Thursday, October 25, 2012

TRIP TO HUNTINGDON COUNTY


The trip went well, it turned out to be about a two and a half hour drive.  The drive from Pittsburgh to Altoona is about one and half and the rest was spent driving on Route  22., which was through small towns and much traffic which was heavy with school buses stopping at every railroad crossing.  The morning was mist or foggy, or perhaps it was the smoke of a wood burning fireplaces.
The Historical Society is a great place to research.   They have many books and where I found a lot of information is in their family files and folders.  They also have books or pamphlets on the towns and brochures from different towns from centennials and  such.   The records that I am looking for are in the time from of 1740-1830, most of the records in the folders are a little later.   Huntingdon County was part of Bedford and became a county in 1787.   I need to go to Bedford County.
What I found was a Coleman Chronology in a file.  It is a compilation from 1634 to about 1833.  A note states it is not complete,  and every possible source is not there.  It was an amazing list that gives a wealth of information, I have to peruse it closely.
I also found a copy of Thomas Colemans will, where he names six sons., John, James, Thomas, Absalom Gray, Michum and William.  [My though is that one of these sons is the father of my Michael Coleman 1809-1855]   I have to evaluate and come to a conclusion on which one, if it is indeed one of them. 
I am thinking it is Thomas, because that family lived in the area near the Saylor Family in Huntingdon County PA.  But, the information in the family bible given in the affidavit states that “father” was born in 1780, and the Thomas (one of the six sons) was born in 1788.
And lastly, information of Harlan and Elizabeth Saylor, who are potential siblings of Mary Ann Saylor (1814-1896)   I did not find a will for Thomas Saylor, but there was one for Thomas Sollars, who died about the same time as Thomas Saylor.   I need to go to the Courthouse, but it was 3:30 and I needed to drive home because I hate driving in the dark.   Too many deer frolicking about.

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