Question of the Week: Brickwalls... argg... Have you got one, and what do you need to knock it down?

Question

Question of the Week: Brickwalls... argg... Have you got one, and what do you need to knock it down?

John W. (Turner-10956) and wife Sarah Elizabeth
(Canks-1) both born in SC in 1790's. Married in SC and moved to Gwinett Co., GA living there in the 1830's, then moving on to Randolph Co, and Calhoun Co., AL. Have been found in Census records in GA, and AL. 1840-1870. They had 10 children some born in SC, GA, and AL.

In years past, I have joked that they must have been participating in a Defendant's Protection Program, I am past joking now....something just is not right. I need HELP in a big way to cross this brick wall. My father matched with several in the DNA Turner Surname Project, we have found the common ancestor with many of the matches, which was our John W. Turner listed above and wife Sarah. They have not found any proof of the parents either, therefore we are all in the same wagon so to speak. We did match with other Turners in earlier years from Isle of Wright VA, KY, NC,MO and Jefferson Co., Indiana, but have not been able to find a common ancestor with these. We lucked up in finding the owner of the John and Sarah Turner family Bible, which sure helped us with a second ID when our matches were questioning my lineage, my William T. R. Turner with birth date was listed in the Bible, and on his grave marker. He left his other 9 siblings in AL and moved to Mississippi, they did not know what had happened to him, it was told that he died in TN???? So.....for me to go further in my quest I need your help in establishing more about John and Sarah Turner going backward in time. Any and all efforts will be appreciated.

commented Aug 3, 2016 by Deborah Dunn G2G6 Mach 3 (31.5k points)

Great question!

Sadly, the answers here make me feel not-so-alone. Sadly, because I wish it were much easier for all of us to do the task of genealogy... and it's sad to see others struggling with their own frustrations. But, these comments do help me to realize that there are others facing this challenge as well.

For me, any and all answers regarding my family history have been brick wall after brick wall, after brick wall. Both sides (maternal and paternal) have been frustrating to deal with. From hearsay to outright misinformation (which led me to years of research which was incomplete, inaccurate, and headache inducing). I finally received legal birth certificates which has re-stoked my ability to begin the compiling of accurate genealogy... But there is still secrecy, family infighting, and hurdles. I simply want straight up factual documents, and information, so that I can produce a proper tree for my kids (and their kids, and so forth), and for other family members whom I may not know (or do know). Thankfully, I hope, future generations will not have the headaches which I (and many others here, and elsewhere) have laboured over. I keep that in mind each time that I run into a frustrating situation with trying to acquire information.

My family tree still has so much needing to be done, and I would love collaboration- or help.

I think that my most frustrating 'wall' at the moment is finding information, on my maternal side, about my Grandfather http://www.wikitree.com/wiki/MacKinnon-526

commented Aug 3, 2016 by C Anonymous G2G6 Mach 1 (12.2k points)

I have John Kensit born 12 Feb 1853 Clerkenwell, London, England,died 8 Oct 1902 Liverpool, Lancashire, England.

His birth certificate shows he was born in workhouse Copper row to Elizabeth Ann Kensit, father was not on the certificate.

I think he was baptised 19 May 1861 at Saint Botolph Bishopgate, London, London, England. Father's Name:    John Thort Kensit
Mother's Name:    Elizabeth Kensit

1871 census KENSIT JOHN 18 London City, Christchurch
I found a John KENSIT aged 18 born in London, Middlesex, working as a porter in London, St Albans, Cripplegate Within.

