Jessie Harr and Sadie Cox
in Cleveland, Ohio during 1900's and later. Welcome Cousins!
See also the Harr Howard page for the half-siblings with Gladys.
We are struggling to fill in the family history at the turn of the 19th century. Specifically, where Sadie Brooks came from (parents, etc).
Sadie Brooks Cox
See the case for Sadie Brooks's ancestry for the most details and progression of discovery. Key is we now believe her maiden name was Brooks and we have found her in the 1900 census. How it became Cox by April of 1901 when she marries Jesse is a mystery yet. But we believe the 1900 census record for a number of reasons detailed in the link given above.Sadie was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on 14 April 1880 based on the death certificate and the 1910 and 1920 census declarations. Son Walter lists in her death certificate that her father was born in Pennsylvania but he did not know about his grandmother. Sadie indicates in her 1900 and 1910 census that both parents were born in Pennsylvania like her. But her 1920 census report then uniquely states her mother was born in England. There was some belief Sadie was a conscript bride from Wales. So maybe it was her mother that was the conscript bride? But we still have not found a Sadie Cox from the Pittsburgh area born around 1880.
Although Sadie was married to Jesse in 1901 in Colorado, she declares (as does Walter L later) that son Walter was born in 1903 in Pennsylvania (which we have since confirmed). But in 1905, the family is in Iowa at Jesse's mothers' house during that state census. The two daughters (Mildred and Ruth) are born in 1907 and 1908 in Cleveland, Ohio; respectively. Grandson Walter remembers visiting "relatives" in Pennsylvania often in the 1930's and early 1940's. Beside the Bakers (his Aunt Sis. i.e. Sadie's daughter Mildred) who were there due to Jim Baker's background, maybe it was Cox relatives, distant relations of Jesse or the like as well. Walter simply remembers the town name "Beaver". There are many Beaver Falls, Beaver Valley and the like northwest and south of Pittsburgh. Anna V. "Aunt Vie" Davis, Sadie's best friend, was from Pittsburgh her whole life and we are researching her as well to shed more light on Sadie.
Otherwise, Sadie had a short, possibly hard life with having passed away of uteran cancer in 1928; after being left alone with the kids in 1915 or so. We are working to get more of her story developed both before marriage as well as 1901 through 1928.
Jesse Harr
See the case for Jesse Harr's ancestry for more details on the development of Jesse's history. We have found over 25 census records from the 1800's tracking Jessie's grandparents, parents and aunts and uncles from both his maternal and paternal side. If true, the family easily carries back into the 1700's and possibly farther if other Family Trees found including this Horr/Dennis family are to be believed.Note that Jesse's ancestors throughout the 1800's show the name spelled as Horr more often than Harr; but both appear. By time written records are becoming more firm, it appears Jesse is using Harr only (as do many of his cousins) while others stuck to Horr consistently. But it is interesting to note that his grandson Walter, born in 1930, has a birth certificate clearly listing the name as "Horr". This was a surprise to him and everyone when relooked at after the discoveries of Jesse's past. While we know Jesse is born in 1879 in Illinois, not much is known about his first 22 years until he shows up marrying Sadie in Colorado in 1901.
Their First 10 years of Marriage
From the recently found marriage certificate in family archives, we have Jesse Horr marrying Miss Sadie B Cox in the county seat Beuna Vista, Colorado in 1901. They are both in Salida at the time. Family stories say that Sadie did not like the rough and tumble mountain life and insisted on moving away before having kids. So this would explain Walter L being born in Pennsylvania a few years later in 1903. But the main mining industry had started dying out that year as well and may have driven them back to homelands. (Nov 2009)Jesse and Sadie had three kids that survived and we know of. The 1910 census indicates 4 were born but only 3 survived. Based on that same census, Walter L was born 1903 in Pennsylvania with Mildred and Ruth in Cleveland in 1906 and 1908; respectively We know there has always been a connection back to Pennsylvania for the family as Walter L and Jesse made trips back there. And Sadie was from there based on the declarations in the census and such. So Colorado to Pennsylvania to Cleveland. But it does not stop there.
