THE STUART FAMILY ARCHIVE
Research Search Log 2026-09-20
RESEARCH SEARCH LOG — 20 September 2026
1. FamilySearch Perry deeds 1820–1827, https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSXB-N3S1-J — new hCaptcha/Incapsula block. Record not read. 2. Exact-name Albert Emerson Stuart with 1891/1893 — no additional verified source beyond previously saved Princeton bulletin. 3. Teacher index, https://www.ourfamtree.org/records/teachers.php?county=Delaware-Co&page=1&place=&state=PA — fetch failed; underlying teaching claim remains unconfirmed. 4. Delaware County Dairyman and Register, 10 June 1886, p. 5: https://www.nyshistoricnewspapers.org/?a=d&d=cdcr18860610-01.1.5 — fetch failed; snippet not accepted as full record. 5. New-York Evangelist, 2 July 1891, vol. 62 no. 27, Wikimedia scan — web reader rejected large PDF; direct download returned HTTP 403. No educational credential established from it. 6. Additional college-name searches returned unrelated results; none attached.
NEXT: Complete human verification in the shared browser to inspect the Perry deed. Obtain full 1886 newspaper and 1891 Evangelist pages through their repositories before attributing any academic event. Previously established Princeton class association remains unchanged. These unsuccessful searches do not prove records absent.
EXPLORER AND DIVEN UPDATE { "will_url": "https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-899B-JT6Q", "continuation_url": "https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-899B-JTC2", "deed_url": "https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSXB-N3S1-J", "findings": "James Diven/Devin of Tyrone Township, Cumberland County, calls himself a farmer in his will. The will names wife Margaret; sons William, John and Joseph; daughters Margaret (wife of Samuel Ross), Ann/Anne and Mary; and a deceased son James. It names grandson James Devin and granddaughter Sarah Williamson as the son and daughter of deceased Alexander Devin. James and Sarah receive an undivided half of 150 acres adjoining Joseph Neely and James Henderson. John and Joseph are explicitly called sons when appointed executors. Joseph receives a tanyard, its land, house and stabling, subject to an annual payment of $50 during his mother’s life. Other grandchildren named include Margaret Brewster and Alexander Ross. These are statements in the will; completed distribution of the property has not been checked.", "dates": "The original will is dated 19 May 1818 and was proved 10 June 1818. The executor deed dated 8 December 1821, recorded 9 February 1822, recites a will dated 18 May 1818. This one-day discrepancy is retained. The will date is taken from the original probate entry. The compiled death date 30 May 1818 remains the preferred tree value, but the probate record independently establishes only that the testator died after making the will and by 10 June 1818.", "assessment": "The manuscript directly establishes Alexander as the father of grandson James and granddaughter Sarah. It does not give Alexander’s birth year, his wife’s name, or his exact death date. The match to Alexander (compiled 1768–1809) and James (compiled 1796–1840) is not independently complete. The testator-to-Alexander parent relationship is supported by the compiled tree and this grandparent evidence but is not explicitly stated as “my son Alexander” in the inspected passage. Margaret’s maiden name, the additional name Nancy, and her maternity of Alexander remain unconfirmed. No parentage of the testator has been established.", "ramsey_url": "https://www.melissacravenfowler.com/_files/ugd/c44016_0fc2a733258a47508983a795ee3ed8ab.pdf?index=true", "ramsey_summary": "Unconfirmed compiled extension: Samuel Linn is placed as a son of John Linn (1749–1820) and Mary Gettys (1752–1823). Mary’s parents are given as Samuel Gettys (1708–1790) and Isabella Ramsey (1731–1815); Isabella’s father as William Ramsey (about 1710–January 1777). John’s father is another John Linn, with no life dates supplied here. Page 1 lists Isabella under both Mary and Martha as William’s wives, so her mother has not been assigned. These links require original probate, church or land evidence. Sources: Descendants of William Ramsey, PDF pages 1, 4, 5 and 8. This compilation is a research lead, not independent confirmation of the existing Linn line.", "new_people": [ "william_diven_1818", "john_diven_executor", "joseph_diven_executor", "ann_diven_1818", "margaret_diven_ross", "mary_diven_1818", "james_diven_deceased_1818", "sarah_diven_williamson", "john_linn_1749", "mary_gettys_1752", "samuel_gettys_1708", "isabella_ramsey", "william_ramsey_1710", "john_linn_earlier" ], "next_deed": "https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSF1-3SXZ-Z", "access": "Human verification required on next deed" } 11 new proof images archived and indexed. FamilySearch next Perry deed blocked by fresh human verification.
DIVEN 1830 FOLLOW-UP Research lead from FamilySearch’s machine transcript, not fully verified against handwriting: a deed dated 16 March 1830 names William McClure and wife Margaret as sellers to Joseph Diven for $700, involving 47 acres and 28 perches in Tyrone Township, Perry County. It recites James Diven’s will dated 19 May 1818, an executor conveyance to William Diven on 1 May 1822, and William’s transfer to McClure on 16 October 1829. It reserves a dower claim for Margaret Diven, widow of James, referring to an agreement dated 26 March 1822. The transcription contains obvious recognition errors; names, dates and quantities require a clear scan. It does not independently establish new parentage or prove Margaret was alive in 1830. Source: Perry Deeds 1827–1832, image 283 of 570. The overview screenshot is archived as 600.20.003; enlarged image tiles did not resolve clearly and the JPG download did not complete. Next checks: original 1 May 1822 executor deed, 26 March 1822 agreement, and 16 October 1829 conveyance. The next Sarah Williamson/Diven full-text search redirected to sign-in. Public searches did not establish an additional matching record. https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSF1-3SXZ-Z?view=fullText&keywords=James+Diven%2Cwill%2CWill&searchForm=advanced&lang=en
1840 DIVEN IDENTITY EVIDENCE The original deed dated 18 March 1840 names James Diven with wife Mary Jane, Sarah Williamson, Richard P. Diven with wife Jane Mary, and James A. Diven, all of Tyrone Township, as grantors to John Souder. The consideration is $400 for 150 acres and 144 perches in Carroll Township, Perry County. It explicitly identifies James Diven and Sarah Williamson as the two grandchildren who inherited James Diven Senior’s interest under his will. Combined with the 1818 will naming these two as children of deceased Alexander, this provides strong evidence connecting the grandson married to Mary Jane to Alexander. Identification with every compiled date and the middle name Alexander remains unconfirmed. The deed separately identifies the deceased James Diven Junior as father of four children: John P., Richard P., James A., and Sarah, wife of Wilson Tagg. Nancy Diven releases her dower rights as his widow on 18 March 1840. James A. Diven is a separate co-grantor from James Diven, husband of Mary Jane; the names must not be merged. Whether this Junior is the deceased son James named in the 1818 will is still unconfirmed. Nancy’s motherhood of the four children is not established by widowhood. The manuscript recites the earlier purchase on 20 December 1811, citing Cumberland Deed Book W, volume 1, page 498. The machine transcript incorrectly gives 1841. It also recites a 2 April 1838 transfer from Wilson Tagg and wife Sarah to James A. Diven, and an undated transfer from John P. to his brother Richard P. The deed and Nancy’s release were recorded 11 May 1841. Nancy was alive on the release date; no birth or death date is established. Subjective research estimates, not statistical probabilities: 95% that the 1840 grantor James with wife Mary Jane is the James/Sarah grandson pair in the 1818 will, based on the explicit inheritance recital and matching land; 85% that he matches the existing compiled 1796–1840 profile, pending independent vital-record confirmation. These estimates do not verify his compiled middle name, first marriage or exact birth and death dates. Perry Deeds 1840–1842, images 197–198 of 368, printed pages 380–382. Original handwriting inspected; evidence 600.20.004, 600.20.004.1 and 600.20.004.2. https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSFB-B3Y8-V?view=fullText&keywords=Sarah+Williamson%2CDiven&searchForm=advanced&lang=en https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSFB-B3Y8-H?view=fullText&keywords=Sarah%20Williamson%2CDiven&searchForm=advanced&lang=en Next will blocked by human verification: 3QSQ-G99B-2X3R.
