Sarah Sophroma Davis1

b. 7 February 1833, d. after 1900
FatherWilliam Davis2,3 b. Apr 1778, d. 24 May 1842
MotherSarah Ryburn2 b. 29 Dec 1788, d. 18 Mar 1873
Birth7 Feb 1833 Sarah Sophroma Davis was born on 7 Feb 1833 in Virginia.2,4 
Migration Following the death of Sarah's father in the Spring of 1842, Sarah's mother took her unmarried children and joined their older siblings who had settled in Carroll County, Illinois.5 
  Sarah was about ten years old at the time. 
Ward7 Sep 1843 The following fall Garner Moffett [husband of Sarah's eldest sister] was appointed as Sarah's guardian.6 
Marriage11 Oct 1849 She married William Owings on 11 Oct 1849 in Carroll County, Illinois.7,8 
Cens-186014 Jun 1860 William and Sarah spent the first twenty years of their married life farming in Carroll County. Ten children were born to them during this time.4 
  Some records created during their years in Illinois, including family records and the 1860 census, spell the name Owens, rather than Owings as it consistently appears in later years. 
MigrationOct 1869 In Oct 1869 the entire family moved to Marshall County, Iowa.9 
Cens-18706 Aug 1870  There they were enumerated on the 1870 census farming in Jefferson township. William reported that he owned land valued at over $6,000 and personal property of just under $2,000.10 
Cens-18805 Jun 1880  By 1880 the family was living in Logan township. Six of the older children had left home (son Thomas had gotten as far as next door) or were deceased, but three children had been added to the family in Iowa.11 
Cens-190012 Jun 1900 In 1900, when Sarah, at sixty-seven was asked by the census taker how many children she had given birth to she replied that she was the mother of 14 and that 11 were living. One of those, her youngest daughter, Vernie, was widowed and was living at home with her seven year old son. William and Sarah had been married fifty years when the cenus taker knocked at their door.12 

Related Links and Images:

See Mary Jane's Journal for images and text from the journal of Sarah's sister, Mary Jane (Davis) Moffett
Sarah grew up and married in Carroll County, Illinois. See the Carroll County map (also accessible via the Misc. Locations link in the menu bar at the top of any page).

Family

William Owings b. 23 Oct 1821, d. 22 Aug 1907
Children
ChartsDescendants of Mathew Ryburn and Jane Beattie
Last Edited2 May 2011

Citations

  1. [S10] "Journal of Mary Jane Beaty (Davis) Moffett."
  2. [S10] "Journal of Mary Jane Beaty (Davis) Moffett", p. 19.
  3. [S268] William Davis will (recorded 1842), Washington Co., VA Will Book 9: 122. Will was dated 16 April 1842 and recorded 27 June 1842; names wife and children.
  4. [S1030] William Owens household, 1860 U.S. census, Carroll Co., Illinois, pop. sched., Freedom, p. 870 (added script), dwelling 321, family 310, viewed online at Ancestry.com, Nov. 2004, image 12 of 22. Enumeration includes: William Owens, 38, farmer, owns real estate: $1,600, pers. prop $1,300, farmer, b. KY; Sarah S., 28, b. VA; Thomas C., 9; Amanda E., 7; Virginia A., 4; William D., 2; Adletta (f), 10/12; all children b. IL; John B. Owens, 18, b. IL; Calista French, 17, b. OH.
  5. [S10] "Journal of Mary Jane Beaty (Davis) Moffett", p. 28.
  6. [S1025] Mrs. Robert Mace, Probate Records of Carroll Co., Illinois, Vol 1, (Box 10, file 247) Guardianship record for Matthew R., William B. E. and Sarah Davis: Garner Moffett's bond dated 7 Sept 1843; only paper in file.
  7. [S1051] "Illinois Statewide Marriage Index, 1763-1900", Illinois State Archives (http://www.sos.state.il.us/GenealogyMWeb/marrsrch.html). William Owings and Sarah S. Davis, married in Carroll County, Oct. 11, 1849.
  8. [S10] "Journal of Mary Jane Beaty (Davis) Moffett", p. 10. Sarah S. married William Owens.
  9. [S10] "Journal of Mary Jane Beaty (Davis) Moffett", p. 4.
  10. [S1040] William Owings household, 1870 U.S. census, Marshall Co., Iowa, pop. sched., Jefferson township, p. 370 (stamped), dwelling 92, family 91, viewed online at Ancestry.com, Nov. 2004, image 15 of 18. Enumeration reports: William Owings, 48, farmer, marr, owns real estate of $6,400, pers. prop of $1,938, b. MO; Sarah S., 37, b. VA; Thomas, 19; Amanda E., 17; Virginia A., 15; William D., 13; Adda L., 11; Franklin, 9; Robert E., 7; Sarah E., 5; Math__ R., 3; Laura, N., 1; all b. IL.
  11. [S1041] William Owings household, 1880 U.S. cens., Marshall Co., IA, pop. sched., Logan township, ED 287, page 104b (stamped), dwelling 51, family 52, viewed online at Ancestry.com, Nov. 2004, image 6 of 14. Enumeration includes: William Owings, 59, farmer, b. MO, parents b. KY; Sarah, 48, wife, b. VA, parents b. VA; following b. IL: Robert E. 17, son; Sarah E. 15, dau; Mathew 13, son; Florence 11, dau; following b. IA: Olive 9, dau; Clara 7, dau; Vernie, 6, dau but is marked male.
  12. [S1042] William Owings household, 1900 U.S. cens., Marshall Co., Iowa, pop. sched., Logan township, ED 114, sheet 8A (123 stamped), dwelling 131, family 134, viewed online at Ancestry.com, Nov. 2004, image 15 of 23. Enumeration includes: William Owings, 78, b. Oct. 1821 MO, parents b. KY, marr 50yrs; Sarah S., wife, 67, b. Feb. 1833, W VA, marr 50yrs, mother 14 children, 11 living, parents b. W VA; Clara B., dau, 26, b. Aug. 1873 IA, sgl; Vernie M. Turnball [?], dau, wid, b. May 1875 IA, mother 2 children, 1 living; Ray O., son, 7, b. Jan. 1893 IA.