Sarah Lewis Cook - Youngest Daughter of Caroline Camp and George C. Lewis

Born on August 31, 1856 in Sangerfield, Oneida County, New York, Sarah Lewis married William Irving Cook (called Irving) probably after 1880 and before 1885.  I have not yet found the marriage record. 

Sarah and Irving had six children together, all surviving into adulthood.  Sadly, Irving died at the age of 39, leaving his widow with children ranging in age from 2 - 13 and a farm to tend.  The Brookfield, NY, Courier reported Irving's death on Wednesday, January 18, 1899:

"- Irving Cook, who resided about five miles north of this village, died yesterday morning after a very brief illness, the particulars of which we are unable to obtain.  Mr. Cook was in town not more than a week ago and to all appearances was in usual health.  It is said that he was out at work the day before his death, although he was complaining of a cold and bronchial trouble.  
Deceased was about forty years of age and was a man of sterling integrity and well thought of by all who had dealings or acquaintance with him.  His untimely death is a sad blow to the community in which he lived.  Mr. Cook married a daughter of our esteemed friend, George C. Lewis.  A wife and six children are thus suddenly bereft of husband and father.  Funeral services will be held Friday, conducted by the Rev. C. A. Burdick."

I'm not sure what illness was traveling through this region at the time, but think of this: In 1899, Sarah's mother, Caroline Camp Lewis, died on January 13, Sarah's husband on January 18, and Sarah's father, George Cameron Lewis, on January 27.  One Albany, New York, newspaper reported on an influenza epidemic which might have been the case here in Oneida County.  But, whatever it was, Sarah Lewis Cook, had a mighty burden to bear in the winter of 1899.

So, in the summer of 1900, when the census enumerator came around, he found the widow, Sarah Cook, as head of household.  She named her occupation as farmer.  Her oldest child, and only son, Orlo C., was only 14.  He attended school five months a year and most likely worked on the farm when he could.  His five sisters attended school eight months that year.  Dora, 13; Inez, 10; Ruth, 7; Mary, 5; ad Ethel G. (Grace), 3, completed the family.

By 1910, Sarah had hired Henry Wheeler, 60, as a hired hand, and all her children, but Dora, were still at home.  Orlo, 24, was also listed as a farmer, along with his mother.  Inez, 20, was teaching at a district school. Ruth, 17; Mary, 15; and Grace, 13 were going to school. 
Where was Dora?
She was working as a seamstress at a bleachery in New Hartford, Oneida County, NY.  At 22, she was boarding with John and Mary Crampton.

On August 1, 1912, Dora was married to Laurence Spooner, a hometown man.
Laurence was a farmer and the son of F. M. Spooner and Laura Huntington.  At the time of her marriage, Dora was a teacher. The Courier carried news of the event on August 7, 1912:
"Spooner - Cook
Almost thirty dear relatives and friends assembled at the home of Mrs. Sarah Cook in Sangerfield, Thursday morning, August 1, to witness the marriage of her older daughter, Dora C., to Mr. Laurence H. Spooner of this village.  The ceremony took place at 9 o'clock, being performed by Rev. W. L. Davis and the couple (witnessed?) by Mr. Malcolm Spooner and Miss Inez Cook.

Following congratulations, the couple sat down to a bounteous wedding breakfast which was interrupted by the necessary, but unannounced departure of the bride and groom who were to take the train at Waterville enroute to the Androndacks where they are making a stay of ten days or two weeks before returing to Brookfield.

The bride attended our high school for a number of years, graduating in 1907.  After teaching two years, she spent two years at Alfred University.  The past school year she filled the position of -?_ in the Leonardsville high school.
The groom has spent his life here with the exception of five years passed in Atica and his enterprise _?_ in the pursuit of farming is recognized in the community.

Both have many friends here and elsewhere who will wish them the greatest possible happiness at this time.  Their plans for the future are not definitely determined, but the hope is expressed that they will continue residents of our town."


On November 9, 1914, H. Ruth E. Cook married John W. Davis, a 23 year old farmer from Unadilla Forks, NY.  He was the son of John Davis and Carrie Rathbone.  Ruth, 22, was also a teacher at the time of her marriage.

