Starling Stafford and his wife, Sarah "Sally" Elliott

Starling³ Stafford (William¹ Robert² ) was born about 1804-1807 in either North Carolina or Ohio to Robert and Sarah Stafford nee Bullock.¹   He probably migrated with his parents from Ohio to Indiana by 1820.²  Starling Stafford married Sarah Elliott in Morgan County, Indiana on 04 September 1828.³  They settled in Morgan County, Indiana and were enumerated there in 1830.⁴   The 1830 census shows Starling's household consisting of four people.  Both adults are between 20-30 years of age and their are two children living in the household.  There is a mark ticked in the column indicating a male 5 to 10 years of age and a female child less than five years of age.  Since the children are not listed by name, we can only speculate who they may have been.  The 1850 census⁵ combined with probate records⁶ generated during the settlement of Starling's estate indicate that he and Sarah did have a daughter, Caroline, who was born about 1830 in Indiana.  This leaves only the identity of the boy, 5-10 years of age, unidentified.  It is possible that he was their son and died as a young child, maybe he was a nephew, other some other relative to either Starling or Sarah or maybe an orphaned child.  This boy is not enumerated with the family in 1850 and to date the family has not been located in 1840, which was just two years after Starling's death.⁶

In 1830, Samuel and Mary Elliott sold land in Morgan County, Indiana to Starling Stafford.  This parcel contained 80 acres and was located in Washington Township less than 2 miles southeast of Martinsville.⁸  Samuel and Mary's relationship to Sarah Stafford nee Elliott has not been determined at this time.

Starling and Sarah Stafford were the parents of at least three children, who were named as infant heirs to his estate.⁷  To date the exact date of death for Starling has not been documented, but it certainly occurred some time shortly before Grant Stafford and William Gregory posted bond so the Letters of Administration could be granted to Grant Stafford for the settlement of Starling's estate.  They posted bond in Morgan County, Indiana on 17 July 1838. ⁶ After his appointment as administrator, Grant arranged for an inventory to be made of Starling Stafford's estate.  The inventory was filed in court on 11 August 1838.⁷  The items listed in the inventory were the usual items one would expect a man of the late 1830s to own if operating a farm in Indiana.  The inventory indicates that he had accumulated quite an array of personal property typical of a man, who derived his living from farming during the 1830s.

He had livestock consisting of hogs and sheep, a horse and one colt.  He had 6 bee stands and 1 rifle as well as tools, harness, fishing gig and other farm equipment.  Also listed was 31 pounds of wool and a pair of sheep shears.  This inventory suggests that he raised livestock and bees to produce goods to make a living for his family.  The inventory also shows the usual household items including 4 beds with bedding, a mantle clock, kettles, a looking glass, quilts, spinning wheels, cupboard with ware, table with 4 chairs, basket and tub and razor.  The majority of the inventoried items were sold at a public auction held on 15 August 1838.⁷

In those early days, the wife had to inherit the property from the husband and was not generally the one who assumed the duties of guardianship for her own children.  Stop a moment to consider how poor Sally Stafford and her three children must have felt-- everything about their lives had been turned upside down.  Their husband / father died at a very young age in his early 30s; people came to their home and insisted of going through all of their things to inventory Starling's estate.  Within less than 2 months time, the majority of the items were sold at a public auction and they were left without a means to make a living.

Only two years later, when the 1840 census was enumerated, there is no listing for a Sarah or Sally Stafford in Morgan County, Indiana.  The logical thing for a young widow with three children would be to stay with family.  It is possible that Sarah and her children lived with one of her relatives.  Research indicates that she did not stay long in Morgan County, but headed west to Des Moines County, Iowa.  The exact time that she left with her children is not known, but court records indicate that she and the children were no longer in the area in May of 1841 when Tiffin Davis filed suit against the heirs of Starling Stafford.⁸ Apparently, Sarah went to Des Moines County, Iowa where she married Joshua Holland in 1843.⁹  On 10 July 1854, Sarah Holland filed a deed record for her minor ward, Perry Stafford, in the Morgan County Recorder’s Office to sell his portion of the inherited land that Starling Stafford purchased from Samuel and Mary Elliott.¹⁰

