Sophronia Darling

DARLING, WICKHAM, ROLF, PARKER, KETCHUM, DRIGGS

Posted By: rhammond (email)
Date: 3/13/2007 at 14:06:44

I am really having trouble locating my gg grandmother, Sophronia Rolf Darling after the 1870 census. She was the wife of John Darling Sr. and they came to Fayette County, Fairfield Township in 1853. Her children were: David, Sophronia Jane, Caroline Melissa, Lucy Rebecca, John Rolf, and Charles Prescott. Her husband, John, died at sea in April of 1859 after visiting his first family in Oregon. She appears to have remained on the claim in Fairfield township until the late 1860's when she was forced to sell. After that she disappears.

A Darling family researcher told me that she died in Union, Iowa in July of 1892 but they had no other information. I originally thought that was West Union as that is close to where Lucy lived. No luck on that one. Then I checked on Union, Iowa which is located in Hardin Co. No luck on that one either. Union Township?????? By 1892, her only child, in Iowa, to my knowledge was my gg Lucy Darling Hammond who lived with her daughter, Mrs. Isaac Wickham.

I think they were Methodists. She must be buried somewhere in a small rural cemetery in Fayette Co. Her son David's first wife and child are some of the earlier burials at Brush Creek but there is no indication that she is there. I have had the ladies at the Historical Society doing research and we just cannot find anything after 1870 on her. Anyone have access to old church records or cemetery grave listings? She would have been 54 when she became a widow. I am beginning to wonder if she did not remarry late. She was born in 1804 in Vermont.

I really need to locate her and figure out just what happened in the last 22 years of her life as it has a bearing on the Darling family story that I am writing for my family.

The 1890 Fed. census would have been valuable on this one. Any and all help is appreciated on this one.