Fourth Generation

29. Sarah Melissa HOWARD was born on 5 April 1846 in Milwaukee, Milwaukee County, WI.^{2,15,49,50,51} (Her gravestone lists her date of birth as 4 April 1845.) She appeared in the census in 1850 in Franklin Township, Milwaukee County, WI.⁴ She appeared in the census in 1860 in Tomah Township, Monroe County, WI.¹² Sarah appeared in the census in 1880 in Lincoln Township, Monroe County, WI.² She appeared in the census in 1900 in Lincoln Township, Monroe County, WI.³¹ She appeared in the census in 1910 in Lincoln Township, Monroe County, WI.²⁸ Sarah died on 17 December 1919 at the age of 73 in Tomah, Tomah Township, Monroe County, WI.⁴⁹

Obituary Notes: "Mrs. Sara Sweet, widow of the late Levings N. Sweet, died at her home in Tomah on December 17, 1919, at the age of 73 years. Funeral services were conducted by Rev. G. H. Willett at the Methodist church on Saturday afternoon, December 20.

Miss Sara Howard, daughter of the late Harry B. and Abilba Howard, was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, April 5, 1846. Her people were among the earliest settlers of Tomah. She was married to Levings Sweet on January 28, 1862. In 1871 they moved to the farm north of Tomah, where they lived till the death of Mr. Sweet, which occurred December 23, 1917. To them were born four children: Emily, who died in 1901; Arthur, who resides near Tomah; Warren, in Washington, and Mrs. Lottie Rose, near Tomah.

Mrs. Sweet was esteemed throughout her long life by all who knew her as a good neighbor, and beloved by all her children and grandchildren as a good mother and home-maker." She was buried in Tomah, Tomah Township, Monroe County, WI.^50,51 in the Oak Grove Cemetery.

Sarah Melissa HOWARD and Levings N. SWEET were married on 28 January 1862.^2,15,49,52 According to the 1900 Census, they had been married for 39 years and had 4 children, of whom all four were still living. Levings N. SWEET, son of Ezekiel SWEET and Cleora MACK, was born on 13 May 1837 in Hinesburg, Chittenden County, VT.^2,50,53,54 He appeared in the census in 1840 in Hinesburg, Chittenden County, VT.⁵⁵ He appeared in the census in 1880 in Lincoln Township, Monroe County, WI.² Levings appeared in the census in 1900 in Lincoln Township, Monroe County, WI.³¹ He appeared in the census in 1910 in Lincoln Township, Monroe County, WI.²⁸ He died on 23 December 1917 at the age of 80 in Tomah Township, Monroe County, WI.^14,52,56

Biographical Article in the History of La Crosse, Monroe and Jackson Counties: "Levings N. Sweet was born at Hinesburg, Chittenden County, Vermont, May 13, 1837. His parents, Ezekiel and Cleora (Mack) Sweet, were natives of Vermont, of English extraction; they passed the last days of their lives in New York State. They had a family of nine children, six of whom are still living.

Levings N. Sweet lived in the State of New York from the time he was seven years of age, and received his education in the common schools. He remained at home with his parents until he was twenty years of age, and then came to the West. He first located in Milwaukee, in the employ of the Milwaukee & Prairie du Chien Railroad, but at the end of the year went to Iowa and engaged in teaching school. He afterward returned to Wisconsin, and for a season farmed in Waukesha county.

In July 1860, he came to Monroe County and opened a farm for his brother in Lincoln (now LaGrange) township. He cultivated the soil and improved the place continuously for eleven years, when he purchased 120 acres in Lincoln Township; this land was without improvements when Mr. Sweet made the purchase, only a few acres being cleared, and simply the frame of a residence....

Mr. Sweet was married January 28, 1862, to Miss Sarah Howard. Mrs. Sweet was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, April 5, 1846, and is the daughter of Harry B. and Avilda (Webber) Howard. They have a family of four children: Emory A., who married Miss Myra Morse; Warren H., who is married and is a resident of Duluth, Minnesota; Arthur L. and Lottie C." Levings was buried in Tomah, Tomah Township, Monroe County, WI.^50,51 in the Oak Grove Cemetery.

Sarah Melissa HOWARD and Levings N. SWEET had the following children: