SARAH E. FOREMAN, widow of the late William Walker Foreman, is in possession of a fine home located at No. 463 East State street, Jacksonville, where she lives surrounded by all the comforts of a life and many of its luxuries. She is a lady held in high esteem by a large circle of acquaintances, and is the subject of an interesting history, the main points of which are as follows:
A native of Bourbon County, Ky., Mrs. Foreman was born July 20, 1826, to Garland Kerr and Penelope S. (Edwards) Smith, being the eldest of their four children. Her oldest sister, Sophia, married Dr. James S. Offutt, of Scott County, Ky., and still resides there. Martha J. was the wife of John M. Burch, of the same place, but is now a widow, Mr. Burch having died about 1873. Georgia A., Mrs. LaFayette Dewees, of Jacksonville, was married at the home of our subject, then went to Texas with her husband, but remained there only a few months, returning to Jacksonville, where she now lives. She is a widow, Mr. Dewees having died about 1861.
The parents of Mrs. Foreman were natives of Kentucky, and the father a farmer by occupation. He was one of a family of ten children who were named respectively, Sidney, Mary Ann, David, Elizabeth, William Addison, James, Clifton, Howard, Emeline and Garland. Of these only two are living, namely: Sidney and Howard. Mary Ann married Dr. William S. Hood, of Clark County, Ky. Emeline married Alexander Offutt.
Upon reaching womanhood, Sarah E. Kerr was united in marriage, February, 1843, to William Walker Foreman. This gentleman was also a native of Bourbon County, Ky., and born Nov. 17, 1819, being the son of Aaron and Mary Hayes (Walker) Foreman, and the eldest of a family of eight children. Of these James H. alone survives. Mary, the youngest daughter, became the wife of Proctor Knott, who was elected Governor of Kentucky.
The parents of Mr. Foreman died when he was very young, and he subsequently made his home with an uncle. He was a bright and studious boy and secured a college education. He followed teaching for a time, and later engaged in farming in Bourbon County, Ky. In 1856 he sold his land in the Blue Grass State, and coming to Morgan County, engaged for a short time in the lumber trade in Jacksonville. He conducted this, however, a comparatively short time, subsequently withdrawing from active business, and on account of ill health lived quietly at his home until passing away on the 12th of August, 1886. Politically he was a stanch Democrat, and in religious matters a member of the Christian Church. He was a first-class business man and a Director in the First National bank at Jacksonville.
To Mr. and Mrs. Foreman there were born the children whose record is as follows: Clifton Rice, born in Scott County, Ky., Oct. 12, 1844, and Kerr Smith, born Oct. 30, 1851, in Bourbon County, Ky., are carrying on agriculture in Clinton County, Mo.; Lizzie Walker, who was born Oct. 1, 1858, became the wife of Dan McMillen, of LaGrange, Ga., and is the mother of one child, Walker Foreman, who was born Dec. 22, 1881. Mrs. Foreman has been a member of the Christian Church in Jacksonville for many years. She has been a careful and judicious mother, a kind neighbor, and is universally esteemed.