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The Sheldon Family Association

The Sheldon Family Association

Connecting Sheldons since 1939

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Home  /  Sheldon Numbering System

Sheldon Numbering System

Rev. H.O. Sheldon devised a unique numbering system for Sheldons. He explained this system in the “Preface” to Volume I:

Every descendent has a number. The numbers are all placed mathematically; 100 upon each double page. The last number by cutting off the 00, being the number of the page: so that all the numbers, except the last, will be found upon the page preceding the hundreds in the number; as, all below 100 on the first page; above 500 and below 600 on the sixth page. Hence 01 with the hundreds will always be found on the top of the left side; 25 at the middle, 50 at the bottom, 51 at the top right side, 75 at the middle. To facilitate tracing descendants, the reference designates the side of page; reference to the right side having r added. A * instead of a reference figure, denotes descendants whose names we have.

Loudonville, Ohio, June 7th, 1855

S#5297×6-2, Carew Sheldon, added to this explanation in Volume 5 to show how Sheldons are numbered who are not listed in the original Sheldon Magazine:

As described in the original Preface of the 1855 document, which is reprinted in the section of Indexes, the S#s in Vol. V indicate the page and line where the Sheldon head-of-family can be found in Vols. I to IV as a child along with his parents and other data including a cross-reference to Vol. V. For example, S#5297 will be found on page 53 on the 47th line of the right-hand page, since they are numbered in duplicate with 50 lines to a page. There were 11,250 S#s for that many possible families as of 1855. No higher S# will be used.

Beginning with the S# of the last ancestor shown in Vols. I to IV, all of his descendants will always take that family S# plus a line-of-descent or extension number to be shown as S#_x_. The extension # or “x” part is merely the order of birth in each following generation, hence everybody should be able to supply 3 or 4 of their own “x” numbers, and future generations can do likewise, thus:

S#5297×1 is the first unlisted child, and the 9th is S#5297×9. If the full order of birth in a generation is unknown, leave blank spaces S#5297x- -2-1. If the last printed ancestor is unknown, leave empty spaces S#____x- -2-1. This numbering system starts with Volume V and should be used in all Extensions, on Sheldon Family Data Cards in the places provided, wherever any Sheldon is mentioned including signatures to letters.

Since many have the same name, this will facilitate searching and filing of the cards which are arranged by S# x – -. Most of the data with indexes has now been printed up to 1850 to help you find your ancestor.

Thus, numbers preceding the “x” show the last person in the original magazines including the descendant’s page and line position. Numbers following the “x” indicate generations after the last original entry and the descendant’s birth sequence within a specific generation.

Today, we often see the hash mark (#) replaced with a hyphen (–), as in S-5297,or no character at all between the “S” and the first digit of the Sheldon number, as in S5297. The use of the hyphen between generations, as in S5297x-3-2-1, is also not commonly used, rather the birth order of the generations is run together, as in S5297x321. If the birth order exceeds 9, for this example, let’s assume we want to indicate the eleventh birth child; the digits are placed between hyphens, as in S5297x321(11). Adopted descendants are indicated with the letter “A”.

When the Sheldon Family Association began to convert its records and files to a computer format, a new numbering system was necessary. S9759x71 E. Mark Sheldon, the author and developer of the Sheldon Family Genealogy System and great-grandson of Rev. H. O. Sheldon, explained his computer numbering system in the introduction of his four-volume Master Index Set:

This number is unique to the Sheldon Family Genealogy System and compatible with the numbering system developed by Keith M. Sheldon for his book John of Providence. The computer number is in the form of an alpha character followed by a series of numbers or letters. The initial alpha letter will be a “G”, “I”, “J”, “R” or “W” and indicates the Sheldon line of descendant as noted in the table below. Each subsequent letter or number represents a generation and the birth order in that generation for purposes of this system. Since a single character represents a generation, numerical characters would limit family size to 9 children. To alleviate this problem, capital letters “A” through “V” are used to represent the tenth through the thirty-first child. To date [1989] the largest family has been 23 children.

Sheldon Lines

S0004 Godfrey Sheldon G1

S0008 John of Providence J1

S0005 Isaac Sheldon I1

S0013 John of South Kingston W1

S0022 Richard Sheldon R1

In 1988, The Federation of Genealogical Societies presented its Award of Merit to E. Mark Sheldon in recognition of his Sheldon Family Genealogy System noting that while there were numerous programs written for the individual genealogist, there were none available for the group genealogy club or association. All Sheldons are deeply indebted to Mark for the thousands and thousands of hours he has tirelessly devoted to the Sheldon Family Genealogy System and the Sheldon Family Association.

