Uncle Peg’s Chronicles
March 28, 2024
“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.
“Quietly, I”
FAMILY ALBUM
1924 – 2024 CENTENNIAL WEEK TWELVE
GRATITUDE
The comment section from last week’s
post was pretty quiet after the previous missive, but that comment thread
continued on a bit longer. Good natured, mind you. No “unhappy dysensions.”
But, enough to continue spinning the wheels inside my head. I share this
comment from Jeannie for discussion purposes. Thanks, Jeanni. Always glad to
give you a double take.
But
when you mention things like this [the Revolutionary War] and the Civil War as
though they were "yours", I do a little doubletake. I
understand that you are so involved in the history of both countries, that it seems
natural and in context (which is fine). It just seems odd as it sounds as
though it was a Civil War that strongly affected Canada. I think it was
right around the time of your Confederation, wasn't it? And
"our" slaves did do their best to escape to Canada for more safety.
BORDERS
An Essay About Yours, Mine, and Ours
Feel free to respectfully agree, disagree,
discuss, or ignore.
The Civil War in the United States of
America is certainly part of Samuel Holmes Jr’s history, and he is my 3X
great-grandfather. He did not take part in it, but his sons did. I consider the
Revolutionary War to be “my” history, and although “our” Loyalists put up a
good fight, Americans gained their independence, and many Loyalists, the
losers, ended up in British North America. Through my maternal great-great
grandparents’ lineages, I exist. Many of us exist. Here’s a few random thoughts
that I’ve mulled over this week.
Last evening, Tuesday, I attended a
Zoom meeting about New Brunswickers who served in the Civil War. There were
some 2000 of them, and they served on both the Union and the Confederate side.
What was the draw? There was a bounty. Also, they could substitute for someone
who wasn’t able to serve. If you can get your hands on it, there’s a two-book
set written by the late New Brunswick genealogist, Daniel Johnson, called “The
American Civil War: The Service Records of Atlantic Canadians with the State of
Maine Volunteers.”
My sister (who was born in and grew up
in Canada) purchased (and has since sold) an old house in Maine. She was told,
but could not confirm, that it was a house used for the Underground Railroad. I
wonder if they hung quilts on the clothes line outside the red house – or was
the house red in the 1860s?
Union officer, brevet Brigadier General
Darius B Warner, was wounded in battle, and thereafter sent to New Brunswick as
an American Consul. He spent many days and weeks in Uncle Billy’s guest/fishing
lodge. Wikipedia doesn’t even mention that he spent much of his life in New
Brunswick. He died here in Saint John, but was buried in Ohio. Find a Grave
doesn’t mention that he died in Canada. In “Agnes Warner and the Nursing
Sisters of the Great War,” by Quinn, I read that Agnes, his daughter, was not
able “to be with her mother and siblings in Saint John when the sad news came
that General D. B. Warner had passed away at the age of eighty-five. His
obituary noted that his daughter Agnes was ‘nurse in charge of one of the
important hospitals of the French Government on the Belgian Front.’” Page 129.
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/11626209/darius-b-warner I
googled the Battle of the Plains of Abraham of 1759, part of the Seven Years’
War. I note that Lt. Gen. Robert Monckton was there, second in command to
Wolfe. For those of you who don’t know, I live on the outskirts of Moncton, so
named for that Robert Monckton.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Monckton I
read challenging historical fiction long before I started genealogy. I reckon
if it is well-researched, you can learn from it.
I read about Uncas in “The Last of the
Mohicans,” and whenever I pass through Uncasville in Connecticut, I know who it
is named for. I’ve since come across him in my study of family history. (To my
knowledge, he is not in our lineage.)
I
reviewed the War of 1812. I remember reading about Tecumseh by Thom, and his
prediction that he would die in battle the next day. Still on American soil,
but Tecumseh and his men aided the British in Upper Canada and died for it. I
read Waldo’s “Sacagawea,” and her incredible story of walking across much of
America with a baby on her back.
I’ve
read Russian writers - hard books to get through. But when I learned about cousin
Bob’s father-in-law’s story, how his mother saw a Bolshevik soldier put a
bullet into his father, Russian history gripped me. How did the young Vadim
Shaligo Koretsky and his mother escape with an icon sewn into her coat, into
China, and make their way to Canada, where Vadim had to change his surname to
Knight in order to join our military? I
learn by reading. Textbook reading, historical fiction reading, and biographies
are some of the genres. And, maybe I
learned more history in school than I thought I did. General James Wolfe died.
