Biography
B. 18 Jun 1854 in Jersey County, Illinois
M. (1) 24 Jul 1872 in Jersey County, Illinois
Husband: James Ross
M. (2) 9 Aug 1887 in Labette County, Kansas
Husband: Albert Leonartz
D. 18 Jan 1899 in Labette County, Kansas
Mary Edith Luckey's entire heritage traces back to North Carolina. She was born in Jersey County, Illinois on June 18, 1854 to Samuel Luckey and Mary Jane Davis, the oldest of 10 children.
On July 24, 1872, Mary married her first cousin James Ross (Mary's father and James' mother were brother and sister). Between 1873 and 1882, they had five children. In 1879, the Ross family moved to Labette County, Kansas along with Mary's parents and most of her siblings. The two families bought adjoining farms near the town of Parsons. In February 1884, a big storm damaged their roof and James went up to repair it, exposing himself to the winter chill. He came down with pneumonia and died 5 days later, leaving Mary a widow with five children at age 29.
Mary managed the farm for at least a year. In 1885, she had 40 acres valued at $1,000, raising 35 acres of corn and a half acre of potatoes. On August 9, 1887, she married a man who had been a farmhand on her father's place named Albert Leonartz. The marriage took place at Mary's farm, and she was in the late stages of pregnancy, which was probably the reason for the marriage. It was said that Albert was a rough man. He was of a German background, illiterate, and strict with her children. Mary gave birth to a son, Simon, on September 9th; she had two more children with Albert born in 1890 and 1893. By 1895, the family lived on a farm of 160 acres with a cash value of $2,660. They raised corn, oats, and flax; had an apple orchard of 300 trees; several peach and cherry trees; owned six horses, one cow and one dog.
Mary died on January 18, 1899; the cause of death is unknown. The Parsons Daily Sun reported on Januray 20, ?The funeral services over the remains of Mrs. Albert Leonard [sic], who died at her home near this city on Wednesday, took place from the family residence yesterday afternoon, Rev, J.T. Crawford of the Baptist church officiating.?
Children by James Ross:
1. Laura Ethol Ross ? B. 24 Sep 1873, Jersey County, Illinois; D. 17 Mar 1917, Los Angeles, California; M. Howard Milton Sheridan (1871-1951), 6 Mar 1895, Oswego, Kansas
2. James Anderson Ross ? B. 8 Aug 1875, Jersey County, Illinois; D. young
3. Charles Howard Ross ? B. 4 Aug 1877, Jersey County, Illinois; D. 2 Dec 1918
4. Edward Auguster Ross ? B. 23 Jan 1880, Labette County, Kansas; D. 4 Jan 1964; M. Ora [?] (1895-1987), about 1912
5. John L. Ross ? B. 6 Aug 1882, Labette County, Kansas; D. 28 Sep 1892
Children by Albert Leonartz:
1. Simon Alexander Leonartz ? B. 9 Sep 1887, Labette County, Kansas; D. 1923
2. Flora Agnes Leonartz ? B. 5 May 1890, Labette County, Kansas; D. 17 Jan 1965, Wenatchee, Washington; M. (1) Robert James Malcolm (~1876-?), 26 Jul 1907, King County, Washington; (2) Jesse Lee Rader (1885-1968), 16 Apr 1919, Chelan County, Washington
3. Thomas Jefferson Leonartz ? B. 19 Oct 1893, Parsons, Kansas; D. Jan 1972, Lone Jack, Missouri; M. Laura M. [?] (1898-1979), about 1917
Sources:
Family bible of Mary Leonartz
Marriage certificate of James Ross and Mary E. Luckey, Jersey County, Illinois, 24 Jul 1872
1860, 1870, 1880, 1920 and 1930 U.S. Censuses, Illinois and Kansas
1885 and 1895 Kansas State Censuses, Labette County
Marriage certificate of Albert Leonartz and Mary Ross, Labette County, Kansas, 9 Aug 1887
Obituary of Mary Leonartz, Parsons Daily Sun, 20 Jan 1899
Interviews of Thomas Michael Mitchell, 1976-1977
Death certificate of Laura Ethol Sheridan, 17 Mar 1917
Kansas marriages database, 1840-1935
Death certificate of Howard M. Sheridan, Mar 1951
Social Security death index
1920, 1930 and 1940 U.S. Censuses, Washington
World War I draft card database
Transcribed tombstones of Rosebank Cemetery, Mulberry, Kansas
Washington death records index, 1940-1996
- Illinois And Kansas Farmer ? Samuel Luckey
B. 7 Jan 1830 in (probably) St. Charles County, Missouri M. 7 Apr 1853 in Jersey County, Illinois Wife: Mary Jane Davis D. 8 Mar 1884 in Labette County, Kansas Samuel Luckey was typical of a 19th century Midwest farmer: he worked hard all his life, had...
