The Family Bible of William Lett and Sarah Meredith Lett of St. Francois County, Missouri

Introduction

A Lett Family Bible with a publication date of 1881 - including birth, marriage, and death records - came to my attention and spurred extensive research on the immediate family that owned the Bible. I have been working on the family history of my fifth great grandfather George Sargent, who first appeared in Frederick County, Maryland ca 1776 when he was shown in a revolutionary war unit there. Adjoining pages detail the search for his ancestry, his immediate family, and his descendants. His youngest daughter, Hannah Sargent, was born ca 1800 in Frederick County, Maryland, moved with the rest of the family from Maryland to Knox County, Ohio ca 1815, and on December 28, 1820, married Henry Lett in Knox County - he also of a family that had also recently moved from Frederick County, Maryland.

The first child of Henry and Hannah Lett, William R. Lett, was born on August 14, 1821 in Knox County. By 1850, William was shown in St. Francois County, Missouri. He married Sarah Ann Meredith - born in Richland County, Ohio, the daughter of Israel Meredith and Rachel Zolman - on July 3, 1850 in St. Francois County, Missouri. William and Sarah Ann had twelve known children. They both lived out their lives and died in St. Francois County, Missouri - William on August 27, 1887 and Sarah Ann on June 6, 1911.

In researching these families, I found an ancestry.com public member tree that had William R. Lett and Sarah Ann Meredith Lett - posted by Mary "Eileen" Connolly Romney. In late 2017, I wrote her, and got the following response: “John, It is nice to meet someone interested in the Lett family. I have no blood relationship with this family. The family lived in Farmington, MO about an hour and 30 minutes from St. Louis, MO, where I live. On my birthday over 20 years ago I asked my husband to take me to this used bookstore downtown which had books floor to ceiling and many on the floor. I finally purchased two books-one an old Irish book and the other a book which contained information on the Lett family from Farmington. For the last five years I have been trying to find a direct descendant of William and Sarah to see if he or she would be interested in the book. This family has very few living descendants. I made the tree to help me find the descendants and I have not tried to follow the Lett line further back than William.”

In the next exchange, Eileen wrote: “John, The book that I purchased in 1994 is the family bible of the William and Sarah Lett family going forward from them. If you do find a descendant of them I would appreciate having contact info on that person.”

In 2019, Eileen approached me and asked if I was interested in the Family Bible, as I was at least related to them - albeit distantly. I enthusiastically accepted - and Eileen took great pains to ship me the book safely. I was very grateful, asked for the name of a charity she favored, and made a donation to the Oberlin (Ohio) History Center in a family member’s honor.

This page will put the family records pages of that Bible into context by telling the story of William R. Lett and Sarah Ann Meredith Lett - and their families on each side. I have posted the pages from the Bible that list family milestones and which matches the research. This information is presented on this page in the following sections:

• William and Sarah (Meredith) Lett’s family

• The Lett/Sargent Family

• The Meredith/Zolman Family

• The Intermarriages between the different lines in all these families.

• Public records of William and Sarah’s family.

• The Family Records pages from the Lett family Bible and various items tucked in those pages.

Hopefully, Lett family relatives will get to this page and benefit from this information. I am grateful for the circumstances that got to this point - and part of doing long-term genealogical research is giving back. I want to make sure the family information in this Bible is in the public domain, and share my research about the Lett and Meredith families to put the Bible records into context.

William R. Lett and Sarah (Meredith) Lett-Their Lives and Family Histories

William Randolf Lett, a son of Henry Lett and Hannah Sargent, is listed below in Henry’s 1864 Knox County probate. He is shown in the family records portion of the bible below to have been born on August 14, 1821 in Knox County Ohio and died on August 27, 1887 in St. Francois County, Missouri. He married Sarah Ann Meredith, the daughter of Israel Meredith and Rachel Zolman, on July 3, 1850 in St. Francois County. Sarah Ann was also shown in the Bible records, born on February 9, 1833 in Richland County, Ohio and died on June 6, 1911 in St. Francois County, Missouri.

