Sarah Pearl Wilson

NOT A DIRECT ANCESTOR Sarah Pearl Wilson is not in my direct ancestor. She is 2 steps removed in the following ways: Daughter of James Garfield Wilson & niece of Bert Winiford Wilson Granddaughter of James L. Wilson and Elizabeth Ann Stoughton

Sarah Pearl Wilson was born in 1909, the first child of Jim Wilson and Lorena Bernice Mayer. Pearl was named for her father's older sister who had died in 1898, at age 16. When Pearl was one year old, her father's older brother John died also, of typhoid, so Pearl was left with one paternal uncle, Bert Wilson. She eventually had six brothers and sisters, and seven Wilson cousins. Their fathers worked together at timbering and at the sawmill, so these 13 cousins knew each other well.
In 1924 when Pearl was 15, her mother died. Pearl no doubt cared for the younger children, three of whom were under six years old, the baby Homer being only two. Her father remarried within the year to Della Wicks, and by October 1925 another baby was born, the first of three step-siblings to Pearl.
Shortly thereafter, Pearl married Clifford Bickel on 26 June, 1929. Pearl and Clifford had four children. Their farm was behind that of her brother Merle, just west of Rt. 8, on the south side of Rt.108 going toward Slippery Rock.
In 1929, when Pearl was 20 years old, Uncle Bert's family moved to Venango County PA, drilling for oil wells. Her father Jim worked with Bert Wilson in the oil drilling business, but it appears he remained in the West Liberty area of Butler County. He died at age 44 and is buried at West Liberty.

	Date	Location	Notes	Sources
Birth	21 May 1909	Brady Twp., Butler County, PA
Marriage	26 June 1929		To Clifford Adam Bickel b.16 Jan 1905, Sl.Rock T. Butler Co. PA; d. Aug 1982, Slippery Rock boro; son of Adam John Bickel & Amelia Jane Hill
Death	6 Nov. 1980	Slippery Rock, Butler Co. PA	cause of death: stroke
Burial	8 Nov 1980	(both) Slippery Rock Cemetery

Ancestry chart segment

 Generation 2             Generation 3              Generation 4
 
                                                  +-- James L. Wilson
                                                  |   (1857-1929)   
                      +-- James Garfield Wilson --+
                      |   (1887-1931)             |
 Sarah Pearl Wilson --+                           +-- Elizabeth Ann Stoughton
 (1909 - ????)        |                               (1862-1932)
                      +-- Lorena Bernice Mayer
                          (1890-1924)

Sources:

Children

( children with Clifford Bickel)

Name	Gender	Date of Birth	Birthplace	Spouse	Notes	Sources
Clifford Eugene "Skip" Bickel	M	18 Apr 1934		Nora K. Wimer (b.25 Oct 1938) See source notes below	died 4 Sept 2009 of embolism associated with an aneurysm, Suburban Hospital, Pittsburgh
James Edward Bickel	M
Thelma Jane Bickel	F			Harold Wilson
Donald A. Bickel	M

Places of Residence

Location	Dates	Notes	Sources
Butler County, PA, Worth or Brady Twp.	born 1909
Brady Township, Butler County, PA; parents' home	by 1910- till marriage
Slippery Rock Twp., Butler County, PA ; farm with husband Clifford Bickel	marriage - death

