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Gayle's Gen Journal
July 10
Today I began my search for the parents of Sally Jeanette Nichols who was married to John Edwin Nichols. All that is really known is that she was born in Connecticut and died in Oregon.
I noticed recently that several people on Ancestry.com claimed that Philo Nichols, who married Katy Curtiss, was her father. I am 99% sure that they can't be Sally's parents. But first I want to admit to an embarrasing mistake I made back when I was beginning my journey into genealogy. Somehow I found a John Nichols and Maria Bott who came over from England. I don't even remember how I reached this conclusion because I didn't realize the importance of sources at the time. I discovered many years later they couldn't be the parents but of course, everyone copied off my chart and to this day I still see their names included in that genealogy. So embarrasing for someone who thinks they know what they are doing. I guess I can use it as a reminder that sources are important and do not just copy someones genealogy with out checking on the names yourself!!
So in an effort to keep this Philo Nichols from showing up all the time also, I am searching for the real parents or at least the more plausable parents.
On Ancestry.com and AmericanAncesters.com Philo Nichols married to Katy (Katherine) Curtiss did have a daughter named Sally born 23 March 1811 , but no where could I find her with the middle name of Jeanette. Also that Sally married a man named John Mallett and they were having children into the 1850's in Connecticut.
My Sally (Sarah) Jeanette Nichols was born 13 November 1812 in Connecticut and married John Edwin Rogers (born 23 February 1807 in Sidney, Delaware, New York) in approx. 1829 in Sidney, Delaware, New York (not sourced). She died 15 Apr 1895 in Oregon while the other Sally died 6 February 1884 in Connecticut. My Sally was 17 when she married and her husband, John Rogers died one year before she did, so I don't see where she could have had a second marriage.
So now my quest begins anew. Where do I start? First I have printed all the names of Nichols in Connecticut in the 1820 Census. I have selected only the family's that had a female child under 10 years old in 1820. And now I begin the laborious journey of investigating each of these names and see where their travels have led them.
July 22
I have totally gotten off course, distracted, off on tangents, etc. Everytime I come across a questionable name, off I go working on that for a couple of days. So now I am working on the Nichols, Bina Fairbanks who was married to John Porter's daughter but no one else seems to know this yet, the Guinup's who look to be connected to the wrong people now, and Elizabeth Ruth Knight's family connection. I seriously need to focus on one person at a time but it is just so tempting. I can't stand to see an empty line on a pedigree chart.
July 23
Finally, I straightened out the Bina Fairbanks married to Phila Porter. Found where the other three daughters of John Porter belonged which left Phila as the last one, so that's why I think she's the one. Also found out Hulda Porter belonged with Rodney Lewis. Found all this out with Sanford Porter's journal, "Abstracts of Wills, Admins and Guardianships in NY State, 1787-1835, pg 2152 & 2153. Found two of the daughters whole birthdates in this last source also.
August 21
Big delay! We found a leak in a kitchen pipe that had been there for who knows how long, and of course there was the accompanying black mold so we had to live in a hotel for two weeks. (I didn't want to leave. Marriot's Residence Inn in Provo is a wonderful place!) But now the house is livable (barely) but I do get new counters too (woohoo). Couldn't get my website at the hotel for some reason, so now I am back. Today I was looking to verify Jacob Palmer and Elizabeth Riser. One person had that she was from Ireland, married in Virginia where their kids were born and then Jacob & Elizabeth went to Ohio where they died. There wasn't any sources given but I could find nothing to substantiate this premise. I found that Jacob & Elizabeth and their son Jacob & his wife Sophia were all buried in the Balsley Cemetery in Washington, Blackford, Indiana so unless they had their bodies sent to Indiana, I feel they died there. They were living in Indiana in the 1850 & 1860 Census. So if anyone has any different information, please let me know.
October 19
Had an interesting experience last Monday. I went with one of my daughters (plus grandkids) to my 4th great grandfathers grave in Porterville, Utah. It took an hour and 1/2 to get there but was a nice little trip with lunch in Morgan. We really enjoyed seeing the grave sites. I have wanted to go there for quite some time now. It was windy & cold but the kids didn't mind. My baby grand-daughter, Claire is just 11 months old, so she rode in a stroller. Once in a grave, you can't just see one grave, we went around visiting all our ancestors and their friends. My daughter is a laid back mother, the grave yard was empty of people, so she would wonder off from the stroller. We were a little distant away, when I suggested, she might want to go get Claire. As my daughter got closer, she noticed that Claire was laughing and playing peeky boo as if she were playing with someone. Perhaps Grandpa was keeping an eye on her?
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