Sarah and Joshua Holland lived in Des Moines County, Iowa for several years after they were married.  According to The Burlington Hawk-Eye,  Joshua, Sarah's husband, Perry Stafford, her son  and another relative of Sarah's, Jacob Elliott, left Burlington, Iowa some time around 05 April 1849 and headed for California.  The reason for their emigration West is not documented, but it is probable that the Gold Rush had something to do with their departure.¹¹ The Burlington Hawk Eye carried several notices and articles that provide some additional details about Joshua Holland.  On March 31, 1849 Joshua Holland resigned his appointment at the Augusta Post Office in Des Moines County.¹²   The group of men from Burlington headed south to Missouri and by May 1849, had made it as far as St. Joseph, Missouri. Some of the men traveling in this group seemed to have connections to Sarah Stafford Holland nee Elliott.  They were Joshua Holland, Jacob Elliott, Perry Stafford, probably the son of Starling and Sarah Stafford Holland nee Elliott and Almazer Holland.¹³  

According to Richard Clark's research The Burlington Hawk Eye also carried information from Alta, California that some of the "Burlingtonians" died in California including Joshua Holland, who died in October of 1849 from diarrhea.  The same newspaper carried an "Administrator's Notice" announcing that Laban Holland had been appointed by the Des Moines County Probate Court to administrate the estate of the deceased Joshua Holland of Des Moines County.¹³  

More research by Richard Clark indicates that after the death of Joshua Holland, Sarah married a third time to William Cartwright in 1854 in Des Moines County, Iowa and divorce him within the year.^14,15 This is an area for further research for this family. Other evidence found by Richard Clark was the will for Sarah Cartwright of Danville Township, Des Moines County, Iowa in which her heirs were listed as:  Horace William Stafford, Oscar Holland, Harriet Clarke, wife of Robert Clarke, Harriet Farnsworth and John Farnsworth.  This will was dated 26 March 1877 and filed for record on 21 May 1877.¹⁴  In addition to the will a cemetery transcription posted to the internet for Augusta Township, Des Moines County, Iowa cemeteries lists a Sarah Cartwright, born 20 November 1808 and died 10 April 1877 in with burials for Holland family members.²⁰  Supporting his information is the fact that she was not listed in the 1880 census.  Copies of the original records should be obtained from Des Moines County, Iowa. 

The census records for Sarah list her by the surname "Holland" as the head of the household in Des Moines County, Iowa in 1850,⁵ 1860¹⁷ and 1870.¹⁸ The census records indicate that Sarah was born in about 1808/09 in North Carolina.  In 1860, Sarah Holland is living in Des Moines County, Iowa and she has two children living with her.  One is apparently, her son Oscar and the other is an 11 year old girl named Elbira [? Elbina or Albina] Murray, who was born in Iowa.¹⁶ This girl may have been her granddaughter and the daughter of Caroline and Ebe W. Murray, who married in Des Moines County, Iowa on 19 December 1847.¹⁹  

Notes:

• The 1850 census record for Harriett Stafford as 6 years old, however, she is named as an infant heir to Starling Stafford's estate.  Since his death occurred in 1838 and she was born prior to his death or within 1 year of his death she was probably at least 11 years old.  Documents generally list the order of Starling's heirs as Caroline, Harriett and Perry which may indicate she is probably older than Perry.  It is possible that Harriett was 16 rather than 6 in 1850.  Work is needed to further document her age.

• It is documented in the Probate Order Book 1843-1845 that Grant Stafford was appointed guardian for the infant heirs of Starling Stafford, deceased of Morgan County, Indiana.¹⁸

• Research is needed to follow this line forward.  

Research is needed to follow this line forward. 

• Probate research for Sarah Cartwright / Holland in Des Moines County, Iowa 

• Marriage records for Sarah Stafford / Holland / Cartwright

• Divorce records for Sarah Cartwright

• Follow Stafford children's lines forward; the Holland descendants might provide supporting information

i.

Caroline⁴ Stafford 

b. about 1830²² in Morgan County, Indiana; d. 16 August 1884 in Appanoose County, Iowa;²³ m. (1) Ebe W. Murray on 19 December 1847 in Des Moines County, Iowa;¹⁹ (2) Alexander M. Elgin between 1860 and 1870 probably in Appanoose County, Iowa.²³

ii.