MULTI-SOURCE COVERAGE — 20 SEPTEMBER 2026
FamilySearch Record inspected; duplicate rejected 20 September 2026 follow-up: FamilySearch image 3QSQ-G99B-2X3R was inspected after verification. It duplicates the known 7 October 1840 will of James Diven of Landisburg, husband of Mary Jane. Nancy belongs to the neighboring William Henderson will, not to this Diven will. This search result does not identify the husband of Nancy Diven. The separate Junior identity remains unresolved. https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QSQ-G99B-2X3R
Ancestry Access attempt only; no record search completed Public search page returned HTTP 403. No inference that records are absent. https://www.ancestry.com/search/
MyHeritage Public catalog read; browser security check Chicago Archdiocese cemetery registers 1864–1989 are a possible Fiore/Traina source. No person match yet. Interactive search is blocked by a human security check. https://www.myheritage.com/research/collection-21108/illinois-archdiocese-of-chicago-cemetery-registers-1864-1989
Findmypast Access attempt only; no record search completed Public search endpoint could not be fetched. No conclusion about holdings or account requirements. https://www.findmypast.com/search
WikiTree Access attempt only; no profile verified Public site returned HTTP 403. No new ancestor established. https://www.wikitree.com/
Cyndi’s List Finding aids consulted Greece archive and Pennsylvania will directories inspected. Greek State Archives redirect timed out. Directory links are research routes, not relationship evidence. https://www.cyndislist.com/greece/libraries/
USGenWeb / PAGenWeb County resources and transcriptions checked Chester submitted-will index has no Scott text match; this is not the complete county probate index. Perry will page lists two 1883 notice collections. Venango S obituary page supplies no matched Stuart ancestor. https://chester.pa-roots.com/wills/index.html
PAGenWeb: Franklin 1871 Limited negative search Stewart entries include Charles P., James, Reed and an unnamed person; none establishes Alexander or his parents. No Stuart text match. Rural coverage and transcription completeness remain untested. https://venango.pa.genwebs.org/directory2.html
PAGenWeb: Franklin 1896 Limited negative search Stewart entries include Jas. H. and Jessie; neither is established as a relative. No Stuart text match. Absence is not proof of death or relocation. https://venango.pa.genwebs.org/directory6.html
Next record targets: 2 April 1838 Tagg-to-Diven deed; Cumberland Book W vol. 1 p. 498 (20 December 1811); Alexander Stewart naturalization and probate. These remain research tasks, not established findings.
OVERNIGHT RESEARCH CHECK 20 SEPTEMBER 2026 05 UTC
# Stuart and Diven research progress
## Outcome
No new ancestor or person identity was confirmed. The 91-person tree, including Maria Politis, is preserved unchanged. A specific naturalization candidate was located. Preferred birth values and existing conflicting evidence were not changed.
## New naturalization candidate
The Delaware County Clerk's naturalization abstract, transcribed by Cheryl Jordan in 1997, lists Alexander Stewart, age 30, Davenport, sworn 24 December 1855. It records 1844 in the DATE column, Dundalk in FROM, Ireland as birthplace, and accession .11020. This is an abstract, not the original petition. Dundalk must not be treated as birthplace. Identity with the project's Alexander is unconfirmed. His documented Davenport residence makes this a useful candidate, not proof.
Other candidates must remain separate: Alexander Steward, 27, Kortright, sworn 29 January 1855, accession .1960; Alexander Stewart, 30, Hamden, sworn 3 January 1846, accession .1567; Alexander Stewart, 33, Stamford, sworn 24 February 1834, accession .1238. No kinship inferred.
Source: https://www.dcnyhistory.org/nat2.html . The site's instructions say the sworn date and accession number locate the original. Next step: inspect the 24 December 1855 original and compare residence, witnesses and other identity details. No request was sent and no purchase made.
## Probate index search
Visually inspected Victor B. Goodrich's index scans covering Stanley–Stewart, Stewart–Stoddart and Streets–Swart, plus its foreword. No Alexander was found under Stewart, Steward or Stuart on these pages. This is a limited negative result, not proof that no estate exists. The foreword describes an index derived from the General Index to Estates and some formerly unindexed files. An asterisk denotes a date other than an actual death date.
Sources: https://www.dcnyhistory.org/willprobateindex.html ; https://www.dcnyhistory.org/images/willindex118.jpg ; https://www.dcnyhistory.org/images/willindex119.jpg ; https://www.dcnyhistory.org/images/willindex121.jpg ; https://www.dcnyhistory.org/images/willindexforeword.jpg . Four scans saved. No same-surname person was added to the tree.
The existing 6 September 1894 deed states Alexander died intestate. Continue the death search after the 1892 census and before that deed, not the superseded 1892–1900 window. Do not infer that an intestate death necessarily generated a surviving administration file.
## Additional limited checks
- Delaware Literary Institute graduate transcription has no Albert/Emerson Stuart match. It includes other Stuart/Stewart names; none was identified as family. Several class years are absent, so this does not disprove attendance or graduation. https://www.dcnyhistory.org/joyce/schbobt.html - Ouleout Cemetery Route 28 transcription has Orrin and Imogene Stewart but no identified Alexander. No family burial established. The separate 2015 cemetery page returned a verification screen. https://www.dcnyhistory.org/cemfranklinouleout28.html - Franklin 1871 road-district transcription contains other Stuart names but no identified Alexander. Do not infer nonresidence from this partial transcription. https://www.dcnyhistory.org/roads.html - General web searches for the Tagg transaction and Stewart probate returned irrelevant results; these were retrieval failures, not negative genealogical evidence.
## Source access and Diven next steps
FamilySearch's existing James Diven/Nancy results were readable. The Perry 1836–1840 deed candidate 3Q9M-CSFB-1SVP-D led to an Incapsula/hCaptcha verification screen. No challenge was attempted and no original was inspected. Its search excerpt referred to Peter Shaller and Nancy; it is not yet identified as the requested Tagg transfer. Stop retrying this site until access is legitimately restored.
Uncompleted targets remain the 2 April 1838 Wilson and Sarah Tagg transfer, Cumberland Book W volume 1 page 498 dated 20 December 1811, and the original New York naturalization/estate records. The separate James Junior, Nancy and four children must not be merged with James and Mary Jane. The previously rejected 1840 will/Nancy Henderson lead stays rejected.
MyHeritage's last established state is signed in with a search error, not a negative person search or a pending sign-in. No new MyHeritage record was inspected this pass. Ancestry, Findmypast and WikiTree were not re-searched this pass; prior access limitations remain recorded, not promoted to completed searches. Cyndi's List remains a finding aid, not person evidence.
## Preservation and continuation
Latest Drive folder listings, search log, JSON, spreadsheet and evidence indexes were read before editing. The downloaded JSON matched the previous local 91-person copy byte for byte. No person, photograph identification or relationship was changed. Update only the research tracker, search log and evidence indexes/archive for these leads. Word and both family-tree HTML files need no factual biography change at this stage.