William Randolf and Sarah Ann had twelve children, as described in the family Bible as well as in other sources: 1) George Sylvester Lett, born February 9, 1852 in Farmington, St. Francois County, Missouri and died June 3, 1921 in East St. Louis, St. Clair County, Illinois; married on February 26, 1872 in Farmington, St. Francois County, Missouri to Emma M. Brand, born May 18, 1856 and died on April 12, 1882 in Farmington, St. Francois County, Missouri; four known children; 2) William Amandes Lett, born June 9, 1855 in Farmington, St. Francois County, Missouri and died on May 19, 1856 in Farmington, St. Francois County, Missouri; 3) Columbia Alice Lett, born September 14, 1856 in Farmington, St. Francois County, Missouri and died on June 3, 1902 in Farmington, St. Francois County, Missouri; married on February 21, 1884 in St. Francois County, Missouri to Eugene Washington Burgess, born May 15, 1860 and died May 30, 1925 near Farmington, St. Francois County, Missouri; five known children; 4) Eldorado Smith Lett, born May 2, 1858 in Farmington, St. Francois County and died June 25, 1925 in Marquand, Madison County, Missouri; married Elizabeth A. Horn, born November 21, 1858 and died on November 15, 1897, five known children; 5) Mary Elizabeth Lett, born August 2, 1859 in Farmington, St. Francois County, Missouri; died August 19, 1903 in San Bernardino, California; married February 26, 1896 in San Bernardino, California to David Lehi Aldridge, born April 3, 1836 in Clay County, Missouri and died on April 19, 1916 in San Bernardino, California; no known children; 6) John Hunter Lett, born February 3, 1861 in Farmington, St. Francois County, Missouri and died February 13, 1901; married Eunice Eveline Atwood (Kirkpatrick) on April 4, 1889 in San Bernardino, California; no known children; 7) Rachel Meredith Lett, born October 29, 1862 in Farmington, St. Francois County, Missouri, and died December 8, 1892 in California; married on November 9, 1889 to John McCreary Gaines, born June 1845 in Missouri, and died January 14, 1916 in Riverside, California; one child who died in infancy;  8) Sarah Ellen Lett, born June 20, 1865 in Farmington, St. Francois County, Missouri; died October 5, 1886 in Farmington, St. Francois County, Missouri; 9) Leo Edward Lett, born October 20, 1866 in Farmington, St. Francois County, Missouri, and died June 7, 1936 in Canteen, St. Clair County, Illinois; married July 10,, 1898 in St. Francois County, Missouri, Ada Moyer, born December 8, 1875 in Missouri and died November 1969 in East St. Louis, Saint Clair County, Illinois; one known child; 10) Arminda Amanda Lett, born September 23, 1868 in Farmington, St. Francois County, Missouri and died July 31, 1950 in Los Angeles, California; married on April 3, 1901 in Colorado Springs, El Paso County, Colorado to Joseph W. Mills, born January 9, 1865 in London, England and died November 16, 1944 in Los Angeles, California; four known children; 11) Robert Louis Lett, born June 24, 1872 in Farmington, St. Francois County, Missouri and died September 1, 1937 in St. Francois Township, St. Francois County, Missouri, appears to have never married; and 12) Luther Phillip Lett, born April 7, 1875 in Farmington, St. Francois County, Missouri, and died January 7, 1952; married Elizabeth “Lizzie” Rosenkranz (Wood), born October 1872 in New York; no known children of their own.

The Lett/Sargent side of the Family

William was the oldest child of Henry Lett and Hannah Sargent, who were married on December 26, 1820 in Knox County, Ohio. Both Henry and Hannah were of families who had previously lived in Frederick County, Maryland, and come to Knox County ca 1815. Henry and Hannah had seven known children - William, George, Arminda, Jane, Mary, Catherine, and Alfred. Five of them are named below in Henry’s 1864 probate, and the children of Arminda Pinckney, a sixth child, are listed as well. The seventh, Jane Lett, died sometime before 1864. [NOTE: The names of the oldest five children of Henry and Hannah’s seven children repeat in the family of William Randolf Lett and Sarah Ann Meredith Lett.]

Henry Lett was born on November 14, 1791 in Frederick County, Maryland and died in 1864 in Knox County, Ohio. Hannah Sargent (also spelled Sargeant) was born about 1800, likely near Woodsboro, Frederick County, Maryland; and died between 1860 and 1864, likely in Knox County, Ohio. As stated above, they married on December 26, 1820 in Knox County, Ohio. Henry and Hannah had seven known children: 1) William Randolf Lett, born August 14, 1821 in Knox County Ohio, and whose family is the subject of this webpage and are listed in detail just above; 2) George A. Lett (quite possible named for Hannah’s father George), born abt 1823, likely in Knox County and died in 1896, likely in Phelps County, Missouri; married to Rhoda M. Hawkins, born 1837 in Missouri and died in 1922, probably in Phelps County, Missouri; one known child, died in infancy; 3) Arminda Lett, born March 27, 1827, probably in Knox County, and died June 17, 1855 in Williams County, Ohio; married on August 13, 1846 in Knox County, Ohio to Levi Pinckley, born January 25, 1823 in Knox County and died December 26, 1860 in Williams County, Ohio, two known children; 4) Jane Lett, born between 1825-1830, likely in Knox County, Ohio, and died sometime after 1850, and before 1864; 5) Mary Lett, born between 1830-1835, probably in Knox County, Ohio, and died after 1864; 6) Catherine W. Lett (quite possibly named for Hannah’s mother Catherine), born May 29, 1833, likely in Knox County, Ohio, and died September 14, 1910, likely in Illinois; married May 4, 1855 in Knox County, Ohio to Llewellyn Murrell Hartley, born May 29, 1833 in Marysville, Union County, Ohio, and died April 25, 1919 in Joliet, Will County, Ohio; nine known children; and 7) Alfred Lett, born February 2, 1841, probably in Knox County, Ohio, and died February 28, 1912, probably in Fulton County, Illinois; on April 15, 1869 in Fulton County, Illinois he married Delitha A. Derry, born January 11, 1839 in Ohio and died after 1910; they had no children.

