finding the ancestors in less conventional ways

 I have had the frustrations that many armchair, family historians have had - narrowing down which ancestors are mine when the name is common, finding earlier records.

For one of my ancestors, James Christie, I was able to find additional information about him not just from old trade directories, but also thanks to the research of a doctoral candidate in the UK who had kindly posted some of his research on line about the handloom weavers of Perth.

From that, the other existing directories were also easier to find, as was a record of his burial. His name was quite common to the area, so all to say how thinking outside the box, looking for items such as research papers, can be of enormous help!

This is from the 1837 Perth Trade Directory. I found this because of finding the research on Perth weavers beforehand...

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Ancestral travel - Dunning

This is one of many in a series of places I plan to travel to, or have travelled to, where my ancestors lived. As one goes back in generations, the number of spaces where my ancestors lived of course increases, but there are several places that have somewhat captured the imagination for me.

My roots in Dunning were torn out when my 3x ggfather left for Perth, and then Glasgow. Still in the works on documenting the family history in this small, classically beautiful, Scottish village/town, it's all a little muddled. This makes me want to spend time here, to see if I can't feel some of the family history that was abandoned generations ago.

Dunning - when you google search it, how can you not be intrigued. A marker of sorts to the persecution of witches...Saint Serf is said to have killed a dragon there, several thousands of years of potential inhabitants, and picturesque to boot - all the elements for a proper visit in play!

undiscovered Scotland - Dunning

Dunning parish historical society and the 1841 census of Dunning residents (close to its peak thanks to weavers). Dunning standing stones from the same site.

Ancient Scotland - Dunning

The Scotsman's take on St Serf and the dragon

The Dunning Conservation Appraisal has a trove of info on the place!

...and for a bit of fun, I created a Trip on Tripadvisor for Dunning.

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to err is human (and creates brick walls in genealogy)

 I was reminded of the fallibility of first person accounts...again! And it is a bigger lesson in general in genealogy - it's not proven until it's proven!

Sigh, my father, bless his long passed soul. This time, I was pouring through his journals again, reading about his favourite aunt, Aunt Minnie. 

The errors, the errors in his recounting of her.

What he said: She was my favourite aunt, I wished she was my granny instead of my granny...she was my grandfather's sister.

The truth (many hours and years of research later): She was his grandMOTHER's younger sister. I had incorrectly placed several people with his grandfather's sister Mary (though I had also allowed for the possibility of Wilhemina or that Minnie was a middle name Mary.

A few other mis-facts included her street name, where her husband was from.

So lessons learned (again). Check BOTH sides of the family...both Mary's were almost the same age (less than 5 years apart), both from Northern Ireland, both have been a challenge to create a document trail of due to the rather common-ness of the name MARY in Ireland (!!)

Also, consider ANY and all variations for street names given to you from a first person account. Lowland Street could be Leland or Lealand, or Avenue, or Road. Be specific when possible with the neighbourhood...there are endless Bally- options in all parts of Ireland for example, or putting London could take you from the UK, and send you across the pond to London, Ontario...

It's all part and parcel of the patience one hones when truly dedicated to the pursuit of family history, of documenting it all, of weaving the stories in with the facts and making sense of it for family one may or may not have met yet, and to honour the ancestors with a bit of accuracy to boot ;)

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1609 - ulster maps

 ...pouring through these beautiful, artistic maps from 1609.

Love stumbling upon gems like this (kudos to Queen's University Belfast for making these available online)

Many of my paternal ancestors lived in the Ulster counties. My father knew nothing of where his ancestors were from, so every find I make feels like a gift. 

I am taking my time with them - Maps of the escheated counties of Ireland, 1609 / copied at the Ordnance Survey Office in Southhampton, Colonel Sir Henry James, Director

Lisrath instead of Lisseraw

Crosmoyglan instead of Crossmaglen

Creggan stayed the same

more than 400 years separate these maps and the current moment

here they were in Fewes/Fews, in this map the Baronie of Fves.

Gem. 

Had to share

more to come!

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Irish names - the 100 most common surnames at the end of the 19th Century

 

Whenever I am looking for Murphy, and O'Brien ancestors in particular, I am reminded that it isn't always easy, given the common-ness of those names. Thought this would be a fun share...

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Carrigagulla, Carraig Uí Ulla - ancestral lands, and a poem

Carrigagulla stone circle

Carrigagulla - ancestral lands. This won't be the only post, but stumbled upon a poem written about this place by mid-19th century poet, Cornelius "Poet" Ahern. 

Con Ahern died at about the age of 40 in 1864.

CARRIGAGULLA

Thro Carrigagulla one pleasant afternoon I strayed

To view the green fields and trees upholding great shade

When who should I meet but a beautiful mild looking dame

And for tons of bright gold of course I'll not tell you her name

And when I saw my darling twas in the evening late

As I stood for a while behind Jerh Sullivan's gate

To welcome me kindly this sprightly young lassee she came

And for tons of bright gold of course I'll not tell you her name

I wish you were near to hear her singing so fine

It was down by the Luaney my darling was herding kine

Her notes did out rival the nightingale's melodious strain

And for tons of bright gold of course I'll not tell you her name

If I had Macroom and all these fine lands by the Lee

And all those fine farms from Blarney to Ballinagree

I'd give them and more for this comely fine lass to obtain

And for tons of bright gold of course I'll not tell you her name

Some folks are quite eager her name I'd disclose

And tell them the same in verse or in prose

Still I tell them quite candidly that asking at all is in vain

And for tons of bright gold of course I'll not tell you her name

When in the alehouse we meet its there with pleasure I see

How cordial and kind I find her always to me

A glass to my health she so ready at all times to drain

And for tons of bright gold of course I'll not tell you her name

When I and my girl will both unite

And the clergy well paid for his labour considered slight

Until then who is she to none I'll explain

And without any gold of course they will all know her name.

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Ancestry by the numbers - the math of it all...

 Every time I read these, it makes me pause...

takes a lot of people to get here :)

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