Harriett⁴ Stafford 

b. about 1832 in Morgan County, Indiana;¹⁴ m. Levi Farnsworth of Lee County, Iowa about 15 April 1860 in Polk County, Iowa;¹⁴ d. bet 1900-1910¹⁴ 

iii.

Perry⁴ Stafford 

b. 26 January 1836 in Morgan County, Indiana;^10,13 d. 19 June 1912 in Smith Center, Smith County, Kansas.¹⁹

i.

Oscar J. Holland

b. about 1849 in Iowa;^5,16 probably went to Stockton,¹⁶ California; m. Jane M. [maiden name unknown]¹⁶

Starling Stafford

Census

• 1830 Census - Morgan County, Indiana, page 262, line 11; National Archives microfilm publication M19, roll 30.

Marriage Record 

• Stafford – Elliott marriage record (04 September 1828), Morgan County Marriage Record Book A:67, Clerk’s Office, Martinsville, Indiana; received from Morgan County Public Library, Martinsville, Indiana.

• Holland - Stafford marriage record (07 November 1843), Des Moines County, Iowa Marriage Record Book 2:63 (1842-1851); Burlington, Iowa

Land Patents 

• No land patents issued to Starling Stafford

Deed Records

• Elliott - Stafford (grantee) warranty deed, Morgan County Deed Record Book B:363-364 ( 28 May 1831); purchase of N1/2 of NE1/4 of Section 8, Township 11 North of Range 1 East in Morgan County, Indiana (80 acres). Page 363; Page 364

Death and burial

• Date of death prior to 17 July 1838 probably in Morgan County, Indiana.

• Place of burial not known

Probate 

•  Estate of Sterling Stafford, Deceased, Morgan County Probate Record (1846-1847):341-351; Morgan County Probate Court, Martinsville, Indiana.  Page 341 / Page 342 / Page 343 / Page 344 / Page 345 / Page 346 / Page 347 / Page 348 / Page 349 / Page 350 /  Page 351  

• Appointment of Guardian for infant heirs of Starling Stafford, deceased, Morgan County Probate Records (1843-1845):381;Morgan County Probate Court, Martinsville, Indiana. Page 381

Sarah Elliott

Census

• 1850 - Augusta Township, Des Moines County, Iowa

• 1860 - Augusta Township, Des Moines County, Iowa

• 1870 - Middletown, Des Moines County, Iowa

Marriage Record 

• Stafford – Elliott marriage record (04 September 1828)

• Holland - Stafford marriage record (03 November 1843)

Court Record

• Tiffin Davis vs Sally Stafford, Caroline Stafford, Harriett Stafford, Perry Stafford and Grant Stafford, Johnson County Court Order Book 2:430.⁸ [Page 430]

Land Patents 

• No land patents found for Sarah, Caroline, Harriett or Perry Stafford in Iowa.

Deed Records

• Holland for Stafford (minor heir) - Sims warranty deed (10 July 1854), Morgan County Deed Record Book S:458-459; Recorder’s Office, Martinsville, Indiana. [Page 458 / Page 459]

Death and burial

• Need documentation regarding her death.

Settlement of Estate 

• Apparently a will was recorded for Sarah Holland in Des Moines County, Iowa in May 1877.  [I have not researched this line since Sarah is not a descendant of William Stafford.]

¹

Analysis to determine approximate year of birth for Starling / Sterling Stafford:  Assumptions - Sterling was at least 21 when he married.  He was the eldest son of Robert Stafford.  The 1820 Census lists boy 10 to 16 (1804 - 1810) and the 1830 Census lists Sterling 20-30 (1800 - 1810).  He is listed as an adult in Robert Stafford’s Probate file indicating that he was born before 1812.  Since no permission to marry was filed with his marriage record the assumption was made that he was at least 21 years of age when he married in 1828, which would place his year of birth before 1807.  The result range for his birth year is 1804-1807.

²

Robert Stafford household, 1820 US Census; Delaware County, Indiana, Flat Rock Parish, page 33, line 18; National Archives microfilm publication M 33, Roll 14.