Research check completed 20 September 2026 after 05:00 UTC. Keep routine overnight notifications suppressed. At the final morning summary, distinguish the new naturalization candidate from confirmed identity evidence. No human action was requested overnight. If the original cannot be obtained online, a later authorized request would need the date 24 December 1855 and accession .11020; do not contact the Clerk without authorization.
Evidence catalog now contains 133 entries, including five new source/finding-aid items. These do not represent five newly confirmed person facts.
RESEARCH CHECK 20 SEPTEMBER 2026 06 UTC
# Diven research progress — 20 September 2026
## Outcome
No new person identity, relationship or life date was confirmed. The 91-person tree, including Maria Politis, remains unchanged. Two official estate-index leads and a deed-volume conflict were located. These are research leads, not proof that the indexed men are the project's James Senior and Junior.
## Cumberland estate inventory leads
The Cumberland County Archives, Register of Wills, Estate Inventories C to E, series PSID 3364, browser page 64, displays:
| Index row | Name | Folio | Year | Date field | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 1274 | DIVEN, JAMES | D-091 | 1813 | NOV 13 | | 1275 | DIVEN, JAMES | D-105 | 1818 | MAY 10 | | 1276 | DIVEN, JOHN | D-140 | 1831 | JUL 07 |
Source: https://ccweb.ccpa.net/archives/Inventory?PSID=3364 . The link opens page 1; use pagination to page 64. Page 65 begins with Dixon, bounding the end of the Diven/Divin section. No image link appears for these three rows. A source-extract HTML is saved as 600.30.007; it is a research transcription, not a facsimile.
The 1813 James is a useful candidate for the James deceased before the 1818 will, but neither Nancy nor his children appears in this index. Do not attach him to Nancy or merge him with another James. The 1818 index date is not established as a death date. It also predates the project's inspected will dated 19 May 1818 and probate 10 June 1818, so the original D-105 must be checked for a transcription/date-field discrepancy or different identity. Retain the preferred 30 May 1818 death value with existing uncertainty. John 1831 is a separate, unassigned lead.
The archive's global search only searches series titles and descriptions, NOT names inside inventories. A global Diven search returned no series; this is not negative person evidence.
## Cumberland deed volume conflict
Official holdings PSID 739 say that volumes 1J, 1W, 1X, 1Z, 1JJ and 1ZZ never existed, citing a 1933 WPA inventory. Its microfilm description PSID 490 assigns Books U–V to 1810–1814 (reel 9; JBH 114–115). Sources:
- https://ccweb.ccpa.net/archives/Holdings?PSID=739 - https://ccweb.ccpa.net/archives/SeriesDetails?PSID=490
The existing project reads the 1840 recital as W, volume 1, page 498. Reinspection of saved image 600.20.004 suggests the letter could instead be U; this is a proposed reading, not an authoritative correction. Preserve W as the prior reading and verify the actual book title/header. The 20 December 1811 date is retained.
Important avoidance of duplicate work: evidence 600.20.001 ALREADY contains a low-resolution overview of the 1811 deed at pages 498–499, FamilySearch image 274/776, https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSXB-X9NW-4 . The next action is to enlarge/retrieve that exact original and inspect its book identification, not start a fresh broad search. Its prior notes correctly leave exact manuscript details and identity unconfirmed. No new original image was obtained in this pass.
## Free LANDEX search and coverage
Perry County's official recorder page says index searching is free; images cost money. https://perryco.org/departments/orphans-court/ . No cart items were added, purchase made or person contacted.
Completed LANDEX webstore query: Perry County, last name Tagg, first name *, all default document types, no date limit. Nine results appeared, dated 1877–1966, with no identified Wilson/Sarah or 1838 transfer. This is a scoped index result, not proof the 1838 transaction is absent. All returned Taggs remain unconnected. The two earliest deed entries were Richard D. Tagg, recorded 23 January 1877, Saville Township, instrument 496391; Anna Elizabeth Tagg, recorded 1 March 1877, Landisburg Borough, instrument 496437.
Search: https://www.landex.com/webstore/jsp/cart/DocumentSearch.jsp . The county-information popup https://www.landex.com/remote/WebstoreCountyInfo.asp lists Perry deed data and images from 1820; Cumberland searchable deed data from 1952 (book 15-D), images from 1750. Thus Cumberland 1811 needs a book/page image route or old index, not a modern name search. Do not mistake image coverage for name-index coverage. A subsequent Diven search was not completed because the browser interaction timed out.
## Promising free original-image route
Cumberland's 2025 announcement says vendue scans A–G and R–V were added: https://www.cumberlandcountypa.gov/5287/New-Items-Added-Online . The official VENDUES index is https://ccweb.ccpa.net/archives/Inventory?PSID=147 . Description: https://ccweb.ccpa.net/archives/SeriesDetails?PSID=147 . These auction lists can name purchasers, items and dates. They may identify kin or associates but purchasers are not automatically relatives.
Browser navigation reached page 31 (Carl–Carothers); attempts to continue then timed out. Diven vendue entries have NOT yet been inspected. Continue forward through the D section next pass; source images link to records.ccpa.net. Do not report a negative Diven vendue search.
Additional original-file routes: Administration Bonds 1751–1843, PSID 270; A&E Accounts C–D, PSID 3463. The latter's first page was inspected only. No Diven entry yet retrieved. https://ccweb.ccpa.net/archives/SeriesDetails?PSID=270 ; https://ccweb.ccpa.net/archives/Inventory?PSID=3463 . No request to the archive was sent.
## Preservation and next pass
Checked both current Drive folder listings and latest saved log before work. Rechecked modification times before writes. Existing family JSON, Word, biography and visual tree need no factual changes for these unconfirmed leads. Append two finding-aid entries to the evidence index (135 total), preserve every prior archive member, and add FR-011/FR-012 to the research tracker. Source-extract HTML files are clearly labelled; no photograph or original record image is invented.
Priority order: free Diven vendue originals; D-091 (1813) and D-105 (1818) original inventories; existing 1811 deed 600.20.001 enlarged with book label; Perry 2 April 1838 Tagg deed, including variant spellings/earlier index. NY original naturalization .11020 and Alexander's 1892–6 September 1894 estate window remain pending from the previous pass.
FamilySearch was not retried after its prior human-verification block. MyHeritage retains its last established signed-in/search-error status; no new search was completed there. Ancestry, Findmypast, WikiTree, Cyndi's List and USGenWeb were not re-searched this pass. No overnight user action requested. Browser timeouts are transient; do not disable the remaining research schedule for them.
RESEARCH CHECK 20 SEPTEMBER 2026 07 UTC
# Diven original estate auction — 20 September 2026
## Confirmed new evidence
An original vendue (estate auction) packet names James Diven Senior, late of Tyrone Township, deceased, and identifies John Diven and Joseph Diven as his executors. The cover, sale conditions and opening sale list date the auction to 17 June 1818. The combination of Senior, Tyrone and the two executors connects this packet to the testator in the already-inspected 1818 will. It is not evidence for the separate James Junior, husband of Nancy.
The sale list records farm tools, grain, livestock and household furnishings. On PDF page 8, a purchaser described only as widow Diven is entered for a bed and bedclothes at $8.50; Ann Diven is entered for a blue-painted bedstead at $1.75. The widow’s given name is not stated here, and purchasers are not automatically relatives. These possessions describe the estate, not independently proven hobbies or personal interests.
PDF page 11 gives a corrected sales total of $850.74. This is a reported auction total, not net estate value, cash collected or an inheritance. The county indexes the packet as DIVINS, JAMES, D-018, year 1823; that catalog year must not replace the explicit 1818 sale date or be treated as a death date. Preferred birth and death values and all relationship qualifications remain unchanged.
