Flipside: Henry C. Kime and Sarah Barnhiser Kime of Seneca, Wyandot and Williams Counties, Ohio

Henry C. Kime married Sarah Ann Barnhiser in Seneca County, Ohio on July 2, 1850. Sarah Ann was the daughter of John Barnhiser and Susannah Brown Barnhiser. The Barnhisers settled in Seneca County around 1837, having removed from Maryland. Sarah was born in Maryland.

It is important to mention that the Kime surname/maiden name has been written as Kime and Kimes. Some family members interchange the spelling.

Following the Kime Family in Williams County, Ohio

The Kime's stayed in Seneca County for at least four years as their daughter, Mary Ellen was born there in 1854. Twins, Albert and Alfred were born in 1856 in Williams County, one death certificate lists the town of Bryan, Pulaski Township.

I have not, to date, been able to locate an 1860 census report for the Kime family. However, Henry is enumerated in a Subject to do Military Service in the Civil War enumeration dated, June, 1863 for Williams County, Ohio. Henry Kimes, of Superior Township, age 30, a married farmer, was currently in service with Company K 68th Ohio Volunteer Army. It is of interest that under Henry's name is George and Levi Kimes. I have had no success tracing Henry. There is a 1850 enumeration in Seneca County, Ohio which lists both George and Levi. They could all be brothers or at a minimum, cousins.

Henry C. Kime age 31, mustered in on August 26, 1862 for three years of service. He died on June 22, 1863 from wounds received on May 16, 1863 at the Battle of Champion Hills Mississippi.

Records indicate that Henry is buried at Vicksburg National Cemetery in Warren County, Mississippi There is no listing for him in the roster of names. The history of the cemetery tells the sad story that many soldiers were buried without any knowledge of who they were. Those known may have only had a wooden marker, which certainly did not last long.

How long did it take in 1863 for word to get back to the families who lost a loved one to war? Sarah, a widow at age 30, was alone to provide for her children. There appears to be a will for Henry, so there was some provision made by him in case he did not survive.

All of the children were under age nine, with an infant in the house. Mary Ellen, 9; Albert and Alfred, 6; Walter, 4 and Amanda, 1.

Known children of Henry and Sarah Kime:

Mary Ellen Kime Greek 1854-1943
Albert Kime 1857-1937
Alfred L. Kime 1857-1933
Walter Kime 1859-1928
Amanda L. Kime Shellhouse 1862-1888

Apparently it did not take long for word to be received by the widow, Sarah was applying for pension money on July 27, 1863, a month after his death.

Sometime between her husbands death and 1870, Sarah Barnhiser Kime moved her family to Wyandot County, Ohio. The red star on the map in Ridge Township marks Sarah's property, The red star in Crawford Township marks where her father, John Barnhiser and mother, Susannah Brown Barnhiser lived and the red star in Tymochtee County marks where her sister, Susan Barnhiser Clabaugh lived.

1870 Ohio Federal Census taken on June 7, 1870

Ridge Township, Wyandot County, Ohio

Carey Post Office

Sarah Kime, age 38, keeping home, born in Maryland. Sarah's value of real estate is $1,200.00 and her personal estate value is $100.00

Mary E. Kime, age 16, at home, born in Ohio, attending school

Albert Kime, age 13, farm laborer, born in Ohio, attending school

Alfred Kime, age 13, farm laborer, born in Ohio

Walter, age 10, at home, born in Ohio, attending school

Amanda L. Kime, age 8, born in Ohio

Sarah Barnhiser Kime, a property owner, has 40 acres in Ridge Township, Wyandot County, Ohio. A farmhouse with trees and a schoolhouse nearby. At this time properties owned by women usually were due to their husband dying. In Sarah's case, she actually purchased the property with money from her husband's estate.

1880 Ohio Federal Census taken on June 7, 1880

Ridge Township, Wyandot County, Ohio

Sarah Kime, age 47, widowed, keeping house, born in Maryland as were her parents

Albert Kime, age 23, single, a farmer, born in Ohio

Amanda Kime, age 18, single, born in Ohio

Clark Vanburen, age 14, boarder, helps on the farm, born in Ohio

Where are Sarah's other children in 1880. Alfred Kime is enumerated with his uncle, Thomas Barnhiser and his grandmother, Susan Brown Barnhiser, at their home in Carey, Wyandot County, Ohio. Mary Ellen Kime is married on December 20, 1878, Alexander J. Greek, a carpenter, and living in Ridge Township. Walter Kime is MIA in 1880; however, he does marry in Wyandot County in 1884.

