RootsTech Sessions Being Live Streamed!

RootsTech 2013 announced today which of its conference sessions would be streamed online for free. Over 5,000 people have already registered to attend the popular conference in Salt Lake City, Utah, March 21-23, 2013, where they plan to learn how to find, organize, tell, preserve, and share their family's history-and make new connections. The conference will broadcast 13 of its 250+ classes live at RootsTech.org , including the daily keynote speakers. The family history conference is the largest of its kind in the U.S.  "Not everyone can attend RootsTech in person," said Dan Martinez, RootsTech conference manager. "So we give them a chance to virtually attend a free sampling of some of our most popular sessions live online." Martinez added that the live webcasts in 2012 had 50,000 views during the show. For those living within travel distance of Salt Lake City, Martinez said it's still not too late to register for RootsTech 2013! From the Getting Started, Developer Day, and the Story@home tracks, the 3rd annual RootsTech conference has something for everyone, whether you are an avid genealogist, just beginning, or simply want to discover the latest technologies and solutions to better connect with your family. For registration details and costs, go to RootsTech.org.   Following are the RootsTech 2013 Streaming Sessions and when and where to find them.

Mountain Standard Time "Best of RootsTech" Live Stream on RootsTech.org Thursday, March 21  8:30 a.m. Keynote speakers: Dennis Brimhall, President and CEO, FamilySearch International, Syd Lieberman, Nationally Acclaimed Storyteller, Author, and Teacher, and Josh Taylor, Lead Genealogist at findmypast.com and President, Federation of Genealogical Societies 11:00 a.m. The Future of Genealogy-Thomas MacEntee and panel 1:45 p.m. Tell It Again (Story@Home)-Kim Weitkamp 3:00 p.m. The Genealogists Gadget Bag-Jill Ball and panel 4:15 p.m. Finding the Obscure and Elusive: Geographic Information on the Web-James Tanner Friday, March 22  8:30 a.m. Keynote speakers: Jyl Pattee, Founder, Mom It Forward Media, and Tim Sullivan, President and CEO, Ancestry.com 9:45 a.m. Researching Ancestors Online-Laura Prescott 11:00 a.m. FamilySearch Family Tree-Ron Tanner 1:45 p.m. Google Search... and Beyond-Dave Barney 3:00 p.m. From Paper Piles to Digital Files-Valerie Elkins Saturday, March 23  8:30 a.m. Keynote speakers: David Pogue, Personal Technology Columnist, The New York Times, and Gilad Japhet, Founder and CEO, MyHeritage 9:45 a.m. Using Technology to Solve Research Problems-Karen Clifford 11:00 a.m. Digital Storytelling: More Than Bullet Points-Denise Olson

NGS Conference Early Bird Registration Ends Today

Early Bird Registration Discount Ends

 2013 Family History Conference

Las Vegas, Nevada, 8–11 May 2013

Building New Bridges

ARLINGTON, VA, 18 March 2013: The NGS 2013 Family History Conference will be held 8–11 May 2013 at the Las Vegas Hotel and Casino (LVH), Las Vegas, Nevada. The early bird registration discount ends  Tuesday, 19 March 2013. In addition to enjoying a $35 discount, only early birds have the opportunity to order a printed syllabus. (Everyone will receive a syllabus on flash drive.) NGS members get even deeper discounts, so this is a great time to join. 


Space is still available for most breakfasts and luncheons, the NGS Banquet, and Tuesday bus tours. The BCG Education Fund Workshop is sold out. To be placed on the wait list, e-mail the NGS conference registrar, Courtney Holmes, at cholmes@ngsgenealogy.org .


All full-conference registrants will be entered in a drawing to win a seven-night stay at the Salt Lake Plaza Hotel at Temple Square, courtesy of the Salt Lake Plaza Hotel. The prize will also include a free spot on one the Ancestor Seekers Salt Lake City research trips. Be sure to attend the opening session to find out if you are the winner. The winner must be present at the opening session to claim the prize.

To register online, visit the NGS website at http://www.ngsgenealogy.org/cs/attendee_registration and complete the registration form. 

Thinking About My Irish Ancestors On Saint Patrick's Day

Like many people in North America I have a lot of Irish ancestors. In fact if asked what my heritage is I would probably say Irish. But how much do I really know about Ireland or what it means to be Irish. Sure I have reached my ancestors names but I know little about Irish history or Irish life in the past. We all know a little about the potato famine and the coffin ships but beyond that most of us don't know much . So in honor of Saint Patrick's Day and all my Irish ancestors I am going to spend this afternoon reading about the history and culture of Ireland. I may even have a Guinness. 