1914 styles

Two years later, Mary P. Cook married William Hansberger, a 26 year old machinist from Rome, NY.  At 22, Mary was working at housekeeping. Both of William's parents, William and Mary Remmick Hansberger, were born in Germany.  The marriage took place on October 21, 1916. From The Courier, October 25, 1916:
"The marriage of Miss Mary Packer Cook, daughter of Mrs. Sarah Cook, to William George Hansberger, of Rome, took place at the home of Rev. Jessup, the Baptist minister.  Mr. Charles Spinner and Mrs. B. A. Jessup attended them.  Mrs. Spinner gave them a reception afterward at her home on North Washington street.  Mr. and Mrs. Hansberger will be at Rome for the present at 151 West Dominck street, Rome, NY."
 
At some point, Inez went off to school to study art at nearby Alfred University.  She never married and taught art for many years.
Orlo also never married, but remained on the farm all his life.

On June 23, 1920, Grace Cook, 23, a teacher, married Howard Whitten, 24, a farmer. Howard was born in Blue Hill, Nebraska, to George and Mary Bullock Whitten.

During Christmas that year, 1920, most of the family gathered at the home of their mother, Sarah, to celebrate the holiday.  The Courier reported on January 7, 1920:
"A house party was held during the holidays, at Wildwood, the home of Mrs. Sarah Cook.  The guests were Miss Inez Cook of Rochester, Mr. and Mrs. William Hansberger and little son of Rome, Mrs. L. H. Spooner and four children, and on Christmas Day, Mr. Spooner, Mr. and Mrs. John Davis,  Mr. and Mrs. Frank Williams and Erla Beebe joined them, making 18 members of the Lewis family.  After a chicken pie dinner and other good things had been disposed of, a Christmas tree for the little folks was stripped of its various fruits.  Everybody had a good time and similar plans were made for another year.  Mr. Hansberger and Miss Inez Cook returned to their work Monday, and Mrs. Spooner and children to their home.  Mrs. Hansberger and little son were detained by sickness, but they are better at present."

So, from adversity, Sarah Lewis Cook raised six children on her own and kept the family close together. Sarah died on October 5, 1925 and is buried with her husband in the Brookfield Cemetery.  

 
 

The Children of Moses and Chloe Camp - Caroline Lewis

The children of Moses and Chloe Camp were:

Chloe - (1803 - 1873)

Julia - (1804 - 1872

Electa - 1806 - 1887)

Sarah - (1813 - 1892)

Lydia - (1814 - ?)

Platt - (1815 - 1876)

Harriet - (1817 - 1891)

Sophia - (1817 - 1898)

*Caroline - (1820 - 1889) 

When Chloe and Moses Camp were both about 43, their last child was born on 2 July 1820.  It was another daughter whom they named Caroline.  Caroline was just three years younger than Sophia Camp, our great-great grandmother.

Caroline married George Cameron Lewis on 1 January 1845, and the couple settled in Sangerfield Township, Oneida County, New York, near their extended families.  By the 1850 census, they already had three children: Emma E, 5, Harriet A., 3, and Israel G, 0.  

In 1850, New York also had an agricultural census and that enumerator visited George on 14 September 1850.  At that time, George reported that he had 100 acres improved and 55 unimproved, with a cash value for the farm of $3000.  His livestock consisted of 17 milch cows and 6 other cattle, 3 horses, 21 sheep and 12 swine.  On his land, he had a yield of 45 bushels of Indian corn and 150 bushels of oats.  For his time, he seemed to be a very successful man.

The Lewis family had expanded by 1860 when the census enumerator came on 22 June.  George, 42, and Caroline, 40, were the parents of five children: Emma E., 14; Harriet A., 12; George I. (Isaac), 10; Ettie C., 8; and Sarah, 3.  George's real estate value had also increased to $4000 with a personal estate of $1000.  Albert Beebe, 22, lived with the family as a farmhand.  Young Albert would soon marry the eldest Lewis daughter, Emma.

This 1874 map shows many of the Camp family living in Sangerfield Twp., Oneida County, NY

The Lewis family continued to prosper with farm values going up and children marrying and beginning their own households.  By August 1870, George's land was valued at $6000 and his personal estate at $2000.  Emma and Harriet had both moved out, so left were Israel, 20, and Etta, 17, and Sarah, 13.  Israel was listed as a farm laborer on the home farm on the census of that year.  

George, at 62, and Caroline, 59, were a very successful farm couple who, in their later years, attained more and more livestock and did less actual farming.  In the agricultural census of 1880, he had a dairy herd of 10 cows and he sold 4500 gallons of milk and he had 10 cattle currently and had sold 15.  He raised and sold sheep and their fleeces, swine and poultry, selling their eggs.  His farming ventures seemed more subsistence level, with 3 acres of Indian corn, 5 acres oats, 2 acres hops, 2 acres potatoes, and 10 acres apple orchard.  He mowed 35 acres for hay and also made molasses and cut 150 cords of wood.  He reported he had help 52 weeks of the year and paid out $250 in wages.  

