My Tangent – A Lost Dog – Ancestor List In My Genealogy Search

Good Day,

And yes I lost one dog this morning. Three accounted for, all asleep on their beds; Taylor, Tinker, and Bella. Where the hell was Radar? Not in the kitchen. Not in the living room. Not at the dining room window transfixed at the early morning strollers.

Nowhere to be seen on the patio checking out the Grays. I called... I whistled. Then finally I caught a glimpse of a moving mountain of blankets and covers on the bed. Out pops the hazel eyes and ratty snout, a stump of a tail wagging. Just looking at me, inquisitively demanding, "Why the hell are you disturbing my comfy nap?" Oh, well The Pack is complete.

I'm at sort of a quandary about where and what I should do next. Of course I'm not at a loss of what I need to do in my search for the origins and genealogy of my ggg-grandfather James Smith...but I feel that I am at a juncture of dis-organization.

I look at my piles of papers on my desk and I see the tremendous number of downloads and files in my storage and in the many folders just screaming out to me to do something. “Get the damn papers and files organized!” “Where is your To-Do List?” “Start something…” “Do something, anything!!!”

Okay, here’s who I need to find, in my search and research of my genealogy. Just a few of the ancestors in my genealogy.

• GGG-Grandfather James Smith – last known location – Grenada


• GGG-Grandmother Mary Ann (née Doret) Smith – last known location – Grenada


• GGG-Grandfather William Thomas – Possible last known location – Grenada


• GGG-Grandmother Maria Matilda (née Rush) Thomas – Possible last known location – Grenada


• GGGG-Grandfather Henry Rush – Possible last known location – Unknown


• GGGG-Grandmother Grace (née ?) Rush – Possible last known location – Unknown


• GG-Grandfather John Merrifield – Possible last known location – Middlesex, England


• GG-Grandmother Esther (née Bailey) Merrifield – Possible last known location – London, England


• GGG-Grandfather William Merrifield – Possible last known location – Gloucestershire, England


• GGG-Grandmother Susanna (née ?) Merrifield – Possible last known location – Gloucestershire, England


• GGG-Grandfather George Bailey – Possible last known location – England


• GGG-Grandfather William Goodey – Possible last known location – Essex, England


• GGG-Grandmother Keziah (née Warner) Goodey – Possible last known location – Essex, England


• GGGG-Grandfather James Warner – Possible last known location – Essex, England


• GGGG-Grandfather Joseph Goodey – Possible last known location – Essex, England


• GGGG-Grandmother Sarah (née Pudney) Goodey – Possible last known location – Essex, England


• GGGGG-Grandfather John Pudney – Possible last known location – Essex, England


• GGGGG-Grandmother Mary (née ?) Pudney – Possible last known location – Essex, England


• GGG-Grandfather Thomas Megwire – Possible last known location – Lancashire, England


• GGGG-Grandmother Christian (née Dudgeon) Robertson – Possible last known location – Lanark, Scotland


• GGGGG-Grandfather John Robertson – Possible last known location – Haddington, Scotland


• GGGGG-Grandmother Ann (née Lyle) Robertson – Possible last known location – Haddington, Scotland


• GG-Grandfather George Goodey – Possible last known location – Sweden


• GG-Grandfather Benjamin Victor Abraham – Possible last known location – Demerara, British Guiana


• GG-Grandmother Emily (née Boyle) Abraham – Possible last known location – Demerara, British Guiana


• GGG-Grandfather Victor Abraham – Possible last known location – Middlesex, England


• GGG-Grandmother Rebecca (née Levy) Abraham – Possible last known location – Middlesex, England


• GGGG-Grandfather Michael Levy – Possible last known location – England

If anyone has any information, please contact me.

This is just the start of my Smith and Robertson Family Line searches. And this list is to continue. Stay tuned.

Enjoy,

Jim

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Part 456s - Smith Robertson Genealogy - DNA Pedigree - New Ancestry Chart

Morning,

Last night I thought that I would reproduce an Ascendancy Chart which incorporates relevant and associated DNA information. There is so much that I need to learn, (self-imposed), regarding my genetic genealogy. A fair reference work, Genetic Genealogy, is available on Wikipedia.

In my work I thought that I would like to have a visual representation of genetic pedigree or my ancestry and bloodline. My Chart simply provides the YDNA - R1b1b2a, and mtDNA - H1a1 and J1b, Haplogroup designations of my ancestors.

Oxford Dictionaries defines bloodline as “a set of ancestors or line of descent of an important person.” My question, “Do you have to be an important person to have a bloodline?”, as according to Oxford Dictionaries. (I'll reserve my comments.)

I stumbled upon, in my research a website, Modern Software Experience, by Tamara Jones, which is right up my alley. Check out the page “What is genealogy?”

And thank you Megan Smolenyak for the brief moment of your time yesterday in Largo. Yes, I do have a triple whammy – The most common name in the English Language, Smith… The most common of European YDNA haplogroup – R1b1b2a, and one of the most common of mtDNA classifications – H1a1.

And so I continue to search for my most common, "important" person in my ancestry. Hah!

Enjoy,

Jim

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Part 123s – Smith Robertson Genealogy - Smith Descendant Chart Update 7

Afternoon,

Thought I would quickly put up the latest update of the Smith Descendant Chart. Per my tracking this should be Update 7.

