Date of Death: October 7, 1911
Interment source:
Bay View Cemetery Association, Corpus Christi, Texas. Record of Interments
NO HEADSTONE
Speculation
The record of interment of the Bayview Cemetery Association notes that Sarah Johnson died 7 October 1911 and was buried the following day in Old Bayview Cemetery. The record also notes that she is a member of the African-American community. For that reason it seems most likely that this is the Sarah Johnson who is listed as the wife of Dan Johnson in the 1900 federal census of Corpus Christi (Nueces County, E. D. 133, page 163A). Dan says he was born in November of 1824 in the state of Mississippi. Sarah reports that she was born in September of 1846 and that only two of the three children born to her now survive. The 1900 census notes that the couple has only been married for 5 years so it is clear that this is not their first marriage. The marriage records of Nueces County contain the entry for the marriage of "Daniel Johnson" and "Mrs. Sarah Coleman" in April of 1894 (volume F). It seems most likely that this is the same Sarah Coleman who is listed as the wife of Peter Coleman in the 1880 federal census of Nueces County (p. 31A). In this census, Sarah is listed as 36 years old (born about 1844—compare to 1900 census report of 1846), and she does have two sons—Abraham (16 years old) and Joseph (14 years old). Peter and his son Abraham are both working as draymen while Joseph is in school. This appears to be the same family listed in the 1870 census records of Calhoun County as living in Indianola (Peter, Sarah, Abraham, and Joseph). It is unclear whether Sarah's husbands, Peter Coleman and Daniel Johnson, were also buried in Old Bayview Cemetery. However, they are not listed in the earlier records so there is no confirmation of their death and burial. In the 1900 federal census of Nueces County, Sarah and Peter's son Abe Coleman is listed with Minerva Green and reports that he was born in October of 1868 (E.D. 133 page 8B). At this point Sarah is with Dan Johnson as noted earlier. By the 1910 federal census Sarah is without a spouse and is living next to Gabe and Ellen Green. At this point she reports she is a widow and now has only one child surviving her. From 1870 to 1910 Sarah consistently lists herself as a native of Texas. In some census records she lists her parents as from Kentucky, but in most she lists them as from Virginia. Because her initial marriage record has not yet been found, it is unclear what her maiden name is.
Research and transcription: Michael A. Howell (January 2008)