Cumberland County Archives, Register of Wills, Vendues, D-018, indexed DIVINS, JAMES (1823), 12-page original scan; PDF pp. 2–3 and 5 (identity/date), 8 (household purchases), 11 (corrected total). Evidence 600.30.008. Accessed 20 September 2026. https://records.ccpa.net/weblink_public/DocView.aspx?id=1854309&dbid=7
Saved complete original PDF: 600_Wallace_Diven/600.30.008_James_Divins_vendue_1823.pdf. Drive: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1RVGAb3JnCjNnox0YbvvqCUwKOFhxmqxO/view . The filename retains the catalog year; the index and narratives explicitly distinguish the actual sale date. All twelve PDF pages inspected; no full diplomatic transcription attempted. Page 1 docket date not fully deciphered; do not assert an exact filing day. No photograph or new person added. Tree remains 91 persons, including Maria Politis; evidence count is now 136.
## Research and access log
Read both Drive folder listings and latest search log, then downloaded the current Word, JSON and both HTML files before editing. Research files use the last completed pass as baseline. Local run lock held; check remote modification times before all replacements.
Cumberland Vendues alphabetical index: https://ccweb.ccpa.net/archives/Inventory?PSID=147 , page 52, DIVINS, JAMES, D-018, 1823. Original image link resolves to record 1854309, database 7. PDF downloaded using the viewer's download button; stable DocView link cited, not the temporary PDF generation URL. At this point the Diven vendue lead is positive, superseding the prior log's unfinished page-31 search.
Browser pointer clicks timed out; pressing Enter on the visible pagination links worked. For future index navigation, use keyboard activation on exact page-number links. Do not treat interaction failures as negative genealogy searches. County global search only indexes series descriptions, not person names.
No fresh search completed at FamilySearch, Ancestry, MyHeritage, Findmypast, WikiTree, Cyndi's List or USGenWeb this pass. Their previously recorded statuses remain historical, not newly verified. MyHeritage's last established state remains signed-in with a search error, not no matches. No contact, purchase or overnight user interaction requested.
## Next priorities and limitations
1. Cumberland estate inventories D-091 (James, 1813 NOV 13) and D-105 (James, 1818 MAY 10) remain uninspected originals. The auction packet does NOT resolve those index identities or the anomalous MAY 10 date. FR-011 remains open. Original administration bonds PSID270 and A&E accounts C–D PSID3463 may identify Junior and Nancy. 2. Enlarge existing 1811 deed 600.20.001, FamilySearch image274/776, pp498–499, https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSXB-X9NW-4 . County holdings say 1W never existed; verify U versus earlier W reading, without silently replacing it. 3. Perry 2 April 1838 Wilson and Sarah Tagg conveyance remains sought. Prior LANDEX Tagg search was limited; no record absence established. 4. NY naturalization .11020 and Alexander Stewart probate window after1892 through6September1894 remain open. Franklin is Delaware County, NEW YORK. 5. Consider a fuller purchaser transcription of the auction packet only if it answers a defined kinship question. Purchasers are not automatically relatives; Ann and the unnamed widow are not new relationship proof.
## Preservation
Only the James Diven Senior narrative/event fields change in the 91-person JSON. Birth, death, parent IDs, photos and uncertainty fields are preserved. Biography article and visual tree details/data receive the same source-grounded addition; existing spouse-link code is preserved. Word receives an appended research supplement so prior text/layout is not rewritten. Existing evidence entries, archive members, spreadsheet requests and photographs are retained. Source coverage is updated; no new ancestor claimed. Morning report should distinguish this original auction finding from the two earlier unconfirmed inventory leads.
RESEARCH CHECK 20 SEPTEMBER 2026 — DEATH INDEX FOLLOW-UP
# Stuart/Stewart death-index research — 20 September 2026
## Result and limits
No new ancestor, parent, spouse, confirmed death date or photograph was established. All 91 person records, including Maria Politis, remain unchanged. The existing Word, both biography/tree HTML files, person JSON and interactive package were not rewritten because the results are research leads and scoped negative searches, not new biographical facts. The previous confirmed Diven auction finding (600.30.008) remains intact.
Four original index scans are newly archived, bringing the evidence-image/index-entry count from 136 to 140. This is not four new confirmed family facts.
### New York death indexes
Original 1892 state index, Internet Archive scan n845, right column, visually inspected at full resolution:
| Indexed name | Date/place as printed | Certificate/index number | Interpretation | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Alexander Stewart | 10 June 1892, Argyle | 27798 | Unconfirmed namesake; no age, spouse or parents in this index | | Alexander Stewart | 22 October 1892, Irvington | 47653 | Unconfirmed namesake; no connection to Franklin family established | | Alexander C. Stewart | 14 January 1892, Vienna | 3673 | Predates the family's 1892 census death-search interval if that household identification is correct; not attached |
Source: https://archive.org/details/New_York_State_Death_Index_1892/page/n845/mode/1up . Evidence 100.10.013. These are indexed deaths of same-name people, not verified deaths of the project ancestor. The OCR incorrectly displaced names, places and numbers across rows; all entries above were read from the original image. Ada Stewart's Cooks Falls entry does not belong to Alexander. Do not turn these index leads into a preferred tree death date.
Original 1893 scans n911, n912 and n920 were inspected visually and saved. Stewart begins on n911 (printed p807) with an unnamed female infant, then Anna, Carrie and Charles entries, continues on n912 (p808), and ends before Stiliano. Steward on n911 lists Anna J., Fred and Malcomb. Stuart on n920 (p816) lists Amanda M., Anie, Edward, Jane, Louis, Mary W., Unice and William H. No Alexander is present in these inspected surname blocks. This is a limited negative search, not proof he did not die in 1893: registration completeness, variants and index errors remain possible. No unrelated indexed person was added to the family.
Sources: https://archive.org/details/New_York_State_Death_Index_1893/page/n911/mode/1up ; https://archive.org/details/New_York_State_Death_Index_1893/page/n912/mode/1up ; https://archive.org/details/New_York_State_Death_Index_1893/page/n920/mode/1up . Evidence 100.10.014, 100.10.014.1 and 100.10.014.2. Public-domain scans supplied by Reclaim The Records.
The 1892, 1893 and 1894 full OCR texts were downloaded for finding-aid use. The 1893 in-book search returned an error, not no matches. Downloading the published ABBYY file and locating page blocks allowed original-image inspection despite that search error. OCR is particularly poor and even misreads printed years. The 1894 Stewart/Stuart/Steward original pages have NOT yet been checked. The 1892 Stuart block is OCR-only, not a completed visual search. Do not claim an exhaustive 1892–1894 search.
## Other completed checks
Delaware County NY historical transcriptions were consulted, not confused with Franklin in Venango County PA:
- https://www.dcnyhistory.org/oldnewsidx/obito11.html : Ogborn S obituary list. John Stewart (born 1866, parents Alexander Stewart and Mary Duff), William Stewart (parents Alexander Stewart and Lillian White), and Edith McPhail Stewart (parents Alexander Stewart and Lulu McPhail) are unconnected entries. None establishes a link to Alexander and Margaret Sonberger. Sarah Ann Stuart's parents William Stuart and Mary Henderson also remain unconnected. - https://www.dcnyhistory.org/oldnewsidx/obits-compiled-by-lo.html : Alexander Steward, died December 1904 aged 3, is not the adult research subject. Do not attach this death. - https://www.dcnyhistory.org/oldnewsidx/obit-collection-lo.html and https://www.dcnyhistory.org/oldnewsidx/obitsvarious.html : no identified target Alexander in the inspected text. These are selected collections, not complete newspaper coverage. - https://www.dcnyhistory.org/bioindex.html : no Stewart/Stuart surname text match in the 1895 biographical index. This was an index check, not a whole-volume search. - https://www.dcnyhistory.org/oldnewsidx/pastorp.html : Pattengill ledger transcription, no identified target Alexander or Sonberger match. Unrelated Stewart entries were not attached. - https://www.dcnyhistory.org/wills.html : submitted will transcription list has no Stewart/Stuart heading. Not the complete court index and not evidence of no probate.
