A Sad Story – Sarah Lydia Agard (6 March 1834 – 16 June 1868)

Every family has its share of tragic stories, but that doesn’t make it any easier when we happen across them.  I had to pause last week when I came upon the difficult times of Sarah Lydia Agard. 

Sarah was the fifth and last child of Samuel and Lydia (Hibbard) Agard.  On 5 January 1860, she married Miller Vaughan Ameigh (1834-1860) of Pennsylvania. Miller was a traveling agent for a New York City wholesale company.  The newlyweds spent a happy few days visiting friends, but then shortly upon their return, Miller fell ill with what was considered as rapid consumption. He then suffered a severe hemorrhage of the lungs.

An obituary written by Rev. John Margetts Bull of the Church of Catherine, NY found on Findagrave.com provided the events of Miller’s death.

 “Mr. Miller V. Ameigh died at the house of Mr. Noah Agard, on Thursday, the 8^th of March 1860 in the 27^th year of his age. His disease was rapid consumption, superinduced by a severe hemorrhage of the lungs, which occurred suddenly and unexpectedly about seven weeks before his death … Just two weeks before he was seized with the affliction which terminated his mortal existence, he had been married to the sister of him at whose residence he breathed his last. The newly wedded pair spent a few days in visiting some of their friends, and the day of their return the dark pall of fearful foreboding was suddenly cast over their earthly prospects, and rapidly did our young friend descend into the valley of death.” 

Following Miller’s death, Sarah moved from the house of her brother, Noah, where Miller had died, to the home of her sister, Anna Maria (Agard) Bailey.

In 1863 Sarah married John Tichenor.  Sarah passed away 16 June 1868 at the age of 34; she is buried in Grove Cemetery, Trumansburg, New York, Lot 309.