A photograph from the Appleton Studio of Dayton, Ohio. I purchased this photo in an antique store in Safford, Arizona. I later discovered the woman who owned the shop had posted the picture online.

A woman in a high-collared dress looks to her left. She appears to have an earring in her right ear and a pin across the front of her dress, which is adorned with a pair of elaborate braids. 

Front.

On the back in pencil is Aunt Elinor  Mrs. Sidney Watkins.

Back.

Who is Aunt Elinor? I searched Ancestry Public Trees, using Sidney Watkins as the main person and Elinor as his spouse. No entries. Elinor can also be spelled Eleanor. When I searched using that spelling, the were two results. The top one was for Sidney M. Watkins married to a Sarah Eleanore Vaile, with 31 trees. Some of the trees spelled her name Sarah Eleanor Vail.

 

Sarah Eleanor Vail was born on 27 June 1853 in Iowa, the daughter of Aaron Vail and Harriet Moon.  On 28 June 1860, Sarah E. Vail lived with her parents and siblings Clara and Minerva in Keokuk Ward 1, Lee County, Iowa. Her father was a foundry man.[1] On 9 July 1870, 16-year-old Sarah E. Vail worked as a housekeeper for Wilson Moon in Washington, Montgomery County, Ohio.[2]

Elenor Vail was married on 19 September 1875 in Montgomery County, Ohio to Sidney Maxwell Watkins.[3] Sidney was born on 20 July 1852, the son of Jeremiah Allen Watkins and Nancy A. Stephens.

On 25 June 1880, Sidney and Elenor lived with his parents J. Allen and Nancy A. Watkins, Sidney’s sister Jane, and Sidney and Eleanor’s daughters Gracie B. and Amie Alice in Washington Township, Montgomery County, Ohio. Sidney was a farmer and Eleanor was keeping house.

On 1 June 1900,  Sidney M. and Sarah E. Watkins and their 19-year-old daughter Amy A. lived in Civil District 14 of Rhea County, Tennessee.  Sidney was a banker.[4]

On 15 April 1910, the couple lived at 702 N. Dodds Avenue in Civil District 5 of Hamilton County, Tennessee. Sidney was a paint manufacturer.[5]

Sarah died from “internal cancer” on 27 March 1916 in Chattanooga, Hamilton County, Tennessee.[6]

The Chattanooga News (Chattanooga, Tennessee), 28 March 1916, page 10, column 2.

On 9 January 1920, Sidney lived with his son-in-law and daughter Curtis B, and Amy Samuel and their sons Sidney D. and Curtis Jr. at 1010 Chamberlain Avenue in Chattanooga. Curtis was now a paint manufacturer.[7]

Sidney died on 10 February 1923 in Miami, Florida.

The Miami Herald (Miami, Florida), 11 February 1923, page 12, column 5.

Sidney and Sarah were buried in Forest Hills Cemetery in Chattanooga.[8]

Sidney and Sarah (Vail) Watkins were the parents of two children:

i.             GRACE B. WATKINS was born circa 1877 in Ohio. She was married to N. R. Cartwright. She died on 31 May 1945 in Chattanooga.[9]

ii.            AMY ALICE WATKINS was born in September 1879 in Ohio. She was married to Curtis B. Samuels.


[1] Aaron Vail household, 1860 US census, Lee County, Iowa, population schedule, Keokuk Ward 1, page 132, dwelling 1092, family 1003.

[2] Wilson Moon household, 1870 US census, Montgomery County, Ohio, population schedule, Washington, page 37, family 286.

[3] Sidney M. Watkins-Elenor Vail Marriage Record, Ohio U.S. County Marriage Records 1774-1993, Ancestry.com.

[4] Sidney M. Watkins household, 1900 US census, Rhea County, Tennessee, population schedule, Civil District 14, ED 82, SD 4, sheet 1A, dwelling 20, family 21.

[5] Sidney M. Watkins household, 1910 US census, Hamilton County, Tennessee, population schedule, Civil District 5, ED 87, SD 3, sheet 1A, dwelling 9, family 9.

[6] Mrs. Sarah Ealenor Watkins Certificate of Death, Tennessee U.S. Death Records 1908-1965, Ancestry.com.

[7] Curtis B. Samuel household, 1920 US census, Hamilton County, Ohio, population schedule, Chattanooga Ward 11, ED 194, SD 317, sheet 12B, dwelling 253, family 277.

[8] Sidney M. Watkins Memorial 143496845 and Sarah Eleanor Vail Watkins Memorial 143496055, Findagrave.com.

[9] Grace Watkins Cartwright Certificate of Death, Tennessee U.S. Death Records 1908-1965, Ancestry.com.


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