Casting a wide Sharp net on Surname Saturday

Louise Sharp has always been a bit of a mystery for me. She is my husband’s great grandmother. His family had stories but no facts about her. I first “met” Louisa in those family stories that all state she was a Native American - a story whose pieces did not fit right. Over the years I have filled in some blanks and have (mostly) put to bed a rumor with DNA testing but still have many questions, including her lineage.

To find Louise, I started with her son (and hubby’s grandfather) Morgan Deyoe. I traced him back to the 1880 Federal Census. I found the family in Lexington, Greene County, New York. Daniel G, age 44, is a white male farmer. His wife, Louise, is a 42 year old white female. This puts her born approximately 1838. Their son Morgan is five. Living with them also is a nine year old white male named William Parker. He was adopted by Daniel and Louise. All four were born in New York State, as were their parents.

So today – on Surname Saturday – I am casting a net. Join me on my fishing expedition as I try to determine her parents!

From the 1880 census I gathered that Louisa was born about 1838 in New York State. Since Morgan is five at the time, Louisa and Daniel probably got married before 1875.

The 1875 New York State Census shows just Daniel and Louisa. He is 42 and she is 38. This time, probably since it is a state census as opposed to a federal census, it asks in what county or state the person was born. Daniel answered Greene but Louisa answered Delaware. Since she stated she was born in New York State on the 1880 census, I can infer this means Delaware County, NY and not the state Delaware.

The 1892 New York State Census does not separate households. Daniel does not show up on this one but 17 year old Morgan G is here. Below him is 11 year old John W. Deyoe. Above Morgan is 47 year old Louisa Sharp, a farmer. Why she would have given the name Sharp instead of Deyoe is unclear. The family still resides in Lexington, Greene County.

In 1850, Louisa would be 12, give or take a year. A Louisa Sharp shows in the 1850 Federal Census. The town is listed as “the Western Half 15 Ward” in New York County in NY. Her father is not listed but her mother – Sarah M Sharp – is listed. No occupation is listed for Sarah. Both list New York as place of birth. Listed in the same house is a 40 year old Richard and four year old Thomas Goddard. Richard is a merchant. He was born in Massachusetts; Thomas was born in New York.

To find her father, and confirm Sarah is in fact her mother, I’m going to have be creative. Genealogy is often like putting together a rather large puzzle. Sometimes you have to try several pieces before finding the correct one.

A search for Sarah Sharp in the New York, New York Death Index, 1862-1947 database revealed 652 suggestions. When I narrow the search to a Sarah M. Sharp and list a location, with no event, as “Western Half 15 Ward,” I then get just 52 results! So clearly, I still have much fishing to do.

Goal update

One of my goals this year is to find and confirm hubby’s 2x great grandparents, that is Louisa’s parents. While I believe Sarah may be her mother, I still would prefer to have more documentation.

Surname Saturday is a genealogical prompt of GeneaBloggers.

Coatesville's First Serial Killer

Young Alexander Meyer was a disturbed and angry young man with some major issues. He had failed sixth and seventh grade, and instead of having to repeat eighth grade again, he finally gave up on school. At age 16 he quit Downingtown Junior High. Meyer is not a relative, nor are his victims (that I am aware). I stumbled upon young Alex while reading Tortured Minds: Pennsylvania's Most Bizarre - But Forgotten - Murders by Tammy Mal. On 11 February 1937 Alexander Thweatt Meyer killed young Helen Moyer as she walked home from school in Coatesville along Modena Road. She was not his first. The jury was out only three minutes after hearing Dr. Michael Margolis' testimony on the death of Helen Moyer. The jury determined Meyer had murdered Moyer and should be held for first degree murder. The jury also condemned the parole system which had released Meyer back into the public, after having served just 14 months in Huntingdon Reformatory, for the murder of two other girls - Anna Blasc...

52 Ancestors: Remembering the King

Today is Elvis’ birthday. He would have been 80 today. I was only eight when he died so obviously I am too young to have seen Elvis perform. However, when I hear his music, I go back in time. I am once again that young girl dancing in the living room to Elvis and other greats with my father. Back then girls learned to dance by dancing with their fathers not some video of scantly dressed people doing all sorts of things young ladies should not be doing in public! What is YOUR favorite memory - either of your father or of Elvis? 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks is a weekly genealogical challenge issued by Amy Johnson Crow, of No Story Too Small . Look for my weekly posts each Thursday! © Jeanne Ruczhak-Eckman, 2015

Thaddeus Stevens at the Lancaster Convention Center

Within the Lancaster Convention Center (Lancaster, PA) is a small section dedicated to Thaddeus Stevens and Lydia Hamilton Smith. The section is known as the Stevens & Smith Historic Site. It is scheduled for development this year. At the moment one can only get a glimpse of it through the Convention Center or by peeking in from the outside. Here at Queen and Vine Streets in Lancaster City, Pennsylvania, Thaddeus Stevens had his law office. Stevens was an abolitionist. An abolitionist is a person who favors the abolition of a practice or institution, especially capital punishment or (formerly) slavery. Stevens was born 4 April 1792 to Joshua Stevens and Sarah (Sally) Morrill in Danville Vermont. One of four children, he attended Vermont University from 1810 to 1812 when the War prompted its closure. He then went to Dartmouth, where he graduated in 1814. He then studied law and found himself set up in Gettysburg, PA in 1816. He practiced law there until 1828 when he...

Genealogical Gems

Search This Blog