1881 Census Street address: 114 East Road
Married, wife Edith, Children, John Arthur and Edith and mother in law Elizabeth Shorter, 60
Occupation: Stationer

1885 Opened Bookstore on Paternoster row
1889 Founded The Protestant Truth Society
1891 KENSIT, John    38    M    Shoreditch
All the other children were registered in Shoreditch????
Edith Elizabeth Kens_t:- Shoreditch 1c 68 1879(Sept).
Amelia Louisa Kensit:- Shoreditch 1c 66 1882(Sept).
Florence Mary Kensit:- Shoreditch 1c 56 1884(June).
1901 Living with family in Hampstead, London, England
8 Oct 1902 Died from injuries sustained.
1902 Buried West Hampstead, London, England

John Kensit (preacher) was brought up in a bible believing home. Brought up as an orphan, his father died shortly after he was born. Became a Christian in his teenage years.

http://www.evangelical-times.org/Articles/March03/mar03a01.htm

John Kensit was born into this environment and became a choirboy in a ritualist church. However, he was led to faith and evangelical principles in his late teens, and entered fully into the work of an evangelical parish church.

In 1885 he opened the Protestant Book Depot in Paternoster Row, and in 1889 founded the Protestant Truth Society with the aim of maintaining biblical and Reformation principles in the Church of England.

I cannot find who his ancestors were. Desperately like to know his family were. here are a few Kensits around the area

commented Aug 5, 2016 by Julie Rourke G2G6 Mach 1 (12.6k points)

To each and every one of my fellow genealogists, it is heartbreaking to see so many of us struggling to find answers that I wish were at our fingertips.

Poor recording keeping; horribly written and transcribed census records; faulty data which is repeatedly posted on the internet; family members who take their secrets to the grave; immigration records creating new surnames using phoenic spellings; any number of tragedies causing the destruction of church records; the list goes on and on.

I wish I was able to help each one of you break through your brickwalls but, alas, I am not a magician - nor a historian with the proper records at my beck and call. Hopefully as technology continues to grow at such a tremendous pace, the records each of us needs will soon become available with a keystroke or two...best wishes in your searches!

commented Aug 7, 2016 by Deborah Collier G2G6 Mach 3 (39.6k points)

Brick Wall: #2

William Collinsworth b.4 jul 1792 south Carolina d. 1846 East Feleciana Parish La. I am hoping to find where he is buried because it says in our history that it is on his plantation. He married Jemima Ann Hodges b.26 Sept 1799 SC or GA d.1870 East Feliciana Parish and they had several children. The one we cannot figure out or prove is Orren Moses Collinsworth b. 1816. William was a reverend (methodist) and married in 1819 which was three years after Moses was born. So my question is was William married before 1819 when William was born and possibly the wife died? I do have a name of Steagall that supposedly is a guardian of Orren. Now Orren is spelled so many different ways in our family too and I haven't proved much if any of the Orren Moses before his marriage to Maranza Loe in Bienville Parish La.

#1 Brickwall--Where are they buried in East Feleciana Parish?

#2 Brickwall Who is Orren Moses' Mother? is is ann? or someone else?

commented Aug 10, 2016 by Janna Tipton G2G Rookie (100 points)

I will say this...all of the records for most of the destroyed record counties in GA are not all lost. There are 'some' surviving Gwinnett Co GA records, however you must know where to look for them and I do, starting with the Gwinnett Historical Society. We just received a new set of land records donated from someone's attic which include the destroyed dates. The first book I will check is the Cemetery book, then I'll check those donated deeds, then I'll check a rare court records published book (only published locally for the GHS) and I'll also check all newspaper abstracted books for early GA newspapers and I'll also go to the Gwinnett Courthouse to see what they have, if anything....and a few other places. The GHS and the Gwinnett County Courthouse are just minutes from my house and I love to help researchers so this is great fun for me to do this!! KD

commented Aug 10, 2016 by Kay Dawson G2G Rookie (220 points)

I have many brick walls both being great grandmothers from Germany.

One is Elizabeth Hanneman b 3 Apr 1824 in Germany d 20 Apr 1913 m Carl Friedrich Kirsch b 11May1822 in Diedelkoph, Pflatz, Germany d 12Feb1907 Children Charles, Catherina, Charlotte, Carolina, Chris, LIzzie,

The other is Johannah Frederike Foreman (probably when by another name in Germany) b 20Apr1848 in Thelko, Bad Doberan, Grand Duchy of Meckelenburg-Schwerin d 11Sep1918 in Stapleton, Logan, NE. Her parents may have been Christian and Wilhelmina Carolina Frederica Chirstina Doss. I have a copy of the Hamburg ship manifest but since they were got on the ship with their mother's brother and wife but the elder girl was left to fend for herself and the boy was raised by them, He joined the Mennonite faith in young adulthood. I wonder whatever happened to their parents and were there any other siblings?