Marquis Louis Montcalm died the day after. The fate of Canada was pretty much
decided by that battle. I remember standing on the beautiful Plains of Abraham,
no longer bloody on the surface but stained deep beneath with old blood, and
looking down at the busy St. Lawrence Seaway. Perhaps Samuel Holmes Jr and his
new wife travelled the great river when they went to Jefferson County, New
York. Do
the spin-offs of any war or major event not exceed the boundary lines of the
countries involved? Let your wheels spin a bit. Except for recent history,
Americans’ knowledge of your country’s history also comes by reading, classwork
assignments, and perhaps television documentaries and museums and reenactments,
just like mine. I
recall, one day in elementary school, an announcement that President John F
Kennedy had been shot. I remember the shock and dismay that we children felt.
Regular classes ceased; we talked instead about President Kennedy. I remember
the morning of 911, working as a teller at the bank. I remember the silence,
and conducting bank business in whispers. Atlantic Canadians hosted many
American aircraft and citizens for several days after all air traffic
immediately ceased. Check out “Come From Away.” Just this week, on CNN, BBC,
and CBC, I watched the Francis Scott Keys Bridge collapse in Baltimore.
Canadians certainly have access to US history and are up to date on your
current events, if we want to be. Better it would be, I think, that everyone
should look beyond their borders. Maybe we should think of American or Canadian
history as a chapter in “History of Civilization.”
Canadians, or British North Americans
before 1867, were probably not as strongly affected by the Civil War, which
preceded Confederation by just a couple of years, as we were by the
Revolutionary War. Yes, some New Brunswickers went south of the border to join
the battle. Yes, your underground railroad did enter Canada. And, closer to our
family history, no sooner did the civil war end than James and Fanny (Holmes)
Ballantyne and their twin daughters, of Smiths Falls, Ontario, left for their
new beginning (and ending) in Iowa. But
the Revolutionary War? Did it affect British North America - your neighbour
across the invisible northern border? Oh yes. Definitely. Yes, it happened on
American soil. And yes, Americans still celebrate “your” victory and
independence. As well you should.
And quietly, I, a family historian,
read the petitions of your citizens. Soon to be former citizens.
The petitions of “our” family members.
If you
can get your hands on “The Civil Sword,” by Gerald Robert Vincent, it is a good
read, and not quite as biased as most history books.
MY GENEALOGY GOALS
- Chronicle
several times, and publish on Thursday morning.
- Make some
corrections in regards to last week’s chronicle.
- Keep
writing my next article for Generations, which is about the will of
Daniel Holmes.
- Spend
a bit of time on Moore family research: “Three Peas in a Moore Pod.”
- In
the evening, after chores are done, edit the Charles and Phoebe family
genealogy.
- Index
old newspapers for NBGS. On hold.
- Index
Riverbank Visitors for NBGS. Put old newspapers on hold while I do this.
I completed the review of the Peter and Hannah
Holmes family genealogy in the evenings, and started the Charles R Holmes
family. I am still puzzled by one Peter Holmes descendant. I worked on the
article by day. I wrote up the minutes of the genealogy meetings and I must
start looking for new members for our executive for the annual general meeting
in May – my least favourite job in that group.
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
I have binders full of
newsletters and chronicles, which went by different names until I settled on
“Uncle Peg’s Chronicles.” I think I’m finally happy with my choice of a title.