Two documents from Henry Lett’s probate name his heirs. The first is in a legal notice on the estate that appeared in December 1864, in a Knox County newspaper not listed:

The second probate document below - also names the heirs - and states that William, and his brother George - who lived a few counties away from William in Phelps County, Missouri at the time - were not residents of the State of Ohio at the time of the probate. Interestingly, it should be noted that George A. Lett, William’s brother, was shown in St. Francois County, Missouri land records before 1850. In St. Francois County Deed Book D, page 380, there is a warranty deed from George A. Lett to Albert Carr dated October 12, 1848 and filed on October 13, 1848. This seems to indicate that George came to St. Francois County with the family group - and left for Phelps County not long after that, but before the 1850 census. It is a definitive tie between William R. Lett and George A. Lett as sons of Henry and Hannah and in Missouri.

Henry Lett does not show up by name in the 1820 census. As shown below, Henry Lett and Hannah Sargent were married in Knox County, Ohio on December 28, 1820 - some number of months after the 1820 census was taken.

Henry Lett is first shown in Knox County tax records (which were enumerated from 1816 to 1838) in 1827 personal property records in Middlebury Township, but does not show up again in Knox County tax records until 1833, after he had purchased property and is shown in land taxes. The 1827 tax record is posted below and the 1833 tax record is posted below after the 1830 census.

Henry Lett is shown in Middlebury Township, Knox County, Ohio in the 1830 census - shown below. The census listed persons enumerated alphabetically, so it is difficult to understand if the Letts lived right by other family members in that year.

This entry shows one man and one woman each between the ages of thirty and forty (Henry and Hannah); one male between the ages of ten and fifteen (unknown); two males between the ages of five and ten (William and George); and two girls under the age of five (Arminda and Jane).

There is a deed in Knox County Ohio Deed Book J p. 379-80 from Wm Fuguhar to Henry Lett, which appears to be dated in September 1832. As a result, Henry Lett then begins being shown in Knox County property tax records - with 1827 being the only prior reference to him in personal property tax records. The deed from film is of such poor quality that I am not posting it. Below is the 1833 property tax entry in Middlebury Township. Henry was shown in these records through 1836. Henry and Hannah Lett sold land in 1836 to John Garrison, as shown in Knox Co Ohio Deed Book R p. 231, which probably explains why he did not appear in tax records in the next two years, which were the last two years for which local tax records were kept for Knox County.

Below is posted the 1840 census entry for Henry Lett in Berlin Township, Knox County Ohio, showing one male and one female each between the ages of forty and fifty (Henry and Hannah); two males between the ages of twenty and thirty (unknown); two males between the ages of fifteen and twenty (William and George); two females between the ages of ten and fifteen (Arminda and Jane); one female between the ages of five and ten (Mary or Catherine); and one female under the age of five (Mary or Catherine). Henry and Hannah’s seventh known child - Alfred - was born the year after this census. There do not appear to be any surnames associated with our lines near Henry in this census. The Letts had been in various Middlebury Township records from 1827 to 1836 - and this record now places them in Berlin Township.

Posted below is the 1850 census in Berlin Township, Knox County showing Henry and family, in an entry taken on August 5, 1850.  Shown is Henry Lett, 60, Laborer, born in Maryland, Hannah, 50, born in Maryland, Jane 19, Catharine 12, and Alfred 5, all born in Ohio.  Alfred is a name that recurs through the Knox County Sargents.

Only two entries between this family and David and Julia Kinney, David being Hannah’s nephew, the son of Nathaniel Kinney and Hannah’s sister Barbara Sargent.  Two more entries later is the Phineas and Elizabeth Breese family - Elizabeth being David’s sister and Hannah Sargent Lett’s niece.

Posted below is the 1860 census in Knox County, Ohio, Berlin Township, Shalers Mills Post Office, in an undated entry, appearing to be this family, but with some inaccuracies in the entry - specifically their surname and Hannah’s age.  Shown is Henry Scott (sic), 65, a laborer born in Maryland, with Hannah 34 (sic), also born in Maryland, Alfred, 19, attended school in the last year, and Mary, 24, a domestic.  

The 1860 census entry above is the last known record with Hannah. Henry’s 1864 probate does not list her. Two documents from the probate are listed at the beginning of this section. There is a property transaction of Henry’s property in relation to his estate shown in Knox County Ohio Deed Book 54 p. 528 - Henry Lett Estate to Jacob Smith. I have not found an obituary or a burial location for Henry or Hannah.