Sources

Ref. Num.	Description	Image of original
1	1910 United States Federal Census, Brady Township, Butler County, PA, Enumeration District 58, Page 3, lines 8-11 lists James G. Wilson, white male age 22, has been married one year, Sawmill laborer; wife Lorena B. Wilson, age 19, has given birth to one child, still living; daughter Sara P. Wilson, age 10 months. Mabel A. Campbell, white female servant, age 18, single. All born PA, all parents born PA. All 3 adults can read & write. This census is dated 19 Apr 1910.
2	1920 United States Federal Census, West Liberty Township, Butler County, PA, Enumeration District 3, Page 4, lines 76-82 lists James G. Wilson, 32, married toRena Wilson, age "Un". They live with daughter Pearl Wilson, 10; son Merle Wilson, 8; son Brice C. Wilson, 6; daughter Bernice E. Wilson, 4; and son Kenneth Wilson, 2. Pearl and Merle attended school within the last year. James, Rena, and Pearl can read, write, and speak English. Everyone and their parents were born in PA. James G. Wilson is a farmer. This census page is dated 26 Jan 1920, though margin notes indicate that this particular entry was taken on 27 Jan 1920.
3	Manuscript of John T. Wilson researched 1975-1985, including personal knowledge and interviews of McDeavitt cousins and of his aunts Stella Wimer (McNeese), Lizzy Wimer (McDeavitt), Meda Wimer (McDeavitt), and Mary Gahagan. John T. Wilson was a son of Bert W. Wilson.
4	Personal correspondence from Elizabeth Wilson Williams, granddaughter of Bert Winiford Wilson.
5	Russell W. Wilson, (nephew of James G. Wilson). Russ Wilson interviewed by niece Elizabeth Wilson Williams, Sept 2006. Interview included road trip through family farm sited of Butler County PA.	N/A
6	Paul Keith Heckathorn, grandson of James G. Wilson; correspondence 1988-1991.	N/A
7	1930 United States Federal Census, West Liberty Township, Butler County, PA, Enumeration District 67, Page 1, lines 9-20 lists James G. Wilson, 43, married to Della R. Wilson, 43. They were both 21 at the time of their first marriage. They live with son Merl A. Wilson, 19; son Brice C. Wilson, 17; daughter Vernice E. Wilson, 14; son Kenneth J. Wilson, 12; daughter Dorothy H. Wilson, 8; son Homel W. Wilson, 7; son James E. Wilson, 3; daughter Mary J. Wilson, 1 year 11 months; daughter Ma[illegible] E. Wilson, 8 months; and stepdaughter Betty Wicks, 7. Vernice, Kenneth, Dorothy, and Homel attended school within the last year. Everyone can read and write except for Homel, James E., Mary, Ma[illegible], and Betty. James G. Wilson and his parents were born in PA. Della was born in WV, though her parents were both born in PA. All of the children were born in PA. James G. Wilson is a farmer on land that he owns. Merl and Brice work as farm laborers. James E., Mary J., Ma[illegible], and Betty are listed as unable to speak English. Note:Pearl is apparently married
8	Social Security Death Index Name: Sarah Bickel Last Residence: 16057 Slippery Rock, Butler, Pennsylvania, United States of America Born: 21 May 1909 Last Benefit: 16057 Slippery Rock, Butler, Pennsylvania, United States of America Died: Nov 1980 State (Year) SSN issued: Pennsylvania (1958-1960 ) Name: Clifford Bickel Last Residence: 16057 Slippery Rock, Butler, Pennsylvania, United States of America Born: 16 Jan 1905 Died: Aug 1982 State (Year) SSN issued: Pennsylvania (1954-1956 )
9	Obituary of Sarah Pearl Wilson Bickel, Butler Eagle, 6 Nov 1980 edition; microfilm roll 493, pg. 36 copy prpovided to us by Jan Finke, June 2008. Sarah Pearl Wilson Bickel, age 71, of 356 New Castle St., Slippery Rock, died "today" at United Community Hospital, Grove City, of natural causes. Born 21 May 1909 in Brady Twp., Butler Co. PA, daughter of James & Lorena Mayer Wilson. Member of Betherl United Presbyterian at Adams Corners. Survived by husband Clifford A. Bickel (married 26 June 1929); daughter Thelma J. (Mrs. Harold Wilson) of Portersville RD 2; 3 sons: Clifford E. Bickel of Slippery Rock RD 3, James E. of Slippery Rock RD 4, & Donald A. of Slippeyr Rock RD 3; 2 sisters: Mrs. Charles (Bernice) Wimer of Ellwood City & Mrs. Dorothy Heckathorn of Pittsburgh; 2 brothers: Merle A. Wilson of Slippery Rock RD 3, & Homer B. of Slippery Rock RD 4; & 12 grandchildren. Two brothers preceded her in death. Death Notice Sarah Pearl Wilson Bickel died Thurs. Nov. 6, 19890; Cunningham Smith Funeral Home; Rev. T. D. Steward of Bethel United Presby; burial in Slippery Rock Cemetery.
10	The Wimer Family by Paul W. Myers Christophel Wimer & Mary Sophia Snyder> their son Jonathan Wimer & Ann Hockenberry, pg. 32 >their son Peter Wimer (b. 31 May1840) & Eleanor Fisher (b. 19 Jan 1843), pg.37 >their son Charles Wimer (b.25 Mar.1876) & Carrie A. Rohrer (b. 28 Sept.1876), pg.44 >their son Dewitt C. Wimer (b. 2 Nov. 1908) & Sylvia Campbell (b. 25 Mar.1915) >their daughter Nora K. Wimer (b. Oct 25, 1938) married Clifford Bickel (b. April 18, 1934), pg.46.
11	Obituary of Clifford A. Bickel, Butler Eagle 5 Aug 1982, microfilm roll 514 pg 24; image provided by Jan Finkle June 2008. Clifford A. Bickel,age 77, of 356 New Castle St., Slippery Rock, died 5 Aug 1982 at Hospital, Grove City, after 1 1/2 yr. illness. Retired from Agway Inc. of Slippery Rock, self-employed sawmill operator & farmer; member Bethel United Presbyterian RD 3 Slippery Rock. Born in Slippery Rock Twp. 16 Jan 1905 to John Adam Bickel & Amelia Jane (unknown); wed 26 June 1929 to Pearl Wilson who died 6 Nov 1980. Surviving are 3 sons, Clifford E. Bickel, James E. Bickel & Donald A. Bickel all of Slippery Rock; daughter Thelma J. (Mrs. Harold) Wilson of Portersville; 12 grandchildren & 1 gr-grandchild. Two sisters & 3 brothers preceded him in death. Cunningham Smith Funeral Home; Rev. T. D. Stewart of Bethel United Presby; burial in Slippery Rock Cemetery.
12	Correspondence of Jan Finke, granddaughter of James G. Wilson, June 1008- ongoing.

