Thursday, April 11, 2024

There Are Many Mistakes in It

 

Uncle Peg’s Chronicles

April 11, 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.

 

“There Are Many Mistakes in It

 

FAMILY ALBUM




 

                Most of us who read this chronicle had the opportunity to view a total eclipse of the sun on April 8. I thought this event should be recorded in our history. I saw lots of pics. So many cute pics of Holmes kids, how to choose, so I chose these grownup kids in their fancy glasses. Keith and Alisha Burden, of the Carrie Steeves line.

“Together, we can make it to the end of the line . . .

Turn around bright eyes.

A total eclipse of the heart.”

~ written by Jim Steinman, released by Bonnie Tyler in 1983.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9z-Mh9Qeinw

 

GRATITUDE

 

Grateful to Carolyn, Jeanni, and Marvin this week. Your replies made me happy.

 

From Carolyn – “This news about DNA of deceased love ones is intriguing! On my mother’s side, they did those memorial Victorian hair wreaths. Lots of DNA in those!”

 

From Jeanni – “You do keep Annmarie busy with some unusual things . . .“ Suppose they were talking about me? Hmmm . . . . “You're lucky to have found a Holstead who is in the same area and ready to help you. FamilySearch was difficult even long ago before they ‘made it easier.’ I would love to find some in the Lloyd line but the one great [contact] I found didn't want to do any more research and wasn't too eager to share anything.”                                                                                                                                                                                      Hope that’s okay, Annmarie. Ralph, our Holstead connection, is far, far away from me, but I think he’s been to Nova Scotia, and from all the work he’s doing along with the map, he must know the geography almost as well as I do, although nothing beats being here. And people who don’t want to share, without good reason, are always a disappointment.

From Marvin – “Good reply to the ‘borders’ controversy.  You are right of course. I never imagined learning about Scottish migration to Canada until I learned about the Ballantynes and was astounded to learn about the War of the Polish Succession and how that affected a Swiss teenager which led to one of his descendants marrying into the Davis family some two hundred years later.  Most Americans (myself included) know little about Canada. I was just surprised that Canadians used the same terms for the two wars since the United States until a couple of years ago couldn't decide on a single name for the Civil War. Different history books used names like War Between the States and the War of Northern Aggression, etc. P.S. I'm going to have to do some more research into the General Warner you wrote about.”                          I still like “Late Unhappy Dysensions,” although it seems to minimize the awfulness of that (or any) war. Love it when I can send someone down a rabbit trail, or as Annmarie once said, a fox hole.  

 

MY GENEALOGY GOALS

 

  • Chronicle several times, and publish on Thursday morning.
  • Make some corrections in regards to the March 14th 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.

 

Well, I need to get busy on some gen society stuff, but this past week, I focused on the article and the descendant chart. I managed to figure out how to find old land records on FamilySearch. They are a challenge, but helpful for a deep dig.

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

                In 1926, the Holmes reunion folks travelled to the Petitcodiac area of New Brunswick for their reunion. They met at the home of Charles R Holmes. Carrie and Peter, as well as Charles, were the children of Daniel and Charlotte who made it to the gathering, along with some children and grandchildren. This week, I researched the provenance of the Charles R Holmes property in Hill Grove up until the date that Charles purchased it. The name Hill Grove doesn’t come up in lots 6, 7, and 8. They were said to be located on the Corn Hill. I know Corn Hill as the next community up, but obviously, this would be correct. Someone had to do a lot of cooking to feed 44 people. That doesn’t sound like something Phoebe, wife of Charles, would do, but who knows.                                                                    In working on the provenance of Lot 7, I have to send $8 to the provincial archives to get a copy of the original land grant of Hugh McMonagle, but I do have the unofficial information I need. It takes six to eight weeks to get it. I wanted to tell you the exact details, like what kind of tree marks the property line, or was it a stake? How many rods did it take to encircle 100 acres more or less? I will have to wait. Trying to decide, while I’m at it, whether or not to get the other two grants. Three times the money, but only one stamp!

Hill Grove, Reunion of the Holmes Family in 1926.

A portion of Lot 7, at this time owned by Charles R Holmes.

I recognize a few people, but not all, and the clipping that follows doesn’t help much.




