The Forgotten Son: Adam Froman - 52 Ancestors

Adam Froman is the fifth child and third son of John and Catherine (Saylor) Froman.

Adam's forgotten status is a result of his being omitted from the family records of my aunt, Tressa (Doyle) Wilson.  She named all the other sons and daughters of John and Catherine but Adam was nowhere to be found on her list.  Surprisingly, it was my mother, an in-law in the family, who included Adam, or Ad--she wasn't sure which, in the list of children.  I'll never know how she knew about him.

I was uncertain of his reality as a person until I found him on census records; and then uncertain of his membership in the family until I saw his name on is his father's intestate court file.

Further research on Adam has shown him to be a challenge.  Another researcher sent family groups sheets showing him with his wife and three children and descendants, but did not include source citations.  I don't know where she obtained her information.

Birth

• 15 Nov 1868 (his father John Froman's intestate court file)
• Oct 1866 in Pennsylvania (1900 U.S. Census)
• 23 Jan 1869 in Salon, Ohio (obituary in Greenville Record-Argus)
• 23 Jan 1869 in Pennsylvania (death certificate)

Census records of 1870, 1880, 1920, and 1930 give ages that indicate a birth year of 1869.

Name

• Adam (father's intestate court file)
• Adam L. (obituary)
• Adam David (death certificate)

Sometimes it's hard to know which name is closest to accurate.

Marriages
I've been unable to locate any marriage documents for Adam.  The researcher mentioned above gave Sarah Jane Perrine as his wife's maiden name and a marriage date of "about 1897."  Census records suggest a marriage year closer to 1895. 

• In 1900:  Sadie J., married 5 years.
• In 1910:  Sara, married 15 years.

I believe Adam was married twice.  The other researcher gave Sarah Jane Perrine's death date as March 8, 1915.  Subsequent census records tell the following about his wife.

• In 1920:  Mary
• In 1930:  Mary

It's likely that it was a second marriage for both Adam and Mary:  in 1930 Adam's age at first marriage was given as 27, Mary's as 19.

I'd like to find other sources for marriage information for both marriages. 

Occupation
All census records indicate that Adam was a farmer during his adult years.  He lived in rural Sandy Lake Township until after 1920.  Before 1930 he moved to Hittle Avenue, Greenville, Mercer County, Pennsylvania.

Children
Adam and Sara had three children:
John H., born June 1898 (1900 U.S. Census)
Minnie, born ~1901 (1920 U.S. Census)
Lawrence, born ~1904 (1920 U.S. Census

Death
Adam died July 19, 1930.  His obituary from page 9 of the July 21, 1930 issue of the Greenville Record-Argus says death came "after a long illness."  His death certificate records that he had diabetes and was in a diabetic coma at the time of his death.

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This post is in response to Amy Johnson Crow's call to her readers to write about 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks.  Thank you, Amy.

--Nancy.

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