William Thomas and Juda Frances Lee’s daughter

Sabitha Annie Hardee

In 1865 William Thomas Hardee was serving in the Civil war. He was captured near Petersburg on March 25 and became a prisoner of war on March 27, 1865. When Sabitha was born on April 12, 1865 her father was a prisoner of war at Point Lookout, Maryland. William was released on June 13, 1865.

Her mother Juda Frances was alone at the family homestead in Coosa County, Alabama with six other children ranging in ages of 3-9 years old. I can only hope she had family around to help her, because I couldn’t image running a farm and raising seven children by myself.

Between 1869 and 1870 the family of 11 moved from Coosa County, Alabama to Van Zandt County, Texas. Sabitha would have been about five years old when they took the 600-mile journey overland.

In 1870 the family is living next door to Williams widowed mother, Tabitha. I have often wondered if this was the reason they moved to Texas.

On August 27, 1884 Sabitha marries James Rufus Mayfield in Parker County, Texas. They live in Wise County, Texas according to the 1900 census and she has had five children but only two are living. There children are Annie born Dec 1889 and Josie born March 1892.

They move to Delaware Township, Caddo County, Oklahoma and are listed on the 1910 census as renting a farm. Their son James Booth born November 1900 is the only child in the household. Her widowed younger brother, John Perry Hardee lives with them.

In 1920 they are still farming in Caddo County, Oklahoma and their son and his wife, Ila live with them.

Their daughter Josie Mayfield Anderson dies June 11, 1920 at the age of 28. In the 1930 census their 21-year-old granddaughter, Anna E. Anderson lives with them.  I would guess they took her in to raise her as her father died in 1925. Also, in the household is Sabitha’s older widowed sister Sarah Jane “Sally” Pully. They are all now living in Chickasha, Grady County, Oklahoma.

James Mayfield dies in 1937 and in 1940 Sabitha listed as Anna is living with her daughter and son-in-law Annie and Casper Meetings in Ninnekah, Grady County, Oklahoma.  Also living in the household is Sabitha’s brother-in-law Fred Taylor. Fred had been married to her sister Lucinda “Cindy” Hardee Taylor.

Sabitha died March 31, 1950 and is buried in the Rose Hill Cemetery in Chickasha, Grady County, Oklahoma.