Sarah Ellen (Proffitt) Belles (1866 - 1945)

Born 5 Aug 1866 in West Plains, Howell, Missouri, United States

Ancestors

Wife of William H. Peoples — married 28 Jun 1883 in Sherman, Grayson, Texas, United States

Wife of William Brown Stine — married 20 Apr 1921 (to before Dec 1927) in Lewis, Washington, United States

Descendants

Died 18 Sep 1945 at age 79 in Centralia, Lewis, Washington, United States

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Steve Ryan [send private message]

Biography

Sarah was born in 1866, appearing at age 4 in the 1870 census with Henderson S (29, North Carolina), Mary A (26, Arkansas), Mary R. (Missouri), and Finetta F (Missouri).^[1]

Sarah married W. H. Peoples on 28 June 1883 in Sherman, Grayson, Texas, United States.^[2]

In addition to children who appear in the census Sarah and Joseph had a stillborn male child on 27 Feb 1897.^[3]

Peoples died as early as 1888, or in 1891 by some accounts. By 1900 Sarah E was married to Joseph McAllister. Her census record indicates 6 children born and 4 living. The entry of 30 years married is clearly wrong, since she was 33 years old.^[4] They were still together in 1910. She now has 8 children born and 6 living. She and Joseph have been married 20 years.^[5] At this point all of the children should be hers with Joseph McAllister.

Note that the counts of children born don't quite add up. If Sarah married McAllister in 1890 the 1900 census would reflect Gertrude (born Peoples) and the three McAllister children under 10. The 6/4 born/living numbers imply that there would have been two deceased children, dates and fathers unknown. The 1910 census adds 3 children under 10, but shows 8 born and 6 living. How did she get 3 new children while only bearing two? The answer is probably that Franklin was actually grandson of J. C. by another wife, and not Sarah's son. See the research note for more.

McAllister died in 1918 Sarah married Wm Brown Stine on 20 April 1921 in Randle, Lewis, Washington, United States. He was 64 with parents Christian Stine and Mary Ann Brown. She was 54 with parents Henderson S. Proffitt and Mary Ann Kesterson.^[6]

Sarah married Clarence Belles on 24 December 1927 in Centralia, Lewis, Washington, United States. She was 61. He was 32, 41 years younger than her previous husband. His parents were William Henry Belles and Julia Ann Shontz.^[7] They were together in Skookumchuck, Washington in 1930 with two of her children.^[8] In 1940 it was just Sarah and Clarence.^[9]

Sarah died in 1945.^{[10] [11]}

Research Note

Son Franklin from the 1910 census presents a problem. A Frank and Vera McAllister were witnesses at the marriage of James in 1940. However, the 1935 marriage record of Frank and Vera shows his parents as J. H. McAllister and Mamie Bucknel, not matching either parent from 1910. More work is needed, but a good hypothesis is that J. C. McAllister's son by his first wife Caroline was Joseph Henry McAllister (1871-1918) and he had a son named Frank Robert with his first wife Mary Bucknell. When Mary died in 1904 J.H. was left with up to 5 children. Three appear with him in the 1910 census, but the youngest (Frank Robert McAllister) does not because he was living in the J. C. McAllister household listed as a son rather than a grandson. It should be emphasized that this is not proven. There could have been two Franklins.

