Is Every Stranger Your Cousin?

According to a demographic analysis by genealogy site AncestryDNA , the average Brit has 193,000 living cousins - enough to fill Wembley Stadium twice. (Source: There’s A One-In-300 Chance That Every Stranger You See Is Your Cousin)

This makes perfect sense to me. The world was a sparsely populated planet thousands of years ago so eventually we should all connect. We may connect thousands of years back or only hundreds. 

In my case, when I first moved almost 40 years ago to the town I currently live in, I met a woman who became one of my best friends. Years later she asked me to help her with her genealogy. To our great surprise and delight I found she was related to me along several ancestral lines! And the common ancestors were in the mid-1800s which is not that far back in the space of time.

Just this past year I was doing research for a client and to my surprise I found he and I are 4th. cousins. 

And of course you are almost certain to discover at some point in your family tree that you are actually a cousin to your father or mother. In fact I have a cousin relationship to both my parents. My father, for example is my 8th cousin once removed, my 9th cousin once removed, my 11th cousin once removed, my 10th cousin twice removed and the husband of my 5th cousin once removed (aka my mother!)

I wrote about how this happens in an ancestral tree in I May Be My Own Grandma.....

Have you discovered a cousin relationship to a friend, parent or spouse? 

Nursing Sister WW1 Photo Album: 14R landsccaping

This Photo Archive consists of a small autograph album (6.5" by 5.25") kept by Constance (Connie) Philips as a memento of her time serving as a nurse during World War One. 

The majority of the photos and items are from 1915, when she served as a nurse in France and Britain.

The album and all photographs, postcards, and other ephemera contained in the album belong to Karin Armstrong and may not be copied or republished without her written permission. The images will be published on Olive Tree Genealogy with permission.

Each image has been designated an "R" for Recto or a "V" for Verso plus an album page number. Recto is the right-hand side page of a bound book while Verso is the left-hand side page.

I will be posting the entire album and my additional research on the individuals identified in Connie's album over the coming months so please check back frequently to view these historic photos. The easiest way to see what has been published is to click on the topic "Nursing Sister WW1 Photos"

My Genealogy Friend is in an Ancestry Commercial!

I think this is very cool and want to share it with my readers. My genealogy friend and fellow blogger Nick Gombash was chosen for an Ancestry commercial. You can see Nick's commercial here. 

It's interesting to know they don't always use actors.

Periscope: 10 Tips For Increasing Your Blog Followers

Now on #Periscope: 10 tips for increasing your blog followers

That's right. I made my second Scope today on Periscope. It's a 10 minute video with my 10 tips to gain more blog followers.

It's available until 11 a.m. Eastern time tomorrow (Saturday). After that it's gone - poof - deleted.

If you want to be sure to not miss my live scopes, you can follow me on Twitter (@LorineMS) or on Periscope. I tweet as soon as I start a broadcast, and Periscope sends out a notice too.

I hope you find it helpful! Don't forget to send me hearts (by tapping your screen) if you like what I have to say. You can also talk to me during the broadcast by typing in the comment section if you are watching live. Hope to see you there.

Who Do You Think You Are? With Bryan Cranston

It's that time again - Who Do You Think You Are? featuring Bryan Cranston airs Sunday August 23rd.

Bryan Cranston had a happy childhood until his father abandoned the family when Bryan was just 11. Curious whether this is a family trait, Bryan sets out to explore his paternal roots; he finds men both honorable and shameful, a troubling pattern of desertion, and an aunt he never even knew existed. 

Brought to us by TLC with Ancestry.com, the world’s largest online family history resource, teaming up again as a sponsor, Who Do You Think You Are? takes celebrities on a journey to discover their roots.  

Image credit: TLC

My First Live Periscope Video!

Yep I was nervous. And it shows.

I forgot to say a lot of stuff I meant to say. Oops. 
 
I'll do better next time. And the time after that and.... I will improve with practice.

