52 Cousins~"A Long Way from Mount Croghan: The Life of Will Privette"

The “52 Cousins” series of biographical sketches are Artificial Intelligence (AI) compiled narratives of selected individuals from my Genealogical database.  The selected AI will used documents and data from my RootsMagic Genealogical Software. All genealogical data is my research material acquired over the past 46+ years of research. Today's Biography of William M. "Will" Privette (1870-1955) was compiled with the assistance of Claude Sonnett 4 and is entitled:

"A Long Way from Mount Croghan: The Life of Will Privette"

William M. "Will" Privette

15 July 1870 – 25 October 1955

Mount Croghan, South Carolina  ·  Lubbock, Texas 

Early Life and Family Background

Will Privette came into the world on July 15, 1870, in Mount Croghan, a small community nestled in Chesterfield County, South Carolina. He was born to Thomas Kincheon Previtte (1840–1898) and Sarah Jane Tucker (1839–1918), and grew up in the rural Carolina Piedmont during one of the most turbulent and transformative periods in American history. His childhood years fell in the aftermath of the Civil War and Reconstruction — a time when Southern families like the Privettes were rebuilding their lives and livelihoods from the ground up.

The South Carolina of Will's youth was a place of hardship and resilience. Reconstruction had ended just a few years before his birth, and the region's economy was slowly recovering, largely through small-scale farming and sharecropping. The Privette family, like most of their neighbors, would have worked the land and known the rhythms of agricultural life intimately.

His Parents

Will's father, Thomas Kincheon Previtte, was born in 1840 and lived until 1898 — dying when Will was about 28 years old. His mother, Sarah Jane Tucker, born in 1839, outlived her husband by two decades, passing away in 1918. Both parents appear to have been long-established South Carolina family.

Brothers and Sisters

Census records reveal at least one sibling: a brother named Samuel K. Privette, born around December 1865, who appears in the 1900 census living with Will's household as a brother, then around 34 years old. It's quite possible Will had additional siblings who scattered to other households before that census was taken — a common situation in large farming families of that era.

Marriage to Sallie Sanders

Around 1891, when he was about 21 years old, Will married Sarah "Sallie" Sanders (born 1870) in Chesterfield County, South Carolina. Sallie was roughly the same age as Will, and the two would remain partners for the next five and a half decades, navigating life's many changes together — from the Carolina countryside to Mississippi to the Texas plains.

Sallie Sanders Privette was a steadfast presence throughout Will's life. She predeceased him by several years, passing away in 1948. The 1900 census notes they had been married nine years and had four children, three of whom were still living — a sobering reflection of childhood mortality rates at the turn of the 20th century.

Their Children

Will and Sallie raised a family of seven children over nearly two decades:

Allie Mae Privette was born in November 1891 in North Carolina and lived a long life, passing away in 1976. A telephone conversation from 2004 with a family relative noted that "Mae married a Tucker" — a nice full-circle connection, since Will's own mother was a Tucker.

Samuel Kinston Privette was born in September 1895 in South Carolina. He lived until 1969 and, according to family memory, eventually died in Texas — following the family's westward migration.

Horrie Harvey Privette (also recorded as Henry, Harry, or Harris in various census records — census takers of the era were notoriously inconsistent with names) was born in September 1898 in South Carolina and passed away in 1972.

Iva Privette (also spelled Ivery, Ivory, or Ivan in the records) was born around 1903 in North Carolina. She lived until 1978. A family oral history note from 2004 records that "Ivey never married." She appears in the 1940 census, then in her early 30s, still living with her parents in Lubbock, Texas.

Myrtle Privette was born in 1904 and sadly died young, in 1929, at just 25 years old.

Pheobe Privette (spelled variously as Pheoby, Phoeby, or Feeby) was born in 1907 in North Carolina and died in 1933, also at a young age of about 26.

William M. Privette Jr. was born in 1911 and lived until 1988 — the youngest child and the one who carried on the family name.

Life in South Carolina (1870s–Early 1900s)

Will spent the first several decades of his life in and around Mount Croghan, Chesterfield County. The 1900 census finds him there at about age 29, farming with Sallie and their young children. The family appears to have spent some time in North Carolina as well — most of the older children are recorded as having been born in NC in various census records, though exactly when they crossed the state line and returned is unclear.

Mount Croghan itself was (and remains) a tiny community. Life there in the 1890s and early 1900s revolved around cotton farming, church, and tight-knit community bonds. Will's life during this period coincided with the rise of the Populist movement, the economic hardships of the 1890s depression, and the dawn of the New South era. It was a time when many families were beginning to look westward for better opportunities.

A Move to Mississippi (Around 1900–1920)

At some point after 1900, Will packed up the family and headed west to Quitman, in Clarke County, Mississippi. By the 1910 census, the Privettes were firmly established there, with Will listed at age 38 and several of the children — Sam (15), Henry/Horrie (11), Ivory/Iva (6), and Phoeby (2) — still at home. Quitman was a small county seat town in the piney woods of southeast Mississippi, and the region's economy was still primarily agricultural.

