SARAH JANE PICKARD DORAN

Sarah Jane Pickard was born at 12 Palmer St. in the Attercliffe section of Sheffield, England (West Riding, Yorkshire). Her parents, coal miner William Thomas Pickard (5/13/1840 Foleshill, Coventry, Eng.-3/22/1927 Pittsburgh, PA) and Margaret Ann Moore Pickard (9/16/1842 Eng.-8/4/1892 Houtzdale, PA) were married in the Vicarage of Featherston, February 23, 1863, by banns, by Rev. Thomas Hinde. The Pickard family seems to have moved frequently, probably following the opening of new coal mines. William Thomas Jr. was born 7/22/1863; Elizabeth Mary 2/26/1865; and Joseph was born 7/26/1867 in Market Place, Shildon, Durham, Eng.

Possibly in the late 1860's (1868?) the Pickard family emigrated to America. William Thomas Sr. made his naturalization declaration Oct. 16, 1871 in Westmoreland County, PA and was naturalized in Clearfield County, PA, Sept. 25, 1872. In that same year, 1872, his youngest child, Sarah Jane (9/9/1869) died. Margaret was so distraught with her daughter's death that William Thomas packed up the whole family and moved back to England. While in England, more children were born : Ezekiel A.(3/7/1874) in Annesley, Nottinghamshire; Margaret Ann Moore (3/26/1876) in Tickhill, Doncaster; and Sarah Jane #2, my grandmother, in Sheffield, Eng. In 1880?, the Pickard's once again emigrated to Pennsylvania; their last child, Lucille Bertha (6/22/1881), was born in Houtzdale.

The 1880 PA census, taken June 8th, records Wm. Thomas (38) and son Wm. Thomas Jr. (17) as coal miners in Houtzdale, PA. Son Joseph (13) is listed as a laborer. Sarah Jane's best friend was Alice Langsford, a deaf girl, who later received millinery training at John Wanamaker's store in Philadelphia. Both Alice's father and Sarah's were interested in establishing an Episcopal church in Houtzdale. They petitioned Bishop Whitehead of Pittsburgh and thus were instrumental in building Houtzdale's Holy Trinity Church, a small, white, steepled structure on a hill. Whenever the bishop visited, Sarah would help her mother serve tea in their home's parlor, which was reserved for special occasions. Sarah once said that she and her sister, Margaret, were forever washing altar linens and polishing candlesticks for Holy Trinity.

It was probably in the summer of 1892, that Sarah's mother accidentally jabbed a lead pencil into the roof of her mouth. The puncture became infected and Margaret Ann Moore Pickard died, shortly before age 50, on August 4, 1892. Eldest daughter, Elizabeth, had married Charles Charlton in1884, so daughters Margaret (16) and Sarah (14) became responsible for the running of the Pickard house, including caring for the youngest child, Lucille (11).

Sometime before the summer of 1896, hazel-eyed Sarah Pickard caught the attention of a young, blue-eyed, auburn haired coal miner, David Daniel Doran. Late one night in August 1896, Sarah put a broom in her bed; fluffed the pillows, and eloped with Dave Doran.

The weekly Houtzdale Observer of September 3, 1896 reported that "Mr. David Doran and Miss Sarah Pickard took a trip to Camden last week. When David returned he was accompanied by the same lady but her name had been changed, and the young couple are now receiving congratulations."

They were probably married Aug. 26, 1896. Rev. Desmond officiated. Mary A. Massey was the bridesmaid & David Massey, the best man. Dave & Sarah honeymooned in the Philadelphia/Camden area where his mother's two maiden sisters, the Masseys, lived. {A Catherine Massey gave Sarah a prayer book when the Doran's were in DuBois, c.1907-1917. A very old Annie Massey attended Louise Doran's funeral in 1928}. Sarah, herself, noted that the marriage took place May 26, 1896.{The archivist at the Phila. Archdiocesan Historical Research Center found a Rev. Michael J. Desmond active in Osceola, PA, a town near Houtzdale. I haven't found a marriage record yet}

David and Sarah Doran had 15 children; thirteen lived to adulthood. (For list of children, see David Doran's page.) Grandma once remarked to me, it seemed like she only had to pass her husband's pants hanging on the bedpost to get pregnant. Her fertility was not inherited - - no Doran child had more than two offspring, though I know a number of them longed for larger families.

Sarah routinely trained her babies to sleep through noise, by rocking them in the kitchen cradle while rapping it with a stick. Their Pittsburgh home was continually filled with people -- family and friends. My mother, Jean, said you never knew who would be sleeping beside you when you woke up. People passing by the Howe St. home often thought, at first, it was a boarding school for girls.