But here it is, my first Periscope Video!!  It was LIVE on ‪#‎Periscope‬: 3 Tips For Writing a Blog but you can watch it for 24 hours after it aried  at  https://t.co/8C6JjHO3iL

It went live at 12:20 p.m Eastern Time.

What is Periscope? It's the latest Social Media live streaming app. It's pretty popular and it's fairly new. It's interactive, viewers can chat with you and send you love in the form of hearts. 

And it's free so it's win-win. I plan on using Periscope to do weekly 5-10 minute videos (they're called "scopes" on Periscope) that range from Tips to Q&A.  If you download the free app for your Android, iPhone or iPad, just follow me (@LorineMS) if you want to know when I'm scoping. 

There are so many interesting and fun scopes out there! I've watched subway musicians in New York City, learned about using Periscope, watched a 4 year old boy rocking it to hip hop music, and yes, even watched a guy making a fancy drink in his kitchen. 

Hope you join me on Periscope and if you do, be sure to let me know that you read my blog.

Historical Society Refuses to Return Woman's Donated Archival Material

Perhaps this story is a warning for all of us - genealogists take note! A noted local historian named Nan Horsfield decided several years ago to donate her huge archive of historical and genealogical documents and research to the Sandyston Historical Society in New Jersey.

Mrs. Horsfield believed that the Society would make all her documents available to the public but that was not the case. In fact the documents are held where there is no public access. So Mrs. Horsfield wants them back.

She has been denied entry into her donated Archives and the floor on which they are housed. She's appealed to both the Sandyston Township Committee and Sandyston Historical Society to no avail. 

It's an interesting, perhaps horrifying, story of misunderstandings and miscommunication and now it has become a case for lawyers.  Personally I think anyone donating years of work to a museum, archive or library needs to have a contract which specifies exactly what is being promised by the repository.

Continue reading at Sandyston woman wants her archives back

Image a screenshot from the New Jersey Herald

Join the Chatter on My Article on Legacy Family Tree

There's a lot of chatter over on my most recent article for Legacy Family Tree. If you haven't seen it, please do take a look and leave your own comment! There are some very interesting stories from readers of my article and I'd love to hear yours.


Don’t Let Mythology Guide Your Genealogy Research!  

I have written other articles for Legacy Family Tree:
 
Have You Used this Unusual Genealogy Resource?    

I Found My Great Great Grandfather Online -- Now What!!??? (Verifying Records Found On Webpages)  

Find Ancestors in Upper Canada Land Records   

5 Tips to Help You Navigate the Confusing Maze of Surname Variations


Image credit: Image by stockimages at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

6-Part Series on Peter Robinson Settlers Ireland to Ontario

Thanks to my friend and fellow blogger Gail Dever of Genealogy a la Carte for this tidbit about the Peter Robinson Settlers.
 

Passenger List of The Hebe, 1823

In 1822, the British Government established a trial emigration scheme for Irish paupers to Upper Canada. There were two waves of emigration, one in 1823 the second in 1825.On July 1, 1823, Peter Robinson arranged for 568 paupers from Ireland (mainly Cork) to sail on two ships, the Hebe and the Stakesby, to Quebec City.

In spring of 1825, Robinson recorded 2024 passengers on board nine ships - Fortitude, Resolution, Albion, Brunswick, Star, Amity, Regulus, Elizabeth, and John Barry. The ships left Cobh, Cork Harbour Ireland in May and June, 1825. By the fall of 1825, each family was relocated to a log shanty on property in – Asphodel, Douro, Dummer, Emily, Ennismore (Gore of Emily), Smith, and Otonabee Townships in Peterborough.

The Examiner has been presenting a six-part series by local writer and historian Patrick Leahy that looks back at the earliest days of the community.

This series of articles has been following the route of the Peter Robinson Settlers, a party of 2,000 impoverished Irish Emigrants, as they made their way to what would become Peterborough in 1825.

The exploits of these early settlers will be one of the focuses at this year's inaugural Peter Robinson Festival, which coincides with the 190th anniversary of this large group in the Peterborough area.