The Meredith/Zolman side of the Family

Sarah Ann was the daughter of Israel Meredith and Rachel Zolman, married in Knox County but of families that moved into the Knox County Ohio area after living in Frederick County, Maryland. A portion of that story is contained in the obituary of Sarah Ann Lett’s mother - Rachel Zolman Meredith, provided by Zolman descendant Marc G., and likely from the Farmington Missouri newspaper shortly after Rachel’s death on May 1, 1888:

The Israel and Rachel (Zolman) Meredith Family. As shown below, Israel Meredith married Rachel Zolman in Knox County Ohio on June 19, 1827. Rachel was born September 29, 1809 in Frederick County, Maryland and died on May 1, 1888 in Farmington, St. Francois County, Missouri. Israel Meredith was born in November 1802 in Loudon County, Virginia, and died on June 27, 1838 in St. Louis, Missouri. They had five known children: 1) John Corbin, born ca 1828 in Ohio; I have not found him yet after appearing with his mother and siblings in the 1850 census - and he was clearly not alive at the time of his mother’s obituary in 1888, when he was referred to as Corbin; 2) Philip Zolman, born ca 1830 in Ohio, died December 14, 1896 in St. Louis, Missouri; married September 15, 1853 in St. Clair, Missouri to Elizabeth Perkins, born ca 1833 in Kentucky and died between 1876 and 1880; six known children; married second June 24, 1886 in St. Francois County, Missouri, to Anna M. Lanham; 3) Albina Elizabeth, born September 1831 in Knox County, Ohio, died February 15, 1901 in Farmington, St. Francois County, Missouri; married on February 12, 1854 in St. Clair, Missouri to John Hunter, born December 29, 1825 in Ireland and died on February 2, 1901 in Farmington, St. Francois County, Missouri, no known children; 4) Sarah Ann Meredith born on February 9, 1833 in Richland County, Ohio and died on June 6, 1911 in St. Francois County, Missouri. her history is shown with her husband William Lett and family above; and 5) William E., born ca 1835 in Ohio. He is shown with his mother and siblings in the 1850 census and was not alive at the time of his mother’s 1888 obituary. Some ancestry.com family trees list him as having died in Nevada, and there are census references linked to his 1850 entry in the Bates County Missouri 1860 census (William A.) and also links him to W. A. Meredith in Story County, Nevada in the 1870 census. Both of these entries show a William born ca 1835 in Ohio. These same ancestry.com entries link to William A. Meredith in the 1900 census in Montana - born in August 1835 in Ohio with his father born in Virginia and his mother in Ohio. But our William appeared to not be alive at the time of the 1888 death and obituary of his mother. I am still not conclusively sure what happened to William after the 1850 census.

Based on the above obituary and other records, Israel Meredith and Rachel Zollman were married on June 19, 1827 in Knox County Ohio, the record of which is posted below:

By the time of the 1830 census - three years after Israel and Rachel’s marriage in Knox County, they are shown in the 1830 census in Worthington, Richland County, Ohio. The entry includes one man and one woman each between the ages of twenty and thirty (Israel and Rachel) and two boys under the age of five(John Corbin and Philip). Sarah Ann Meredith, daughter of Israel and Rachel, is shown as born in 1833 in Richland County, Ohio.

Rachel Meredith of St. Francois County is shown in federal land records to have received a certificate for homestead land in Township 36, Range 6, Section 28 - in St. Francois County. The database for federal Bureau of Land Management (BLM) records shows that the actual tract book is missing. Below is the certificate from the BLM database, which states that Rachel filed at the Jackson Land Office in August 1, 1838 during the presidency of Martin Van Buren. If the tract book were not missing, we would be able to determine when she first filed, when she made different payments and for how much, and when her various neighbors filed in the same section for their property.

There are other family members who filed for land in the same area. Basil Zolman received a certificate in the same section, range, and township in 1841 during the presidency of John Tyler. Basil was the brother of Rachel Zolman (Meredith), who was Sarah Ann’s mother. William R. Lett received a certificate in the same section (shown below in the section on he and Sarah Ann) that is dated 1854. This seems to confirm that many family members were in this same area during this period.

I have yet to find Rachel Meredith in the 1840 census - although I am sure she was living in St. Francois County at the time.

Below is her entry in the 1850 census. She is shown in District No. 80 in St. Francois County, Missouri, taken on Septmber 23, 1850. Rachel Meredith is shown as 39, property valued at $250, born in Maryland. Four out of her five children are listed just below her, all single, all born in Ohio and the oldest two listed as “farmer”: John C., 22; Philip, 20; Albina E., 18; and William A., 15. The youngest three children were shown in school in the last year. Right below were William R. Lett, 28, a carpenter and Sarah A. Lett, 18, both born in Ohio, Sarah A. being the fifth child of Rachel, and meaning all five children of Rachel were shown here.