This was a period of significant national change — the country was shifting from a rural, agrarian society to an industrial one. Mississippi in 1910 was still overwhelmingly rural, and farming families like the Privettes would have lived much as they had in South Carolina, though the Mississippi Delta and surrounding regions had their own distinct culture and character.

On February 20, 1920, Will's name appears in the Clarke County Tribune newspaper — he was selected to serve on a jury in Quitman. It's a small detail, but a vivid one: Will Privette, at age 49, doing his civic duty in his adopted Mississippi home. The jury list placed him in "Beat 3," alongside neighbors J.M. Broach, E.L. Bishop, and others.

Return to South Carolina, Then Westward to Texas (1920s–1930s)

Remarkably, the 1920 census finds the family back in Mount Croghan, South Carolina — apparently Will and Sallie made a return trip to their home county sometime between 1910 and 1920. By then, the older children were grown: Samuel Kinston (24) and Horrie (21) were still at home, along with the younger children Ivery (16), Luby (12), and young William (6).

But the westward pull proved too strong. By 1930, Will and Sallie — now both around 60 years old — had made the big move to Crosby County, Texas, in the South Plains region west of Abilene. Their youngest daughter Phoebe, then 22, was still living with them. The Texas Panhandle and South Plains in the late 1920s and 1930s were a land of vast cotton farms, wide-open skies, and a boom-and-bust cycle tied to rainfall and commodity prices. It must have felt like a world away from the green Carolina hills where Will had grown up.

The 1930s were a brutal decade for Texas farming families. The Dust Bowl, which devastated much of the Southern Plains from 1930 to 1936, brought catastrophic dust storms, crop failures, and economic ruin to countless families. Though Crosby County was on the fringe of the worst Dust Bowl activity, the region was not spared from drought and hardship. Will and Sallie weathered these years together.

Later Years in Lubbock, Texas (1940–1955)

By 1940, Will and Sallie had relocated to Lubbock, the largest city in the South Plains region, where they lived at "Route 6" — likely a rural route on the outskirts of town. Daughter Ivy (listed as age 31) was still living with them. Will was recorded as 69 years old, though his actual age based on his 1870 birth year would have been closer to 70.

Lubbock in 1940 was a growing city of about 30,000 people, a regional hub for the cotton-based economy of West Texas. The city would go on to boom during World War II, and by the time Will died in 1955, Lubbock had grown into a thriving mid-sized city — home to Texas Technological College (now Texas Tech University) and a bustling downtown.

Will Privette passed away on October 25, 1955, in Lubbock, at the remarkable age of 85. He had outlived two of his children (Myrtle and Pheobe) and his beloved wife Sallie, who had died in 1948. His body was laid to rest at Ralls Cemetery in Ralls, Crosby County, Texas — the county where he and Sallie had first planted roots in Texas, and a fitting resting place for a man whose family had come to call the Texas South Plains home.

Will's Life in Historical Context

To read Will Privette's life story is to read a remarkable slice of American history. Born the year after the end of Reconstruction in the South, he lived through:

The Reconstruction Era and the New South (1870s–1890s): Will's earliest years were shaped by a South still reeling from the Civil War. The federal troops left South Carolina in 1877, the year he turned seven, and the political and social struggles of that era would have formed the backdrop of his childhood.

The Populist Movement (1890s): As a farmer in the 1890s, Will would have been very much aware of the Farmers' Alliance and the Populist Party, which fought for the rights of struggling agricultural workers against railroads and banks. Hard times in the 1890s drove many Southern families, like the Privettes, to look for new opportunities elsewhere.

The Great Migration and Rural Mobility (1900s–1920s): Will's family moves — from South Carolina to Mississippi, back to South Carolina, and then to Texas — mirror a broader pattern of rural American mobility during the early 20th century, as families chased economic opportunity across the country.

World War I (1914–1918): By the time America entered the war in 1917, Will was 47 years old and his sons were teenagers or young men. Samuel Kinston was about 22 in 1917, and Horrie was about 19 — prime conscription age. The war's effects would have touched the family directly.

The Great Depression and Dust Bowl (1929–1939): Will and Sallie arrived in Texas just as these twin catastrophes unfolded. Their years in Crosby County placed them squarely in one of the most challenging agricultural environments in American history during this decade.

World War II (1939–1945): Will was in his 70s during WWII, but his children and grandchildren would have been deeply affected. By then, the family was established in the Lubbock area, which saw significant military activity at the nearby Lubbock Army Air Field.

Will Privette was born in a South still scarred by war and died in a prosperous, booming postwar America. His journey — from the Carolinas to Mississippi to the Texas plains — is the story of an ordinary man navigating an extraordinary century.

Burial and Memorial

Will Privette is buried at Ralls Cemetery in Ralls, Crosby County, Texas. His Find a Grave memorial (ID #20193701) was created on July 1, 2007, by a contributor named Cliff Rogers, ensuring that Will's memory is preserved for future generations to find. His wife Sallie is remembered alongside him, having passed away in 1948.

