Kit Carson County, Colorado
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Kit Carson County Pioneers:

William and Sarah E. (Davis)McCormick , 8 South 49 West





William's grandfather was also William

Portrait and Biographical Album of Wapello County Iowa 1887 Hon. William McCormick, a highly respected citizen of Highland Twp., has been a resident of Wapello County since the Spring of 1848, when he purchased a farm of eighty acres, which he has occupied since that time. He has been prosperous in his business and farming operations, and doubled his first possessions so that now he has 160 acres, all of which is improved and under a good state of cultivation. He has held several offices of his township, been clerk for a number of years, and in 1858 was a member of the State Legislature. He has been a peaceable and law-abiding citizen, never engaged in a law suit, and never upon a jury. The subject of this history was born in Gallitin County Ky.in 1814, and is the son of John and Nancy (Cox) McCormick, natives respectively of Maryland and Kentucky. In the Spring of 1835, they removed from the latter state to McDonough County, Ill.; where our subject remained for the next thirteen years and then became a resident of this county. Mr. McCormick was married to Miss Elizabeth Stevens in 1838. THe lady was the daughter of Jacob and Rhoda Stevens of Kentucky and was born in 1820. After being a faithful and affectionate companion for forty-eight years she departed this life on the 18th of August 1885, at the age of sixty-five years.

The home circle completed by the birth of fourteen children who are recorded as following. Lavina was born Aug. 8, 1839 and is the wife of James Reeves and died June 17, 1866. Albert and Melissa were twins; the latter died in infancy; they were born March 24, 1841; and Albert married Miss Martha Gray; March 28, 1866; he after went to the Black Hills and when last heard was in Boulder, Col., Hezeekiah was born Jan. 25, 1843 and married Miss Phebe N. Turner June 28, 1866; they live in Jasper County Iowa; John born March 18, 1845 married Miss Sarah Ann Reeves of Mahaska County; Jacob born Oct. 9, 1847 married Miss Sarah E. Dennis, in this County, and they are residents of Highland Township; Mary Ann; Mrs. Knight of Highland Township Oct. 14, 1848; Sarah Maria married John A. Dennis , but is now a widow; Rhoda was born Feb. 10, 1854, and is at home with her father; William B. born Dec. 29, 1857 is a resident of Nebraska; Theodore S. born Jan. 4, 1859 died in infancy; Elizabeth born Dec. 15, 1860 was married March 12, 1885 to George Bender of Highland Township; Matilda Catherine was born Dec. 15, 1860, and lives at home; Chloe born May 2, 1865 and died in infancy. Mr. McCormick has been a faithful member of the Baptist Church for a period of 27 years and Politically is a Greenbacker.
In 1880 Wapello County, Iowa, John McCormick is 35, Sarah E. 29, Francis T. 11, Anna A. 9, William B. 7, and John R. 2.
Sarah E. Davis, is with parents in 1900 Jefferson County, Nebraska, born June 1881 in Nebraska. N.E. Davis is 66, Harriet 61, Jabez E. 27, Robert E. 25, and Jason 23.

William registered for WWI with an address of Seibert, born Feb 16, 1873, nearest relative Sarah.
William proved up a quarter in 25, 8S 49W in 1918.

In 1900 Mahaska County, Iowa, John McCormick is 55, Sarah A. 49, with William B. Feb 1873 Iowa, Noah E. 17, and Jesse L. 10 Iowa. Mother-in-law Amelia Reeves was born November 1815. (Amelia Curry Reeves, 1815-1900 is buried in Mahaska County # 16537191._
William McCormick married Sarah E. Davis December 25, 1916, recorded in Kit Carson County.

Sarah E. McCormick, formerly Sarah E. Davis, proved up a quarter in 20, 8S 48W, in 1917.
In 1920 Kit Carson County, William 46, Iowa and Sarah H. 38, Nebraska, have Judson G. 1, born in Colorado.
In 1930 Kit Carson County, William and Sarah have Judson, Celia L. 8, and Cecil 7.
In 1940 Kit Carson County, the five are still together.

