Uncle Peg’s Chronicles
February 1, 2024
“Your Ghostbuster Friend”
“These were their settlements. And they kept good family
records.”[1]
Don’t forget to look for the title which is embedded in the
chronicle.
1924 – 2024 CENTENNIAL WEEK FIVE
We had many places to play and much freedom. Up on the hill was a rusty old hay baler that we’d crawl through. It’s a wonder we didn’t get lockjaw. In the little house and woodshed there were scythes and forks and any number of sharp implements. Cousin Mike’s eye came mighty close to an upturned rake hidden in the hay on the barn floor when he jumped from too high up. Down the road was the brook and the swimming hole. We’d slide down the hill behind the house, and if the snow was right, you might just keep going over the bank and onto the road. There were many dangers, and we loved them. We were generally unsupervised, and thankfully, we survived.
But, when the time came nigh for supper, or for going home, we’d be instructed to play in the dooryard.
Question
for my fellow genealogists. Is there a place, a person, a thing that inspired
your love of genealogy? For me it was the farm, and my mother’s stories that
were handed down – add that to a love of digging for clues. It could be a love of old places and
cemeteries. A history teacher who knew how to teach history, like cousin Karl.
Surprise me!
Just so you know. I am reading a book by Donald
McCaig, written in 2007 and published in New York. According to the dust
jacket, all his books are set in the south. It is called “Rhett Butler’s
People,” and is based on “Gone With the Wind.” Page 28: “In the evenings, Rhett
slumped on a chopping block in the dooryard.” Can’t believe every meme you see
on Facebook. Doesn’t matter, I’m still enjoying thinking about that word.
FAMILY ALBUM
GRATITUDE
Paula Holmes (aka this week only as Beth)
edited my William Lotham article. Then she lost it deep within the bowels of
her computer, and had to do it again. Where would I be in my genealogical
journey without you, Paula? So many mercis. See my 52 Ancestors blurb.
MY GENEALOGY GOALS
- Chronicle several times, and publish on
Thursday morning.
- Keep writing my next article for Generations,
which is about the
will of William Lotham. Francis Holmes is mentioned in his inventory both as owing money and being owed money. - Spend a bit of time on Moore
family research: “Three Peas in a Moore Pod.”
- In the evening, after chores are
done, edit the James and Augusta (Corey) Holmes family (sixth child of
Daniel and Charlotte
)genealogy. No rush on that. - Index old newspapers for NBGS. On
hold.
- Index Riverbank Visitors for
NBGS. Put old newspapers on hold while I do this.
- Do 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks blurb.
- Think about how to approach
another true book about Uncle Billy and Aunt Maggie. Because, it must be
told. It no longer needs to be creative fiction based on truth. I have
enough local colour from the gossip columns.
I finished a revision of James and Hattie (Holmes) Jones: including The
Holmes, Glocksen, and Geitz trio; on to William and Anna (Heath) Holmes. This
is the genealogy, not their stories. The skeleton.
And, Lotham’s story is written and revised. Off to Dave (editor of Generations)
it goes, just in time for the deadline. Many thanks to my faithful editor,
Paula. The next and last in my series of
wills for Generations will be our very own Daniel’s will. I’m not sure
of my take of it, though. Every other will was about what I learned from
analyzing it. I guess that inspiration will have to come as I work at it. One
thing I already did learn about it was this: if I didn’t already know the
children of Daniel and Charlotte Holmes, I wouldn’t have learned their names
from this will – the writing had faded so badly.
LOOKING BEHIND AND AHEAD
1924 to 1928
Those are the years that our great or great-great grandparents spent
renewing relationships that had somehow fallen by the wayside but with
organization, letter writing, and challenging travel – by hook or by crook –
they managed to come together again. They reacquainted and rediscovered their
family ties. And then, one by one, they died, and many of those ties died with
them.
2024
to 2028
Influencers.
We’ve all had them in different aspects of our lives. That’s what I talk about
in 52 Ancestors. Of course, there can be bad influencers as well, but, in this
case, the three influencers in my genealogical journey are great influencers. I
cannot thank them enough. I have a lot of helpers too, including the three I
wrote about, but that is a different topic.
