Sarah Margarette Scribner
Last updated 21 Mar 2008
The name Sarah is of Hebrew origin, meaning princess
(Behindthename.com). Sarah was possibly named for
fraternal grandmother Sarah Goodwin
SARAH MARGARETTE "SALLIE" SCRIBNER was the oldest child of Civil War veteran Andrew Jackson (A. J.) Scribner and Mary Elizabeth Wilkes. She was born 11 Oct 1868 in the small farming community of Stony Point, east of Melissa, Collin Co., TX. Sallie married Andrew Jackson (A. J.) Hartley on 13 Oct 1887. A. J. was the son of Dennis Hartley of TN and Nancy C. Robertson of KY. Originally from KY, he had left home and worked some time in MO before setting in TX.
A. J. got a job working on Sallie's parent's 210 acre farm in Stoney Point.
Sallie and A. J. met and after a proper courtship married. Their wedding ceremony was held in the Stoney Point Baptist Church, of which Sallie's parents were charter members. W. H. Dunn, Minister of the Gospel presided.
In 1891, A. J.'s younger brother Hugh King Hartley and Sallie's younger sister Permelia Scribner also married. Both couples rented land and farmed in Stoney Point, where Sallie's and Permelia's family also lived.
A. J.'s and Sallie's first son Willie C. Hartley was born 15 Dec 1890 but died 2 Jan 1892 and was buried in Stoney Point Cemetery.
A. J. and Sallie had two more sons while living in Stoney Point: Dennis Jackson Hartley who was born 21 Apr 1894, and Joe Thomas Hartley who was born 4 Jan 1897.
In the early 1900s, A. J. Hartley moved his young family by wagon to Merkel, TX, a small community located 16 miles west of Abilene in Taylor County.
A. J. ran a local store and bought a small farm. A. J. worked in the store, and Sallie and the boys farmed. A. J. and Sallie both loved flowers, so flowers were everywhere.
The family joined the Baptist Church of Merkel where they remained active throughout their lives. The church, now known as First Baptist Church, Merkel, Texas, was founded in 1885 remains in service today.
From Texas Escapes Online Magazine
Photo courtesy of Vicki Groneman
Once known as Windmill Town, Merkel came into existence with the arrival of the Texas and Pacific Railroad. It was properly named after early settler S. M. Merkel in 1881.
By 1885 there were 25 people calling Merkel home but five years later this number had increased to 400. Merkel's population was served by a Methodist church (1882), a Baptist Church (1885), Grace Presbyterian Church (1886) and the Church of Christ (1903).
A. J. and Sallie were both kind, good-natured, loving. They were well known and respected in the Merkel community.
"Everyone should have had the opportunity to know them. They were very special people even if they were my family," said great granddaughter Vicki Groneman.
Sallie was also very proper. "She always wore button up shoes, a long black skirt, and starched white button up blouse," Vicki recalled. ".She called her husband Mr. Hartley - always."
Sallie had a passion for the Green Hornet radio show. Sallie and her son Joe would listen to the show in the early evening. "She would get so involved she would really let her hair down and holler sock 'em in the nose! And, .she always talked to the radio...like it could hear her...but it was really funny to see such a refined lady enjoy the radio soooo much," said Vicki.
Sallie was also a great cook. Vicki recalled, "She made a pecan pie to die for. If you set it on a table full of pies, you could always pick hers out by the smell and the taste. She never let any one in the kitchen when she was baking one, so when she died the recipe died with her."
A. J. and Sallie lived in Merkel until their deaths. A. J. died first at age 70 on 25 Feb 1928. The service was held in the Baptist Church of Merkel. Rev. G. B. Airhart, pastor of Stoney Point Baptist Church, and Rev. Ira L. Parrack, pastor of the Baptist Church of Merkel led the service.
In an obituary published in the local newspaper Rev. Parrack said:
"He was always interested in good things for the community. Surely in all the community you could not have found a more happy a home where you could feel the contentment and joy, a home usually made bright by the flowers in or about the house, but always made bright by the fruit and flowers of peace, love, and cheerfulness that you could find there any time."
A. J. was buried in Rose Hill Cemetery in Merkel, TX. Sallie lived until age 91. She died 14 Aug 1960 and was buried in Rose Hill Cemetery by her husband.
Descendants of Sarah Margaret Scribner
Children of SARAH MARGARETTE SCRIBNER and ANDREW JACKSON HARTLEY are:
- WILLIE C. HARTLEY, b. 15 Dec 1890, Collin Co., TX; d. 2 Jan 1892, Collin Co., TX.
- DENNIS JACKSON HARTLEY, b. 21 Apr 1894, Collin Co., TX; d. 30 May 1980, Plainview, Hale Co., TX; m. Velma Mary Hog.
- JOE THOMAS HARTLEY, b.4 Jan 1897, Collin Co., TX; d. 17 Oct 1982; m. Billie Chambliss.
