Sarah Ann Ford, wife of David Mattox

I was over at New Salem Cemetery in southern Itawamba County a couple of weeks ago and photographed this gravemarker for Sarah Ann, wife of David Mattox. Why I even photographed this marker, I do not know. There were certainly many other markers in the cemetery. What I didn't know until tonight is that Sarah Ann was the daughter of George Ford and Nancy Middleton and the sister of Mary C. Ford, my great-great-great grandmother. Another sister was Annalizer Ford, namesake for my great-great grandmother Annalizer Morrow Davis.

Sarah Ann Ford was born November 2, 1819 in Tennessee, probably Lincoln County. She was married to David Mattox who was born April 1815 in Chatham County, North Carolina. There are several Mattox family graves in the New Salem Cemetery.

Mary, who was the baby of thirteen children, married John Morrow on August 24, 1856 in Itawamba County. John's first wife, Denicey Spencer, died an early death and John married young Mary Ford who was living nearby. Mary was sixteen years younger than her husband John. When she died in December 1924, Mary was the last sibling left. Both she and John are buried in Maxey Cemetery near Tilden.

The Ford family moved to Itawamba from Lincoln County, Tennessee. In addition to Sarah, Mary and Annalizer, George and Nancy Ford had the following children: Jennet, Richard Barnard, Thomas Middleton, Charles M., George M., William H., Nancy L., Tabitha Elizabeth, John W., and Daniel N. Ford. George and Nancy are supposedly buried at Union Grove Cemetery at Tilden - looks like I'm going to have to make another trip down Highway 25 to get a photograph of their grave.

1850 Census
Itawamba County, Mississippi
Eastern division - District 7
George Ford 54 VA farmer $1000
Nancy 54 SC
George 22 TN teacher
William 21 TN farmer
Eliza 20 MS
Nancy 18 TN
Tabitha 16 TN
John 15 TN farmer
Daniel 13 TN
Mary 11 TN