By the 6/11/1880 census, Sarah and Alex were divorced. Alex hadremarr ied and moved to Shawnee Twp, Fountain Co, IN where he was backmedicin e as a physician. Sarah remained at the same place, probablyreceiving t he house in the divorce. She was head of the house at age52 with daug hter Allie, 23, a schoolteacher, with her. Two doorsdown was son Samu el and family. The census taker recorded Sarah'sparents born in NC an d PA, respectively.
On 6/8/1900 in Attica City, Logan Twp, Fountain Co, IN, Sarah was 71,h ad birthed 8 children but only 3 still survived. Alice, 42,bookkeeper a t a handle factory, still lived with her as well as 15year old grandda ughter, Sarah Clark.
From the Fountain and Warren Ledger, October 18, 1906:
Mrs. Sarah A. Whitehall
Sarah A. Whitehall, the first wife of Dr. Alex L. Whitehall, died atone o'clock Sunday afternoon, of paralysis. The funeral will be heldat three o'clock Wednesday, the Rev W. D. Vater, officiating.
Sarah A. VanGundy, was born at Chilicothe, Ohio, July 20, 1828. Shewas the youngest of a family of twelve children, all of whom lived tobe old . One brother Samuel is still living at Baxter Springs, Kansas.Three of the brothers were pioneers of Kansas. In 1846 the deceasedwas married to Alex L. Whitehall. She was then living on the farm nearRob Roy, having come here seventy four years ago at the age of four.The young married couple went to Meyersville, Ill., near Bismark wherethe Doctor practiced for a few months. Then they removed to this cityand this has been Mrs. Whitehall's home ever since.
To this union were born eight children as follows: Sam, Ophelia,Arilla , Ellenbeth, Amelia, Alla, Matie, Frate. Of these three areliving: Sam , a phyician at South Bend, Ellenbeth, who is Mrs. Clark,of Chicago, t he mother of Miss Sara Clark, of this place, and MissAlla, who has lived with her mother and has ministered to her duringher sickness as only a devoted daughter can.
Mrs. Whitehall's trouble was paralysis. The first stroke was on Oct.6. She rallied from this and seemed to be doing well, when the secondcame just Saturday. Her age made it hard to rally from and the nextday she passed away.
Mrs. Whitehall preferred to live without identifing herself with anyorganization. She did her duty as she saw it, and none can say theworld is not better for her influence. She was not ostentatious,seeking the quiet of her home rather than the gaze of the public. Shehad her share of trouble, maybe more than her share; but she did notbewail her fate or find fault with the world.