Just a word of note… Any new additions to the Descendant Chart from previous updates should have the labels of the name and/or dates, and at times, the square or circle symbol, in red. The notations in red should be cross-referenced to postings in my Blog where information and/or data concerning an individual may be located. You can enter the “P121s” notation as “Part 121s” in the Search box in the upper-corner of the left-hand green column under the heading “Search This Blog”. And no, Toni I have not as yet figured out how to allow the reader to click on the red notation to link it directly from the image to the Blog posting… Maybe in time…

Enjoy,

Jim

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Part 119s – Smith Genealogy – 1855 Baptism - Great-Granduncle Inkermann Samuel Thomas Smith

Early Morning,

The youngest son, on record, of gg-grandparents James, Jr. and Cecilia Jane (née Thomas) Smith was great-granduncle Inkermann Samuel Thomas Smith. His Baptism Entry in the Anglican Church Parish Register of the St. Luke’s District of the Parish of St. George is dated 25 March 1855.

Sources: Parish of St. George, Anglican Church, Grenada  and Family History Library


As you can see from the format of the page from the Register it is a bit different for the previous copies of the pages of the Baptism Entries of his brothers and sisters. The information requested is the same as the older version. You can also see from the copy of my image that the margin on the left-hand side has some writing but it has been obscured by either ink, dirt, or a rip in the page.

The page of the Baptism Entry was discovered on the microfilm FHL [1523656], on Item 8 which presents the Baptisms 1844-1892 of the Parish Registers, 1784-1971, Anglican Church, Parish of St. George (Grenada).

My transcription is -

Page 7

BAPTISMS solemnized in the Parish of St. George, (St. Luke’s District) in the Island of Grenada in the Year of Our Lord 18_____

When Baptized – 1855 Mar. 25, No. 51
Name & Age – Inkermann Samuel Thomas Son of
Parent’s Name
Christian, Surname – James & Cecilia Jane Smith
Abode – Good Hope
Quality Trade or Profession – Architect
By Whom the Ceremony was performed – S. Oliver Crosley, Curate.

My immediate question, “Why Inkermann?” Where did that name come from? And of course I went searching. And I found some answers, possible answers as to why gg-grandparents James and Cecilia named a son Inkermann. Given that great-granduncle Inkermann was baptised in 1855, they may be some connection of his name to the location of Mount Inkerman and the Battle of Inkerman, a victory in the Crimean War in 1854.

Just a thought... It's amazing what I'm learning.

Enjoy,

Jim

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Part 118s – Smith Genealogy – 1852 Baptism - Great-Grandaunt Grace Eliza Smith

Afternoon,

The next Baptism Entry found in my genealogy hunt is the one for great-grandaunt Grace Eliza Smith. The Entry could be dated July 1852, but I cannot make out the exact date due to the either a splotch of or the bleeding of the ink on the paper. The subsequent entry is dated 1852 Aug 27th, and I can make out the month of July in the two preceding her Entry. Her birth date, as written in the left-hand margin is also hard to read.

Great-grandaunt Grace Eliza (née Smith) Gentle was introduced back in one of my original postings of the Gentle Mystery on May 5.

The Gentle Mystery continued on May 9 and on May 15... with more on August 14. I am amazed at the amount of detail that I have at times been able to collect, and especially thanks to all who have contributed.

The source of this following image of the page of the Baptism Entry for great-grandaunt Grace Eliza is the microfilm FHL [1523656]and Item 8, Parish Registers, 1784-1971, Anglican Church, Parish of St. George (Grenada).

Sources: Parish of St. George, Anglican Church, Grenada 
and Family History Library

My best transcription –

Page 65

Baptism Solemnized in the Parish of Saint George in the Colony of Grenada in the Year of Our Lord 1852

When Baptized – 1852 _____ _____, No. 490
Name & Age – Grace Eliza daughter of
Parent’s Name
Christian, Surname – James & Cecilia Jane Smith
Abode – Parish of St. George
Quality Trade or Profession – Carpenter
By Whom the Ceremony was performed – J.A. Anton, Rector.
Born _____ _____ ____ J.A.A.

Any tries at the dates? Email me or comment on this posting with your ideas.

Enjoy,

Jim

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Part 117s – Smith Genealogy – 1850 Baptism - Great-Grandaunt Rosanne Maria Smith

Afternoon again,

I’ve got a dog in my lap with hiccups as I’m at the keyboard working on the family tree and genealogy. When she, Bella, arrived at our doorstep she was a dainty little thing. Now the pack mentality has most definitely taken a part of her life. She no longer broods over her bowl of her food. It’s gone in two or three gulps… and then she weaves herself through the legs of the larger dogs hoping that she can pick up a stray morsel or bit that has fallen between bowl, mouth, and floor. She’s fearless. In the morning when I let her out, she bolts down to the end of the picket fence, squeezes through and bounds after the teasing squirrels. And she always comes back. Bella’s a packet of energy.

Insert: Girls, The boardwalk – Tinker, back; Taylor, towering; and Bella, as always, front.

Found another Smith Baptism Entry in my genealogy research, this time great-grandaunt Rosanne Maria Smith. The date of the baptism is 20 November 1850. I can make out the written birth date, in the left hand margin of the page as the 10th of October 1849. This image is a page found on the microfilm FHL [1523656], Item 8, Parish Registers, 1784-1971, Anglican Church, Parish of St. George (Grenada). Question – Do you think the Smith family was a member of the Church of England? At least to the year 1850, and in Grenada?

Sources: Parish of St. George, Anglican Church, Grenada 
and Family History Library

My transcription -

Page 57

Baptism Solemnized in the Parish of Saint George in the Colony of Grenada in the Year of Our Lord 1850

Born Oct 10, 1849 J.A.A.
When Baptized – 1850 Nov. 20th, No. 435
Name & Age – Rosanne (could be Rosanna) Maria daughter of
Parent’s Name
Christian, Surname – James & Cecilia Jane Smith
Abode – Parish of St. George
Quality Trade or Profession – Carpenter
By Whom the Ceremony was performed – J.A. Anton, Rector.

