My Present Past |
A genealogical experience |
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Sarah Ann Nichols |
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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 |