The Accidental Genealogist Blog has offered 31 blogging prompts for March in order to celebrate women's history month. Although I am not sure I will be able to blog every day in March, since I am home from both jobs today because I am a virtual snot machine, I will do the March 1st prompt and I may even do some of the other March ones as the evening wears on. I am mostly falling back asleep today though so I am not sure how many I will write. The original post can be found HERE. And is:
March 1 — Do you have a favorite female ancestor? One you are drawn to or want to learn more about? Write down some key facts you have already learned or what you would like to learn and outline your goals and potential sources you plan to check.
One of my brick walls that I would love to solve is the question of Sarah Armstrong's family. Since I normally scale a brick wall by finding a mistake and correcting it causing the pieces to fall into place, I hesitate to write down what I already know because that may be where in the problem lies. But it is a place to start so here is what I THINK I know about her.
Sarah Armstrong
born 1766 in Derry Ireland
married 1787 Chester County PA to John Jacobs
died 1/18/1842 Mifflin County PA
According to the Book: Historic homes and institutions andgenealogical and personal memoirs of the Lehigh Valley Pennsylvania By E. Moore Green, J.W. Jordan, G.T. Ettinger, Sarah Armstrong who married John Jacobs came to this country in 1774 from Ireland after her parents death with her uncle, a Mr White. Mr White was a papermaker and located near Germantown, Pennsylvania and the Jacobs family also resided in this vicinity. Sarah's brother William Armstrong served in the Revolutionary war and was wounded in the battle of Brandywine and her nephew was a Major Armstrong of Lewistown.
And according to the book: The History of Miami County by John H. Stephens: 1896: "David G. Jacobs, of Pipe Creek township, was born in Mifflin County,Pennsylvania, Oct 24, 1846. His parents, David and Rebecca J. McKinstry, both living, are natives of that state, born 1811 and 1817, respectively. His ancestors for generations have been tillers of the soil. His father's mother was born in Ireland, and came to the United States at the age of 12, just prior to the revolutionary war.
From here it should be easy. I have looked for William Armstrong in Revolutionary War records. Armstrong and William are both very common names and even with his wound in the battle of Brandywine I have not found him and his family. Her nephew Major Armstrong would be easier since he had some rank if I knew a first name and which conflict he was in. Maybe War of 1812? Also I have pursued the uncle Mr White. I have emailed contacts related to paper mills in Germantown PA. White is another very common name.
I think the next place I should turn to is ship lists and naturalization records. If Sarah was 12 when she immigrated from Ireland to America I should be able to find Mr White and her brother William (if not her) name on a ship list from Ireland around 1778. If I have her birth date right.
I would like to find out more about her brother and nephew. I would like to know more about her parents and her uncle.
This story of a little orphan girl crossing the ocean to the New World has always fascinated me. I want to know more.
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