My grandmother’s boxes (so many great big boxes!) are so full of gems that I am struggling with how to organize and really dive in. I’m still just working with a small batch of photos I scanned for my family history Christmas gift. This photo wasn’t needed for the game but it was on an album page that included a photo I did need and so it was scanned.
Sarah Esther Mudd is my 3rd great grandmother. I have never researched her. You see, in my family tree I have two distinct parts – my mom’s side and my dad’s side. My mom was not born into an LDS family. My dad was. In his tree every single line has a Mormon Pioneer – every single line! In fact, on one line I am the 9th generation member of my church. And then on my mom’s side I am a 2nd generation member. If you are familiar with long line LDS trees like my dad’s, then you know that they are HEAVILY researched. My mom’s side was like a blank canvas when I started. I’m still regularly finding and adding direct line ancestors on her side. Because of this I don’t spend much time on my dad’s side.
But now I have those boxes. Boxes from my dad’s mom. Suddenly I find myself being pulled toward these ancestors I have never researched. I’ve read some of their stories. I know their names and the dates and places other researchers have found for them. But now, I feel like verifying, sourcing, researching and really diving in.
Sarah? All I know so far is what I inherited from other researchers. She was born Sarah Esther Mudd 8 September 1829 in Stratford, Essex, England to Joseph Mudd and Rebecca Daymond. She married George Edward Davis 25 July 1847 in the Stepney District Church in London. She and George had five children that I know of, including Susan Kaziah Davis, my 2nd great grandmother. I know that Sarah Esther Mudd was a Mormon Pioneer, I can see on FamilySearch that she was part of the Daniel D. McArthur Company. She died 8 June 1909 in North Ogden, Weber, Utah.
But the pull to learn more about Sarah comes from this photo. My Grandma somehow got her hands on a copy and put it into an album she created. Sarah is my Grandma’s great grandmother. I wonder what stories my Grandma knew about Sarah? Stories that never made it to me.
Those boxes, they are a pullin’ me in all sorts of directions! Sarah is just one of many…