Sarah Jane Lee Biography

Biography for Sarah Jane Lee (Great Grandmother)

Sarah Jane was born on November 30, 1847 in Jackson County, Illinois.[1] She died February 25, 1949 at the age of 101 in Chicago, Cook County, Illinois.[2] The cause of death was listed as chronic myocarditis (heart failure). She is buried in Greenwood Cemetery in Hot Springs next to her husband (no headstone, in block D).[3]

Sarah Jane at 100, from article in the Joplin Globe, November 23, 1947.

Her parents are Harburn R. Lee and Mary Polly Youngman. Harburn was born December 20, 1818 in Kentucky and died November 17, 1900 in Jasper County, Missouri. Mary Polly was born in November of 1829 in Illinois and died April 1, 1925 in Munden, Republic, Kansas, at the home of her daughter, Julia (Lee) Hiner, at the age of 97.

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

Sarah Jane and Eugene 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:

Sarah Jane was born in the Northern District of Jackson County, Illinois. Their family lived on a farm there. The value of property owned on the census is blank, so they probably rented the farm. Sarah could read and write, and census records show that she had attended school through the 6^th grade. Her family moved to Missouri and then Kansas, where she met and married Eugene. Sarah and Eugene’s first home together was on a farm. They eventually moved to Elk County, Kansas. At one point they moved again to Jasper County, Missouri, but then back to Elk County after a few years. Later in life, when they were in their 70’s, they moved to Hot Springs, Arkansas to live with their daughter, Emma (Markham) Hayes (who was widowed). After Eugene’s death, Sarah lived with Emma. They moved to Chicago, Illinois. This is where Sarah died in 1949 at the age of 101. No will has been found for Sarah Jane.

Sarah Jane and Eugene had some financial issues. They owned land in several places in Elk County, Kansas, but took out mortgages on some of them. 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]

Sarah Jane lived for 27 years after the death of Eugene. Living in Chicago with her daughter, Emma, they made an annual trip to see his grave in Hot Springs, Arkansas. This is a nice newspaper article about her:

Hope Star; Hope, Arkansas; Feb 26, 1949; Page 1

Sarah Jane lived in the following places:

1847 – She was born in Jackson County, Illinois.[11]

1850 – Their family was in the Northern District of Jackson County, Illinois.[12]

1860 – Sarah Jane’s family is now in Lost Creek, Newton, Missouri.[13]

1865 – By this time the family had moved to Quindaro, Wyandotte, Kansas.[14] Also, Sarah Jane and Eugene were married later this year in Leavenworth County, Kansas.[15]^,[16]

1870 –Sarah Jane and Eugene 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.[17] 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.[18]

1875 – They are now in Fairmount, Leavenworth, Kansas, and living next to Eugene’s parents, Orsman and Mercy. They owned their farm, which was valued at $800 and they had personal property of $250.[19]

1880 – The family was in Longton, Elk County, KS. The census lists it as North Longton. Eugene was a farmer.[20]

1885 – They were in Oak Valley, Elk County, KS. Eugene was still farming.[21] According to the local Atlas, he arrived there in March of 1879.[22]

1888 – Still in Oak Valley.[23]

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”.[24]

1895 – They remained in Oak Valley, but Eugene is now listed as a laborer for his occupation.[25]

1900 – Sarah Jane and Eugene 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.[26] In the Galena city directory for the same year, his location is listed as Zincite.[27]

1905 – They are back in Oak Valley, Elk, Kansas. They own their home with no mortgage. There is no occupation listed for Eugene.[28]

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.[29]

1915 –Sarah Jane and Eugene remain in Oak Valley. They are now renting their home.[30]

1920 – On this Federal Census, they are listed twice. First, on January 3, they are living with their daughter Emma (Markham) Hays. Emma 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, Sarah Jane and Eugene 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). Sarah Jane is 73 years old.[31]

1921 – In the City Directory, Eugene is shown to be a waiter. They live at 141 Arbor.[32]

1930 – Sarah Jane could not be found in the 1930 Census, and neither could her daughter, Emma. But Emma is listed in a Kansas City, Kansas, city directory as living there. Sarah Jane is probably living with her.[33]

1935 – Sarah Jane is now living with her daughter Emma Hayes in Chicago, Cook, Illinois.[34]

1940 – She is still with Emma in Chicago.[35]

1949 – At her death Sarah Jane is still living in Chicago with Emma, at 526 West 61^st Place.[36]