2022 WikiTree Challenge 2: Paul Gilmartin - Now complete [closed]

Question

Hi WikiTreers! 

The second 2022 WikiTree Challenge event is done. Our featured guest was stand-up comedian Paul Gilmartin. He's best known as the longtime host of TBS TV's Dinner and a Movie. Since 2011, he has been the host and executive producer of the podcast The Mental Illness Happy Hour.

Our challenge was to uncover as much as possible about Paul's family history in one week. 

The challenge week started on Thursday, January 20, 12pm noon EST, and ended Thursday, January 27, at noon EST. Watch for the Highlights Reel on YouTube and in the G2G. We had a fantastic week!!

Here are the current scores.

P.S. If you have questions or suggestions, post them below as answers. Comments at the top will be hidden after they are read once.

Comments

Here is the wrap-up for the week and our highlights video.

Answer 1

Comment here if you make a new connection to the global tree on Paul’s great-grandfather Thomas P. Gilmartin's line, or have questions or research notes on this line.

Connection Bounty: not claimed

Brick Wall Bounty: Anne (Gowley) Gilmartin (Ireland)

Comments

Nice sleuthing, Craig! Let us know what else you find.

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Mindy, did you send a PA DC or a NY DC? I found the death notice for a PA Thomas P. I'm hoping someone can find a Philadelphia DC.

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Just the NY, which I know now is wrong.

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For some reason, have been unable to find a death certificate for Thomas yet, gave it a try. So that (or an obit) remains an active action item.

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I added the source for his Death Notice today.

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William J. Gilmartin is 27 degrees from me (Julie Holland).

GO TEAM!

Julie Holland

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Found an obituary which confirms the children

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Nice find Melanie!

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I added a newspaper article about a shooting allegedly intended for William J Gilmartin, Sr on 28 Jul 1917 while he and his sister Katherine were sitting on his front porch. I linked it to Katherine and William.

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Great Frances! Can you put that on the Space page? Thanks!!

Answer 2

Comment here if you make a new connection to the global tree on Paul’s great-grandmother Mary J. McCormick's line, or have questions or research notes on this line.

Connection Bounty: not claimed

Brick Wall Bounty: William McCormick (Ireland)

Comments

I am starting on this line

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Ok this is a 'rubbish' link but I've just seen a possibility that J J McCormick could have been a professional baseball player (not for long 1 season maybe) I will see if I can find anything more

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Jerry McCormick Not sure if he's our guy!!

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James J 'Jerry' McCormick the death link to his profile? is it certain because its now looking better

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wikipedia page for Jerry couldn't find anything then finding quite a bit 

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His obit mentions brother-in-law Thomas Gilmartin. The 9-11-05 death date does match the baseball player..

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Professional baseball player 1883-1884. Played for the Baltimore Orioles, Philadelphia Keystones and the Washington Nationals.

causes of death: Tuberculosis , via findagrave

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We confirmed [[McCormick-7435|James J McCormick]] the baseball player is a brother of Mary after further examination of records, finding him on 1900 census with sister Ellen, finding her death certificate (same parents as Mary’s death certificate) and listing brother in law Thomas Gilmartin on death notice. It’s a match. Updates made to his profile with documentation.

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Nice sleuthing Heather and Craig!

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We're still expanding William McCormick's family and trying to find a clue to get it back to Ireland. Looking at a possible brother for William, additional children, and some promising immigration documents.

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Just throwing this in the mix, because I've seen it in two families I have worked on, Could William have gone back to Ireland to find a 2nd wife? Or are we assuming that Bridget is actually older which does seem to happen a lot with Irish Families.

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We've now pushed Bridget (called Biddy) back to 1820-1825 for a date of birth. She has another child, Catherine (probably the last we'll be able to add, unless an 1870 census shows up with younger ones). I just put research notes for two possible immigration records for her on the profile. We also have a mystery person living with them in 1860, Cath McBride, age 70.