Actually there are three. Johanna "Hannah" (maiden name unknown) Kurtz b 1813 in Wuttemburg, Germany d in Belmont, OH. Married Michael Martin Kurtz b 1812 in Wuttemburg, Germany d 8Apr1921 in San Francisco. Hannah was alive in 1853 for birth of youngest child Mary Margaret. Nothing is known of their parents. I do know their elder children were born in Germany so their marriage was probably there, too.

I guess this was pretty common of Germans to come to America and speak of those in Germany no more. But I'd like to know more if possible.

commented Aug 14, 2016 by Jeannie o'Logy G2G Rookie (100 points)

MyBrickwall - Veronica Teresa Reilly b. 12/4/1923 place uncertain; d. 5/20/1983 in Yuba City. One son, my father, Frederick, do not know who the father is. All I can find is census information showing that from infancy she lived with the family of Joseph and Ida Wiesner, German immigrants, and she was listed as a boarder. I have gotten help from people who say to look for her birth certificate and such as she was in Brooklyn, New York and my father was born in Brooklyn but there is not one to be found. Only census records. She refused to say anything about my grandfather to my father except that the name she put on her birth certificate was made up. It was simply the name of a character in a book she was reading at the time. Whether that is true or not we don't know. Interesting thing, the two Wiesner boys who were much older than her were Walter and Frederik and she named my father Frederick Walter. That could have been out of gratitude or because she viewed them as brothers or because one of them was the father. She was in her 20's when she had my father apparently out of wedlock which was a much bigger deal then than it is now. Any one know anything about Veronica or the Wiesner's that could help break down the wall or at least take a couple bricks out of it?

commented Sep 14, 2016 by CharLaurelle Robert-Bauch G2G1 (1.1k points)

My brick walls are everywhere. :/ but I haven't been searching for very long. One thing that is very very usefull though, and many don't think of it, is Facebook. Yeah, I said it. Facebook. Most cities and towns have a page, and often the libraries, historical, and genealogical societies have groups and pages as well. It is totally free to ask and post "looking for" messages to the owners of the page and for the public to see. I found two direct sisters of my father that way- I made a "searching for the family of my father" page, and about a week later, an old lady in England was sitting at her computer, and searched for her brother on Facebook. I popped right up, and within hours, a phone call was made to Texas to another sister, and I was on the phone with family I never knew existed. Then, 12 hours after that, I got an email confirmation from a bio-half sister and VOILA! A whole new family!

Another group of folks that have been a godsend are the Masons. They keep very very good records as well. I have the ongoing elusive great grandfather, Clayton Bowden Duke Sr., and the only info I could find in California on him that wasn't census and voter registrations etc, was his name mentioned in the Pasadena newspaper about a big honor's get together held by the Pasadena Scottish Rite. Once again, Facebook message to the Pasadena Scottish Rite, and about 2 weeks later, records that confirmed membership along with a note of tranfer to San Gabriel, Ca. I'm yet to contact them, but Pasadena Scottish Rite was able to randomly help me with spousal info on a man who used to live in my house! He passed away and I found his education awards in my attic and wanted his family to have them. They saw my post, and gave me info. I live in Northern California, nowhere near Pasadena.

As much as Facebook is snubbed and petty, it has certainly become a very useful resource. I even was added to a DNA Duke group and have been able to connect and compare notes and exchange theories with the more open and willing family members. The "looking for" options are awesome, as well as the Search Angels who assist with more than just adoptee's, since many of them are genealogists.

