Martha Jane Carlton was born in Hillsborough county, Florida, February 8, 1847. She was married on Jan. 7, 1864, to James E. Whidden, at Wauchula and they took up their residence on a farm in the Joshua Creek neighborhood in this county immediatley afterward. Here the family home remained until about three weeks ago, when Mrs. Whidden decided to move to town, occupying her own property at 117 North Hernando avenue. An attack of influenza brought the end speedily, on January 4, 1933. 
  Deceased was the only daughter in a family of twelve children. She became the mother of fourteen children, twelve of whom survive her. Her husband died April 4, 1903. The children are, Mrs. Sally Conner of Naples, Mrs. Jessie Robertson of Fort Ogden, Mrs. Eliza Arnold and Mrs. Ola Higginbotham of Arcadia. Mrs. Lula Harris of Wauchula, Mrs. Florence Trembley of Arcadia, Mrs. Edna Alderman of Fort Myers, Mrs. Luby Burrough of Arcadia, Jerry A. Willoughby D. and Lacy Whidden of Arcadia and Otto Whidden of Lake Port. 
  There are surviving also three brothers: Alderman Carlton of Nocatee, Jimmy Carlton of Hicoria and Chas. Carlton of Fort Myers. Also 48 grandchildren, 75 great grand children and three great great grand children. 
  Older citizens of the county recall the numerous acts of kindness and help rendered by Mrs. Whidden in the pioneer days. Without any special training but with a knack at "doin' for" sick people, she rode over the country ministering to the sick, and attended at the birth of many of the citizens now living here. Despite the fact that she reared a large family of her own, she always seemed to find time to help others who were in need. 
  Funeral services were held on Sunday afternoon at 2:00 at the Baptist church, conducted by Dr. J. M. Morgus, Mayor George T. Stonebraker, J. L. Dishong, Neil Newbanks, Abriel Whidden and Claude Jones. Honorary pallbearers were B. F. Welles, Lovick Holtzendorf, A. P. Hollingsworth, J. A. Parker, L. L. Morgan, A. E. Bennett, Tillet Mansfield, Frank  Hayes, John Hendry, Don Shelfer, Carl Whidden, Roy Appleby.