There are a lot of famous people who have resided in our small city, but it is always illuminating to discover ordinary people who do extraordinary things. This happened recently when the Historical Society as well as the Craven County Library in New Bern received an inquiry from a researcher about a woman who resided here in the 1800’s. Victor Jones had been contacted about this woman a year ago and had responded with some information. We quickly shared additional information and marveled at the fact that we had not ever heard of this woman prior to an inquiry. You may be as surprised as we were when you read her story.
The woman in question is Sarah Marshall Boone, born Sarah Marshall in New Bern in 1835. She was born into slavery, the daughter of Caleb Marshall and Sarah (Sally) Morgan. On 25 Nov 1847, at the age of 15, Sarah married James Boone, (sometimes listed as Boon) in New Bern. James was a free African American brick mason and bought Sarah’s freedom. They eventually had eight children. Just prior to the Civil War, the Boone family moved to New Haven, Connecticut as did Sarah’s mother, Sally Morgan Marshall who was now widowed. Sally appears in New Haven in the city directory of New Haven in 1861. James Boone along with his wife Sarah and family appear in 1862. Sally Morgan Marshall died in New Haven on 1 Aug 1868 and James Boone, died 18 Jan 1876.
Sarah Marshall Boone continued to live in New Haven and on April 26, 1892 she was one of the first African American women in the United States to receive a patent. She was one of several women in the 1890’s to submit patents for domestic machinery. Sarah was a seamstress and designed a narrow and curved ironing board that had collapsible legs and a padded cover. The first ironing board patents initially appeared in the 1860’s but these were boards that were designed to be placed on two chairs or a table. The narrow board Sarah designed was the size and fit of a sleeve common to women’s dresses at the time and was reversible so that one could iron both sides of the sleeve. It could also be folded and put away in a closet or other place in the home. Sarah’s design was quite sophisticated and the precursor to ironing boards in modern times.
Sarah Marshall Boone died 29 Oct 1904 and she is buried along with her mother and husband in a family plot in Evergreen Cemetery, New Haven.
This is not the end of the story as there are many questions regarding Sarah Marshall Boone’s early years in New Bern. Some sources say she was born in Mississippi rather than New Bern. Her death certificate indicates her father was James Marshall, not Caleb. Where were Sarah and her parents slaves? When were they freed? Who were the parents of James Boone, Sarah’s husband? We will continue researching until we hopefully find the answers to this puzzle. We are just grateful for the inquiry that led to this extraordinary woman from New Bern.
By Claudia Houston, New Bern Historical Society
Blog article provided by, New Bern Historical Society – www.newbernhistorical.org