Historical Stories, Brooke Co, WV
On the 18th of August, 1872 at her residence near Athens, in Harrison County, Ohio. MRS. SARAH E. ESTEP, relict of JOHN ESTEP. In the 85th year of her age.
The deceased was an old resident of Brooke County, and entitled to more than a passing notice. She was born in Baltimore, County, Maryland in the year 1787, and came West with her father, WILLIAM SMITH, who was one of the old Maryland emigration of that day, and settled in the edge of Washington County, Pennsylvania, in the year 1795. MR. SMITH shortly afterwards moved with his family into Brooke County, and located on the ridge, where reside some of his descendants to this day. At that time, the whole county almost was an unbroken wilderness; only three families, HENRY HERVEY, JOSEPH GIST AND JAMES THOMPSON resided in the neighborhood. The Indians had hardly relinquished their claims upon their hunting grounds; and the deer, the turkey, the bear, panther and buffalo, were in full possession. Then was the day of the spinning wheel and hand loom, the predecessors of the Piano, and to their music, many a lusty settler closed his eyes, while the stars shone upon him through the chinks in the cabin roof. In this art, the subject of our sketch is said to have been proficient.
In the year 1812, she married JOHN ESTEP, of Washington County, Pennsylvania , and in 1825 removed to Ohio, where she resided until her death. She was the mother of a large family, of when three sons and a daughter survive, and was sister to DR. EDWARD AND ANDREW SMITH of this county. In 1850 she became a member of the M.E. Church, and closed her eyes upon this world at a ripe old age, in the happy hope of a blessed immortality.