Sarah Rebecca Carpenter1

b. 31 July 1866, d. March 1947
FatherJames Carpenter2,1 b. 2 Jun 1825, d. 10 Sep 1881
MotherMargaret Ann Ryburn1 b. 9 Aug 1828, d. 15 Apr 1905
Birth31 Jul 1866 Sarah Rebecca Carpenter was born on 31 Jul 1866 in Washington County, Virginia.3,4 
Childhood Sarah grew up in the Glade Spring district of Washington County with 7 brothers and sisters.5,2 
Marriage22 Dec 1897 She married first James Thomas Carmack, son of Isaac Carmack and Jane Hamilton Campbell, on 22 Dec 1897 in Bristol, Virginia.6,7 
  They were second cousins. 
Cens-190010 Jun 1900  They were enumerated on the 1900 census for the Goodson district of Washington County, Virginia, with 4 children from his second marriage and 1 year old James, the first of the 3 children they would have together.3 
Cens-19107 May 1910  Ten years later, when the federal census was again recorded, two daughters, Pearl and Cora, had joined the family.8 
WidowedMay 1911  Sarah was widowed when James died in May of 1911. 
Marriageafter May 1911 She married second Robert Fairman Sheffey after May 1911. 
  His first wife was the sister of Sarah's first husband. 
Cens-192010 Jan 1920 By 1920 Sarah and Robert had been married for 9 years. The census recorded them living in Bristol where Robert was a laborer for a tannery. Living with them were Sarah's children May and Cora, as well as her son James and his wife, Ethel.9 
Cens-19302 May 1930  The 1940 census provided additional information. Robert and Sallie rented a home on King Mill Pike in the community of King Town which the census enumerator noted to be a suburb of Bristol.10 
Widowed8 Jul 1935  Robert died in the summer of 1935. 
Cens-194015 May 1940  Sarah then lived with her daughter and son-in-law, Pearlie and Willie Foran, and their family. The 1940 census, which recorded the household in the Goodson Township area of Washington County, asked each person how many years of education they had completed. Sallie, who was 73 at that time, stated she had completed the 5th grade.11 
  Sarah's grandson remembers her as someone who was very well liked by everyone in the neighborhood, especially by the children.12 
DeathMar 1947 Sarah died in Mar 1947 in Bristol, Washington County, Virginia, at age 80.4 
Burial She was buried at Mountain View Cemetery in Washington County, Virginia.13 

Research Comment:

The Washington Co. marriage license for James Carmack and Sallie R. Carpenter lists her parents as John and Sallie R. Carpenter. The various responses on the license were completed in the same script as the clerk's signature. Did he accidently copy Sallie's own name onto the line for her mother's name? But where did "John" come from for her father's name?

Sallie appears in the household of James and Margaret (Ryburn) Carpenter in 1870 and is identified as James' daughter in 1880. She is also identified as James and Margaret's daughter by descendants of this line. Is the marriage record simply a clerk's error or is there another explanation? I have not located a license for Sarah's second marriage to Robert Sheffey. Please contact me if you have additional information.

Family

James Thomas Carmack b. 27 Dec 1857, d. 9 May 1911
Children
ChartsDescendants of William Ryburn and Mary (?)
Last Edited26 Jul 2013

