Profile Accuracy Theme of the Week: Brick Wall

Question

This week's theme: Brick Wall.

To participate, simply:

1. Choose a profile that fits this week's theme.
2. Review and improve the accuracy of the profile.
3. Reply with an answer below to let us know which profile you chose.

Also see: Photo Sharing Theme of the Week: Generations

Answer 1

It looks like Henry Schmidt (c.1868) Schmidt-3224 needs some help. I will work on this as I have ancestors in Buffalo County, Wisconsin and have researched there.

Jean Andrews

Answer 2

I think if I do look at a brick wall, it would have to be my direct paternal line, with my ancestor James Dowding (Dowding-238).

This man has driven me beyond crazy at times, to say the least. I have a copy of his marriage certificate (which sadly does not name parents), and his birth date at around 1807/1808 based on his age at death, but that's it.

The man is a complete mystery before his marriage - I tried looking up christening records under Dowding, Dowden, Dowd etc., found nothing. Even tried omitting the James completely and just looking at all Dowdings from the area. The guy seems to be quite literally untraceable before he got married. My best guesses are he either didn't get christened or his christening record is destroyed.

My main hope with him is probably just to get DNA tested and hope desperately that something comes up on the Dowding side that could help give clues.

Answer 3

I'll share a recent breakthrough (maybe somebody will learn from it), then a couple of brick walls I'm working on.

I spent time documenting Elijah Kingsbury Sr of Boonville NY and his lineage a few generations down. All trees and records I found for a gr-granddaughter Mary F. Amick (not my direct line) only had her at 4 years old in 1850 census, then nothing else. The assumption would be that she died young (her father had passed as well). No obituary was found for her parents or sister that might shine a clue. While documenting the sister Ann, I found this newspaper article with Ann listed by her husband's name. It indicated a niece, and that niece didn't match the husband's family - so it must present a clue to a sibling of Ann! Further research on the niece indicated the niece's mother was "Mary Frances Amie". So now I know that two different sides had brick walls. But using the new clues showed the two people were the same and brick walls for both sides were broken. Obscure and mundane family news articles for the win!

The brick wall that is most difficult for me has similarities to some other stories posted here. Andrew Agan is of Irish descent and lived to the age of 35 in the Utica NY area in the early-mid 1800s.  I suspect he was a simple tradesman or factory worker (boiler?) that was very poor. He didn't leave any (easily) findable records, and there is a possibility that his last name has been spelled differently (Egan, Ekin, Akin). I have a few sources in the profile, but very little to go on.

My other major brick wall seems surmountable, but I haven't been able make a breakthrough. Daniel Washburn was born in western NY state in 1819, an area that had quite a few Washburn residents. A descendant back in the 1990s was able to get birth information from an LDS Family History Center, but the original source wasn't important for them obtain (or at least retain). No parents are known, so I can't connect to lineage farther back (many in that area are part of a Washburn Mayflower line). The Brenton P. Washburne books show this line as a brick wall, and I can find no other records or clues so far (not fultonhistory.com, etc). My best clues are listed in the profile - other Washburn's on the area census that may support a son of that age.

I've worked on improving those two profiles.  Happy searching to everyone, and may your walls fall down!

Answer 4

Hello

My main brick wall profile would have to be Guillaume Franssen, and his wife, Marie van den Broek. There is only one record with their names that I have been able to find so far, which is the death record for their son, also Guillaume Fransen. His birth record is missing, not sure why though.

ID for Guillaume Franssen: Franssen-95

ID for Marie van den Broek: Van_den_Broek-249

If anyone knows anything, I am all ears, but, until then, I will keep looking...

Answer 5

I have not issued a profile.  My locally famous artist paternal grandmother's maiden name was Posch.  Family tradition has it that she is a descendant of a Tirolian Alps  (Austria) family of woodcarvers and artists.  However, she apparently was born in Berlin (obviously NOT the Tirolian Alps!)  However, I discovered an artist (surname Posch), resident of Berlin, who is famous for his cameo sculpture of Mozart.  His relationship to Mozart has resulted in blockage of all research attempts I have made on this Posch.  So I do not know if he is an ancestor or not.  The "kicker"- He was born in the TIROLIAN ALPS!  fitting the family tradition about my grandmother so a wistful assumption is that he IS Ancestor!  His name is Leonhard Posch.

Comments

Man, if this were me I would be heading to the Berlin and the Tirol now.  If it weren't a pandemic.

---

I started this family search too late. Age (pushing 79) prevents me from such travel.

Answer 6

I have a double brick wall involving 3 of my Grandmother's grandparents.

My Grandmother Flora Jean Coombe (Gordon) https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Gordon-13511 is the daughter of John William Johnstone Gordon (Gordon-13514) and Sarah Mary Ann Hoppy (Bergin) (Hoppy-3). Sarah is the daughter of William Hoppy (Hoppy-4).