Just a note: When you compare the various Baptism Entries from the same generations make sure to note that there are some incidental, albeit maybe major, differences.

If you have any questions or comments or information that may be helpful to the research please email me.

Enjoy,

Jim

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Part 116s – Smith Genealogy – 1848 Baptism - Great-Granduncle Victor Smith

Afternoon,

Blog administration completed… Sunday mornings. And the email comments are coming in. Thanks Helen, for the Sheridan family tip. We’ll see what turns up later today when I start my Internet ancestry search. Hopefully today I can work on reducing at least one of the genealogical mountains of paper.

This afternoon the first ancestor and family tree posting is the Baptism Entry for great-granduncle Victor Smith. I located the following page on the FHL [1526356] microfilm. The page is included in Item 8 of the microfilm.

For your edification, Items on the FHL microfilms can be likened to chapters in a book, or to divisions. A microfilm can have one or many Items. Usually it is a sequence in the filming of a document, or a series of documents, books, related or unrelated, and that are included in a FHL microfilm. As you can see at the image of the summary of FHL [1523656] at the section of page titled “Film Notes” there is only in total, one microfilm number – FHL INTL Film [1523656]. But there are many Item numbers, from 1 through and including 20. This is a facilitation that assists with a search of images on the film. In this case the filmed image of the page for the Baptism Entry for great-granduncle Victor Smith should be found on the microfilm at Item 8, and it does.

The microfilm FHL [1523656], Item 8 is Baptisms 1844-1892 of the microfilm that includes the Parish registers of 1784 through 1971 of the Anglican Church, of the Parish of St. George in Grenada. With corresponding technology I have made a jpg copy of the image, and with the use of certain software I have attempted to trim the external parts of the film background of the page, sharpen the legibility, and reduce the bleed-through from the back-page, and tweak the image so that I can get a reasonable facsimile. With other software I have highlighted the actual entry for quick reference.

Sources: Parish of St. George, Anglican Church, Grenada 
and Family History Library

My transcription -

Page 44

Baptism Solemnized in the Parish of Saint George in the Colony of Grenada in the Year of Our Lord 1848

Born 24 Jany /48 JAA
When Baptized – 1848 October 1st, No. 338
Name & Age – Victor Son of
Parent's Name
Christian, Surname – James & Cecilia Smith
Abode – St. Leonard, Parish of St. George
Quality Trade or Profession – Carpenter
By Whom the Ceremony was performed – J.A. Anton, Rector.

If you have any questions or comments or information that may be helpful to the research please email me.

Enjoy,

Jim

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Part 115s – Smith Genealogy – 1846 Baptism - Great-Grandaunt Eley Mary Smith

Afternoon,

And the beat goes on. I had to switch, just to focus myself and work with something that I had found. Chasing genealogical documents in my research at times can take hours on end, and then its supper time. And you’ll notice that there is no Part 114… I created two; Part 106s and a Part 106w; earlier on. I do get confused from time to time, but I’m trying. This is Part 115s.

My focus at this moment is the 1846 Baptism Entry for great-grandaunt Eley Mary Smith, sister to my great-grandfather William James Smith, (see Part 106s). It always amazes me as to the repetition and use of names in a family. This time “Eley” and “Mary”.

Based on family notes and constructed records, I have learned to date that great-grandaunt Eley Mary Smith was the third of seven children of my great-great-grandparents James, Jr., and Cecilia Jane (née Thomas) Smith. The seven were great-grandfather William James; great-granduncles James Edwin, Victor Robert, and Inkerman Samuel Thomas; and great-grandaunts Eley Mary, Rosanne Maria, and Grace Eliza. Based on documentary evidence I have been able to substantiate six of the seven, not including great-granduncle James Edwin. I have also presented the possibility of an elder daughter of gg-grandfather James Smith and Amelia Charles, great-grandaunt Mary Smith in Part 105s.

This image of the page including the Baptism Entry, No. 240, from great-grandaunt Eley Mary Smith was discovered on the microfilm FHL[1523656], Item 8, Parish Registers, 1784-1971, Anglican Church. Parish of St. George (Grenada).

Sources: Parish of St. George, Anglican Church, Grenada 
and Family History Library

My transcription of the highlighted -

Page 31

Baptism Solemnized in the Parish of Saint George in the Colony of Grenada in the Year of Our Lord 1846

When Baptized – 1846 October 13th, No. 240
Name & Age – Eley Mary Daughter of, born April 5th, 1846.
Parents Name
Christian, Surname – James and Cecilia Jane } Smith
Abode – St. Leonard, Parish of St. George
Quality Trade or Profession – Carpenter
By Whom the Ceremony was performed – A.J.P. Buchanan?, _____ Minister of Carricou.

If you have any questions or comments or information that may be helpful to the research please email me.

Enjoy,

Jim

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Part 108t – Smith Genealogy – 1819 Baptism – GGGrandmother Cecilia Jane (née Thomas) Smith

Morning again,

You know in the search in genealogy a name at a given point at another time may trigger the statement “You know I’ve seen that name somewhere in my files.” And in this case it’s the last question that I asked in Part 107s: “Is the witness W___ Thomas in some way related to gg-grandmother Cecilia Jane (née Thomas) Smith?”

