Sarah Ann Bretherick

#52ancestors January 1 - Start

My Whitehead family started with Sarah Ann Bretherick, it seems.

My father has always considered his Whitehead ancestry to be a shining star. A Whitehead invented the first self-propelled torpedo and to a young boy particularly fond of army men, that kind of connection was highly honored. Our Whitehead family also was the origin of our very own Born-At-Sea story - Wisconsin Whitehead, who later went by Wessie, was born in 1879 aboard a ship by the same name. Our Whiteheads were blacksmiths, our immigrant story, our first-cousin marriage story, and even the 'part Native-American' story at the same time. But how much of these stories are actually ours? It turns out that our Whitehead name really does start with Sarah Ann Bretherick and stops there too.

I first met Sarah Ann in the 1880 census living in Detroit with her husband and five children.

All of them were born in England with the exception of Wisconsin who was born on the Atlantic Ocean. Sarah's parents were born in England and her husband's mother was as well. (His father's birthplace was unknown). 

Betsy (13), John (9), Mary (7), Albert (5), and baby Wisconsin, only 5 months old were living together at 274 Sixth Street. It is possible that Sarah Ann had more children, either some that died far too young, or some that had since moved out of the house. Betsy and John had 4 years between them and Albert and Wessie had 4 years between them, making me wondering if this poor mama had to leave the graves of one or more of her babies back home in England. 

Since Wessie is still just a baby, this family was likely traveling during part of this year. Certainly Sarah Ann was on the ship. Why did they come to Detroit? How are they connected to our torpedo guy, Robert? I had a lot of questions for Sarah - but then I lost her.

If only that 1890 census wouldn't have burned up. I would have likely found James, Sarah and least two of her children living together in Detroit. As it was, I had to settle for the 1900 census as the next place to look for her. She could be living with her husband James but the rest of her children would have moved on to start their own families by now. Searching Sarah Whitehead in the 1900 Federal Census - as she is nowhere to be found.

To be continued....