These
three taught me many things about research, and I can never repay them in
dollars and cents. Their value is priceless. But I’d like Paula to know that I
try to pass their influence on to others who want it.
This
record of marriage is for you, Marvin, and anyone else who is studying our
Holmes family. It’s pretty faded, so I’ll tell. It is the marriage record of
your ancestors, James and Frances (Holmes) Ballantyne, and witnessed by Miss
Margaret Holmes. I believe you have seen it, but I don’t know if you studied it
or not. Frances was the eldest child of Daniel and Charlotte, and Margaret was
the second child. Sisters. If you have been following along recently, you know
Margaret as Aunt Maggie.
The
spelling is not all correct. “Ballentine,” in this case, should be
“Ballantyne.” I wish it was Aunt Maggie’s signature, but her name is
misspelled, and the writing of the court record is consistent throughout, so it
is not. I’d
dearly love to know what prompted James Ballantyne, of Smiths Falls, Ontario,
to come to little old Petitcodiac, New Brunswick.
James Ballentine (sic) of the Parish of Salisbury and County of
Westmorland of the one party and Frances A Holmes of the same place single
woman were married in the aforesaid Parish by Licence according to the Rites of
the Church of England on the twenty sixth day of July in the year of our Lord
one thousand eight hundred and sixty By me Thos McGhee,
Rector of Sussex, N.B.
This marriage was solemnized between us: James Ballantine (sic) Frances
A Holmes In the presence of Miss Mrgeret (sic) Holmes(?) Kenneth(?) Sutherland
Witnesses
Registered, 21st February 1861
52 ANCESTORS IN 52
WEEKS
52
Ancestors in 52 Weeks is a challenge by Amy Johnson Crow to write about
ancestors or other people who interest us, using a weekly prompt. For public
purposes, I changed the names. You know Beth as Paula Holmes, and Bill, as
Fenwicke Holmes. Bob’s real name is Stan.
My Fellow Ghostbusters
This week’s prompt is influencers. According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, an influencer is one who inspires or guides the actions of others. I am grateful to many people for many things, and to influencers in other areas of my life, but this is genealogy based. I chose three people who influenced me for the good in my genealogical journey. Two are in my family; one is in my genealogy society. I have changed their names, using common names from my family tree, to protect their privacy. Meet Beth, Bill, and Bob.
I think Beth and I met on Ancestry messaging. We eventually met in person, and we continue our genealogy comradeship and friendship virtually. By virtue of her career path, experience, and personality, Beth is an excellent genealogist. She has an early, battered, brown book of grammar rules that guides her editing pen. She uses discernment when she looks at records, and looks for the small details. She often edits what I write. When she assists me with a conundrum, she completes her research with a written report which includes facts and figures, stories, photos, and sources that support her conclusion. This she used to do often, but thanks to her guidance, I don’t need her help quite as often. Mind you, I will always appreciate it. Her qualifications and warm personality have influenced me to be a better researcher, writer, and hopefully, mentor to others. Beth tops off her qualifications with her friendship – she is a sender of cards, a supporter of causes, a contributor to our family social media site and its members, a sympathizer in our sorrows, a fun person to be around, and hey, she’s the same size as me. She’s small but mighty!
I met Bill in the 90s, and he’s gone now. Bill served, eventually as a general, in WWII, and afterwards in a private company, and was instrumental in developing computer ware that we all use today whenever we make a purchase. He did his genealogy the old-fashioned way. Although he would have been comfortable with internet genealogy, it wasn’t that big a thing in his genealogical heyday. He taught me many things, but his biggest influence as my first mentor was to do our genealogy correctly. In what he called his typescript, he cited his sources. If he was unsure of a fact, he noted that clearly. Bill wrote letters to family members, known or unknown, and to archivists, who he paid for research services. Our family knowledge is the richer for his correspondence. I slow down and look at the details as a result of his guidance. He called me, late one evening as we live on opposite sides of North America, with fear in his voice. I had asked him to send me a copy of our family history, compiled by family members in the 1920s. He did. He knew, and I had begun to recognize, that it was flawed. Not knowing me too well, he feared that I might take and share it as it was. I have never and hopefully will never forget his frantic voice. That, of all the genealogical advice I have ever received, has guided me to research carefully, using both common sense and records cautiously. He taught me to share what I learned. My family receives my weekly chronicle, thanks to his sharing. I met Bill personally, I think in 2008, and took him to some of our ancestors’ haunts. He was so grateful for that. I miss his wit and wisdom. Every genealogist should have and become such a kindly, giving mentor and influencer.
