M. (1) 24 Jul 1872 in Jersey County, Illinois2
Husband: James Ross
M. (2) 9 Aug 1887 in Labette County, Kansas3
Husband: Albert Leonartz
D. 18 Jan 1899 in Labette County, Kansas4
When Mary Edith Luckey was widowed at a young age, she desperately needed a husband, and she apparently found one on her father's farm.
Mary’s entire heritage traced back to North Carolina. She was born in Jersey County, Illinois on June 18, 1854 to Samuel Luckey and Mary Jane Davis, the oldest of 10 children.1 On July 24, 1872, Mary married her first cousin James Ross (Mary's father and James’ mother were brother and sister).2 Between 1873 and 1882, they had five children.
In 1879, the Ross family moved to Labette County, Kansas, along with Mary’s parents and most of her siblings.5 The two families bought adjoining farms near the town of Parsons. In February 1884, a big storm damaged their roof, and James went up to repair it, exposing himself to the winter chill. He came down with pneumonia, and died 5 days later,6 leaving Mary a widow with five children at age 29.
Mary managed the farm for at least a year. In 1885, she had 40 acres valued at $1,000, raising 35 acres of corn and a half acre of potatoes.7 About two years later, she became pregnant, and on August 9, 1887, she married her father’s farmhand, Albert Leonartz, at her farm.3 Her baby was born a month later;8 presumably, Albert was the child’s biological father, but this isn’t known for certain.
License for Mary's marriage to Albert Leonartz.
It was said that Albert was a rough man.9 He was of a German background, illiterate, and strict with her children. Besides the child Mary had in 1887, she had two more children with Albert born in 1890 and 1893.10,11 By 1895, the family lived on a farm of 160 acres with a cash value of $2,660.12 They raised corn, oats, and flax; plus they had an orchard of 300 apple trees, and several peach and cherry trees. They also owned six horses, one cow and one dog.
Mary died on January 18, 1899 of “la grippe” (influenza).4 The Parsons Daily Sun reported on January 20th, “The funeral services over the remains of Mrs. Albert Leonard [sic], who died at her home near this city on Wednesday, took place from the family residence yesterday afternoon, Rev. J.T. Crawford of the Baptist church officiating.”13
Mary’s two daughters, Laura Sheridan and Agnes Leonartz, in about 1910.
Children by James Ross:
1. Laura Ethol Ross — B. 24 Sep 1873, Jersey County, Illinois;14 D. 17 Mar 1917, Los Angeles, California;15 M. Howard Milton Sheridan (1871-1951), 6 Mar 1895, Oswego, Kansas16
2. James Anderson Ross — B. 8 Aug 1875, Jersey County, Illinois;17 D. 20 Feb 1939, Davenport, Iowa;18 M. Alberta Louella Goodknow (1883-1956), 12 Sep 1900, Clarksville, Iowa19
3. Charles Howard Ross — B. 4 Aug 1877, Jersey County, Illinois;20 D. 2 Dec 1918, Los Angeles, California21
4. Edward Auguster Ross — B. 23 Jan 1880, Labette County, Kansas;22 D. 4 Jan 1964;23 M. Ora Itasca Turner (1895-1987), 28 May 1912, Olympia, Washington24
5. John L. Ross — B. 6 Aug 1882, Labette County, Kansas;25 D. 28 Sep 1892, (probably) Labette County, Kansas26
Children by Albert Leonartz:
1. Simon Alexander Leonartz — B. 9 Sep 1887, Labette County, Kansas;8 D. 192327
2. Flora Agnes Leonartz — B. 5 May 1890, Labette County, Kansas;10 D. 17 Jan 1965, Wenatchee, Washington;28 M. (1) Robert James Malcolm (~1876-?), 26 Jul 1907, King County, Washington;29 (2) Jesse Lee Rader (1885-1968), 16 Apr 1919, Chelan County, Washington30
3. Thomas Jefferson Leonartz — B. 19 Oct 1893, Parsons, Kansas;11 D. Jan 1972, Lone Jack, Missouri;31 M. Laura M. [?] (1898-1979), about 191731
Sources:
1 Birth record of Mary Edith Luckey, Edward A. Ross family bible transcript
2 Marriage record of James Ross and Mary E. Lucky, Illinois, Marriages, 1815-1935, FamilySearch.org
3 Marriage record of Albert Leonard and Mary E. Ross, Kansas, Marriages, 1840-1935, FamilySearch.org
4 Funeral record of Mrs. Mary Leonard
5 1880 U.S. Census, Labette County Kansas
6 Death record of James Ross, Edward A. Ross family bible transcript
7 1885 Kansas State Censuses, Labette County
8 Birth record of Simon Alexander Leonartz, Edward A. Ross family bible transcript
9 Stories told to me July 1976 by Thomas Michael Mitchell
10 Birth record of Flora Agnes Leonartz, Edward A. Ross family bible transcript
11 Birth record of Thomas Jefferson Leonartz, Edward A. Ross family bible transcript
12 1895 Kansas State Censuses, Labette County
13 Death notice of Mrs. Albert Leonard, The Parsons Daily Sun, 20 Jan 1899
14 Birth record of Laura Ethol Ross, Edward A. Ross family bible transcript
15 Death record of Laura E. Sheridan, California, Death Index, 1905-1939, FamilySearch.org
16 Marriage record of Howard M. Sheridan and Laura E. Ross, K., M.
17 Birth record of James Anderson Ross, Edward A. Ross family bible transcript
18 Death record of James A. Ross, Iowa, Death Records, 1904-1951, FamilySearch.org
19 Marriage record of James A. Ross and Bertha L. Goodnow, Iowa, County Marriages, 1838-1934, FamilySearch.org
20 Birth record of Charles Howard Ross, Edward A. Ross family bible transcript
21 Death record of Charles Howard Ross, Edward A. Ross family bible transcript
22 Birth record of Edward Auguster Ross, Edward A. Ross family bible transcript
23 Death record of Edward A. Ross, United States Social Security Death Index
24 WikiTree listing of Edward Auguster Ross
25 Birth record of John L. Ross, Edward A. Ross family bible transcript
26 Death record of John L. Ross, Edward A. Ross family bible transcript
27 Find-a-Grave listing of Simon Leonartz
28 Find-a-Grave listing of Flora Agnes (Leonartz) Rader
29 Marriage record of Robert James Malcolm and Flora Agnes Leonartz, Washington, U.S., Marriage Records, 1854-2013, Ancestry.com
30 Marriage record of Jesse Lee Rader and Agnes Malcolm, W., U.S., M. R.
31 Find-a-Grave listing of Thomas J. Leonartz
