My Present Past
A genealogical experience
Click on an image to view full size
Sarah Ann Nichols
    Born: April 16, 1860 in Adelaide, Middlesex, Canada West
    Died:

    Father: William Irving Nichols  born: June 06, 1836  died: April 29, 1901
    Mother: Elizabeth Root  born: March 02 1841  died: 1928

    Married 1: Joseph Edward Gurney born: April 12, 1854 in Hereford, Herefordshire, England
    died: November 08, 1903 in Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, California
    burial: Angelus Rosedale Cemetery Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, California
    Date of Marriage: March 01, 1881  Place of Marriage: Burlington, Des Moines County, Iowa
    Married 2: Stephen W. Gooding  born: 1855 in Ottawa, LaSalle County, Illinois

    Children:
    1) Edward Joseph  born: September 27, 1881 in Burlington, Des Moines County, Iowa
                                   died: May 11, 1973 in Mayer, Yavapai County, Arizona
    Married 1: Sadie L. May on September 27, 1904
    Married 2: Katherine R. Litchfield on
1870 Census Sarah Ann Nichols
1880 Census Sarah Ann Nichols
Sarah Ann Nichols arrived in Burlington, Iowa with her parents, William and Elizabeth Nichols from Sangamon
County, Illinois around 1868. Sarah's father, William was a carpenter by trade building anything from carriages
to buildings. Working in the same trade with William in 1880 was another carpenter, Joseph E. Gurney, who was
living with his mother and step father, Thomas and Fannie Arrowsmith in Burlington. The Arrowsmith family had
immigrated to the United States around 1875 from England. Thomas Arrowsmith had married Fannie after
Joseph's father, Edward Gurney had died in late 1860.

Joseph constructed wagons as a carpenter and saw a potential by using these wagons to deliver goods to people
who would normally come to town. In 1876 he started this new business as a peddler of goods or more known as a
traveling salesman. Business was so good that he opened the Bonanza Department Stores at 421 Jefferson and
214 North 5th Street in 1880.

In 1878 Joseph and Sarah became acquainted and on March 01, 1881 they were married in Burlington.
On September 27, 1881 a son Edward Joseph was born. Seven years after Edward was born Joseph E. Gurney
was naturalized as a United States citizen on October 25, 1888 in Burlington.

With his business thriving, Joseph was looking for new avenues and in 1892 he travelled to the Land of Empire,
California. In 1894 he and his family moved to Los Angeles, California and opened the Gurney Grocers at 524 E
4th Street. The business was doing so well that Joseph retired in 1898, however his retirement was short lived
as he passed away on November 08 1903.

After Joseph's death Sarah met Stephen W. Gooding and they were married in 1909 or 1910. According to the
1917 Los Angeles City Directory, Sarah Ann was living at 230 San Fernando Blvd and was the widow of Stephen
W. Gooding. Sarah's mother, Elizabeth was also living with Sarah before and after Stephen's death.
Left:

Sarah Nichols

Burlington, Iowa

June 08, 1879

From the guestbook of Sadie Nichols Engel
Right:

Joseph E. Gurney

Burlington, Iowa

June 08, 1879

From the guestbook of Sadie Nichols Engel