Bob is a fellow member in my genealogical society, although his health does not permit him to take part any more. I took on the position of branch president several years ago. How green I was. But, right behind me from the beginning, in all my society roles, was Bob. When I first became program director, he walked me out the door at the end of the meeting, giving me the piece of paper in his hand: the name and contact information of someone who, he thought, would be a good speaker. As a new president, stumbling over Roberts Rules of Order and correspondence and all the other flotsam and jetsam that goes with it, he was there. His name would show up on the telephone when he called to offer advice and constructive criticism. My husband, looking at the screen, would say, “it’s your ghostbuster friend.” By his quiet, kindly manner and his many volunteer services to the society and other organizations, he influenced me and I am sure, many others, to learn the ropes of running a society and support us in our endeavors. I miss our lengthy phone chats.
Beth taught me how to recap my research with a report. Bill taught me to write and share our family genealogy history. Bob taught me to follow the genealogical proof standard. I reread these occasionally to keep them fresh in my mind. All three taught me to be gracious, friendly, and careful. Much as I appreciate their guidance as I grow the family tree, I also appreciate the memories and their friendship.
I don’t know if anyone considers me an influencer or not, but if they do, I hope it is for good. I try, both by example and by what I say to people, to lead them to learn from the beginning to do their own genealogy, to use common sense, to follow guidelines and laws, to cite sources, to give as well as receive help, to show gratitude, and as they gain experience, to become an influencer themselves.
“How to Write
a Genealogy Research Report,” by Shelley K Bishop.
https://familytreemagazine.com/research/genealogy-research-report/
There are many
sites about the Genealogical Proof Standard. Here’s one: https://www.ngsgenealogy.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/W121-Rencher-The-Genealogical-Proof-Standard-GPS-is-Your-Friend-2MAY18GrandRapidsNGS.pdf
William Lotham (the conclusion)
C. 1600 – 1645
In the will, inventory, and probate of William Lotham, I stumbled upon a reference to Frances Homes (sic), and wrote about it in my research journal. I listed all the men in Lotham’s probate, hoping to find a common residence for them in 1645, the year in which Lotham died. Holmes was in the list of debtors to Lotham; Lotham owed money to Holmes. I pondered this – was the reference to my ancestor, Francis Holmes?
Most of my research came from books, many of which were written in previous centuries. Except for Francis Holmes, it was not in-depth. If any of these men are of interest to you, I suggest you delve into the town records whenever possible. The men I could not locate may be on-line or in a historical society. The spelling could be off enough that I could not figure out their names. Given that Lotham’s probate was dated 1645, I looked for immigrants to Connecticut, rather than natives. I tried to find each man’s approximate age and place, and any other relevant information. I should have searched New England from the beginning; Connecticut was too narrow a search. I may have erred in identifying some of them; I hope not.
At
this time, I am not satisfied that I have found Francis Holmes’ residence in
1645. I originally thought I would find all these men in the town of Hartford.
Only a few were there. After studying an early map of Wethersfield and
skimming some old books, I thought he may have lived here. I looked at the
early settlers of Milford, where some of these men lived. I did not find a
consistent location for a majority of the men and nowhere, besides this
document, did I find further mention of Francis Holmes before 1648. I am,
however, satisfied that Stamford in 1648 is no longer the first known reference
to Francis Holmes in New England. I believe that he was probably in Connecticut
by 1645, perhaps on a property close to a waterside, three years prior to his
previously known first residence of Stamford. It is possible he was already in
Stamford.
William Lotham pilots his boat from the Long Island Sound
to the quay at the waterside. At a nearby blacksmith’s shop, he unloads some of
his cargo of iron. As Lotham and Holmes settle back and stuff their pipes, Lotham
pulls out his handkerchief to wipe his face. As accustomed as he is to warm sea
breezes, he finds the heat of the forge uncomfortable. They discuss the
criminal element in their midst. “Francis, Bedle sure gave me a run for my
money on the trip to Fisher’s Island. To think that my Latham chooses that
loathsome fellow to run around with! The lad puts me to shame. I must head over
to Sticlins and see how my sow fares; she may have some piglets by now. If the
sky be clear in the morning, I’ll head across the Sound for a few days.”