³

Stafford – Elliott marriage record (04 September 1828), Morgan County Marriage Record Book A:67, Clerk’s Office, Martinsville, Indiana; received from Morgan County Public Library, Martinsville, Indiana.

⁴

Sterling Stafford household, 1830 U.S. Census, Morgan County, Indiana, page 262, line 11; National Archives microfilm publication M19, roll 30.

⁵

⁶

⁷

Elliott - Stafford (grantee) warranty deed (28 May 1831), Morgan County Deed Record Book B:363-364; Recorder’s Office, Martinsville, Indiana.

⁸

Tiffin Davis vs Sally Stafford, Caroline Stafford, Harriett Stafford, Perry Stafford and Grant Stafford, Johnson County Civil Court Order Book 2:430; Johnson County Historical Society, Franklin, Indiana.

⁹

Holland - Stafford marriage record, Des Moines County, Iowa Marriage Records Volume 2 (1842-1851):63; Iowa State Historical Society microfilm (film number not recorded), City of Des Moines, Iowa.

Rootsweb Transcription Des Moines County, Iowa Marriage Records over 100 years old; http://users.rootsweb.com/~iadesmoi/Documents/Marriage/over_100_years_old.htm

¹⁰

Holland for Stafford (minor heir) - Sims warranty deed (10 July 1854), Morgan County Deed Record Book S:458-459; Recorder’s Office, Martinsville, Indiana.

¹¹

¹²

¹³

14

E-mail correspondence received from Richard Clark clark@frontiernet.net on 04 March 2005; no citation stated.

¹⁵

Des Moines County Dissolutions of Marriage Case #64, filed 10 July 1855, Box B-100, series 2; transcribed by Richard Clarke and information sent to Sharlene Miller by e-mail correspondence on 04 March 2005, clark@frontiernet.net.

¹⁶

Oscar J. Holland household, 1900 U.S. Census, San Joaquin County, California, population schedule, Stockton, page 13B, dwelling 212, family 219; National Archives microfilm publication T623, Roll 108.

¹⁷

Sarah Holland household, 1860 U.S. Census, Des Moines County, Iowa, population schedule, Augusta Township, Augusta post office, page 242, dwelling 1895, family 1817; National Archives M653, roll 319.

¹⁸

Sarah Holland household, 1870 U.S. Census, Des Moines County, Iowa, population schedule, Danville Township, Middletown post office, page 29, dwelling 206, family 207; National Archives M593, roll 388.

¹⁹

Murray - Stafford marriage record (19 December 1847), Des Moines County, Iowa marriage records Book 3:47.  [Note:  Sharlene Miller has very poor photocopy of marriage record and an abstract of record made at the time of reading the microfilm at the Iowa State Historical Society February 2007.  The quality of the film produced extremely poor images and a transcription or legible photocopy could not be made.]

E-mail correspondence received from Barbara Herring Peterson <BarbHg1221@comcast.net> in March 2005.

²⁰

Cemetery Transcriptions for Augusta Township Cemetery, Des Moines County, Iowa downloaded from  <http://www.rootsweb.com/~iadesmoi/Toomstone/Augusta/augusta.htm> on 20 June 2007.

²¹

Appointment of Guardian for minor heirs of Starling Stafford, deceased, Morgan County Probate Order Book 1843-1845, Morgan County Probate Court, Martinsville, FHL Film no. 1468479.

²²

E. W. Murry household, 1850 U.S. Census, Des Moines County, Iowa, population schedule, Augusta Township, page 454A, dwelling 1135, family 1172; National Archives microfilm publication M432, Roll 183.

²³

Biographical sketch for Alexander M. Elgin, Biographical and historical record of Wayne and Appanoose Counties, Iowa: containing portraits of all the presidents of the United States from Washington to Cleveland, with accompanying biographies of each, a condensed history of the state of Iowa, portraits and biographies of the governors of the territory and state, engravings of prominent citizens in Wayne and Appanoose Counties, with personal histories of many of the leading families, and a concise history of Wayne and Appanoose Counties, and their cities and villages. Chicago: Inter-State Pub. Co. 1886, page 633-634.