My Present Past
A genealogical experience
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Sarah Ann Nichols



    Married 3: Edward Scott Ingham born: December 21, 1866 in York, Carroll, Illinois
    died: January 25, 1942 in Burbank, Los Angeles, California
    burial: Grand View Memorial Park Glendale, Los Angeles, California
    Date of Marriage: October 07, 1929 in Glendale, Los Angeles, California

    Children:
    1) Edward Joseph  born: September 27, 1881 in Burlington, Des Moines, Iowa
                                   died: May 11, 1973 in Mayer, Yavapai, Arizona
    Married 1: Sadie Lucerne May on September 27, 1904
    Married 2: Katherine R. Litchfield on
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 at the home of her
parents, William and Elizabeth Nichols in Burlington, Iowa.
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 1905, however the marriage
lasted only six years and they were divorced in 1911. She moved back to Los Angeles California in 1915 and
according to the 1917 Los Angeles City Directory, Sarah Ann was living with her mother, Elizabeth at 230 San
Fernando Blvd and working as a waitress
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