Ancestor Photos Can Make You Sad

Ina Burdick

 As many of my readers know, I rescue Civil War era photo albums and after scanning the photos I publish them on my Lost Faces website. These photos fascinate me and whenever I can, I research the names of the individuals.

Some catch my interest more than others, as is the case of this sweet little girl, Ina Burdick, seen on the left. Her chubby pretty little face captivates me! Her gorgeous wavy hair, so nicely kept, must have been a source of delight to her mother, as in the photo on the right, little Ina is seated so her hair in its glory is displayed.

Little Ina captured my interest so much that I wanted to find out all about her although there were some things I didn't want to know, such as when she died! I was afraid she might have died young, and as silly as might seem, that would make me incredibly sad.

And Lillie Burdick, possible sister to Ina, had such a sweet face I wanted to know more about her too. 

My curiousity was too much. I set off to find out what I could about Ina and the other Burdick individuals in the album, pictured below. Were Will and Lillie her siblings? Was Sarah her mother?

Spoiler Alert: After much research I found the Burdick family and the two sisters Ina and Lillie. It is not a happy story but read on if you wish to know what happened to the girls. If you want to see the other photos of their relatives in this rescued album, visit Album #9 on LostFaces.com

Ina Burdick

Lillie Burdick

Will Burdick

Will Burdick

Sarah Frank Burdick

I found out quite a bit about the Burdick family by searching Ancestry for various records. For a summary, Sarah Frances (not Frank) Coon married Ira D. Burdick and had several children. Ina Burdick, Lillie Burdick, and Will Burdick pictured above were their children. 

Lillie sadly died at age 9 in Wisconsin. Her tombstone shows 25 Jul 1872 to 8 Mar 1882. She is buried in Milton Junction Cemetery, Milton Wisconsin with her sister Ina. Ina lived a challenging life of physical issues and heart problems which led to her early death at age 47. My fear proved founded - and while it may seem odd, I felt sad after reading her obituary, a portion of which is below:

"Ina D. Burdick....died in Milton, Wis., June 22, 1909, the day following her 47th birthday..... In childhood, for reasons not clearly understood, her bodily growth was arrested, which was followed by rheumatic and other troubles that rendered her practically helpless. In this state of enforced inactivity there came an abnormal accumulation of fatty matter which rendered her a helpless invalid for the latter part of her life, and made her subject to heart trouble from which she died." Source: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/126946652/ina-demaine-burdick

Lillie and Ina's mother's obituary also made me sad. She was only 55 when she died of pneumonia. But what bothered me most was the last sentence in her obituary which only mentioned her son Will, not her daughter Ina.

"Mrs. Sarah Frances Burdick .... died at No. 47 Columbia Place, Chicago, April 27, 1893, after an illness of five days with pneumonia.... She leaves her husband and one son to mourn their loss." Source: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/88468002/sarah-frances-burdick

Do other genealogists get caught up in these old photos and feel as if they know the individuals? I really wanted those two pretty little girls to grow up happy,  and live long healthy lives.

Manhood Franchise: An Interesting Puzzle in an 1890 Voters' List

The 1890 Voter's List for Picton Ontario has a puzzling set of descriptors. The last column on each page does not have a heading. As well the codes used are not listed.

Looking at the first pages of the booklet is no help. Usually short forms are defined but not this time.

So what do the cryptic "m f" and "f--m f" and "t--m f" mean?

"t" is usually "tenant", while "f" could be "farmer" or "freeholder" But what is the "m f"? It isn't "male" or "female" as the letters are always together.

If we look through this booklet we find that the names in alphabetical order are all men in Part I.

Our first clue as to the meaning of "m f" comes with the start of Part II and the title "List of persons entitled to vote at Municipal Elections ONLY". All the names that follow are females and each one has either a "t" or an "f". They never have the puzzling "m f" in the last column..

Since before 1935 Voter's Lists for Municipal Elections were used for Federal Elections as well. So this seems to indicate the women could not vote in Federal elections when the list was taken, but could vote in municipal.

Canada did not give women the vote until 1918 (except for Quebec which did not allow female voters until 1940). In 1884 a law was passed giving single or widowed women who owned property and who lived in Ontario or Quebec the right to vote in Municipal Elections.

Using all these known facts, it seems likely that the women on this list had the right to vote in municipal elections but not federal, and that the men were indicated as being eligible for both by having the mark "m f" after their names. It follows that it is equally likely that "m f" stood for "manhood franchise"

If any of my readers has a source that indicates what "m f" stands for, please share it in the comments. My suggestion is based on evaluating the clues and I do not know with certainty if I am correct. 