Black Death” plague graves unearthed in London

The Black Death

A mass grave has been discovered in London which might hold the remains of some 50,000 people killed by the “Black Death” plague in the 12th century.

Historical records described the area as a “no man’s land” which once housed a hastily established cemetery for victims of the bubonic plague which killed about a third of England’s population following its outbreak in 1348.
So far thirteen skeletons laid out in two neat rows have been discovered about 8 feet below the road.

Medieval knight’s tomb discovered under Scottish parking lot

Archaeologists were called to the scene and uncovered the grave and evidence of a 13th Century monastery under a parking lot in Edinburgh Scotland.

A sandstone slab, carved with a Calvary cross and an ornate sword, marked the grave. The symbols signal the grave belong to a knight or nobleman.

Along with the skeleton, archaeologists discovered the exact location of the 13th Century Blackfriars Monastery.

Read the rest of this story on the National Post at Medieval knight’s tomb discovered under Scottish parking lot

Court Records ledger book online for Wytheville, Wythe County Virginia

Lorine of Olive Tree Genealogy on TV

Lorine over on Olive Tree Genealogy, was interviewed by CBC yesterday for a story about WW 1 Letters found in an attic. Her blog post about this is at WW1 Soldier's Letters Found in Attic of Home

A link to the online CBC News Toronto at 6 on March 7, 2013 which has the interview with her. The story of the WW 1 letters is at mark 17:30 in the half hour segment. Go to: 

http://www.cbc.ca/player/News/Canada/Toronto/ID/2341391641/?sort=MostRecent

Women's History Month: Maternal Ancestors

Over on Olive Tree Genealogy blog there's a meme for Women's History Month

The second prompt is: Make a list of your direct line maternal ancestors beginning with your mother. So you will list your mom, her mom, her mom's mom and so on, back as far as you can. Now figure out how many children each female ancestor had. Did the females in your direct maternal line tend to have the same numbers of children each generation? Did they have more? Less? Were they prolific or are there few children born to each woman? Is there a pattern emerging?

Here's my story:

My mother: 3 kids, 2 boys and 1 girl
My grandmother Massey: 2 kids (twin boys)
My grandmother Conn: 4 kids - 2 boys, 2 girls
My great grandmother Massey: 9 children, 5 boys + 4 girls

My great grandmother DeMeulenaere: 6 children, 2 boys + 4 girls

My great grandmother Holden: 6 children, 2 boys + 4 girls

My great grandmother Elgie: 5 children, 1 boy + 4 girls

Of the total of 35 children, there were 16 boys and 19 girls so girls outweighed boys in my female ancestors. The numbers of children declined with each generation - better birth control?

Women's History Month - My Favourite Female Ancestor, Grandma Kak

Over on Olive Tree Genealogy blog there's a meme for Women's History Month

The first prompt was to pick your favourite female ancestor and write a little bio about her. So I'm choosing my grandmother, who we called "Kak"


I probably have many have many female ancestors who would have amazing stories to tell. But unfortunately most have been lost to time. I can speculate about what it was like crossing the Atlantic Ocean in the 1800s. I can read about Irish life during the famine. My Belgian ancestors would have some great stories as they lived for hundreds of years in what is probably one of the most fought over pieces of land in Europe. But I can talk about one female ancestor who I had the pleasure of knowing very well. My Grandmother.

My Grandmother Mary was born in Bridgeport Ontario in 1920.  Now my Grandmother did not have an exciting life by most people's standards. She was not rich or famous. She did not get to travel the world or discover the cure for cancer. In fact she did not do anything or go through anything that millions of other women of her generation did not experience. Yet I think that in itself is interesting. Her life story is the story of the women of her generation.

Her family was poor. They did not always get much to eat. They wore hand me down clothes and went without shoes in the summer. Her father drank too much and was not a kind man. He ruled the house with an iron hand. He was an extremely hard working man but jobs were hard to find in the 1930s. Her mother was of stern German Catholic background and had a hard life story of her own.

The great depression of the 1930s was a bad time for many and Mary found herself working in a tea room in Kitchener Ontario by the time she was 16. This job would soon lead to another many miles away in the small town that would be her home for the rest of her life.  St Marys Ontario. It was in this town while working in a Hotel that she would meet her husband who was the bread delivery man.