Just a little thought to swish around that might help some of the folks struggling with the climb over their walls...

commented Oct 23, 2016 by Erin Van Zante G2G5 (5.7k points)

William Terkowski. Has a brother Nathan who was a plumber. Supposedly my father's father. Came from Hells Kitchen. Was in the military my grandmother Veronica Reilly was in the USO. His wife had been in sanitarium at some point, not sure if it was when they met but William and Veronica began a relationship that ended with her becoming pregnant with my father who was born in 1941. I don't the circumstances of the end of their affair or if he even knew she was pregnant. Veronica married and young Fred was adopted and raised by her husband. I found one census record out of tons of William Terkowski's, just one with a brother named Nathan and they were inmates at Hebron Orphan Asylum 1506, Manhattan Help if you can!!!

commented Nov 17, 2016 by CharLaurelle Robert-Bauch G2G1 (1.1k points)

I have my 4th great grandfather Lindsay Ray was born in 1805 in Scott Co., Va according to the marriage record for his second marriage. Of course, that county didn't exist at that time . He also listed his father as being born in Scott Co., Va and his mother from TN. Based on his age he probably didn't realize that it would cause me all kinds of problems. At this time I am working on finding a direct line male descendant of Lindsay so that I can do several things. Show if he has a common direct line ancestor with the line that thinks he is their Lansea (which since she is listed as the daughter in a legal document they all want to ignore should be easy), determine if that direct line ancestor is connected to the person they claim he is descended from if Lindsay does turn out to be related, and find out who his parents really were based on DNA and research.

I have possibles but nothing to connect them at this point. Hoping the DNA will make the connection. Just trying to locate a direct male line descendant that is willing to do the test for me. Along with a couple others for some different lines that I am working on.

Its been particularly trying since my Dad's DNA is giving us some really good matches and we can't figure out where the connection is for this family.

commented Apr 5, 2017 by Sharon Ray G2G6 Mach 1 (13.9k points)

Hang in there Sharon Ray! I am in the same boat. My father had his DNA done before he died in 2010. We matched several other Turners, but have not been able to find a common ancestor with most of them. We match with the Turners from our family that had their DNA also to confirm we all belonged. Many others matched, but none have been able to find a common ancestor. Some where down the line, I believe the oral history got jumbled and someone got off track and continued to hand it down. So it is like putting a puzzle together, one piece at a time. I call it...digging up bones. Trying to put faces and names to ancestors as we find them, and more importantly, documenting each individual and generation. Good luck as you continue your mission.

commented Apr 6, 2017 by Deborah Dunn G2G6 Mach 3 (31.5k points)

57 Answers

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Answer 1 · 2016-07-31T23:02:03+0000

Mary Delamater?

Conrad Dubois of Fayette, Seneca Co., New York wrote his will 18 Dec1820. It was proved 11 Feb 1822. James S. Hicks was named executor.Source; Seneca County Wills, Court of Common Pleas: 355. SarahDubois/Hicks, wife of said James Hicks, is mentioned in the will as agranddaughter also, Mary/Polly Dubois/Stark, wife of Aaron Stark isalso mentioned as a granddaughter. Mary/Polly Dubois/Stark was unableto be found and Conrad Dubois' will and property was sold withoutgiving her the inheritance she was entitled to. She later in 1850petitioned Seneca Co. court to make the heirs that recieved her shareof her grandfather's inheritance, give over her share, but all theheirs were living in Michigan, as was she, at that time. Nothing cameof it in NY, unknown whether she was able to sue her siblings andparents for her inheritance that was due in Michigan. She was a widowat the time, then remarried, so her situation changed and she mightnot have pursued a suit or the siblings gave her what was coming toher in cash.

commented Aug 1, 2016 by b Paulson G2G5 (6.0k points)

Answer 2 · 2016-07-31T23:24:06+0000

Hi my biggest brick wall is Grant -4347 . My very big thanks to Vincent Piazza and Doug Lockwood for all the sourcing , editing and creations of profiles they have done on my family. I have been able to find a great deal about my mum's side. But my big problem is with Cathryn's parents. William and Isabella Grant. I think Isabella may have been a Peacock at birth because a young man who was living with them had the name Archibald Peacock. My mum said the family all lived together so I thought he might have been a brother. Anyway there are 100s of William and Isabella Grants and a surprising amount of William Grants who married women named Isabella. I did find an Isabella Peacock Grant but her info was on Ancestry.com. she was married to a William Grant. My income is limited. If I got Ancestry I would have to give up the Collie and horse rescue donations I make. I just can't justified that. The funny thing is while trying to find my mum's ancestors I find my father's. My father 's 9th great aunt married Peacock. I'm pretty inbred. Thanks for the post.

