A Second Look at a Saylor Source

Sometimes I find it helpful to return to a source I found earlier.  It may have given me leads but because of my lack of experience or lack of knowledge of the family I may have missed something useful.  Having done more research on the family and having more records available online since first seeing a source can give new insights.  So if I have more work to do to find the family, I go back to earlier sources.

I wrote about this biography of Peter Saylor several years ago which I found it in A Twentieth Century History of Mercer County....  Having recently found and combed through John Froman's intestate court file, I decided to return briefly to his wife Catherine (Saylor) Froman's family of birth.  This biography names Peter Saylor and "Catherine, widow of John Frohman, of West Salem Township" as children of Jacob Saylor.  A careful reading shows that Catherine and Peter are half-siblings with the same father but different mothers. (Click on the image of the page to see a larger view of it.)

This time through I gleaned more information:
Jacob Saylor
born in 1812 in Baron, Germany
immigrated to the U.S. in ~1852
died about 1870
father was Daniel Saylor, died ~1845

Marriages:
Jacob & Elizabeth Shaefer, daughter of J. Shaefer
Elizabeth died about 1858

Children of Jacob and Elizabeth
--Jacob, who died before 1909
--Fred, who died after 1909
--Elizabeth, who died before 1909
--Catherine, wife of John Frohman, died after 1909
--Theresa, wife of Adam Leninger, died after 1909
--plus 9 more unnamed children

Jacob and Mary Frohman, married after 1858
Children of Jacob and Mary
--Peter who married Caroline Schank
--Melinda who married August Brooks
--Anna who became Mrs. Whorton
--Josephine who became Mrs. Callahan
--Louisa who became Mrs. Welk
--Otto
--Alexander

As with any source of information, I'll compare this against other information I've found in other records.

Last week I was searching through the Mercer County Probate Records on FamilySearch and found this:

Could that Jacob Sailor, first on the list, be "my" Jacob Sailor?  Could that Mary E. Sailor be Mary Frohman Sailor, wife of Jacob Sailor?  Could this estate file give me enough information to connect my Catherine (Saylor) Froman to this Jacob Froman?  I requested the records from the Mercer County Courthouse.  I hope they are not tiring of my requests.  With the last request I was informed that, in future, there will be a $5.00 search fee for each name in addition to the 50 cents/page cost for copies.

On another note....
I admit that I'm still tied to paper in many ways.  There's something about the information sticking in my brain when it goes through my eyes, through a pencil onto paper, and back through my eyes into my brain. Something about writing it imprints it. 

I especially like this genealogical concept map.  Its clear, concise, simple format is helpful for recording information such as the names and dates on the county history.  Using this form puts order to the family instead of having just a list of names and dates.  In once glance I can see much of the basic information for an individual or family.

--Nancy.

Copyright ©2018, Nancy Messier.  All Rights Reserved. 
Do not copy or use any content from this blog without written permission from the owner. 
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Genealogical Concept Map

Here's one more form I use: a Genealogical Concept Map. It is one of my favorites.

At a glance I have quite a lot of helpful information. I put the ancestor's name in pen and add other information in pencil so it can be corrected or added to as I find more definitive sources. This form, combined with the Checklist for Completed Searches that I posted a few days ago or an updated one at Me and My Ancestors, gives a concise overview of what I need to know when I'm researching -- and space to add more information I have or might need for a research trip.

It doesn't have sources on it because I use this in conjunction with my research log where I keep a detailed record of where I've searched and what I've found (or, in so many cases, haven't found).

I found this years ago when I was thinking about doing my family history and I thought it might be helpful and copied it. Unfortunately I didn't note where I found it. If any readers know its source, please let me know and I'll remove it if it violates copyright or give credit if permission is given by the creator to leave it here.

Fact/Opinion/Search Chart

This is another form I use. I print this one and the checklist in the previous post back to back with this one toward the front.

I think this is especially useful to keep track of those little nudges I get to check this place or that for a record -- forgotten if I don't write them down. When I've made good use of this form and for some reason have to stop research for a particular ancestor, I can step right back into work because it helps me remember where I was and what I wanted to do next.

This form, like the previous one, does not take the place of my detailed research log. Also, like the previous form, I don't know if I this form was my idea or if I found one like it somewhere and adapted it.

As Barbara mentioned in a comment on the checklist post, these forms might be most useful for those new to family history.

How do you keep track of what you want to do next, especially if you're working on multiple relatives at the same time?

Checklist for Completed Searches

This is a form I use to help me with my searches.  This doesn't take the place of a detailed research log or any other form where source documentation would go.

I primarily use it to check off the places I've already searched and to remind myself where else I can look.  I generally don't add much information on this form unless there are several places to search for an item, such as in more than one Bible, military service in two wars or two countries, more than one marriage, etc.

If I ever retype this there is one more section I would add, and that is addresses.  I think I would leave space to list them, along with dates.  For me it would make an easy reference.

To be honest I don't know how I came to have this form.  I remember that I typed it in this format, though it was probably a list I found in a book when I very first started thinking about the possibility of working on my family history.  If someone out there reading this blog sees this form and can point me to its source, I'd be grateful.  I'd like to give credit.

I have another form or two that I like and use, which I'll post in the next few days.

Do you have suggestions for improvement of this one? Do you have forms (other than census transcription forms) that you like and use?

Posts using this form
> Saturday’s Dilemma ~ Trying To Get It All Straight at Genealogy With Valerie

–Nancy.

Copyright ©2010-2020, Nancy Messier.  All Rights Reserved. 
Do not copy or use any content from this blog without written permission from the owner. 
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