Our Forebears

Howard and Clara Sergeant

Howard Lafayette Sergeant was born on November 21, 1865, in Ripon, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. He was the third of ten children born to Luman DeWitt Clinton Sergeant and Marie Antoinette Anjer. His parents had lived in Minnesota for a couple years, and when Howard was 14, they moved to Nebraska, making the five-week trip by covered wagon.1 The family lived near Axtell for several years before moving to Juniata in 1882.

Howard married Clara Emma Robertson on April 17, 1887, in Juniata, Adams, Nebraska, when he was 21 and she was 18. Together they raised 10 children and were married 57 years until Howard’s death.

For a number of years, Howard taught school in districts near Juniata. In 1894, the family moved to Golden City, Barton, Missouri, but returned four years later to Juniata where Howard took up the trade of mason. In 1914, he was appointed Postmaster of the Juniata Post Office, a position he held for 19 years.

About 1916, Howard built a house with the assistance of all of his children. Besides being a brick mason, Howard had also worked as a plasterer. Each of his children learned a construction skill so they could contribute their labor in building their new family home on East 6th Street in Juniata.

Having studied music while in school, Howard formed the Sergeant Orchestra with all of his children participating. The group played at church and school functions for many years. He was an active member of the Methodist Church, and taught a Sunday school class for several years. An expert checker player, he took part in several state tournaments.

Howard died on January 13, 1945, in Juniata at the age of 79 and is buried at the Juniata Cemetery.

   1 See Emily’s Diary (Howard’s sister) under Resources to read about their trip.

Clara Emma Robertson was born on February 22, 1869, in Tuscola, Douglas, Illinois. She was the youngest of four children born to Joseph Alexander Robertson and Mary Emma Frew. Her parents had lived on a farm near Decatur, Macon, Illinois, and when Clara was three years old, they moved to Nebraska in a covered wagon. They lived on a farm southwest of Juniata, Adams, Nebraska, for several years before moving to town. At a family reunion in 1958, the newspaper reported the occasion with an interview, “She can remember the Indians in the area and recalls that one Indian chief took a fancy to her when she was about five years old, and her mother bribed him with a cup of sugar and ‘talked him out of’ his interest in her daughter.”

When Clara’s husband, Howard, was appointed Postmaster in 1914, she worked with him as Assistant Postmaster for many years. Her children described her as the “strong, dynamic matriarch who had skills in almost every field.”

Clara died on August 29, 1964, in Juniata at the age of 95 and is buried at the Juniata Cemetery.

Children of Howard Lafayette Sergeant and Clara Emma Robertson:

  1. Raymond Leroy Sergeant 1888–1972
  2. Clinton Elwood Sergeant Sr. 1889–1993
  3. Morris Dean Sergeant 1891–1971
  4. Neal Robertson Sergeant 1893–1981
  5. Mary Ruth Sergeant 1896–1985
  6. Luther DeWitt Sergeant 1899–1977
  7. Lucy Josephine Sergeant 1901–1991
  8. Helen Gertrude Sergeant 1903–1978
  9. John Anjer Sergeant 1905–1989
  10. Doris Winifred Sergeant 1908–2013
Our Forebears
Luman and Marie
William and Sally
Samuel and Catherine
Samuel and Bethany

⯈ Read More about their children.

Sources and Research Notes

Howard Lafayette Sergeant 1865 – 1945

  • Birth: No birth record found. Death certificate lists birth date and location.
  • Death: Nebraska Death Certificate 1945.
  • Marriage: Marriage license in Adams County, Nebraska.
  • United States Federal Census records: 1870, 1880, 1900, 1910, 1920, 1930, 1940.
  • State Census records: 1885 Nebraska.
  • Obituary: The Hastings Daily Tribune, January 13, 1945.
  • Death notice: None.
  • Burial: Howard Lafayette Sergeant on Find a Grave®
  • Miscellaneous: None.
  • Children: Nebraska birth ledger index lists the birth dates of Howard and Clara’s last two children. No birth records found for the other eight children, but they were all listed on the censuses with their parents.

Clara Emma Robertson 1869 – 1964

  • Birth: No birth record found. Death certificate lists birth date and location.
  • Death: Nebraska Death Certificate 1964.
  • Marriage: Marriage license in Adams County, Nebraska.
  • United States Federal Census records: 1870, 1880, 1900, 1910, 1920, 1930, 1940, 1950.
  • State Census records: 1885 Nebraska.
  • Obituary: The Hastings Daily Tribune, August 29, 1964.
  • Death notice: None.
  • Burial: Clara E Sergeant on Find a Grave®
  • Miscellaneous: None.
  • Children: Nebraska birth ledger index lists the birth dates of Howard and Clara’s last two children. No birth records found for the other eight children, but they were all listed on the censuses with their parents.

