Eugene Markham Biography

Biography for Eugene A. Markham (Great Grandfather)

Eugene was born on July 22, 1844 in Dayton, Cattaraugus, New York.[1] He died February 25, 1922 at the age of 77 in Hot Springs, Garland, Arkansas.[2] The cause of death was listed as cancer of the cheek and mouth. He is buried in Greenwood Cemetery in Hot Springs (block D).[3]

His parents are Orsman Markham and Mercy Merrill. Orsman was born in 1818 in Windsor, Broome, New York and died September 7, 1899 in Wallula, Leavenworth, Kansas. Mercy was born June 21, 1822 in Dayton, Cattaraugus, New York and died Feb 21, 1901 in Joplin, Jasper, Missouri.

Eugene and Sarah Jane Lee were married on October 22, 1865 in Leavenworth County, Kansas.[4]^,[5]

Eugene and Sarah Jane had the following children:

Anna Markham, born October 28, 1866, KS; married James Howell, December 23, 1886, Oak Valley, Elk, Kansas; died May 19, 1964, San Angelo, Texas.
Edward Markham, born September 25, 1868, Kansas; married Maude E. Busby, January 3, 1892, Oak Valley, Elk, Kansas; married Etta “Maryetta” Marcum, October 22, 1914, Carthage, Jasper, Missouri; died July 18, 1944, Joplin, Jasper, Missouri.
Emma Markham, born February 3, 1871, Kansas; married Harry Hayes, 1897; married W. J. Horton, March 28, 1902; died 1961.

Narrative:

Eugene was born in Dayton, New York. He could read and write according to census records. His family moved to Salina, Illinois and then to Kansas. He married Sarah Jane Lee when he was 21 and they started out their life together living on a farm. He appears to have been a farmer most of his life, living in small, rural areas. At one point he was a teamster, driving a team of horses and a wagon for a mining company. Later in life, at age 76, he was a waiter at a hotel in Hot Springs, Arkansas. They had moved there to be close to their daughter Emma. They did move several times. They were probably trying to improve their way of life.

Eugene and Sarah Jane had some financial issues. They were sued three times in Elk County, Kansas for past due mortgages.[6]^,[7],[8] Court records for Elk County are not available online, and land transactions are online through about 1900 but not after that. By using the Howard Courant newspaper and the available online land transactions, it appears that in one case the land was sold by the sheriff at auction. The mortgage value was $1465 and the sale price at auction was $300.[9] The result of the other two cases was not found in the newspaper.

In 1893 they are on the delinquent taxes list for a piece of land that is also the land they are being sued for a past due mortgage.[10]

No will has been found, so everything would have gone to his surviving wife, Sarah Jane.

Eugene lived in the following places:

1844 – He was born in Dayton, Cattaraugus, New York

1850 – Their family was in Dayton.[11]

1855 – The family had moved to Salina, Kankakee, Illinois.[12]

1859 – The family moved to Bourbon County, Kansas. The source of this date is from Orsman’s obituary, but it just says “came to Kansas in 1859”. They are on the Bourbon County census the next year.[13]

1860 – Eugene’s family is in Bourbon County, Kansas.[14]

1865 – By this time the family had moved to Delaware, Leavenworth, Kansas.[15] Also, Eugene and Sarah Jane were married later this year in Leavenworth County, Kansas.[16]^,[17]

1870 – Eugene and Sarah were now in Prairie, Wyandotte, Kansas. Eugene is head of household and is a farmer. Their personal estate value is $150 and the real estate value is zero.[18] According to the Agriculture Schedule, the cash value of their 80 acre farm was $2400 (which they were probably renting) and the farm implements were worth $125. They had 2 horses, 1 milk cow, 4 swine, 800 bushels of Indian corn and 60 bushels of mulch wheat. The livestock was valued at $200.[19]

1875 – They are now in Fairmount, Leavenworth, Kansas, and living next to his parents, Orsman and Mercy. Their farm is valued at $800 and personal property at $250.[20]

1880 – The family was in Longton, Elk County, KS. The census lists it as North Longton. Eugene was a farmer.[21]

1885 – They were in Oak Valley, Elk County, KS. Eugene was still farming.[22] According to the Atlas, He arrived in March of 1879.[23]

1888 – Still in Oak Valley.[24]

1889 – Eugene’s brother Henry came to visit them in Oak Valley. According to the short article, “in fact such a glorious time that he has stayed a week longer than expected”.[25]

1895 – They remained in Oak Valley, but Eugene is now listed as a laborer for his occupation.[26]

1900 – Eugene and Sarah Jane have moved to Galena, Jasper, Missouri. The township description is “north of Turkey Creek”. Eugene’s occupation is a Teamster, which is a driver of a wagon with a team of horses. He’s probably working for a mining company and hauling things. They own their home with no mortgage. But oddly, under the column indicating Home or Farm it appears that “tent” is written. Perhaps they were in a mining camp where the houses were tents, or this may be a misinterpretation.[27] In the Galena city directory for the same year, his location is listed as Zincite.[28]

1905 – They are back in Oak Valley, Elk, Kansas. They own their home with no mortgage. There is no occupation listed for Eugene.[29]

1910 – Still in Oak Valley. They live on Elm Street, where they own their home with no mortgage. Eugene is shown to be a farmer but is shown to be living in a house (not a farm). He may be working as a farmer or they may own farmland separate from their house.[30]

1915 – Eugene and Sarah Jane remain in Oak Valley. They are now renting their home. Eugene is 72.[31]

1920 – On this Federal Census, they are listed twice. First, on January 3, they are living with their daughter Emma Hays. She is a widow and is head of household where she is renting at 412 Park Ave. None of them are shown to be working. Then, on January 8, they are listed (by the same enumerator) as renting at 141 Arbor Street. Here, Eugene is shown to be a helper at a hotel (which is the Majestic Hotel in Hot Springs). Eugene is 76 years old.[32]

1921 – In the City Directory, Eugene is shown to be a waiter. They live at 141 Arbor.[33]