Answer 3 · 2016-08-01T00:28:34+0000

http://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Scheurer-42

That guy was born in Germany. I guess I'll never know who his parents were.

My DNA says that the line originated in Switzerland.

Betty

Answer 4 · 2016-08-01T00:48:57+0000

Lamb-1808 Moses Lamb just shows up in Rowan County, North Carolina. One story is that his parents were from Maryland. Possible sibling named James. Have worked the descendants with no clarity about Moses. I need names of parents and their origins.

Answer 5 · 2016-08-01T00:53:43+0000

My biggest brick wall right now is trying to find out who Ann Poore's parents are. I know she married Jacob Hufhines (Hoffheinz family) on November 4, 1829 in Washington County, Tennessee and they moved to Kentucky where they had their children. (Thanks to census records and marriage records).

But Ann's parents are not mentioned on the marriage record and I cannot find a census record for her birth period in Tennessee (1807-1817) so I am just stuck. Someone suggested that her maiden name might not be Poore. I suppose that is a possibility.

Edit: Oops, here is a link to her profile.http://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Poore-549

Answer 6 · 2016-08-01T04:21:19+0000

I've already asked about some other lines but this time I'm going to mention my Nagel line. Maria Nagel: Nagel-624 was the first wife of Augustus Knoderer who came from Strasburg, France and I have several more generations of ancestors for. Maria and Augustus lived in York, York, Pennsylvania, USA.and had 9 children. After she died Augustus married Leah Schwartz and moved to Columbus, Ohio.having one child before moving and two afterward. I don't have any hints on who her parents are but would like to find them.

Answer 7 · 2016-08-01T05:37:47+0000

So the one that most intrigues me is on my ex-wife's family tree.

Elkanah Russell. (Russell-11814).

With the last name of Russell in the family, it was always assumed that it was an English last name. The death record for Elkanah stated that his father was from Germany. The last name was originally Russel.

Elkanah was born in 1835 in Virginia (currently West Virginia) and died in 1905 in Washington, D.C., and is buried in Prospect Hill Cemetery in Washington, which was originally for German families in the area. It has an interesting history.

I can't find any information on his wife, not even a name. I would also like to be able to get information on his father. I found some information on his mother and, I believe, siblings.

Prospect Hill Cemetery offers a book, for a fee, on the names of the adults that are buried there. I will probably end up getting this book. Their website has a list of last names of people buried there, and Russell is included.

But I seem to have a difficult time getting any further information. I don't know if it's because this was in Washington, D.C. I've started to wonder if that is the case.

Any help is appreciated.

Answer 8 · 2016-08-01T07:07:07+0000

My fifth great grandfather, Petter Holm was a gardener at the manor in ironworking Älvsbacka in Värmland, Sweden. He was born in Västergötland in 1733. The problem is that there are 450 little parishes in Västergötland, all with their own record keeping. I don't think anybody has even tried finding him.

I haven't yet entered all my research here, but when I'm done Petter will remain one of the low points. Sort of annoying - but at least he does not leave a gap in the seven-generation Ahnen-list.

Answer 9 · 2016-08-01T11:59:52+0000

I noticed that there is a Francois Barri born in Quebec and baptized around 1822. He's the legitimate son of Francois Barri and Maria Jacombe. Trois-Rivières, Québec (Quebec), Immaculée-Conception, cathédrale l Assomption. It's in the Drouin collection. If this is the right guy, it might be why he was buried in Longueuil - it's in Quebec, after all.