Peter Robinson ships passenger lists and surgeons’ logs are also available on my website Olive Tree Genealogy

Picnic With The Dead August 29th

Olive Tree Genealogy received this email from Woodland Cemetery in Ohio. What a great idea!

Each of us comes from somewhere and someone.  Most of us know something of our history and family members who have gone before us. On August 29, 2015 Woodland Cemetery Foundation would like to spend the day with you and with your ancestors.  The foundation is hosting a gathering of descendants at the cemetery and would be honored if you and your family members joined in the celebration.  Please come and share a few thoughts about, of words from, and remembrances of your ancestors who reside now at Woodland Cemetery [6901 Woodland Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44104].

Come visit your family gravesites and maybe spruce them up a bit –bring your tools and supplies and plant your flowers!  Or just to come and enjoy the beauty of the park and share time and words with your loved ones, with your family and friends, and with other the other descendants who have come to visit their ancestors. Woodland Cemetery is one of the loveliest and most peaceful places in all of Cleveland.  Let us share.

On August 29, 2015, let us share.  Let us share our family stories and the beauty that is around us.  Let us share the history of ourselves and of our city.  Let us share the stories of our common past and maybe carry lessons learned into our communal future.

No celebration is complete without a feast.  Please plan to share a potluck picnic luncheon with your family, friends, and other descendants.  Bring a favorite family dish or share one that your ancestors favored.  Bring your own picnic basket.  Woodland Cemetery Foundation will be providing food and drink and your contribution would be most welcome.  Let us share.

Festivities will start on August 29th at 10:00AM, with the picnic potluck beginning around 11:00AM and continuing throughout the day.  Please bring your dish to share along with your picnic basket and blanket – or table – and your memories and stories.  Please remember that Woodland Cemetery is an alcohol free zone, so no alcoholic beverages, please!

If you have never been to Woodland Cemetery, it is a wonderful place to visit.  If you are unsure of how to get to the grave location of your ancestor, members of the foundation will be more than happy to assist.  If you send us an email ahead of time, we will provide you with the burial records and the grave location for your ancestors. Or visit our website and find ancestors at our online database: http://www.wcfcle.org/interment/wcfiis_search.php

Nursing Sister Phillips WW1 Photo Album: 26V Spectators Canadian Sports

This Photo Archive consists of a small autograph album (6.5" by 5.25") kept by Constance (Connie) Philips as a memento of her time serving as a nurse during World War One. 

The majority of the photos and items are from 1915, when she served as a nurse in France and Britain.

Spectators at Canadian Sports

The album and all photographs, postcards, and other ephemera contained in the album belong to Karin Armstrong and may not be copied or republished without her written permission. The images will be published on Olive Tree Genealogy with permission.

Each image has been designated an "R" for Recto or a "V" for Verso plus an album page number. Recto is the right-hand side page of a bound book while Verso is the left-hand side page.

I will be posting the entire album and my additional research on the individuals identified in Connie's album over the coming months so please check back frequently to view these historic photos. The easiest way to see what has been published is to click on the topic "Nursing Sister WW1 Photos"

Learn to Recognize 5 Types of 19th Century Photographs

Personal Collection L. McGinnis Schulze

Do you need help to date a treasured photo found in grandma's trunk or shoebox in the attic? Were you lucky enough to inherit great-grandma's antique photo album? Then the video I created is for you! 
 

My  video shows early 19th century photographs and explains how to recognize each one. You can watch it on Olive Tree Genealogy YouTube Channel.

In the  video I introduce five types of photographs from 1839 on - Daguerreotypes, Ambrotypes, Tintypes, CDVs (Cartes de Visite) and Cabinet Cards. In the video you will learn about the time periods in which these various photographic techniques were used and see examples from my personal collection. 

You can also visit Lost Faces for more information on 19th Century photos and examples from Civil War era Photo Albums. Lost Faces also contains over 1,500 CDVs, Tintypes and Cabinet Cards from my collection.