 

— Biography compiled from U.S. Census records (1900–1940), Find a Grave, The Clarke County Tribune (February 20, 1920), and family oral history. Prepared February 18, 2026.

William M. "Will" Privette is my 1st Cousin 3X Removed.

Aunts & Uncles~ Luther William Johns Sr.: A Life of Service and Journey

The “Aunts & Uncles” series of biographical sketches are Artificial Intelligence (AI) compiled narratives of selected individuals from my Genealogical database.  The selected AI will used the RootsMagic Individual Summary from my Genealogical Software, Roots Magic. All genealogical data is my research material acquired over the past 46 years of research. Today's Biography of  Luther William Johns Sr., (1917-1985) was compiled with the assistance of Claude Sonnett 4 and is entitled:

"Luther William Johns Sr.: A Life of Service and Journey"

Early Years in South Carolina

Luther William Johns Sr. was born on April 11, 1917, in Chesterfield, South Carolina, to Julius Johns (1887-1937) and Mary Catherine "Mamie" Brock Johns (1889-1938). He grew up during a transformative period in American history, experiencing both World War I as an infant and coming of age during the Great Depression.

Luther was part of a large family. His siblings included Carl M. Johns, Mary Ellen Johns, Willie B. Johns, Ruby L. Johns, Bennie F. Johns, and Everett J. Johns. Growing up in the town of Chesterfiekd in Chesterfield County, the Johns family lived a modest life typical of rural South Carolina families of that era.

The 1920 census shows three-year-old Luther living with his parents and siblings in the Court House area. By the time of the 1930 census, when Luther was about 13 years old, the family was still together in Chesterfield County. His father worked to support the large household during the challenging years of the Depression.

Tragically, Luther lost both of his parents while he was still a young man. His father, Julius, died in 1937 when Luther was just 20 years old, and his mother, Mamie, passed away the following year in 1938. These losses during Luther's formative years meant he had to mature quickly and find his own path in life.

Military Service During World War II

Luther's military career began on July 23, 1940, when he enlisted in the Army at age 23 from Chesterfield, South Carolina. This was more than a year before the United States entered World War II, showing Luther's early commitment to military service during a time when war clouds were gathering over Europe and Asia.

Initially, Luther served with Battery C, 263rd Coastal Artillery at Fort Moultrie, South Carolina. His early enlistment records from January 13, 1941, show he was a Private First Class in the Coast Artillery Corps, having come from the National Guard. At enlistment, he was 5'8" tall, weighed 135 pounds, had a grammar school education, and listed his civilian occupation as "farm hands, general farms." He was noted as single with dependents at that time.

Luther's military service would take a dramatic turn when he became part of one of the most elite and dangerous units in the U.S. Army—the 507th Parachute Infantry Regiment. By 1942, he was serving with this airborne unit in Alabama. The 507th PIR was activated in 1942 and would go on to see combat in some of the most critical operations of the war, including the D-Day invasion of Normandy and Operation Market Garden.

507th Paratroopers Training over 
Alabama, my safe should read myself. The Oaratrroper is my Uncle Luther.

Luther also served with the 5th Troop Carrier Squadron at Alliance Army Air Field in 1944. He served throughout the war, being released from active duty on September 23, 1945, having given more than five years of his life to military service. His time in the service during World War II would have exposed him to the momentous events that shaped the modern world—Pearl Harbor, D-Day, the liberation of Europe, and the atomic bombs that ended the war.

Love and Family in Nebraska

While stationed at Alliance Army Air Base in Nebraska, Luther met Jeanne Katherynne Sovereign, who was born on December 22, 1916, in Royal, Antelope County, Nebraska. She was the daughter of Alva W. Sovereign and Irma Estelle Burton. The couple married on August 6, 1943, at the Baptist parsonage in Chadron, Nebraska, with Reverend Ben Rowland officiating. Luther was 26 years old, and Jeanne was 26 as well. After the ceremony, they returned to Alliance where Luther continued his military service.

The newspaper announcement of their wedding noted that Luther was "in service" at the time—a common phrase during the war years that carried weight, as so many young couples rushed to marry before servicemen were sent overseas.

Luther and Jeanne built their life together in Alliance, Nebraska, where they started their family. The 1950 census shows them living in Alliance City, Box Butte County, with Luther working as a railroad fireman and Jeanne as a beauty operator. Their household included:

1. Jolene Kay Johns, born in 1944 (died 2014)

2. Judith Kolene Johns, born in 1946 (died 2024)

3. Luther William Johns Jr., born in 1949 (died 2024)

The census also  listed Larry J. Davis, age 11, Jeanne's son in from a previous relationship whom Luther welcomed into their family.

Luther's work with the railroad was a natural transition from military life—both required discipline, attention to detail, and a strong work ethic. During the post-war boom years of the late 1940s and early 1950s, America's railroads were vital to the nation's economy, and railroad work provided stable employment for veterans like Luther.