William 1873-1955 # 25471554 is buried in Malheur County, Oregon, with Sarah E. (Reeves) 1881-1963.
"Funeral services were Monday afternoon, September 19 at 2 p.m. at Lienkaempers Chapel for William McCormick, 82, who died at his home near Adrian September 15, following a long illness. Interment was in the Nyssa cemetery. McCormick was born in Freemont, Iowa February 16, 1873, a son of John & Sarah Ann Reeves McCormick. He lived near Oskaloosa, during his boyhood & young manhood. He was a carpenter for many years & also farmed. In 1913 he moved to Seibert, Colorado & took a homestead. He married Sarah E. Davis in Seifert in 1916. In 1951 they moved to Adrian. He was a member of the Primitive Baptist church. Survivors include his wife, Sarah, three children, Judson G. of Climax, Colorado, Celia Johnson of Powell, Wyoming & Cecil H. of Adrian, one brother, Frank of University Park, Iowa & one sister, Mrs. Ina Martin of Oskaloosa, Iowa & seven grandchildren."

"Mrs. Sarah Davis McCormick, formerly of Jefferson County, Nebraska, died July 22, 1963 at Adrian, Oregon. Sarah Elizabeth Davis was born June 29, 1881 near Fairbury Nebraska, the youngest of the five children of Emmons & Harriet Elizabeth Davis. Three brothers, Jabez, Robert & Jason, & an infant preceded her in death.
She grew to womanhood on a farm near Fairbury, was graduated from Fairbury High School in 1903 & taught school in this community for ten years. In 1914 she moved to Colorado & filed on a homestead near Seibert & taught school for another three years in that community. In 1916 she married William McCormick, & to them three children were born. In 1951 she & her husband sold their farm & located in Oregon to be near their son, Cecil at Adrian, where in 1955 her husband preceded her in death. She joined the Presbyterian Church in Fairbury as a young woman & although she attended other churches for the remainder of her life, her membership remained with the church here. surviving are three children, Judson of Boise, Idaho, Celia Johnson of Powell, Wyoming & Cecil of Adrian, Oregon, seven grandchildren, Rodney & Phillip Johnson, Ronald, Carol, & Brian McCormick & Judson Jr. & Robert McCormick, of Denver. Funeral services & burial were at Nyssa, Oregon"

"In March of 1914, she homesteaded a site in eastern Colorado and taught for three years there. It was a Literary that she met William McCormick, born February 16, 1873. He had a homestead just a mile and a half from hers. "
The 1904 history of Jefferson County, Nebraska mentions " Sarah E., who is one of the successful and popular teachers of Jefferson county."


(Nathaniel Emmons Davis 1834-1907 is buried in Fairbury # 57840659)

Cecil Harley McCormick 1922-2005 and Esther Ella (Simon) McCormick 1923-2011 are also buried in Malheur County, # 88876519.