The Maywood S obituary-card index https://www.dcnyhistory.org/pdfs/Index-S-ObituaryCards.pdf returned a verification page and was not inspected. No overnight intervention requested. The main obituary/vital indexes remain useful finding aids.
## Incomplete access attempts
Cumberland A&E accounts C–D index https://ccweb.ccpa.net/archives/Inventory?PSID=3463 opened, but sorting on Estate and keyboard interaction timed out. No Diven surname search was completed. Do not record a negative estate result. A fresh tab may avoid the stale interaction problem; the original county PDF used in the previous pass remains saved.
No fresh authenticated FamilySearch, Ancestry, MyHeritage or Findmypast search completed in this pass. Previously recorded access limits remain historical. MyHeritage's last known state is signed-in with a site search error, not no matches. WikiTree and Cyndi's List were not rechecked. Public web search returned largely irrelevant results for exact-name queries; those retrieval failures are not evidence of record absence. No purchase, contact, verification bypass or user action was undertaken.
## Next priorities
1. Visually inspect original 1894 death-index Stewart, Steward and Stuart blocks; follow the 1892 Argyle/Irvington namesakes only with identity evidence. The death interval remains after the identified 1892 census and by the 6 September 1894 heirs deed, not a new exact date. FR-013 is open. 2. New York naturalization accession .11020 (sworn 24 December 1855, Davenport) remains an unconfirmed candidate. Dundalk is a FROM field, not a proved birthplace. Original documents and witnesses needed. 3. Reuse existing 1811 Cumberland deed image 600.20.001, FamilySearch 3Q9M-CSXB-X9NW-4, image274/776 pp498–499. Enlarge and verify U versus W book reading; catalog says 1W never existed. Do not repeat a broad search for a source already saved. 4. Seek 2 April 1838 Wilson/Sarah Tagg transfer; keep Junior/Nancy and children John P., Richard P., James A. and Sarah Tagg separate from grandson James/Mary Jane. 5. Cumberland D-091/D-105 inventories and executor-account index remain open. The 1818 auction of Senior does not resolve the anomalous inventory catalog dates or Junior's identity.
## Preservation and handoff
Latest Drive Family/research folder listings and the latest saved notes were read before work. Local run lock held. Remote modification times must be rechecked immediately before replacement. Updated files are the evidence JSON/HTML/archive, search log and Excel tracker; this note is a new checkpoint. Existing archive members and previous notes are retained. No changes to people, relationship confidence, preferred values, biographies or photographs. Morning report should distinguish the previous positive Diven auction discovery from this pass's unconfirmed death-index namesakes and limited negative searches.
RESEARCH CHECK 20 SEPTEMBER 2026 — 1894 ORIGINAL INDEX
# Alexander Stuart 1894 death-index lead — 20 September 2026
The original New York State death index for 1894 lists Stuart, Alexander, 19 Apr, Franklin, number 16918 (printed page 775; scan n787). The original image was inspected, rather than relying on OCR, which misreads the surname. This verifies the index entry, not yet the identity of the family’s Alexander Stewart.
The date fits the established search interval after the identified 1892 census and by the 6 September 1894 heirs deed. The surname variant and place-name Franklin also fit. However, this index does not state a county, age, spouse, parents, burial place or cause of death. The project ancestor lived in Franklin, Delaware County, New York; the index alone does not establish that its Franklin is the same locality. Identity remains unconfirmed and the preferred death field remains blank.
The next target is the underlying 1894 death certificate numbered 16918, plus a corroborating obituary or estate record linking the deceased to this family. No certificate was ordered and nobody was contacted. Earlier 1892 Argyle and Irvington namesakes remain unconfirmed, now lower-priority leads. Original 1894 Stewart and Steward blocks on printed pages 767–768 (scans n779–780) were also checked; no Alexander appears in those inspected blocks. This limited negative search does not prove complete registration or exclude other variants.
New York State Death Index, 1894, printed p. 775, Alexander Stuart entry; Reclaim The Records / Internet Archive, original scan n787. Evidence 100.10.015; companion scans 100.10.015.1–015.2. Inspected 20 September 2026. https://archive.org/details/New_York_State_Death_Index_1894/page/n787/mode/1up
## Durable progress and scope
Three full original JPEG scans saved and indexed as 100.10.015, 100.10.015.1 and 100.10.015.2. Evidence count now 143, person count still 91 including Maria Politis. No confirmed ancestor death date, new relationship or photograph. Original index row is Stuart, Alexander / 19 Apr / Franklin / 16918. Do not silently substitute Stewart in the transcription or add Delaware County to the index's place field. Treat the certificate number as a retrieval lead, not a retrieved certificate. Preferred birth/death/parent values remain unchanged.
Word gains an appended research supplement. Both HTML presentations and the JSON narrative gain the same explicitly unconfirmed lead, outside confirmed life-event fields. Excel FR-013 remains open and now targets certificate 16918 (1894) and corroborating identity records. Earlier 1892 namesakes and 1893 limited negative findings remain preserved.
## Access attempts this pass
Read the latest Family and research Drive listings and the preceding completed notes before editing. Existing source files and modification times matched the retained working baseline. Local run lock held; recheck remote modification times immediately before replacement.
FamilySearch exact existing 1811 deed URL https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSXB-X9NW-4 returned Incapsula Request unsuccessful. The archived overview 600.20.001 was reopened but is too small to resolve its wording reliably; no enhanced transcription asserted. No verification bypass or overnight user action requested. County inventory retrieval for PSID739/490 also failed through the web reader; not evidence of missing records. U-versus-W volume ambiguity remains open; retain both earlier reading and county catalog warning that 1W never existed.
MyHeritage remained signed in. A fresh UI search for Albert Emerson Stuart returned the same site Oops/error, not zero matches. No new authenticated search completed at Ancestry or Findmypast, and no fresh WikiTree, Cyndi's List or USGenWeb check this pass. Previous coverage statuses are historical. Exact public searches for Wilson Tagg/Diven 1838 and James Diven/McCord 1811 produced irrelevant retrievals; not negative genealogical evidence. NY Department of Health genealogy page returned 403 to the web reader; no current fees, ordering requirements or availability claimed.
## Next targets
1. Identify the person on death certificate 16918, 1894, Alexander Stuart, indexed Franklin, 19 April. Seek online original or corroborating obituary/estate, without ordering or contacting anyone. Establish county and family before asserting a death event. This is more promising than the retained 1892 Argyle/Irvington leads. 2. Continue NY naturalization accession .11020 and Delaware County probate. Dundalk is the naturalization FROM field, not a proved birthplace. Do not conflate Franklin NY with Franklin PA. 3. Resolve original 20 December 1811 deed pp498–499 (FamilySearch image274/776) and U-versus-W book identifier when full resolution is available. 4. Seek 2 April 1838 Wilson/Sarah Tagg conveyance. Keep James Junior/Nancy and their four children separate from grandson James/Mary Jane and Sarah Williamson. 5. Cumberland D-091/D-105 inventories and A&E accounts C–D remain uninspected. Prior confirmed Senior auction of 17 June 1818 is retained and does not resolve these separate candidates.