If the Colorado marriage was not strange enough to find, then in trying to disprove other Jesse Harr's to then prove Jesse Horr of Illinois and the ancestry found for him, we discovered a 1905 Iowa State Census entry (May 2009). This 1905 census shows Jesse, Sadie and son Walter L in Iowa. Appears they were living (or visiting) with Jesse's mother. We now know Jesse's mother had remarried when Jesse was 10 to Albert Hunnicutt. So Colorado to Pennsylvania to Iowa to Cleveland in a span of 4 years or so. And remember there were no highways or cars to do this in like today!
In the 1910 census, Jesse is listed as being an Ash Wagon driver — guess a teamster like his dad from before. Family stories had stated he was a stage coach driver and horse trainer. This may explain the Colorado location where a daily stage was likely used to ferry people in and out of the mountain community. Pueblo was the closest major city down in the flat land indicated by present day roads and communities.
The Next 10 years
Jesse left the family when Walter was about 13; or about 1916. Walter had to leave school to get a job and care for his mother and sisters as there was no income. Jesse remarried fairly quickly to Gladys Howard and had two more girls. See the Harr Howard page for more information there. What made Walter and his family members so bitter about this was that supposedly Walter, even at 13, was already a phenom in athletics — especially basketball. They were expecting him to go far. But that all came to a screeching halt. Walter got a job working for the telephone company stringing wire on poles.Although Jesse tried to stay in touch, Walter L would not have anything to do with his father. Grandson Walter reports that his father, Walter L, would tell them of days that Jesse would walk most of the day to reach their house (even though they both lived in Cleveland). Walter L would come home from work upon hearing of his arrival, ask Jesse to get in the car, and drive him home without allowing a visit.
Sadie died in 1928 of uteran cancer but the children were grown by then. Jesse died more than 25 years later in 1954 with relations between him and his son Walter L never really repaired. At least that is what we have always been led to believe. But more and more photos of them together at family gatherings are popping up. (Jan 2010)
The Harr girls, from both mothers, seemed to make more of a connection. This even though there was more than 10 years difference in age between the two families of siblings. In fact, Ruth's death notice lists Gladys Howard as her mother and lists both half-sisters as siblings; but does not even mention Walter L (her brother). But Sadie and Walter L were already dead by then and some death notices only list surviving family. And maybe Ruth's children did not really know or remember when drafting the notice. So ignoring it not stating "half", the notice could be considered "correct".
Daughter Mildred "Sis"
From two marriage index hits and the 1930 census with James C Baker, it appears Mildred first got married to a Thomas Ritson in 1923 and then James C Baker in 1928. It is now known Thomas Ritson died from appendicitis 3 months after marriage leaving her a teenage widow.Sis' first son, Walter J "Sonny" Baker, was supposedly named after Jesse and his uncle Walter L — was born in 1925. What is confusing is Walter is listed in the 1930 census as Walter Callahan and being a "son, former" to James C Baker. The current working theory is:
- The census taker should have written step-son
- Thomas Ritson died (since confirmed)
- Walter J was born out of wedlock to a Mr.Callahan (since confirmed by a birth certificate)
We do know that times were tough during the depression and James Baker moved the family back to his home near Fayetteville, Pennsylvania where he returned to the family trade of coal miner. Walter L and family would visit his sister "Sis" there often.
Daughter Ruth
TBDSon Walter Leroy
The oldest child and only son, see the Harr Suhovic page for more about Walter L. Needless to say, he was left the "man in charge" when Jesse left. This caused Walter to leave middle school and get a job to support his mother and sisters. He was a basketball phenom who was expected to make this a profession already at the young age. He would never forgive his father for abandoning the family and ruining his chances at athletic success. Of course, professional players at the time were not like today. But this gives some hint as to why later the support for his sons, especially the middle one Walter, in professional sports would come about.Walter married Agnes Suhovic first in a civil ceremony and then in a church ceremony before mother Sadie died of cancer. He would be the father figure till death of his two younger sisters as well as later on with his two half-sisters from his father Jesse's new wife Gladys. Many family lore stories came from comments made on the few times Walter's kids would see their grandfather Jesse. Walter L suggested that nothing was to be believed out of Jesse. But much of the lore remembered by the grandkids has proven true. But it was a rift between father and son that would never heal before both men were in the grave.