William Hoppy is recorded as born in Germany and emigrated to New Zealand where he married Margaret Bergin. I have no documentation to back up any pre-NZ background to William Hoppy.

John William Johnstone Gordon (Gordon-13514) was born in Perthsire, Scotland 1874/1875. His father is recorded as John William Johnstone-Gordon and his mother Mary Jane Johnstone-Gordon. I have nothing on these two as regards documentation. I found an entry on another site "I have the marriage certificate (New Zealand) for John William Johnstone-Gordon, he was born in 1875 in Perth, Scotland. The marriage cert states that his parents are:-
John William Johnstone-Gordon, Occupation Gentleman
Mary Jane Johnstone-Gordon nee Gordon"

Also found this:

"Name Mary Jane Johnstone-Gordon (born Gordon)
Birth Circa 1850 New Abbey, Kirkcudbrightshire, Scotland
Marriage Marriage to: <Private 1902 New Zealand
Death June 1929 Waihi, New Zealand"

Been stuck with this one for a long time, any help would be appreciated. I will of course do my best to help someone else. I will post here when I do.

Answer 7

I'll pick Phineas Campbell, my 3G Grandfather.

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Campbell-40238

Been looking for his ancestry for 52 years.

Comments

Oh, Leonard, 52 years.  I thought I was bad at 20 years of searching. But I agree. Never give up.

Answer 8

My Brick Wall is for          http://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Miller-56488  I've tried to locate George Miller's American parents for 20 years. I've mentioned my DNA connection to descendants of two men, Reuben Miller and Abram Miller, who were born in Dutchess County, New York around the same time as George.  Unlike George they remained in New York and may be easier to trace.  This is my way of improving a profile when I can't locate records.

Answer 9

Accepted 52 Week Challenge. At least I will try.  My Brick Walls are my second great grandparents George Miller and Margaret Farriage.  I will try George first. I suspect he had two brothers. I will try to find George's parents through them. My goal is to connect George to one of Wikitree's many Miller families.

Answer 10

My biggest brick wall on my maternal side

would be Ernest Croft.

 born in Navan, County Meath Ireland - noted in his sons birth registration in Saskatchewan CAN 1913

in 1921 the Census of Canada lists him living in British Colombia (Revelstoke Electoral District, Kootenay West, British Columbia CAN

and as born in1885  England then immigrated in 1906 (family names included all match including wife Bridgett Bennett)

In 1930 US Census Ernest is listed as born in the Irish Free State age 37 (that would have made him born in 1893 again the rest of the family info match including Bridget Bennett) it also says he owned a house in Everett, Snohomish Co., WA. having immigrated to the US in 1922 in Blain WA

in the Canadian records of Marriages in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan CAN.. it states he was born in 1886 & his father was Willoughby Croft -his mother unknown Horton -& his wife Bridgett Bennett

he is shown as a resident of Everett, Snohomish Co., WA from 1922 to 1935

Bridget Dies of cancer in 1936 and almost immediately he disappears. i can find no hide nor hair of him.

we have no records of his due to house fires.

i could really use some help to figure out the inconsistancies & what on earth happened to him

thanks

Answer 11

I have been working on my Irish family history over the past months - as one can imagine lots of brick walls but I am pleased to document what I do know and in reviewing the sources making some progress. This week I have worked on the profiles of 

• Blayney Owen Mitchell (abt. 1751 - 1817) https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Mitchell-13926 

• Henry O'Neale Bayley (1757 - 1826) https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Bayley-1313

Answer 12

My brick wall is John Welch [[Welch-9191|John Welch (1814-1888)]] and/or his wife Honora Kittridge Welch [[Kittridge-44|Honora (Kittridge) Welch (abt.1819-1898)]].  According to my grandfather's family history, "A Letter to My Daughters..." they came to the USA from County Mayo, Ireland. I included John Welch's wife because her name seems less common and more searchable.  Thanks, Dave

Answer 13

This week I chose an orphan  Joseph Raleigh Lee Wall and his supposed parents.  He had only a declaration on his profile that stated he was the son of William Mack Wall, and Tabitha P. Wall.  I was able to find a marriage certificate for him and his wife, Mary Kiser, which to my surprise listed his name as Joseph Raleigh Lee Wall.  I added his wife and connected her to her parents.  I also added 8 children (there may have been a 9th) and gave each small biographies and a few sources.  I left research notes on Joseph about lack of proof that William and Tobitha are his parents and the lack of evidence for his birth date and death date that are stated on FindAGrave.  Hopefully, all these Wall profiles will help someone with their brick Wall.

