I spent today at the ACPL, focusing solely on the Sarah Serring brickwall,
how to connect her to William Shady, etc.
As I was looking over the maps and all of the info 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.) Also, Ashland County made no 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 of Steeles.
So now I will set back out through the Pickaway County records looking for
Zehrung/Zehring (as it was in the nearby cemetery.)
Jane Casey
Jane, I loved reading about your persistant hunt! I could feel your excitement when you
discovered you were on the right track...and I do think you have something about
Ashville/Ashland County confusion! Looking forward to the end of your 'tale'!
Karin