Sarah MAJORS

  Research Notes:

Sarah Majors is presumed to be the brother of Thomas Majors, who married Joseph Leffew's daughter, Phebe. See Research Note for Thomas Majors for the discussion of why it is believed their parents were Elias and Margaret Majors of Roane County, Tennessee.

After the death of her husband, Joseph Leffew, in 1839 and her enumeration in 1840, she seems to disappear from the records. However, there was a Sarah Leffew who married James Madison Harvey on 7 Jun 1841 in Grainger County, Tennessee. It's possible this was Sarah Majors Leffew. But, it's also possible this was a daughter of Joseph Leffew from a prior marriage. I have tentatively gone with the latter theory, while at the same time acknowledging there is not sufficient evidence one way or the other to make a decision, so as to put the issue out there for discussion. See the research note for Sarah Leffew, daughter of Joseph Leffew, for more discussion of the issues involved.

  Noted events in her life were:

1. Census: 1830, Roane County, Tennessee. ³

Household of Elias Majors: Presumably the female age 15-20.

2. Estate Administration: 1840, Grainger County, Tennessee. ⁵

See Events for Joseph Leffew for discussion of estate matters involving Sarah Leffew.

3. Deed: 1840, Grainger County, Tennessee. ⁶

By an instrument dated 26 Jan 1840, Sarah Leffew assigned her interest in the Estate of Joseph Leffew, Dec'd, to James Kirby for $30. Witnesses were J. A. Howeth and Wm Bower or Bowen.

See deed dated 11 Dec 1841, discussed under Events for Phebe Leffew, in which James Kirby joined others and conveyed the above acquired interest in the Estate of Joseph Leffew, Dec'd, to Wm. Leffew.

4. Census: 1840, Grainger County, Tennessee. ⁴

Household of Sarah Leffew: 1 male 0-5, 1 male 5-10; 1 female 20-30.

[Who were the two male children in her household? I considered the possibility she may have been previously married to a Majors and that these were her children by that marriage, but I can find no marriage record supporting that possibility.]

Sarah married Joseph LEFFEW, son of Stephen LEFEW and Elizabeth, on 19 Apr 1839 in Grainger County, Tennessee.^{1 2} (Joseph LEFFEW was born before 1774 ^{7 8} and died on 12 Dec 1839 in Grainger County, Tennessee ⁹.)

  Marriage Notes:

The film source shows the date of marriage as 16 Apr 1839. The actual marriage records show that the bond and license were dated 16 Apr 1839, but the return on the license states they were married on 19 Apr 1839 by John Robertson, J. P. Bondsmen were Joseph Leffew and James Kerbo (Kerby).

Note that Joseph was over 65 and Sarah was under 25 when they married. Moreover, he was considered to be non-white and she was his fourth wife. This may have been a marriage of convenience, occasioned by the death of her parents. ^{1 2}