I'm experiencing confusion and perhaps someone reading this might be able to straighten me out!
In researching my Douglas family line, I had found that a William Douglas of New London, Conn. (from whom I'm directly descended) married a Sarah Proctor in about 1695. She is listed as having lived until at least 1729, and some on-line sources state her parents were John and Elizabeth Bassett Proctor of Salem.
However, other sources seem to indictate that the parentage of the woman who married William Douglas is apparently unproven.
Secondly, six children of John and Elizabeth Bassett Proctor are listed in a particular database, and TWO of them are named Sarah.
The elder Sarah, so to speak, is listed as having been born in 1674 in New London, Conn., died 1731, and married William Douglas in 1694 in New London.
The second daughter named Sarah is listed as having been born Jan. 28, 1676 in Salem;died in 1744 in Killingly, Conn., and was buried in Old East Cemetery, Thompson, Windham, Conn. She is listed as having married Edward Munnion or Munyan in 1700 in the Salem/Lynn area.
Now - if John and Elizabeth Bassett Proctor had two daughters named Sarah - and it is unlikely since they were contemporaries - could it be that one of the Sarahs was their natural daughter while the other Sarah was possibly considered to be the Proctors' child but may have been adopted or cared for by them, or was perhaps a relative living with them? Being a novice to genealogical research, no wonder my confusion came up.
Given this confusion, I can't be certain that the Sarah Proctor who married my ancestor William Douglas is a daughter of Salem's John Proctor. If she is not, that's just how it is, but I just can't seem to determine whether or not she was. Since I am relatively new to genealogical research, perhaps someone reading this might be able to correct me or might have some advice on how to clarify this confusing situation. I would very much appreciate any assistance anyone might offer.
- Barbara Hughes, Pennsylvania