However, after more than a decade of marriage, Luther and Jeanne's relationship ended. They divorced on May 7, 1954, in Cicero, Illinois. Luther was 37 years old at the time. Jeanne would later remarry (becoming Jeanne K. Martindale) and eventually settled in North Carolina, where she passed away on February 19, 2002, in Greenville, Pitt County.

A New Chapter in Chicago

After his divorce, Luther eventually married Viola Marie "Vie" Wooldridge, who was born in 1914 and was about three years older than Luther. They made their home in the Chicago area, and Luther advanced his railroad career, eventually becoming an engineer with the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad—one of the major railroads serving the Midwest.

Vie Wooldridge and Luther Johns

The Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad (often called the "Burlington Route" or simply "The Q") was a major American railroad that operated extensive routes throughout the Midwest. As an engineer, Luther would have been responsible for operating locomotives on routes that connected Chicago to cities throughout Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska, and beyond. This was a position of significant responsibility and respect in the 1950s and 1960s, when railroads were still the backbone of American freight transportation.

Family Connections Maintained

Despite the distance from his South Carolina roots, Luther maintained connections with his family back home. In 1961, Luther had a memorable reunion with his nephew, who was stationed at Chanute Air Force Base in Rantoul, Illinois, for a six-month aerospace ground equipment maintenance training course. The 19-year-old nephew had never met his Uncle Luther before and was thrilled at the opportunity.

The nephew's mother (Luther's sister) had actually contacted the local police to locate Luther because she hadn't heard from him in some time. The police were able to find him and convey his sister's desire to hear from him. The strategy worked—she received a letter from Luther shortly afterward, and this led to the nephew getting Luther's address and phone number.

The weekend visit turned out to be one of the highlights of the nephew's time at Chanute AFB. Luther gave him tours of the railroad yard, showed him trains and the railroad museum, and Vie prepared wonderful home-cooked meals. The nephew later recalled it as "awesome" and the best weekend of his six months in Illinois, before he was assigned to Naha Air Base in Okinawa.

In the mid-1960s, Luther and Vie made a trip back to South Carolina to visit family, including his sister Ruby Purvis in Chesterfield. A local newspaper noted their visit, mentioning that Luther would be returning to Chicago to resume his job as an engineer with the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad. These visits showed that despite the years and miles, Luther valued maintaining connections with his siblings and his South Carolina heritage.

Final Years

Luther spent his later years in the Chicago suburbs. By the 1980s, he and Vie were living in Westmont, Cook County, Illinois. Luther continued working for the railroad, a career that had spanned decades and taken him from fireman to engineer.

On August 9, 1985, Luther William Johns Sr. suffered a heart attack and passed away in Westmont at the age of 68. His funeral service was held at Toon Funeral Home in Westmont, and he was laid to rest on August 12, 1985, at Clarendon Hills Cemetery in Darien, DuPage County, Illinois, alongside his wife Viola Marie, who would join him there when she passed away in 1993.

A Life Across America

Luther's life tells the story of 20th century America in many ways. Born in rural South Carolina at the tail end of World War I, he grew up during Prohibition and the Great Depression. He served his country during its greatest trial in World War II, jumping with elite airborne forces. He found love in the heartland of Nebraska, built a family, worked an honest trade on the railroads, and eventually made his home in the industrial heartland of Chicago.

Though he faced personal losses—his parents when he was young, a divorce in middle age—Luther built a life marked by service, hard work, and family connections that spanned from South Carolina to Nebraska to Illinois. His children and grandchildren carry forward the legacy of a man who served his country, worked the rails that connected America, and never forgot where he came from.

Luther William Johns Sr. is remembered by his family and commemorated at Find A Grave Memorial #43332243.

 Luther William Johns Sr. is my Uncle. 

______________________

1. U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, "BIRLS Death File, 1850-2010," [database on-line], Department of Veterans Affairs, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs BIRLS Death File, 1850-2010 (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/2441/records/8806229 : viewed 12 January 2012), Luther W. JOHNS.

2. 1920 U. S. Census, Chesterfield County, South Carolina, population schedule, Court House, Chesterfield County, South Carolina, enumeration district (ED) 40, Page 16B/172B (stamped), Line 83, Dwelling 292, Family 300, Household of Julius JOHN; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://ancestry.com : viewed 20 January 2013); citing National Archives Microfilm T625_1690.

3. 1930 U. S. Census, Chesterfield County, South Carolina, population schedule, Court House, Chesterfield County, South Carolina, enumeration district (ED) 17, Page 16B/57B (stamped), Line 93, Dwelling 274, Family 280, Household of  Juliane [Julius] JOHNS; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://ancestry.com : viewed 20 January 2013); citing National Archives Microfilm T626_2192.

4. 1930 U. S. Census, Chesterfield County, South Carolina, population schedule, Cheraw, Chesterfield, South Carolina, enumeration district (ED) 13-10, Page: 7B/126(stamped); Line 42, Household #107, Household of Mary E. JOHNS; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://ancestry.com : viewed 2 August 2013); citing National Archives Microfilm T626_3799.

5. U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, "BIRLS Death File, 1850-2010," [database on-line], U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs BIRLS Death File, 1850-2010, Luther W. JOHNS.