Victorian Reform School & Prison Records Online

John Wormald age 11
Reform School 1892

Ancestry.com has recently published some fascinating reformatory school and prison records from West Yorkshire. The West Yorkshire Collection 1779-1914 details the crimes of thousands of boys admitted to Calder Farm Reformatory, East Moor Community Home School and The Shadwell Children’s Centre.
 
The records are available using these links:  

• West Yorkshire England Reformatory School Records 1856-1914
• West Yorkshire, England, Prison Records, 1801-1914
• West Yorkshire, England, Police Records, 1833-1914
• West Yorkshire, England, Militia, 1779-1826

I spent a very enjoyable afternoon searching these records for my son's Yorkshire ancestors on his father's side.  They are full of details! For example I found the Reform School Record for the 11 year brother of his great-grandmother Kate Wormald. Little John Wormald was sent to Calder Farm Reform School in 1892 after a series of thefts. His records included his photo and details of his misdeeds and the punishment meted out by his parents (6 lashes of a birch rod each time he stole something). Young John was noted as having red hair, blue eyes and freckles.

The records indicate that John was hanging with a bad crowd and so in desperation his parents sent him to live with an uncle. John then stole a substantial sum of money from his uncle's coat pocket and ran off with one of his friends. It was then he was arrested and sent to Reform School for 5 years.

What I also found fascinating was that the Reform School records also had followups of the children after they were discharged. I noted that several of the boys went into the Army after discharge and appeared to have changed their lives. Young John Wormald went into the Army and there are notes for several years about his life after discharge. It seems that England was at that time trending towards actual reform and not punishment of young offenders.

Review of Out-of-Style:A Modern Perspective of How, Why and When Vintage Fashions Evolved

Out-of-Style:A Modern Perspective of How, Why and When Vintage Fashions Evolved by Betty Kreisel Shubert is one of the best books I've read about fashions and hairstyles over the ages. I use it to help me date the old photographs I collect. 

The author has filled the book with her own illustrations to provide assistance in understanding what the various terms in fashion and clothing mean.

Her use of her charming illustrations rather then the expected photographs (cartes de visite, cabinet cards, tintypes, ambrotypes & daguerreotypes) adds to the unique appeal of this book.

As well the author illustrates with her sketches, the gradual changes that took place over time with such women's fashions as the bustle. Ms. Shubert originally came up with the idea for her 349 page book as a way to help genealogists and historians who were seeking a reference work to help them date fashions in their own family photographs. Don't overlook this book as an invaluable guide to have on your bookshelves.

Finding a Birth Father

Nancy C. asked Olive Tree Genealogy for advice:

My father, who is now 82 years old, has never known who his father was.  The secret died with his Mother.  I so want to help him in this search.  He doesn’t expect or want anything from the man’s family, he just wants to know who the man was. 
Both my father and I did a 23 and me test.  The results seem overwhelming.  I’ve made contact with a few distant cousins, but have found no answers yet.  Can you advise me as to what to do?

Nancy,

I hope you do find your paternal grandfather, but the task will not be easy. It's good that you took DNA tests and all I can tell you is that with any luck you may eventually find a close match to your father. However note that I said "may eventually". It could take days, weeks, months, or even years. You may not find one. So my advice is keep checking your matches, and contact every match that is fairly close.

Meantime, make notes of every detail of your grandmother's life around the time she would have been pregnant with your father. Whoever the father is, he had to have some contact with your grandmother, so would have been somewhere in the area. These are a few of the questions I would want to find the answers to if possible:

1. What churches did she attend? 
2. Where did she work? 
3. Was she still in school? 
4. Who were her teachers and classmates? 
5. Where did she live and what social functions were available to her? 
6. Who were her neighbours?

When your DNA matches come in, perhaps you will see a familiar surname, or you'll find your dad matches to a descendant of a man who was living near your grandmother. It can be that easy if you are lucky.

Other ideas are for you to trace your mother's siblings down to someone you can ask about this. You never know what tidbit of gossip comes down in a side branch of a family. A sibling (a sister perhaps) might have known who the father was and might have whispered it to her daughter....

We had such a rumour come down in my husband's family over the paternity of his grandfather. And that whispered rumour told behind closed doors was overheard by my husband when he was a young teen. He never forgot it. And it turned out to be true. We proved it through DNA.

