Sarah Rosana Cordell (1856 - 1933)

Born 16 Oct 1856 in Illinois, United States

Ancestors

Wife of John Freeman Jeffords — married 1 May 1876 in Webster, Washtenaw, Michigan

Descendants

Died 4 Apr 1933 at age 76 in Alliance, Nebraska, United States

Problems/Questions Profile managers: David Mark Cordell [send private message] and Roberta Jones [send private message]

Biography

Name

The 1860 US Census record lists her as Rosana Cordell and the 1870 US Census lists her as Sarah Cordell. But, the 1900, 1910, 1920, and 1930 US Census and her Certificate of Death list her as Rose Jeffords. The story that Roberta Jones heard from her grandmother and Jack Jeffords heard from his aunt was that she didn't like her name, so as a teenager, her father agreed to her using Rose. From then on, that was the only name that she used, and she is listed as Rose Jeffords as the plaintiff of a law suit after her husband's death and on her death certificate. As far as she was concerned, Sarah apparently ceased to exist after about 1870 and from then on she was Rose Cordell or Rose Jeffords.

Birth

She was born on 16 OCT 1856 according to her Death Certificate family information. No birth certificate has been located and information received from Illinois officials is that at that time in Illinois history many births were not recorded. However, the October 1856 period is substantiated by the listing in the 1900 US Census.

Industry, Illinois as a birth place is less certain. According to the 1860 US Census, the she and her parents lived there in 1860. The understanding in the family is that her parents were married in Ohio in 1841 but no record to support that has been located and no information has been found to determine when the family moved to Industry.

Death

Her Death Certificate states that she died at 7:25 a.m. on 4-5-1933 in St. Joseph's Hospital, Alliance, Nebraska.

Marriage

Their marriage record lists John Jeffords and Rose Cordell married on 1 May 1876 in Webster, Michigan. Why they were married in Michigan where John was in college rather than Rose's home town of Industry, Illinois, is unknown. The witnesses were apparently not family members so it would appear that no family members were present. Did they elope?

The 1870 US Census for John Jeffreys, age 24, lists wife Rose, age 23, and sons Clyde, age 3, and Floyd, age 1. A brother, Frank, age 19, is also listed who is probably John Freeman Jeffords' brother Benjamin Frank Jeffords, born in March of 1861.

The 1900 US Census for John F Jeffords, age 43, lists wife Rose, age 43, sons Floyd R, age 21, Max A, age 12, Rex A, age 10, and daughter Nellie, age 1.

Sources

Nebraska Certificate of Death D 3788 dated 4-5-1933 lists date of birth as Oct 16, 1856 and date of death as 4-5-1933.

1860 US Census lists Rosana, age 3, as a child of P R Cordell.

1870 US Census lists Sarah, age 13, as a child of P B Cordell.

1900 US Census lists Rose, age 43, as the wife of John F Jeffords and the mother of Floyd R, Max A, Rex A, and Nellie. By then Clyde was teaching at the University of Nebraska in Lincoln.

1910 US Census lists Rose, age 53, as the wife of John Jeffords.

1920 US Census lists Rose Jeffords, age 62, as the mother-in-law of Z Harrold Jones.

1930 US Census lists Rose Jeffords,age 73, as the mother-in-law of Harold Z Jones.

Find A Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com : accessed 29 January 2019), memorial page for Rose Jeffords (Oct 1856–1933), Find A Grave: Memorial #79877797, citing Oregon Trail Memorial Park Cemetery, Bridgeport, Morrill County, Nebraska, USA ; Maintained by David Goltry (contributor 47177571) .