Sarah Jane Watson

Sarah Jane Criss Watson BIRTH 2 Feb 1843 Marion County, West Virginia, USA DEATH 2 Jan 1939 (aged 95) Ogden, Riley County, Kansas, USA BURIAL Lyndon Cemetery Lyndon, Osage County, Kansas,

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Lyndon Peoples Herald, 12 Jan 1939

Sarah J. Criss was born in West Virginia, Feb. 2, 1837, and died Jan. 2, 1939, at the home of her daughter-in-law, Mrs. Dora Watson, in Ogden, Kansas, aged 101 years, 11 months. [NOTE: A birth date of 1837 for Sarah Criss is probably incorrect, as it would have been before her parents' marriage. The majority of censuses between 1850 and 1930, as well as Criss family documents, suggest 1843 as the most likely date of birth.] Her girlhood was spent in West Virginia, where she was married to Silas J. Watson, and moved to Illinois about 1857. [NOTE: Silas J. Watson and Sarah Criss were married in 1862 in Pennsylvania, not West Virginia. They moved to Illinois about 1862-63, not 1857.] Later they came to Shawnee County, Kansas. Mrs. Watson had eleven sisters and two brothers, most of whom lived in Douglas and Shawnee counties, one in Oklahoma. The Watsons came to Osage county in 1869, when the Sac and Fox Indian Reservation was opened to settlement. John Banning had been sent down prior to the opening to select three adjoining claims on Dragoon creek, five miles north of Lyndon, which the Watsons, Bannings, and Gregorys pre-empted after the opening. Mrs. Watson was a woman of boundless energy and indomitable will, coupled with a wonderfully strong physical body. She was known far and wide for her abilities as a nurse in cases of sickness, and assisted country doctors at many births in the community. The first clothes the writer ever wore were put on her by her capable hands. She performed every type of farm labor in emergencies, meeting and overcoming all kinds of farm accidents. She was the postmistress and star route carrier for the old Dragoon and Smartsville post office, the mail being carried from Lyndon, often times on horseback. Funeral services were conducted at the Christian church in Manhattan at 10 a.m., Jan 5, and the body was brought to Lyndon for burial in the family lot in the Lyndon cemetery, where a number of old friends and neighbors were assembled for short services. Two sisters and one surviving brother were present: Mrs. Melissa Draper of Topeka, Mrs. Maggie Roth of Scranton, and Frank Criss of Shawnee county. She is also survived by two of her sons, two daughters, and a large number of grand and great grandchildren, nephews, and nieces.

Children Photo Dora R Watson unknown–1877

Photo Thomas G Watson unknown–1893

Photo Albert G. Watson 1863–1929

Photo Benjamin Franklin Watson 1882–1926

GEDCOM Note

Lyndon Peoples Herald,12 Jan 1939

Sarah J. Criss was born in West Virginia, Feb. 2, 1837, anddied Jan. 2, 1939, at the home of her daughter-in-law, Mrs. Dora Watson, inOgden, Kansas, aged 101 years, 11 months. [NOTE: A birth date of 1837 for SarahCriss is probably incorrect, as it would have been before her parents'marriage. The majority of censuses between 1850 and 1930, as well as Crissfamily documents, suggest 1843 as the most likely date of birth.] Her girlhoodwas spent in West Virginia, where she was married to Silas J. Watson, andmoved to Illinois about 1857. [NOTE: Silas J. Watson and Sarah Criss weremarried in 1862 in Pennsylvania, not West Virginia. They moved to Illinoisabout 1862-63, not 1857.] Later they came to Shawnee County, Kansas. Mrs.Watson had eleven sisters and two brothers, most of whom lived in Douglas andShawnee counties, one in Oklahoma. The Watsons came to Osage county in 1869,when the Sac and Fox Indian Reservation was opened to settlement. John Banninghad been sent down prior to the opening to select three adjoining claims onDragoon creek, five miles north of Lyndon, which the Watsons, Bannings, andGregorys pre-empted after the opening. Mrs. Watson was a woman of boundlessenergy and indomitable will, coupled with a wonderfully strong physical body. Shewas known far and wide for her abilities as a nurse in cases of sickness, andassisted country doctors at many births in the community. The first clothes thewriter ever wore were put on her by her capable hands. She performed every typeof farm labor in emergencies, meeting and overcoming all kinds of farmaccidents. She was the postmistress and star route carrier for the old Dragoonand Smartsville post office, the mail being carried from Lyndon, often times onhorseback. Funeral services were conducted at the Christian church in Manhattanat 10 a.m., Jan 5, and the body was brought to Lyndon for burial in the familylot in the Lyndon cemetery, where a number of old friends and neighbors wereassembled for short services. Two sisters and one surviving brother werepresent: Mrs. Melissa Draper of Topeka, Mrs. Maggie Roth of Scranton, and FrankCriss of Shawnee county. She is also survived by two of her sons, twodaughters, and a large number of grand and great grandchildren, nephews, andnieces.