Answer 14

My brick wall is my gggrandfather James McDowell, 1786-1861, born in New Bern, N. Carolina.  My DNA shows I am related to Elizabeth Templeton who was married to William McDowell.  She died in 1810 and he in 1811 in N. Car.  Family lore and a death bed interview that was published say he was orphaned at age 10 and went to live with an uncle, possibly Thomas McDowell, who died in 1818.  In his will, Thomas names James as a son, but he could have considered him as such or he really was.  I visited New Bern and found a James McDowell who died in1796, but only an estate record was found, no will.  The grave site is now possibly located under a city building, so no help there.  I found an 1860 census record  for Carroll County, Ind., giving his age as 75 which confirms the 1786 birth date.  When he was interviewed, he did not give his parent’s names, unfortunately, only that he was orphaned.  So I am at a loss.  How do I reconcile Elizabeth and William McDowell, who died in 1810 and 1811, as his parents, when in  his interview, he states he was an orphan at 10, possibly 1796?  I know the DNA is the most reliable, but I am stymied.  If he did go to live with his uncle, would they have gone through court so there might be a record?  And if so, where might I find such a record?  Any enlightenment would be much appreciated.

Answer 15

My brickwall is now the father of Parsons-6528, Nancy C. Parsons, my 2nd great grandmother in my matrolineal line. In 1831 she married my 2nd gr grandfather Lott Murray, Sussex Delaware. She had been a brickwall from the beginning of my family's research. I only recently learned her  "Parsons" maiden name when contacted by another genealogist because I was a match for him somehow....

I have been updating both Nancy Parsons Murray and her AND her mother Sally (Parker) Parsons Muray because her mother married Nancy's spouse's father John Murray, abt 10 yrs after Nancy married Lott Murray.

So, Sally's 1st spouse is the same Parsons brickwall.

Oh!, what fun! untangling.

Answer 16

I blogged about my 3rd great-grandfather John Ryals (or Royal or Royals), and added some information to his bio.

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Ryals-463

https://rhymeschemesanddaydreams.wordpress.com/2021/04/17/52ancestors-in-52-weeks-brick-wall-genealogy/

Answer 17

My direct paternal line is my “brick wall.”

Charles W. Rowe was very elusive. His birth year was listed as 1867 in his first marriage record, 1868 in the 1900 census, and 1869 in 1930/40. His obituary is about two sentences in length. His parent’s birthplaces and his own constantly changed with every census.

Answer 18

Did I solve my Brick Wall? I'm looking for the parents of George Miller born 1809 Poughkeepsie, New York, mother named Mary who died in Albany, New York around 1867.  I just found a pension record for a widow Mary Miller whose husband George Miller was a drummer in the Revolutionary War.  Her pension was paid in Albany, New York 1853 to 1867.  I went to a military website to see if I could learn more and I found Mary's petition for the pension.  She wrote that she married George Miller in Massachusetts in 1815.  She wasn't living in Albany but another part of New York and she was five years older than the Mary I believe is George's mother.  So it's a different family.  But it points to the VALUE OF RECORDS.  They don't just tell you who it is.  They can tell you who it isn't. I'm so relieved I didn't stop with that one record.

Answer 19

I think I will give this a try.  It seems that my brick walls form around the 4^th great grandfathers and grandmothers.  I know very little about the one I have chosen.  I know a few things passed along from his daughter, my 3^rd great grandmother, Lucinda Willis, and reported by her grandchildren.  We know his name, Edward Willis ([[Willis-7958|Edward Willis (abt.1795-abt.1817)]]), but we know little else.  There are many unknowns surrounding him and his wife’s family—so they are both brick walls.  We believe he lived in Anderson District, South Carolina.  was orphaned about 1817 and raised by her grandmother, Jones.  In 1834, Lucinda married Aaron Stuart Smith in Anderson District.  I will do what I can to improve Edward Willis’ details, and those of his wife.

Answer 20

My ongoing brick wall is my 3rd great-grandmother Hannah Hunt Crousore Bogue 1836-1921. I will attempt to clarify her profile with a research note section, and link to the couple who seem to have raised her and brought her to Indiana, Christian Crousore and Susanna Hunt, who I believe are already on WikiTree, in the text of her bio. I may create a profile for the person believed to be her mother, Christeeny Crousore (Derixon) and do some further research on her putative father, Uriah Hunt, about whom I know nothing but his name. She also apparently had a sister and a brother, from this same relationship of Christeeny and Uriah, who apparently never married. Maybe I can get on my husband's ancestry account and find something there, but the Ancestry research has been confusing in the past. 

Hannah is a fascinating woman and I would love to know more about her. She was the second wife of my 3rd great-grandfather, Thomas Bogue, who was killed in one of the early battles of the Civil War, and she lived the rest of her life as a widow. I need to find 1870 and 1880 census records for her, and every time I research her, I lament the missing 1890 census! DNA research is confusing because Thomas's sister Rhoda married Jacob Crousore (Christian and Susanna Crousore's son), and I don't know Christeeny Crousore's connection to the rest of the Crousore family. Maybe just creating a profile for Christeeny, and just linking in the bio in case I am wrong about the parentage issue, will help open up other lines of research.