Suttonsonline.com family genealogy website

Ellis and Elizabeth were well known farmers who owned their own farm in Sarver when the 1900 census was taken. The oldest child, Minnie, had evidently already left home by this time, perhaps to be married; and there would still be one more child born to them. The oldest boy at home, Edward, had work as a carpenter, but the census notes he had been unemployed 6 months. Nellie (16 1/2), Emma (14), Blanch (12) and Maude (8) were in school which left Wilda (7), Raymond (5), Guy (3), Kenneth (1) and Glen, the baby at home.

By the 1910 census, two more children had been born: Olen (named Oland in the census) was now 9, Audley (spelled Odley in the census) was 7 and Robert L. was 6 years old. The 1916 Farm Directory lists Ellis as 4 ch. (?) farmer, owning 101 acres in Sarver, Winfield Township. All the children attended the Hesselgesser School: likely named that because most children attending were from the Hesselgesser families! The school was located thusly: come out the lane from the house, turn right, up the hill, make a turn and the school was back in on the left with the sawmill on the right. This would have been on the West Winfield Road. The school is no longer there, but the property is distinguished by a very large rock, probably used by the student as a spot for play.

Ellis is remembered as calling to his wife (Sarah Elizabeth) "Hoy, Liz!"

The 1920 census lists him at age 62 and that he was farming several farms. (the 1910 census on this site shows he was 52). However, Ellis and Sarah moved off the farm in order to live in Sarver at some point, leaving the farm to be run by some of the boys. They owned three other houses in Sarver besides the house on the farm. One piece of property was purchased from Thomas E. Wood for $2,800 on 15 Nov 1922. Ellis owned sheep and when he left the farm to move to Sarver, he gave a couple sheep to the Kennedy grandchildren. The farmstead consisting of 103 acres is located on Leasureville Road and was eventually purchased by the Tarentum Sportsman's Club.

Two sons preceded Ellis in death. Raymond was killed in France in World War I in 1918 at the age of 23; and Ed was killed in a construction accident in 1921(?) at the age of 40. Ellis died at his home in Sarver at 2:25 a.m. 30 December 1927 of a heart attack at the age of 70 years, one month and 25 days, click here for his obituary. At the time of his death, he was survived by his wife, 11 of his children (10 of whom were married), and 24 grandchildren.

References

Last data update: Oct 2, 2022

1860 United States Census Document, Winfield Township, Butler County, PA; Enumeration date: June 12th, 1860, page 21, lines 2-9 Citation post date: 2009-07-04

1870 United States Census Document, Winfield Township, Butler County, PA; Enumeration date: June 29th, 1870, page 12, lines 21-26 Citation post date: 2009-07-04

1880 United States Census Document, Winfield T.P. , Butler County, PA; Enumeration date: June 16th, 1880, page 17, lines 47-49 Citation post date: 2009-07-04

1900 United States Census document, Winfield Township, Butler County, PA; Enumeration date: June 15th, 1900, page 7, lines 87-98 Citation post date: 2009-07-04

1910 United States Census Document, Winfield Township, Butler County, PA; Enumeration date: May 2, 1910, page 8, lines 26-35 Citation post date: 2009-07-08

Personal genealogical research information and notes provided by Nancy Lee (Hesselgesser) Sutton, Citation post date: 2006-06-11