I never really got it straight from my Grandmother what her job was at the hotel. I know that sometimes she worked in the kitchen but I think it was more of a do everything kind of job. She married my Grandfather on a cold Winter day in 1939. The wedding was not big. She did not have a white dress or a bunch of Bridesmaids. It was just a small get together in someones house. They did not have a honeymoon. No money for that sort of thing in 1939. They settled in together in a tiny rented house to start making a life together but unfortunately the War would soon change things.

Within a few years of marriage Mary found herself  raising twin boys while her husband was in Europe with the Army. I know life was hard for her trying to look after twins with not a lot of help. But like many women she managed to do it and in fact I remember her telling me once that she found it kind of hard when grandpa came back as she felt she had things under control and had managed just fine but of course he had other ideas. She was also a tad upset as she had reason to suspect that grandpa had not been 100% faithful to her while overseas. But she was a realistic practical kind of lady and I think she soon forgave him any transgressions he may have committed in the years apart. All in all she was glad he was back.

After the war life went on. But it was at this point that one of her twin boys (my Father) took sick. He was sick for many years and spent months at a time in Sick Kids Hospital in Toronto. This was hard on the family, as one could expect, but was of course even more difficult back then as that was before universal health care. It was also before the days of nice highways so a trip to the city was not an everyday event like it is today. But the community helped out and my father pulled through.

She did catering at a local Golf Club and in the 1950s she worked for Bell Telephone as an operator. We have all seen the photos and movies of the girls at the switch boards pulling out and plugging in wires. She used to tell stories of how she and the other girls would listen in on other peoples calls although they were not allowed to. 

At some point in all this she lost a baby. I don't know much about it as she did not speak of it much. She only mentioned it to me a few times and only because I was the family Genealogist even as a child. She told me how much it upset her and that she never knew if it was a boy or a girl because back then the doctors would not tell you much. She had hoped for a girl but never had one. We don't always get what we want in life.

By the 1960s her two boys were grown and had families of their own and she was now a grandmother. And what a fantastic grandmother she was. Just the kind that every one wants. She enjoyed spending as much time with her five grandkids as she possibly could. All of us have years worth of fantastic memories. She was kind and soft spoken and loved to cook for us. And she was a great cook. Good old fashioned food was her thing. Roast chicken, mashed potatoes, corn, meat pies, apple pies, cookies. Big breakfasts of bacon and eggs every day. 

And she loved to do preserving and canning. She always had a root cellar full of pickles and jams and chili sauce and canned peaches.  Like lots of women of her generation she took great pride in her skills as a homemaker. Not only was she a great cook but the house was spotless and her gardens were beautiful. She spent hours every day cleaning and gardening. I don't think she even had a mop to do the floors she said you had to get down on your hands and knees if you wanted to get it clean. I can still see her with her bucket and an old rag scrubbing that kitchen floor. I don't know what she would say about my Roomba floor cleaning robot.

Her husband died in 1991 after over 50 years of marriage. She missed him terribly as one would expect but she kept on going doing the things she loved with the people she loved. She stayed in the same big old house puttering around. And she still had a job. Long after she probably should have retired she continued to work one or two days a week cleaning for some older women in town. I suspect it was more for the social aspect than it was for the money. She felt very close to the ladies and I know they felt the same for her. 

She never complained. She had the best attitude of probably any person I have ever met. She took great delight in the most simple things. A new kind of bird at the feeder would make her day. The flowers outside. A can of coke and a picnic lunch in the park was a great day as far as she was concerned. And as she got older and her health started to fail she still had a positive attitude said little about it. I know it bothered her greatly when she had to let the cooking and cleaning and gardening go. Yet she soldiered on with a smile and a kind word. 

She passed away just last year still living in that big old house by herself. Happy and in good spirits to the end and loved by many. I miss her

Remains of Hundreds of Ancient Warriors Found in Bog

For almost two months so far, excavators in Denmark have been uncovering the remains of hundreds of warriors who died violently about 2,000 years ago.

The evidence of violence is clear at the site, which is now a bog. Excavators reported that they have uncovered damaged human bones, including a fractured skull and a thigh bone that was hacked in half, along with axes, spears, clubs and shields.

