May 7

Sarah Ellen Tamsett Smith was born 07 May 1888

I don't have a picture of Sarah Ellen Tamsett Smith. But I have pictures of her parents and siblings.

The Tamsett family is intertwined with the Carter/Arnold families in several ways.

PHOTOS: Jackson and Sarah Tamsett, parents of Albert, Amy, Sarah Ellen, and Jessie.

PHOTO: Albert Tamsett

PHOTO: Amy Lorene Tamsett

PHOTO: Jessie Tamsett

Josephine Tamsett (sister of Jackson Tamsett) married George Bullard in 1879.

PHOTO: George and Josephine Tamsett Bullard with their daughter Leona.

George Bullard and his sister Peggy raised their nephew, John Henry Arnold (my great-great-grandfather), so they were more or less considered to be his parents. (He was the son of their sister Emma Bullard Arnold.)

Amy Tamsett married John Martin Carter in 1903. 

John was the brother of my great-great-grandmother Adaline Carter Arnold.

PHOTO: John and Amy Tamsett Carter

Jessie Tamsett married George Ned Arnold in 1910. 

George was the brother of my great-grandmother Annie Arnold Hicks.

PHOTO: Ulysses and Annie Arnold Hicks (my great-grandparents), George and Jessie Tamsett Arnold.

 This photo was taken in 1910 -- the year both couples were married. 

There is one more connection between the Tamsett family and our Carter/Arnold families:

PHOTO: Sarah Tamsett (mother of Albert, Amy, Sarah Ellen, and Jessie)

Sarah Tamsett was the midwife who attended the birth of my grandmother Cleffie Lorene Hicks (Burford) in 1917. Here is what Cleffie wrote about it:

The Night I Was Born

 

    I have heard my mother tell about the incidents surrounding my birth on August 8th, 1917.  I was born about two o’clock that morning.    

    It was during “World War One” and my father had been notified that he must come to Heber Springs and take his examination for the military service, along with a lot of other men, of course.  We lived at Banner, and it was twenty-five miles to Heber Springs.  Papa walked every step of the way there and back.  He was gone three or four days at least. He was really dreading the examination and was hoping he wouldn’t pass it.  In fact, he was hoping so much that he wouldn’t pass that he drank several cups of coffee, “strong coffee”, just before time for it. I guess that did the trick because he didn’t pass the exam.  He said his heart was really pounding and acting up from the coffee. He had a weak heart anyway and that just made it show up. He arrived home around midnight on the aforementioned night, so tired he was almost dead on his feet.  Mama knew I was going to arrive that night, too, but she didn’t have the heart to tell him right at that time.  She wanted him to get a little sleep and rest first.  He did go to sleep for maybe a couple of hours. But it wasn’t very long till she had to get him up to go tell the mid-wife to come, and then go for the doctor. He rode a horse this time because he knew he was coming back.  It was fifteen miles to the doctor, who lived at Jamestown.  He was the nearest doctor there was in that part of the country. Sometimes after a big rain the creek would rise so much it would be impossible to get across but I guess it wasn’t up this time because they made it. However, it took them a little too long and I beat them there. The midwife had delivered me and I was there to greet them when they came in. My mother had waited too long to send for the doctor and, really, as it turned out, she didn’t need him. But I’m sure she felt better that he came anyway. Mrs. Tamsett was the mid-wife. She was Aunt Jessie Arnold’s mother. Also Aunt Amy Carter’s mother.