Sources

1. ↑ 1870 Census: "United States Census, 1870"
   citing Page: 9; Affiliate Publication Number: M593; Line: 18; FHL microfilm: 000552285; Record number: 4542;
   FamilySearch Record: M466-D3Z (accessed 12 August 2022)
   FamilySearch Image: S3HT-DZ43-LX1 Image number 00123
   Sarah E Proffitt (4) in Lebanon Township, Laclede, Missouri, United States.
2. ↑ Marriage: "Texas, County Marriage Index, 1837-1977"
   citing Sherman, Grayson, Texas, United States, county courthouses, Texas; FHL microfilm 1,290,413.
   FamilySearch Record: FX9V-V96 (accessed 12 August 2022)
   Sarah E Proffitt marriage to W. H. Peoples on 28 Jun 1883 in Sherman, Grayson, Texas, United States.
3. ↑ Birth: "Washington Birth Records, 1869-1950"
   citing FHL microfilm: 004147195;
   FamilySearch Record: Q23Q-GZK7 (accessed 21 November 2022)
   FamilySearch Image: S3HY-DCD4-79B Image number 01105
   Mcallister born on 27 Feb 1897, son of J C Mcallister & Sarah E Proffitt, in Lewis, Washington, United States.
4. ↑ 1900 Census: "United States Census, 1900"
   citing Affiliate Publication Number: T623; Line: 50; FHL microfilm: 1241746; Record number: 26620;
   FamilySearch Record: MMPK-X7G (accessed 12 August 2022)
   FamilySearch Image: S3HT-DTX3-VC6 Image number 00602
   Sarah E McAllister (34), wife, in household of Joseph McAllister (54) in Randle, Lewis, Washington, United States.
5. ↑ 1910 Census: "United States Census, 1910"
   citing enumeration district (ED) ED 128, sheet 13B, family 131, NARA microfilm publication T624 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1982), roll 1666; FHL microfilm 1,375,679.
   FamilySearch Record: MGVS-L83 (accessed 12 August 2022)
   FamilySearch Image: 33SQ-GYYL-LDW Image number 00151
   Sarah E Mcallister (43), wife, in household of Joseph C Mcallister (64) in Randle, Lewis, Washington, United States. Born in Missouri.
6. ↑ Marriage: "Washington, County Marriages, 1855-2008"
   FamilySearch Record: QPMT-JBF8 (accessed 12 August 2022)
   FamilySearch Image: 3QS7-8981-J3TZ Image number 00335
   Sarah Ellen McAllister (54) marriage to Wm Brown Stine on 20 Apr 1921 in Randle, Lewis, Washington, United States.
7. ↑ Marriage: "Washington, County Marriages, 1855-2008"
   FamilySearch Record: QPMG-HL7Y (accessed 12 August 2022)
   FamilySearch Image: 3QSQ-G967-WJG4 Image number 00160
   Sarah Ellen Proffitt McAllister (61) marriage to Clarence Belles on 24 Dec 1927 in Centralia, Lewis, Washington, United States.
8. ↑ 1930 Census: "United States Census, 1930"
   citing enumeration district (ED) ED 78, sheet 4A, line 7, family 78, NARA microfilm publication T626 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2002), roll 2507; FHL microfilm 2,342,241.
   FamilySearch Record: XC3P-X4D (accessed 12 August 2022)
   FamilySearch Image: 33SQ-GRC7-KX Image number 00869
   Sarah E Belles (63), wife, in household of Clarence Belles (34) in Skookumchuck, Lewis, Washington, United States. Born in Missouri.
9. ↑ 1940 Census: "United States Census, 1940"
   citing Affiliate Publication Number: T627; Line: 24;
   FamilySearch Record: K9S9-QZP (accessed 12 August 2022)
   FamilySearch Image: 3QS7-L9MB-1HTB
   Sarah E Belles (74), wife, in household of Sarah E Belles (74) in Centralia, Lewis, Washington, United States.
10. ↑ Death: "Washington Death Certificates, 1907-1960"
    citing Centralia, Lewis, Washington, reference 355, Bureau of Vital Statistics, Olympia; FHL microfilm 2,032,398.
    FamilySearch Record: N3TR-H8Q (accessed 12 August 2022)
    Sarah Ellen Belles death 18 Sep 1945, daughter of Henderson S. Proffitt & Mary Ann Kesterson, in Centralia, Lewis, Washington.
11. ↑ Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/26160285/sarah-belles: accessed 12 August 2022), memorial page for Sarah Proffitt Belles (5 Aug 1866–18 Sep 1945), Find a Grave Memorial ID 26160285, citing Silvercreek Cemetery, Randle, Lewis County, Washington, USA; Maintained by Jenna Cain (contributor 46871290).