Over the years, human bones have turned up periodically in the area. This summer's excavation follows on work done in 2008 and 2009, when archaeologists found single, scattered bones lying under about 6.6 feet (2 meters) of peat on an old lake bed in the Alken Enge wetlands near Lake Mossø in East Jutland, Denmark.

Continue reading at Remains of Hundreds of Ancient Warriors Found in Bog

The Coffin Plate of Mary Brand 1893

Mary Brand

Died Dec 17 - 93

Aged 63 years 10 months and ? days

I went and had a look for Mary in the 1880 Census.

1880 United States Federal Census

Mary Brand     Alex W.     Lamard, Wayne, Illinois     abt 1830     Scotland         
Mary S. Brand     Herm. Hy.     Liberty, Cole, Missouri     abt 1830     Prussia         
Mary Brand      Charles, Christiana, Charles     Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania     abt 1831     Pennsylvania         
Mary A. Brand     Jacob     Syracuse, Onondaga, New York     abt 1831     New York         
Mary Brand     Joseph     Lawrence, Stark, Ohio     abt 1831     Prussia         
Mary Brand     Christ     Chicago, Cook, Illinois     abt 1831     Norway         
Mary A. Brand     Charles A.     Wilmington, New Castle, Delaware     abt 1831     Virginia       
Mary Brand         Baltimore, Baltimore (Independent City), Maryland     abt 1831     Prussia      
Mary E. Brand     John, John A.     Portsmouth, Scioto, Ohio     abt 1832     Bavaria     

 For more Coffin Plates go to http://ancestorsatrest.com/ 

Archaeologists find grave robbing evidence

Archaeologists have found evidence of grave robbing while digging at a 19th Century burial ground in West Bromwich.

A team working at the former Providence Baptist Chapel site found a mortsafe - a metal cage fixed around a coffin to stop people stealing the body.
Empty coffins and one filled with scrap metal were also discovered which archaeologists said was evidence of attempts to deter body snatchers.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-birmingham-21044770

Or try ancestorsatrest.com/coffin_plates/  to learn more about 19th Century Cemetery Customs.

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The Coffin Plate Of Caroline G Gripton 1890

Caroline G Gripton

Died July 8th 1890

Aged 29 yrs 3 mos 4 days

 I have over 500 coffin plates at
   http://ancestorsatrest.com/

Cemetery had to hold bodies until burial

Visitors to Marietta's Mound Cemetery are often curious about a large, weathered sandstone structure that stands to the left of the walkway about halfway between the mound and the cemetery's main entrance on Fifth Street.

"It looks really sinister. People usually think it's a tomb of some kind," said Lynne Sturtevant, who often conducts historical tours of Mound Cemetery as the founder and owner of Hidden Marietta.
In fact, the structure is what was known as a "receiving tomb" when former Marietta mayor, businessman and philanthropist Nahum Ward commissioned the building of the stone vault in the mid-1800s.

Read more at.....
 http://www.newsandsentinel.com/page/content.detail/id/570389/Mound-Cemetery-held-bodies-until-burial.html?nav=5061

Read more about Cemetery Customs at.....
http://ancestorsatrest.com/

The Coffin Plate Of Nancy B Hopkins 1856

This Coffin Plate for Nancy B Hopkins is interesting as it may not be as old as the date would make one think it is. The plate gives the date of death as 1850 or 1856 (its hard to read) But the style of the plate suggests it was made after the 1860s. It could be that this plate was made up years after the Death of Nancy for her family to display as was the custom. More research is needed to figure this out.

I had a look around to see what I could find out about Nancy. Not sure if this is the right Nancy as the age and dates are a little off but its a place to start.

Name:	Nancy B Hopkins
Gender:	Female
Marital Status:	Married
Place of Birth:	Maine
Estimated Birth Year:	abt 1824
Age:	26
Month of Death:	Oct
Cause of Death:	Brain Fever
Census Year:	1850
Census Location:	(City, County, State) Hampden, Penobscot, Maine

For More Coffin Plates See http://ancestorsatrest.com/coffin_plates/

Proven! The DNA of Richard the III

Exciting news!