Meantime, please take a look at how we discovered my husband's biological great-grandfather through DNA testing, in my article DNA Results Leave us Gob-Smacked! 

Good luck in your quest!

FInding a Mennonite or Amish Ancestor

Menno Simons

Do you have Mennonite ancestors? I have several, all of who came to Ontario Canada in the early 1800s.

Menno Simons (ca 1496-1561) was a Dutch religious reformer. In 1536 he left the Roman Catholic priesthood because of his disagreement of infant baptism and other Catholic teachings. He organized and led the less aggressive division of Anabaptists in Germany and Holland. The name Mennonites is derived from his name, although he did not actually found the sect. The Mennonites were a Protestant sect which arose from Swiss Anabaptists. They were also called Swiss Brethren.

During the sixteenth century, the Mennonites and other Anabaptists were relentlessly persecuted. By the seventeenth century, some of them joined the state church in Switzerland and persuaded the authorities to relent in their attacks. The Mennonites outside the state church were divided on whether to remain in communion with their brothers within the state church, and this led to a split. Those against remaining in communion with them became known as the Amish, after their founder Jacob Amman. Those who remained in communion with them retained the name Mennonite

A few Dutch Mennonites began the immigration to America in 1683, followed by a larger immigration of Swiss-German Mennonites beginning in 1707. In the 1870s Dutch Mennonites, who had settled in the German Kingdom of Prussia and then Russia, moved to the United States and Canada where they became known as Russian Mennonites.  Many Mennonites settled in Pennsylvania. Large numbers immigrated further into Ontario Canada especially Waterloo County

My Mennonite ancestors who came to Ontario Canada were Burkholder, Gingrich, and Hunsicker

• Burkholder Mennonite Genealogy - Ancestry of Jacob Burkholder of Hamilton Ontario (Switzerland to Pennsylvania to Ontario)
• Gingrich Mennonite Genealogy - Gingrich Family, Switzerland to Pennsylvania to Ontario
• Hunsicker Mennonite Genealogy - Hunsicker, Hunsecker, Hunsiker, Hunziger, Huntzinger and Hunsucker families of Switzlerland 

You may find the following links of help in your own research for your Mennonite ancestors

Mennonite Ships Passenger Lists
Mennonites to Canada
Mennonite Family Trees
Historical Mennonite Overview

4th of July Flash Sale Ancestry DNA & Membership!

Don't miss this 4th of July Flash Sale in the US on Ancestry® Memberships and AncestryDNA®.

4th of July Flash Sale:

Ancestry Family History Memberships will be on sale for 50% off. Terms apply.

AncestryDNA® will also be on sale for $59.

The 4th of July Flash Sale will start at 9:00pm PST on Tuesday, July 2nd and will end at 9:00pm PST on Thursday, July 4th.

Finding Sydney Phoenix (End)

Writing up a summary for this mystery quest is a challenge. There are many unknowns, mainly due to the various discrepancies in the records found. Due to time limitations I cannot continue with this genealogy research, as much as I'd love to!

Just before I summarize my findings, there are a few miscellaneous records that will no doubt be of interest.

Miscellaneous Records

A search for Olive Rodman (remember her from the 1871 census?) found her in the 1850 Hopewell, Ontario County New York census with daughter Laura (who later married David Phoenix)

 

Rodman, Isaac, 52, b. Rhode Island
Olive 50, b Massachusetts <--in 1871 living with David and Laura Phoenix
VanRensellaer, 24 b New York
Mary, 8 b New York
Lavina/Lavinia, 21, b New York <--in 1871 living with David and Laura Phoenix
Lydia,18, b New York
Laura, 15, b New York <--married David Phoenix

Marriages in Ontario

• Hannah Phoenix, age 50, daughter of David Phoenix and Laura Eveline, married 1916 George Fountain
• Mildred Phoenix, daughter of David Phoenix and Laura Rodman married 1908 Archie William Smith
• Almeda Phoenix, daughter of David Phoenix and Laura married 1894 Isaac Bird
• Maud Phoenix, daughter of David Phoenix and Laura Rodney [sic] married 1913 Alfredo Cabrera
• Mary E. Phoenix, daughter of David Phoenix & Sarah married 1897 Thomas F.R. Logan.
• Clifford Charles Phoenix,40, son of Sidney Phoenix and Maud Bird married 1937 Mary Florence Miller  <--He claims he is Pearl's brother but they do not name the same parents
• Pearl Myrtle Phoenix, 23, married 1919 Joseph Edwin Brown. On the Marriage Certificate Pearl's parents are noted in one spot as David Phoenix and Myrtle. In a second spot on the certificate her parents are noted as Archive Smith & Mildred Phoenix <--was Pearl the illegitimate daughter of Mildred Phoenix? But why did she list David Phoenix in a second spot on the cert?

