SARAH LOUISE MAXSON STARK was born on October 31, 1859 shortly after her parents and sisters moved from Berlin, Wisconsin earlier that year. In 1860 the Maxson family was living on a farm in Mantorville Township about two miles north of the city of Mantorville. In 1870 she was attending school in Kasson.

Sarah married Jacob L. Stark on March 6, 1883 in Kasson, Minnesota. They had twelve children born between 1884 to 1906. Ten of those children survived. Jacob was a farmer and drilled many of wells for farmers in Dodge County. He drilled the well for the City of Kasson in 1895.

One can only imagine what Sarah's life as a pioneer mother of 10 children would have been like. From her pictures it appears that she was a rather tall, stately woman, wearing her hair softly swept up into a bun. Her grandchildren remembered that she was a beautiful seamstress. Sarah most likely was a wonderful cook, because all of her daughters were. She was also described as being a devoted mother and a charitable neighbor. For three years between 1915 and 1918 she cared for her sister, DeEtte Wood who had suffered a stroke. Sarah was a devoted member of the Methodist Episcopal Church in Kasson.

After Jacob's death Sarah remained in her home on Mantorville Avenue in Kasson with son, Lawrence and his wife Mabel and their children.

On June 30, 1934, Sarah was sitting on the front porch in a rocking chair while her daughter-in-law, Mabel was hanging clothes on the line. Her granddaughter Donna went to check on Sarah and she found her lying on the porch, having fallen out of her chair. She had suffered a stroke and remained in a weakened condition, dying Sunday morning July 22, 1934 at her home in Kasson at the age of 74 years, 9 months and 22 days.

The funeral services were conducted on Tuesday afternoon, July 24th at the Methodist Episcopal Church in Kasson, officing was Rev. A.W. Brown.

Six daughters, three sons, and one sister, Amanda Houston, two brothers, Shurl and Charles Oscar Maxson and thirty grandchildren survived Sarah. Preceding Sarah in death were her parents, Peters and Fanny Maxson, her husband Jacob, daughter Fannie Stark, two infant sons, nine grandchildren, four sisters, DeEtte Wood, Elnora Weld, Catherine Johnson and Elizabeth Maxson and one brother Lester Maxson.

Sarah Louise Maxson Stark was laid to rest in the Stark family plot in Maple Grove Cemetery in Kasson, Minnesota beside her family. The burial plot of 10 is on the east side of the cemetery south of the Maxson family graves. Jacob and Sarah are the only graves that have headstone.

The story of Sarah Maxson was a group effort from many family members who provided information and memories:
Grandchildren, Sarah Bauer Borchert, Junior Frederick and Donna Scripture were great resources. Sarah Borchert provided the original photos of Jacob and Sarah kept by her mother Laura Bauer, other photos were kept by Mabel Kautz and Ada Frederick. The story was researched and written by Nancy Ronningen her great granddaughter.