John Sexton and Sarah Elizabeth Parsons Story

John Sexton was born May 12, 1848 in Fentress County Tn. the first verifiable child of Aaron Sexton and Nancy Alexander, it is said that there was an older brother Matthew however that has not been proven.
The story goes that the family moved to Wayne County Ky shortly before the outbreak of the Civil War, and that upon the outbreak of the war Aaron and the oldest son Matthew joined the Union Army leaving Nancy and John to tend to both the farm and the other children. Their principal income was derived from Tobacco.
Supposedly after the War Matthew moved to Texas and became a Texas Ranger.
Sometime later John went to Texas for a visit and stayed.
John married Sarah Elizabeth Parsons the daughter of Thomas Parsons and Sarah Schumacher.
John and Sarah moved to a farm in Comanche County Tx where they raised cotton. Their children were born there and the family remained there until 1900 when after three years of failing crops and the suffering of malaria by the entire family they relocated to Buena Vista Co. where they had freinds.
In Colorado John worked in the smelter's, the mines, as a builder, in timbering, and as a Town Marshall.
Johns first love was farming and experimental Horticulture, he was a nature lover and enjoyed tramping through the mountains. Like many people in that area he did prospect for gold but appearently to no success, he and Sarah knew many hardships incuding the failures in Texas, losing a daughter on the trip to Colorado, a son in World War I, a granddaughter, in addition to never again seeing his parents and other family back in Kentucky. Both John and Sarah never lost their belief in the basic goodness and honesty of people, and were respected members of their community.

Obituary from the Chaffee County Newspaper
"John Sexton Dies Very Suddenly"
John Sexton, for many years a resident of this city, died suddenly at his home here last Sunday morning from Heart Disease. Mr. Sexton was out in his garden feeling as well as usual when suddenly he was taken by a severe pain in the chest, and fell over. He was helped into the house and a physician was summoned, but before he arrived Mr. Sexton was dead.
Mr. Sexton was born in Wayne County Ky May 12, 1849. Went to western Texas in the early 70's, working as a cowboy hand. In 1896 with his family moved to the Indian Territory. In 1900 he came to Buena Vista.
In 1881 he was married to Sarah E. Parson, and four children was the result of this union, one, Clifford Sexton being killed in France during the World War, and Clemmie Sexton who died in Oklahoma in the year 1900. There remained to Mourn his loss, Mrs. Sarah E. Sexton, Mrs Bessie Stewart, and T. E. Sexton of Buena Vista.
During his residence here Mr. Sexton has always conducted himself as a law-abiding citizen, and was universally liked by everyone. He was a dutiful husband, a loving father, and a man to whom all lent a kindly feeling.
The funneral was held from the residence, the Rev. Ross L. Large of the Methodist Church conducting the services, and the remains were followed to their last resting placeby a large concourse of sorrowing friends.

John Sexton died September 23, 1923 in Buena Vista, Colorado.

Sarah Elizabeth "Sally" Parsons was born in Natchitoches Parish December 15, 1858 the second daughter and second child of Thomas Lewis Parsons and Sarah Schumacher who died giving birth to Sarah Elizabeth, Sarah Schumachers parents were from Pennsylvania. Thomas Parson was a small plantation owner and slave holder in La. Thomas had given each of his two daughters five slaves at their birth so Sarah was a slave holder at the outbreak of the Civil War. The children were cared for by negro servants after their mothers death.When Thomas left to join the Confederate forces the slaves with the exception of one old couple ran away. This old couple cared for the children, and managed to survive with a garden, chickens and occasional wild game.
Upon his return with no hope of restoring the plantation and his former way of life Thomas taught school. Later he married a woman Sally called the widow Starr who had several children of her own. Two years later Thomas died of injuries inflected when a horse threw and trampled him. Their stepmother sent them to an Uncle in Texas immediately. The uncle was a cotton farmer, whose wife and daughters were slovenly and lazy so they welcomed the children as free labor. There they grew up. The older sister Callie, maried a confederate veteran named Allen Jones, they moved to Oklahoma and took up a homestead. Callie born one son dying at his birth. At the time of Callie's wedding Sally had met a Kentukian named John Sexton. Sally died March 8, 1937 The town of Buena Vista was small boasting much the same type of bussiness' as it does today Closed completly down for her funneral, this had been done only once before for the funneral of John and Sally's son Clifford who was killed in the World War. Perhaps only a small town such as this would the people pay such homage to a little old lady who quietly raised her family and had taken no part in public affairs. the cause of her death was a cereberal hemorage.

The children of John Sexton and Sarah Elizabeth Parsons

Thomas Edward Sexton born 1883

Mary Elizabeth Sexton born 21 May 1885 in Commanche County, Texas. Died 11 June 1929 married Frederick Alexander Steward

Ernest Clifford Sexton born 6 July 1889 died 9 November 1918 Meuse River, France.

Clemency Muriel Sexton born 21 October 1894 died 31 August 1900 Oklahoma Indian Territory.

The information for this page has been provided to me by Connie Dawson a decendant of John and Sarah I have not independently verified the information.

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