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Name: Sarah Thomas
Surname: Thomas
Given Name: Sarah
Sex: F
Birth: 1801 in near Knoxville, Tn.
Death: 8 Sep 1885 in Lynn Twp., Posey Co., In. 1 of congestion of bowels
Burial: 9 Sep 1885 Posey Co., In.
_UID: BAF058DFA3F6034CAAFA149D2B7923D8BDB7
Note:
Burial: Beech Grove Cemetery, Posey Co., In.
Newspaper Clippings Of Posey County, Indiana
Vol. 2
1859 - 1960
By Darlene McConnell
Pg. 25
MRS. SARAH FRENCH died at the residence of her son, Ralph in Lynn township, on Tuesday,
Sept. 8th, of congestion of the bowels, aged 84 yrs. She leaves four sons and a large circle of friends to mourn her death. Her remains were interred in Beech Grove cemetery yesterday morning.
(Western Star - September 10, 1885, Thursday)
Newspaper Clippings of Posey County, Indiana
Vol. 2
1859 - 1960
By Darlene McConnell
Pg. 25, 26
IN MEMORIAM - Sarah French, of Lynn township, this County, died at the residence of her son Ralph, Tuesday Sept. 7th at six o'clock a.m.; aged 83 years, 10 months and 29 days.
"Aunt Sallie," as she was familiarly known, was sone of the "pioneer mothers" ofher adopted County and State. She was born near the site of the city of Knoxville, State of Tennessee, October 9th, 1801.
To trace the genealogy of this aged lady would require far more space than I now have at command. Her maiden name was Thomas. She was one of a family of eight children, all of whom were residents of Posey County, and of whom only two are now living, these being Capt. Geo. W. Thomas, of this city, and Jas. H. of Lynn Township.
Some time in the latter part of the 18th century her father, James Thomas, moved from North Carolina to Middle Tennessee. He there met and married Mary Eblin, who had recently emigrated from the State of Virginia. Seventy-three years ago James Thomas, with his wife and three or four children, left Tennessee and started North. They stopped for a year in Kentucky, and in that year Capt. Thomas, who is now 72 years of age, was born. With this addition to the family James Thomas pushed on north and in the latter part of 1813 crossed the Ohio River into what is now Posey County.
In 1816, the year Indiana becae a state, near the Beech Grove Church and within a half mile of, where she died, Sarah Thomas became Sarah French marrying Darris French, who had moved here from Kentucky some years before and settled in the western part of what is now Black Township.
There the young couple went to live but soon after they moved into the Beech hills of Lynn township, chopped off a building spot in the then wild and almost unbroken forests and erected their primitive log cabin. That spot became what today is known far and near as the "Old French Homestead." The log cabin soon developed into a comfortable home and here in a humble way this pioneer couple lived happily until 1855, when the husband suddenly sickened and died. Down in the "old apple orchard"
just back of the house they buried him, and Sarah French was left a widow. But she did not give up the home. For more than a quarter of a century after her husband's death she maintained her household and made it one busy scene of industry and hospitality. At last, overcome with age and infirmity, she was prevailed upon to sell her homestead, which she did in 1880, and went to live with her children, Zadok, James, Samuel, Mariah, Clark, Ralph, Thomas, Mary and John. John died in infancy and Zadok died last November, aged 66. All the others are living. She had many grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
But toay she sleeps-and all these are left to mourn her loss-not untimely, for she had lived far beyond the average of human live. She had lived to see a wilderness converted into a veritable garden spot, full of happy homes. She had lived to see all her children but one past the meridian of live, prosperous and full of love and respect for her. She knew that she must die. She said her life's work was done, and that she longedto be laid at rest in the little familly burying ground, where her husband had slumbered for forty years. She sickened and died-or rather ceased to exist for thos who watched her in her last hours and she showed no visible sign of suffering, but seemed to fall asleep.
On the morning of the 9th last, she was buried, in the presence of a large number of relatives and friends, the funeral discourse being delivered at the grave by Rev. Ashbury, of this city.
Thus ended the life of one who for more than 70 years had been a resident of Posey County, and the number of "first settlers" is one less. There are few of them left. One by one they are passing away. Very soon they will all be gone, leaving tradition alone to tell of their humble origin and the story of their early struggles and triumphs.
May we cherish their memories and emulate their virtues.
(Mt. Vernon Democrat - September 17, 1885)
Change Date: 14 Aug 2007 at 00:33:46
Father: James Thomas
Mother: Mary Eblin
Marriage 1 Darris French
Married: 1816 in Lynn Twp., Posey Co., In.
Children
Zadok French
James French
Samuel French
Mariah French
Clark French
Ralph French
Thomas French
Mary French
John French
Sources:
Title: Newspaper Clippings of Posey County, Indiana 1859 - 1960, Vol. 2
Author: Darlene McConnell
Page: Pg. 25
Hope this helps???? Gene
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