- A Husband In Prison ? Ellen Ann Luckey
B. 1829 in Tennessee M. 3 Apr 1850 in Jersey County, Illinois Husband: John Ross D. 1882 in Labette County, Kansas Ellen Ann Luckey was born in Tennessee in 1829 to Joseph and Esther Luckey, probably as the two migrated from North Carolina to Missouri....
- Died In Childbirth ? Laura Ethol Ross
B. 24 Sep 1873 in Jersey County, Illinois M. 6 Mar 1895 in Oswego, Kansas Husband: Howard Milton Sheridan D. 17 Mar 1917 in Los Angeles, California Laura Ethol Ross was a woman who faced many hardships in her life. She was born in Jersey County, Illinois...
- The Long Life Of Grandma Luckey ? Mary Jane Davis
B. March 1834 in Jersey County, Illinois M. 7 Apr 1853 in Jerseyville, Illinois Husband: Samuel Luckey D: 7 May 1927 in Parsons, Kansas My grandfather, who was born in rural Kansas in 1893, once told me his earliest memories of his family. Every Sunday,...
- Pioneer Woman In Illinois ? Mary Clifford
B. 11 Dec 1798 in Rowan County, North Carolina M. 31 Jul 1823 in Rowan County, North Carolina Husband: Samuel Davis D. 7 Nov 1876 in Jersey County, Illinois Mary Clifford was born December 11, 1798 in Rowan County, North Carolina to John and Alsey Clifford....
Biography
Married her Father's Farmhand ? Mary Edith Luckey
B. 18 Jun 1854 in Jersey County, Illinois
M. (1) 24 Jul 1872 in Jersey County, Illinois
Husband: James Ross
M. (2) 9 Aug 1887 in Labette County, Kansas
Husband: Albert Leonartz
D. 18 Jan 1899 in Labette County, Kansas
Mary Edith Luckey's entire heritage traces back to North Carolina. She was born in Jersey County, Illinois on June 18, 1854 to Samuel Luckey and Mary Jane Davis, the oldest of 10 children.
On July 24, 1872, Mary married her first cousin James Ross (Mary's father and James' mother were brother and sister). Between 1873 and 1882, they had five children. In 1879, the Ross family moved to Labette County, Kansas along with Mary's parents and most of her siblings. The two families bought adjoining farms near the town of Parsons. In February 1884, a big storm damaged their roof and James went up to repair it, exposing himself to the winter chill. He came down with pneumonia and died 5 days later, leaving Mary a widow with five children at age 29.
Mary managed the farm for at least a year. In 1885, she had 40 acres valued at $1,000, raising 35 acres of corn and a half acre of potatoes. On August 9, 1887, she married a man who had been a farmhand on her father's place named Albert Leonartz. The marriage took place at Mary's farm, and she was in the late stages of pregnancy, which was probably the reason for the marriage. It was said that Albert was a rough man. He was of a German background, illiterate, and strict with her children. Mary gave birth to a son, Simon, on September 9th; she had two more children with Albert born in 1890 and 1893. By 1895, the family lived on a farm of 160 acres with a cash value of $2,660. They raised corn, oats, and flax; had an apple orchard of 300 trees; several peach and cherry trees; owned six horses, one cow and one dog.
Mary died on January 18, 1899; the cause of death is unknown. The Parsons Daily Sun reported on Januray 20, ?The funeral services over the remains of Mrs. Albert Leonard [sic], who died at her home near this city on Wednesday, took place from the family residence yesterday afternoon, Rev, J.T. Crawford of the Baptist church officiating.?