5. National Archives and Records Administration, Record Group 64, "U.S. World War II Army Enlistment Records, 1938-1946," database, Ancestry.com, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com : online June 2005), Luther W Johns; citing https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/8939/records/6343541.

7. 1950 U. S. Census, Box Butte County, Nebraska, population schedule, Alliance City, Box Butte, Nebraska, enumeration district (ED) 7-5, Sheet 17, Lines 20-25, Household #213, Luther JOHNS; digital images, 1950 CENSUS (www.archives.gov : viewed 9 April 2022); citing https://1950census.archives.gov/search/.

8. Find A Grave, Inc., Find A Grave, database and digital images, (http://www.findagrave.com : accessed  11 November 2011); Memorial page for Luther W. Johns; (11 April 1917–9 August 1985); Find a Grave memorial # 43332243, Citing Clarendon Hills Cemetery; Darien, DuPage County, Illinois, USA.

9. Evidence Explained–Style Citation (Personal Knowledge)

Personal knowledge of the author, based on a weekend visit with uncle Luther W. Johns at his home in Chicago, Illinois, in 1960 while the author was stationed with the U.S. Air Force at Rantoul, Illinois. Johns was then employed as an engineer with the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad., Personal Knowledge.

10. "JOHNS-DAVIS," Marriage, Chadron Record, Chadron, Nebraska, 13 August 1943, Page 5, Column 1; Digital On-Line Archives, Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com/ : online June 2000).

14. Find A Grave, Inc., Find A Grave, database and digital images, (http://www.findagrave.com : accessed  12 June 2012); Memorial page for Jeanne K Martindale; (22 December 1916–19 February 2002); Find a Grave memorial # 71415331, Citing Green Hills Memorial Park; Rancho Palos Verdes, Los Angeles County, California, USA.

11. 1950 U. S. Census, Box Butte County, Nebraska, population schedule, Alliance City, Box Butte, Nebraska, ED 7-5, Sheet 17, Lines 20-25, Household #213, Luther JOHNS.

12. Find A Grave, Inc., Find A Grave, database, "Record, Jeanne K Martindale (22 December 1916–19 February 2002), Memorial # 71415331.

13. Social Security Administration, Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007 database, Ancestry,  (http://www.ancestry.com : <online|accessed> July 2015), Jeanne Kay Sovereign Johns, 483016994, January 1937 derived from U.S. Social Security Administration, Death Master File,database (Alexandria, Virginia: National Technical Information Service, 24 July 2011).

14. Find A Grave, Inc., Find A Grave, database, "Record, Viola Marie Wooldridge Johns (5 March 1914–24 December 1993), Memorial # 43332322.

15. Viola M. Johns obituary, [The Herald-Palladium,, Coloma, Berrien County, Michigan, 27 December 1993, page 7A, Column 5 & 6

52 Cousins~A Life of Faith, Family, and Fortitude in Chesterfield County, Sarah Catherine "Sallie" (Boatwright) Freeman

The “52 Cousins” series of biographical sketches are Artificial Intelligence (AI) compiled narratives of selected individuals from my Genealogical database.  The selected AI will used documents and data from my RootsMagic Genealogical Software. All genealogical data is my research material acquired over the past 46+ years of research. Today's Biography of Sarah Catherine "Sallie" (Boatwright) Freeman (1862-1947) was compiled with the assistance of Claude Sonnett 4 and is entitled:

"A Life of Faith, Family, and Fortitude in Chesterfield County"

Sarah Catherine "Sallie" (Boatwright) Freeman (1862-1947)  

Early Life and Family Origins

Sarah Catherine Boatwright, affectionately known as "Sallie" throughout her life, was born on August 10, 1862, in Chesterfield, South Carolina. She entered the world during one of the most tumultuous periods in American history—the height of the Civil War. Her parents, George R. Boatwright (1819-1894) and Lauretta Hurst (1831-1863), were already navigating the uncertainties of wartime when Sallie arrived as their daughter.

Tragically, Sallie's early childhood was marked by profound loss. Her mother, Lauretta, died in 1863 when Sallie was barely a year old. Growing up without her mother during the chaotic years following the Civil War and throughout Reconstruction would have shaped Sallie's character in ways that would serve her well in the decades to come. Her father, George, raised her through these difficult years, and by the 1870 census, eight-year-old Sallie was living with him in Court House, Chesterfield County.

Marriage and Partnership

Around 1891, when Sallie was about 29 years old, she married William John Freeman, known to family and friends as "Will." He was born on October 15, 1868, making him about six years younger than Sallie—not an uncommon age difference for the time, though perhaps noteworthy that Sallie was the elder spouse. Will was the son of William M. Freeman (1836-1922) and Sarah Ann Davis (1838-1910), both well-established families in Chesterfield County.

Their marriage would span 56 years and prove to be a true partnership built on mutual support, shared faith, and an incredible dedication to family. The 1900 census records them as having been married for nine years at that point, with five children and all five still living—a blessing in an era when infant and child mortality rates were heartbreakingly high.

