When Family Lore Leads You Astray

TWISS family on Ship Peruvian September 1888

Olive Tree Genealogy had an interesting question from Shannah about her grandfather.  My findings point out the need to take family lore with a grain of salt and don't accept it as gospel. 

Here is Shannah's email:

I have been trying to find out where my Grfa., TWISS, William James, had "landed" for over ten years, to no avail, from Cty. Cork, Ireland to New York, USA..  He was a mere 17 year old, at the time.  

The story I was told was that it was my Grfa. who had left Cork, Ireland, from Sept. to December of 1887 (I believe these are the months) on the Barque Julia, from Edinburough to Cork and to New York.  This particular Barque was a ship of supplies and the Captain was a friend of my Gr-Grpars., TWISS, Francis Edward Day, Sr..  It was my Grfa. who had suggested that he, himself, come out to Canada, first and they allowed it but he must go with someone they knew.  It was only a few days' trip and have researched into several ports along the eastern coast to no avail.  When he had landed, he had stayed with friends of his pars., (never knew who they were) Francis Edward Day and Ellen THOMPSON, in New York for a while then travelled up into BINBROOK, Wentworth Cty., Ontario, Canada to stay with our cousins/family there while his own pars. arrived through Montreal, Quebec, Canada in the following springtime.

First I made a mental summary of the important statements in Shannah's email:

1. William James Twiss born ca 1870 Ireland immigrated to N. America on the ship Julia in 1887
2. William's parents Francis Edward Day & Ellen Twiss sailed to Montreal Quebec in spring of 1888

Making a mental note of these statements  does not mean I accepted them as fact. It was obvious they were family lore passed on through the generations.

Curious about what I found for Shannah? The rest of the story is at  http://olivetreegenealogy.blogspot.com/2014/08/dont-let-family-lore-lead-you-astray.html

FInding an Ancestor Who Disappears from the Records

Virginia asked

My grandfather: Melvin Augustave Hileman born August 21 1891 information gathered from WWI Draft Registration Card

I found Melvin spelled Melvan living with parents 1900 census in Ohio...cannot find a single thing on him after the date above when he registered for the draft. I am wondering if he was killed in the war, went to Panama...or maybe prison...I have searched the West Virginia, Parkersburg for birth info...none found...

Albert Melvin Hileman son born November 13, 1915 later changed name to Albert Melvin Heilmanon his original certified copy of Birth cert says father Melvin A Hileman , 1006 E Thomas Seattle, Washington

Any help would be appreciated...I have been spinning my wheels for quite some time on this one...

Olive Tree Answer: Virginia, I'm not quite clear on why you think Melvin may have gone to Panama, but nonetheless, I do have some ideas for you.

I notice that at his son's birth in 1915, Melvin ws living in Seattle Washington and in his WW1 Draft Registration in 1917, he was living in Portland Oregon. He also claims to be single in 1917 so either he and Bertha married and divorced (in which case you might want to look for divorce records), or they never married, or he lied and they were still married in 1917. It's interesting to me that in the 1920 census his son Albert Melvin is living with his mother who is married to a George E Sprague. Have you found her marriage to George? I'd look for it to see if it says she was a widow, or single or divorced at the time she married George.

Since Melvin Augustave was in the West Coast region before he disappears from the records, there is also the chance that he went to Canada, most likely British Columbia as that is quite near. So why not have a look in British Columbia records such as the Online indexes to Vital Stats

You could also try Directories, Obituaries and other newspaper items for mention of him. But I would not limit my search to USA, I'd also include Canadian records.

Search his siblings - look for their obits, perhaps they mention him. Also try to find his parents' obits. I found this online which appears to be your Melvin and his parents and siblings so i t might help you find obituaries for his family members. See if he is mentioned as often a location is given when a sibling or son is named. Or if he is named and listed as deceased you will have more facts to go on.

Source: http://boards.rootsweb.com/localities.northam.usa.states.westvirginia.counties.wood/4458.2/mb.ashx

-Bertha Amanda Varner, born 9 Sept 1867, died 1943, buried at the Varner Cemetery, near Summitt, in Wood Co, WV.
-Alonzo Melvin Hileman, born 19 May 1866, died 26 Mar 1936,buried at the Varner Cemetery. They were married 12 Nov 1890 in Wood Co, WV.

children:

-Illa Hileman, married --Bumgarner;
-Melvin Hileman;
-Cora Hileman, married --- Allison; buried Varner Cemetery born 5/30,1894, died 7/4/1920
-Lester Hileman, buried Varner Cemetery;born 9/17/1903, died 12/23/1926
-Ona Hileman, buried Varner Cemetery; born 4/9/1907 died 3/6/1923
-Roy L Hileman, buried Varner Cemetery; born 10/8/1912 died 7/23/1969 married Maude -Looney born 4/11/1913 died 1/9/2003

Also, be careful to check surname variations and mistranscriptions such as Hillman(n) , Hilleman(n) , Hellman(n) , Hiteman(n) , Holeman(n) - use wildcards to allow for double "l", double "n" at end and vowel substitutions. You may want to see Using Search Engines to Find Ancestors for more ideas for successful searching

One little point - you say in your email "I found Melvin spelled Melvan living with parents 1900 census in Ohio..." Be very careful in assuming an index is correct! Your Melvin is INDEXED as Melvan in that census. But when you check the image, you can see that the name is in fact Melvin and has been mistranscribed. In this case it's not a big deal as spelling wasn't exact and there may very well be small variations in names in different records. But it could be a very big deal and could lead you astray. So always check the original record and verify for yourself what is recorded there.

Hunting for great uncle from England living in British Columbia

Gayna asked:

I am hoping you can help me - in fact you are my last hope in finding my great uncle. His name was MAURICE DENIS WILSON and he was born May 1895 in Stockport, Cheshire, England. His parents were MARY BRADWELL & WILLIAM NOAH WILSON.

My last known piece of data is the 1911c for Cheshire when he was at an orphanage for warehousemen and clerks age 15. I know he went to live in Kelowna, BC, Canada and I remember him visiting England with big boxes of apples! I don't know the name of his first wife but when she died he married her nurse D'arcy (I don't know if that was a first name or surname) There was also an adopted daughter.

I think he died late 50s/early60s. Is there anyway you can help me, please?

Olive Tree Answer: Hi Gayna, I'm glad you gave me details, it makes it so much easier for me to figure out how I can help. I have good news! The Indexes to vital Records for British Columbia can be searched online at the British Columbia Archives. If you find Maurice, you can send for his full record (certified copy) from the British Columbia Vital Statistics Agency. You could also order a paper copy of the microfilm page with your ancestor's details from the British Columbia Archives.

Out of curiousity I had a quick look and found a marriage for a Maurice Dennis Wilson in 1929. Of course it might not be your man, the only way you would know for sure is to send for the full record which no doubt would give his parents' names

Vital Event Marriage Registration

Groom Name: Maurice Dennis Wilson
Bride Name: Lenna Nellie Ayliffe
Event Date: 1929 5 18 (Yr/Mo/Day)
Event Place: Glenmore
Reg. Number: 1929-09-361612
B.C. Archives Microfilm Number: B13758
GSU Microfilm Number: 2074554

But here is the really good news - I found Maurice's death

Vital Event Death Registration

Name: Maurice Dennis Wilson
Event Date: 1984 7 10 (Yr/Mo/Day)
Age: 89
Gender: male
Event Place: Kelowna
Reg. Number: 1984-09-011820
B.C. Archives Microfilm Number: B13640
GSU Microfilm Number: 2073193

Now you have some clues to use for your next step - I personally would hunt for an obituary for Maurice next. Good luck!