The above article was prepared by S#4727×514 Wayne E. Nelson from information in The Sheldon Magazine and other Sheldon sources.


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    1 week ago

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    Front row My Mother, Grandfather Butler, grandmother Allie Sheldon Butler, and my Aunt Minabel. Back row Ione, Floyd, Jennie,

    1 day ago

    Not sure if anyone has watched the NCAA Women’s Basketball 🏀 Sweet Sixteen playoffs, but Sheldons are represented by Ohio State Senior guard Jacy Sheldon. Just thought it was cool. She’s also reeeeeeallly good! ... See MoreSee Less

    Not sure if anyone has watched the NCAA Women’s Basketball 🏀 Sweet Sixteen playoffs, but Sheldons are represented by Ohio State Senior guard Jacy Sheldon. Just thought it was cool. She’s also reeeeeeallly good!
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    She had a great game! I’m a UCONN fan but impressed with Jacy and will be rooting for her the rest of the way.

    Jacy Sheldon appears to be a descendant of Thomas Sheldon who was b. 1789 in New Jersey. 🏀

    1 day ago

    Sunday Sheldon picture! Alice Sheldon Butler, my Grandmother and Frank Butler. And children. ... See MoreSee Less

    Sunday Sheldon picture! Alice Sheldon Butler, my Grandmother and Frank Butler. And children.Image attachment
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    1 day ago

    For all those researching families in North Carolina. The NC Historical Records Online completed putting 1.2 million images of original documents associated with all 200,000 NC land grants on their free website at nclandgrants.com/ Happy searching! ... See MoreSee Less

    NC Land Grant Images and Data | Home

    nclandgrants.com

    High quality images of North Carolina Land Grant documents along with searchable data for genealogy and historical research.
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    1 week ago

    Good morning Sheldon cousins!you just never know where a new secret Sheldon may pop up! At my dad’s funeral, my Mother told me that my dad had an affair with a married woman before dad was married and he thought her daughter could be my half sister? She even showed me a picture of dad leading a pony with this girl and I riding the pony together! Long story short I actually met this woman a few yrs. ago because my NY cousins went to school with her! She doubted my story so I did not pursue it- she never had her dna tested.🫤 Just got a hit on my dna testing sight! Her daughter had her dna tested without telling her mother and we are a match! Now she and her daughter want access to my dad’s Sheldon history! Yeahh ... See MoreSee Less

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    Awesome!

    Surprises in skeletons! 😳

    Glad you don’t have to wonder any longer. ❤️

    1 week ago

    It isn't unusual to find our ancestors as members of a group, such as churches (many were Quakers), school alumni, veterans organizations, or fraternal societies. Have you found an ancestor who was as member of a really unique group? ... See MoreSee Less

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    Yes, I came across Susannah Sheldon which many here are aware of. For anyone who is not aware of who she is she was one of the primary accusers during the Salem With Trials. Very intriguing to read about!

    Independent Order of Odd Fellows (my dad for a short time in his later teens and some of his maternal ancestors).

    1 week ago

    Our grandfather, Frank H Sheldon, was a man of many talents and had ingenious skills. For reference, his father was Edward Thompson Sheldon and one of Henry O’s grandchildren.There are many stories I could tell about Granddad. Being taught the game of cribbage and when he was in charge of the ice rink for the Squaw Valley Olympics. However, I am reminded of this story due to the recent rains we have experienced in California. He and his wife, Dorothy, lived in the Santa Cruz mountains. One year there was a heavy rain storm that took out the bridge across a creek leading from the road to their house. After building a new bridge, he realized that a retaining wall was required to eliminate further erosion near the house. The main structure was made from concrete. But there was a large void between the wall and the land near the house. The problem was how to get dirt and sand from the road above the creek down behind the wall.Being a problem solver, he rigged up a pulley system attached to trees on either side of the creek. He built a wooden box with a latch the would dump the contents when it hit a stop that was behind the retaining wall. Once filled, the weight of the box would propel it down, across the creek. After getting across the creek the box was dumped. On the other end of the rope was a bucket with dirt that would pull the empty box back up to the road side where it could be refilled.Many loads of dirt and sand were moved from the road and across the creek. On a visit to our grandparents house, he showed off how he was filling in the dirt to his grandsons. In the true spirit of Mark Twain, Ross and I were enamored with the process and with shovels in hand, filled the box throughout the weekend visit.I have attached a picture from around that time, It includes 3 generations when we all were in Santa Cruz. It was taken in 1954I also attached a picture of the Edward Thompson Sheldon family. Great Grandfather Edward was a representative in the first legislature after South Dakota became a state. He was one of Henry O’s sons. It was taken around the turn of the century. - Robert S. ... See MoreSee Less

