Marriage info dead end Eula Sparks and Austin E Sewell

Question

I am unable to find any marriage date on my paternal grandparents. My relatives don't know either.  They were divorced in Florida in 1930.  I am stuck!

The problem: no one knows when (year) or where (State) they could have been married in my family.  He was from Georgia, she lived in Oklahoma. I have checked for marriage records from those states and found nothing.  I would guess they married before my uncle was born - in 1924.  He and my father were born in Ft. Pierce Florida

Sparks 2856

Sewell 5687 - He used multiple variations of his name. Sometimes he went by A.E Sewell, Earley Austin Sewell, Early A Sewell.  

They both have profiles but I can't copy the URL's

Comments

Eula Sparks  

Austin Sewell

Eula's second marriage was 24 Feb 1940, Yuma, Arizona.  1940 census (12 April) has the new blended Benton family living in Las Crump, New Mexico in 1935, and Yuma in 1940.

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If the 1910 census, and the 1930 census are attached to the correct Eula, then it appears her father may have had a second wife - Stella.  This Eula is classified as "single" on the 2nd April.

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The census taken on 23 Feb 1920 has Eula boarding with a Reedy Murphree, farmer, and his family, in Oklahoma.

As she is 14 years old in 1920, and single, and her first known child (Ned) was born in 1924, any marriage must have been after February 1920 and before February 1924 -- unless they were not married when Ned was born.  This may duplicate knowledge already stated, but it does considerably narrow the search field for possible year of marriage.

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If the 1910 census, and the 1930 census are attached to the correct Eula, then it appears her father may have had a second wife - Stella.  This Eula is classified as "single" on the 2nd April.

I think I can already rule out these. It appears there has been come conflation between your Eula, and another Eula A Sparks who died in 1933, as this Eula A has been given two husbands (the second of which she cannot have married, as she was dead and buried at the time he was marrying your Eula).

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The 1930 census is for another Eula.  I have come across that before myself

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My grandmother had no middle initial that our family knew of.  Never been able to find a birth certificate.

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What makes it difficult is when there is conflation, and sources -- and relatives and spouses -- that correctly belong to someone else are attached to the incorrect person.  

As with this case where your Eula's husbands and children are attached to someone who died before the second marriage. The birth is correct, the death is correct, but the parents are not- and half the sources are not.

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I've added the (correct) 1910 census to Eula's profile.  It lists her siblings.  It can be added to the profiles of her parents as well (and any siblings once  they have profiles).  You just need to change which name is in bold.

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agreed. Very confusing.

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thanks!

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Ok, a minor breakthrough!

I have found Eula and Austin in the Fort Pierce, Florida, City Directory, 1922.  So the marriage year would appear to be between 1920 and 1922 -- unless she was just using his last name, and they married closer to, or after the birth of Ned.

Sandra, do you have the actual divorce documents, or just the online index notation?  In Australia divorce documents state the date of the marriage that is being dissolved.

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I've added a couple of sources to Austin's profile, and to a sister, and a brother.  (I had them, so couldn't see why I should ignore them when there were profiles I could  put them on.)

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Thanks.  I have the online index notation only from Florida.

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Perfect!

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You can apply to purchase the divorce document/s at Florida health, but I would telephone them first to ask exactly what information is included.  I see no point in paying $$ only to get the same information already obtained from the index.  What is needed is an expansion of the index information -- specifically a date for the marriage.

I've added a sourced statement for the marriage to George Wright Benson, and a statement regards residence when he signed up for the draft.  (I also have his Department of Veterans Affairs BIRLS Death File information stating he was in the Navy, but no profile to put it on. I may add it to Eula's profile, under a Research Notes header.)

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Eulah was at school with her siblings in 1921, so that narrows the available window for marriage by another year — after Jan27, 1921 to before 19 Feb 1924.

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Hello again, I am circling back around to this conversation and was curious where you found the info about my Grandmother Eula being at school with her siblings in 1921?  Maybe I am missing something in this thread.

Thanks

Answer 1

This is the only piece of info that I could find at FamilySearch.org doing a quick check (that pertain to the divorce though, not marriage):

"Florida Divorce Index, 1927-2001," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VKCP-8LZ : 25 December 2014), Austin Sewell and Eula Sewell, 1930; from "Florida Divorce Index, 1927-2001," database and images, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com : 2005); citing Brevard, Florida, certificate 2055, volume 23, Florida Department of Health, Jacksonville.

I also ran across this:

"United States World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KZZH-27S : 22 February 2021), Early Austin Sewell, 1917-1918.

Comments

Good find on the WWI source he was a man of medium build and medium height with brown color eyes and black hair. Occupation as Farming  

Note: next of kin listed is his mother obviously he was close to her

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Yes - I do have this data already. Thanks

Answer 2

Austin Early Sewell (1896 - abt. 1957)  I couldn’t find anything on family search but here is his death record maybe will help you  under married divorced etc section says “D.K.” Or Don’t Know in fact most of the record has this abbreviation    ?

Name: Austin Sewell
Sex: Male
Age: 61
Death Date: 15 Dec 1957
Death Place: Houston, Harris, Texas, United States
Birth Year (Estimated): 1896

Citing this Record
"Texas Deaths, 1890-1976," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K33F-5LW : 20 February 2021), Austin Sewell, 15 Dec 1957; citing certificate number 67987, State Registrar Office, Austin; FHL microfilm 2,135,925.

Maybe try newspaper ? Is this the family reunion in august 1943 Here see Visitors from Georgia

Comments

Thanks I have the Texas death cert info already.  As for the family reunion - none of these folks are relatives of mine

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I figured but wasn’t sure. If I find anything more to help that’s more relevant I’ll update 

Here is Eula’s Obit

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great!