GUARDIANSHIP: Sarah's parents, Henry Null, Jr., and Susannah Arey, both died circa 1808 in Warren County, Ohio, leaving seven daughters, four of whom were minors including Sarah. The four minor Null daughters, Sarah, Mary Magdalene, Susannah, and Catherine appeared in Open Court in Warren County, Ohio, on February 15, 1811, to each choose a Guardian. The other three daughters, Mary Margaret, Elizabeth, and Margretta, had already married by 1811 and were not legally in need of nor required to have a Guardian.
In open court, two of the daughters, Polly (Mary Magdalene) and Sally (Sarah), chose Rev. Adam Surface as their Guardian while the other two daughters, Ann (Susannah) and Catherine, chose Teter Kisling. A complete explanation for each girl’s individual choice probably cannot be given present-day. However, it should be noted that the three family names involved, Null, Surface, and Kisling, had known one another for a couple of generations in Rockingham County, Virginia, are found together as members of the Peaked Mountain Church in McGaheysville, Rockingham County, Virginia throughout the latter part of the 1700s and would seem to make logical sense with all three families having migrated to Warren County, Ohio, within 2-3 years of one another.

The choice of Teter Kisling as Guardian by Susannah (Ann) and Catherine Null is quite logical given that by 1811 two of their sisters had already married two of Teter Kisling’s sons: Margretta Null to John Kisling on October 1, 1808 and Elizabeth Null to Henry Kisling on October 11, 1810. Very early in their marriages to Null sisters, the Kisling men had sister-in-laws who were then orphaned minors. It’s quite logical that their father, Teter, being of sound moral character, a leader in the community, and considered as the “founder of the Kisling Clan of Ohio”, would step in and be considered for their Guardian. Within four years of their choice of Teter as their Guardian, Susannah and Catherine Null were both married and off beginning their own families. Susannah married Andrew Irick on July 22, 1813, while Catherine married John Griffis on November 9, 1815.

The choice of Rev. Adam Surface as Guardian by Mary Magdalene (Polly) and Sarah (Sally) Null is a bit murkier, and their reasoning can probably never be completely explained with any certainty. But, given the history of the two families having known and interacted with one another across two counties and two states and given that Rev. Adam Surface was also a leader within the community, their choice of him as Guardian does make a lot of sense. By early 1821, Mary Magdalene and Sarah Null were both married and on their own. Mary Magdalene (Polly) Null married Jacob Bonebrake on May 5, 1814, while, ironically, Sarah married Rev. Adam Surface’s son, Jacob Surface, on December 11, 1820. Following in their father’s footsteps, Jacob Surface and his brother, John Surface, both became Ministers.

MARRIAGE: There has been a little confusion as to the identity of Sarah Null's parents due to a transcription error on the marriage license, dated December 8, 1820, in Warren County, Ohio, for her marriage to Jacob Surface, Sr. The marriage license states that Sarah is allowed to marry "By consent of Adam Null, father & guardian of Sarah Null". The above Guardianship record shows that Sarah Null chose Adam SURFACE as her guardian on February 15, 1811. Evidently, the person making the notation got somewhat confused and actually listed the name of her uncle, Adam Null, as her father and Guardian. I doubt that he meant to actually list Sarah’s uncle. He probably took Adam Surface’s first name and mistakenly added Sarah’s last name of Null to the notation, and “Adam” and “Null” put together just happened to match the name of her uncle, Adam Null. In reality, it was Rev. Adam Surface whom she chose as her Guardian on February 15, 1811, and who was giving consent for her marriage to Jacob Surface. Ironically, Jacob Surface, Sarah's husband to be, was a son of Rev. Adam Surface, and Adam, as Sarah Null’s legal Guardian, was giving his consent for her to marry his own son. The resulting Marriage Return shows that Sarah Null and Jacob Surface were married December 11, 1820, in Warren County, Ohio, by the Rev. Thomas Winters.

PARENTS: Given the confusion as to whether Sarah was a daughter of Henry Null, Jr. or not because of the transcription error on the Marriage License for her marriage to Jacob Surface, further evidence that Sarah was born to Henry Null, Jr. and Susannah Arrey is as follows:

First, Sarah's obituary from the "New Paris Mirror" in Preble County, Ohio, on January 31, 1895, cited below, states that "In 1803 her father came to Warren Co. near what is now Springboro. Parents soon died, leaving her in care of a married sister". Henry Null, Jr., and wife, Susannah Arey, died in Warren County, Ohio, in 1808. This data certainly fits the info contained in Sarah Null Surface's 1895 obituary about her parents death soon after arriving in Warren County in 1803, and it can be concluded that Henry Null, Jr. and Susannah Arey were her parents.

