In a large part, the early life of Sarah Sandlin is a mystery. Born in Owsley County Kentucky on the 6th of May 1855 she was the sixth child born to Ezekiel Sandlin and Sarah “Sallie” Clark-Sandlin. Life was not easy for the rural Sandlin family, on the 18th of November 1859 the father Ezekiel committed suicide, by hanging himself in the barn, leaving behind a young widow and eight children, he was only forty-four. Then on the 24th of August 1864 Sallie, the mother died at the age of forty-two.(Her cause of death is unknown) By the 1870 census there are three Sarah Sandlin’s age fifteen, in the Owsley County, KY area. According to family accounts Sarah was very young and had twin daughters, around this time, they were taken and raised by another family, much against Sarah’s wishes. Her life, for the next number of years was unconventional to the standards of the era.
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| Sarah Sandlin |
On the 8th of April 1876, Sarah had a daughter named Martha J. Sandlin, the father is known to be John Sizemore. His info stops there.
By the 1880 census Sarah was twenty-five, she and Martha J. age four were living with Sarah’s brother Morris Sandlin and his family. Sarah was also pregnant at the time. On the 22nd of November 1880 the unmarried Sarah gave birth to another daughter, Millie Francis Sandlin. Fathered by John Glenn(In later years Millie was John’s caretaker). Then in April of 1884 Ms. Sarah Sandlin had another daughter named Mollie Sandlin. Her father was Harvey Creetch or Creech(says her death certificate) Not too many people can list the fathers of children born out of wed-lock during those times.
On the 16th of February 1887 thirty-two year old Sarah married a widower and father of two, Abijah Smith, he was thirty-four. He was also the brother of Sarah’s brother Morris’ wife Martha.
While living in Jackson County, Kentucky on the 14th of August 1889 Sarah gave birth to yet another daughter named Lucretia Smith, named after Abijah’s mother, the family called her Lou.
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| The Smith/Sandlin family Front Jasper Smith, Abijah Smith, Sarah Sandlin-Smith, Millie Sandlin-Hunter and Martha Sandlin-Hurst Back Mollie Sandlin-Smith, Lou Smith-Banks and John Smith |
The 1900 census lists Abijah Smith forty-seven, Sarah Smith forty-five, John Dee Smith nineteen (his son) Lucretia Smith ten, Martha Hurst twenty-four (Sarah’s daughter) with Martha’s daughter Sarilda Hurst age three and Molly Sandlin sixteen (Sarah’s daughter).
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| Abijah and Sarah with her brother Morris Sandlin(on right) |
Sarah was established and in a loving marriage- Then on the 20th of April 1922 Abijah died at the age of sixty-eight. Sarah was sixty-seven. They were married thirty-five years.
On the 13th of September 1928 Sarah married a man named Fredrick Nantz he was seventy-nine and she was seventy-five, as children they lived in the same small town. It is the 1900’s census that states Sarah was eighteen at the time of her first marriage to an unknown man. The census also states that Sarah had gave birth to a total of seven children, and that five are still living.
At this time, I don’t know who all the five children are, other than Martha, Millie, Mollie and Lou. Fred Nantz died at the age of eighty-four on the15th of October 1935.
In the 1940 census Sarah was eighty-five and living with her daughter Lou Banks and her family in Gray Hawk, it states that the highest grade in school completed is 0, so most likely she never went to school.
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| Sarah with daughter Millie, Millie's granddaughter Dorothy Hunter-Popham and her baby Terry |
On the 26th of February 1951 Sarah Sandlin-Smith-Nantz died at the age of ninety-five in Gray Hawk, Kentucky
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| Sarah aka Little Grandma |
Sarah’s Children
Martha J. Sandlin(1876-1917) married Gilbert Hurst
Millie Sandlin (1880-1955) married John Anderson Hunter
Mollie Sandlin(1884-1925) married Henry Smith
Lou Smith(1889-1965) married Lewis Anderson Banks
Mystery Child #1(twin)
Mystery Child #2(twin)
Mystery Child #3
Sarah was lovingly called Little Grandma, maybe because she was about 4’ 11” She was a small, sweet and sassy lady. I’m so thankful for her strength and love. She has always been one of the ancestors that has a special place in my heart. A few years ago my cousin Amelia Williams and I were in search of a joint penname; quickly we knew we wanted to use family names. It wasn’t long until Storm Sandlin was born. So now every Storm Sandlin event we have is in honor of Little Grandma and her family. (Sandlin family fun fact. Sarah's sister Bettie was married to Ol' Joe Clark, whom the song was written about)
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| A Chill in the Air by Storm Sandlin |