The Mother of Nine

Sallie's greatest role—and perhaps her greatest challenge—was as mother to nine children. Between 1892 and 1906, she gave birth to nine babies, experiencing both the profound joys of motherhood and its deepest sorrows.

Her Children:

Laura Retter [Lauretta] Freeman (May 2, 1892 - November 6, 1966) - The firstborn, Laura would marry Cullen Little Eddins and live a long life, dying at age 74 in Cheraw.

Michael J. Freeman (September 19, 1893 - December 28, 1960) - Known as "Mike," he married Janie I. Sellers on December 23, 1914, and they built their own family together.

Georgia Ann Freeman (September 20, 1895 - September 24, 1983) - Georgia married Henry William Benjamin Rivers around 1910 and lived well into her eighties, passing away in Wadesboro, North Carolina.

Allie Freeman (August 28, 1897 - May 29, 1975) - Allie married John Washington Previtte on July 17, 1921, and they made their life together in Chesterfield.

Rev. John Wesley Freeman (April 20, 1900 - April 29, 1965) - Following a calling to ministry, John married Allie Mae Rivers on November 24, 1919, and served his community as a reverend.

James A. Freeman (August 25, 1901 - September 25, 1979) - James lived a long life, reaching nearly 78 years of age.

Buddie Freeman (October 1, 1903 - October 2, 1903) - Tragically, this twin lived only one day.

Eugene Freeman (October 1, 1903 - January 8, 1904) - Eugene, Buddie's twin brother, survived just over three months.

Sister Freeman (October 21, 1906 - October 21, 1906) - The last baby, a daughter, lived only hours.

The loss of three infants within a span of three years must have tested Sallie's faith and resilience to their limits. Yet she persevered, continuing to nurture her six surviving children while carrying the memory of those she'd lost.

Life in Court House, Chesterfield County

Throughout their marriage, Sallie and Will made their home in the Court House area of Chesterfield County. Census records from 1900, 1910, 1920, and 1930 consistently show the Freeman family living in this community, establishing deep roots and becoming well-known members of their neighborhood.

In 1900, with five young children ranging from eight-year-old Laura down to baby John Wesley (just three months old), Sallie's household was bustling with activity. By the 1910 census, the family had grown to include six living children at home, with Sallie managing a household that included teenagers down to toddlers.

The 1920 census shows a quieter household, with older children having married and started their own families. Living at home were daughter Allie (age 21) and son James (age 15), while Will continued to provide for the family. By 1930, only James, then 21, remained at home with Will and Sallie.

A Pillar of Support

While the historical record doesn't capture Sallie's daily actions or spoken words, the evidence of her life speaks volumes. Raising nine children—six of whom survived to adulthood—required endless patience, creativity, and stamina. In an era without modern conveniences, Sallie would have been responsible for cooking every meal from scratch, making and mending all the family's clothing, tending a garden, preserving food for winter, keeping house, nursing sick children, and providing the moral and spiritual guidance that shaped her children's characters.

Her support for Will was equally vital. While he worked to support the family financially, Sallie maintained the home front, creating a stable and loving environment that allowed their children to thrive. The fact that several of their children lived long lives—Laura to 74, Georgia to 88, and Allie to 77—suggests they received a solid foundation in their childhood home.

One son, John Wesley, even became a reverend, suggesting that faith played a central role in the Freeman household. This was likely due in large part to Sallie's influence, as mothers in this era were primarily responsible for the religious education of their children.

Faith and Community

Though no tombstone marks her grave, Sallie was buried at Zoar United Methodist Church Cemetery in Brocks Mill, Chesterfield County—the same cemetery where her husband would later join her. The choice of a Methodist church cemetery suggests the Freeman family were active members of this congregation, and Sallie likely found comfort, community, and purpose through her church involvement.

The Methodist church would have been the social center of rural Southern life, providing not just spiritual sustenance but also opportunities for fellowship, mutual support, and community service. As a woman who had lost three babies, Sallie would have undoubtedly provided comfort to other mothers experiencing similar grief, her own suffering making her a source of compassionate wisdom.

The Later Years

As Sallie aged, she had the joy of seeing her children marry and begin families of their own. By the time of her death in 1947, she had numerous grandchildren and was a matriarch of a growing Freeman clan in Chesterfield County.

The 1930 census, the last to record her during her lifetime, shows Sallie at age 66 (though listed as 66, she would have been 67-68), still keeping house with Will, then about 60 years old. She had weathered the Great Depression alongside her husband and watched as the world changed dramatically around them—from the horse-and-buggy days of her youth to the automobile age, from the aftermath of the Civil War through World War I and into the early years of World War II.

Final Days

Sarah Catherine "Sallie" Freeman died on October 26, 1947, at the age of 85, in her beloved Chesterfield County. She was laid to rest the following day, October 27, at Zoar United Methodist Church Cemetery. Though she has no tombstone to mark her final resting place, her legacy lives on in the descendants who carry forward the values she instilled and the love she so freely gave.