Digital Resources

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ImageFile NameFile Size
Thumb ClaraESergeant_Death_Certificate.jpg

image/jpegClaraESergeant_Death_Certificate.jpg

State of Nebraska, Department of Health, Bureau of Vital Statistics, Certificate of Death

Open Download Copy Link 663.71 KB 2024-05-05 May 5, 2024 2024-05-05 May 5, 2024 		663.71 KB
Thumb Clara_E_Sergeant_Obituary.jpg

image/jpegClara_E_Sergeant_Obituary.jpg

Hastings Daily Tribune, August 29, 1964

Open Download Copy Link 147.21 KB 2024-04-01 April 1, 2024 2024-03-30 March 30, 2024 		147.21 KB
Thumb HowardLSergeant_Death_Certificate.jpg

image/jpegHowardLSergeant_Death_Certificate.jpg

State of Nebraska, Department of Health, Bureau of Vital Statistics, Certificate of Death

Open Download Copy Link 716.88 KB 2024-05-05 May 5, 2024 2024-05-05 May 5, 2024 		716.88 KB
Thumb Howard_L_Sergeant_Marriage_License.jpg

image/jpegHoward_L_Sergeant_Marriage_License.jpg

Howard L. Sergeant in the Nebraska, U.S., Select County Marriage Records, 1855-1908

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Thumb Howard_L_Sergeant_Obituary.jpg

image/jpegHoward_L_Sergeant_Obituary.jpg

Hastings Daily Tribune, January 13, 1945, Page 5

Open Download Copy Link 189.25 KB 2023-09-15 September 15, 2023 2023-09-15 September 15, 2023 		189.25 KB
Thumb Marriage_Certificate1887_HowardLSergeant_ClaraERobertson.jpg

image/jpegMarriage_Certificate1887_HowardLSergeant_ClaraERobertson.jpg

Certificate of Marriage. Howard L. Sergeant and Clara E. Robertson. April 17, 1887.

Open Download Copy Link 921.39 KB 2025-04-09 April 9, 2025 2024-03-25 March 25, 2024 		921.39 KB
Thumb NebraskaCensus1885.jpg

image/jpegNebraskaCensus1885.jpg

Nebraska State Census 1885, Village of Juniata, Adams County, Nebraska, June 9, 1885

Open Download Copy Link 710.54 KB 2023-09-22 September 22, 2023 2023-09-22 September 22, 2023 		710.54 KB
Thumb NebraskaCensus1885_Clara_Robertson.jpg

image/jpegNebraskaCensus1885_Clara_Robertson.jpg

Nebraska State Census 1885, Village of Juniata, Adams County, Nebraska, June 8, 1885. Lists Clara Robertson.

Open Download Copy Link 699.13 KB 2024-05-05 May 5, 2024 2024-05-05 May 5, 2024 		699.13 KB
Thumb USCensus1870.jpg

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U. S. Federal Census 1870, Ripon, Fond du Lac County, Wisconsin, June 3, 1870

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Thumb USCensus1870_Clara_Robertson.jpg

image/jpegUSCensus1870_Clara_Robertson.jpg

U. S. Federal Census 1870, Camargo Township, Douglas County, Illinois, August 6, 1870. Lists Carrie (Clara) Robertson.

Open Download Copy Link 391.64 KB 2024-05-07 May 7, 2024 2024-05-06 May 6, 2024 		391.64 KB
Thumb USCensus1880.jpg

image/jpegUSCensus1880.jpg

U. S. Federal Census 1880, Divide Precinct, Phelps County, Nebraska, June 17, 1880

Open Download Copy Link 623.33 KB 2023-09-20 September 20, 2023 2023-09-20 September 20, 2023 		623.33 KB
Thumb USCensus1880_Clara_Robertson.jpg

image/jpegUSCensus1880_Clara_Robertson.jpg

U. S. Federal Census 1880, Village of Juniata, Adams County, Nebraska, June 1, 1880. Lists Carrie (Clara) Robertson.

Open Download Copy Link 729.58 KB 2024-05-05 May 5, 2024 2024-05-05 May 5, 2024 		729.58 KB
Thumb USCensus1900.jpg

image/jpegUSCensus1900.jpg

U. S. Federal Census 1900, Village of Juniata, Adams County, Nebraska, July 2, 1900

Open Download Copy Link 726.25 KB 2023-09-20 September 20, 2023 2023-09-20 September 20, 2023 		726.25 KB
Thumb USCensus1910.jpg

image/jpegUSCensus1910.jpg

U. S. Federal Census 1910, Village of Juniata, Adams County, Nebraska, April 19, 1910

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Thumb USCensus1920.jpg

image/jpegUSCensus1920.jpg

U. S. Federal Census 1920, Village of Juniata, Adams County, Nebraska, January 19, 1920

Open Download Copy Link 541.9 KB 2023-09-20 September 20, 2023 2023-09-20 September 20, 2023 		541.9 KB
Thumb USCensus1930.jpg

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U. S. Federal Census 1930, Village of Juniata, Adams County, Nebraska, April 3, 1930

Open Download Copy Link 573.93 KB 2023-09-20 September 20, 2023 2023-09-20 September 20, 2023 		573.93 KB
Thumb USCensus1940.jpg

image/jpegUSCensus1940.jpg

U. S. Federal Census 1940, Village of Juniata, Adams County, Nebraska, April 24, 1940

Open Download Copy Link 520.74 KB 2023-09-20 September 20, 2023 2023-09-20 September 20, 2023 		520.74 KB
Thumb USCensus1950.jpg

image/jpegUSCensus1950.jpg

U. S. Federal Census 1950, Village of Juniata, Adams County, Nebraska, April 24, 1950

Open Download Copy Link 304.23 KB 2023-10-03 October 3, 2023 2023-10-03 October 3, 2023 		304.23 KB

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Some records not included in the Digital Resources list are available upon request.

About Us

This website is an ongoing research project by Sergeant family members who believe that it is important to understand our ancestral history and heritage. Our objective is to present Sergeant family historical information that can be proven to be true or false through objective evidence.

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