Rachel is shown with W. R. Lett and family are shown in the 1860 census in post office Farmington, “Exclusive of Liberty Township”, St. Francois County, Missouri in an entry taken on September 1, 1860 - which is posted below in the section on William and Sarah Ann.  Shown with them in this year was Rachel Meredith, 51, property valued at $1200, born in Maryland.

Rachel is shown in the 1870 census in post office Farmington, St. Francois County, Missouri in an entry taken on the 15th of an unlisted month in 1870. She is shown with her daughter Albina and son-in-law John Hunter, as Rachel Meredith, 60, “at home”, born in Maryland. Interestingly, the box is checked as “father of foreign birth”.

Below is the 1876 Missouri State Census, from Township 36 in St. Francois County. Rachel Meredith is shown on this page - and it is a few pages before the census location of various family members in St. Francois Township of St. Francois County.

Below is an entry from the 1880 census, enumerated in an enumeration district from St. Francois County that contains Philip Meredith - the second oldest son of Rachel, and taken on June 19, 1880. Rachel is shown in this entry as 70, mother, widowed, keeps house, born in Maryland with her father born in Maryland and no birth state listed for her mother. This is the only census in which Rachel appeared that listed the birth states of parents.

Rachel Meredith is buried in Glenda Cemetery in Farmington, St. Francois County, Missouri - where many members of her extended family are buried. Her obituary is posted near the beginning of this web page. A photo of her tombstone is posted above. There is an inscription from her daughter Albina on the tombstone, and one from her daughter Sarah below the tombstone. The tombstone confirms her birth date of September 29, 1809 (in Maryland) and her death date of May 1, 1888. The letters of Administration on Rachel’s probate - from St. Francois County - is posted below.

Many of the Families on both the Sargent/Lett and Meredith/Zolman Sides Intermarried and lived by each other in Ohio and Missouri

Hannah Sargent (Lett) was the youngest child of George and Catherine Sargent. Her oldest sister Barbara was the wife of Nathaniel Kinney - my fourth great grandparents. Their son David Kinney, my third great grandfather, was the first cousin of William. Because Barbara was almost two decades older than Hannah, David was almost two decades older than his cousin William Lett. David and his family are shown on this webpage in the 1850 census - just a few entries from his aunt and uncle Henry and Hannah Lett.

Sarah Ann Meredith (Lett) was the daughter of Rachel Zolman, who was the daughter of Philip Zolman and Elizabeth McDaniel. Rachel Zolman (Meredith)’s brother Basil - who also settled in St. Francois County as part of the cohort who moved there from Ohio - was married to Mary “Polly” Kirby.

Barbara and Hannah Sargent (Lett)’s sister Nancy married William Kirby. George W. Kinney, son of Nathaniel and Barbara, married Susannah Zolman in Knox County in 1835. William Kinney, youngest son of Nathaniel and Barbara, married Sarah McDaniel in 1849.

These were among the many connections between the families of William and Sarah Ann - from Frederick County, Maryland to the Knox County, Ohio area, and for many of them, on to St. Francois County, Missouri. Both the Letts and the Merediths were part of families - Kinney, Sargent, Zolman, Kirby, and McDaniels - that intermarried in Knox County.

William and Sarah Lett in Public Records

Sarah Ann Meredith is shown as marrying William T. Lett on July 3, 1850 in St. Francois County, Missouri. This was the first known listing for either of them in public records.

William R. Lett is shown in federal land records to have received a certificate for homestead land in Township 36, Range 6, Section 28 - in St. Francois County. However, the database for federal Bureau of Land Management (BLM) records shows that the actual tract book is missing. Below is the certificate from the BLM database, which states that William filed at the Jackson Land Office in November 1854 during the presidency of Franklin Pierce. If the tract book were not missing, we would be able to determine when he first filed, when he made different payments and for how much, and when his various neighbors filed in the same section for their property.

Other family members filed for land in the same area. Basil Zolman received a certificate in the same section, range, and township in 1841. Basil was the brother of Rachel Zolman (Meredith), Sarah Ann’s mother. Rachel Zolman (Meredith) had a certificate in the same section in 1838, which is shown above in the section about her.

Wm. R. and Sarah A. Lett was shown in the 1850 census in District No. 80, St. Francois County, Missouri in an entry taken on September 23, 1850 - two and a half months after they were married.  Shown are Wm. R. Lett, 28, carpenter, born in Ohio with Sarah A., 18, no occupation listed, born in Ohio – both of them listed as married in the past year.  They are in the entry with Sarah’s mother Rachel Meredith and Sarah Ann’s four siblings. This census entry is also posted above in the section on Rachel Meredith.