    Our grandfather, Frank H Sheldon, was a man of many talents and had ingenious skills. For reference, his father was Edward Thompson Sheldon and one of Henry O’s grandchildren.
There are many stories I could tell about Granddad. Being taught the game of cribbage and when he was in charge of the ice rink for the Squaw Valley Olympics. However, I am reminded of this story due to the recent rains we have experienced in California. He and his wife, Dorothy, lived in the Santa Cruz mountains. One year there was a heavy rain storm that took out the bridge across a creek leading from the road to their house. After building a new bridge, he realized that a retaining wall was required to eliminate further erosion near the house. The main structure was made from concrete. But there was a large void between the wall and the land near the house. The problem was how to get dirt and sand from the road above the creek down behind the wall.
Being a problem solver, he rigged up a pulley system attached to trees on either side of the creek. He built a wooden box with a latch the would dump the contents when it hit a stop that was behind the retaining wall. Once filled, the weight of the box would propel it down, across the creek. After getting across the creek the box was dumped. On the other end of the rope was a bucket with dirt that would pull the empty box back up to the road side where it could be refilled.
Many loads of dirt and sand were moved from the road and across the creek. On a visit to our grandparents house, he showed off how he was filling in the dirt to his grandsons. In the true spirit of Mark Twain, Ross and I were enamored with the process and with shovels in hand, filled the box throughout the weekend visit.
I have attached a picture from around that time,  It includes 3 generations when we all were in Santa Cruz.  It was taken in 1954
I also attached a picture of the Edward Thompson Sheldon family.  Great Grandfather Edward was a representative in the first legislature after South Dakota became a state.  He was one of Henry O’s sons.  It was taken around the turn of the century. - Robert S.
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    Thanks for the story and pictures.

    My great grandfather was also a representative in the South Dakota legislature. He died in 1898 while he represented the county of Sanborn. His name was Millard Sylvester Sheldon and his father was Oscar Sheldon and he was born in New York but moved to Wisconsin as a youth. Ruth Sheldon Helgeson

    For clarification, the picture in the upper left corner is of Charles Sheldon. He was the 2nd Governor of South Dakota. I believe he is of the Godfrey lineage.

    1 month ago

    Sheldon Furniture, Wakefield, RI (Y) I would guess it is around the turn of the 20th Century. Wakefield is right next ro South Kingstown, where my ancestors started out in the early 1600;s (John, SFA0013) :) The company is still in business, today, and is operated by a man named John Sheldon. :O ... See MoreSee Less

    Sheldon Furniture, Wakefield, RI (Y) I would guess it is around the turn of the 20th Century. Wakefield is right next ro South Kingstown, where my ancestors started out in the early 1600;s (John, SFA0013) :) The company is still in business, today, and is operated by a man named John Sheldon. :O
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    Hey cousin, I think we may be (distantly) related. John Sheldon (1685-1722) Kingston RI was my ninth generation direct ancestor.

    Not sure how closely related, but my middle initial is L and my fathers name is David 😁. Related to Isaac Sheldon who settled in Northampton Ma.

    Amazing.

    haha I am related to Isaac. My name is John Sheldon also

    That’s awesome

    hello! i am descended from john0013 as well!

    I am a descendent of John13 of New Kingston. So we share dna my cousin

    Back in the day Sheldon’s had lots of children because tv hadn’t happened and newspapers had to be read by the fireplace, not in bed!

    Hi, cousin Dave. This is my line also, have visited there once, now live in CA! Wendy ( Sheldon) Black

    Hi SFA members, this business was in our Sheldon Places Map, but we didn't have the photo posted. I've updated that. Check out the Map! You have to log in as an SFA member in order to see the map of Sheldon places. Currently 405 places and gowing! sheldonfamily.org/sheldon-places/

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    1 week ago

    Finally found my secret sister! ... See MoreSee Less

    Finally found my secret sister!
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