I am looking for something in particular: the copy of a death certificate that
Jane Williams sent me that proved which Benjamin Holmes was “our” Benjamin. By
“our,” I refer to all descendants of Francis Holmes (c 1600 – c 1675) and their
spouses. And, as always, I welcome our collateral cousins, friends, and
onlookers. The
original weekly missives were usually about a half a page long. There was
seldom a photo, or perhaps I didn’t keep the photos at the time. Thought I’d
always remember who the lady in the big hat was. Yeah, right. The few I quickly
skimmed were pretty boring. No wonder I didn’t get much response. Now I know
why. However, they do contain our history as I found it, and some contain
misinformation. I penciled some annotations in the page borders. I learn as I
go. I was surprised to learn that once upon a time, the clues I found this
year, I had already found in previous years. I just forgot that I had found
them. Somehow or other, I want
these next five years to be a celebration of sorts. I still don’t quite know
how to do that. Sharing
your comments is a start. A jumping off point. A learning, a teaching, a
respectful debate, an appreciation of our diversity, an acknowledgement of
family. Going by memory, I remember a comment that Paula Holmes made some time
ago. Her husband didn’t think he had many family members. He did, and we do. We
just don’t always know it. Or, we are too busy, and those cousins who were once
close fall away, and the second cousins might never get to know each other at
all. I
do understand that not everybody cares about those who came before, or those
they don’t know about. It’s probably more the norm. But, reacquainting with all
of my living family members has been so special to me. I don’t see you all
often, or “talk” to you as much as I should (by any communication means), but
seeing each one of my cousins in the past decade is one of the greatest
pleasures and memories of my life.
You are: Ann Marie,
Mary Jane, Margaret, Karl, Michael, Douglas, Brenda, Cindy, and Jennifer.
In my memories: Robert and Susan. My “adopted” cousins: Brett, Celia,
Julia and Emily. They don’t have any Holmes first cousins, but they have
several “adopted” Holmes cousins. In my Moore family: Nancy and Cynthia.
I love you all.
I think that is a good
place to start. Do you have a cousin you need to reconnect with?
LOT 6 DETAILS OF PURCHASE AND SALES AND WHERE
THE OWNERS WENT
A (frustrating) work in progress.
Family
– not for the article: that would be the slope above the farm
where Floyd buried the cows. As we played, we stepped carefully through that
field, trying to avoid the cow patties. Perhaps it went up to the house on the
hill where Leonard Graves lived – Gramp owned that house. Not sure. The
boundary tree is not so easily defined anymore.
From Alexander Cain to Daniel Holmes
PANB: Vol. 56, grant 9169, 1859-06-18, 100 acres F16355
FS: ZZ, page 23. Have not located
this yet.
Note that Alexander Cain’s wife was Alice McMonagle, sister
of Hugh McMonagle who owned lot 7. Another kick at the brick wall?
Is there an in between: Daniel to Abner?
Haven’t found it yet, not even in an index. More work needed.
Appears to be a mortgage between Daniel and Elias for lot
6. This shows up in the will. Details of when payments are due and interest
rate.
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HY-6S5Q-NLQ?i=343&wc=M69D-QZ3%3A13841901%2C13841702%2C15987701&cc=1392378
Appears to be a sale from Abner Jones to Elias Kinnear, Lot
6 of 113 acres
Abner purchased the homestead and move there with Hattie to
live with Daniel. Find.
From Elias to Charles Holmes
FS: B 5 page 351. I can find B 4 and B6 but not B 5
Census records: In 1888, he lived in Anagance. Children of
Elias and wife #2, Eulalia, John and Ward were born in NB. Aubrey in Anagance,
Laura in Portage Vale.
I
have come to a decision. I absolutely think this exercise in tracing land
records is important to our Holmes history. I also think I have lost some
perspective when it comes to my article. The point of these will articles is to
point out what can be gleaned from having a will – figuring out the words,
reading between the lines, looking below the surface, and following the
triggers. I’m getting way too bogged down with it, and my readers don’t need to
know every little detail. I’m having as much angst over land records as I’m
having fun with the rest of the article.
I
think I will change the POV from land records, a few of which I uncovered, to
wealth management. Try to uncover, from actual and indexed records, whether our
ancestor was poor, comfortable, or wealthy; did that change over his life time?
Was he a good money manager? Was he kind in providing mortgages at a rate of 6%
to the children that he and Charlotte seemingly gave a great homeschooled
education. I will use the first example I gave you a couple of weeks ago. Did
he make money in the conversions from pounds to New Brunswick money to Canadian
money? As a lad, he inherited land in trust. Did he sell it and use the money
to come to Petitcodiac in his late teens and buy a boggy, forested piece of
land, work it, and sell it? Did he buy and sell other pieces of land and make
money on each transaction? Did he sell the boards he sawed in his mill at the
going rate or did he gouge his clients? That’s the way the wheels are spinning –
not the words that will go in my article; it’s the banking experience kicking
in. I need to make an outline and a timeline and write a short portion. Phew.
