Sunday 25 January 2009

Exciting Times

We are at a really exciting point in the family history research calendar - this week the 1911 beta census went online. Aren't I sad?? Whilst relatively expensive at present with its search free/view pricey, I just couldn't wait to see where ggrandfather Michael Kennedy had taken himself off to. I found him on the census in the workhouse! It was the last place I expected him to be, and I felt saddened by this. I consoled myself with thinking that he might have been in the hospital part. He did die there, I knew, but that was about 15 years later! Second shock followed fast. Four or so lines above Michael's entry was an entry for his brother John! Last I knew of him, he'd emigrated to New York with his wife and co. Checking my dates, I found that he had died in 1914, in England! What was going on?? Two more shocks soon reared their heads - marital status for Michael stated married!! When was this, and to whom, and where? Something else to check out! John's status was widower! When and where had this happened? Did I need all this extra work? Shall really have to get down to it. The plot thickens.

Tuesday 13 January 2009

Yet More Surprises!!

13 01 09
The past 7 days have been full of surprises in the Family Tree research! I have found my GGrandfather's brother John (b1845 Ireland) who emigrated to New York. This from the message boards for Kennedy/Owen on Ancestry. I cannot yet find a way to contact Marcus Owen in US, so can't build on the information at all as I don't have the worldwide version of Ancestry. Have posted on the message boards for him to contact me. Here's hoping! Yesterday I tried to glean more information on John as I have from the Rotherham burials a Rotherham address as place of death. Did he return to England alone, or did Gertrude accompany him? The poster on the message board was quite firm in his belief that they both went to America, and the eldest daughter Hannah married an American and settled there.

I'm just reeling from another shock - whilst opening my emails this afternoon I find that the 1911 census is now officialy on line for most of the counties. Yorkshire is one of them! Just had to rush and check something out - where was Michael Kennedy in 1911? I had to buy 60 credits for almost £7 then, to check where he was, I had to pay 10 credits. This told me that he was an inmate. To see details, I had to spend another 30 credits and found that he was in the workhouse, possibly the infirmary. This didn't help a great deal, as it was left open to opinion.

A bigger shock was to follow hot on the heels of that one - on the same page with Michael was his brother John, obviously back from America. Will have to dig deep on this one, as John was recorded as 'widowed' and Michael recorded as 'married'. Transcript errors perhaps?

Sunday 4 January 2009

News ..... and a new rellie in New York!!!

04 01 09

I have just had an unexpected shock whilst looking through Ancestry! Apparently in 2002 on the message boards, a researcher by the name of OWEN had posted a question about Kennedys from Rotherham. Because he was from New York, I didn't hold out much hope of a connection, but he named 'Gertrude Elizabeth Owen who had married a guy called Kennedy'. I'm going to go back to check that I hadn't imagined it, but recall finding a piece of evidence like that just a couple of days ago, which I had dismissed because John K had been buried in England. More later!