Summary

It appears that Sidney Phoenix was the son of David Phoenix who according to various records was born in Missouri (possibly St. Louis) circa 1832. In 1854 (location not known) David married Laura Rodman who was born circa 1835 in New York to Isaac and Olive Rodman.

It is possible, but not proven, that David Phoenix's father was Alex Phoenix born ca 1794 in New York and married in 1834 to an unknown woman.

No record was found of a marriage for Sidney Phoenix. No record was found for his presumed wife Maud Bird but it must be noted that there is only one record that names her, and that is Clifford Phoenix's marriage certificate. Since he provides different names for his mother on other records it is possible he did not know her name.

We do know that Sidney Phoenix appears to have lived most of his life in London Ontario. Although he has not yet been found in the 1891 census we can use the 1891 City Directory as a census substitute to place him in London Ontario with other family members.

Suggestions

Descendants or others who are interested have many new clues and pieces of information to guide further research. Given the confusion as to various family relationships I suggest a DNA test may assist the research into this family.

I suggest any interested descendants take what I have found, and look for more. Try variations of surnames and wide range of each individual's birth years when you search. Analyze each record you find for clues. Go back over my findings and note the clues I found - but check for others as well.

Go slow. Be methodical. Be careful to note names, dates etc exactly as written even if you are positive they are wrong. Come up with theories and hunt for evidence to prove or disprove each one.

If you found it helpful to see my research or the process I used to find information, please consider a donation to support my continuing to bring free genealogy online for all.

This is a 4 part series so to find each article, click on the "Finding Sidney Phoenix" tag at the bottom of each post.

Finding Sidney Phoenix Part 3

A more generalized search for various Phoenix individuals took me to Ancestry database for Border Crossings Canada to USA where I found Clifford Phoenix in 1916. What was intriguing about the information in this record was two-fold.

Clifford stated that:

1. Archie Smith of 749 Grey St was his brother-in-law. We know that in 1908 Archie married Mildred Phoenix, and that she claimed David Phoenix and Laura Rodman were her parents. So we are back to the impossible - that David and Laura were also Clifford's parents.  
2. Clifford stated he had been arrested previously and spent 1 1/2 years in the Penetanguishene Reformatory on Georgian Bay Ontario. I searched in online newspapers and found that Clifford was sent to jail in 1912 for theft.
3.  

SENTENCES DUPLICATED: Four Men Given Terms for Stealing Brass and Lead from G. T. R. 

Special Despatch to The Globe. The Globe (1844-1936);Toronto, Ont. [Toronto, Ont]02 Sep 1912: 2

Clifford had also been in trouble with the law in 1911

 TWO ALLEGED BURGLARS Masks and Stolen Goods Found on Two Men--Remanded to Thursday
Special Despatch to The Globe. The Globe (1844-1936); Toronto, Ont. [Toronto, Ont]27 Dec 1911: 3. 

Another lesson in genealogy research is that frequently we find information about an ancestor that may upset or concern us.

CEF Database

The Canadian Expeditionary Force was my next stop. Clifford was the perfect age to enlist in WW1 and I thought it was worth a look. My efforts paid off and a large personnel file was available. I'll touch on a few of the more revealing portions but if you want to read all 58 pages for yourself, you can do so at Library and Archives Canada

Confusion Reigns

Spoiler Alert! There are many confusing and contradictory statements in Clifford's WW1 file. It is actually a good lesson in genealogy because to figure out these contradictions one would have to be patient, persevere and go methodically through all records. The determined genealogist would carefully find and note all records, copying each exactly as found, then determining which could be trusted most. To do this the genealogist has to analyze the record - who made it, who gave the information, when was the information recorded, is it a copy of an original vs an original, etc.

So let's learn what Clifford's file tells us.

He enlisted in London in September 1916 and said he lived at 729 Grey Street. His sister was Pearl Phoenix of 265 Clarence St. He gave his date of birth as 10 April 1884 which contradicts his given ages on census records. It was not unusual for recruits to lie about their ages to make themselves older but it also could be that Clifford did not know his birth year.