Second, an 1826 land transaction for property in Warren County, Ohio, lists the children of Henry Null, Jr., deceased. The land was once owned by Henry, Jr.'s father, Henry Null, Sr. Since Henry, Jr. was already dead by 1826, his children took his place as listed heirs of Henry, Sr. and the property. Concerning the children of Henry Null, Jr., the deed itself reads, in part:

Wayne Co, IN Deed Book G pg 210. 13 Jul 1826 for heirs of Henry Null Sr for NE 1/4 of Section 11, T14, R1 to William ___k?

"This indenture made this 13th day of July in the year of our Lord eighteen hundred and twenty six. Between William Huffman and Margaret his wife late Margaret Null of the County of Montgomery and State of Ohio, Christian Null and Catherine his wife, Charles Null and Adam Null of the County of Warren and State of Ohio. Children and HEIRS OF HENRY NULL JNR late of Warren County Ohio deceased, John Kisling and Margaret his wife late Margaret Null, William Miltenbarger and Mary his wife late Mary Null, of Warren County Ohio, Jacob Bonebrake and Mary Magdalen his wife late Mary Magdalen Null,
Jacob Surface and SARAH his wife late SARAH NULL, Henry Kisling and
Elizabeth his wife late Elizabeth Null, John Griffis and Catherine his wife late Catherine Null, and Andrew Irich and Susannah his wife late Susannah Null of the county of Preble and state of Ohio ..."

The deed clearly lists Sarah Null, wife of Jacob Surface, as the heir of Henry Null, Jr. Its also clear from this that Sarah Null was Henry Null Jr.'s daughter.

OBITUARY: Obituary for Sarah Null Surface printed in the New Paris Mirror newspaper, Preble County, Ohio, on January 31, 1895:

Sarah Null Surface, w/o Rev. Jacob, deceased, born Aug 1799 in Rockingham Co., VA. In 1803 her father came to Warren Co near what is now Springboro. Parents soon died, leaving her in care of a married sister. In 1820 married and husband died Oct 1880. Had 8 sons and 6 daus; 5 sons living, 36 grandchildren, 52 great grandch, 54 great-great-grandch. Preaching services often held in their home in the early days. A large double log house was built for that purpose and stands on the homestead. For a time he was an itinerant minister. Raised 10 children to adulthood, son Jacob died 2 weeks ago. Buried in New Hope.

NOTE: Date of death for Sarah's husband, the Rev. Jacob Surface, was incorrectly listed in the Obituary as October 1880, when it should have read October 1860. Transcription of the gravestone of Jacob Surface, Sr. in Bonebrake Cemetery, New Hope, Preble County, Ohio, reads as follows:
Rev. Jacob Surface: May 23, 1802 to 10-2-1860

• Married: 11 DEC 1820 in Warren County,Ohio

1. Adam J. SURFACE b: 6 MAR 1821 in Preble County,Ohio
2. John M. SURFACE b: 23 MAR 1822 in Preble County,Ohio
3. Mary B. SURFACE b: 1824 in Preble County,Ohio
4. Jacob SURFACE b: 20 AUG 1826 in Warren County,Ohio
5. Sarah W. SURFACE b: 20 AUG 1826 in Preble County,Ohio
6. Moses SURFACE b: 17 OCT 1828 in Preble County,Ohio
7. Catherine SURFACE b: 1830 in Preble County,Ohio
8. Peter SURFACE
9. Martin SURFACE b: 29 JAN 1836 in Preble County,Ohio
10. Andrew SURFACE b: 1838 in Preble County,Ohio
11. Eli SURFACE b: 1841 in Preble County,Ohio
12. William SURFACE
13. Susannah SURFACE
14. Elizabeth SURFACE

1. Title: Obituary for Sarah Null Surface printed in the New Hope Mirrior on January 31, 1895
   Abbrev: Obituary for Sarah Null Surface printed in the New Hope Mirrior on January 31, 1895