I plan to make more videos on Dating Photographs Using Fashion, Hairstyles, Revenue Stamps, Type of Photograph and Photographer's markings. 

Methodical Searching Pays Off!

Shannah wrote to ask Olive Tree Genealogy about her Great grandfather William James Twiss

I have been trying to find out where my Grfa., TWISS, William James, had "landed" for over ten years, to no avail, from Cty. Cork, Ireland to New York, USA..  He was a mere 17 year old, at the time. 

The story I was told was that it was my Grfa. who had left Cork, Ireland, from Sept. to December of 1887 (I believe these are the months) on the Barque Julia, from Edinburough to Cork and to New York.  This particular Barque was a ship of supplies and the Captain was a friend of my Gr-Grpars., TWISS, Francis Edward Day, Sr..  It was my Grfa. who had suggested that he, himself, come out to Canada, first and they allowed it but he must go with someone they knew.  [he stayed] in New York for a while then travelled up into BINBROOK, Wentworth Cty., Ontario, Canada to stay with our cousins/family there while his own pars. arrived through Montreal, Quebec, Canada in the following springtime.

Olive Tree Genealogy responded:
 

Source: Ancestry.com

William James Twiss' father, mother and siblings are found arriving in 1888. 

Ed Twiss, age 40, farmer, his wife Ellen age 40 and three daughters Sarah (20) Mildred (17) and Marcella (17) arrived 4 September 1888 at Halifax Nova Scotia  on board the steamer Peruvian. Their destination was noted as "Victoria BC" Your ancestor is not with them on this journey.

 

 Your ancestor William James Twiss' birth registration on FamilySearch.org shows his place of birth as Annascall, Kerry Ireland. Now you have an exact date of birth and a location. Armed with this new information you have a lot of clues to help you in your search.

Continue reading to see how I tracked Shannah's ancestors. 

Who Do You Think You Are? presents Into the Archives This Sunday

Ancestry.com , the leading family history company, is teaming up again with TLC as a sponsor. As part of the show sponsorship, Ancestry provides exhaustive family history research on each of the featured celebrities to help make discoveries possible and build out the story of each episode.

This Sunday, August 16th on TLC “Who Do You Think You Are?” digs into its archives and features highlights throughout the seasons including triumphs and tragedies, delightful discoveries and sobering moments. This special episode also unveils outtakes and never-before-seen footage from the “Who Do” vault. 


Image credit: TLC

No. 7 of My Top 10 Genealogy Mysteries: Who is Lionel?

A Facebook friend recently posted her top 10 Genealogy Mysteries.  They aren't brick walls because there is probably an answer somewhere, just waiting to be found.

I thought this was a great idea and I am following suit with my Top 10 Genealogy Mysteries. Of course any help or suggestions for further research are welcome. You can read my other Genealogy Mysteries at Top 10 Genealogy Mysteries

Here is my Number 7 of 10 Genealogy Mysteries:

Edith Winnifred Finch's father is a mystery. Edith was born 16 September 1870 in the St. Pancras Workhouse in Brighton, Sussex England to Martha Finch. 

The 1871 census for Sussex > Cuckfield > District Cuckfield Union Workhouse finds Martha and her daughter:
Martha Finch, pauper, not md, domestic cook, 32, b West Houghly, Sussex
Edith Finch, pauper child of 6 mos, b. Brighton Sussex

There were two possible birth registrations for little Edith but neither provided a father's name. Searching for her marriage record to Albert Charles Markham was more successful as it showed her father as "Lionel Finch" (mother's surname given?) 

12 Aug. 1895. Albert Charles Markham, 29, bachelor, sailor son of Henry John Markham, deceased, publican & Edith Winifred Finch, 25, spinster, d/o Lionel Finch, deceased, commerical traveller. Witnesses: Frederick James Markham, Alice Smith.

