Sarah Gurley Allison

So far the Search Sisters have been unsuccessful at finding kin for our great grandmother Sarah Gurley Allison.  We have looked in Pennsylvania, in Maryland, on ships lists and immigrants records.

Sarah has resisted our search efforts so far. Gurley. Gourley. Gerly. Gourley, so many ways to spell her name.  Sarah G had the bad luck to live in the time where ladies are reduced to a check mark on the census under a husband’s name. Her husband died leaving her alone to raise her children around Greencastle, Pennsylvania . No Gourleys live in Greencastle. Perhaps she was from Virginia?....  She didn’t own property, or at least she doesn't appear to be taxed for her property. 

Stella and I  decided to try again. We sacrificed a sunny Saturday in May in the basement library of the California Genealogical Society in Oakland. Late in the afternoon Stella discovered Sarah Allison’s last will and testament in records of Franklin County, Pennsylvania.

Finally. Something. 
Finding her will is a break through.