I am working on the line of Sarah SWANTON, b Jan 1853 in Michigan City, IN,
but evidently moved to Valparaiso bef 1855. Sarah was the daughter of Samuel
SWANTON and Mary SULLIVAN. Sarah had a younger sister, Ellen, b Dec 1854,
somewhere in IN. Sometime between 1854 and Dec 1855, Samuel died (I don't
know whether in Michigan City, Valparaiso, or elsewhere), and Mary married
Edward X. Ryan in Valparaiso Dec. 16, 1855. Mary and Edward had several
children, and Edward's mother Johanna lived w them in Valparaiso according
to the 1870 census.
There are a few things I'd like to discover about these people. First, does
anyone have access to obits for the early 1900s? There is an Edward RYAN d
Feb 20, 1907, age 76, which might be our man. If anyone on this list has
local access to obits who could check to see if this is our Edward, I'd
appreciate hearing from you. The age, and the fact that he was b Ireland,
make this look like a keeper. I am hoping to find cemetery location, and a
possible family plot. (His wife Mary preceded him, dying Aug 18, 1906...I'd
also like to find out where she was buried.)
Second, any ideas on how I could find out when and where Samuel SWANTON
might have died? Given the year (1850s), I know there weren't official
records kept. However, was there a Catholic Church in Valparaiso area back
then that would have been a likely place for church records for this family?
How about a Catholic Cemetery for that time period?
Thanks in advance for any help or advice anyone can give on this.
Jacqi