The 1880's was an exciting and also heartbreaking decade for the Kime family. All of Sarah's children married, grandchildren were born and welcomed into the family and the death of her youngest child, daughter Amanda L. Kime Shellhouse, at age 26, in 1888.

1900 Ohio Federal Census taken on June 4, 1900

Wharton Village, Richland Township, Wyandot County, Ohio

Sarah Kime, age 66, born October, 1833 in Ohio. Had 6 children and 4 are living. Can read, write and speak English. She owns a house on Sandusky Street with a mortgage.

Albert Kime, age 43, born October 1856, in Ohio. Albert is divorced and employed as a bartender. He can read, write and speak English.

This is the first time the reader finds out that Sarah and Henry had a sixth child. I have found no birth records. The 1860 census could have shown another child; however, I have not found one for the Kime family. Directly below Sarah Kime, is the enumeration for her daughter, Mary Ellen Kime Greek. Perhaps they all moved to Wharton together between 1880 and 1900.

Ariel view of the village of Wharton today.

Sandusky Street is the main street running through town.

Sarah has sold her farm land in Ridge Township and and purchased a house on Sandusky Street in the village of Wharton in Richland Township. She owns the house with a mortgage. A house or two away is her married daughter, Mary Ellen Kime Greek and her family.

Wyandot County map showing two townships where Sarah owned property. Ridge Township where she owned 40 acres of farm land in 1870 and 1880 and Richland Township, in the village of Wharton, where she owned a house from 1900 until her death in 1928.

1910 Ohio Federal Census taken on April 19, 1910

Richland Township, Wyandot County, Ohio

Wharton Village

Sarah Kime Mrs., age 77, a widow, born in Maryland. She is not employed. Owns her house on Sandusky Street free of mortgage. On this census, Sarah says she was the mother of 7 children and 4 are currently alive.

Albert Kime, son, age 53, a widower who works in a restaurant, although not clear if he worked during the year.

Walter Kime, son, age 50, a widower who works as a laborer on his own account.

Sarah's adult sons are coming back home. And her married daughter lives a couple of doors away. Albert, listed as a widower. His divorced wife did not die until 1938. I have no record of him marrying between 1900-1910 and a wife dying. Walter is a widower. His wife, Della (Dillie) died in 1902.

1920 Ohio Federal Census taken on January 7, 1920

Richland Township, Wyandot County, Ohio

Wharton Village

A. (Albert) Kime, age 63, head of family, divorced. House is owned free of mortgage. He is employed as a farmer doing general farming.

Sarah Kime, age 86, mother, widowed. Works for the railroad as a gate crossing employee. I had to look this up--gate crossing employee. Was this something an 86 year old woman could and should do? Was this an error by the census enumerator since Sarah's son-in-law is next on the census and he works for the railroad as a gate crossing employee?

Civil War Veterans pension card for Henry C. Kime

filed by Sarah Kime on May 1, 1920

On December 11, 1928, at the age of ninety-five, Sarah Ann Barnhiser Kime died at home from congestion of the lungs. Her son, Albert Kime gave the personal information. He listed his mother's birthday as October 18, 1933. Sarah was buried on December 13, 1928 at Wharton Cemetery, Wharton, Richland Township, Wyandot County, Ohio. The five family members buried in Wharton Cemetery are all listed as Kimes. Sarah, her son, Walter Kime, who also died in 1928, Walter's wife, Della Kime, Walter and Della's son, Franklin Clay Kime, and Sarah's daughter, Mary Ellen Kime Greek.

Sarah was a female trailblazer. She never remarried after her husbands death. As a very young woman, she was able to raise five children, manage her inheritance and purchase a farm. When her family was raised, she sold her farm and purchased a house that she could manage in a small village. Sarah's children must have had great regard for her. They stayed close, even moving back with her as she got older.

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