Ernest L. Sheets ^{2 3 4 5 6 7 8}

  General Notes:

Ernest's parents were William M. and Arabella Sheets, both born in Missouri. (Listed that way in 1870, 1880 and 1900. Ernest gave it as Virginia and Kentucky on the 1910 census, both Virginia on the 1920 census, and Virginia and Missouri on the 1930 census.) At the time of the 1870 census, the family lived in Union, Daviess County, Missouri, where his father was a clerk in the circuit clerks office. At the time of the 1880 census, the family lived in Gallatin, Daviess County, Missouri. His father was listed as a pen man. Ernest was a farm laborer. His siblings were Clarence C. and M. E. M.(Lide), Robert, and Mandy. Clarence wasn't listed with the family in 1880.

At the time of the 1900 census, Ernest was a dry goods merchant in Union, Daviess County, Missouri. His household included a boarder, William Rozzelle, 17. Ernest was paying a mortgage to own his home. The family moved to Oklahoma before 1902. At the time of the 1910 census, Ernest was a merchant with his own store in Noble, Cleveland County, Oklahoma. He was paying a mortgage to own his home. At the time of the 1920 census, Ernest had his own retail hardware store in Purcell, McClain County, Oklahoma. He was paying a mortgage to own his home. At the time of the 1930 census, he owned his home in Purcell. It was valued at $5000. He was still a retail hardware merchant. A public school teacher, Winnie R. Grisham, and her son Frank were lodging with the family.

Ernest married Emma Brosius, daughter of Emanuel Brosius and Sarah Anna Jones, on 21 May 1891 in Gallatin, Daviess County, Missouri.¹ (Emma Brosius was born on 24 Feb 1868 in Gallatin, Daviess County, Missouri ^{4 8}.)