{"id":22611,"date":"2017-05-24T11:28:16","date_gmt":"2017-05-24T15:28:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.genealogybank.com\/?p=22611"},"modified":"2021-04-22T13:34:33","modified_gmt":"2021-04-22T17:34:33","slug":"genealogy-tip-use-a-variety-of-sources-to-piece-together-your-ancestors-lives","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.genealogybank.com\/blog\/genealogy-tip-use-a-variety-of-sources-to-piece-together-your-ancestors-lives.html","title":{"rendered":"Genealogy Tip: Use a Variety of Sources to Piece Together Your Ancestors\u2019 Lives"},"content":{"rendered":"

In yesterday\u2019s blog article, I shared how a reader\u2019s question led me to the discovery of Israel Sanborn<\/span> (1773-1836), a distant cousin with a very touching backstory. (See: A Reader\u2019s Question Leads to the Discovery of a Touching Story of Generosity<\/a>.) Israel\u2019s descendants lived in Vermont for several generations before moving to Colorado and the West in the late 19th century. After finding that I was related to Israel, I decided to do some additional research on his descendants to see if I could discover any interesting details about the family after they moved west.<\/p>\n

A quick scan of Israel\u2019s family tree led me to his grandson, Corydon William Sanborn<\/span> (1843-1923), who was born in Hardwick, Caledonia County, Vermont, served in the Union Army during the Civil War, and died in Boulder, Boulder County, Colorado.<\/p>\n

\"A<\/a>
Source: FamilySearch<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

To find out more, I searched on Corydon\u2019s first and last names in GenealogyBank.<\/p>\n

\"A<\/a>
Source: GenealogyBank<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Because \u201cCorydon\u201d is an uncommon first name, this search returned only 16 results: 2 newspaper articles and 14 historical documents.<\/p>\n

Nearly all of the 14 historical documents related to Corydon\u2019s military service. He was a member of the Union forces during the Civil War and:<\/p>\n

\u201c\u2026enlisted September 18, 1862, and to have served as sergeant and first sergeant Company B, Fifteenth Vermont Infantry, until August 5, 1863, when honorably discharged. He is further shown to have reenlisted September 3, 1864, as private in Company D, Tenth New York Heavy Artillery, and to have served until June 23, 1865, when again honorably discharged.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\"House<\/a>
Source: GenealogyBank, Historical Documents, House Report 4454, Serial Set Vol. No.4908-G, Corydon W. Sanborn, 29 May 1906, page 1<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

According to the Denver Rocky Mountain News<\/em>, after the war Corydon Sanborn (at age 42) was one of the special agents investigating fraudulent land transactions at the Federal Land Office.<\/p>\n

\"An<\/a>
Source: GenealogyBank, Denver Rocky Mountain News (Denver, Colorado), 23 October 1885, page 1<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

In 1906 a Vermont newspaper, the Caledonian<\/em>, reported that Corydon Sanborn (at age 62) attended the GAR (Grand Army of the Republic)<\/a> Union veterans\u2019 reunion held in Denver that year.<\/p>\n

\"An<\/a>
Caledonian (St. Johnsbury, Vermont), 14 March 1906, page 5<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

But, life was hard on Corydon. A few weeks after the reunion, it was reported:<\/p>\n

\u201cHis last medical examination, made at his home April 11, 1906, shows that he is totally blind in [his] right eye, and that he is also afflicted with disease of [the] stomach and heart\u2026\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\"House<\/a>
Source: GenealogyBank, Historical Documents, House Report 4454, Serial Set Vol. No.4908-G, Corydon W. Sanborn, 29 May 1906, page 2<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

He was granted a military pension increase from $12 to $40 per month because he was blind in one eye and completely disabled, rendering him unable to work.<\/p>\n

Census records listed on FamilySearch helped me determine that Corydon lived in Boulder, Colorado, for the rest of his life. He was granted a pension increase again in 1919, and died a few years later at age 79, on 28 February 1923.<\/p>\n

Genealogy Tip:<\/em><\/strong> Using a variety of sources \u2013 like census records, newspapers, and historical documents \u2013 can help you piece together information and get a more complete view of your ancestors. GenealogyBank<\/a> gives you access to all types of records and makes it easy to find the stories of their lives.<\/p>\n

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