All prior evidence archive members, person records and research notes are retained. No purchases, contacts or overnight interaction. Morning report should distinguish the confirmed index transcription from the still-unconfirmed family identification.
RESEARCH CHECK 20 SEPTEMBER 2026 — FRANKLIN LOCALITY FOLLOW-UP
# Franklin locality follow-up — 20 September 2026
## Outcome
No new family identity, death date, burial, educational attendance, club membership or religious affiliation was confirmed. The promising 19 April 1894 Alexander Stuart death-index entry, certificate/index number 16918, remains unconfirmed as the project ancestor. The tree remains 91 people including Maria Politis; evidence index remains 143 entries. No new source image or person was added.
The latest Family and research Drive folder listings matched the preceding saved files. Read the latest checkpoint and Alexander's complete current narrative before editing. Main Word, biography HTML, visual tree, person JSON and evidence index are unchanged because this pass adds scoped search results and finding aids, not a new personal fact. Updated the search log, Excel source coverage/research request, and evidence archive checkpoint only. Held the local run lock; recheck remote timestamps before replacing files.
## Completed scoped checks
All pages below were inspected on 20 September 2026. These are transcriptions or finding aids unless specifically described otherwise. Nonappearance does not establish absence from a complete original record series.
- Arabia Cemetery, Franklin: no Stewart/Stuart target in the displayed compilation. https://www.dcnyhistory.org/cemfranklinarabia.html - Ouleout Cemetery, Route 28: no Alexander in the inspected text. Orrin and Imogene/Immogene Stewart entries are not attached to the project. The page contains two compilations with conflicting dates, illustrating why an original marker/register is needed. https://www.dcnyhistory.org/cemfranklinouleout28.html - Ouleout Valley Cemetery, Route 357: the linked page has cemetery photographs/location/history links, not an inspected burial register. Do not confuse it with the Route 28 cemetery or claim a surname-negative burial search from this page. https://www.dcnyhistory.org/OuleoutValleyCemetery2015.html - Croton Union Cemetery: verification page; compilation not inspected. https://www.dcnyhistory.org/CrotonUnionCemetery.html - Franklin Road Districts, 1871: transcribed inhabitants liable to highway work; Mrs Charles Stuart and Homer Stuart occur in district 8, no identified Alexander. Do not infer these people are relatives or infer actual road employment from tax/work liability. https://www.dcnyhistory.org/roads.html - Franklin School District 18: winter-term pupil lists for 1872–73 and 1873–74 contain no Stuart/Stewart match. This is one district, not all Franklin education records. https://www.dcnyhistory.org/sch-franklin-dist-18.html - Delaware Literary Institute graduate compilation: J. Edward Stewart (1857), Mary A. Staurt [sic] (1877) and Lucinda Stuart (1880) occur. None is identified with a project person; no education event added for Albert, Henry or Mary Jane. Name-only resemblance is insufficient. https://www.dcnyhistory.org/joyce/schbobt.html - Franklin Lodge 562, page labeled 1864–1902: inspected membership list is specifically dated 31 December 1901, with officers and past masters. No Stuart/Stewart match. Not a complete historical membership search and not proof Alexander never belonged. https://www.dcnyhistory.org/franklinlodge18641902.html - Franklin Baptist Church transcription: Stewart names include Nathan/Nathaniel and Alnea in earlier entries; no identified target Alexander. This does not establish the family's denomination. https://www.dcnyhistory.org/chfrank.html - Croton/Treadwell Baptist compilation contains a William Stewart–Harriet Brownson family, not an identified connection to Alexander/Margaret Sonberger. No relationship or religion assigned. https://www.dcnyhistory.org/chucroto.html - Franklin scrapbook index: no literal Stewart/Stuart match in the retrieved index text; individual clippings not reviewed. https://www.dcnyhistory.org/FranklinScrapbookIndex.html
## More precise newspaper targets
The New York State Library's Delaware County microfilm holdings page lists Sidney record service copies spanning 7 December 1882–27 December 1928, call number NY 36 Sidney 93-32256. It also lists Hancock herald service copies spanning 28 August 1874–31 December 2008, call number NY 36 Hancock 93-31805. Stamford mirror includes a specifically listed 28 April 1894 issue, call number NY 36 Stamford 93-31503. These holdings cover or closely follow the candidate death date, but no obituary was read. Search April–May 1894 issues for Alexander and family before concluding identity. Publication dates are not the same as holdings dates.
Source: https://nysl.nysed.gov/nysnp/113 . The page is a catalog/finding aid, not evidence the individual appeared in any newspaper. The Franklin visitor holdings belong to 1857–1863 and cannot supply an 1894 obituary. An initially opened Franklin COUNTY newspaper page was the wrong jurisdiction and was not used for the town of Franklin in Delaware County.
NY Historic Newspapers county link failed to load and homepage returned 403. No newspaper database search or original issue inspection completed there. https://www.nyshistoricnewspapers.org/ . No contact, purchase or intervention requested.
## Other access limits
General and domain-scoped public searches for Alexander Stuart/Stewart with Franklin/1894, and Wilson/Sarah Tagg with James Diven, returned largely irrelevant retrievals. These are not completed searches of Ancestry, FamilySearch, MyHeritage, Findmypast or WikiTree databases, and not evidence records are absent. No fresh authenticated retry at those sites; last MyHeritage result remains the preceding pass's signed-in search error. Cyndi's List and USGenWeb were not freshly searched this pass. The county-history site's own pages were inspected directly as listed above.
The 1811 Cumberland deed, U-versus-W identifier, 2 April 1838 Tagg conveyance and NY naturalization/probate remain unresolved. No new original land image was accessed this pass. Do not repeat the rejected neighboring Henderson will/Nancy lead. Keep all three James Diven identities separate.
## Next useful actions
1. Search actual April–May 1894 newspaper issues, prioritizing Franklin/nearby local columns and the cataloged Stamford mirror issue of 28 April. Online access is preferable; human archival retrieval is a later option, not an action already undertaken. 2. Retrieve underlying NY 1894 death certificate 16918, without ordering or contacting anyone under present authorization; compare spouse, age, parents, county and residence to the established family. 3. Resume original Diven conveyance/inventory work when the existing sources permit readable access. Preserve prior auction confirmation and all relationship uncertainty.
For the morning report, count this as better-defined searches and additional scoped negative checks, not a confirmed new biographical discovery.
RESEARCH CHECK 20 SEPTEMBER 2026 — SCOTT ORIGINAL DEATH REGISTER
# Scott death register research — 20 September 2026
Chester County’s original Register of Deaths, volume 1, printed page 237, records J. Humphrey Scott as a married farmer who died at East Fallowfield on 22 October 1896. The recorded cause is paralysis, with a final illness lasting two months. It gives his burial place as Octorara and burial date as 27 October 1896. The entry was recorded on 1 January 1897. The distinctive name, locality and death date support identifying this entry with the project’s John Humphrey Scott.
The register reports age 81. His preferred birth date, 5 December 1815, would make him 80 on the recorded death date. Both readings are retained without changing his preferred birth date. The birthplace cell has a dash, and the parents’ cells contain no names. A compiled genealogy’s USA birthplace should therefore not be attributed to this original entry. The record does not establish his parents, name his wife, prove a religious affiliation, or diagnose a modern medical cause beyond the recorded term paralysis.