He says his father is dead but his mother is alive. In the space for mother's name he puts his sister Pearl.

Later in April 1917 he asks that his pay go to his mother - and provides the name "Mrs. Maud Cabrera" of 238 Clarence St. He says he will be going to live with her when he is discharged. I found from marriage records that Maud Phoenix, daughter of David and Laura Phoenix, married Alfredo Cabrera in 1913. But Maud was born circa 1884 so how could she be his mother?

Clifford's file shows that he was often in trouble and either fined or in military jail for several offenses:

• 5 days for going AWOL in 1917
• 20 days for malingering
• 5 days for... and 3 days for going AWOL
• 5 days for "committing a nuisance in camp (Urinating)"
• 28 days for 1. Disobeying orders and being out of bounds without a pass 2. destroying property of 3 comrades (clothing)
• 10 days for leaving work without permission, disobeying orders, and being found in Montmerrie without a pass. 

A notation on his file states he died June 5, 1959. No location was given.

My summary and a few new research findings are next. This is a 4 part series so to find each article, click on the "Finding Sidney Phoenix" tag at the bottom of each post.

Finding Sidney Phoenix Part 2

In Part 1 of Finding Sidney Phoenix, we found Sidney's parents, and possible maternal grandmother. We also discovered 11 siblings that we could research for more clues. But it's time for me to keep going with census records.

More Census Records

As a reminder, the Phoenix family was found in London Ontario area in 1871 and 1881. Checking 1861 census found them living in Ellice Township, Perth County, which is not far from London.

The family consisted of:

Phoenix David, 29 born Missouri, married 1854
Laura 20, born New York
George 3, born Canada West (present day Ontario)
Catherine 2, born Canada West
Alex, 67 born New York married 1834 <-- I suggest Alex could be David's father
Anna, 30 born New York

They are further recorded as 1 widow (Anna?) & 6 coloured

It's always difficult to stay on track and conduct a methodical search when you find exciting clues! For example, we now have Alex Phoenix born circa 1794 in New York, married in 1834, who I suggest is a good possibility to be David Phoenix's father. The urge to go off track, leave the census records, and start looking for Alex is strong!

We also have the find of Olive Rodman born circa 1796 in USA who I suggest is a good possiblity to be Laura Phoenix' s mother. As much as I want to find more about her I know I should stick to going through the census records looking for David Phoenix and wife Laura, as well as the elusive Sidney Phoenix. After all, he is the subject of our quest!

So, to speed things up, below are the various census records I found for the family in my search. Be aware that there are discrepancies and confusion with these records.

1901 Census London Ontario
Phoenix, Liza? (Laura?) A. 63, head <--I suggest this is Laura, widow of David Phoenix
Rodman Lavina? b USA 72, boarder
Phoenix, Hry? L? son 39, widower <--it is difficult to read his name and I do not know how he fits into the family
Phoenix, Mildred, gr-dau, 24 <-- is she listed as a granddaughter in error? David and Laura Phoenix had a daughter Mildred born circa 1876
Phoenix, Maud, gr-dau, 20 <-- is this an error recording her as a granddaughter? Could she be the Almeda found in the 1881 census as a daughter of David and Laura?
Pearl M. , gr-dau, 6
Cliff C. , gr-son,5

1911 Census London Ontario

Phoenix, Laura, widow, 70
Phoenix, Hannah, 34
Phoenix, Maud, 26
Phoenix, Livinia, 25
Phoenix, Clifford, 15 <-- he is marked as Laura's son but this does not seem likely as Laura would have been 55 at his birth

Unfortunately Sidney was not found in the 1891 census. However he is found on 372 Hill street in the 1891 City Directory for London City along with his mother Laura A. and siblings Frederick and Hannah.

This is a 4 part series so to find each article, click on the "Finding Sidney Phoenix" tag at the bottom of each post.



Finding Sidney Phoenix Part 1

Who were Sidney Phoenix and Maud Bird's parents? That was the question asked by Mike D. on a Genealogy group. Mike didn't have much information but here is his query:

Looking for the names of the parents for Sidney Phoenix and Maud Bird.I do believe he passed away in 1899 in London Ontario,I looked in Family Search for his birth registration;but did not see anything;also the census for 1891 and could not find anything.

What Mike didn't realize is that Vital Records did not begin in Ontario until 1869 so it is unlikely he would find Sidney's birth online. Church records would be the most likely place to look.This query intrigued me so I began researching to try to find Sidney and Maud.