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I added James McCormick on Jan 20th as the brother of Mary Jane McCormick. I didn't realize we were supposed to make a note on G2G... beginner!

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Thanks Anne, Heather, and Frances!!

Answer 3

Comment here if you make a new connection to the global tree on Paul’s great-grandfather Joseph I. O'Donnell's line, or have questions or research notes on this line.

Connection Bounty: claimed and verified on this line

Brick Wall Bounty: Hugh Joseph O'Donnell (Ireland) Bounty claimed and verified!

Comments

I will see what I can add for Joseph O'Donnell O'Donnell-3978

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I connected his G-grandfather [[O'Donnell-3978|Joseph Ignatius Stanislaus O'Donnell Sr. (1873-1948)]] to his GG-grandparents [[O'Donnell-3979|Hugh J O'Donnell (1840-)]] who were already existing.  But I see that Hugh isn't connected to the tree yet ... so I don't think that is a good connection

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Adding children and bio to GG-Grandfather Hugh O'Donnell

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Connected Paul to the main tree through the O'donnell line.....G-grandfather O'Donnell-3978 > sister O'Donnell-4011 > son Gibson-24004  > wife Morrison-17324 > mother Travis-3846 > mother Trexler-494 > father Trexler-373 (main tree existing profile)

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Nice work Donna!

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Are there bounty points to be claimed for adding Hugh Joseph O'Donnell's death certificate and his father's name from the death certificate?

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Yes there is Paddy! Congrats!!

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I have added some speculation to Hugh's profile about where the family may have lived in Donegal before emigrating.  I have also added his wife's death certificate and profiles for her parents, who are named on the death certificate.

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Thanks Paddy!

Answer 4

Comment here if you make a new connection to the global tree on Paul’s great-grandmother Mary Stella (McCoy) O'Donnell's line, or have questions or research notes on this line.

Connection Bounty: bounty claimed

Brick Wall Bounty: Alexander McCoy (Ireland)

Comments

Ignatius has been merged already! wow

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Nice collaboration Nancy & Staci! I love it!

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Which Julia is this merge about?

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Julia Mccoy daughter of Alexander Mccoy and Julia Kennedy

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I see the merge went through. Now we just need to connect those lines to the global tree. Nice work!

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its showing connected on my feed? They were connected before the merge.(The other Julia and Ignatius)

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The connection to the global tree is currently through the Fisher line. We need a different connection to count as bounty.

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hmmmm...let's see if we can get that connected outside of the Fisher line, then shall we?

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I made a connection, but what a long shot.

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Dougherty-2905

Rose Dougherty, Dougherty-2905

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adding profiles for Julia McCoy and Mary McCoy, both Daug of Rose Kelly and Joseph Francis McCoy...

Answer 5

Comment here if you make a new connection to the global tree on Paul’s great-grandfather Frank Fisher's line, or have questions or research notes on this line.

Connection Bounty: claimed and verified on this line

Comments

As soon as this starts, I will be working on this profile. I have a number of records for him, then, once his profile is done I will work on his children and leave his parents for others.

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Thanks Lin! I know you've already found some fantastic things for this line.

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I added his mother since she was in the US in 1900 and so I could add his sister. Working on his children; will add second wife and step children later today.

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I just found a birth record for Francois Xavier son of Francois Xavier LaBoissonnier and Henriette Francouer.

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Pulled up some marriage & baptism records that connected two different branches of this line, the Laboissonnières & Lamares- Eric & I were having a little back & forth on pulling up the records needed so we could create the necessary profiles there.

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Thanks Lin, Eric, and Thomas! I've been following the Discord conversation, you guys are doing great!

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IF Frank married Dorothy Beryl Miller (nee Methany) his step son was Frank Ward Miller a TV Actor. IF they did marry she later married  James Benjamin Wilson..

