Sarah (Miller) Schneider (abt. 1874 - abt. 1949)

Born about 14 Mar 1874 in Chorley, Lancashire, England [uncertain]

Wife of John McKean Watson — married 18 Nov 1893 (to about 1903) in Winnipeg Manitoba

Died about 31 Mar 1949 at about age 75 in Minneapolis, Hennepin, Minnesota, United States [uncertain]

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Biography

Sarah was born about 1874. Her birth was registered in the Jan-Feb-Mar quarter of 1874 in the Chorley district and her mother's maiden name was: Heald.^[1]

Sarah married John McKean Watson in Winnipeg, Manitoba on 18 Nov 1893.^[2]

Sarah was the daughter of William Miller and his second wife, Sarah Heald of Chorley, Lancashire, England. According to the 1891 census, Sarah was working as a Servant in the home of George Tootle, a tax collector in Chorley. A Sarah Miller of similar age to William and Sarah's daughter is listed on the passenger list leaving Liverpool for Montreal on April 22, 1893 on board the Lake Winnipeg.

Sarah Miller married John McKean Watson, a widower, in Wininpeg at Zion Methodist Church on November 18, 1893 (MB Vital Statistics). Their first child, Ida Grace McKean Watson, was born to "Henrietta" Miller on August 5, 1894 in Winnipeg (MB Vital Statistics). The birth registration of Ida Grace seems to mark the start of a life of continuous name changes. Ida was the first of 7 children born to John Watson and Sarah Miller, although the birth record shows the child as an unnamed female, the birthdate matches Ida's. All the children except Bill, Geoffrey and Walter were born in Canada. The youngest three were born in Superior, Wisconsin.

In 1900 John and Sarah (who is now going by Henrietta) are living in Superior, Wisconsin with their children and later they are living in Alfred Longbottom's household. Following her separation from John Watson (ca 1903), Sarah began a common-law relationship with Alfred Wilson Longbottom (later changed to Long). They had nine children, the first born in 1905. At this time Sarah is listed in the local directory as Mrs. Adelaide Watson and working as a servant to Alfred Longbottom. Walter was put up for adoption in 1903 as eventually were all the children, except Ida Grace. Sarah later got the childlren back except for Geoffrey Watson. Alfred and Sarah's last child, Edmund Richard Long was born in Minneapolis in January 1917 and his birth certificate lists his mother as Henrietta Adelaide Harcourt.

Alfred and Sarah eventually moved to Flagstaff, Arizona and later separated. Alfred died in 1937. Following her separation from Alfred, Sarah begins a relationship with Fred Schneider. No record of a marriage has been found, but when she dies in March 1949 in Minneapolis, her obituary gives her name as Adeline (Long) Schneider, her memory card as Adelaide Long Schneider and her son George Long lists Charles Harcourt as her father and Millicent (Unknown) as her mother on her death certificate.

Over the years she used various birth years, but always March 14 as her birthdate. For the purpose of clarity, she is listed in this bio under her legal birth name, Sarah Miller.

Research Notes

Sarah and John McKean Watson's children were:

Ida Grace McKean Watson, born in Manitoba on 5 Aug 1894

• Birth of unnamed daughter: "Genealogy Searches for Unrestricted Records, Births," online database. Entry for Unnamed Watson; Sex: Female, Registration Number: 1894,002824, 05/08/1894, Winnipeg, Mother: Henrietta Miller. Manitoba Vital Statistics Agency (https://vitalstats.gov.mb.ca/Query.php : accessed 11 Nov 2023).

Jeannette Watson, born in Manitoba about 1895 (unsourced)

Evelyn Charlotte Watson, born in Manitoba about 1896 (unsourced)

Frank Watson, born in Manitoba about 1897 (unsourced)

William Watson, born in Wisconsin about 1899 (unsourced)

Geoffrey McKean Watson, born in Wisconsin about 1901 (unsourced)

Walter Stewart Watson, born in Wisconsin about 1902 (unsourced)

Sources

1. ↑ Birth Registration: "England & Wales General Register Office," database, (GRO Online Indexes - Birth : accessed 11 November 2023), Miller, Sarah (Mother's maiden name: Heald). GRO Reference: 1874 Jan-Feb-Mar in Chorley Volume 08E Page 499.
2. ↑ Marriage: "Genealogy Searches for Unrestricted Records, Marriages," online database. Entry for John McKean Watson and Sarah Miller; Registration Number: 1893,002237, 18/11/1893, Winnipeg. Manitoba Vital Statistics Agency (https://vitalstats.gov.mb.ca/Query.php : accessed 11 Nov 2023).

See also:

• "England and Wales Census, 1881," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q275-PTXR : 13 December 2017), Sarah Miller in household of William Miller, Chorley, Lancashire, England; from "1881 England, Scotland and Wales Census," database and images, findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com : n.d.); citing p. 41, Piece/Folio 4220/87, The National Archives, Kew, Surrey; FHL microfilm 101,775,191.
• family documentation
• Memorial: "Find a Grave," database with images, (Find A Grave: Memorial #38939145 : accessed 11 November 2023), Memorial page for Sarah “Adelaide Long” Miller (14 Mar 1869-31 Mar 1949), citing Mount Hope Cemetery, Ashland, Ashland County, Wisconsin, USA (plot: Highland, Block 14, Lot 6, Grave 5E); Maintained by Patty Martinez (contributor 46530906).