It didn't take long to find Sidney's death registration which provided a bit more information. He is recorded as Sidney William Phoenix and he died of pneumonia on 6 December 1899 in London, Middlesex Co. Ontario at age 39 years, 6 months. We can then estimate Sidney's birth as circa 1860/1861. His residence was 273 Burwell St. and he was a Baptist. Baptist records are challenging to find so I decided to look for Sidney in the available directories and census records on Ancestry

City Directories

My next step was to check Foster’s London City and Middlesex County Directory, 1897-1898 to see if Sidney could be found. He was listed as a labourer living at 487 Nelson. Also recorded at the same address was Hannah Phoenix. I noted other Phoenix individuals in case they turn out later to be related: Laura, a teacher, at 47 Oak and William at the same address. Sarah A., widow of Matthew was at 589 King

Other City Directories confirmed that Sidney was living in London in 1894, 1897, 1898, 1899 on Nelson and in 1900 at 273 Burwell. Another interesting tidbit found in the Directories is that in 1900 a Mrs. David Phoenix is living with Sidney on Burwell St. 

In the 1888 Voters' List we find Sidney in London. That's a good clue that he may possibly be found in 1881 and 1891 in the census for London.
 
Census Records

Sidney was easily found in London Ontario in 1881 as 15 year old Sydney Wm. living with parents David and Laura Phoenix. Laura, his mother, could be the Mrs. David Phoenix living with Sidney in 1900 and also the Laura Phoenix found in earlier directories.

Here is Sidney's family in 1881. It was very challenging to read where the family members were born and all their ages.

David, 42, b. USA, porter, African
Laura E. 37 b. USA <-- is this the Laura found at 47 Oak St and the Mrs. David living with Sidney in 1900?
Catherine V., 19
Charlotte A, 17
Hannah A 16? <--is this the Hannah living with Sidney in 1898?
Sydney Wm. 15
Frederick E. 8
Francis Eliza 6
Mildred 5?
Mary 4?
Almeda 2?

Working backwards, I then found Sidney in 1871 living in Westminster (part of London) Middlesex County

The family was recorded as:

Phoenix David, 37 b. USA
Phoenix Laura 36 (or 26?) b USA
Phoenix George 13
Phoenix Catherine 12
Phoenix Charlotte 10
Phoenix Augusta 7 <--I suspect this is Hannah A from the 1881 census
Phoenix Wiliam 5 <-- this is why we should always search under first and middle names, for here is Sidney recorded by his middle name
Phoenix Frederick 3
Phoenix Wilbur 3 months
Rodman, Olive 85 b USA <-- I've been doing genealogy long enough to suspect that Olive could be Laura's mother
Rodman Lavina 40 b USA

Analyzing What We Have Found

1. Sidney William Phoenix date of birth is flexible - from 1860 to 1866. He uses first and middle names interchangeably

2. Sidney's mother Laura was probably living with him in London Ontario in 1900. We should look for her in the 1901 census.

3. I suggest that Laura's maiden name was Rodman and that Olive Rodman born circa 1786 USA was her mother. I need to hunt for Olive in census and death records. I could also try City Directories.

4. Laura's date of birth is circa 1844 while David's is circa 1839. David and Laura are Sidney's parents. I need to hunt for them in census, marriage, and death records. City Directories could also help.

5. I still need to check earlier census records for Sidney and/or his parents David and Laura. Of course I also need to see if I can find Sidney in 1891.

6. It appears little Wilbur, 3 months old in 1871, could have died before 1881 as he is missing from that census. Perhaps we can find more about him or his possible death. Don't assume that he died however. He could be living with relatives. 

7. Lastly we've learned the names of 11 of Sidney's siblings! This is crucial for genealogists as we should always search siblings for more clues. Elder parents could be living with one of the siblings, and finding them could provide more detail. Grandparents could be living with one of the siblings. There may be an obit for a sibling that provides genealogical information.

Part 2 coming soon so stay tuned to find out more about Sidney Phoenix. This is a 4 part series so to find each article, click on the "Finding Sidney Phoenix" tag at the bottom of each post.

Have You Found an Ancestor's Coffin Plate?

May 15, 1790 Coffin Plate Manufacturer's Ad

The history of Coffin Plates or casket plates is a long but not very well documented one. Coffin plates are decorative adornments attached to the coffin that contain free genealogical information like the name and death date of the deceased.