FYI, the first
and last paragraphs in most of my will articles are of my own imagination. in
Lotham’s inventory, in the middle of his few items of clothing, he had six
handcharses. Google doesn’t know what a handcharse is, and neither do I,
really, but I think it’s a hankie. That’s why I had him use a handkerchief to
wipe his face. Look for the small things – they can dress up a paragraph.
Floyd O Holmes – Charles R Holmes – Daniel Holmes
The photo doesn’t show up the scar too well but if you can enlarge it (on the blog), you can see it below his mouth.
OUR
FAMILY HISTORY LESSON
Louis
Anthony Holmes 1908 - 1976
Monday evening, while reviewing the William Holmes family line, I got all tingly when I saw that someone had given Louis A Holmes a birth family. Rubbing my hands together in glee, I began to dig. First of all, who was Louis A Holmes? Louis was the adopted son of Fenwicke L Holmes and his wife, Katherine Eggleston Junkerman Holmes. He adopted Louis before he met Katherine, and she also adopted him. You may remember Katherine from the book of poetry I posted, one at a time, last year. Fenwicke L Holmes is the son of William N and Anna C (Heath) Holmes.
Do I need to know Louis’ biological family? Not really. I’d just like to, is all. What do I know about Louis? In Fenwicke’s biography of his brother, Ernest, he wrote, on page 163:
It was while
I was directing the sanitarium that I met Louis. Louis was a nine-year-old boy,
an orphan who had been adopted two or three times, and each time returned to
the orphanage. He had been mistreated and had not only resented it but resisted
it. He was, to me, an attractive, spirited child, and his spirit made an
especial appeal to my heart . . . [one of his ministerial functions was
working in orphanages and asylums] Over the months I watched what was
happening to him and then decided that, while I couldn’t do anything lasting
for a large number of them yet, I could start with this one.
And so I, a bachelor preacher embarking on a new ministry, adopted a nine-year-old son and brought him to the big home in Long Beach to be welcomed by the family. Only my father [William N Holmes] cast a shadow on the happy occasion when he shook his head and told me privately, “No woman will ever marry you now!”
“If she objects to my having rescued this poor motherless boy,” I retorted, “then I wouldn’t want to marry her!”
Ernest was in complete accord with this manner of acquiring a nephew and joined me in treating for both Louis and his easy adjustment and happiness. Just over a year later I was to meet a most lovely lady who was not only willing to marry me but had ample room in her gracious heart for Louis as well. Although she has now been gone from us for many years, he was, and is today, our son.”
Someone has attached
Louis to Landon Adrian and Della Lucrecia (Feathers) Leach. Della died shortly
after giving birth to her youngest son. She left behind six children. Mr. Leach
kept the two eldest and put the rest up for adoption, although one does not say
so. According to the 1910 census, her son Louis was eight months old in 1910.
Our Louis’ birthday, according to his WWII registration, was 23 August, 1908.
The Leach family did move to California sometime after their son, Louis, was
born. Is
it possible? It
is possible, but I find no evidence. I may work on this while I am in Guelph.
Annmarie, you may want to have a go at it, as well. If I can find the person
who added it in the first place, I will likely message him/her. They may have
personal family knowledge of this event. Given my initial research, though, I
will not copy and paste this Louis into my tree.
This ends week five of our centennial virtual celebration.
As I am
heading off to Guelph for a couple of weeks with my grandbabies, I will
probably not write chronicles for the next three weeks. I will, however, jot
down some notes, otherwise I’ll forget what I do find after they have gone to
their beds in the evening.
[i] Willard, Arthur C., compiler. “Connecticut
Historical Society Museum & Library.” 17th Wethersfield,
Connecticut. http://emuseum.chs.org/emuseum/objects/17185/17th-century-wethersfield-connecticut;jsessionid=7307D70C017574BE97A8C1C675458759
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