She outlived her husband by a few years, as Will had passed away on April 22, 1950, at age 81 in Florence, South Carolina, and was buried the next day at Zoar Cemetery beside his beloved Sallie.

Legacy

Sallie Freeman's life was not marked by fame or public achievement. She left no writings, held no office, and made no headlines. Yet her contribution to her family and community was immeasurable. She raised six children to adulthood in an era when simply surviving childhood was an accomplishment. She supported her husband through more than half a century of marriage. She endured the unspeakable grief of burying three babies while finding the strength to continue nurturing those who remained.

Her granddaughter's obituary in 1983 still proudly listed her as "Sara Catherine Boatwright Freeman," ensuring her memory was preserved and honored decades after her passing. This simple act of remembrance speaks to the impact she had on her family.

In the quiet strength of women like Sallie Freeman—women who held families together through wars, economic hardships, personal tragedies, and social upheavals—we find the true backbone of American history. Her story reminds us that the most important work is often the least celebrated, and the greatest legacies are written not in history books but in the lives of those we love.

Historical Context

Sarah Catherine "Sallie" (Boatwright) Freeman's life spanned an extraordinary period of American history, witnessing transformations that would have been unimaginable to earlier generations.

The Civil War Era (1862-1865)

Sallie was born in August 1862, during the second year of the Civil War. South Carolina, as the first state to secede from the Union in December 1860, was deeply embroiled in the conflict. While major battles didn't occur in Chesterfield County itself, the war's impact was felt everywhere—through the absence of men who had gone to fight, shortages of goods, economic disruption, and the constant uncertainty about the war's outcome.

Her father, George Boatwright, would have been about 43 years old when Sallie was born, and while we don't have specific records of his service, most able-bodied men in South Carolina served in some capacity. The fact that Sallie's mother, Lauretta, died in 1863 when Sallie was just one year old adds another layer of tragedy to this already difficult period. Whether Lauretta's death was related to the hardships of wartime—perhaps disease, malnutrition, or the strain of wartime conditions—or was simply one of the many medical tragedies common in that era, we cannot know. But Sallie's first years were marked by both national and personal loss.

Reconstruction and Recovery (1865-1877)

Sallie's childhood and early adolescence coincided with the Reconstruction period in the South. This was a time of tremendous social, economic, and political upheaval. The end of slavery fundamentally restructured Southern society and economy. For white families like the Boatwrights, Reconstruction meant adapting to a new social order, economic hardship, and political uncertainty.

By the 1870 census, eight-year-old Sallie was living with her father in Court House, Chesterfield County. Life during Reconstruction was challenging for most Southerners. The agricultural economy had been devastated, currency was nearly worthless, and many families struggled simply to feed themselves. Growing up during this period would have instilled in Sallie the values of thrift, resilience, and making do with what one had—traits that would serve her well in raising her own large family.

The Gilded Age and Progressive Era (1878-1920)

As Sallie moved into young adulthood and then marriage, America was transforming. The Gilded Age brought industrialization, the growth of railroads, and increasing urbanization—though rural South Carolina changed more slowly than Northern industrial centers. Still, even in Chesterfield County, the world was modernizing.

When Sallie married Will Freeman around 1891, they were joining their lives during a period of relative stability after the turmoil of the post-war years. The 1890s saw the rise of Jim Crow laws throughout the South, fundamentally reshaping race relations and Southern society. While we focus on Sallie's personal story, she was raising her family within this larger context of social change and, often, social restriction.

The turn of the century brought new technologies that would gradually change even rural life. By the time Sallie's children were growing up in the 1900s and 1910s, electricity, telephones, and automobiles were beginning to appear, even if they didn't reach every farm and small town immediately. Rural Free Delivery of mail began in 1896, connecting even remote areas to the broader world. The 1910 census shows Sallie with six children at home, managing a bustling household during an era when women's work—though uncompensated and often unrecognized—was absolutely essential to family survival.

World War I and Its Aftermath (1914-1920)

When World War I began in Europe in 1914, Sallie's oldest son, Michael, was 21 years old, and her youngest surviving son, James, was 13. When America entered the war in 1917, many young men from Chesterfield County would have been called to service. While we don't have specific records of whether any of her sons served, the war certainly would have touched the Freeman family, as it did every American family.

The war also brought economic changes, as demand for agricultural products increased and women took on new roles in the workforce. The 1918 influenza pandemic, which killed more people than the war itself, swept through communities across America, including rural South Carolina. Keeping a family safe during this pandemic would have required constant vigilance and must have been terrifying for a mother who had already lost three children.

The Roaring Twenties and Great Depression (1920-1940)

The 1920s brought both prosperity and cultural change to America. While the economic boom was felt more strongly in cities than in rural areas, even Chesterfield County saw changes. Radio broadcasts began, bringing news and entertainment into homes. The automobile became more common, increasing mobility and connection to the broader world.

