Sarah E. Somethingorother

The next three letters that I have transcribed were written by another friend of the Camfield's. I had great difficulty in researching S.E.S. and admit that if Sarah E Binns had not been added to the bottom of one of the letters it might have taken me a bit longer to figure out who she was. There are several hints in the letters and I'd like to think that I'd have figured out her "shirtail" relationship to the family - eventually. Anna Camfield Carlisle's daughter, Tamerson, would later marry Sarah's nephew, Harry Binns.

Sarah E. Binns was born March 1835 In England. I first find her in Division 10, Berrien, MI on the 1850 census with her parents, Joseph and Elizabeth Binns. (They are indexed as Benns) Also listed is her brother Joseph Phineas Binns, age 18, future father to Harry.

In 1860 she is still with her parents (now indexed as Birnes) in Buchanan, Berrien, MI.

On 10 December 1863 she married John P. Schauscheidf in Berrien County. A Google search for his surname brings up nothing, however Schauscheid in a place in Germany and I did find some references to it as a surname.

A widow by 1870, she is still listed in Buchanan Village, surname Stanson. She was living with her widowed father. The index at the University of Michigan lists her as:

Sarah E Stranson BERRIEN Buchanan Vill.663-664Page 154
Sarah E Strausheidt/Strauson BERRIEN Buchanan Vill.663-664Page 154

This was a great reminder to me not to rely on just one index! I have become complacent in my middle age ;-(

She is listed in the 1871 Berrien County Directory as Sarah Strausheidt. Still with her father, living on Lake near Front

Her letters were written in 1875. (One was actually written by her daughter Lizzie) The signatures appear to each be Strauseight. In a letter dated 29 May 1877 Sarah Camfield references her and it appears to me as Strawseight, however what I see as a w could be a u. That letter stated that Sarah Strawseight might be thinking about going to England or California.

In 1880 she is listed in the index as S. E. Chaureth! In actually looking at the census I can easily see how the transcriber came up with that. Knowing what it could/might be I would transcribe it as Stausriht. What do you think?


On 27 April 1894 Sarah E. Stransright married William N. Keeler. They are listed together in Buchanan on the 1900 census. For the 1910 census they were indexed as Kebler, although someone had already submitted a correction as Keeler, so that I did find them easily.

I imagine there is a lot more that I could find out about Sarah E. Binns but for now I think this will suffice.