Sarah Ann Sterling

ID # 1593, (1832-1902)
BirthSarah Ann Sterling was born on 1 September 1832 at Stoney Creek. 
MarriageShe married Henry Eugene Vrooman, son of Solomon Secord Vrooman and Mary Brown, on 13 January 1853 at Townsend Township, Norfolk County.
The following marriage notice is extracted from Early Ontario Newspaper Transcription Series/The Niagara Papers/Volume 1/Compiled by W. Craig Burtch/The Niagara Mail/1843-1860/Birth, Marriages, and Deaths/Global Heritage Press, Publisher.
Page 25
Wednesday, January 19, 1853
Marriage: a) 'At the residence of the bride's father, on the 13th instant, by Elder Peter Steinhoff, Mr. Henry E. Vrooman, of the Township of Woodhouse - formerly of the Township of Niagara, to Miss Sarah, youngest daughter of Mr. Henry Sterling, of the Township of Townsend.'

By the evidence, the above record is correct and it is confirmed by information given on page 740 of the Sterling Genealolgy. This shows the marriage of Sarah Ann and Henry as being on January 13, 1853.

Confusion reigns if reference is given to the Talbot District marriage register. A transcription of this register is given in The Marriage Registers of Upper Canada/Canada West, Vol.1, Talbot District, 1837-1857, compiled by Dan Walker & Fawne Stratford-Devai.

The transcription reads: Marriages by Rev'd Peter Steinhoff, Free Communion Baptist Minister, Woodhouse, p. 116 & 117.
Jos. C. Vroman of Woodhouse to Sarah Sterling of Townsend. 13 Jan 1853 by licence. Rev. Steinhoff. Wit. Benson Kemp and Mary Sterling.

Unquote

If we look at the image from the Talbot District Marriage Register as provided by Ancestry (see 1853, page 117) something different appears. This reads:
1853, 13 Jan/H. C. (or E) Vroman of Woodhouse, Norfolk County, Sarah Sterlington, Townsend, Norfolk County. Witnesses Benson Sterling and Mary Kemp.

There is a line drawn through the groom's name, making it difficult to read, but it is the initial H followed by the letter C or E. The image shows the witnesses names correctly. Somehow, the transcription mixed up the surnames. According to the Sterling Genealogy, Benson Sterling was Sarah's brother. Mary Kemp was probably Henry's niece by his sister Margaret. Mary was younger than Henry, but not by many years.
 
DeathShe died on 30 May 1902 at age 69. 
BurialShe was buried on 2 June 1902 at Fairview Cemetery, Niagara Falls, Ontario. 
NoteShe A photo of her gravestone provides us with information as to Sarah's date of death. Fairview Cemetery's burial information provides us with her date of burial.

Death reg. 015581-02 Niagara Township, Lincoln Co.
Sarah Ann Vrooman died 30 May 1902, age 69, at Queenston. Married. Born Stoney Creek, Ontario. Baptist. Informant Dr. Trimble.

Information for Sarah's date of birth is taken from The Sterling Genealogy Vol. 2, 1909, digitized by Microsoft.

The Sterling Genealogy Vol. 1, by Albert W. Sterling, The Grafton Press, New York, 1909, and Vol 2. ditto, digitized by Microsoft, is a source for much of our information about the Sterling family. These volumes compare well with other sources, such as we have.

The parents of Loretta and Sarah Ann Sterling were Henry Sterling and Abigail Murch. Henry came to Upper Canada with his father Isaac and settled in Saltfleet Township. In later years, Isaac moved on and died at Rock Island, Illinois, around 1840. Henry Sterling and his wife Abigail Murch moved from Saltfleet to Townsend Township around 1833. They are buried in Mount Zion Cemetery. 

Children of Sarah Ann Sterling and Henry Eugene Vrooman

Last Edited12 Jun 2016