Children by James Ross:
1. Laura Ethol Ross ? B. 24 Sep 1873, Jersey County, Illinois; D. 17 Mar 1917, Los Angeles, California; M. Howard Milton Sheridan (1871-1951), 6 Mar 1895, Oswego, Kansas
2. James Anderson Ross ? B. 8 Aug 1875, Jersey County, Illinois; D. young
3. Charles Howard Ross ? B. 4 Aug 1877, Jersey County, Illinois; D. 2 Dec 1918
4. Edward Auguster Ross ? B. 23 Jan 1880, Labette County, Kansas; D. 4 Jan 1964; M. Ora [?] (1895-1987), about 1912
5. John L. Ross ? B. 6 Aug 1882, Labette County, Kansas; D. 28 Sep 1892
Children by Albert Leonartz:
1. Simon Alexander Leonartz ? B. 9 Sep 1887, Labette County, Kansas; D. 1923
2. Flora Agnes Leonartz ? B. 5 May 1890, Labette County, Kansas; D. 17 Jan 1965, Wenatchee, Washington; M. (1) Robert James Malcolm (~1876-?), 26 Jul 1907, King County, Washington; (2) Jesse Lee Rader (1885-1968), 16 Apr 1919, Chelan County, Washington
3. Thomas Jefferson Leonartz ? B. 19 Oct 1893, Parsons, Kansas; D. Jan 1972, Lone Jack, Missouri; M. Laura M. [?] (1898-1979), about 1917
Sources:
Family bible of Mary Leonartz
Marriage certificate of James Ross and Mary E. Luckey, Jersey County, Illinois, 24 Jul 1872
1860, 1870, 1880, 1920 and 1930 U.S. Censuses, Illinois and Kansas
1885 and 1895 Kansas State Censuses, Labette County
Marriage certificate of Albert Leonartz and Mary Ross, Labette County, Kansas, 9 Aug 1887
Obituary of Mary Leonartz, Parsons Daily Sun, 20 Jan 1899
Interviews of Thomas Michael Mitchell, 1976-1977
Death certificate of Laura Ethol Sheridan, 17 Mar 1917
Kansas marriages database, 1840-1935
Death certificate of Howard M. Sheridan, Mar 1951
Social Security death index
1920, 1930 and 1940 U.S. Censuses, Washington
World War I draft card database
Transcribed tombstones of Rosebank Cemetery, Mulberry, Kansas
Washington death records index, 1940-1996
- Illinois And Kansas Farmer ? Samuel Luckey
B. 7 Jan 1830 in (probably) St. Charles County, Missouri M. 7 Apr 1853 in Jersey County, Illinois Wife: Mary Jane Davis D. 8 Mar 1884 in Labette County, Kansas Samuel Luckey was typical of a 19th century Midwest farmer: he worked hard all his life, had...
- A Husband In Prison ? Ellen Ann Luckey
B. 1829 in Tennessee M. 3 Apr 1850 in Jersey County, Illinois Husband: John Ross D. 1882 in Labette County, Kansas Ellen Ann Luckey was born in Tennessee in 1829 to Joseph and Esther Luckey, probably as the two migrated from North Carolina to Missouri....
- Died In Childbirth ? Laura Ethol Ross
B. 24 Sep 1873 in Jersey County, Illinois M. 6 Mar 1895 in Oswego, Kansas Husband: Howard Milton Sheridan D. 17 Mar 1917 in Los Angeles, California Laura Ethol Ross was a woman who faced many hardships in her life. She was born in Jersey County, Illinois...
- The Long Life Of Grandma Luckey ? Mary Jane Davis
B. March 1834 in Jersey County, Illinois M. 7 Apr 1853 in Jerseyville, Illinois Husband: Samuel Luckey D: 7 May 1927 in Parsons, Kansas My grandfather, who was born in rural Kansas in 1893, once told me his earliest memories of his family. Every Sunday,...
- Pioneer Woman In Illinois ? Mary Clifford
B. 11 Dec 1798 in Rowan County, North Carolina M. 31 Jul 1823 in Rowan County, North Carolina Husband: Samuel Davis D. 7 Nov 1876 in Jersey County, Illinois Mary Clifford was born December 11, 1798 in Rowan County, North Carolina to John and Alsey Clifford....