Seeking information on William POLEN, son of John Thomas Polen, Sr. and Harriet King; and Sarah Lavinia McCracken, daughter of Abraham McCracken and Ida Wright. William was born in 1862 in Aleppo Twp., Greene Co., PA. He married Sarah Lavina McCracken in 1883. Sarah McCracken was born in 1862 in Greene Co., PA. William and Sarah had 9 or 10 children:

Melvin, b. 1883
Eliza Jane, b. 1884
Ida May, b. 1886
Dora, b. 1888
Elsie Harriet, b. 1891
David Frankliin, b. 1893
Alta Pearle, b. 1896
Nelle Helen, b. 1898
Ralph, b. ??

and Harley, b. 1917 (surely a grandson, but listed as a son in the 1920 census).


I have listings for William Polen in Green Co., PA in the 1870 (Aleppo Twp.), 1880 (Aleppo Twp.) and 1900 (Liberty Dist., Marshall Co., WV) census, but after that the trail goes blank.

When and where did William die? Where is he buried? Several internet sources give his death date as 1937 but offer no documentation.

Someplace I found a reference years ago to William and Sarah divorcing before 1910, but cannot find anything to support this aside from a 1910 census listing (see below).

Sarah McCracken is listed in Greene Co., PA in 1880 (Richhill Twp.), in 1900 (Liberty District, Marshall Co., WV with her husband and children) ; in the 1910 (Cameron Dist., Marshall Co.) census, living with her parents (Abraham and Ida) and two daughers and identified as Divorced; and 1920 in Washington, Washington Co., PA as a widow with 3 children (including Harley—see above). Could not locate Sarah in the 1930 census, but internet sources have her dieing in Scenery Hill, Washington Co., PA in 1946.

Where is Sarah McCracken Polen buried? Did she ever remarry, and if so, to whom?

William Polen would be a great, great uncle of my wife.

Willing to share information.

Bill Muller
muller1938@gmail.com