Photo: H.G. Lemon (left) and his father, Charles Lemon, after a fishing trip. Before 1943.
[Source: family possession]
No one seems to know the identities of Charles Sanders's parents. Two explanations exist within the family:
1. Charles was a "civil war orphan." There were many organizations and societies that placed orphaned children with adoptive families after the American civil war. One theory is that he might have been placed from New York with a family in the south. At first this didn't seem probable to me, though looking at some organizations such as the American Female Guardian Society of New York, it is feasible.
[Idea presented by George Simms Lemon Jr., deceased, according to his living aunt. Personal interview.]
2. Charles was an infant when his family left Arkansas for California with a wagon train. The party was struck with disease, which wiped out nearly everyone. Charles was adopted by a local doctor in a west Texas town. This is consistent with information on census records, in which Charles (or Annie) reported that he was born in Arkansas or Mississippi. However, this theory begs the question, how did Charles end up back in Arkansas, where he married his wife, Annie?
[Idea presented by one of Charles's grandsons, who remembers Charles offering this explanation, though he does not know or was never told the name of the Texas town or the adoptive parent. He recalls that Edith Sanders, Charles's daughter-in-law, confirmed this story several times. This grandson wonders if Charles simply told this story as a way to explain his past. Facebook correspondence.]
State of Arkansas Marriage License (1888)
Sanders, Chas - head - white male - 47 years old - married 21 years - born in Mississippi - father born in unknown place- mother born in Mississippi - farmer
-------, Annie M - wife - white female - 34 years old - married 21 years - 11 children born - 9 children living - born in Illinois - father born in Mississippi - mother born in Alabama
-------, Horace G - son - white male - 20 years old - single - born in Arkansas - farm laborer
-------, May E - daughter - white female - 15 years old - single - born in Texas
-------, Jno W - son - white male - 12 years old - single - born in Texas - farm laborer
-------, Artemus C - son - white male - 10 years old - single - born in Texas - farm laborer
-------, Oral C - son - white male - 8 years old - single - born in Texas
-------, Annie B - daughter - white female - 6 years old - single - born in Texas
-------, Artie G - daughter - white female - 4 years old - single - born in Texas
-------, Robert E - son - white female - 1 year 4 months old - single - born in Texas
-------, Ruby E - daughter - white female - 1 year 4 months old - single - born in Texas
Little Red Day Book, lost family possession
Charles Sanders kept a small day book. In it, he recorded the following information (which I have reordered slightly for clarity):
Charles Sanders, born MS Apr 1863 and Annie M Smith, born IL Feb 1874; married AR, Clark Co. 1888
Children:
Horace Greeley, born AR Aug 1889
Henry G, born TX 1891
Hattie M, born TX 1893
Emma May, born TX 1895
John W, born TX 1897
Artemas, born TX 1899
Oral C, born TX 1901
Annie B, born TX 1904
Artie G, born TX 1906
Robert, born TX 1909
Ruby, born TX 1909
OB, born TX 1912
David T, born TX 1914
[Source: Rootsweb]
This information was recorded by one of Horace Greeley Sanders's granddaughters, who is still living. Before Edith Courtney Sanders (widow of Horace Greeley Sanders) passed away, she had in her possession a little red day book that had belonged to Charles Sanders. The granddaughter copied the family information down. She later learned that one of Horace Greeley's children lent the day book and Charles and Annie's marriage certificate to a cousin and this cousin gave them to a family in one of the Dakotas. The whereabouts of the day book are unknown at this point. [Source: personal email correspondence]
According to a family member, it is possible that Henry G was also called Grady; Emma May went by May; Annie B's middle name was Bell; Charles Sanders's mother might have been called Nancy Caroline. [Source: GenForum]
*Comparing this information to census records, it is my belief that Henry G and Hattie M died sometime before 1910.*
Sanders, Charles - head - white male - 56 years old - born in Mississippi - father born in Mississippi - mother born in Mississippi - farmer
-------, Annie M - wife - white female - 45 years old - born in Illinois - father born in Illinois - mother born in Illinois
-------, Annie B - daughter - white female - 15 years old - born in Texas - laborer
-------, Artimous C - son - white male - 19 years old - born in Texas - laborer
-------, Charles O - son - white male - 18 years old - born in Texas - laborer
-------, Artie G - daughter- white female - 13 years old - born in Texas - laborer
-------, Robert E - son - white male - 11 years old - born in Texas - laborer
-------, Ruby E - daughter - white female - 11 years old - born in Texas - laborer
-------, O V - son - white male - 7 years and 6 months old - born in Texas
-------, David T - son - white male - 5 years and 3 months old - born in Texas
Mrs. Chas. Sanders - died July 27, 1926 in Floydada, Floyd Co., Texas of paralysis of both lower limbs caused from auto accident - white female - married - born February 28, 1875 in Illinois - housewife - father Wm O Smith born in Mississippi - mother Matthews born in Louisiana - buried July 28, 1926 in Floydada Cemetery, Floydada, Texas
Texas State Board of Health, Bureau of Vital Statistics, Standard Certificate of Death
State of Texas, Certificate of Death
Artemus Cecil Sanders - died December 20, 1961 in Highland General Hospital, Pampa, Gray Co., Texas of peritonitis, fractured skull and concussion, and rib fractures - white male - married - resided in Lefors, Gray Co., Texas - born October 12, 1899 in Texas - pumper in an oil field - father Charles Sanders - mother Annabelle Smith - buried December 23, 1961 in Fairview Cemetery, Pampa, Texas
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