The Two Marriages of John White Thurman

 John White Thurman was born 10 November 1819 in Chesterfield, South Carolina. He was a son of William Lawrence Thurman and Elizabeth White.

Sometime before 1842, John White Thurman migrated to Dekalb County. Georgia. There on 7 February 1842 he married Sarah McDuffie.

https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/139539:4766

Georgia)    To any Minister of the Gospel or
Dekalb County) Judge, Justice of the Inferior Court or
Justice of the Peace; You are hereby authorized
To join John W. Thurman and Sarah McDuffie in the
Holy state of Matrimony according to the constitution and
Laws of this state; and for so doing this shall be your sufficient
Licensee. Given under my hand and seal this 7th
Day of February 1842.
                S. Farmer, C.C. O. {L.S.}
Georgia)          I do certify that John W. Thurman and
DeKalb County) Sarah McDuffie (scratchthru) were
Duly Joined in matrimony by me the seventh day of February 1842.
                    T. L. Thomas, J. P.

John White Thurman and Sarah McDuffie had 10 children before Sarah McDuffie Thurman died between 1870 and 1872.

John’s wife Sarah A. McDuffie whom he married on 7 February 1842 in Dekalb County Georgia is alive and well on 12 July 1870 where she is enumerated in the 1870 US Census as age 43.  

Sarah A. McDuffie is believed to have died between 12 July 1870 and 15 December 1872. If she did pass away, no death notice or tombstone has been found for her.

On 15 December 1872, John White Thurman married Sarah E. Rivers, daughter of Dempsey Rivers and Nancy McDuffie.

https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/590794:4766

Sarah Rivers Thurman was born May 1830 in DeKalb County, Georgia, a daughter of Dempsey Rivers and Nancy McDuffie. Sarah Rivers Thurman died in 1909.

Sarah McDuffie Thurman was born in 1826 whereas Sarah E. Rivers was born in May 1830. Many on line trees have combined these two women's naming their creation Sarah McDuffie Rivers Thurman. Very few if any of the tress have the second marriage to Sarah Rivers attached to their trees.  

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1. Find A Grave, Inc., Find A Grave, database and digital images, (http://www.findagrave.com : accessed 3 May 2020); Memorial page for J. W. Thurman; (10 November 1819–10 July 1904); Find a Grave memorial # 33844103, Citing Evergreen Cemetery; Fitzgerald, Ben Hill County, Georgia, USA.

2. 1850 U. S. Census, DeKalb County, Georgia, population schedule, Town, DeKalb County, Georgia, Page: 135B; Line 1, Dwelling 56, Family 56, Household of John THURMOND; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : viewed 6 May 2020); citing NARA publication Roll: M432_67.

3. 1860 U. S. Census, De Kalb County, Georgia, population schedule, Panthersville Dist., DeKalb County, GA, Page: 349(Stamped); Line 9, Dwelling 680, Family 680, Household of J. W. THURMAN; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : viewed 6 May 2020); citing NARA publication Roll: M653_119.

4. 1870 U. S. Census, De Kalb County, Georgia, population schedule, Panthersville Dist., DeKalb County, GA, Page: 258(Stamped); Line 11, Dwelling 335, Family 335, Household of J. W. THURMAN; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : viewed 6 May 2020); citing NARA publication Roll: M593_147.

5. 1880 U. S. Census, Fulton County, Georgia, population schedule, Atlanta, Fulton County, Georgia, enumeration district (ED) 102, Page: 461B (Stamped); Line 5, Dwelling 183, Family 192, Household of John W. THURMAN; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : viewed 6 May 2020); citing NARA publication Roll: T9_0148.

6. 1900 U. S. Census, De Kalb County , Georgia, population schedule, Clarkston, De Kalb, Georgia, enumeration district (ED) 0018, Page: 10B/145 (Stamped); Line 60, Dwelling 179, Family 188, Household of John T. ALLEN; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : viewed 6 May 2020); citing NARA publication Roll: T623_0192.

7. Find A Grave, Inc., Find A Grave, database, "Record, J. W. Thurman (10 November 1819–10 July 1904), Memorial # 33844103.

8. "Georgia Marriages to 1850," database, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com : Viewed & downloaded 6 May 2020), Marriage: John W. Thurman to Sarah McDuffie, Marriage Date: 7 Feb 1842.

9. "Georgia Marriages to 1850," database, Ancestry>, Marriage: John W. Thurman to Sarah RIVERS.

10. 1900 U. S. Census, De Kalb County , Georgia, population schedule, Clarkston, De Kalb, Georgia, ED 0018, Page: 10B/145 (Stamped); Line 60, Dwelling 179, Family 188, Household of John T. ALLEN.

11. Find A Grave, Inc., Find A Grave, database, "Record, Sarah E. Rivers Thurman (June 1830–1909), Memorial #100917736.