James Henry Killmer (1830 - 1889)

Born 8 Mar 1830 in Washington, New York, United States

Ancestors

Descendants

Died 1 Dec 1889 at age 59 in Crowley, Acadia, Louisiana, United States

Biography

James Henry Killmer, son of J. David Killmer and Sarah Elizabeth Tripp, was born 8 March 1830 in Argyle, Washington, New York. He married Sarah Marie Anderson in 1880 in New York. Sarah Marie, daughter of John Anderson and Mary Ann Ford, was born 13 June 1838 in New York. They had 12 children. When James Henry and Sarah Marie first married, they owned and operated a farm in the heart of what has since become New York City.

16 June 1860 U. S. Federal Census DeKalb, St. Lawrence, New York -James H. 30, Sarah 22, Abraham Killmer16 (?). James H. was a farmer, Sarah Marie was housekeeper, and Abraham Killmer was a laborer. James H.’s real estate value was $2500.00 and personal assets value was $400.00.

After Sarah Marie’s parents migrated to Polk County, Iowa about 1860, James Henry and Sarah Marie joined them. They homesteaded by their relatives near Prairie City, Jasper County, Iowa. Their farm was an 80 acre of farmland near Prairie City.

23 June 1870 U. S. Federal Census Des Moines Township, Jasper, Iowa, P. O. Prairie City – James H. 40, Sarah Marie 32, Henry J. 7, Mary 5, Julia 2, William 1, John 1 month, James Anderson 15. The Killmer children were born in Iowa. James Anderson was Sarah Marie’s younger brother. James H. was a farmer. The real estate value of the farm was $1200, and James H.’s personal assets value was over $1000.00.

18 June 1880 U. S. Federal Census Des Moines Township, Jasper, Iowa, P. O. Prairie City – James H. 50, Sarah Marie 41, Henry J. 17, Mary 15, Julia 13, William 11, John 10, Emma V. 8, Lina 5, Charles 4. The Killmer children were born in Iowa. James H. was a farmer. Sarah Marie was a housekeeper, Henry J. and William J. worked on the farm, Mary A. and Julia A. did housework.

1 January 1885 Iowa State Census Des Moines Township, Jasper, Iowa, P. O. Prairie City – James H. 56, Sarah Marie 46, Henry J. 22, Mary 19, Julia 17, William 16, John 14, Emma V. 11, Lina 10, Charles 9. James H. was a farmer and entitled to vote. The address of his farm was SW ¼ NE ¼ .

In 1886, James Henry and Sarah Marie began thinking of relocating to a warmer climate. They had been exposed, evidently, to an abundance of enticements in the form of land promotions pitches and leaflets for it was said that they had “heard about the wheat fields in Kansas and they were tempted…” but decided in favor of the rice farming area of southwest Louisiana.

Their oldest son, Henry Jasper, made the initial trip to Louisiana to see for himself exactly what the area had to offer. He liked what he found except for malaria fever which he contracted. He was extremely ill, and it was quite some time before he was well enough to make the return trip.

Returning to Iowa, Henry Jasper planned for the sale of the family holdings there. Provisions were made for the temporary care of his younger brothers and sisters who would not make the initial trip with James Henry and Sarah Marie. He also acquired a covered wagon for transportation.

It was said that the trip to Louisiana was a long and tedious journey. They had to travel by foot part of the way. They followed the Mississippi River part of the time since there were no roads or other means of direction. When crossing the prairies with no trails, they used the sun to keep moving southwest and made their own trails. They arrived in Crowley about 1887.

The Killmers homesteaded three farms eight miles northwest of Crowley, Acadia Parish, Louisiana in the late 1880s- one for James Henry, one for Henry Jasper, and one for Willie James. The Killmer children arrived in 1887.

James Henry and Sarah Marie died two years after their arrival. Sarah Marie died of breast cancer 17 October 1889, and James Henry died 1 December 1889 in Crowley. Both were laid to rest in McCain Cemetery, Crowley.

Sources

(Info from Crowley Post Signal Vo. 100, No. 145, March 16, 1986) (Info. written December 13, 1961 by Ethel Martin; Crowley Library Genealogical Department Crowley, Acadia, Louisiana) (Hilda Killmer Gallassero; Crowley Library Genealogical Department Crowley, Acadia, Louisiana) (Family Search)