Sarah F.V. Widner1

b. September 1872, d. 1938
FatherStephen Widener2,1
MotherLydia Widener2
BirthSep 1872 Sarah F.V. Widner was born in Sep 1872 in Virginia.3 
Marriagecirca 1891 She married James King Keys, son of Rev. James Robinson Keys and Martha Moore Horne, circa 1891.3 
Cens-19003 Jul 1900  By 1900 James and Sarah had moved "west". They were recorded in 1900 living on Choctaw Indian lands in what would become part of the state of Oklahoma. James was employed as a coal miner. Sarah's entry indicated that she was the mother of 6 children, 5 of whom were living. They were recorded as: Lydia (8), William (6), Robert (4), Martha (3) and John (2 months).3 
Cens-19107 May 1910  When Oklahoma became a state in 1907 LaFlore County was one of the counties created from the Choctaw Nation. The 1910 census again recorded James working as a coal miner. This time Sarah was listed as the mother of 12 children, only 7 of whom were living. Six children were listed with the family: Blaine W[illiam] (17), Robert (15), Martha (13), Clinton (8), Harvey (3) and Emma (1).4 
  This would seem to suggest that daughter Lydia may have still been living, but possibly was married (she would have been 18). However it also suggests that John who was an infant in 1900 had probably died before 1910. It also would indicate, if the census is accurate, that Sarah gave birth to 6 children between 1900 and 1910, 3 of whom did not survive to 1910. 
Migration  James and Sarah remained in Oklahoma for most of the next decade. Their oldest sons, William and Robert both registered for the World War I draft in neighboring Latimer County in 1917. The draft and later census records indicate that William (whose first name was James but who went by one of his two middle names) married in Oklahoma and had a child there prior to 1917. But at some point after that, James Sr. and his children all moved to Mesa County, Colorado.  
  There James and his sons, William, Robert and Harvey, all found employment at the Midwest Coal Mine near Palisades which is located at the base of the "Grand Mesa" on the Colorado River. On Sunday, October 7, 1923, James and the 3 boys were killed when a gas explosion shook the mesa. 
Residence  Following the accident Sarah took her younger children and moved to Detroit where she ran a boarding house for a few years.5 
Cens-19303 Apr 1930  Sometime prior to 1930 Sarah returned to Colorado, settling in Denver where she was recorded that summer in what appears to have been an apartment or boarding house. Sarah was 55 and employed in a restaurant. Living with her was her youngest child, 17 year old Roy, who worked as a copy boy for a newspaper. Eighteen year old Lillian Lockhart (probably Sarah's daughter) was also part of the household and was also employed in a restaurant.6 
Death1938 Sarah died in 1938 in Denver, Colorado.7 
Burial She was buried in Denver.7 

Family

James King Keys b. 11 Feb 1867 or 1868, d. 7 Oct 1923
Children
Last Edited23 Jul 2011

Citations

  1. [S165] Stephen Widener household, 1880 U.S. Census, Washington Co., VA, pop. sched., Holston district, ED 100, page 29A (p. 255 stamped), dwelling 246, family 246, viewed online at www.Ancestry.com, Aug. 2008, image 29 of 54. Household includes: Stephen M. Widener, 37, farmer; Lydia J., 39; Nancy E., 17; Mary C., 15; Jno M.C., 13, son; Margaret M., 10; George M. 8; Eliza A.G., 7; Sarah F.V., 7, dau; Martha C., dau, 1/12; all b. VA; all parents b. VA.
  2. [S622] Martha Keys, "Widener-Keys," e-mail to Diana Powell, 20 Aug. 2008. Martha cites the Widener file at the Washington County Historical Society in Abingdon, Virginia.
  3. [S1881] James K. Keys household, 1900 U.S. census, Indian Territory, Choctaw Nation, pop. sched., Township 6N, Range 25E, ED 88, sheet 17B, dwelling 331, family 338, viewed online at Ancestry.com, Dec. 2007, image 21 of 38. Household includes: James K. Keys, 33, b. Feb. 1867, marr 9 yrs, b. VA, father b. MO, mother b. VA, coal miner; Sarah F., wife, 27, b. Sept. 1872, marr 9 yrs, mother of 6 children, 5 living, b. VA, parents b. VA; Lydia J., dau, 8, b. Mch 1892 VA; William B., son, 6, b. Sept. 1893 West VA; Robert B., son, 4, b. Jul 1895 VA; Martha E., dau, 3, b. Mch 1897 VA; John M., son, 2/12, b. Mch 1900 Indian Territory.
  4. [S1882] James K. Keys household, 1910 U.S. cens., LeFlore Co., Oklahoma, pop. sched., Howe City, ED 152, sheet 12B, dwelling 203, family 203, viewed online at Ancestry.com, Dec. 2007, image 2 of 4. Household includes: Jame K. Keys, 43, marr #1, marr 19 yrs, parents b. VA, coal miner; Sarah F., wife, 39, marr #1, marr 19yrs, mother of 12 children, 7 are living, b. VA, parents b. VA; Blaine W., son, 17, b. VA; Robert W., son, 15, b. VA; Martha E., dau, 13, b. VA; Clinton _, son, 8, b. OK; Harvey C., son, 3, b. OK; Emma M., dau, 1, b. OK.
  5. [S2692] Bernie Lee, "My Grandma is in Rambling Roots," e-mail to D. Powell, 29 June 2011. Bernie is the grandson of Emma Mae (Keys) Edge, and the son of Wanda (Edge) XX who provided Bernie with family data for this report.
  6. [S2699] Sarah Keys household, 1930 U.S. cens., Denver Co., Colorado, pop. sched., Denver, ED 16-157, sheet 2B, dwelling 11, family 49, viewed online at Ancestry.com, Jul 2011. Household includes: Sarah Keys, 55, wid, first marr at 15, rents home for $20 mos, works as dishwasher at restaurant, b. VA, parents b. VA; Ray, son, 17, b. OK/VA/VA, works as copy boy for newspaper; Lillian Lockhart, roomer, 18, marr, first marr at 16, b. OK/VA/VA, waitress at restaurant. Note: Residence appears to be a boarding house as there are multiple heads of families listed, and several individuals noted as "roomers."
  7. [S2692] Bernie Lee, "More Info on Sarah Widener/Keys Family," e-mail to D. Powell, 1 Jul 2011. Bernie cites information from his mother, Wanda (Edge) XX, a daughter of Emma Mae (Keys) Edge.