I am a genealogy researcher in Indiana ew member introducing myself

Question

My third great grand mother is Sarah Ann Ritter. Sarah married John Swank in 1850 in Stark Ohio. But I can not find her in the 1850s census. However she reunited with her siblings in 1860. In North Webster. The problem is William has a 12.yr old Sarah residing with him.

My Sarah was 23. Thoughts?

Answer 1

Need more info. Who is William, what is 12 yo Sarah's last name?

Answer 2

Welcome aboard, Shelley!

Your next step is to start adding your family branches including the above ancestors. Use the information and sources you have found.

Once you add your ancestors (or connect to the existing profiles), come back here to the forum and post links or ID numbers so other members can help you.

Census records are notoriously filled with missing and incorrect information. People get missed altogether or have their info incorrectly recorded. So you may never find the missing records. Use the census info you find in addition to other sources to stitch together the story of that person's life.

Good luck with your research and enjoy your journey into the past!

Answer 3

I was unable to find Sarah Ritter's Wikitree page. Sarah does have a profile in FamilySearch, in case this helps:

https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/details/LDYS-M6B

In 1850, it's possible Sarah was living in her brother William Ritter's household in Stark, Ohio with her sisters Susan and Lavina. If so, Sarah's age (b. abt. 1838) on the 1850 census record is possibly incorrect. Please note that, overall, Sarah's age is not consistent on census records. Her Find-a-Grave headstone suggests a birth year of 1827.

In 1860, Sarah is living with her husband John Swank in Kosciusko, Indiana.