That’s a relief.
The
photo: Portions of Lot 7 in the front, lot 6 in the back.
2008
Left
to right: Jon Bell, Paul Moore, Brett Nolte, Greg Steeves, David Moore.
FAMILY HISTORY LESSON
CORRECTIONS TO THE CHRONICLE OF MARCH 14. PART
ONE OF THREE.
Jane Williams advised me that I had three
errors in my genealogy. I am looking into the errors she mentioned; if you keep
track of these chronicles, please take note.
- “I
do not have any record of Benjamin McElmon Holmes being in the Civil War.”
As you
know, I consider “place” to be very important in genealogy. We know that Samuel
Holmes Jr and his second wife, Elizabeth McElmon, moved a couple of times.
Their children moved around some, as well.
Also
important to notes is that there were several Benjamin Holmeses living in New
York state in the Civil War era. That makes it important to note where the
Benjamins lived. I did state that Benjamin Holmes served in the Civil War, put
he probably didn’t. For James B and Lyman White Holmes, Benjamin’s brothers,
there is a lot of information to be found on Ancestry (etc) about their
service, from muster to pension records, etc. Here’s one for James B, for
example:
In most of
the records, Benjamin stated that he was born in Nova Scotia. I believe he was
born in Jefferson County, New York. However, he might have thought he was born
in Nova Scotia. I am open to suggestions about his location of birth.
Census
records:
1830 and
1840 listed heads of household only. Samuel Holmes was the head of household in
Brownville, Jefferson, NY. The ages of the children correspond to the two
letters he sent home to the McElmons c. 1838. There were two Samuel Holmeses in
Brownville in 1830. The other Samuel’s family does not line up with the
letters. Brownville is about 210 miles from Sardinia. (Google maps)
In 1850,
Benjamin lived in Sardinia, Erie, NY, with his first wife, Harriet, and one
child.
In 1855,
Benjamin lived in Colden, Erie, NY, with Harriet, three children, and a
servant.
In 1860,
Bejamin lived in Colden, Erie, NY, with three children. Colden is approximately
15 miles from Sardinia.
In 1865,
Benjamin lived in Colden, Erie, NY, with his second wife, Lorinda and one
child. I am not sure if this was the youngest child of Harriet, or a new child
with Lorinda.
In 1870,
Benjamin lived in Colden, Erie, NY, with Lorinda.
In 1875,
Benjamin lived in Colden, Erie, NY, with Lorinda.
Birth and
Death records:
I’m quite
sure Jane sent me a copy of Benjamin’s death record, stating that his parents
were Samuel and Elizabeth McElmon Holmes, but I cannot locate it. If you saw
the number of binders I have, you’d understand why. I do know, from an index
and the copy I saw previously, that he died in Colden, Erie, New York, in 1906.
Military
records:
You must
be a member of Ancestry to see this record. I did not check; it might also be
located at FamilySearch.
https://www.ancestry.ca/imageviewer/collections/1666/images/32178_1220706418_0051-00352?pId=1490866
The first
record, Class I, on which you can see that the residence of these men is
Colden, states at the top: “Class I comprises all persons subject to do
military duty between the ages of twenty and thirty-five years, and all unmarried
persons subject to do military duty above the age of thirty-five years and
under the ages of forty-five. Class II comprises all other persons to do
military duty.” It was enumerated in May and June, 1863.
The second
record, Class II, has the same statement and the residence is Colden. It has
the same enumeration date.
https://www.ancestry.ca/imageviewer/collections/1666/images/32178_1220706418_0051-00448?pId=1492517
Both
records give personal information that Benjamin was 36, a farmer, and was born
in NS. As to Class I, Benjamin was married at the time.
My
conclusion is that since these are the only military records I have found that
apply to our Benjamin, he did not serve in the Civil War.
Jane and
Annmarie, do you concur?
Here are
statements two and three. I’ll get to them.
- “Marinda
died May of 1858. She did not die in the first half of the 1860's. She was
not in the 1860 census “
- “Franklin
Freeman was in the 1860 census living with his parents. Marinda and
Franklin Freeman had one son, Franklin Freeman born in 1856, and one
daughter Mary M Freeman, born in 1858.”
Ask for the email if you wish to see the records.
This ends week thirteen of our centennial virtual celebration.