 

 

WHERE IN THE WORLD ARE . . .





 

 

Jen and Jon Bell (left) are in Spain. Jen is in the Charles R Holmes line. Karl and Pauline (right) are also in Spain, and Karl is also in the Charles R Holmes line. Jen and Karl are first cousins. Do you suppose they will bump into each other?



Eric and Aun Holmes and the twins are in Thailand. They are in the William Holmes line.

 

These folks are sharing some beautiful photos on their Facebooks.

  

 

TENTATIVE EXCERPT FROM MY DANIEL ARTICLE

 

This will be near the end. I thought the probate portion was an excellent use for this.

 

STORY

 

There comes a point in every piece of writing that you must say, ‘enough. I have researched it. I have read it so many times I don’t see the details any more. I have revised it umpteen times.’ That is when you hope your trusty editors aren’t tired of reading your hen scratching. Believe it or not, there are errors. There are omissions. There are anachronisms. There are portions (sentences, paragraphs, sections) that are were clear in your brain but are totally nonsensical to others. Now you gingerly pass it over to those editors you’ve worked with long enough to know that they will take their red pen to it. They’ve been faithful for so long: FIRST NAMES. I also looked for beta readers, and these individuals read for me:  FIRST NAMES . I only wish my Mum could read it. I know exactly what she’d do: she’d annotate in pencil in the margins, trying not to mess up my temporary manuscript but telling me that it didn’t happen quite that way, or that Gram wouldn’t like it that I told that particular fact. But she would be so happy to read it. ~ Peg Vasseur

 

 

PROBATE

“Petitcodiac

Oct 2/86

 

C. E. Knapp

     Barrister

          Dorchester

 

Dear Sir

                I enclose certified Copy of the Final Account in re Daniel Holmes. It needs correcting as there are many mistakes in it. Please compare it and Return.

 

                                                                                                Judge

                                                                                                     F. W. Emmerson”

 

FACTS

 

Indeed, there were errors, omissions, annotations, and requests for clarifications in my manuscript. Editors make it better. I am forever grateful to them.                                      

 

FAMILY HISTORY LESSON

 

CORRECTIONS TO THE CHRONICLE OF MARCH 14. PART THREE  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.

“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.”           This is what I said: “Marinda and Franklin Freeman had two sons born in the 1850s, and Franklin remarried in 1865 to Alice Hewett. They probably had ten children. I don’t know anything about his war experience.” I don’t think that part is wrong; I just didn’t add the details to my little essay. However, young Franklin and Mary are in our Holmes family history. The other (maybe) ten children were born to Alice.

I have not done much research on these two children. I did follow the census records, however. I do not see them on the 1860 census. Their father was, in 1860, living in the household of his parents, Loyal and Elmira Freeman, at dwelling number 609. He was a shoemaker. Dwelling number 610 is unoccupied. I am curious about the two children, alone, at dwelling 611: Ellen Stillman, age 11, and Frank L ditto, age 4; two minors. I’m not saying that is our Frank; there is no Mary there. I just find it odd.            In the 1865 New York State census, Franklin, age 29, and Alice, his wife, age 17, live in the household of his parents and siblings, and Franklin’s two children, F L and M M Freeman, are there as well. They are next in line to the Burdick family, where John, who we believe to be the husband of the late Margaret Mariah Holmes (daughter of Samuel and Elizabeth Holmes) is staying in the household of his brother. That is beside the point, but important down the road when I review Margaret Mariah Holmes.                                                                                     In the 1870 census, Frank and Alice Freeman are in Yorkshire, Cattaraugus County, NY, with Frank, age 14, Mary, age 12, and Fred, age 2. Frank is still a shoemaker. Loyal and Elmira, his parents, are next on the list.                                                                                                   In the 1875 New York State census, Mary, age 17, is listed as a granddaughter in the household of Loyal and Elmira. After that I lose her. There are several Mary M Freemans; I haven’t done the research yet. I see several Frank Freemans in the 1875 census, but haven’t decided on one. I believe Frank died in 1903, leaving two children, Blanche and Loyal.                                                                                                                                        There is more work needed on the two children of Marinda and Franklin. I believe this will suffice for my purposes, for the time being.



This ends week fifteen of our centennial virtual celebration.

 

 

 

 

 

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