Sarah
(Miner) Carroll
(1790s?-before 1840)
Sarah (Miner) Carroll was born most likely in the 1790s in or near Kingwood, Preston County, WV, the daughter of Burket and Frances (Skinner) Minerd.
Sarah married Anthony Carroll (1793-1840?), son of James and Sarah
(Vankirk) Carroll. Documents
on file today at the Monongalia County (WV) Courthouse in Morgantown show that
on Nov. 18, 1815, Sarah's father signed his consent for her to marry Anthony. Both Carroll and Godfrey Guseman signed a bond for the marriage
license, which stated that the "marriage is suddenly intended to be had and
solemnized..."
Their only child was James Miner Carroll, born in 1815.
The Carrolls lived near Kingwood and Masontown, Preston County, WV. They are mentioned in several history books of the county, including Samuel T. Wiley's 1882 History of Preston County and the 1979 book, Preston County West Virginia History, published by the Preston County Historical Society. (Unfortunately, in the 1979 volume, Sarah's maiden name is misspelled as "Niner.")
Sarah and Anthony are mentioned in an article in the April 23,
1908 issue of the Preston County Journal, entitled "Pioneers of
Preston," written by H.S. Whetsell. In the article, the author writes this
combined compliment and criticism of their son James: "Being a close
observer and having a retentive and accurate memory of early events, the lack of
his assistance has been keenly felt by the compiler of these articles."
Sarah appears to have been active in church -- according to Wiley's 1882 History of Preston County:
The first Methodist society in Kingwood was organized sometime prior to the year 1815 ... Soon after the organization of the society, a log church was built one mile east of the village [of Kingwood]... After 1818, the Court house was used as a place for preaching, and class and prayer meetings were held in the houses of the leaders... The following are the names of the class, as far as can be ascertained, which met in the log church: ... Sarah Carroll ...
In 1829, Anthony purchased a 200-acre farm from James and Dorcas Dent, adjacent to “drains of Bull Run and Cheat River,” said the deed. It was stocked with poplar, gum, beech and white oak. The farm was located “about three miles northeast of Masontown,... [contained] a cabin and a clearing … and [the family] lived there between the years 1829 and 1856.”
At some point, at a young age, Sarah died, leaving behind her husband and only child. Her death was probably in the 1815 to 1820 timeframe, although this needs to be proven. Son James was sent to live with his grandfather and namesake, James Carroll, near Kingwood.
Anthony later married Temperance Alley (1800- ? ). They went on to have eight children -- Mary Herndon, Eugenus Carroll, John S.P. Carroll, Lucinda Carroll, Catherine Caroline Kemble, Margaret Carroll and two who died infants.
In 1840, son James Carroll purchased a 70-acre portion of his father's farm. Both Anthony and his second wife could not read or write, and in the deed, they signed their names with an “X.”
Their final fates are unknown.
~ Children of Anthony's Second Marriage ~
Son John Carroll (1829- ? ) was a farmer and lived with his parents when the 1850 census was taken. He served as colonel of the 14th WV Infantry in the Civil War and later resided in Missouri.
Daughter Mary Carroll married Dr. William P. Herndon of Ritchie County, WV.
Daughter Catherine
Caroline Carroll (1834- ? ) lived with Solomon and Mary Herndon in Preston
County in 1860 when the federal census was taken. She married Dr. Julius C. Kemble
(1817- ? ), the son of Samuel and Elizabeth (Warner) Kemble of Kingwood, WV. He
is seen here, in a sketch published in the 1882 History. They were
17 years apart in age. In a biographical profile, Wiley wrote this:
[He]
was born in Pruntytown, , May 21, 1817. He attended Rector College, read
medicine with Dr. J.L. Carr, and attended lectures at Richmond, Va. He came in
1844, from West Union to Evansville where he served as postmaster from 1845 to
1850, and also as justice of the peace. he was a member of the Legislature of
Virginia from 1855 to 1861, and afterwards Democratic candidate for State
Senator from Preston and Monongalia counties. His first wife having died several
years since, he married Miss Catherine C. Carroll, of Kingwood. he has enjoyed a
good practice and accumulated considerable wealth.
[Confusing note -- Anthony wrote a will on Aug. 25, 1829, and the paperwork suggests that he died shortly thereafter. The will was probated at the February 1830 term of the Monongalia County Court. The will named the following children: James Carrel, Pegey Guseman, Polly Gorden and James Walls..." Yet it's believed that our Anthony lived at least another decade longer.]
Daughter Margaret Carroll (1841- ? ) is lost to history.
Copyright © 2000-2001, 2003, 2006, 2008 Mark A. Miner