John S. Sebree was the son of Edmund S. and Lutitia Dudley Capps Sebree, and was the third of nine children. He was born in Clay County, Missouri. His mother died in 1854 when John was thirteen and his father remairried a much younger woman by the name of Judith Katherine Phillips. The family moved to Leavenworth, Kansas. On October 15, 1862 in Leavenworth, John married Miss. Sarrah Endicott, the daughter of Joseph and Elizabeth Louisa Phillips Endicott. They had four children, the first one died at a very early age. We don't have a exact date, but Sarrah died sometime around 1885. At that time they were living in Waldon, Platte County, Missouri. On April 12, 1895 in Ava, Douglas County, Missouri, John married a very young woman by the name of Laura Amanda "Amma" Foster. She was the daughter of Leonard G "Diek" and Amanda Melvina Short Foster. Laura's family lived in Cole Camp, Benton County, Missouri, so this is where they settled. By the time Laura was twenty-eight years old she had six children. The following is an account of her death.
SHE FELL DEAD


Mrs. John Sebree died suddenly at her Home.
Word was received here last Saturday morning that Mrs. John Sebree had died suddenly at her home at Raymond. Coroner Dillon was notified and being unable to come himself, instructed Justice Peter Holsten to hold an inquest. Justice Holsten went to Raymond in the afternoon and empanneled the following jury: W. W. Brummett, Louis England, Gerd Muller, R. M. Stratton, Dick White and H. F. Harms. After having viewed the body, they heard the following evidence, all witnesses with the exception of Dr. W. B. Jones, being neighbors of Mrs. Sebree.

JOHN SEBREE
John Sebree, the husband of the dead woman, testified as follows: "I saw my wife last, this morning between six and seven o'clock, when I left to go to Cole Camp. At the time, she appeared as well as usual. She never appeared to be in good health now as she has for several years. Nothing has been between us, and she appeared to be in as good humor when I left as ever. I can form no idea whatever as to how my wife came to her death. There was no trouble between us at all. After I had reached Cole Camp and had traded some, I got a telephone message that my wife was having fits and for me to come home and bring a doctor. I think is was about 10 o'clock. I could not find a doctor in town. Shortly after I got the first message I got another that she was dead. I went to the livery barn and got a team and came home as soon as I could. I found my wife dead".

MRS. SWEARINGIN

Mrs. Clara Sweargin, a neighbor lady and the first one outside of the family to reach Mrs. Sebree said: "I saw Mrs. Sebree about nine o'clock and that was the last I saw her alive. She was standing in her back door talking and laughing. I could see nothing unusual. I went to the well for a bucket of water about ten o'clock and heard one of the children saying "Oh Mamma!" I ran and ask her what was the matter, and she said, "I don't know, Mamma fell out of her chair." When I got to her there were slobbers or something running out of her mouth. It was kind of bloody looking stuff. I thought she had a convulsion because she was so black in the face. I saw no one outside of the family about the house until I got to her. The family consists of Mr. and Mrs. Sebree and small children, the oldest a girl of twelve. The husband started to town this morning about seven o'clock. She fell from her chair about ten. She did not peak after I got to her and did not open her eyes. The little girl said she fell on her face, but she had turned over when I got to her. It was a nice, shady place out there and she had gone out there to do some sewing. She worked out in the timber with her husband, and I thought she was in pretty good health. I never knew of her having convulsions. After I saw she was going to die I called Mrs. Qualls and Mrs. White and they ran down. She only breathed two or three times after I got to her.

MRS. EMMA WHITE

Mrs. White's testimony was about the same as Mrs. Swearingin's. She said she saw Mrs. Sebree alive for the last time about one o'clock Friday, when she went to work with Mr. Sebree. I have known Mrs. John Sebree for about ten years and did not think she was subject to convulsions. She noticed the froth, or liquid running from her mouth.


MRS. THURMAN QUALLS
Mrs. Qualls testified that she had known Mrs. Sebree but two weeks. She saw her last alive about an hour before she died. She talked with her then and she said she seemed to be as well as usual. She was in a good humor and nothing seemed to be wrong with her. She knew of no suspicious circumstances surrounding the case.

DR. W. G. JONES

Dr. Jones of Lincoln testified as follows: "I have examined the body as best I could, externally and I find no evidence whatever of any external violence. I could not find any odor of any drug about her mouth as is sometimes the case. There was a bloody liquid oozing from her mouth, but I could not say that was necessarily evidence of a drug being used. From all the evidence I have seen or heard I would conclude that she came to her death from natural consequences."


THE VERDICT OF JURY


The verdict of the Coroner's jury was: "We, the jury, find that Mrs. John Sebree came to her death from natural consequences



THE FUNERAL

The funeral occurred, Sunday, the interment being in the Williams cemetery. The funeral services were conducted by Rev. J. A. Sartin.

The deceased was a daughter of Mrs. Amanda Foster of this city, and was born in Williams Township Jan. 18, 1879, being aged 25 years, six months and 23 days at the time of her death. She leaves surviving besides her husband, five children, four daughters and one son, the oldest girl of twelve and youngest a two month old baby.

This is one of the saddest cases we have been called upon to chronicle for many a day. The bereaved husband and children and sorrowing mother and sisters have the sympathy of the entire community

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After Laura's death, John's health fell to decline. His younger children were raised by neighbors and friends in the community. The following obituary shares of his life:

out of the Douglas County (Missouri) Obituary book

November 10, 1910

Obituary:

Death has again visited the neighborhood of Goodhope, taking from us "Uncle John" Sebree, age 68 years and a few months. John Sebree was born in Clay county, Mo. March 3, 1842, and died October 30, 1910 at Mrs. H. H. Harless' house in Douglas county, Mo. He had formerly lived at this place, but has for the few years lived at Coal
Camp Missouri. For the last eight or ten months his health has been constantly on the decline
and since the first of July he had been visiting; and trying to regain his lost
health. Since the first of Oct. he has been confined to his room. There is left to mourn the great loss a son in Kansas City, a daughter in Okla., a son and three daughters at Coal Camp, Mo., and two sisters, Mrs.
Sam Boden, Wix Montana and Mrs. H. H. Harless Goodhope Mo. and not only they but other relatives and friends in different places.

While in health he was very cheerful and generous hearted, thinking always of what pleasure he might be to others, and very meek and patient during his illness, trying as he said to trouble his dear sister, and friends as little as possible. He had been a member of the church of Christ for many years being faithful to the end.

We neighbors and friends extend our sympathy to the bereaved family in this great loss.

A Christian friend.
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Union-Williams Cemetery, south-west of Cole Camp is the burial location for his wife Laura. His name is listed on the back of her grave stone.