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Frank Ward Miller I have been trying to verify if it him for definite and having problems (His acting name is Frank Warren) Yes both exist but are they the SAME person. Just thought it was sort of funny if Paul's Grandfather went to California to become an animator but his stepson becomes a TV actor (he was in a couple of films,) Its linked on Frank Ward Millers findagrave memorial via the obituary of his wife and the pictures are defintely Frank Warren, he's quite distinct looking.

Because Paul wanted to know about his Mother's Father (Grandfather) I've added things to the profile - like worked 52 weeks out of 52 (Or that's what the Census said).

Also I have a suspicion that after Dorothy he might have remarried again and had children so Uncles of Paul. Because its after 1940 its hard to verify. .

Answer 6

Comment here if you make a new connection to the global tree on Paul’s great-grandmother Marie Helene "Nelly" (Michaud) (Poitras) Fisher's line, or have questions or research notes on this line.

Connection Bounty: claimed and verified on this line

Brick Wall Bounty: Bassien Godin Robert Michaud (Canada)

Comments

I almost have sufficient information to connect this line to the global tree (which I'll do after noon EST)  A few highlights of what I've found so far.  This one was tough.

1. The name is not PUTRAN.  That was a mis-spelling on the Marriage record in Maine.  They butchered the French name POITRAS which was her actual maiden name.  I'll be proposing a MERGE as Marie-Helene already exists as Poitras-344

2. Frank FISHER already exists on Wikitree as well so I'll be proposing a merge of Fisher-11411 into Fisher-25846

3. Marie-Helen POITRAS was not born a POITRAS so after we get a merge done I'll need to request a LNAB change.  She is actually the daughter of her mother's first husband (Unknown GODIN) Godin-613 and her birth name was Godin.  She took Poitras after her mother remarried when she was quite young.

That's quite a bit of info to star with.  I will get more to link her to the Global Tree.  French-Canadian ancestry is very well researched.

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Thanks for that research Matthew! Let me know if you need help once the challenge starts today.

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I connected Nellie's mother Emilie Michaud to her parents.

Actually I'm going to revert this, I think I am confusing two Emilies.

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Nice research Karen.

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I found Nelly's mother Amelia in the 1871 census living with her mother, brothers, and 2-year-old Agnes. My theory is that Amelia was not actually married before she married Leon Poitras, and that both Agnes and Nelly were born out of wedlock. Nelly might have actually been born in 1871 not 1870, since she was not listed in the census.

Answer 7

Comment here if you make a new connection to the global tree on Paul’s great-grandfather Jean Charles Morneault's line, or have questions or research notes on this line.

Connection Bounty: claimed and verified on this line

Brick Wall Bounty: Marie-Francoise D'Amboise Bergeron (Canada)

Comments

Sorted Kathy, put Asylum Maine in duckduckgo - Its Healy Asylum, Maine it came up straight away it was a boys  orphanage. From 1893 to  1970.

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Great!

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Nice work Heather and Kathy. Let us know what else you find!

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Heather, can you link to the profile of Alphonse Morneault? I don't see where he is related. Thanks!!

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Brother to Aline Fisher (nee Morneault) Alphonse Morneault

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Kathy Evans was able to add Paul's 4th great-grand uncle Antoine Jalbert. I added his wife Marguerite Jalbert and found their daughter Marguerite already on the tree. She'll be a few degrees closer to everyone through the Rocheron family now.

ETA: Antoine's wife Marguerite's parents were already here as well. I see after connecting that Antoine and Marguerite were second cousins through Jacques Gerbert b. 1661.

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I connected Jean Charles' sister Euphemie's mother-in-law Marguerite Violet to her parents, which might swing a connection or two. Her mother is Elizabeth Cyr - we've seen a lot of her surname this week.

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I came across this website a number of days ago, and don't know if it connects to Marie-Francois but it is an interesting read about the Arcadians The First Bergeron d’Amboises in The Americas

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Thanks Karen. That name certainly has popped up a lot!