Source Notes

• Pearl Wilson's birthplace in Butler Co. PA may be Brady Twp. where her parents lived in 1910. James G. Wilson & Lorena Mayer married in 1909, however, and could still have been living at either of their parents homes. The Wilson family lived in Worth Twp. The Mayer residence in 1909 is not known to us, but James Benton Mayer & Olive Thompson (Mayer), parents of Lorena Bernice Mayer, are buried at West Liberty, Brady Twp.
• 1930 census, Pearl Wilson is not in the household of her father, James G. Wilson, but her brother Merle is still living at home. Perl & Cliff Bickel possibly lived at the Bickel farm for a time, later dividing it with her brother Merle Wilson and his wife Alda Bickel (Cliff's sister).
  • As Pearl Wilson & Clifford Bickel lived adjacent to Merle Wilson & Elda Bickel, (on farms just south of Rt. 108 (near Rt. 8 outside of Slippery Rock), it is possible that the old Bickel farm was divided between these two families.
• Searching with Ancestry.com, I was unable to identify either Sarah (Bickel or Wilson) or Clifford Bickel in the 1930 census. The closest was Clifford Bickel in Portsmouth Ohio.
• Per Jan Finke: Nora Kathryn Wimer (b. 25 Oct 1938 in Slippery Rock) m. on 25 Aug 1956 to Skip Bickel in Prospect, Butler Co. PA. She is daughter of Charles Dewitt Wimer (b. 2 Nov 1908; d. 6 Mar 1944) and Sylvia Irene Campbell (b. 27 Mar 1915; d. 12 Dec 1981). Nora's siblings: Ada, Charles & Ralph.