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January 30, 2016

Solving a Genealogy Puzzle Part 4: Finding Rachel

Please read Solving a Genealogy Puzzle: Finding Rachel Parts 1, 2 and 3 before continuing with this last article on my quest to find Rachel.

I hope I've put together a compelling case for the parents of Rachel Ann Van Slyke being James H. Van Slyke of Pennsylvania and Sarah Ann McCready.  As well I suggest that James Franklin Van Slyke and William M. Van Slyke were Rachel's brothers.

What evidence have I found to support my theory?

BIRTH PLACE OF PARENTS OF WILLIAM, RACHEL & JAMES

Year William Rachel James
1880 Father blank blank PA
1880 Mother blank blank PA
1900 Father PA unknown PA
1900 Mother OH MO MO
1910 Father no census unknown PA
1910 Mother no census unknown blank
1920 Father no census USA PA
1920 Mother no census OH MO
1930 Father no census PA PA
1930 Mother no census MO USA
Realizing that we do not know who provided information to the census taker, we can still see that these individuals fairly consistently show their father's birth place as Pennsylvania. The mother's varies from Missouri to Ohio.

NAMING PATTERNS OF CHILDREN

William M. Van Slyke Rachel Ann Bridges James Franklin Van Slyke
* Mary Ann (his mother's middle name was Ann)
* Rachel E. (his sister's name)
* Lola A.
* James (his father's and brother's name)
* David 
 
* Richard
* James (her father's and brother's name)
* Timothy
* Almond Robert
* Harley Clyde
* Willie D. (her brother's name)
* Wesley?  
* Sarah M. (his mother's name)
* Maud
* Bessie
* James (his father's name)
* John D.
* William E. (his brother's name)
* Anna
* Ruth May
* Thomas
* Ruby  

Realizing that there may be other children born to these individuals, we can still see that the name James is consistently used, possibly in honour of their father, and the names Sarah or Ann used, possibly after their mother. As well, James death certificate provides his mother's name as Ann McCready.


GEOGRAPHIC LOCATIONS OF WILLIAM, RACHEL & JAMES
Year William Rachel James
1850 possibly Bates Co unknown, possibly not born yet not born
1860 Prairie, Chariton Jackson, Jasper not found
1870 possibly Benton Co Grand River, Henry Grand River,Henry
1880 Windsor, Henry Windsor, Henry Tebo, Henry
1900 Oklahoma but in 1890 was in Bates Co MO Windsor, Henry Jefferson, Johnson
1910 dead Windsor, Henry Green Ridge, Pettis
1920 dead Windsor, Henry Windsor, Henry
1930 dead Windsor, Henry El Dorado, Cedar but 1937 died in Bates Co


FAMILY LEGENDS

 I  found the following family story about James Frank Van Slyke born Missouri:
This story comes from my dad, Louis Van Slyke.  He said his grandfather, James Frank Van Slyke, was about 8 years old one winter during the War of Northern Aggression.  He lived with his mother, his father had run off.  Some union soldiers were camped near their farm, it was cold.  James' mother was a Union sympathizer and baked biscuits for the union officers.  She sent Frank to the Union camp with the biscuits.  James didn't have an overcoat, so he was in his shirtsleeves in the cold.  One of the officers asked him, "Where's your coat, boy?"  James said he didn't have a coat.  The union officer took off his greatcoat and gave it to the boy.  James thought it was the best coat in the world.  He could walk through the snow-covered woods and didn't feel the cold at all.  He kept that coat until it just wore out. Later, James lived with anyone that would let him go to school.  He would do chores as required and go to school.

2 comments:

  1. Fascinating series! I've so enjoyed reading it. Thank you for sharing it. I wanted to let you know that I have included all four parts in my NoteWorthy Reads post: http://jahcmft.blogspot.com/2016/03/noteworthy-reads-26.html

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  2. Dear Lorine, thank you for sharing your search for Rachel! I have a list of the children of Sarah Ann McCready VanSlyke from a family Bible that includes these names and dates: William (28 Feb, 1842), David (22 Nov, 1845), Rachel (23 Jan, 1850) and James (11 Jan, 1853). You had mentioned that you didn't have Rachel listed as a descendant of Peter or Cornelius. Now that you have found her father, James Van Slyke are you able to determine her ancestry? The family history is very interesting and it begs the question "who was this woman that was baking for the union that James considered his mother"? I'm not certain how to upload this list of children from the Bible. Thank you again.

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