Foraging through my files I found an image of an 1819 Baptism of Cecelia Jane Thomas, and all-things-being-equal I believe is the Baptism Entry for gg-grandmother Cecilia Jane (née Thomas) Smith.

Sources: Parish of St. George, Anglican Church, Grenada 
and Family History Library

As you can see from the inserted image her father is William Thomas. Correspondingly this could be the same W___ Thomas that is a witness at the 1840 marriage to gg-grandfather James Smith, the Younger.

This image is a page from the Anglican Church Parish Register. It is from the microfilm FHL[[1523656], Item 4, Parish Registers, 1784-1971, Anglican Church, Parish of St. George (Grenada).

My transcription of the transcription –

113

A.D. 1819

618

Cecelia Jane, daughter of William Thomas & of Maria his wife born on the 25th day of Septbr 1819 & baptised on the 26th day of Novbr. 1819.

Sponsors: - Charles Gray

Sgd. Francis McMahon.

From the information found this now introduces me to my three-times great-grandparents William and Maria Thomas. I’ve included an updated Descendant Chart which includes them as well as the more recent cross-reference notes.

Enjoy,

Jim

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Part 107s – Smith Genealogy – 1840 Marriage GGGrandfather James Smith and GGGrandmother Cecilia Jane Thomas

Morning,

In the search for documentation I have been able to find reams of electronic paper, albeit images, of those that provide me with some basic insights into the lives of my ancestors. In a continuation, this morning’s offering is the Marriage Entry to the Register of the Anglican Church of the Parish of Saint George in Grenada. This is the recording of the marriage between my great-great-grandfather James Smith, the Younger and my great-great-grandmother Cecilia Jane Thomas.

Sources: Parish of St. George, Anglican Church, Grenada 
and Family History Library

Both gg-grandfather James and gg-grandmother Cecilia were of the Parish of Saint George, Grenada. It is recorded that their marriage took place on the 6th of June 1840 at the residence of a Mr. Robert. The source the entry of this record to the Parish Register is microfilm FHL[1523656], Item 7, Parish Registers, 1784-1971, Anglican Church, Parish of St. George (Grenada).

My transcription is as follows –

131

Marriages Solemnized in the Parish of Saint George in the Island of Grenada in the Year of Our Lord 1840.

No. 93

James Smith the Younger of the Parish of Saint George, Esquire Bachelor, Master Carpenter, and Cecilia Jane Thomas of the same place, Spinster were married by Licence at the residence of Mr. Robert, in the Parish of Saint George and Island of Grenada aforesaid this 6th day of June in the Year of Our Lord 1840 by me. J.C. Barker, Rector.

This Marriage was } J. Smith Jr.
Solemnized between us} Cecilia J. Thomas

In the Presence of --- James McDonell, W__ Thomas

The 6th of June 1840 was a Saturday, and at present I am not aware of the actual location, shy of the Parish of Saint George in Grenada, of Mr. Robert’s residence.

Note a number of the written facts of gg-grandfather James Smith: the year, “1840”; the appellation of “the Younger”; his condition of “Bachelor”; and his occupation, “Master Carpenter”. Is this the same James Smith, Jr. father of the 12-day old Mary mentioned in Part 105s?

And another question, is the witness W___ Thomas in some way related to gg-grandmother Cecilia Jane (née Thomas) Smith?

Enjoy,

Jim

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Part 106s – 1841 Baptism Great-Grandfather William James Smith

Evening,

Piece of advice if you have allergies and decide to chop up chili peppers for supper… use a double or triple thickness of Kleenex tissues. The heat from the oil of the chili peppers on your fingers does a number on your nose. I thought I was going to join the ranks of the Rudolphs in the North Pole this season. I certainly would not have to worry of frostbite.

And see what I said about the James Smith. It definitely is a repeated name in the history of my family.

My great-grandfather William James Smith was born the 15th of June 1841. His baptism was recorded in the Parish Register of the Anglican Church of Saint George, in the island of Grenada.

Found on microfilm FHL[1523656], Item 7 – Parish Registers, 1784-1971, Anglican Church, Parish of St. George (Grenada), and entry No. 590.

Sources: Parish of St. George, Anglican Church, Grenada 
and Family History Library

My transcription –

52

Baptism Solemnized in the Parish of Saint George in the Island of Grenada in the Year of Our Lord 1841

When Baptized – 1841 June 15th, No. 590
Name & Age – William James, born 8th May 1841
Parents Name
Christian, Surname – James Smith, Junr. and Cecilia Jane, his wife
Abode – Parish of St. George
Quality Trade or Profession – Master Carpenter
By Whom the Ceremony was performed – J.C. Barker, Rector

Comparing this entry from great-grandfather William James to that of great-grandaunt Mary, as indicated in Part 105s, you will note that it may be deduced that they were half-brother and sister. They may have the same father, gg-grandfather James Smith, Jr. but they definitely have different mothers; great-grandmother Cecilia Jane (née Thomas) Smith and Amelia Charles, respectively.

Enjoy, from the sneezing, burning nose,

Jim

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Part 91s – Smith Genealogy – Updated Descendant Chart

Morning,

I would like to welcome all of you new readers to my Blog. If you do not find what you are looking for please feel free to ask. Add your comment or question to a posting or send me an email.

I've updated the James Smith Descendant Chart, which can be usually found in the blue section of the left-hand column. The Key to understanding the format of each Descendant Chart is the added letters and numbers to the right of a name. For example, C-P49s, can be used to locate an image of the document as it appears in a posting on the Blog. The abbreviations are as follows: B = Birth; C = Baptism/Christening; M = Marriage; D = Death or Burial; W = Will; P49s = Part 49s.