Leicester University scientists confirm the remains found in an unmarked grave are Richard III's

 

Conducted a range of tests including carbon-dating and a DNA match with a descendent of the Plantagenet King's sister

Skeleton shows battle wounds and signs of scoliosis

Want to test your own DNA? Try  Family Tree DNA and learn more about your ancestral origins

Read more

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/experts-say-canadian-dna-confirms-parking-lot-skeleton-is-richard-iii/article8158525/

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2272848/Richard-III-Woman-feels-chill-Leicester-car-park-human-remains-found.html#ixzz2JrfOp0lX

Funeral Card David S. Zimmer 1818 - 1892 New York

Funeral Card for David S. Zimmer died 1892 age 74 years

For more Funeral Cards see AncestorsAtRest

Read the Journal of De Bever, Ship from Holland to New York 1661

Wonderful news for thosewith early Dutch ancestors in New Netherland (present day New York)!

Thanks to Terry Vanderhoof, a translation and transcript of De Bever Journal of May-July 1661 is now on line at The Vanderhoof Project.

You may also view the "passenger list" (the list of names of those who owed passage money) for De Bever at Olive Tree Genealogy Ships Passenger Lists to New Netherland (New York) 1624-1664

Olive Tree Genealogy  asked Terry to tell us how this project to transcribe the ship's journal began. It's a fascinating story! You can read about it here

The Coffin Plate Of Julia Thompson

This Coffin Plate is for Julia Thompson who died in 1876 at the young age of 35.  I did a little digging to see if I could find out something about Julia.

Find A Grave had the following.

Julia A Mcafoose Thompson Born 15 Sep 1841 Died at age 34 on 7 May 1876 Buried in Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, USA.

If you want to see my full index to Coffin Plates visit http://ancestorsatrest.com/

Press Release from NGS - Voices of Genealogy Series

Two New Video Releases in Voices of Genealogy Series
Donna Valley Russell, FASG
“Becoming a Genealogist and an Editor”
and
Donna Valley Russell, FASG, with George Ely Russell, FASG, FNGS
“Married to Genealogy”

arlington, va, 27 december 2012: The celebration of the National Genealogical Society Quarterly’s 100^th anniversary closes the year with the release of two new videos featuring Donna Valley Russell in “Becoming a Genealogist and an Editor” and George and Donna Russell together in “Married to Genealogy.”

An expert in Western Maryland genealogy, Donna tells the story of her path from census taker to genealogist and editor. Originally from Michigan, Donna learned her skills there and served as editor of the Detroit Magazine for Genealogical Research. After she and George married, she moved to Maryland and founded her own journal, Western Maryland Genealogy. In 1985, based on the quality and quantity of her scholarly publications, she was named a fellow of the American Society of Genealogists. Her published works include Frederick County, Maryland, Wills, 1744-1794; First Families of Anne Arundel County, Maryland, 1649-1658; Frederick County, Maryland, Genealogical Research Guide; Michigan Censuses, 1710-1830; Selby Families of Colonial America; and The Ark and the Dove Adventurers (co-edited with George).

The second new video takes a lighthearted look at the genealogy scene with the George and Donna Russell cocktail hour. George Ely Russell, who first appeared in the Voices of Genealogy in January 2012, is also a fellow of the American Society of Genealogists and of the National Genealogical Society. He was the editor of the NGSQ from 1971-1986.

The videos were produced by award winning filmmakers Kate Geis and Allen Moore from interviews with Melinde Lutz Byrne, CG, FASG, co-editor of the NGSQ. Donna Valley Russell in “Becoming a Genealogist and an Editor” and Donna and George Russell in “Married to Genealogy” are now playing at http://www.ngsgenealogy.org.

Previous releases in the Voices of Genealogy archive now on the NGS website (http://www.ngsgenealogy.org) present Mary McCampbell Bell, CG; John Frederick Dorman, CG (Emeritus), FASG, FNGS, FVGS; David L. Greene, PhD, FASG; Frederick C. Hart Jr., CG, FASG; Ronald Ames Hill, PhD, CG, FASG; Henry B. Hoff, CG, FASG, FGBS; Harry Macy, FASG, FGBS; George Ely Russell, FASG, FNGS; and Shirley Langdon Wilcox, CG, FNGS.

Video interviews with leading genealogists represent just one of the many opportunities NGS offers its members for honing their skills. Members receive the society’s outstanding quarterly publications, the NGSQ and the NGS Magazine, and can also take advantage of free courses and significant discounts on publications, courses, and the NGS annual conference to take place in Las Vegas, Nevada, 8-11 May 2013; Richmond, Virginia, 7-10 May 2014; and St. Louis, Missouri, 13-16 May 2015.

