Sarah J Shaw 1835–1897
What is a Public Tree Person?
A Public Tree Person is an ancestor documented independently by multiple YourRoots tree owners. When several researchers' family histories converge on the same person, we publish a shared page that combines what they've documented.
Why this is a Public Tree Person
Compare a Public Tree Person with your own tree using Compare Tree.
- A 3 criteria (Strong)
- B 2 criteria (Medium)
- C 1 criteria (Basic)
- Record available
- Descendant's record available
- Star tree owner
2 researchers on YourRoots have Sarah Shaw in their family trees — each with their own records and documentation. Trace the migration path across 6 generations. If this ancestor is in your tree too, you can compare what you've found and fill in the gaps together.
Last updated: August 25, 2026 · Reliability: A — verified across 2 independent trees, with linked records
Immediate Family
Biography
Sarah J Shaw was born in 1835 in Wayne City, Wayne, Illinois, United States, the child of william wilbur shaw and margaret peggy campbell. In 1860, Sarah J Shaw resided in Township 2 S Range 8 E, Wayne, Illinois, USA. In 1870, Sarah J Shaw resided in Barnhill, Wayne, Illinois, USA. Sarah J Shaw married sgt william lafayette billy merritt, and had children including benjamin marshall meritt, charles nathan merritt, elmer merritt, ephraim merritt, john brown meritt, lafayette merritt jr, luretta merrit, thomas sherman merritt, william george merritt. Sarah J Shaw passed away in 1897 in Burnt Prairie, Wayne County, Illinois, United States of America.
Sources
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1Census 1860 United States Federal Census
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2Census 1870 United States Federal Census
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3Census 1880 United States Federal Census
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4Marriage Records U.S. and International Marriage Records, 1560-1900
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5Burial Records U.S., Find a Grave® Index, 1600s-Current
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6Marriage Records Illinois, County Marriage Records
Life Timeline
Oldest Ancestor Line from Sarah Shaw
This ancestor line traces from Rothesay, Bute, Scotland (1670) to Wayne City, Wayne, Illinois, United States (1835) across 6 generations.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Sarah Shaw (1835–1897) was born in Wayne City, Wayne, Illinois, United States and died in Burnt Prairie, Wayne County, Illinois, United States of America. 2 researchers on YourRoots have this ancestor in their family trees, each with their own records. This page combines what they've independently documented and assigns a Reliability Score (A) based on cross-tree validation.
- Right now, 2 researchers on YourRoots have Sarah in their trees. They're working independently, so connecting with them is a good way to cross-check your records and find things you might have missed. You can also explore the ancestor migration map that traces 6 generations of this lineage geographically.
- It varies by researcher — some have census records, others have marriage certificates, parish registers, or family Bible entries. Scroll up to see exactly what each person has cited.
- Use the "Compare Tree" button on any researcher's profile above. You can compare your tree side by side with theirs, see where your records overlap or differ, and collaborate to fill gaps.
Sarah Shaw's Ancestors
Pedigree chart — 3 generations on record