I get a bit befuddled sometimes, (and what else is new), by the Blogger search engine but you can key in a code, name, word, phrase, etc., and after you click on the Search button you may be provided with a list of possible hits relating to your search entry. Remember it is a machine that is trying to match your thoughts to whatever is in the Blog data storage.

When I typed in "Part 49s" in the search box in the top of the left-hand green column I was greeted with "No Results". But when I typed "Part 49" without the "s" the engine produced five results of which the third one was the choice I was searching for. And as I was taught, many moons ago, if at first you don't succeed, try, try, try again. Remember it is your thought process being matched by a machine trying to match to my thought processes. And please my insurance doesn't cover remote PC crashes.

And here is the newest and 6^th update of the James Smith Descendant Chart.

@ 2009, Jim Smith

Enjoy,

Jim

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Part 65s - 1840 Marriage GG-Grandparents James and Cecilia J. (née Thomas) Smith

Early morning from this corner of the world,

You really begin to wonder about yourself when you find an empty container in the freezer. I read someplace that when one spends all his time writing on a Blog he may forget about a lot of other things... Guess it's happening. Either that or I just wanted to see air freeze... but I thought that's the reason I moved from New Brunswick to Florida, that and shoveling snow! Oh and right now at 1:20 am, the humidity is 87%.

And this stuff, this genealogy and the research is now my addiction.

Following up from Part 62s...

I have the image to offer of the 1840 Marriage Registration of gg-grandparents James and Cecilia Jane (née Thomas) Smith. My source is the microfilm FHL[1523656]; Parish registers, 1784-1971, Anglican Church, Parish of St. George, Grenada.

And my transcription, as follows --

131

No. 93

James Smith the Younger of the Parish of Saint George, Esquire
Bachelor, Master Carpenter, and Cecilia Jane Thomas of the
same place, spinster were married by Licence at the residence
of Mr. Robert, in the Parish of Saint George and Island of Gre-
nada aforesaid this 6th day of June in the Year of Our Lord
1840 by me J. C. Barker, Rector.

This marriage was solemnized between us { J. Smith Jr. Cecilia J. Thomas

In the Presence of --- James McDowell M? Thomas

Gone to bed,

Enjoy,

Jim

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Part 58s - Jim Smith's Sixteen Ancestral Lines - Plus

And the heat is on.

You have to know that my computer area is set up along side a triple set of windows that look out to the pool and the conservation area beyond. It's great in the morning, at times to see the sun shimmering on the wet leaves and poking through the green. The white bird of paradise is blooming and there's a bunch of dwarf bananas that soon will be having to be harvested. It's really nice when the panes of glass are clear... but this morning, it's humid. The windows are opaque. Condensation has distorted my view. Today's gonna be hot!

I've drafted a first effort of my sixteen ancestral lines as I mentioned in Part 57s. Here it is.


And today I've set a number of thoughts into progress today.

1. Deborah asked about the meaning of some of the words and phrases in the 1758 Robertson/Lisle marriage registration from Part 55r.
2. Toni sent me a tremendous set of pictures of a masterful piece of early work of my Smith lineage that Ray had completed.
3. Jenny's catches of my slips of data entry to the Robertson Descendant Chart.
4. Bernard confirmed to me that at this point we do not have any source of origination for gg-grandmother Emily (née Boyle/Boyd) Abraham.
5. Yann has forwarded some new July documents and photographs.
6. Zöe forwarded some online links of some historical pictures of British Guiana (now Guyana).
7. Denny responded to my latest Y-DNA results and mentioned sources for the possibility of a Smith and Seymour match.
8. Clooz organization is calling me.
9. Wendy has my brief summary of notes regarding ggg-grandfather James Smith.
10. Ray really sent me a great compliment on the production of the Blog.
11. I received some updates to new email addresses.
12. Andy's kit had been sent off for the Y-DNA testing.
13. I'm waiting updates to my mtDNA results.
14. Oh, and Lynn, hope you find the right pasta recipe.
15. And a new quilt is on it's way.

Thanks to everyone.

And I'm making chili for supper...

More to come.

Jim

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Part 53s - The Orange She-Devil Lurks, Grandaunt Louis Clare Smith, and Quilts-for-Grab - Q1

This past June 11 Tinker must have really had the fright of her life. That's when the fire-orange, lightning tabby pounced on her.

Last night I walked Tinker and Bella, Taylor and Tobi for their late night business. On their leashes, Bella the Lizard Killer, her stump of a tail keeping beat to the pace, as usual was pulling forward. Tinker the Prissy One, was trotting quietly to my left, as we both followed Bella. As we passed a parked SUV, Bella immediately swerved to the left and the next thing I heard was the deep rumble of a feline beginning her growl.

Suddenly I was deafened by a blood-curdling scream. Tinker! She spotted the crouched war-monger. She screamed, all 11 pounds of her... And I couldn't hear anything else. Bella's pulling to the left, wanting to get the cat. Tinker is yowling and pulling ahead, wanting to get out of range. We continued on. The feline growl continued at a low moan. Tinker kept looking back, making sure to stay beside me. Bella just kept on foraging forward. When they say that elephants never forget, I guess it's true about 11-pound dogs, especially Tinker.

I was able to locate...

this page image of grandaunt Louise Clare Smith's baptism entry from the microfilm FHL[1523656]; Parish Registers, 1784-1971, Anglican Church, Parish of St. George, Grenada.

