Sarah Kimbrough Munson

     Sarah Kimbrough Munson was born on 3 February 1877 at Bailey's Prairie, Brazoria County, Texas.¹ She was the daughter of George Poindexter Munson and Matilda Agnes Davis.¹ She married as his second wife, Milam Caldwell, son of Robert Milam Caldwell and Mary Elizabeth House, on 4 July 1903 in Houston, Harris County, Texas.² She died on 28 July 1953 in Gulf Park, Brazoria County, Texas, at age 76.¹ She was buried in Forest Park Cemetery, Houston.¹
     
     Sarah, youngest child of George and Agnes Munson, was named for her aunt, Sarah Kimbrough Armour, wife of her father's brother Mordello. She was 14 months old when her father died in 1878. Agnes and the three children, George, Maud and Sarah, remained at Bailey's Prairie until sometime after 15 June 1880, on which date they appear with Agnes' new husband, J.B. Hawkins, in the census. At an unknown date they moved to Columbia. Agnes died there in 1882. The orphaned children were ages 9, 6 and 5. They went to live with Mordello and Sarah Munson at Ridgely Plantation. Several entries in Sarah's diary beginning February 26, 1882, record their arrival:

"Sabbath, Emma's birthday . . . We heard this morning of the death of Mrs. Hawkins. Poor Agnes how sad I feel to hear that she is gone, and feel for the poor little orphans." On the next day she records: "Mr. Munson (Mordello) told Mr. Shapard to tell Mr. Hawkins to send the children out on the train tomorrow. Emma put up the bed and fixed up Doll's room." An entry on the next day says, "Waddy went up to meet the little children but they did not come," and on March 2: "Waddy went to the depot and found the children there, he brought Georgie home (on his horse), and Emma and Armour went up and brought Maud and Bittie (Sarah) down. Poor little things are perfectly delighted to get back. Mr. Munson and the boys went fishing again, caught a nice mess of trout & perch." On March 4 she wrote, "Waddy sent the wagon for the children's things this evening," and on March 7, "I commenced my school again. Have an addition in George, Maud and Bittie."

     Sarah lived with Maud and Will for a few years, and in 1903 married Will's younger brother Milam. Sarah and Maud were half first cousins to their husbands by virtue of all four being grandchildren of Ann Binum Pearce. Sarah and Milam lived part time at the Caldwell ranch near Rosharon, and part time at their home in Houston.

Sarah K. Munson appeared on the 1 June 1880 Federal Census of Brazoria County, Texas, in the household of her mother Agnes, and stepfather J.B. Hawkins.³

Brazoria County Records show that George P. Munson, Mordella Munson and Sarah K. Munson, minors, became wards of Mordello and Sarah's oldest son Henry William Munson III, 18 February 1884. A partial inventory of the estate of Munson minors was returned the following day. In the inventory was a claim for $369.05 against the estate of J.B. Hawkins, deceased. Munson wrote that the minors "own an undivided interest in several tracts of land in Brazoria county also a few head of cattle, but that the interest of said minors in said lands is in an undivided condition and is in charge of their uncle of said minors Col MS Munson who will preserve said lands for said minors and there is no necessity for any orders of court or other legal steps about the property of said minors except the above claim against the Estate of JB Hawkins Deceased."⁴

Sarah K. Munson appeared on the 1 June 1900 Federal Census of Angleton, Brazoria County, Texas, in the household of Thomas W. and Maud S. Caldwell, her brother-in-law/cousin and sister.⁵

Sarah and Robert Milam Caldwell appeared on the 15 April 1910 Federal Census of Brazoria County, Texas, enumerated 28 April 1910. Their children Thomas W., Sarah D. and Robert M. were listed as living with them.⁶

Sarah and William [sic] Caldwell appeared on the 1 January 1920 Federal Census of Houston, Harris County, Texas, enumerated 5 January 1920. Their children Thomas, Sarah, Robert and George were listed as living with them, as were their nephew George Minor, and niece Mary Caldwell.⁷

Sarah M. and Robert M. Caldwell appeared on the 1 April 1930 Federal Census of Brazoria County, Texas, enumerated 2 April 1930. Their children Thomas W., Robert M. and George M. were listed as living with them.⁸

Sarah M. and Robert M. Caldwell appeared on the 1 April 1930 Federal Census of Houston, Harris County, Texas, enumerated 3 April 1930. Their children Tom W., Robert M., George M. and John H. were listed as living with them.⁹