Sarah E (Willhite) Williams (1873 - 1958)

Born 25 May 1873 in Worth, Missouri, United States

Ancestors

Wife of John F Williams — married about 4 Apr 1894 in Missouri, United States

Descendants

Died 16 Feb 1958 at age 84 in Beatrice, Gage, Nebraska, United States

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This profile is part of the Willhite Name Study.

Biography

Sarah was born in 1873. She was the daughter of John Willhite and Eliza Morris. She passed away in 1958.

Letter from Audrey Wiliams Smith^[1]: John clerked in a small country store at Oxford. Sarah went to help her sister Kathryn's small children and babies. Kathryn lived on a farm near Oxford and we assume that is how John and Sarah met. After they were married they worked for Boedecker's on a farm near the Clutters. But farming just wasn't their "cup of tea". Horses stepped on John's feet and Sarah burned the chicken house down trying to rid it of mites! They moved into Grant City, Mo., and built a home down the hill from Sarah's mother, Eliza Willhite.

Their first child, a daughter, who they named Zay, was a "blue" baby and lived only a week or so. In two years another daughter, Audrey, was born. At two and a half year intervals the rest of their children arrived - Alma, Johnie Monroe, and Jessie Marie.

John built a home in Maryville for his family, also several nice homes for others. Maryville had a normal school and he made bulletin boards, chemistry tables, etc. for the classrooms. (What fun it was to play on the lathes in his shop. Those shaving curls were great.) We lived in Maryville until the World War upset so many. Saw the first group of young men leave for camp. They sent them off with a barbecue on the Court House lawn. Cousin Charles Waldman was among them.

From Maryville we came to Nebraska living a short time in Lincoln and Falls City before locating in Beatrice. It had been a time when a "fire-bug" had been busy and lots of jobs - building the damaged buildings. But John wasn't well and gradually failed. Cancer took its toll.

Audrey graduated from high school. Sara had learned to sew as a young girl and she had put it to good use through the years. Now, she was sewing for a dressmaker and between the rest of us we made it possible for Johnie to stay in school and graduate. Alma and Jessie clerked at Woolworth's and Hested's. Audrey taught country school for 5 years before she married.

Audrey was the first to marry - Raymond Smith. They continued to live in Beatrice and have two sons, Raymond Wm. and James E. Raymond Wm (Bill) isn't married and is a manager of a Flower Shop. James E. has lived on a farm and is a building contractor. He had 3 sons by his first marriage: Leonard, Scott, and Darren.

Alma married Russell Peterson and lived in Beatrice until World War II when they went to California to help in defense work. He joined the Sea Bees and spent time in the Pacific Islands. Shortly after he went overseas, their twin daughters Joyce and Joanne were born. Both girls married before their father died. Joanne has a daughter Elizabeth and Joyce has Kenneth, Todd and Kristi. They all live in California. Alma continues to clerk, does alterations and trying to master an organ and over 70 years old.

After Johnie graduated he went to Lincoln and worked in a filling station. Later returning to Beatrice and worked for Hesteds. He married Maxine Phinney. He was transferred to McCook, Neb. as manager of that Hested store. Later went to Kansas City to be with (his) father-in-law in a restaurant. Too many dirty dishes, etc. so he got a job as a salesman. He joined the Air Force and was on Guam when they bombed Japan. He was a mechanic and worked on those planes. He died of lung cancer and we wonder if there could have been a connection. They have a son, John Paul, who lives in Guatemala and has a small daughter.

Jessie has written her family so will close my part of our family history.

Name: Sarah E Willhite. Given Name: Sarah E. Surname: Willhite. Married Name: Williams. A Given name was found in addition to a first name in the NAME tag.

Sources

1. ↑ Letter by Audrey Smith

• "United States Census, 1880," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/M6NV-NQT : accessed 30 January 2015), Sarah Willhite in household of John Willhite, Greene, Worth, Missouri, United States; citing enumeration district 285, sheet 428A, NARA microfilm publication T9 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 0741; FHL microfilm 1,254,741.
• "United States Census, 1900," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/M3DL-C5R : accessed 30 January 2015), Sara E Williams in household of John F Williams, Fletchall Township Grant city, Worth, Missouri, United States; citing sheet 13A, family 264, NARA microfilm publication T623 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.); FHL microfilm 1,240,908.]
• "United States Census, 1910," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/M2BJ-KS7 : accessed 30 January 2015), Sarah Williams in household of John F Williams, Maryville Ward 4, Nodaway, Missouri, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 142, sheet 13A, family 60, NARA microfilm publication T624 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.); FHL microfilm 1,374,816.
• "United States Census, 1920," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/MCKZ-WVM : accessed 30 January 2015), Sarah Williams in household of John Williams, Nemaha, Johnson, Nebraska, United States; citing sheet 1A, family 12, NARA microfilm publication T625 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.); FHL microfilm 1,820,992.
• "United States Census, 1930," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/XQKV-J6F : accessed 30 January 2015), Sarah Williams, Beatrice, Gage, Nebraska, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 0009, sheet 2A, family 36, line 44, NARA microfilm publication T626 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2002), roll 1281; FHL microfilm 2,341,016.
• "United States Census, 1940," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/K9MM-YHW : accessed 30 January 2015), Sarah Williams, Ward 3, Beatrice, Beatrice City, Gage, Nebraska, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 34-10, sheet 2A, family 94, NARA digital publication T627 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2012), roll 2247.
• Find A Grave: Memorial #90075636

Notes

• Family Bible - there is no middle name listed for Sarah.
• Death year from family group record compiled by Jed Willhite - 85 yr 9 mo.
• Source: S500006 WikiTree Publication: MyHeritage <a href='http://www.wikitree.com' target='wikitree'>www.wikitree.com</a> Collection Media: 10109Certainty: 4 Sarah E Williams (born Willhite)&lt;br&gt;Gender: Female&lt;br&gt;Birth: May 25 1873 - Worth, Missouri, United States&lt;br&gt;Marriage: Apr 4 1894 - Missouri, United States&lt;br&gt;Death: Feb 16 1958 - Beatrice, Gage, Nebraska, United States&lt;br&gt;Father: John Henry Willhite&lt;br&gt;Mother: Elizabeth Ann Eliza Willhite (born Morris)&lt;br&gt;Husband: John F Williams&lt;br&gt;Children: Jessie Marie Jess Lenhart (born Williams)Audrey Elizabeth Smith (born Williams)Alma Ruth Peterson (born Williams)John Monroe Johnie WilliamsZay Williams&lt;br&gt;Siblings: Katherine Elvira Kate Clutter (born Willhite)Martha Francis Waldman (born Willhite)George Wesley Wes WillhiteAmanda Melvina Milligan (born Willhite)Mary Ellen Stephenson (born Willhite Taylor, Busic)Merle WillhiteVirgil Willhite&lt;br&gt;Photos: Event: Record Role: 10109:46149801: