Sorting same-name folks is helped by using VR + church records, but also land records and
probate records, not by copyology.
Good search tips (especially from Ed Sanders) were copied below from
Sanders-L(a)rootsweb.com.
Note that this type of research could have prevented Weymouth, Mass, from accepting a
beautiful stone which mixes two later men into he who was blamed for the failure of the
early colony at Wessagussett (now Weymouth), Mass., during an early, difficult winter.*
After that failure, that likely-first John Sanders, with partners, continued trade with a
vessel "Swan" in the mid-Atlantic region of US E. Coast, with trips to New
England, the Caribbean Islands and Europe. It appears from court records which I plan to
publish later this year, that when John died in or about 1634 he left his interest in the
vessel "Swan", "to his brother, Valentine Sanders" (whom I will pursue
in England.)
* (While the John Sanders of Weymouth MA left no land records, those who have been
confused with him {incl. by Sarah S. Smith}, did.)
[I welcome 1-to-1 correspondence with anyone also working on separating the several John
Sanders in Eastern Mass. (early 1600s, only).
Note particularly Ed Sanders' points 1 and 2, below, applicable to many family
mysteries. (You may choose to read only para.s 1 and 2.)
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Ed Sanders <edsanders(a)cablelynx.com>
Date: Apr 16, 2005 6:41 PM
Subject: Re: [SANDERS] Early land records
To: SANDERS-L(a)rootsweb.com <mailto:SANDERS-L@rootsweb.com>
"Rick, Good to make your acquaintance & Annette, Hello, again. The cancer
treatments from Dec 2003 through last month slowed my correspondence greatly, but I hope
to be a better helper now. Rick, you have learned by now that Annette is a great
researcher. She has good ideas and records. I am going to run the risk of intruding to
make two suggestions:
1. LIST FIRST THESE "BOYS" IN ORDER OF BIRTH AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. That will
give you a strong suggestion of whether they are brothers, father and brothers, or uncle
& nephews, or other arrangements.
2. LEARN AS SOON AS POSSIBLE WHAT EACH PARCEL OF LAND WAS AND HOW IT PASSED TO EACH
OWNER.
A. If the land documents are patents, the owners are probably relative newcomers to the
region. If the documents are simple deeds, the land could be inherited. In this case, look
to see if the dower right of a widow is either spelled out to make it clear or if she
signed to surrender that lifetime right to 1/3 of the husband's land. If you don't
have patents they can be obtained from The Bureau of Land Management in Springfield, VA
<
~~ NOTE BY TED: I believe you need not read the rest of this conversation. ~~~
~~ If commenting, please delete any parts not needed for your point. THANKS! ~~
[Ed continued: "Apparently, Annette is working on this now, at least so far as
determining the groupings referred to above..
"My gg grandfather, John Francis SANDERS is from that region . He early was actually
probably in VA and crossed the Dan River into NC northern counties, later to Randolph. In
1871 he brought most of his family to Calhoun Co, AR in a 7-oxwagon train.
Best to you both. Ed"
[Related messages seen on Apr 16, 2005 by RSColyer(a)aol.com and by Annette Shelton
<mashelton(a)jam.rr.com> , both pertaining to the 1700s in the NC region (and the one
above also to VA) may be found in the archives of the ==== SANDERS Mailing List ====
Sanders Family Association link: <
http://www.geocities.com/~rewoodham/sanders.html>
NOTE: Sanders researchers should also see the SaUnders-List. due to the name occurring
either way for some of the same families over a period of time.