Citations

  1. [S23] Marguerite Carpenter Flynn Coleman, "Carpenter Family" in Families of Washington Co. and Bristol, VA, p. 106.
  2. [S165] James Carpenter household, 1880 U.S. Census, Washington Co., VA, pop. sched., Glade Spring District, ED 94, page 18 (61B stamped), dwelling 154, family 155, viewed online at www.Ancestry.com, April 2003, image 18 of 54. James Carpenter, 55, farmer; Margaret A., 52, wife; Cornelia J., 26, dau; Mary M., 17, dau; Sarah R., 12, dau; Frances S, 8, dau; all b. VA; all parents b. VA.
  3. [S574] James Carmack household, 1900 U.S. cens., Washington Co., Virginia, pop. sched., Goodson district, ED 110, sheet 9B (106 stamped), dwelling 156, family 156, viewed online at Genealogy.com, Jan. 2005, image 17 of 99. Enumeration includes: James Carmack, 41, b. Dec. 1858, marr 2 yrs, farm laborer; Sally, wife, 33, b. Jul 1866, marr 2 yrs, mother 1 child, living; Henry, son, 13, b. Nov. 1886; Glena, dau, 12, b. Apr. 1888; Grace, dau, 10, b. Nov. 1889; Bobie, son, 8, b. Mch 1892; James, son, 1, b. Dec. 1898; all b. VA; all parents b. VA.
  4. [S90] Betty Mealy, "Carmack Info For Rambling Roots, Campbell Family Attached," e-mail to Diana Powell, 12 Feb. 2005. Betty cites Sarah's obituary which was published in the Bristol Herald Courier in March 1947 and which was provided to her by Gladys Weddle. Sarah Carpenter Carmack became the stepmother of Betty's grandmother, Grace Carmack, when Grace was 8 years old.
  5. [S635] James Carpenter household, 1870 U.S. cens, Washington Co., Virginia, pop. sched., Glade Spring district, p. 69 (stamped), dwelling 219, family 225, viewed online at Ancestry.com, Jan. 2005, image 31 of 49. Enumeration includes: Jas Carpenter, 44, farmer, land value $1,800, pers. prop $400; M.A., 42, keeping house; William, 16; P. J., 15; Eliza, 14; John, 12; Mary, 7; S.R. (f), 4; all b. VA.
  6. [S8] Hockett and Hunt, 1891-1902 Marriages of Washington Co. VA, p. 17. James Carmack, 36, widow, s/o Isaac & Jane Carmack, farmer AND Sallie R. Carpenter 31, d/o John & Sallie R. Carpenter; 20 Dec. 1897. [an image of the actual license reveals that 20 Dec. was the date the license was issued, not the date of the marriage]
  7. [S3223] Jane Carty, "Ramblingroots.com," e-mail to unknown recipient, 10 June 2011. Mrs. Carty shared a digital copy of James Carmack and Sallie R. Carpenter's marriage license obtained at the Historical Soc. of Washington Co., VA Library. The license was dated 20 Dec. 1897; the marriage was performed by Rev. A.N. Jackson on Dec. 22nd at Bristol, VA.
  8. [S237] James Carmack household, 1910 U.S. cens., Washington Co., VA, pop. sched., Goodson district, ED 128, sheet 21B, dwelling 249, family 249, viewed online at Ancestry.com, Jan. 2005, image 41 of 41. Enumeration includes: James Carmack, 51, marr3, 11 yrs, farmer; Sallie, wife, 43, marr1, 11yrs, mother 3 children, all living; Robert, son, 17; Jimmie, son, 10; Pearl, dau, 8; Cora, dau, 1; all b. VA; all parents b. VA.
  9. [S1167] Robert Sheffey household, 1920 U.S. cens., Bristol (Independent City), VA, pop. sched., Bristol, ED 11, sheet 11A (56 stamped), dwelling 192, family 205, viewed online at Ancestry.com, Feb. 2005. Enumeration includes: Robert Sheffey, 63, marr, laborer in tannery; Sallie, wife, 53, marr; also the following Carmacks, all listed as stepchildren: May, 16; Cora, 11; James, 21 and Ethel, 18; all b. VA, all parents b. VA.
  10. [S639] Robert H. Sheffey household, 1930 U.S. cens., Washington Co., VA, pop. sched., King Town, ED 96-10, sheet 26B, dwelling 493, family 536, viewed online at Ancestry.com, Jul 2013. Household includes: Robert H, Sheffey, 73, first married at 21, b. VA/VA/VA, rents home on King Mill Pike for $10 mos, employed as a garden laborer; Sallie I., 63, first married at 31, b. VA/VA/VA; May C., dau, 25, sgl, store clerk, b. VA/VA/VA.
  11. [S3191] William N. Foran household, 1940 U.S. cens., Washington Co., Virginia, pop. sched., Goodson Township, ED 96-12, sheet 17-B, household 310, viewed online at Ancestry.com, Jul 2013. Household includes: William N. Foran, 30, owns home worth $2,500, is not a farm, completed 6th grade, b. VA, employed as a grazer for a glass company; Pearle, wife, 36, completed 6th grade, b. VA; Billie, son, 7, b. VA; David, son, 11/12, b. VA; Sallie R. Sheffey, mother-in-law, 73, wid, b. VA, completed 5th grade; all except David resid Bristol, WCV in 1935.
  12. [S3223] Jane Carty, "Ramblingroots.com," e-mail to unknown recipient, 24 May 2011. Mrs. Carty's father is the son of Pearlie Mae (Carmack) Foran, and grandson of Sarah (Carpenter) Carmack Sheffey.
  13. [S2] Catherine McConnell, High On A Windy Hill, p. 295. Stone reported to read: Sarah R. Sheffey, 1866-1947, "Mother."