Sarah Elizabeth McCullough Tidwell of Alabama 1857-1913 #52Ancestors #8

Sarah McCullough was born January 3, 1857 in Perry County, Alabama to Gabriel J. and Mary Meggs McCullough. She was the oldest of five children.. She was also sometimes known as Martha and Bettie.

From my cousin Sandy Mathis Grods

In the 1860 census, her family was living in Severe, Perry, Alabama. By the 1870 census, both her parents were dead. Gabriel is presumed to have died in the Battle of Selma, Alabama in 1865. Mary may have died in childbirth of the twins, Thomas and James, in 1863.

Sarah was living in Perry County with William Edmonds and family in 1870. No close family connection is known at this time. Age is indexed as 20, but if you look at the original, it is 10. All the other McCullough children were living with various different relatives.
William Edmond M 90y
Parmelia Edmond F 45y
Margaret Edmond F 20y
Tracy Edmond F 18y
Cromwell Edmond M 17y
Rachell Edmond F 13y
Amos Edmond M 10y
Sarah Mccullough F 20y (10y)

I have not found Sarah in the 1880 census.
Sarah married Phelan Tidwell September 13, 1881 in Jefferson County, Alabama. Martha is crossed out, and Bettie did not have the Ts crossed, so all the indexes show Billie McCulla. Phelan is indexed in the Marriage Book as Phelan Ridwell.

Jefferson County Marriage Book Vol 9 Pg 424

Phelon (or Phelan) and Sarah raised a large family of nine children:
McKesterson "Kess" born July 9, 1882
Zada Belle born December 1883
Zola Mae born March 1885
Martha Jane "Mattie" born August 1886
Beverly Clinton born October 8, 1888
Ella Debaugh born September 22, 1890
Madeline Virginia born 1891
Phelon Thomas Young born July 22, 1894
Deforest born July 25, 1898

Tidwell family about 1891
From left: Zada, Phelan, Ella, Kess, Beverly, Sarah, Mattie, Cynthia "Cincianna" Cornelius Tidwell, and Zola

The family lived in Perry County until after the 1900 census. They had moved to Bibb County by the 1910 census.

Picture in Sandy Grods collection

TIDWELL
Blocton Enterprise, Thursday, 14 August 1913
A SAD DEATH
Mrs. Phelan Tidwell died at her home near Big Springs on Friday evening about
six o’clock from a second stroke of paralysis. Mrs. Tidwell had lived eight years in the
community in which she died, and was never heard to speak a harm word of anyone, and
she was ever ready to assist those in distress or in need of sympathy. She lead a model
Christian life in the church, at home, and in the neighborhood, and none had aught but
kind words to speak of her. She was known in this place, and it was with deep regret that
her friends here learned of her death. Of Mrs. Tidwell it can be said that truly a good
woman has gone to her reward. The remains were interred at Mt. Carmel cemetery
Saturday evening, Rev. J. L. Busby officiating. She leaves a husband, four sons and four
daughters to mourn her loss, to whom we extend deepest sympathy.

Funeral of Sarah McCullough Tidwell from Sandy Grods collection

Sarah is buried in an unmarked grave in Mount Carmel Cemetery, West Blocton, Bibb County, Alabama