Coffin Plate Thomas Dalton 1829

Generally made of a soft metal like lead, pewter, silver, brass, copper, zinc or tin. The different metals reflect the different functions of the plates, or the status and wealth of the deceased. For a basic funeral, a simple lead plate would be lettered with the name, date of death and often the age of the departed, and nailed to the lid of a wooden coffin. But high status people could afford a plate of a more expensive metal and elaborate design.

The oldest coffin plates that I have seen date from the 17th century (1600~1699) and were at that time reserved for people of some stature. As time went on more people were able to afford the luxury of a Coffin Plate and with the coming of the industrial revolution the cost of the plates went down so much that by the middle of the 19th century almost every family could afford to have one put on the coffin of their loved one. ^FN1

Some of Brian L. Massey's private collection of Coffin Plates

These are just the start of the over 150 coffin plates that are online on Ancestors At Rest.

Geo W Abbott 1860~1879 Found in U.S.A.
Henry M Adams 1838~1900 Found in U.S.A.
Sarah A Adams 1824~1877 Found in U.S.A.
Sophia Jane Aitcheson 1862~1904 Wellington County Ontario.
Samual Adam 1799~1874
Lucy Andrews 1790~1869
Robert Andrews 1786~1870
Lauuelina Jane Armand 1841~1866 Massachusetts.
Mary M Atherton Found in New England
Wilbert Avery 1860~1890 Found in Massachusetts.

Continue searching for your ancestor at Index to Coffin Plates

^FN1Important Note: Brian L. Massey wrote this article and more, all of which is published on his AncestorsAtRest.com website. It was taken without permission and posted verbatim on Wikipedia. Trying to get it taken down has been unsuccessful.

Genealogy Tip: Do the Basics Before Asking for Help

Peter posted this query in a group I am in. He didn't get any responses so I thought I'd take a look.

I  looking for any information about my fourth great grand parents who immigrated around 1820 to the Cavin, Peterborough area of Ontario from Ireland and were in the Orange Lodge. their names are Joseph Burns and Ann Madill. Their son John Thomas Burns was born 1838 in Cavin died 1931 in Toronto. I don't know how many other children they had. As for John I don't know his wife's name or how many children they had.

It surprised me that Peter didn't have any census record information for his family. Since the son John Thomas Burns was born ca 1838 in Ontario and died 1931 in Toronto Ontario, he should be found on the census records which were taken every 10 years - 1841, 1851, 1861, 1871, 1881, 1891, 1901, 1911, and 1921 (the last publicly available census for Ontario). Many of these are free on Library and Archives Canada. Researchers can also find them on Ancestry, and some are available on FamilySearch.

So while I love a good challenging brick wall to break down, genealogists should always do basic research before asking for help. The family unit can usually be put together by getting those census records. In fact a 5 minute search of census records gave me John's wife's first name and one child.

Searching for Vital Records such as marriages and deaths after 1869 can also help determine family groups.  Another 2 minutes and I found two marriage records giving the full name of John's wife and the names of two other children.

I realize that Peter might be new to Canadian research, specifically Ontario, so I hope this blog post will lead him in the right direction to get the answers to those questions he posed. 

Autographs of Passengers on Board M.S. Batory to New York

List of Passengers M.S. Batory from Gdynia Tuesday, July 25th 1950 Copenhagen, Wednesday, July 26th Southampton, Friday, July 28th to New York

Several years ago Deborah Wade provided Olive Tree Genealogy with a transcribed list of the passengers on board MS Batory from Gdnynia.

Deborah wrote "Off and on, I collect old menus and ephemera connected with trains, cruises, airplanes/airports, etc. The passenger list I'm about to transcribe is one such item. Maybe one of the passengers will be significant to a fellow genealogist. Although this voyage was in 1950, I believe there is some history behind the Batory: I have read that it was the last Polish passenger ship to leave Poland before the Nazis gained control in the late 1930's."

Recently Kelli Phoenix sent photos of an autographed Passenger List booklet from the MS Batory.  Although the ships sailed on different days, this kind of ephemera can be very helpful.  Perhaps you will find an ancestor name or address in Kelli's photos.

A Death Too Young: Pt4 Elsie Cousins Hayword

This is the last post in the story A Death Too Young. Part 1 and any other parts of this story of the Cousins family can be found by clicking on the tag Alfred R Cousins at the bottom of this post.

Although this story was to be about Alfred R. Cousins, the young soldier killed at Gallipoli, I was curious if there might be descendants of his brother or sister who might find the finding of the photo and clipping of interest. It appears his brother Arthur may have had an illegitimate son Ronald Cousins Abrahams born 1921 in Luton, but that he had no other offspring.