I was able to trace Martha, her mother, but with no clues as to the mysterious Lionel. Edith and her husband Albert both died in 1898 in London England, leaving 3 children under the age of 8. The youngest, Elsie Phyllis Markham was only 8 months old. The children were sent to Orphanages - Albert Finch, an illegitimate child born to Edith, was sent to Barnardos, Frederick Markham to Miller's Orphanage and baby Elsie to an older couple who had no children. With their unsettled lives and losing their parents at young ages, they had no family stories or knowledge to pass on to descendants.
 

We have young Albert Finch's records from Barnardos and details on his life in St. Mary's Ontario Canada. Albert was able to save his money and eventually he brought his sister Elsie (my husband's great-grandmother) and his brother Frederick to St. Mary's to join him.

Martha Finch, Edith's mother, had two more illegitimate children: Esther born 1859 in the St. Pancras Workhouse and John born 1863 in Horsted Keyes, Sussex. Esther was living with her grandparents in the 1861 census, then she herself ended up in the Race Hill Workhouse having 2 illegitimate children, Arthur and Ruth. 

I found it intriguing that Esther was given the middle name of "Martin". Perhaps this was her father's first name or surname?

Little John was raised by his grandparents and is last found in 1891 as a boarder at Hollycombe Stables, living on his own means.

Martha never married and is last seen in 1901 in Portsmouth, Hampshire where she is a servant in a household and listed as a widow. Her death was registered in Sussex in 1918. 

I am no closer to solving the mystery of Lionel than I was 15 years ago. I welcome any suggestions! 

Found Box of Goodies from WW2

Ross Henry Truscott 

posted this on Facebook and asked for it to be shared: 

PLEASE HELP ME FIND WHO THIS FAMILY IS!

Yesterday in Holloway rd (29.07.15), London. I found this box with old photos and some letters and certificates etc from the army. There is nothing of financial value but, I bet the family that this has come from will be missing it greatly! I think there is a strong connection with the Perrin family. Please can everyone share this so it can get back to its rightful owner!

I did a bit of research and found Joan E. Wheeler born Oct-Dec 1919 in Maidenhead, Hampshire England. She appears to be the Joan in the letters above. 

If you want to help, please leave comments here on this blog or contact Mr. Truscott through his Facebook page.

The Tragedies Behind Blacksheep Ancestors

Most genealogists drool over the thought of a Blacksheep ancestor. If we find one our emotions can range from horror to dismay to puzzlement and yes - even to laughter.

But have you ever thought about what the back story is to your Blacksheep ancestor? What was his or her crime? Was she a victim or the perpetrator? What was the punishment and how would you judge the punishment in today's times?

One of my husband's ancestors was arrested in Ireland for stealing potatoes. The year was 1841. A famine year. All over Ireland families were starving. Those who could afford it were leaving Ireland in droves but many of those were dying too on the so-called Coffin Ships. 

This poor woman who stole potatoes had young children. No doubt the family was hungry. She didn't go to jail for her crime but she was fined. I have no doubt she could not pay. She may have ended up in jail for lack of payment, but the records do not show what happened to her.

One of my ancestors seems to have been quite a horrible man, one you would not want as your friend... or relative. He was always in trouble for fighting with his neigbours, burning down their fences, destroying their crops and generally making quite a nuisance of himself. He tried to burn down his son's house with his son in it! Eventually the courts were fed up with his behaviour and ordered his sons to keep him in line or they would banish him from the town.  This was in the 1680s and 1690s in what is now New York. 

We can dismiss him from our thoughts with a "what a horrible man!" or we can think about what might have been happening. He was an older man then, in his 70s and 80s. Could he have been suffering from dementia? Senility? There would not have been any resources to diagnose or care for him. Think of the hardship on his family and the stress they were under. 

I started making a list of my Blacksheep ancestors and was quite surprised by how many I have. Adding those of my husband, one of my daughters-in-law and my sister-in-law brought me up to over 30 individuals who were involved in some way with criminal activity. One was a victim, attacked by an axe-wielding neighbour. The rest were perpetrators and they ranged from stealing that potato, to stealing cows, to selling liquor without a licence, to indecent exposure, to attempted murder. 