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One of the interesting facts might need to be removed The Sinclair family whilst they are related. Arthur Morneault married Irma Sinclair (Arthur is the brother of Aline- Direct Ancestor of Paul) The Sinclair who's children ended up in an orphanage are not descendant's of this line BUT the Uncle of Irma so Aline's Sister-in-Laws Uncle. Also I am not sure he had died when the boys are in the orphanage. Obviously I don't know the circumstances  could be 'abandonment' or he could have been working away. The only death I could find was 1927.  Maybe replace with Alphonse Morneault (Another Brother of Aline) who patented a shoe cleaning kit. That would be a Great Uncle of Paul's. 

Answer 8

Comment here if you make a new connection to the global tree on Paul’s great-grandmother Susanne Cyr's line, or have questions or research notes on this line.

Connection Bounty: claimed and verified on this line

Comments

I want to work on the Cyr line

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Connected sideways to her daughter Sophie's father-in-law Severin Theriault.

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Also connected Severin's father-in-law Henri Cyr, who has y-DNA, mtDNA, and autosomal relatives among our members. 

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I have connected her father, Alexis Cyr, with his parents, Paul Cyr, Jr. and Salomee Thibodeau. This is I believe is where Paul Gilmartin's name comes from. This Thibodeau line has already been built, but Paul Cyr Jr.'s parents, Paul Sr. and Charlotte Ayotte, as of yet are not built that I know of. I will be working on this line further.

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I have now located the parents of Paul Cyr, Jr. already created on WikiTree. His mother was Marie-Charlotte Ayotte and that is why I didn't find her at first.

The Alexis Cyr line is now fully connected to WikiTree! Very exciting! More sourcing for the vitals along with profile work and they will improve.

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Philomene Cyr, daughter of Frederic Cyr and Susanne Mercure, is now fully attached to the global tree, meaning that Susanne Cyr's branch is now completely attached!

There is a lot of intermarriage between families, more than I am used to seeing in Quebecois profiles... I knew I had many cousins in this line! Je me souviens

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Nice research Darrell.

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Thank you! It is a team effort and that's the best part!

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I'll work on Paul Cyr-949 children

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I didn't register in time, but I added sources and improved the bio for Susanne.

Answer 9

Sign me up!

Comments

Yay Tommy!

Answer 10

Sign me up too!

Comments

Great Derlin! Thanks!!

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Best wishes to you tto,my dear friend,and God bless you.the comedian's last name,Gilmartin sounds kind of French to me,friend.

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The French also used Martin a lot just like the Irish, so I don't blame you for thinking that it was possibly French!

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From what I can see his maternal great-grandmother Suzanne Cyr goes back to France 

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Perhaps,Gilmartin comes from thename of an Anglo-Norman family who settled in Ireland after 1170,my friend.Just like the De Clare family.

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I'm a De Clare descendant myself, so yes it is possible!

Larocque is Scottish in origin, so it works in reverse as well :P

Answer 11

Count me in please

Comments

Great Anon! Thanks!!

Answer 12

I would like to help with this one. :)

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Great Eowyn! Thanks!!

Answer 13

Count me in!

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Great Kathy! Thanks!

Answer 14

Willng to help

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Great Brenda! Thanks!!

Answer 15

I will try to help, if there are German lines.

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Thanks Dieter! I'm not sure about his locations yet.

Answer 16

I'll see what I can do for this Challenge as well. Like Dieter, German focus if there exists any.

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Great Steven! Hopefully something pops up for you to work on.

Answer 17

I will try to help

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Great Micah! Thanks!

Answer 18

Please sign me up.

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Great Paddy! Thanks!!

Answer 19

I would like to participate as well. I might not be able to contribute too much, but I will do what I can.

Comments

Great Chris! Thanks!!

Answer 20

I'll be happy to give it a try! Sounds like fun!

Comments

Great Frances! Thanks!!