Sarah Emily Butler was born about 1849 in Winston Co. MS as the fifth child of James M. Butler and Sarah Crawford. Sarah's Mother died after her brother, William was born in 1852. In 1857, Sarah moved with her father and step-mother Amanda Bishop to Walker Co. AL to live on a land patent purchased by her father. Sarah moved with the family to northern Alabama in 1861.
Sarah married Isaac Alfred Duke in 1868 in Lauderdale Co. AL. During the 1870's, I. A. and Sarah Duke lived in Texas with three of their children being born there. According to family tradition, William J. Duke, I. A.'s Father, had a hunting accident and died in southeast MO. I. A.'s Mother, Delila, who evidently controlled the finances, said she was going no farther on their journey to participate in a land lottery in Texas. Isaac decided to return to be with the rest of the clan in Missouri. By the 1880 census, I. A. and Sarah Duke were living in Stoddard Co. MO.
Isaac Alfred and Sarah Emily Duke had six children: Elizabeth, W. J., Ida L., Matilda, Georgia Ann, Chas. Barham. Only Matilda and Georgia Ann are known to have survived to adulthood.
Sarah died before 1896 and I. A. Duke lived at least until 1900 when he was living in Dunklin Co. MO.