbs, New Mexico. I am presently a member of the Bacon heights Baptist Church in Lubbock.
While in Hobbs, I had the privilege of attending the Southern Baptist Convention in Miami, Florida, with the pastor, Reverent Clyde Campbell, and three ladies from the First Baptist Church there; Mrs. Opal Newman, Mrs. Ruby Neighbors, and Mrs. Ethel Jones were on the trip.
From Hobbs, we went to Juarez, Mexico, then flew to Mexico City, where we visited the pyramids, Guadalupe Shrine, St. Juan Museum, and drove down to the town of Taxco. From Mexico City we flew to Havana, Cuba, where we spent three days then flew to Miami from there. While in Miami, we stayed at the Hotel Patricia on the Biscayne Bay. We saw beautiful poinciana trees, rare birds such as flamingoes, papaya and sausage trees.
There were outstanding preachers at the convention at each session, and this was one of the highlight experiences of my life. While there, we attended the Iglesia Bautista Church in Carol Gables and drove down to Key West. From Miami we flew to New Orleans, Louisiana where we took a tour of the city and returned to Hobbs by way of Juarez.
With my hustand, Wilner R. Grayson, I had many wonderful trips. One in particular was to Canada and the northwestern part of the United States. Yellowstone National Park was one of the most beautiful spots of this trip.
At present, I live at the Homestead Apartments in Lubbock, Texas."
Mary Etta Martin divorced Gilbert Edens in 1908. She married W.R. Grayson in 1912. He died in 1959. She married J.O. Tidwell in 1966.
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