Founded in 1903, the National Genealogical Society is dedicated to genealogy education, high research standards, and the preservation of genealogical records. The Arlington, Virginia-based nonprofit is the premier national society for everyone, from the beginner to the most advanced family historian seeking excellence in publications, educational offerings, research guidance, and opportunities to interact with other genealogists.

Rare Spiders Discovered at 150-Year-Old London Cemetery

We don't often think of a cemetery as being a great place for wildlife but life can thrive in the most unexpected places. The rare Orb Weaver spider was spotted last December during a bat survey as part of the Wild London Inclusive London project held by staff at the London Wildlife Trust. Officials were working with the locals and staff of the Highgate Cemetery. A large population of these spiders was seen in the tombs of the Egyptian Avenue at the cemetery.

http://www.scienceworldreport.com/articles/4534/20130124/rare-spiders-discovered-150-year-old-london.htm

You can read more about Cemetery Records at

http://ancestorsatrest.com/ 

Searching for My Black Ancestor Jonathan Butler

 The Challenge of Finding Our Black Ancestor's Origins

Francis X. Schumacher & Mary Butler

This is a photo of my  2nd great-grand-aunt Mary Schumacher nee Butler (1852-1924) and her husband.

Mary was the sister of my great-great-grandfather Joseph Butler (1856-between 1911-1918).

Mary and Joseph were the grandchildren of Jonathan Butler, a black man living in the Queen's Bush in what was then called Upper Canada (now the province of Ontario)

A Challenging Black Ancestor

It has been a challenge to research Jonathan Butler and his family.  Early 1800s Ontario records are sparse. We know that Jonathan was born somewhere in the USA circa 1790.  No specific location in the United States is known. There are no census records where his origins are noted.

We know he was black. He is listed on various tax, census and assessment records as "Negro" and "African"  We know his wife's name (Elizabeth Ginkins as seen in the adult baptism of his son Allen, my 3rd great-grandfather) but do not know her origins.

The earliest record for Jonathan is an 1834 Assessment record where he is recorded as "Negro Butler".
The last record of Jonathan is an 1840 "Census" which is really a tax and assessment record. He has not been found after that date - no death records, no burial records, no 1851 census record (although many of the 1851 census for Ontario are missing). We have found no record of his wife Elizabeth in any records of any year.

Jonathan Butler's Children

Jonathan's children are found in census records recorded as "African", "Mulatto" and in later years "White". We know from tax records that Jonathan had at least 5 sons and 3 daughters but we only know the names of two with certainty - Allen and George. Both married German women in the Waterloo area.

* George Butler (1832-1902) married Catherine Krump and had 11 children known.

* Allen Butler (1824-1872) married Caroline (Carrie) Weiss and had 8 children known.

* It is believed that Henry (Harry) Butler (ca 1829-between 1861-1871) who married a German woman named Sarah Susannah Foerch is another son

My 3rd great-grandfather Joanes Alexander Alan (called Allen) Butler was baptized into the Catholic Church January 26,1851 at St Agatha, Wilmot Twp, Waterloo Co. He was recorded as the son of Jonathan Butler and Elizabetha Ginkens. In his marriage record that same year (February 1851) he stated he was born in Toronto. 

Allen's son Joseph, my great-grandfather, is another mystery. He disappears after the 1901 census where he is found with his wife and children living in Seaforth, Huron County Ontario. His estranged wife Caroline (Carrie) left Ontario for Detroit Michigan circa 1909. Family lore said that she left Joseph after some kind of scandal was discovered and that he "went out west". He was never heard from again although our research indicates he may have settled in Manitoba near the border of North Dakota.  If his wife can be believed, he was deceased by May 1918.

The Genealogy Challenges & Unanswered Questions

We have many challenges and puzzles regarding the Butler family and my black heritage.

1. How do we find our Jonathan Butler's origins in the United States? There are so few records for pre 1851 in Ontario and we have not been able to find what happened to him after that 1840 assessment record or where he was before the 1834 one. So we only have records of him for a six year time frame. We know he was in Toronto circa 1824 when Allen was born. But where was he before 1824 and where was he from 1824 to 1834 when he acquired land in the Queen's Bush? 

2.  Where was Joseph Butler from 1901 to 1918? Was he in Manitoba? He had a brother Jacob Butler in Pembina North Dakota but we've not found any record of Joseph there. However this brother Jacob lived for several years in Montcalm, Pembina Valley Region, Manitoba. Did Jacob head there after leaving his family (or being kicked out as family lore states)? We are hoping his death record might have information on the birth place of his father Jonathan or mother Elizabeth.