Transcribed --

[Page 313]
BAPTISMS solemnized in in the Parish of Saint George in the Colony of Grenada, in the Year 1885

1. When Baptized - 15 Dec,
2. No. - 57,
3. When Born - 10 Nov,
4. Child's Christian Name - Louise Clare dgter of,
5. Parents' Name - Christian - William James & Ella Margaret Louise,
6. Parents' Name - Surname - Smith,
7. Mother's Maiden Name - Scott,
8. Abode - Town of St. George,
9. Rank, Occupation, or Profession of Father - --, and
10. Minister Officiating - H. Hutson, Rector.

Now to forage through my files to see if in the short past I was able to find a copy of grandaunt Louise Clare's civil birth registration. All-things-being-equal a copy should be on the microfilm FHL[1523169].

I've included the update to the Smith Descendant Chart --



And as a lot of you know, we do quilts... and we're cleaning house. The time has come to get rid of quilts that are stuck and hidden all over the house. I'm going to start putting up a quilt on a sort-of regular basis. The first one is of Egyptian Cats and includes a pillow.

The quilt is 72" (183 cm) by 57" (145 cm). The pillow is 13" inches (33 cm) square. If you're interested, and would like some more information about costs, shipping, and insurance, please get in touch with me via email. There's somewhere about 40 to 50 quilts hiding in the wings. And Tinker has nightmares of cats. (I'm not losing my mind now. It left many moons ago!)

Enjoy the rest of your day,

Jim

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Happy No-Labor Day, Search Added, and A New Smith - Part 52s

Afternoon,

And why do they call Labor Day when no-one works. Shouldn't it be Un-Labor or No-Labor Day?

I was asked about cross-referencing in my Blog, specifically as to postings, documents, and data as they may relate to individuals in Descendant Charts... And you can imagine my first initial response. Eh, Toni? But after thinking it about it for a bit, I thought that it would be helpful if there were some ways to move around the Blog with a little more ease than just labeling and scrolling. You should all know what scrolling is, but labeling may be somewhat foreign.

At the bottom of each post, I've tried to include the surnames of each person I may mention in that posting. Over in the left-hand column, underneath the Descendant Charts, there is a list of Surname Labels. Each surname has a number in parentheses. The number means in how many posts I may have used that surname. In other words, you may see - Abraham(46). This means that I have labeled 46 posts with the surname Abraham. You can click on the surname Abraham, in the list, and the Blog will bring up every one of the 46 posts that I have labeled Abraham. You then have to tediously scroll.

I then thought that I would add a Search capability to my Blog. This will allow you to enter your search term(s) and the Blog will search, using Google, for every incidence of your search term(s). It will give you the ease to scroll through a list of summaries, of just my Blog, at where the engine finds your search term(s). There is a Search box at the upper right-hand corner and one near the left-hand bottom of the box. You're welcome.

Another facility that I've added, is more of a cross-reference key...

From now on, I will be adding a key code to the right-hand side of an individual noted in a Descendant Chart. This key code, for example B-P49s, will only be added if there may be an image of a document or copy of a document included in my Blog. The key code B-P49s translates to you will then have to find the posting Part 49s in my Blog to find the referred to and associated document. (I haven't as yet figured how to link directly from the Descendant Chart as it is an image and not in HTML.)

Hope these new additions will help navigating around my Blog.

And continuing on here are the Birth Registration and the Baptism Entry for granduncle Sidney Hutson Smith. (Please note that I will not, and I repeat, I will not include any documentation of any relative or individual who is currently living.)

The Birth Registration image is not in any great shape. I located the same from the microfilm FHL[1523204]: Civil Registrations, 1866-1940, Registrar General, Grenada.

My transcription, of the existing piece --

1. Name of the District - torn off,
2. Year - 1893,
3. Number of Entry - torn off,
4. Date of Registration - torn off,
5. Name of the Child (if any) -- ,
6. Sex - torn off, Total - 1,
7. Date of the event registered - December 18,
8. Place, or in in whose house the event occurred - Tyrrel St.,
9. Name of Parents of the Infant registered - W.J. & Ella M. Smith,
10. Name of party giving the information - W. H. R... torn off, and
11. Remarks and Observations - torn off.

By using the Date of Birth Registered "December 18, 1893", and the parents, my great-grandparents "W.J. & Ella M. Smith" I was able to match this to an entry in the St. George's Parish Church Baptism Register.

I was able to locate this page image of granduncle Sidney Hutson Smith's baptism entry from the microfilm FHL[1523656]; Parish Registers, 1784-1971, Anglican Church, Parish of St. George, Grenada.

Transcribed --

[Page 25]
BAPTISMS solemnized in St. George's Parish Church, in the Island of Grenada, in the Year 1894

1. When Baptized - Feb 8th,
2. No. - 16,
3. When Born - Dec 18th 1893,
4. Child's Christian Name - Sidney Hutson,
5. Parents' Name - Christian - William James & Ella Margaret Louise,
6. Parents' Name - Surname - Smith,
7. Mother's Maiden Name - Scott,
8. Abode - Town of St. George,
9. Rank, Occupation, or Profession of Father - Clerk, and
10. Minister Officiating - Wilfred Jones Bateman.

And here's the new Descendant Chart with the cross-reference coding.


Enjoy your Un-Labor Day,

Jim

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Banana Boat, No Smiths in Israel, and A New Descendant Chart - Part 51s

Good Evening,

And you never know what you might see when you enter banana boat and Jamaica into a Google search... Just watch the video and check out the eggplants.

