Sarah Hendricks was born on 25. Oct. 1829 at Simpson County, Kentucky. She was the daughter of
Samuel Hendricks and
Rebecca Dorris. Sarah Hendricks married
John Wattis, son of
Edmund Wattis and
Susan (Unknown), on 21. Feb. 1848 at Utah. Sarah Hendricks married
Peyton R. Lunsford, son of
P. J. Lunsford, on 4. Jul. 1860 at Webster Parish, Louisiana. Sarah Hendricks died on 27. Dec. 1906 at age 77. After Sarah's mother died, her father, heartbroken, moved his family to Louisiana. Sarah and two of her sisters, Elizabeth and Tabitha, were taken to Illinois to go to school. While there, they joined the Mormons and made the long arduous trek to Salt Lake City. (See notes for Elizabeth D1103009).
On the trek to Salt Lake City, Sarah met John WATTIS, an Englishman, who, with his brother Edward, was also making the pilgrimage; this group arrived 5 Oct
1847 according to the history of her sister, Tabitha (D110311). While living in Salt Lake, thinking she was wanted for a plural wife and not believing in
polygamy, she packed her possessions one midnight and slipped away with John Wattis, being married in Utah, 21 Feb 1848, then journeying on to Missouri.
There she bore one son and two daughters. She lost one of her daughters in 1851 and in 1854 her husband John passed away.
On September 16, 1854, Sarah with her two small children took a boat at St. Louis, going down the Mississippi River to the mouth of Red River, up Red River
to the vicinity of Shreveport, then overland to the home of her father in Claiborne Parish. On this boat trip Sarah lost her second little girl.
Sarah married Peyton R. LUNSFORD and bore him four children. Sarah and Peyton bought a 160 acre farm in Webster parish, and here her children grew up,
playing and working on the farm, hunting wild game found in abundance within sight of the house. At dusk the children were called into the house, the doors
locked and bolted against wolves which howled and prowled around the house.Her children went to school about three miles from their home, walking there
and back regardless of the weather.
When Sarah's husband Peyton died in 1878, Raleigh, being the oldest son, assumed the responsibility of the farm and kept things going until his brothers and sisters grew up and married.