Then came the Great Depression. Beginning with the stock market crash of 1929, the Depression devastated the American economy. For farming families in the South, already operating on thin margins, the 1930s were brutally difficult. The 1930 census shows Sallie and Will, now in their sixties, with their youngest son James still at home. They had survived the Civil War's aftermath, Reconstruction, economic panics, World War I, and now faced the Depression. The resilience required to endure these repeated challenges is difficult for us to fully comprehend today.

Franklin Roosevelt's New Deal programs, beginning in 1933, brought some relief to rural areas through programs like the Rural Electrification Administration, though many remote areas wouldn't receive electricity until after World War II. Sallie and Will likely relied heavily on their children and grandchildren during these years, as extended family networks were crucial for survival during the Depression.

Final Years (1940-1947)

Sallie's final years coincided with World War II (1941-1945). Once again, young men from Chesterfield County—including, quite possibly, some of her grandsons—went off to war. She lived to see the war's end and the beginning of the post-war period that would transform America yet again.

When Sallie died in October 1947, at age 85, she had witnessed the transformation of America from an agricultural, largely rural nation recovering from civil war into an industrial, increasingly urban superpower. She had seen the invention of the telephone, the automobile, the airplane, the radio, and was living in the early age of television. She had lived through two world wars, a devastating pandemic, and the Great Depression.

Yet through all these changes and challenges, Sallie maintained what mattered most to her: her family, her faith, and her community. In this constancy, we find perhaps her greatest strength and most enduring legacy.

Compiled with love from genealogical records, census data, and cemetery surveys. Though Sallie left no written words of her own, the facts of her life tell a story of courage, dedication, and quiet strength that deserves to be remembered and honored.

Sarah Catherine "Sallie" (Boatwright) Freeman is my 2nd Cousin 3X Removed.

Infographic, by NotebookLM

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Citation List

1. James C. Pigg, Chesterfield County Cemetery Survey; Chesterfield County Genealogical Services, 1995, page 846. Tombstone of William J. Freeman; 15 October 1868–22 April 1950, Zoar United Methodist Church Cemetery, Chesterfield County, South Carolina.

2. 1880 U. S. Census, Chesterfield County, South Carolina, population schedule, Court House, Chesterfield, South Carolina, enumeration district (ED) #5, Page 326B; Line 28, Dwelling 288, Family 288, Wm. FREEMAN; digital image, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : viewed 29 August 2011); citing National Archive Microfilm T9, Roll 1225.

3. 1900 U. S. Census, Chesterfield County, South Carolina, population schedule, Court House, Chesterfield County, South Carolina, enumeration district (ED) 21, Page: 108A, Line 20, Dwelling 441, Family 449, Household of William J. FREEMAN; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://ancestry.com : viewed 16 August 2012); citing National Archives Microfilm T623_1523.

4. 1910 U. S. Census, Chesterfield County, South Carolina, population schedule, Court House, Chesterfield County, South Carolina, enumeration district (ED) 0037, Page: 135B, Line 77, Dwelling 158, Family 158, Household of Will FREEMAN; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : viewed 16 August 2012); citing National Archives Microfilm T624, Roll 1455.

5. 1920 U. S. Census, Chesterfield County, South Carolina, population schedule, Court House, Chesterfield County, South Carolina, enumeration district (ED) 40, Page: 7B/163B & 164A; Line 98, Dwelling 129, Family 133, Household of William J. FREEMAN; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://ancestry.com : viewed 16 August 2012); citing National Archives Microfilm T625_1690.

6. 1930 U. S. Census, Chesterfield County, South Carolina, population schedule, Court House, Chesterfield County, South Carolina, enumeration district (ED) 15, Page: 3B/14B (stamped); Line 64, Dwelling 45, Family 48, Household of William FREEMAN; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://ancestry.com : viewed 16 August 2012); citing National Archives Microfilm T626_Roll: 2192.

7. 1940 U. S. Census, Chesterfield County, South Carolina, population schedule, Court House, Chesterfield County, South Carolina, enumeration district (ED) 13-16, Page: 4A/223 (stamped); Line 22, Household 50, Household of Will J. FREEMAN; digital images, 1940 CENSUS (http://Ancestry.com : online June 2025); citing NARA microfilm publication T627, roll 3799.

8. Will J Freeman, death certificate (long) 004572 (22 April 1950), Vital Records, Department of Health and Environmental Control, Columbia, Richland County, South Carolina.

9. Find A Grave, Inc., Find A Grave, database and digital images, (http://www.findagrave.com : accessed August 2025); Memorial page for Sarah Catherine "Sallie" Boatwright Freeman; (10 August 1862–26 October 1947); Find a Grave memorial # 10852150, Citing Zoar United Methodist Church Cemetery; Brocks Mill, Chesterfield County, South Carolina, USA.

10. 1870 U. S. Census, Chesterfield County, South Carolina, population schedule, Court House, Chesterfield County, South Carolina, Page 292A, Line 38, Dwelling #97, Family 97, Household of G. R. Boatwright; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : viewed 2 June 2012); citing National Archives Microfilm M593_1491.

11. Sallie B Freeman, Chesterfield, South Carolina death certificate #015306 (26 October 1947).