W. R. Lett and family are shown in the 1860 census - posted below - in post office Farmington, “Exclusive of Liberty Township”, St. Francois County, Missouri in an entry taken on September 1, 1860.  Shown is W. R. Lett, 38 (?), farmer, property valued at $3200/$1,000, born in Ohio; with Sarah A., 26, born in Ohio; and four children, the oldest shown in school the past year, all born in Missouri – George S., 8; Columbia A., 4 (female); Eldorado S., 2 (male); and Mary E., ten months.  Also in the entry was Sarah Ann’s mother Rachel Meredith, 51, property valued at $1200, born in Maryland.

There is a civil war draft registration - posted below - for the third district of Missouri, with the database date listed as 1863-65, which contains William R. Lett.  He is shown as a resident of St. Francois County and Township, 42, a farmer, born in Ohio.  Given the age listed, that would put the date of this registration in 1863-1864.

William and family were shown in the 1870 census in post office Farmington, St. Francois Township, St. Francois County, Missouri in an entry taken on August 16, 1870, and posted below.  Shown is William R. Lett, 48, farmer, property valued at $2500/$1375, born in Ohio; with Sarah A., 37, keeping house, also born in Ohio; and nine children, the oldest four shown as in school the past year, and all nine born in Missouri – George S., 18, farm laborer; Columbia A., 13, attending school; Elzado (sic - Eldorado). S., 12, attending school; Mary E., 11, attending school; John H., 9; Rachael (sic) M., 8; Sarah E., 5; Leo E., 4; and Araminta (sic), 1.  This is the last entry on this census page, and about three entries into the next page are two families of Zolman’s, the older head of household born in Maryland and the younger one in Ohio.

William is shown with Sarah and ten children in St. Francois County in the 1876 Missouri state census, posted below. Of their twelve children, William died in infancy and George was out of the household this year - with the remaining ten children shown in this entry.

William and family are shown below in the 1880 census on Broadwell Street in the City of Fredonia, Wilson County, Kansas in an entry taken on June 2, 1880.  Shown is William R. Lett, 58, carpenter, born in Ohio with both his parents born in Maryland; with Sarah A., 47, wife, keeping house, born in Ohio with both her parents born in Ohio; and ten children, all single, all born in Missouri with both their parents born in Ohio – Columba, daughter, 23, no occupation, shown with lung “feaver”; Eldorado S., 22, son, laborer; Mary S., 20, daughter, no occupation; John H., son, farmer, and under the category of sickness is “Philtrice or Phltics or Thlspics” (I can’t make it out clearly); Rachal M., 18, daughter, no occupation; Sarah E., 15, daughter, no occupation; Leo E., 13, son; Armindia (sic) A., 11, daughter; Robert L., 8, son; and Luther P., 5, son.

I still will check for records of this period in Fredonia in the future - but there is no reference to William in the 1881 Wilson County atlas. There are business people listed for Fredonia in that publication - but no listing of individual residents that year.

William Randolf Lett is shown in the Find-A-Grave database as buried in Glenda Cemetery, Farmington, St. Francois County, Missouri born on August 14, 1821 in Knox County, Ohio and died on August 27, 1887 in St. Francois County, Missouri.  Sarah Ann Meredith Lett is also shown in the Find-A-Grave database, born on February 9, 1833 in Fredericktown, Knox County, Ohio [her obituary below states Richland County, as do the Bible records posted below]; and died on June 6, 1911 in St. Francois County, Missouri; and is buried in the same Glenda Cemetery in Farmington, St. Francois County, Missouri. This is the cemetery where many family members - including Sarah Ann’s mother Rachel Meredith - are buried. 

The Find-A-Grave entry also includes: “Wife of William R. Lett. Daughter of Israel and Rachel (nee Zolman) Meredith originally from Knox County, Ohio. See mother's headstone picture for quote from Sara Ann Lett. Husband of Sarah Ann {Meredith} Lett. According to their son Leo E. Lett's obituary, besides Leo along with sons George S. & William A. and daughter Rachel Lett Gaines mentioned below, they also had a sons John Hunter Lett of San Bernardino, California, Luther P. Lett of St. Louis & Robert L. Lett of Farmington, Missouri. William R. & Sarah Ann Lett also had a daughter, Mrs. Minta (JW) Mills of Long Beach, CA. See sons' obituaries at web-links Leo Lett's obit and Robert Lett's obit.” [The links to these two obituaries are broken.]  She is linked to her mother in Find-A-Grave – Rachel Zolman Meredith, born September 29, 1809 in Frederick County, Maryland and died on May 1, 1888 in Farmington, St. Francois County, Missouri.  She is also buried in Glenda Cemetery in Farmington, St. Francois County, Missouri.  Also linked to her and William were six children: George Sylvester Lett (1852-1921); William A. Lett (1855-1856); Eldorado Smith Lett (1858-1925); John Henry Lett (1861-1901); Rachel M. Lett Gaines (1862-1892); and Robert Louis Lett (1872-1937).

Wm. R. Lett is shown in the St. Francois, Missouri probate index as being in Box (or Drawer) #16.  The index is online at the St. Francois County GenWeb page.