Sarah Doran, a loving wife, was a patient & tireless mother. She was also an excellent cook, spoiling her family shamelessly. Often a meal would have 5-6 vegetables, because one child wouldn't eat onions, or another turned up her nose at cabbage. Dough rising during the night had to make 3-4 loaves daily. One child preferred the round edges; another the straight. As a result, the Doran children were the finickiest eaters known to mankind. Sarah also was a tad superstitious - she would never sit down at the dining room table if there were 13 for a meal. She would take her plate and eat in the kitchen. Sarah's pies were heavenly! I can still see her making apple pies-- the peels of the apples long, continuous ribbons in the sink.

Though not a careful speller, Sarah wrote frequently to the children far from home every chance she got. To Gerald in the 305th Engineers Band (a trombonist) in WW I she wrote of the May 1919 move from 224 Chalfont to the only home they owned ²... we have changed residences Your Father buying us a House costing 73 hundred and 50 dollars at no. 5518 Howe St Shadyside and we all think we are going to like it very much. Grampaw was out to see us on Sunday and he think it is very nice and so do the Muchlers and as property is considered valuable out this way some think we got a barging. 9 rooms reception Hall pantry bath cement cellar Furnace gas electric light and I only hope you will soon be here to enjoy it with us all again.² She grew gorgeous ferns and once bought more from a stranger at her door, only to discover they had been uprooted from her own yard.

Money was always tight but after Dave could no longer work as a shoe salesman­ he had a series of strokes in the 1930s­ the bank took over the house, furniture was put into storage, and Dave & Sarah moved in with my parents, Jean & Bob Halli. On February 24, 1942 Sarah's beloved Davey, had a massive heart attack and died at 5810 Key Ave., Baltimore, MD. My mother said that the change in her father's complexion was like a window shade being pulled down, then up.

Ruth then moved down from Pittsburgh to help her mother & Bill joined them after recovering from his WWII wounds. Bobby Halli was born in 1946. It wasn't until I was expected in 1949 that Sarah, Ruth and Bill, moved into their own second floor apartment in Baltimore on Kavon Ave.

Family, of course, was of utmost importance to Sarah & she loved to travel. At a moment's notice, Bill said, she would don a hat and be ready to go. She journeyed with Jean to visit Bill in boot camp at Ft. McClellan in Alabama. My mom complained that soot and cinders came in the train's open windows all the way down. In the 1950s Sarah traveled with Ruth to Colorado to check on her sister, Margaret Pickard Martin, who was fast becoming senile. Many letters were exchanged by Sarah and her brother, Zeke, regarding the care of Margaret in her Denver home and later in the State Hospital, Pueblo, CO.

For Sarah's 75th birthday in 1954 my mom planned a large surprise party at our house on Coventry Rd, in Towson, MD. The professional photographer's portrait was dreadful (no copies were ordered) but the party was great. All Sarah's children who could come were there. The house never had so many beds filled. My brother & I camped out on Army cots in my parents' bedroom. It was a wonderful party -- the chicken-a-la-king delicious.

Sarah's mild heart attack in 1960, while living in her Kavon Ave apartment, precipitated her move to our house where she lived from 1960-1965. We all loved to watch Lawrence Welk -- and when Sarah received an autographed photo from him, she was ecstatic. She loved football. Baltimore Colt Johnny Unitas was her favorite. As an avid reader, Sarah devoured biographies, poetry, and anything about the American Civil War. When her cataract operations were not successful, she welcomed the Talking Book records.

Sarah, a very religious person, raised her children Catholic. She herself converted later-- surprising her beloved husband. In the 1960's each morning would find Sarah in her favorite red rocking chair as she said 3 rosaries on her crystal beads ­ a decade for each of her 15 children. During thunderstorms Sarah headed for our basement where Bobby & I burned palm in a candle's glow to comfort her.

In 1965 she had a dreadfully painful blood clot in her leg, followed by a stroke. She had been in Bon Secours hospital in downtown Baltimore for nearly a month (still had a strong heart & lungs) when she died at age 86 on June 27, 1965. My mom had been feeling unwell and had not stayed in the hospital that night, to her deepest regret. Sarah outlived all her siblings and 7 of her children. She is buried in Mt. Carmel Cemetery in Pittsburgh (Section 6, Lot 29) beside her husband and their children, Louise, Dave, and Gerald.

Sarah Jane Pickard Doran's USA addresses:

• 1882 NW corner of Don & Elizabeth Houtzdale, PA
• 1900 838 4th Ave. Ford City, PA
• 1902-1905 Clarissa near Camp Pittsburgh, PA
• 1908 W. Long Ave. DuBois, PA
• 1910-1917? 112 1ˇ2 Evergreen St. DuBois, PA 1918 224 Chalfont St. Pittsburgh, PA 1918-1942 5518 Howe St. Pittsburgh, PA 1942-1949 5810 Key Ave. Baltimore, MD 1949-1960 4627 Kavon Ave. (2nd floor) Baltimore, MD 1960-1965 641 Coventry Rd. Towson, MD