If you have any suggestions or ideas for us in our search, please post them in the Comment section of this blog post. We definitely need advice on where to look next!  

Grave of 219-year-old man discovered in Limerick

We may never know how the grave of John Murphy in Knockainey came to say he was 219 years old when he died. A mistake on the part of the Tombstone Engraver perhaps. Or maybe old John Murphy was a bit of a storyteller. The tombstone of the mystery man - who is surely a candidate for the Guinness Book of Records - has been discovered in the cemetery at St John’s Church in Knockainey by a local historian.

http://www.limerickleader.ie/news/latest-news/grave-of-219-year-old-man-discovered-in-limerick-1-4701563

You can see more grave records at

http://ancestorsatrest.com/

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Doing More DNA Testing. Will it Show my African-American Heritage?

My 23andMe DNA kits arrived yesterday. I already had my Y-DNA tested at Family Tree DNA but wanted to try another company and see what kind of results I get.

My Haplogroup is RM-269 and I'm still reading up on this to understand it better. I know that to get my terminal branch of the Y-DNA tree I need to order the order the National Genographic Geno 2.0 chip but it's almost $200.00 so will have to wait while I save my pennies!

It's been a very successful journey through FamilyTree DNA. You can read about how my DNA results allowed me to find and meet some new cousins on my Massey lineage, at The Massey DNA Connection

23andMe focuses on genetic health issues and that's intriguing. But I'm also hoping for confirmation of my African-American origins. My 4th great grandfather Jonathan Butler was a black man who came from the United States and settled in Ontario Canada some time before 1824. I know very little about him

You can read about Jonathan and see a photo of his beautiful granddaughter at The Challenge of Finding Our Black Ancestor's Origins

I'm hoping 23andMe will provide more interesting details on my ethnic origins.

Next step: I'll provide the test sample and mail it back to 23andMe, then I wait.

Unearthed Headstones at Merrimac Farm Offer Glimpse into Prince William’s Buried Past

Stories of ancient Indian settlement, colonization and frontier communities, slavery and war, early industry and intensive farming permeate our local history, but the past is sometimes hard to see for the present.

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Coffin Plates for Isaac Monk And Anna Monk

Today we have the Coffin Plates of Isaac Monk and Anna Monk. Anna died in 1874 but the plate for Isaac has no date of death. However it looks like it would be from around the same general time. 1870s or 1880s.

For more coffin plates see AncestorsAtRest website where you will find over 500 to search through.

Human bones uncovered after landslips expose graves in Dracula cemetery

CRUMBLING cliffs above ancient Whitby are causing grave concern after landslips uncovered human bones in an old cemetery.

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Family plans to restore historic cemetery

A western Kentucky family is planning to restore a cemetery that's the resting place for a Revolutionary War soldier who counted Thomas Jefferson among his friends.

Read More at

http://www.bgdailynews.com/news/state/family-plans-to-restore-historic-cemetery/article_e577f729-f45c-58a8-a0a3-9ebc7f5ed7b6.html

Coffin Plate Of Masadias R Lewis

Masadias R Lewis

Died Aug 21st 1872

Aged 7 yrs 10 mos

For more coffin plates go to Ancestors At Rest

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The Coffin Plate Of Martha Dros 1893

Died Feby 23rd 1893

Martha Dros

Aged 51 years ? months 28 days

For more coffin plates go to Ancestors At Rest

The Coffin Plate Of Franklin Heyer 1870

Franklin Heyer

Died July 22nd 1870

Aged 2 yrs 5 mos 8 days

This Coffin Plate for Franklin Heyer was found with the coffin plate of Issac Heyer. Issac Heyer died in 1900 at the age of 71 so I would guess that Franklin was the son of Isaac. 

If you want to see my index of Coffin Plates go to Ancestors At Rest

Defiant villager leaves developers stumped over gravesite

A villager refusing to concede to a property developer’s demands to move a family gravesite off a piece of land left construction workers no choice but to dig around the grave, leaving behind a bizarre sight.

Read More At

http://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/1102155/stumped-property-developers-unable-get-rid-nail-grave

The Coffin Plate Of Isaac Heyer

Issac Heyer

Died Sept 28 1900

Aged 71 yrs 3 mo

This coffin plate for Issac Heyer is a common design from the early 1900s.

For more coffin plates go to Ancestors At Rest