I never said the search for ancestors would be an easy one... especially since my surname is Smith. But this morning I got some biblical confirmation that it would definitely not be an easy task. From the 1st book of Samuel, chapter 13 and verse 19 it states: "Now there were no smiths found throughout all the land of Israel...."

There you go, not one Smith!

And in Charles Wareing Bardsley's A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames With Special American Instances, published in New York in 1901 he writes on page 699 "Common to every village in England, north, south, east, and west... There are 300,000 Smiths in England..." Bardsley includes older variations which include: Smyth, Smythe, Smeythe, Smeyth, and Smyght.

Well I guess I'm not too surprised... My ancestral trek, aka my migration as plotted via FamilyTreeDNA, started in Africa 60,000 years ago and crossed the Saudi Arabian pennisula into southeastern Asia. 30,000 years later the "Rs" decided to split up, R1s going north and west while the "R2s" headed east and south. Then I guess it pays mind that no one had time to stop in at Israel. Hence no Smiths in Israel! They all headed to the British Isles. (It is amazing how one can twist a bit of literature to fit any story...)

In my search I've decided at this point to gather as much as I can regarding my paternal blood line. I need to discover from where my ggg-grandfather James Smith arrived at Grenada. This will take some time gathering and analyzing all the data and information that I have collected over the past couple of years. I've created a new Descendant Chart beginning with my ggg-grandfather James Smith. My immediate goal is to gather, analyze and organize all documentation that I currently have on file for each of my Smith ancestors.



You'll notice that in the title I have labeled the Part number as Part 51s. As this reporting is becoming a tad confusing to me I decided that at this time I would add a letter to the Part number designation to be a key to identify the major surname that a specific posting refers to. In this case it is my Smith line, hence Part 51s. The next one could be Part 52a or Part 52j. The "a" and the "j" in these examples represent Abraham or July, respectively.

Tonight's supper - eggplant, zucchini, onion, garlic, red chili peppers, fresh oregano and basil, and mozzarella cheese pie.

Enjoy,

Jim

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August 14, 2009 - I Now I Feel Like An Archaeologist - I'm Always Looking

Afternoon,

(An original antique print by Christian Neighbur of Egyptian hieroglyphics drawn by him during the Danish Expedition to Arabia in the middle of the 18Th century. From the Dutch edition of Niebuhr's Travels through Arabia And Other Countries In The East, published in the Netherlands in 1776.)

And then I found this last night from the microfilm FHL[1523204] Birth Civil Record August 1897, St. Patrick's, Grenada. I now really feel like an archaeologist, sort of. This is image is one of the better fragments of the pages from the Grenada Civil Register for the year from the late 1890s.

Knowing that the civil birth registrations in most cases do not include the name of the infant, I have to read the names of the parents from the column "Names of Parents of the Infant registered", as I scan through the pages, page-by-page-by-page. My search in this case is for Smith, Gentle, Steele, or Redhead or any other possibly associated surname. Apart from the page being tattered and obviously held together by scotch-tape, in some cases the penmanship is so smudged and over time has bled and combined with moisture over the years that it had become an illegible ink blot.

On this discovery I notice one name of the parents as "James Smith"; third line down, entry number "2006". The information on this entry is pretty good, believe it or not. Entry number 2006 states that the date of registration is 11 August 1897 of a male infant who was born on 5 August 1897. The birth place is "Mt. Renil". The parents are entered as "James Smith & Mary his...", and the remainder is torn and not on the film.

As this entry is a James Smith I'm interested, but the birth is 1897, which means that it cannot be either of my 3-times or 2-times great-grandfathers James Smith. The both have already passed away in 1842 and 1876, respectively. And I know it can't be mean... I don't arrive on this planet for another 54 years. My immediate thought is that it could be my great-grandfather William James Smith's brother great-granduncle James Edwin Smith. Great-granduncle James Edwin would have been about 54 years old in 1897, but I do not have any actual documentation regarding his birth or baptism. And again James Smith is still the most common name in the English language. I and the only record I have is the great-granduncle James Edwin married, on 12 April 1888 Catherine Elizabeth Thomas. This James' wife's name is Mary. Catherine Elizabeth (née Thomas) Smith passed away on the 18th of January, 1935.

But before I ruled out the James Smith on the 1897 birth registration I immediately noticed three lines below, entry number "2009" that there is another registration and this time for "JE. Smith an_ Mary his wi_". The birth registration is two days, 13 August 1897, after the previous one. It is an entry for another male infant born "11 Aug 1897" at "Mt. Renil" to J. E. Smith and his wife, Mary. This has to be a twin birth, or a very big coincidence in a very small spot in the world.

And I am intrigued by the initials "J" and "E". Could this be great-granduncle James Edwin? Not sure.

I immediately traced down my files to see if I may have any baptismal record for a Smith, christened in 1897 around this time... And sure enough I find one. I had located one from the microfilm FHL[1523752], "No 239" dated "19 October 1897" for "Theophilus Smith", whose parents are "James Edmund and Mary Smith". And to further confirm their abode is "Mt. Renil".

But I did not find a second baptismal entry. Could the other child have survived? At this point I will never know. Logically based on all the facts as presented this could be the baptismal registration of one of the sons, Theophilus, born to James Edmund and Mary Smith. And Edmund does not look like Edwin... so for the time being can I rule this entry out as a part of my ancestry? No, I can't... The most I can say is that there appears a tremendous chance that this James Edmund Smith is not my great-granduncle James Edwin Smith. Further presently I do not have any family correspondence or information that there is an ancestor named James Edmund Smith... of which I could be wrong.

