March 21, 2009
Trying to knock through a brick wall
My mom’s GGGrandmother on her father’s side, Sarah Serring Steele, is listed as Sarah Serring in the marriage records of Adams County, Indiana. We have her birthdate in 1824. The birthplace that we had for her was a county in Ohio that didn’t exist yet when she was born. We know that, as a teen, she came to Adams County with William Shady and his family and that when he died, he left inheritances to her children in his will.
Over the past several years I have searched for her family in the counties that her birth county was derived from for some sign of her family. I found a couple of Serrings,or similar names, but no one who looked likely to be related to her.
I spent today at the Allen County Public Library, focusing solely on the Sarah Serring brickwall, how to connect her to William Shady and his family. I made a list of the ways she could have been related, including through his wife, Susannah Grim.
As I was looking over the maps and all of the information that I had on her to this point, it occurred to me that there is a town, Ashville, in Pickaway Co. and that Pickaway County is where William Shady and Susannah Grim were married several years after her birth. Maybe the reports of her being born in Ashland Co. were really confusions about her having been born in Ashville. (Which would explain why my searches in the counties that now make up Ashland have yielded nothing.) In addition, Ashland County didn’t make as much geographic sense.
So I decided to focus on Pickaway County, and began poring through every book that addressed the early 19th century in that county. I searched for over four hours. Finally, in the 5th and final hour of my search, I found what may turn out to be a clue. In a book with inscriptions from three old cemeteries I found a number of “Zehrung” graves. Several of which are unreadable, including two that seem likely to fall between 1811 and 1850. I made a note of it, because it was easy to see how the pronunciation of Zehrung could end up as Serring. However, when I turned the page I got really excited. I got the “you’re on the right path” chills. In that same very small cemetery was buried Susannah Grim’s mother, Deborah. Also, in that cemetery and the one nearby are Steeles.
So now I will set back out through the Pickaway County records looking for Zehrung/Zehring (as it was in the nearby cemetery.) I’ll start my search for her family all over again. It may be a blind alley, but it has definitely brought some renewed energy to my search!
RaiulBaztepo said,
March 28, 2009 at 7:45 pm
Hello!
Very Interesting post! Thank you for such interesting resource!
PS: Sorry for my bad english, I’v just started to learn this language
See you!
Your, Raiul Baztepo
Rose Cattanach said,
May 21, 2009 at 3:36 pm
My direct ancestors were William & Susannah (Grim) Shady. What are your sources as to your statement that Deborah is the mother of Susannah?
Rose Cattanach
Derrick Mayer said,
January 2, 2011 at 1:59 am
I am related to William and Susannah Shady as well and trying to get more info on them as well.
Derrick Mayer
IndianaJane said,
May 21, 2009 at 5:23 pm
Rose–
This information came from a member of the Shady family who has done extensive research on William Shady. If you would like I can forward what I have to you. Just email me if you would like the info.
Jean said,
April 21, 2011 at 12:12 am
IndianaJane: I am also a direct descendant of William and Susannah (Grim) and happened to be searching for new info. A cousin is working on info about Sarah Serring and I will let you know what she discovers, and I just learned that (2?) of her brothers also lived with William (i.e. I assume moved from OH to IN with them). I didn’t know there was a will out there for William … very new at research and I have not paid full membership in ancestry.com yet, for one thing.
If you are willing to send me info from your contact’s extensive research on William, I’d be extremely grateful. Assuming you have access to my email address via this Reply. Our brick wall continues to be William’s parentage.
Jane said,
January 24, 2012 at 5:19 pm
Jean- I have been away from my research for a while and a change in email addresses had me believing this blog had been silent for a year! I would be happy to send you what I have. I don’t have your email address, but email me at indianajanegenonly@gmail.com. I’m going to look into Sarah’s brothers from this end, too.
Valerie Klein said,
June 29, 2009 at 10:19 pm
hello
I am doing family research on the Prachts. I am a Pracht. My great great grandfather Ludwig Pracht married salome Wiedemann and had 5 sons.
Karl August Pracht is my great grandfather. He Married Anna Belle zickefoose. Does this information ring any bells for you?
I am looking for a picture of my great great grandparents and any other history on their ancestors. The only name I am able to come up with is Johannas Pracht
Any info you might have will begreatly appreciated.
IndianaJane said,
June 29, 2009 at 10:30 pm
Valerie–
Where did your Pracht’s live?
If you go to the site linked in my sidebar, IndianaJane’s Journal, then go to my blogger profile, you can find my email addy. Feel free to email me and we can see if we can help each other out.
Michael R.Pracht said,
November 1, 2009 at 6:36 am
Valerie;
Is Louis Ludwig Pracht–born October 15, 1860 in Baden, Germany // died in 1941 in Melrose Township, Adams county, IL—ANYWHERE on your tree?.
He married Mary Louise VOLLBRACHT November 25, 1887 in Quincy, Adams County, IL, together they had 8 children. Andrew Frank born 1888, Ida Sophia born 1890, Charles Carl Frederick born 1893, Lawrence Benjamin born 1897, Lydia Elizabeth 1900, Lucy May born 1903, Richard Albert born 1904, George Emery Pracht born 1908.
Their son, Charles Carl Frederick Pracht is my grandfather.
If he, or anyone else mentioned above, is on your tree, please email me!!
Michael R. Pracht
mrpracht@comcast.net
Michael R.Pracht said,
November 1, 2009 at 6:54 am
In my excitement about potentially finding a relative, I forgot to mention, please do not send any email with an attachment. I will delete it without reading it.
Michael R. Pracht
Suzan Horner Allen said,
April 25, 2010 at 7:02 pm
I have connections (paternal gr. grandmother) to the Zehrung family in Pickaway County and will be interested in watching to see what you can turn up about that family. I’ve been struggling to document the parents of Adelbert Zehrung, born 1838 in Pickaway, died 1915 Centerville, Indiana.
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Suzan Horner Allen said,
July 4, 2011 at 9:46 pm
Still looking for information about the parents of my gr grandfather, Adelbert Zehrung, born in Pickaway County, Ohio 25 Feb 1838. His father was Jacob Zehrung and mother was Sarah. I don’t have a maiden name for Sarah but know that she died in Pickaway County, Ohio in 1896. This information is from a written document compiled by a relative while Adelbert was still living. I have not been able to get any further than this sketchy information, but it states that by the time Adelbert was 9 yrs old his father was no longer around. This would have been 1847, Sarah may have re-married between 1847 and 1896. It also states that both Jacob and Sarah were Ohio natives.