The county’s published death-register index, PDF page 408, agrees on the name, age, occupation, death date, place, cause and Octorara burial. It is a derivative finding aid, not a second independent death report. The original was inspected in the county’s public viewer at scan 190 of 236. Five screenshots preserve the overview, identity fields, death and burial fields, occupation and date, and column headings. No identified portrait was found.
Chester County Archives, RG1120.026, Register of Deaths, vol. 1, p. 237, J. Humphrey Scott entry, recorded 1 January 1897; public viewer document 771360, scan 190/236. Evidence 200.10.017 and 017.1–017.4. Companion county index: 200.10.016, PDF page 408. Inspected 20 September 2026. https://portal.laserfiche.com/Portal/DocView.aspx?id=771360&repo=r-24f48cc6 https://www.chesco.org/DocumentCenter/View/48804/Death-Registers-1893-1907-A-Z
## Findings and safeguards
New original-record support for John Humphrey Scott: farmer; death 22 October 1896 at East Fallowfield; paralysis; final illness two months; burial Octorara on 27 October 1896; recorded 1 January 1897. Original identifies J. Humphrey Scott. Identification rests on distinctive name, matching death date and locality, not on an unsupported parent link. The age is recorded as 81; birth 5 December 1815 would imply 80. Preferred dates and parent relationships remain unchanged. Birthplace is a dash, not USA. Parents are not named. Burial does not establish church membership or denomination. Historical paralysis is not reinterpreted as stroke. Manner of death remains unestablished.
One complete 523-page county index PDF and its rendered page408 preview saved. Five unaltered browser screenshots preserve the original register, grouped under evidence200.10.017 and four companion IDs. These are record images, not portraits. Evidence now149; people still91 including Maria Politis. Source PDF index and Waldron's citation derive from the same register; do not count them as independent reports. Browser PDF export navigated to a blank handler and the attempted downloaded file was HTML, not a PDF; that failed download is not part of the evidence archive. Original screenshots were successfully inspected after ordinary image loading.
## Additional source leads and actual search scope
Waldron person page7 led to the county record. Its S839 reference is Jim Jones/West Chester University transcription, volume1 page237. The old university URL failed/timed out, so switched to Chester County's official death-record page, then its county-hosted index and original Laserfiche register. Official starting page: https://www.chesco.org/1165/Death-Records . County cautions that this series is incomplete and records may be entered months after death; no separate certificates survive in the county series.
Waldron also cites John Humphrey Scott and Margaret Amanda Wallace's 23 April1850 marriage in Church of the Holy Trinity, West Chester (S1958, record on Ancestry), plus Margaret Amanda Scott's Pennsylvania death certificate119594 (1907). These remain retrieval leads; neither original inspected in this pass. Page https://www.markwaldron.us/g0/p7.htm and source listing https://www.markwaldron.us/s3.htm . No new parent, spouse, religious or portrait attribution is made from those leads.
Reviewed Sandra Traina and her unresolved father's current project entries. No first name or identifying birth/death date is established for him, preventing a reliable Fiore/Traina record match. Preserve family testimony: Sandra's father, not Sandra, was adopted by a Traina stepfather after his Fiore father died. Did not attach unrelated surname-only matches. No original Italian-family record retrieved in this pass.
Public search retrieval was largely irrelevant; not a negative genealogical search. No fresh authenticated searches at Ancestry, MyHeritage, Findmypast or FamilySearch in this pass. Earlier access/error statuses remain historical, not fresh no-match findings. WikiTree, Cyndi's List and USGenWeb were not freshly searched this pass. Most productive source was the official Chester County archive.
## Durable progress
Read fresh Family and research Drive listings, latest0500 checkpoint and relevant current person narratives before edits. Used latest0400 main files and latest0500 Excel/log/evidenceZIP; held the run lock and rechecked remote modification times before replacing. Word gets an appended supplement without changing existing paragraphs. Both HTMLs and personJSON receive the same sourced narrative; structured occupation/cause/burial added for johnh only. No people removed or parent links changed. Archive retains all previous members, replacing only indexes and adding this note and seven source files. Excel adds source coverage with exact retrieval targets; prior requests retained.
## Next targets for continuation
1. Retrieve JohnHumphreyScott/AmandaWallace original23April1850 HolyTrinitymarriage record at Ancestry, and Amanda's1907 PAdeathcertificate119594. Test kinship and biographical fields; do not assume church membership from marriage location. 2. AlexanderStuart candidate19April1894 Franklin certificate16918 remains unconfirmed as the family ancestor. Seek certificate, Apr–May1894 obituary or estate corroboration. Preferred death staysblank. See0500 newspaper holdings. 3. NYnaturalization accession.11020 remains unconfirmed. Dundalk is FROM, not proven birthplace. Franklin is DelawareCountyNY, never VenangoCountyPA. 4. Original1811Cumberlanddeed pp498–499 and U/W bookidentifier,2April1838Taggtransfer and separateDivenestatefiles remainopen. Keep threeJamesDivenidentities separate and rejectedNancyHendersonlead rejected. 5. Human identification of Sandra's father's given name and an anchor date would materially improve Fiore/Traina work; no overnight interaction requested.
For morning report distinguish newly verified original Scott record from unconfirmed Alexander identification. No purchases or contacts. This pass completes with persistent notes; final morning summary still due.
## Interactive package repair
The latest Drive interactive ZIP (310945 bytes, modification 09:17:56.384Z) matched the retained0400 local file byte-for-byte but lacked its central directory and ended after the first member. Its complete visualHTML member passed CRC and matched the separately saved0400 visualHTML. Rebuilt the package using the intact0200 member inventory: the three current0600 JSON/HTML files plus the unchanged portrait register and READ_ME from0200. No person or ancillary member removed. The latest standalone files, not old tree contents, supply the rebuilt package. Both ZIPs pass integrity testing before save.
# Scott probate retrieval lead — 20 September 2026
## New finding: an exact estate-file target, not a new relationship
Chester County Archives' Wills and Administrations 1714–1923 index, printed/PDF page 1100 of 1426 (index dated 23 March 2026), lists **Scott, John H.; 1896; file 25407; East Fallowfield**. Its flags are Will: No; Administration: Yes; Inventory: Yes; Accounts: Yes. Occupation and comments are blank. The page was visually inspected as well as text-searched. Evidence ID **200.10.018**.
This is a strong candidate for John Humphrey Scott because the initials, year and township fit the original death register already verified in evidence 200.10.017. However, the estate itself has not been read. Do not promote the candidate to a confirmed ancestor estate, claim named heirs, or infer a precise death date from the index year. The index's “No” will flag is a description of indexed holdings, not proof that he never made a will.
Source: https://www.chesco.org/DocumentCenter/View/83366/Wills-and-Administrations-1714-1923
Finding aid: https://www.chesco.org/1720/Wills-Administrations-1714-1923
County public file directory inspected: https://portal.laserfiche.com/Portal/Browse.aspx?id=773052&repo=r-24f48cc6
The visible digitized estate-file directory has only two ranges: **0001–18231** and **18232–19282**. File 25407 falls outside those visible ranges. This limits this particular online directory; it does not mean that the estate is lost or that no other repository has it. The county warns that portions of its probate holdings are not digitized. No request, purchase or contact was made.
## Saved source material
- 200.10.018_Scott_Chester_Probate_Index_1714-1923.pdf — complete county index, 1426 pages. Drive: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Rsk76DFdhNzBJiFKBhzg4yPzUNm2tUJG/view?usp=drivesdk - 200.10.018_Scott_Probate_Index_p1100.png — rendered index page, unaltered. Drive: https://drive.google.com/file/d/19PrB-3MaMQOnSjT6t-M_WAOqNiNRImLA/view?usp=drivesdk
These are an index and its preview, one evidence entry, not two independent reports. No original estate image or identified portrait was obtained.
