Married 1st cousin. When Sam's father died in 1899, he and Melissa took in his half-sisters, Flora 12, Ester 9, and Effie 4, in addition to their own three children and Melissa's mother Rosy. In the spring of 1901, the twelve of them moved by train to Iowa.
Died of tonsilectomy which had been complicated by the fact of a rheumatic heart.
Died when at 71 the mule and wagon driven by himn was hit by a car.
Marriage cert. shows him as Jasper N. Key
Moved from Surry, NC to Weston,OR
not listed in 1910 census
also shown buried in the Ararat Cedar Hills Prim Bapt. Ch. cem
also shown buried in the Ararat Cedar Hills Prim Bapt. Ch. cem