Hello all. I need your help. My great-grandmother, Sarah L. Alford, was born October 7, 1867 in Indiana. She married James F. Oglesby in 1884 (his second marriage), and they had four children - - Sarah L. (b. 3/5/1885), James Francis (b. 2/20/1887 - my grandfather), Isabelle (b. 3/17/1890) and Roger Earl (b. 3/19/1893). James became very ill, and Sarah left him, placing three of the children (Sarah, James and Roger) in the Franklin County Children's Home on May 15, 1894. For some reason she kept Isabelle with her. Her husband, James, died on November 14, 1894. Children Sarah and James were placed in foster homes as servants. It appears that Roger was adopted by another family. Sarah appears in the 1900 census in Orleans Township, Orange Cty, IN, with the Jonce Monyhan family. James appears in the 1900 census in Union Township, Jasper Cty, IN with the Charles Vanarsdel family. Mother Sarah married George E. Leeds on December 27, 1896, and they moved to Chicago, taking Isabelle with them. They appear in the 1900 census, living in Chicago at 207 Grenshaw. For some reason Sarah's name appears as "Loudes". But it's them. In late 1900, children Sarah and George ran away from their foster homes and went to live with their mother and George in Chicago. City directories show George Leeds living at 2006 Fillmore in 1903; 620 South Homan Avenue in 1904-1905; 945 West Van Buren Street in 1907. Then he and Sarah disappear. Daughter Sarah died March 22, 1907 of pulmonary tuberculosis and is buried in Oakridge Cemetery in Chicago. Son James married Mary Ann McGrath, and appears in the 1910 census, residing with her family in Chicago. Isabelle married Charles Lawrence, and appears in the 1910 census, residing in Seattle, Washington. But George Leeds and mother Sarah elude me. Son James died on March 7, 1926 in Omaha, NE. His obituary states that he was survived by his sister, Mrs. C. A. Lawrence in Delware, and his mother, Mrs. C. A. Johnson of Chicago, IL. Looks like husband #3 for Sarah. So - - what happened to George Leeds? Did they divorce? Did he die? I can't find anything on him after 1907. By the way, he was born September 1865 in Indiana. When did Sarah marry Mr. C. A. Johnson? I simply have been unable to find the Johnsons at all. And when did Sarah die? Any ideas to help me get past this brick wall? Amy Tillman

Hello Amy Noticed the surname Alford and wondered whether you are aware of the Alford American Family Association? http://www.alfordassociation.org/ If not, it may be worth contacting them, perhaps someone may have already researched this family line. Betty Alford ----- Original Message ----- From: "Amy Tillman" <atillman1@cox.net> To: <cook-co-il@rootsweb.com> Sent: Monday, January 22, 2007 7:11 AM Subject: [COOK-CO-IL] Sarah L. ALford-Oglesby-Leeds-Johnson > Hello all. I need your help. > > > My great-grandmother, Sarah L. Alford, was born October 7, 1867 in > Indiana. She married James F. Oglesby in 1884 (his second marriage), and > they had four children - - Sarah L. (b. 3/5/1885), James Francis (b. > 2/20/1887 - my grandfather), Isabelle (b. 3/17/1890) and Roger Earl (b. > 3/19/1893). > > > > James became very ill, and Sarah left him, placing three of the children > (Sarah, James and Roger) in the Franklin County Children's Home on May 15, > 1894. For some reason she kept Isabelle with her. Her husband, James, > died on November 14, 1894. > > > > Children Sarah and James were placed in foster homes as servants. It > appears that Roger was adopted by another family. Sarah appears in the > 1900 census in Orleans Township, Orange Cty, IN, with the Jonce Monyhan > family. James appears in the 1900 census in Union Township, Jasper Cty, > IN with the Charles Vanarsdel family. > > > > Mother Sarah married George E. Leeds on December 27, 1896, and they moved > to Chicago, taking Isabelle with them. They appear in the 1900 census, > living in Chicago at 207 Grenshaw. For some reason Sarah's name appears > as "Loudes". But it's them. > > > > In late 1900, children Sarah and George ran away from their foster homes > and went to live with their mother and George in Chicago. > > > > City directories show George Leeds living at 2006 Fillmore in 1903; 620 > South Homan Avenue in 1904-1905; 945 West Van Buren Street in 1907. > > > > Then he and Sarah disappear. > > > > Daughter Sarah died March 22, 1907 of pulmonary tuberculosis and is buried > in Oakridge Cemetery in Chicago. > > > > Son James married Mary Ann McGrath, and appears in the 1910 census, > residing with her family in Chicago. > > > > Isabelle married Charles Lawrence, and appears in the 1910 census, > residing in Seattle, Washington. > > > > But George Leeds and mother Sarah elude me. > > > > Son James died on March 7, 1926 in Omaha, NE. His obituary states that he > was survived by his sister, Mrs. C. A. Lawrence in Delware, and his > mother, Mrs. C. A. Johnson of Chicago, IL. Looks like husband #3 for > Sarah. > > > > So - - what happened to George Leeds? Did they divorce? Did he die? I > can't find anything on him after 1907. By the way, he was born September > 1865 in Indiana. > > > > When did Sarah marry Mr. C. A. Johnson? I simply have been unable to find > the Johnsons at all. And when did Sarah die? > > > > Any ideas to help me get past this brick wall? > > > > Amy Tillman > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > COOK-CO-IL-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the > quotes in the subject and the body of the message