Memorials › Barsheba "Sara" Sunday McCurdy

Barsheba "Sara" Sunday McCurdy

1816 – ?

Birth1816
Death?
Added byNancy White on 28 Dec 2025
FaGhttps://www.findagrave.com/memorial/98980460

Bio

Barsheba "Sara" Sunday was the fourth of 10 known children born to John Sunday, Sr. and Barsheba Collins Sunday. She was born about 1816 in Baldwin County, Georgia. Family legend has it that her mother, Barsheba Collins Sunday, was of Native American descent. However, DNA tests of many of her descendants have shown no Native American DNA markers. Barsheba "Sara" Sunday was included in her parents' household in the 1820 Census in Wilkinson County, GA as a female under 10 YOA and then in the 1830 Census in Escambia County, FL as a female 5-9 YOA, even though she was 14 YOA at the time. Her mother died in September, 1830. In 1831, at only 14 YOA, Barsheba became pregnant with her first child by Elijah McCurdy, who was 23 years her senior. Elijah deserted his first wife, Martha "Mattie" Bowen, and their son, Joseph Christopher, and married Barsheba in Century, Escambia County, FL on September 18, 1831. In order to get married, the 14 YOA Barsheba used the fictitious name "Sara Sundike" and claimed to be of an older age. Consequently, Elijah also became the legal guardian of 14 YOA Barsheba. Barsheba's younger sister, Charlotte, also used the last name "Sundike" when she married Pink Owens before she was of legal age. Their older brother, Thomas Sunday, also used the last name "Sandike" when he purchased land in Conecuh County, AL on 1 Sep 1858. Shortly after their 1831 marriage, Elijah and Barsheba moved across the Escambia River to Conecuh County, Alabama and had 14 children together. Some researchers show a marriage between Elijah and Sarah "Barbary" Stevens, also in Escambia County Florida, and three of the children by her. Barsheba's father, John Sunday, Sr., was murdered on 4 Apr 1839 and Elijah, as her husband, represented Barsheba's interests in the settlement of her father's estate. Elijah, was also one of the 2 co-administrators of the John Sunday estate and is suspected of having some involvement in John Sunday's murder. At the time of the 1840 Census, Elijah and Barsheba Sunday McCurdy were living in Conecuh County, Alabama. Elijah's daughter, Mary Anna McCurdy, had married Barsheba's brother, Thomas Sunday, and they were living in the Elijah McCurdy household. Elijah was Thomas Sunday's father-in-law and brother-in-law. Living next door to the Elijah McCurdy household was Elijah's step-daughter, Cleopatra Palestine Brewster Jones, and her husband, Willis Jones. Cleopatra was the daughter of Elijah's first wife, Martha Bowen, and her first husband, James Madison Brewster. It appears that Cleopatra's grandfather, Joel Bowen (81 YOA) was living with Cleopatra and Willis. 1840 Conecuh County, Alabama Elijah McCurdy Household 1 male 40-49 - Elijah McCurdy (47 YOA) 1 female 20-29 - Barsheba Sunday McCurdy (24 YOA) 1 male 30-39 - ??????? 1 male 20-29 - Thomas Sunday (26 YOA) 1 female 15-19 - Mary Anna McCurdy Sunday (16 YOA) 1 male 15-19 - ??????? 1 male 10-14 - Joseph Christopher McCurdy (11 YOA) 1 male 5-9 - George Washington McCurdy (8 YOA) 1 female 5-9 - ??????? 3 males 0-4 - John McCurdy (4 YOA); Elijah McCurdy III (2 YOA); Francis McCurdy (0 YOA) TOTAL FREE WHITE PEOPLE - 12 By 1842, Elijah and his family were living in Santa Rosa County, FL. He is on the 1842 and 1845 Santa Rosa County voters list for Precinct 3. For the 1850 Census, Elijah and Barsheba were still living in Santa Rosa County, Florida with 10 children ranging in age from 1/12 to 18 and real estate valued at $150. In 1860 Elijah and Barsheba were still living in Santa Rosa County, Florida with 7 children ranging in age from 4 to 20. Elijah was a farmer who owned $200 in real estate and had other assets worth $2,000. Barsheba died sometime between the 1860 US Census and the 1867 Florida State Census. According to Find-a-Grave, she and Elijah are buried in the McCurdy Cemetery in Century, Escambia County, FL. However, some researchers believe that they are buried in Coon Hill Cemetery in Bluff Springs, Escambia County, FL.

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