In the Federal Census of 1880, George J. Root, 23, was living with the family and working as a farmhand.  Israel, 30, was still at home working on the farm and unmarried, and Sarah, 23, was still at home, too.

Caroline Camp Lewis died on 13 January 1889, at the age of 68 years, 6 months and 11 days.  Notice of her death appeared in the Courier of Brookfield, NY:
 "Mrs. George C. Lewis, residing about four miles north of this village, died on Monday of this week. Funeral services were held from the house today, conducted by Rev. J. M. Todd.  Much sympathy is expressed for Mr. Lewis in this affliction..."

On 23 January 1889, an obituary for Caroline appeared in the same paper:
"Obituary.  Mrs. Caroline A. Lewis.
Mrs. Caroline A. Lewis, wife of George C. Lewis, died at their home in Sangerfield, New York, on the 13th day of January, 1889, after an illness of about two weeks duration.  Her disease was heart failure accompanied with pneumonia.  She was never very strong, and for some years, has been in failing health.  Still, most of the time, she had attended to or directed the duties of her household.  Her maiden name was Camp, and Platt Camp, late of Waterville, was her brother.  
Mrs. Lewis was the mother of five children, one son and five daughters, all of whom grew up to mature life.  One of them, Mrs. Etta C. Lewis, wife of A. B. Lewis, died in October last.  The others are all living, and the daughters have homes and families.  The husband and son are left in loneliness and sorrow on the farm where their lives were spent.
The deceased was of a sweet, amiable disposition, a living Christian, and enjoyed the comforting presence of the Lord Jesus Christ during her illness.  She was a member of the Seventh Day Baptist Church of Brookfield, where she will be greatly missed.  Funeral services were held at the family residence on the 16th, conducted by her pastor, Rev. J. M. Todd, and attended by a large number of people, and the weary mortal form laid to rest."

 Caroline was buried in the Brookfield Rural Cemetery; her information may be seen on the right side of the stone in the photo.  It reads:

Caroline A. Camp Lewis

born July 2, 1820  N.Y.

died Jan. 13, 1889 N.Y.

68y 6m 11d

dtr. of Moses and Chloe Stoddard Camp

Sleep, mother, sleep, with your hands on your breast.

Poor, weary hands.  They needed their rest.

Well have we loved you, but God loved you best.

He has given you rest.

George C. Lewis lived ten more years, passing away on 27 January 1899.  He was buried at the tombstone that he had so lovingly placed after Caroline's death.

His inscription reads:

George Cameron Lewis

born Apr. 24, 1818

died Jan. 27, 1899

Husband of Caroline A. Camp

Home is not home, father's not there;

Dark is his room, empty his chair.

Angels have taken him out of his care, lifted him over life's span.

Although I could not find an obituary for George, I did locate his will in the Oneida County records of wills, Vol. 51, pg. 256:

"I, George C. Lewis, of Sangerfield, Oneida County, New York, do make and publish this my last will and testament.
First, I will and order my executor to pay all my past debts and funeral expenses.
Second, I give and bequeath one thousand five hundred dollars and all my shop tools to my son, I. G. Lewis.
Third, all the rest and remainder of my property, after satisfying the above claims, I direct shall be divided into five equal shares and I give and bequeath to my daughter, Emma E. Beebe (one share), Hattie A. Washburn (one share), to my son, Israel G Lewis (one share).  To Etta C. Lewis heirs one share to be put in trust for them until they become of age and to Sarah L. Cook (one share)."

The will was written in June 1891, and Israel, his only son, was appointed executor.  In March 1899, it was presented at court and by September of that year, Israel was ready to sell the land at auction.  The Brookfield Courier carried the notice of sale:
"Israel Lewis, executor of the estate of George C. Lewis, announced an auction on Wednesday, October 4, 1899 for the farm and premises known as the George C. Lewis farm, south part of Brookfield, 155 acres and 4 acres, "the Wolcott lot" 1/2 mile south of the farm, also 20 acres adjoining the farm on the northeast corner.  Also a house and lot in the village of Brookfield, Madison County, New York, presently occupied by Harold Bryant.
September 9, 1899   Israel G. Lewis, Executor"