The one surprising discovering is the name of the person who conducted and administered the baptism is "Geo. A. Gentle"... This is definitely great-granduncle George Augustus Gentle husband to great-grandaunt Grace Eliza (née Smith) who would have been great-granduncle James Edwin's younger sister.

And I now I feel like an anthropologist!

Regards,

Jim

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Afternoon, May 15, 2009 - The Gentle Mystery Continues

Good Afternoon,

Yesterday's search proved successful! And as usual I found more than I anticipated. But what the hell, I should always expect more.

My search yesterday included a 16mm microfilm FHL1523752. The 16mm microfilms are the little ones, with tons of images, and when I'm doing surname searches the amount of time spent cranking the viewer wheel can go on forever... and ever... and ever. And at this point the surnames that I had trained my eye to pickup were: GENTLE, REDHEAD, SMITH, and STEELE. And sometimes the search can be just out and out frustrating.

And that which is, at times, really frustrating is when an image to the right looks like this! No matter what ever knob I turn or button I push or toggle I slide, I can't read the entries.

On to the GENTLE mystery...

Last night I was able to find eight baptism entries to the St. Patrick's Baptism Register. The eight were found in Item 6 of microfilm FHL1523752. The unique thing about this find is that, all-things-being-equal, it could be deemed a primary source. Great-granduncle George GENTLE, apart from being the father of each one of the eight children baptized, he was also the minister who performed the Ceremony... as well as he may have been the one who recorded the entry in the Parish Register. A super primary source!

To date the data and information gathered are:

1. Family source - 5 children,
2. Family source - 8 children,
3. Family source - 5 children,
4. Family source - 9 children,
5. Civil Registration - 7 births,
6. Historical account - 7 children, and
7. Baptism Register - 8 children.

And when comparing all the above information I calculate nine children; seven females and two males. Amazing! I can now lay out the data and record at least a some documentation for the nine individuals, all my first cousins twice removed, born to great-grandaunt Grace Eliza (nee SMITH) and great-granduncle George Augustus GENTLE. But there are still missing documentation and a few unexplained, at this point, discrepancies. As follows, in order of birth:

1. Helen Myra Elaine; born 18 July 1874 and baptized 30 August 1874.

2. Nellie Agnese; born 15 February 1876 and baptized 5 April 1876.

3. Eva Marian; born 16 July 1877 and baptized 20 August 1877.

4. George Edwin Palmer; born May 1880 and baptized 9 June 1880. No event date is given in the Civil Register.

5. Gracie Louise; born - before 11 January 1882 and baptized 11 January 1882. I have not found a civil registration entry.

6. Evelyn; born 1 August 1883 and baptized 21 September 1883.

7. Harold Hutson; birth event of 16 January 1886 was recorded 11 February 1886, and he was recorded baptized 28 December 1885.

8. Elsie May; born 12 October 1888 and baptized 4 January 1889.

9. Margaret Lilian Greaves; born about 1892.

A descendency chart could be represented as follows:

Please free to contact me to discuss this work at jsmith58@gmail.com.

Enjoy,

Jim

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Morning, May 14, 2009 - Early Smith Baptism/Birth Study

Morning,

Tampa is wet this morning. Hope you're enjoying that morning coffee. Does anyone know where I can get Jamaican Blue Mountain beans without paying through the roof?

I think I can, I think I can, I think I can... research the name Jim SMITH. Did you know that the name SMITH is the most common surname, at least in the English language? (Check out About.com:Genealogy.) James alone, on the other hand is relative, but take a gander at the at the Long-Term Trends in Personal Given Name Frequencies in the UK paper at the Given Name Frequency Project. But coupled together, I'm looking for at least two ancestors with the same name as I have, Jim/James SMITH! A research nightmare... maybe?

As I mentioned yesterday, I'm working on a review of SMITH baptism images that I was able to capture from the microfilm FHL1523656 - Parish registers, 1784-1971. Based on this information, which I must reiterate is only from microfilm FHL1523656, I have been able to construct a three-generation descendency chart that begins with my three-times (ggg) great-grandparents James and Mary Ann (nee DORET) SMITH. Included is a part of my blood line from my ggg-grandfather James, my gg-grandfather James, Jr. and my great-grandfather William James.

Please understand that the information presented here in the included descendent chart is my reading and transcriptions of the baptismal registrations as presented in the registers. I have constructed these connections many times in different models in the hope that I may 1. see something that I may have missed previously, and 2. hopefully find some clue that would open a door that would lead to more historical information of ggg-grandfather James SMITH and the Smith family.

The information in the image, created with the software GenoPro, presented here is solely based on the baptismal registrations. The following are points, abbreviations and representations that I take into account when referring only to this chart. These points are:

1. A square represents a male and a circle represents a female.

2. The year above a square or a circle is the year of the individual's baptism and/or birth, exact or approximated based on the information provided by the baptism registration entry.

3. The number within the square or circle represents the age of the person would be today calculated based on the information and dates provided in the baptism registers.

4. A blank square or circle simply means that the reviewed baptism registrations do not provide a date, either at all or legible.

5. I use a question mark, "?", to indicate that the baptism register at this point does not include a specific name(s) or surname. An example is that of gg-grandmother Cecilia Jane ?. I do know that her maiden name was THOMAS.

6. A solid link between parents does not indicate at this point that the couple are married or not married. It simply means that these are the identified parents of a person.

7. A double dashed red link is my assumption that the two persons depicted are the same person.

I would certainly appreciate hearing from anyone who may have any SMITH information and or questions. And today is my volunteer day at the Family History Center.

Enjoy your coffee,

Jim

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