Sarah is shown in St. Francois Township and County Missouri in the 1900 census, in an entry taken on June 20, 1900 and posted below.  Shown is Sarah Lett, 67, head, widowed, a farmer born in February 1833 in Ohio with her father born in Ohio and her mother in Maryland, she is shown having had twelve children with ten alive in 1900. With her in the entry are Robt., son, 26, single, a farmer born in June 1873 in Missouri with both his parents born in Ohio; Stella, granddaughter, 21, single, born in February 1879 in Missouri with both her parents born in Missouri; and Harry A., grandson, 18, single, at school, born in April 1882 in Missouri with both his parents born in Missouri.

Sarah Lett is shown in St. Francois Township and County, Missouri in an entry taken on April 29, 1910, posted below.  Shown is Robert Lett, head, 38, single, a farmer on a general farm born in Missouri with both his parents born in Ohio; and Sarah, mother, 77, widowed, “own income” as occupation, born in Ohio with both her parents born in the “United States”.  The lines for children had, and children alive in 1910 are left blank for Sarah.

There is an obituary for Sarah Ann Lett in the Farmington Times of June 8, 1911, which is transcribed just following and posted below: “DEATH OF MRS. LETT.  Mrs. Sarah Ann Lett (nee Meredith) died at her home 2 ½ miles northeast of Farmington, in the Colony neighborhood, Wednesday morning, June 7, 1911, aged 78 years, 2 months and 28 days.  Mrs. Lett was born in Richland county, Ohio February 9, 1833, and came to St. Francois county when four years old, her father dying in St. Louis before reaching here.  She was married to William Randolph Lett July 4, 1850, her husband dying in 1887.  She was the mother of twelve children, six of whom survive her.  They are George S. Lett of Oklahoma City, Okla., E. S. Lett of Marquand, Ms., Leo E. Lett of Flat River, Mrs. J. W. Mills of Long Branch (sic), California, Robert L. Lett and Luther P. Lett of Farmington.  Mrs. Lett was a member of the United Baptist Church, having united by baptism with the Colony congregation in 1882.  The greater part of her life was spent in that neighborhood, where she was much esteemed and loved by all who knew her. Funeral takes place this afternoon at two o’clock at the residence.  Interment at Colony cemetery.”

A second brief obituary appeared in the Bloomfield (Missouri) Vindicator of Friday, June 16, 1911, was posted below.

There is a death certificate for Sarah Ann Lett, showing she died on June 6, 1911 at 78 years, 3 months, and 28 days;  in St. Francois County, Missouri, female, white, widow, born on February 9, 1833 in Richland County, Ohio; name of father Ezrial Meredith, born in Richland County; mother Rachel Zolman, born in Richland County; the informant was Luther P. Lett of Farmington, Missouri; she was buried in Colony Cemetery. The Find-A-Grave reference to Sarah Ann is shown above with her husband - her tombstone is shown below.

Some Random References to William and Sarah’s Children. There is an obituary for George Sylvester Lett in the Farmington Times of June 10, 1921: “GEORGE SYLVESTER LETT.  George Sylvester Lett was born in St. Francois county Feb. 9, 1852, and died in St. Louis June 3rd, 1921, being 69 years, 3 months, and 24 days old.  He leaves to mourn his loss, one son, Fred Lett of Oklahoma; four brothers, one sister, and one grandson.

Funeral services were held Saturday afternoon, Rev. J. J. Schuler officiating.  He was laid to rest in Glendy (sic) cemetery.”

There is a death notice in the St. Louis Post Dispatch of June 10, 1936 for “East St. Louis.  Leo Lett, 69, 1254 N. Forty-eighth”.

There is also a reference to Eldorado Lett in the publication Historical Madison County 1818-1989 that was published by The Heritage and Landmarks Commission and The Madison County Historical Society.  It is about the history of Marquand Missouri: “By the turn of the century, Marquand was flourishing. The railroad allowed for the export of iron ore, wheat, and as many as one hundred and sixty carloads of timber a week. By this time Marquand had a post office, the first roller mill in Southeast Missouri, and a newspaper, The Marquand Echo printed by T. J. Estes. In 1906, the town of Marquand was officially organized with a town board. The first board of trustees consisted of H. E. Homan, G. M. Watts, J. Q. D. Whitener, J. P. Smith, and E. S. Lett.”

Additionally: “The Castor River was one of the largest attractions to early settlers, but it also caused problems. It was impossible to ford during periods of high water. In 1919, the Marquand citizens raised a fund by public subscription and erected a footbridge just north of the ford at the lower end of town. The bridge was suspended by wire cables anchored on opposite banks of the river. The bridge served for many years, but the advent of the automobile intensified the need for something better. Attempts were made to build bridges that would support a car or wagon and team, but when the river would rise, these bridges would be washed away. During the early months of 1923 there was a period of about six weeks when the river was seldom safe to cross by wagon. There was much talk about the need of a substantial bridge.