In the 1900 census, his name is listed as "Francis," and his guessed birthday (the census can be real off with these) is April 1827. His birthplace, his wife's birthplace, and their parents' birthplaces, are all listed as Canada (F), meaning French Canada... AKA Quebec. He and his wife are both aliens (meaning not citizens) and came to the US in 1871, as per said census. The census says they've been married for 48 years. 1900-48 = 1852.

This contradicts the Acadia record you have on the profile, with their marriage being February 12, 1872 on said record.

You have a disconnect in your records you might need to resolve.

commented Aug 2, 2016 by G. Borrero G2G6 Pilot (126k points)

Hi G. Thank you for your help so far and the information you shared.

However, I don't see the Acadia record that says February 12, 1872 anywhere on my profile source listings. (The marriage source has no date on that I can see. Note I am not a paid Ancestry member but am a registered "free" member so they only show some of the information not all and I copied just what they showed.) Plus if it did say 1872 then it would not line up with the children's birth dates starting with Son Frank 1854 and daughter Mary 1856 which I have. So being married in 1852 would be correct. (I had estimated 1853 in my personal notes).

I have: *Acadia, Canada, Vital and Church Records (Drouin Collection), 1757-1946 Name: Francis Barry Event Year: 1838-1899 (Date Unknown)Event: Mariage (Marriage) Religion: Catholique City: Chatham Place or Church Name: Chatham Province: Acadie (Nova Scotia and New Brunswick) Spouse: Marguerite Keating.

Thanks, Dorothy

Oh, added question, did this "Francois Barri" born in Quebec marry a Marguerite Keating or someone else? Thanks for your time in this.

commented Aug 2, 2016 by Dorothy Barry G2G Astronaut (2.7m points)
edited Aug 2, 2016 by Dorothy Barry

First of all, pardon my assumption on French Canada only being Quebec. I visited Canada and was convinced that was the only part of Canada that was so solidly French (I've actually visited Longueuil and Montreal myself!), but a glance at the Wikipedia article revealed that parts of Nova Scotia and New Brunswick were indeed considered part of French Canada.

I still think the Acadia record is the wrong one.

The Acadia record says it in the image. "On the 12th day of February 1872, Francis Barry of the Parish of [illegible] Co. Gloucester and Margaret Keating of this parish of Chatham after publication of [illegible] [illegible] their marital(?) consent in marriage before me the undersigned and [illegible] [illegible] [illegible] [illegible], in presence of A. B. Campbell and Jane [Wall/Mall/illegible] besides many others. - Thomas John [Barnum/illegible]"

There ya have it.

I don't know if Francois Barri married or not, and I just woke up, but I figured I should do this for you before I got my breakfast.

Are you sure that your Frank Barry married a Margaret Keating and not a different Margaret?

commented Aug 2, 2016 by G. Borrero G2G6 Pilot (126k points)

Answer 10 · 2016-08-01T14:16:38+0000

Nathan Davis. Born about 1815 in Maryland; we don't know where in Maryland for certain, but he married in Frederick County in 1843 and certainly lived there the rest of his life. He died in 1866; his short obituary suggests that he was a bit of a recluse and doesn't give any parentage.

In 1850 he's near the family of James Lynn Davis and wife Elizabeth Hamner Davis, but as far as I can tell, he's not actually related to James (or at least is no closer than third cousin). I haven't ruled out a relationship with Elizabeth Hamner, especially since Nathan has a son and grandson named James Hamner Davis, but nor have I found anything to support it.

Y-DNA testing suggests a relationship between Nathan and Edward Davis (died 1736 in Charles County, Maryland), but the exact relationship hasn't been found, and it's possible that the common ancestor is too far back for us to trace.

Answer 11 · 2016-08-01T20:13:40+0000

I complain about this part of my family whenever these sort of questions come up, but it's gotten worse now. Yay.

So, check it. My great great grandmother, Isadora York married a William Carrier at some point, I couldn't find any information on him. And then recently I did. I was so freaking ecstatic over it. Jacob William Carrier. Finally, I knew where my Carrier line came from...

