Seventh Generation

6587. Sarah Ann McSwain was born on 11 April 1867 in Irvine, Estill Co., KY. Sarah died in Sexton, Kossuth Co., IA on 15 April 1949 and was buried at Evergreen Cemetery in Britt, Hancock Co., IA in April 1949 .²¹⁸²⁶

Mrs. Sarah Ann Wise, 82, one of the county's most widely known women, died last week Monday evening of a heart attack, after an illness of six weeks. Her death removed Sexton's most prominent citizen.

The Rev. J.A. Riggs, pastor of the Wesley and Sexton Methodist churches, conducted funeral services Thursday afternoon at the Sexton church, with burial in Britt cemetery, and 99 relatives from Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Oklahoma and Texas in attendance.

Mrs. Wise was born April 11, 1867, at Irvine, KY, where she grew up and attended school. Her farther Joseph McSwain operated a river ferry.

Marriage to G.B. Wise took place March 15, 1883, and they became parents of 13. Two of the children are dead, one at two years old, the other died in 1936. In 1900 the Wise family moved to McLean, IL, and after 15 years there moved to a farm 4 ½ miles northeast of Sexton. Later they occupied a farm near Woden, then moved to Britt, where Mr. Wise died in March 1926.

Mrs. Wise then moved to Sexton, where she spent the rest of her life. The 11 living children are: Mrs. Medith Burger, Sexton; William, Houston, TX; Mrs. Drusilla Noble, Sexton; Mack, Mason City; Strother, St. Ansgar; Mrs. Alice Phillips, Algona; Herman, Wesley; Mrs. Dorothy Stevens, Mapleton, MN; Mrs. Nell Opheim, Sexton.

There was a good reason for the family and community title of "Grandma" bestowed on Mrs. Wise. She was direct grandmother of 58; great grandmother of 63; and great-great grandmother of 6, and to all of the she was affectionately known as "grandma". It was a happy reunion when 102 of her family gathered at Clear Lake to do honor to "Grandma" and again on another occasion at Sexton.

Sarah Ann McSwain and Greene Broadus Wise were married on 15 March 1883 in Irvine, Estill Co., KY.²¹⁸²⁷ Greene Broadus Wise was born on 2 November 1862 in Estill Co., KY. Greene died in Britt, Hancock Co., IA on 22 March 1926 and was buried at Evergreen Cemetery in Britt, Hancock Co., IA in March 1926 .²¹⁸²⁸