52 Ancestors 52 Weeks Week 32

Sarah Ann Hoke

For many years she was confused with Sarah Hogg/Houge, daughter of Hugh Hogg and Mary Patterson, who were located in the same area of Pennnsylvania as Sarah Ann Hoke, and her family. I have a book which simply claims that her name was misspelled on land documents, which led to the Hoke-Hogg confusion. I have always hoped to find one document to prove that was true. I was never able to fond anything which listed her as being a Hogg. Even if you use the soft g sound, it does not sound like Hoke. What really kept me looking to disprove the commonly held belief was the fact that I continued to see the Hoke name used today. It always kept me thinking that perhaps it was not a misspelling afterall. I actually solved the problem when I went after death records for her. It was a very good day!

Sarah Ann Hoke was born July 1, 1813 in York County, Pennsylvania. Her paents were Samuel Hoke and Elizabeth Weist. She was the third born child of seven.

She married Henry Hovis, August 23, 1830 in Noble County, Ohio, as her family moved there when she was young.

Together, She and Henry had nine children; Elizabeth, Jacob, John, Henry W., Sarah, Lewis H., Mary Ellen, Seth, and Amanda Hovis. These are the only children I hae been abe to find, but there may have been some that did not live into adult life. Seven of their children were born in Ohio, only the last two, Seth and Amanda were born in Brown County, Indiana. Henry moved the family to Brown County, Indiana about 1848 and homesteaded 120 acres in the Grandview area about 4 miles east of Stone Head.

In the 1850 U.S. Census, Sarah is present in Van Buren Township, Brown County, Indiana, with Henry, age 39, a farmer, her children; Elizabeth at 18, Jacob is 15, John, 12, Henry is 9, Sarah, 7, Lewis, 4, and Ellen is 3, she is, Mary Ellen.

The 1860 U.S. Census places them in the same place as 1850. Henry is 49 and still farming, Sarah is 47, Henry, 18, Sarah, 16, Louis, 14, Ellen, 12, Seth is 9 and Manda is 7.

In 1880, the census lists Henry, 69 still farming their land. Seth is living next door to them, and he is listed as a basketmaker. In the box that says, Maimed, Crippled, Bedridden or Otherwise Disabled, it says yes, for Henry. Sarah is 67, and her children are all gone.

Henry Hovis died on April 30, 1896, at 86 years old.

In the 1900 Census, for Brown County, Indiana, Sarah is 86. She is listed as having 11 children, 9 living. Her son, Henry W., is living with her. Also there is a Margaret Hendershot that is listed as a servant. Margaret is 18.

Sarah died on May 28, 1906 in Brown County, Indiana. She is buried in Grand View Cemetery, in Brown County Indiana.

Her Obituary:

The Columbus Republican
Columbus, Indiana
Thursday, June 7, 1906
Page 6

Mrs. Sarah Hovis, born August 1, 1813, in York county, Pennsylvania, died at her home in VanBuren township, Brown county, May 28, and was buried at Grand View cemetery, Brown county, at 3 o'clock p. m., May 29. Cemetery was conducted by Rev. A. Hancher. She was the mother of five sons and six daughters, two died in infancy. She was a member of Harmony Baptist church of New Bellsville, and a consistent Christian.

She was buried in the Grandview Cemetery in Brown County, Indiana.

Sources:
1850 U.S. Census, Van Buren, Brown, Indiana; Dwelling: 72 Family 75, Digital GS number: 4193369, Image number: 00107 Reference number: 16, FamilySearch.
1860 U.S. Census, Brown County, Indiana, (Van Buren TWP); Page: 24 Dwelling 177 Family 177, Series: M653, Roll: 246, Heritage Quest.
1880 U.S. Census, Brown County, Indiana, (Van Buren); Dwelling 243 Family 244, Series: T9, Roll: 267 Page: 345, Heritage Quest.
1900 United States Federal Census.  Page: 1; Enumeration District: 0029; FHL microfilm: 1240361 Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com.
The Columbus Republican, Columbus, Indiana, Thursday, June 7, 1906, Page 6.

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