... then I couldn't find proof of his birth or death anywhere, and it turns out Jacob was in jail in Philadelphia when my great grandfather, George John Carrier, was conceived -- George was born in Tioga county, NY.

What's worse is I can't even go over to Tioga to find out anything more myself, I don't have a driver's license (one of the blessings of living in NYC is not needing one... now biting me in the butt).

Edit: What I could use most right now?... maybe some logs from Eastern State Penitentiary to see if Dora ever visited Jacob while he was in jail, any info on Jacob really, maybe someone to help me go through my DNA and help me figure out what lines I match people... currently unsure of George John Carrier's father (is it Jacob somehow? Conjugal visit result in a pregnancy? If it's not him, then who?) and Dora's father's parents.

Answer 12 · 2016-08-02T00:00:43+0000

Hezekiah Strutton has been the bane of my genealogical life for decades. I believe, but cannot prove, that my 2d great-grandfather Joseph Strutton was his grandson (son of Hezekiah's son Joel). Hezekiah first shows up in Burke County North Carolina in 1787, possibly born in Virginia. His son Joel appears on the 1810 census with an unknown wife and two unknown children. Have not been able to find out any more information about Joel or his children. I believe the son listed on the 1810 census to be Joseph Strutton.

Even if I can establish that Joseph is the grandson of Hezekiah, I hit another great big monstrous brickwall. Because I have no idea where Hezekiah came from or who his parents were.

Answer 13 · 2016-08-02T00:02:33+0000

I have many brick walls, but my most recent in lineage is Bernard "Barney" John Ryan-5290 and Michael Patrick Fitzmaurice-135 and their wives. Irish immigrants all. Their children married each other in 1888. I know quite about them AFTER they arrived in the US.

I also have my recently tentatively toppled brick wall. Thornley L. Mattson-397. He is my third great grandfather and the urban legend is that he left to fight the Indians, and never returned.

I can place him in Ross, Ohio in 1850. I can also place John L. Mattson there. John's son Thomas named his son Thornley. I have a notation on my family tree that Thornley's father was David, but no records. David Mattson is in Ross, Ohio in 1850 and earlier. David was married to Lucinda (which Thornley named his daughter.). She appears as if she might be the former Lucinda G, White and her father a militia man stationed in Ross, Ohio named Thornley L. White. There are no other sources for any other Mattsons in Ohio in the early 1800s. There are only 3 (used to be 2) known people with the first name of Thornley and all were in Ross, Ohio in about 1850. So it is an amazing number of coincidences, or I got it. So please look it over and if you have any ideas where I might find something more concrete, I'd love your ideas. Or if you want to build the wall back up again, let me know that too.

Answer 14 · 2016-08-02T01:06:06+0000

Brick wall: George A Robinson, born in Virginia about 1828. He married Celia Ann Buffkin in Copiah County, Mississippi in November, 1861. . In 1870 census he, wife Celia Ann and children lived at Meadville, Franklin County, Mississippi. A child born in 1876. In 1880 census, Celia Ann Robinson was a widow, living in Copiah County, Mississippi with the children. When did George A die and where? Family thought his middle name might be Alexander. Who were his parents?

Answer 15 · 2016-08-02T02:28:41+0000

I have 2 pressing brick-walls, but the one I would like to knock down first is http://www.wikitree.com/wiki/McMahon-1293 John McMahon who was a blacksmith in Australia and arrived here in 1841. Other than being mentioned in his daughter's wedding notice, I cannot ascertain anything about him. I think he must of rode off into the sunset on one of his shod horses!

Answer 16 · 2016-08-02T05:58:24+0000

Why must everyone be named Deliverance?? When did people start using the suffixes "Junior", "III", etc in consensus?

I would love to confirm that the parents of [[Wheeler-11187 | Deliverance Byron WHEELER]] are, in fact, [[Wheeler-3335 | Samuel WHEELER]] and Susan PARSONS.. married in Whitingham, Vermont on 1 FEB 1846 by Hosea BALLOU.