Mr. E. S. Lett set out with a subscription list to see how much money could be raised toward the construction of such a bridge. His original goal was $2,000, but the citizens responded so enthusiastically that he concluded that $4,000 could be obtained, and that the Missouri State Highway Department could be persuaded to construct the bridge. The goal of $4,000 was reached and the bridge was built in 1924. Mr. Lett died in 1925. A bronze plate, honoring his memory, was affixed to the bridge. Mr. Lett's bridge spanned the Castor for over half a century, but in 1987, preliminary work had begun for the construction of a new bridge to serve the town.” This was found at this site.

The Pages and Items from the William and Sarah Lett Family Bible

Posted below are all the pages of the family records pages of the Bible, plus a few items that were tucked into the pages of the Bible. The information matches the research posted above.

Above is a photo of the Bible on my dining room table.

Above is the full cover page of the New Testament part of the Bible containing the Lett family records. The top part of this image is the header of this webpage. The full page indicates that the Bible is dated 1881. That is six years before William R. Lett died, and thirty years before Sarah A. Lett died. Evidence points to this Bible originally being William and Sarah’s, but that is not certain. The family information listed is of William and Sarah and their twelve children - and the only information about children of the next generation is of those children of George S. Lett and Emma Lett - indicating that this family might be who the Bible was passed to, and that it was originally Sarah Lett’s. The last date of a recorded family event was 1952, indicating the Bible records section was maintained until that year.

The Bible contains four family records pages, a few pages tucked in with additional records, a few clippings, pressed flowers, two locks of hair, and one civil war reunion ribbon - most of which are posted below. The four family records pages are posted first:

The first family records page is shown above - and contains marriages, listing those of William and Sarah and their oldest son George. One published record lists the location of William and Sarah’s marriage as St. Clair, Missouri. This Bible record, and an online Missouri database, list the location as St. Francois County.

The second family records page is shown above, and lists births. Listed are the birth information for William and Sarah, and their oldest six children.

The third family records page is shown above, and is a second page of birth records. Listed are the second set of six children of William and Sarah - bringing the total to twelve. Also listed are the births of four children of George and Emma Lett.

The fourth family records page is shown above, and lists death records. William R. Lett’s death record is listed, along with children of he and Sarah, and children of George and Emma Lett.

Then, as the space on these spaces was exhausted, there were pages with further records tucked into the Bible. Those pages are below. One of them had a page stapled or inserted over it.

The page above is the first of the pages tucked into the family records pages. It continues the recording of family deaths, and lists Sarah Lett and the deaths of six of her children. The listing of Luther Lett’s 1952 death - also listed on one of the sheets just below - is the latest date of any family record in this Bible, indicating that these records were updated through 1952.

The page above is the second of the pages tucked into the family records pages. The page above lists the birth, marriage, and death information of William R. Lett.

The page above is the third of the pages tucked into the family records pages, and again lists the information about William R. Lett. It states again that he was the father of twelve children.

The page above is the fourth of the pages tucked into the family records pages, and lists the death of Sarah (Meredith) Lett and five of her children. This is the second reference to Luther Lett’s 1952 death, the latest recorded date of any of these family events.

Also tucked into the Bible’s pages was the above ribbon - indicating a “Soldier’s Reunion” in Havana, with the reunion dates listed as September 15 and 16, 1885. This is an amazing memento. This was in Illinois, and Eileen indicated that it was a reunion of the 85th Illlinois Infantry. I have yet to connect this civil war unit or the reunion to any family member. I had hoped the listing of the extended family of William R. and Sarah Lett would lead to the connection. I am still hoping to find a list of this unit - or maybe even a newspaper account of the reunion - which might give a hint to that connection.

Pressed into the pages of the Lett Family Bible was the above newspaper clipping. It mentions the presidential election between McKinley and Bryan. They ran against each other in 1896 and 1900 - but Thursday, November 8 was in 1900 - so that’s when this clipping was from. The newspaper appears to be from Farmington, in St. Francois County, Missouri.

Two of the more interesting items tucked into the pages of the Lett family bible were two different locks of hair - placed in plastic covers, probably by Eileen. If we can find a descendant, it is possible they can use DNA to try to place the persons from whom the hair came.

This obituary was tucked into the Lett family Bible pages. Above in the family records section, there is a listing for Rachel Lett Gains, daughter of William and Sarah, who died on December 8, 1892. Because the obituary mentions her body being “brought home”, and a date for the funeral, indicates that this was likely from the Farmington newspaper listed above.

Also tucked into the pages of the Lett family Bible were many pressed flowers. They were placed in plastic sleeves, probably by Eileen, and one of them is posted above.

That is the story of William R. Lett and Sarah (Meredith) Lett. I hope the research of each of their families - and their children - puts the records of the Family Bible into context. I hope family members find this research useful. As always, given such extensive detailed information I welcome any additions or corrections.

John Laird - March 2022