But what about Alfred's older sister Elsie, the one who was to be given Alfred's cap badge after his death. Local newspapers indicate that on April 11, 1917 she married Edwin Claridge Hayward. This confirms her to be the Mrs. Elsie Hayward named in Arthur Cousin's will.

Luton News and Bedfordshire Chronicle - Thursday 12 April 1917

I then found Edwin and Elsie living in Luton in the 1939 UK Registers. He is recorded as born 25 September 1893, she in 1891. He is a licenced victualler and Elsie is an assistant victualler. 

Because I was searching for either Edwin or Elsie in the online records, to my surprise I found Edwin enlisting in the Canadian Expeditionary Forces in Kenora Ontario in 21 December 1914. It surprised me that he didn't enlist in the UK military instead of the Canadian! But it is confirmed to be the same man as he is recorded as Edwin Claridge Hayward born 25 September 1893 in Luton. One difference is that when he enlisted he gave his occupation as "moving picture operator"

Source: Personnel Records of the First World War

Canadian Expeditionary Force (CEF), 

RG 150, Accession 1992-93/166, Box 4196 - 32  

Edwin's full service file (78 pages) has been digitized and is available on Library and Archives Canada. From itwe learn he saw action in France, and suffered from the deadly Spanish Influenza in 1916. There are numerous medical records for Edwin including details of hospitalization for broken glass from an engine striking his left eye and rupturing it. 

 

Edwin's left eye was removed and a glass eye inserted.

 After being sent to England in 1916 he received permission from the military to marry in 1917. 

Edwin's death is recorded in his service records as January 3, 1964. His will was probated on 30 April that year. Since the person named in his will was his brother Noel Stephen Hayward, we might theorize that Edwin and Elsie had no children.

 His wife Elsie died 8 April 1961 and her will was probated on 12 June that same year.

As much as it saddens me, it seems the only descendant of Alfred Cousin's parents was the illegitimate son Ronald Cousins Abrahams born 1921. Why does that sadden me? Because it does not appear he was ever recognized by his father Alfred's brother Arthur. But perhaps Ronald had descendants and with luck, one of them will find this series of blog posts with the story of the family.

As for who tucked the clipping and photo into that book, we can only guess. My intuition is that either the father, mother or sister saved such a precious memento. Over time the book likely moved from generation to generation before turning up in a local bookstore. 

If you found my research or the process I used to find information helpful, please consider a donation to support my continuing to bring free genealogy online for all. 

A Death Too Young: Pt3 Arthur Cousins

This is the continuing story of A Death Too Young. Part 1 and any other parts of this story of the Cousins family can be found by clicking on the tag Alfred R Cousins at the bottom of this post.

We learned in Part 2 that Alfred's brother Arthur almost certainly had an illegitimate son by Violet Rose Abrahams. This son was born in 1921 in Luton and named Ronald Cousins Abrahams.  He is followed in Part 2 of this story, as is the fate of his mother Violet.

I then moved on to Arthur, who originally agreed to pay for the support of his son but a year later stopped paying, and denied that he was the father. So what happened with Arthur? The last we saw of him ws 1923 when he was in court for non-payment.

We know he was in the 1891 and 1901 census of Toddington with his parents. In July 1907 at age 18 Arthur enlisted in the military in a Bedfordshire Regiment.  (Regimental Number 9107) The 1911 UK census on Ancestry indicates he was in Barracks in Aldershot, Surray with other soldiers from the 1st Battalion Infantry.

In 1912 he was promoted to Corporal and sent to France in 1914, where he remained until September 29,1915 when he was wounded. In 1916 he was discharged from the army as "no longer physically fit for war service" having suffered a gunshot wound in his right shoulder.

British Army WWI Pension Records 1914-1920 

Page 1 of 11 pages of Arthur's service files

Moving on to the 1939 UK Register we find Arthur John Cousins with birth date of 28 February 1889 living on Chapel Street in Luton. He is single and states his occupation as a master builder.

 

His death date is found in England & Wales, National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations), 1858-1995 as 24 October 1959 and his probated will was registered in London England on 4 December that year. He names his married sister Elsie in his will. Since no record of marriage was found, we might  theorize that he never married. Also from this probate it might also be theorized that he never acknowledged Ronald Cousins Abrahams as his son. 

There's one more blog post on this story. Check back in a few days to read the final post.