Cecil Harley McCormick, 82, of Careywood, Idaho, passed away on May 10, 2005. Graveside services with full military honors will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday, may 21, at Hilltop Cemetery in Nyssa, Ore., with Pastor John Barnhart of Bonanza, Ore., officiating.
Cecil was born May 11, 1922, the third child of William and Sarah McCormick of Seibert, Colo. He grew a child of the dust bowl era on the flat plains of eastern Colorado. He graduated from Seibert High School in 1939 and entered Western Union College in Iowa, where he trained in radio technology.
Cecil joined the Army Air Force in July 1943, where he operated radio on the B-24 and served as waist gunner, flying 24 missions in the Pacific theater until the end of the war. He received his honorable discharge in November 1945. On Christmas Day of 1945, Cecil married Esther Simon of Seibert, Colo. They moved to Denver, where he worked at Gates Rubber Company until he won a homestead drawing in 1948, offered to World War II veterans under the Soldier-Sailor Act. He then moved his wife and small son to his new homestead site along he Snake River and under the territorial rim rock landmark south of Adrian in eastern Oregon, where he and his wife converted the small patch of sagebrush and cheat grass into an eden for their three children, grandchildren and nieces and nephews who frequently visited.
In 1952, Cecil and Esther moved his parents from eastern Colorado to be near them on their farm in Oregon until their deaths. Though the old homestead is in different hands now, it is often referred to as the McCormick Ranch, and to his children and grandchildren, it will always be "home." Cecil farmed his homestead and raised and milked dairy cows, pouring his heart and energy into the love of his life. He was active for years in the Holstein Friesian Association, and instilled in his three children a love for livestock and farming as well. He encouraged them and supported them in their local 4-H and FFA projects, and many were the blue and purple ribbon awards he proudly watched them achieve. His emphasis was on a strong work ethic and moral character have become building blocks for generations to come. Declining health forced him to sell his small farm and move to Careywood to be near his daughter and son-in-law in 2000. There, his three children built them a small "honeymoon home," where they have been residing prior to his death. Cecil enjoyed the camaraderie of his local friends and neighbors and became known for his "gift of gab." Although he was unable to reciprocate our love and affection in his later years, he was, and is, greatly loved by family and friends. Cecil was preceded in death by his parents, a sister, Celia Johnson of Powell, Wyo.; a brother, Judson McCormick of Denver, Colo. He is survived by his wife of 59 years, two sons, Ron McCormick of Redding, Calif., and Brian McCormick of Lebanon, Ore.; a daughter, Carol Ann Barnhart of Careywood; 12 grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren.

Judson G. McCormick 1916-1992 is buried in Fort Logan # 3360050. So is Judson Jr. 1949-2002 # 124224785.
"Judson McCormick passed away quietly during the early morning of January 4, 2002. He was 52. A very active member of the BTA, Jud served on its Board and captained five league teams last season, the most anyone in the BTA has ever done. On Saturday morning, January 19, a group of more than 30 of his friends met at the CU courts to remember him. He was buried with military honors at Ft .Logan National Cemetery, January 25. Jud had a voracious, searching intellect and he leaves the Boulder tennis community poorer in spirit by his passing.
Thank you, Jud, and goodbye. "
Daughter Celia Lillian married Sterling P. Johnson August 16, 1945 in Seibert. She was born June 26, 1921 in Seibert and is buried in Powell, Wyoming # 100384141.


Heart Mountain homesteader Sterling Peter Johnson, 91, died Saturday, Dec. 15, 2007 at the Veterans Administration nursing home in Sheridan. He was born in Weeping Water, Neb., to Martin and Bertha Johnson on Nov. 20, 1916. His family later moved to Seibert, Colo.,where he attended primary and secondary schools. In 1935, he began pursuing forestry at Colorado State College in Fort Collins.
Sterling began his military service on March of 1936 when he entered company H of the 157th Infantry. Returning to Seibert in 1937, he managed a gas station and continued to serve in Company I of the 157th Infantry in Burlington, Colo.
Sterling joined the National Guard Reserve after his discharge and was recalled in January 1942 after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. He rejoined his former Company I, 157th infantry.
Sterling fought in Italy and France, and was wounded in 1943 while stationed in Italy. While in the military, he served as company clerk, mail clerk and also held a corporal's rank. After returning home, Sterling married his high school sweetheart, Celia Lillian McCormick, on Aug. 17, 1945.
Sterling and Celia moved to Denver where he worked for Gates Rubber Company. On Sept. 23, 1946 their first son, Rodney Owen was born. As a WWII veteran, Sterling drew land from the government to pursue a Heart Mountain homestead so they packed up their small belongings and moved to Wyoming.
In Powell, their son Phillip Carl was born in May 29, 1950. The Johnsons then started a dairy farm which they managed as a family for several years on Heart Mountain. Sadly, their youngest son, Bruce Leroy, died at the age of 2 of croup.
After a short illness with cancer, Celia died Jan. 15, 1972. Sterling continued to live on Heart Mountain enjoying fishing, rock hunting, jewelry making and photography. He later lived independently for a few years at the Rocky Mountain Manor. While living at the manor he was honored in 2004 by U.S. Rep. Barbara Cubin with several military medals. The last few months of his life he lived in his son and daughter-in-law's home in Powell.

This page is maintained by Steve Stein.