## Access checks and limits
Ancestry's home page returned **Browser Validation Error 54**, again after one ordinary reload. Stopped the site and recorded the block. Therefore the 23 April 1850 Holy Trinity, West Chester marriage and Margaret A. Scott's Pennsylvania death certificate 119594 (30 December 1907) were not searched or inspected there in this pass. A block is not a no-match result.
Re-read Waldron's source citations S1958 and S2044 to retain those precise original-record targets: https://www.markwaldron.us/s3.htm . The related person page is https://www.markwaldron.us/g0/p7.htm . These are compiled leads, not new primary proof.
Public search queries for the Scott marriage/death and Sarah Tagg/Diven returned mainly irrelevant results; do not count that as an exhaustive genealogical negative. A county link to the former Pennsylvania archives vital-statistics page failed after redirect, so no state certificate was inspected. No fresh authenticated searches were performed at FamilySearch, MyHeritage or Findmypast; no fresh WikiTree, Cyndi's List or USGenWeb checks in this pass. Prior statuses remain historical.
## Preservation and continuation
Fresh Family and research Drive listings and the latest 0600 checkpoint were read. Main-file modification times still matched the just-saved 0600 versions; the run lock was acquired. Evidence index and archive receive entry 200.10.018, both source files and this checkpoint; search log receives this note. All 149 prior evidence entries are retained, bringing the evidence index to **150**. The **91-person tree, including Maria Politis, is unchanged**. No preferred values, names, relationships, photos or biographical facts were altered. Word, both tree HTMLs, person JSON, interactive ZIP and Excel remain the verified 0600 versions because this is a retrieval lead, not a newly established life event.
Precise next retrieval: **Chester County estate file 25407, John H. Scott, 1896, East Fallowfield**, administration, inventory and accounts. Compare its death affidavit, administrator, widow and heirs against John Humphrey Scott and Margaret Amanda Wallace before assigning it. The county says post-1893 death affidavits are in estate files: https://www.chesco.org/1165/Death-Records . A later authorized archival request may be needed; none sent tonight. Carry this target into the next Excel update and morning action list.
Keep the Alexander Stuart 19 April 1894 Franklin certificate 16918 and naturalization accession 11020 identifications unconfirmed. Keep Franklin, Delaware County, New York distinct from Franklin, Pennsylvania. Keep the three James Diven identities separate and retain the rejected neighboring Henderson/Nancy will lead as rejected. Original 1811 Cumberland deed and 2 April 1838 Tagg transfer remain open.
# Research tracker and Greek repository coverage — 20 September 2026
Read fresh Family/research Drive listings and the latest 0634 checkpoint before editing. No newer main project work observed; exclusive run lock acquired. No new person facts, relationships or photographs confirmed. Tree remains 91 people including Maria Politis; evidence index remains 150 entries. Main biographies/tree and source archive unchanged.
NARA Chicago official naturalization holdings table freshly checked: RG21, Illinois Northern, Chicago indexes, declarations and petitions each cover 1872–1991, with possible gaps. Existing Anna574453 (1982) and Nick531297 (1977) petition leads fall within that coverage; no individual petition read or identity newly established. No purchase, archive request or contact made. Source: https://www.archives.gov/chicago/finding-aids/naturalization-records.html . The digitization partner list was opened without locating an exact petition: https://www.archives.gov/digitization/digitized-by-partners . Not an exhaustive no-match search.
Public searches surfaced the already-known Anna/Peter Froustis newspaper notices, not new evidence. Smith-Corcoran Anna page requested security verification; stopped. Direct Legacy opens failed. No new photograph or independently verified event. Earlier Ancestry Browser Validation Error54 retained as an access block, not no matches. No fresh FamilySearch/MyHeritage/Findmypast/WikiTree/Cyndi's List/USGenWeb searches in this pass.
Updated Excel with FR-014 candidate John H. Scott estate25407, FR-015 original1850Scott/Wallace marriage and1907MargaretA.Scott certificate119594, FR-016 original2April1838Taggtransfer. Added source-coverage notes and refreshed the conditional Greek petition limitation. Summary formulas now cover all16requests:12open,1conditional,3completed. Prior request rows and response columns preserved. Workbook rendered before and after; formula-error check and retained-cell comparison performed.
Full continuation notes: Research_Overnight_2026-09-20_0700.md. Save this checkpoint separately from the unchanged150-entry source archive. For morning distinguish confirmed originalScottdeathregister findings from candidateScottestate and AlexanderNYdeathindex. Preserve all preferred values and rejected leads; no overnight interaction requested.
# Final morning handoff — 20 September 2026
Fresh Family and research folder listings and latest0700 checkpoint read. No newer main project edits observed. Final validation:91unique person IDs; Maria Politis present in JSON and visualHTML;150evidence entries; Alexander preferred death stillblank. OriginalScottcause field retains historicalparalysis/two-monthillness. MainWord, currentExcel, five-memberinteractiveZIP and148-memberevidenceZIP all pass archiveCRCchecks. Workbook remains16requests,12open,1conditional,3completed. No new person fact or source image in this final pass.
County official guides rechecked20September2026: https://www.chesco.org/1720/Wills-Administrations-1714-1923 confirms incomplete digitization; https://www.chesco.org/1165/Death-Records confirms post1893deathaffidavits in estatefiles. This supports retrieving candidateScottestate25407 rather than seeking a nonexistent separate1896countydeathcertificate. County guides do not prove the candidate estate's identity. No contact, purchase or request sent.
Saved Family_Research_Morning_Report_2026-09-20.md with confirmedScottandDivenfindings, clearlyunconfirmedAlexanderandScottindexleads, all currentfilelinks and precisehumanrequirements. Immediateidentitygap: Sandra's father's givenname anddated/localizedanchor. Optional authorizedarchiveaction: ChesterCountyfile25407,JohnH.Scott,1896,EastFallowfield,deathaffidavit/administration/inventory/accounts. Onlineoriginals await authorizedaccess or suppliedimages; AncestryError54 andMyHeritageOops areblocksnotnomatches. OriginalDiven1811and1838deeds andseparateJamesidentities remainopen/preserved.
This is the final morning handoff at the requested cutoff. No recurrence extension. Main genealogy files and150-entrysourcearchive unchanged in this final review; report andappend-onlylog saved separately. Final output must not label22additionalcatalogentries as22newancestors.
# Aunt Lori Traina and Fiore family history — 20 September 2026
User supplied a compiled descendancy narrative and family group sheet attributed to Aunt Lori. Preserved as evidence 300.00.001. It resolves the project placeholder for Sandra's father as Alfred Joseph Traina, born Fiore (21Dec1917–8Oct1977), biological son of Luigi Fiore and Josephine DeCaro. Giusto Traina is recorded separately as stepfather/adoptive father after Josephine's 1922 remarriage. Alfred married Camille Criola20Dec1945; children listed Linda, Sandra, Jill and Lori.
Expanded searchable tree to121 people by adding named Fiore/Traina relatives from the compilation. All added relationships and dates remain family-supplied/compiled pending original records. Joseph Gus birth1914/1924, Jennie maternity and name variants remain explicit conflicts. No portrait added. Maria Politis and all prior91people preserved.
Updated Word, bothHTMLs,JSON,evidence indexes/archive,interactive package andExcel tracker. FR-001 can be completed as the identity-anchor request because the human-supplied name/date/parent anchor is now present; original-record verification remains a separate open task. No external search claim or independent verification made in this update.