The picture was taken for their wedding day, February 5, 1891. They married in Carroll County, Indiana. Jesse was 23 years old; Sarah Catherine was 19.

They had grown up in the same small community in Clay Township, in Carroll County. Their "swimming hole" when they were growing up was the Wildcat Creek, and their fathers both owned property in the township. Both the bride and groom would have been familiar with the rhythm of the 1890s rural life in Carroll County: hog breeding and butchering, corn planting and harvesting, maple sugaring, and being related one way or another to most of your neighbors.

Sarah Catherine was known to many as "Kate." She was the oldest of nine children; Jesse was the youngest of four. When they married, she moved into the home of Jesse's parents. The two lived out their married life in that house. She birthed and reared her children there, cared for her aged mother-in-law and father-in-law there, and welcomed their grandchildren and great-grandchildren back home at that house which Jesse had built with his father and brothers.

When Katie was in her mid-sixties, a doctor diagnosed her with some supposedly incurable illness. To ease her pain, the doctor prescribed morphine. Katie did not know what she was taking until she was addicted to the morphine. When she realized that she had been taking morphine and was addicted, she stopped "cold turkey." Then, she surprised the doctor and the folks who had bought clothes for her funeral by living another 15 years, and by going to several of their funerals.

Of all the folks I've ever researched who had people still living who had known them, Sarah Catherine Hooker is the only one about whom I have never heard a bad word spoken. I have never even heard anyone say they have heard a bad word about her. I have heard her described as "righteous, but not a prude." I have heard her described as "motherly to her siblings." I have heard her described as "willing to accept what she couldn't change." I have heard many say she was kind to them, or kind to their mother, father, grandfather, or grandmother. I have not found one person who can recall anyone ever saying anything negative about Sarah Catherine Hooker.

Want to see Katie Hooker's cookie recipe? Check this:
Katie Hooker's Klutz-proof cookies

Sarah Catherine's obituary comes from the Fort Wayne Journal Gazette, Sunday, February 24, 1952; page 85, column 4 (Ft. Wayne, Indiana):

Errata: One son's name is misspelled in the obituary; the correct spelling is "Irvin." Also, at the time of Sarah's death, she had 12 by-then born and living great-grandchildren: Suzy, Kris, Nelson, Richard, Mike, Ed, Stephen, Barb, Alice, Mary Fran, Tom, and Fern.

Sarah's great-grandchildren born after she died are Linda, Marsha, Sara, Jesse, Dale Lester, Rex, Laura, John, Robb, Jeff, Brad, and Jennifer. All eight of Sarah & Jesse's grandchildren had children; all of Sarah & Jesse's great-grandchildren survived to maturity.

Six of Jesse and Sarah's grandsons served in the U.S. military during W.W. II.

HUSBAND: Jesse BEARD
BORN: 12 Jun 1867, Owasco, Carroll Co., IN
DIED: 19 Feb 1939, Carroll Co., IN
BUR.: Rossville Cemetery, Rossville, Clinton Co., IN
MARR: 5 Feb 1891, Carroll Co., IN
FATHER: John M. BEARD
MOTHER: Rachel SMITH
====================================
WIFE: Sarah Catherine "Kate" HOOKER
BORN: 30 Aug 1871, Carroll Co., IN
DIED: 22 Feb 1952, Ft. Wayne, Allen Co., IN
BUR.: Rossville Cemetery, Rossville, Carroll Co., IN
FATHER: George HOOKER
MOTHER: Elizabeth HUFFORD
====================================
CHILDREN
====================================
1) John Moore BEARD
BORN: 23 Dec 1891, Carroll Co., IN
DIED: 31 Dec 1979, Carroll Co., IN
BUR.: Rossville Cemetery, Rossville, Clinton Co., IN
SPOUSE #1: Pearl BALKEMA
MARR #1: 15 Dec 1920, IN
SPOUSE #2: Ana McCARTY
MARR #2: Aft 1965
NO CHILDREN BORN TO EITHER MARRIAGE
----------------------------------------------------
2) Marvin Earl BEARD
BORN: 26 Sep 1893, Carroll Co., IN
DIED: 26 Oct 1972, Clinton Co.,IN
BUR.: Bunnell Cemetery, Clinton Co., IN
SPOUSE: Ethel Viola REEF
MARR: 24 Dec 1913, IN
CHILDREN BORN TO MARRIAGE: Russell, Glen, Robert, Roberta
---------------------------------------------------
3) George Irvin BEARD
BORN: 30 Jun 1897, Owasco, Carroll Co., IN
DIED: 17 Jun 1965, Ft. Wayne, Allen Co., IN
BUR.: St. Joseph Valley Memorial Park; Granger, St. Joseph Co., IN
SPOUSE: Bernice GRIFFITH (twin)
MARR: 5 Nov 1916, Woodriver, Saskatchewan, Canada
CHILDREN BORN TO MARRIAGE: Miles, Max, Bruce
---------------------------------------------------
4) Edith Eve BEARD
BORN: 25 Nov 1902, Carroll Co., IN
DIED: 2 Mar 1978, Ft. Wayne, IN
SPOUSE: Edward GRIFFITH
MARR: 16 Aug 1941, IN
CHILD BORN TO MARRIAGE: John

For a list of Jesse & Sarah Catherine's descendants,
CHECK HERE.

Jesse's ancestors:

Sarah Catherine's ancestors:

sssss

GUEST BOOK

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