Over the next several months I will be blogging about each of these individuals. I hope you will follow along and write about your own Blacksheep ancestor, either on your own blog or in a comment here on mine.

My son will be linking to any stories from his blog Blacksheep Ancestors at http://blacksheepancestors.com/

I am also taking part in a survey by the creator of A Criminal Record - a compilation of historical legal and crime resources for genealogists, historians and students.

Nursing Sister WW1 Photo Album: 28R Nurses with Flowers

This Photo Archive consists of a small autograph album (6.5" by 5.25") kept by Constance (Connie) Philips as a memento of her time serving as a nurse during World War One. 

The majority of the photos and items are from 1915, when she served as a nurse in France and Britain.

Nurses back from the market

The album and all photographs, postcards, and other ephemera contained in the album belong to Karin Armstrong and may not be copied or republished without her written permission. The images will be published on Olive Tree Genealogy with permission.

Each image has been designated an "R" for Recto or a "V" for Verso plus an album page number. Recto is the right-hand side page of a bound book while Verso is the left-hand side page.

I will be posting the entire album and my additional research on the individuals identified in Connie's album over the coming months so please check back frequently to view these historic photos. The easiest way to see what has been published is to click on the topic "Nursing Sister WW1 Photos"

Don't Lose Your Genealogy Data!

When was the last time you backed up your genealogy files? This month? Last month? Last year? Take my advice and don't put it off!

I'm happy to share with my readers that I have negotiated an exclusive deal with IDrive. Rght now you can get 75% off 1TB auto Online Backup + 1TB Sync Space file storage. 

IDrive received the prestigious PC Mag Editors Choice award for online backup for 2015 so you know it's good.
 
I have said a silent thank-you to IDrive a few times when my alternate backups failed. Recently my husband tossed my power adaptor for my MyBookLive leaving me unable to retrieve my stored data! Ack... thank goodness for my alternate backup on IDrive. 

Yes, I backup on my external hard drive, on portable hard drives and on IDrive. Use this link for your 75% off, and keep your genealogy data safe and sound!

 
What Does iDrive Offer?

iDrive offers more benefits and features than Dropbox, Carbonite and Backblaze. Here are just a few of the benefits of iDrive:

- backup unlimited computers and smartphones: Mac, PC, iOS & Android
- ability to set a personal encryption key which affords extra security for your data
- real time (as it happens) backup
- offers both online backup and Syncing services  
- Facebook backup
- Instagram backup
- iDrive Express:  IDrive will ship you a hard drive of up to 3 TB. You simply backup or restore all of your data from the hard drive and return the drive to IDrive. iDrive then transfers the data to your online account.

iDrive vs Dropbox, Carbonite & Backblaze

Compare  iDrive and Dropbox, iDrive and Carbonite and iDrive and Backblaze

Are There Any Extras?

iDrive has extras benefits available for a small fee. The one I like best is

- Hybrid local backup with iDrive WiFi. This is secure local storage for all of your important files, with speedy backups and restores

Ready to start protecting your work? Your exclusive Olive Tree Genealogy offer is waiting.

Who Do You Think You Are? This Sunday

This Sunday, August 9 at 9/8c TLC will air actress Alfre Woodard’s episode of Who Do You Think You Are?

In the episode, Alfre Woodard sets out to learn more about her paternal grandfather’s family, which she knows little about since her grandfather died before she knew him. 

 She uncovers the triumphant story of her great-grandfather Alec, who endured the horrors of slavery and ascended from servitude to successful landowner, an extraordinary feat of his time.
 
 Ancestry.com , the leading family history company, is teaming up again with TLC as a sponsor. As part of the show sponsorship, Ancestry provides exhaustive family history research on each of the featured celebrities to help make discoveries possible and build out the story of each episode.

 Photo courtesy of TLC