Also, trying to match Samuel WHEELER to any of the Captain Wheelers of the 1600s and 1700s.

I don't want to link the two Wheelers as father and son until I have some definitive proof. All I have ever come across is a marriage license between Samuel and Susan Parsons, then D. Byron Wheeler is born to Samuel and Susan Parsons Wheeler three years later.

Here is the current relationship finder for Samuel and D. Byron Wheeler: [[http://www.wikitree.com/index.php?title=Special:Relationship&action=calculate&person1_name=Wheeler-3335&person2_name=Wheeler-11187]]

anonymous · Answer 17 · 2016-08-02T19:25:01+0000

I have a brick wall with my Great Grandfather Albert L Clark. He was married to my Great Grandmother Helen S. Clark (Schmuland-2) http://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Schmuland-2.

I have him in Census data going back to 1930 (Portland Oregon - 2 daughters), I also have his draft registration for WWII. He states he was born in Oak Hill, Davidson Co, TN on 10/6/1889, and that he was a WWI vet as well. He died 6/6/1952 in Portland. I had mistakenly thought he was an Albert Lowery Clark born 8/17/1889 in Hickman Co TN (http://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Clark-24011) - but have since dis-proven the link. He might be listed as a boarder in Nashville on the 1900 Census - but I have no evidence yet on that either.

So my question...I can't find him anywhere on the 1920 census - and was wondering how you would check that census against people who might have still been in the military at that time (if he did not get released early from WWI)?

Answer 18 · 2016-08-02T22:38:54+0000

My brick wall is William Y. Young I first discovered my great great great grandfather, William Y Young, (Young-18688) in 1992. It's approaching 25 years later and I have yet to find his parents. His wife, Catherine Ann Lair's (Lair-168) family history is well known. I have his military records and property records from Illinois, but have been unable to find much about his early life in a part of Virginia that became Harrison County, Kentucky after his birth. He lived near Georgetown, KY after his military service in the War of 1812. He moved to Greene County, IL before 1834 and lived his remaining decades in Illinois.

Answer 19 · 2016-08-02T22:41:34+0000

My great grandfather, Dock Holland Harris, is where that branch ends for me. He was shot and killed by his daughter's (my granny, Carrie Bell Harris Moseley) husband, George Swain, and his brother Nick when they came to collect my granny from her father's house. George and Carrie were separated and all family rumors point to George being 'mean', so possibly abusive? At any rate, I've found D.H. Harris' obituary, even the 1919 Georgia Supreme Court proceedings against George Swain, but no parents or any other basic information for Dock.

Answer 20 · 2016-08-02T23:24:59+0000

I am having the hardest time locating my Grandpa Smith's side of the family. No one seems to know the Great Grandparents names or where they are from. I can trace just about everyone else back to 1500's or further, but his side is incredibly hard.

Grandpa Frank J Smith was born August 17, 1924 in Brooklyn, NY to Marie Agnes Houlihan/Holahan (1899 NY? died Nov 1971?) and Frank Joseph Smith Sr. (6/4/1894? NY? died 6/1970 NYC, NY?) They lived in NJ, NY (Brookly, Newburgh, NYC, Bronx).
My grandpa had 5 sisters:. Marie (Smith) Smith, Rita (smith) Edic, Ruth T (Smith) Laxton, Helen A (Smith) Embler, Francis Genevive (Smith) Smith. *Yes 2 sisters married Smith men HA*
Now my Grandpa has 2 Sister's that are still living ages 90-92 I believe, but no one says they remember their Grandparents names or anything about them? Why would that be?
*I was told my grandfather's dad was a 6'5 Dutch man, then someone said Italian? His mother was Irish, and my grandpa told me before he died that she and her sisters came over from Ireland, stayed in an orphanage in NY? (My DNA came back extremely Irish, Scottish with a little Italian and some other areas).
Can anyone please help me? I am trying to find my Grandpa's sisters children, so maybe they have pictures or some information.

Thank you so very much~Shanan

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Question of the Week: Brickwalls... argg... Have you got one, and what do you need to knock it down?

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