Janet the researcher

Wordless Wednesday - Ruth Mucklow

noreply@blogger.com (Janet Iles) — Wed, 15 May 2013 15:29:00 +0000

Ruth Mucklow - a great-great aunt.

Wordless Wednesday - Great Great Grandparents Mucklow

noreply@blogger.com (Janet Iles) — Wed, 01 May 2013 15:25:00 +0000

John Mucklow and Hannah James of Alcester, Warwickshire area. They are my great-great grandparents and I descend from their daughter Sarah. John was a gamekeeper at Coughton Court.
Thank you to Danny Packman, a new found cousin, for sending me the photo and giving me permission to post. I had received this photo before but not with the two together and I couldn't see the details of the house behind.
© 2013 Janet Iles

Comments

noreply@blogger.com (Janet Iles) — Wed, 01 May 2013 15:09:00 +0000

Because of the high number of Anonymous comments including links to websites that may not be appropriate, I have turned off the ability to have anonymous postings for awhile.

I appreciate comments but all I am getting lately are anonymous postings with links.

© 2013 Janet Iles

The importance of story

noreply@blogger.com (Janet Iles) — Tue, 26 Mar 2013 14:21:00 +0000

Last week, the Rootstech conference took place in Salt Lake City. Unfortunately, I wasn't there. Fortunately, some of the presentations were live streamed. I watched those from Thursday and Friday but I am waiting for the Saturday sessions to be made available as I had a conflict and I wasn't available to watch the live streaming.

The key point that I felt that was made in those that I watched was the importance of story: our story plus those of our ancestors. How can we use technology to discover them and share them.

Last Saturday afternoon, I attended the meeting of the Bruce Grey Branch of the Ontario Genealogical Society held at the Bruce County Museum. We were reminded of the family story contest. The Rootstech presentations are inspirational so what story could I tell?

One of the rules is that it can't be a previously published work. My blog postings are considered published but I think I have an idea for a story that I haven't told before, although elements of it would have been posted. I will think about it. If I don't submit it for the contest, I will still write it up. I will let you know.
© 2013 Janet Iles

Writing - 0, New information - wonderful

noreply@blogger.com (Janet Iles) — Thu, 21 Feb 2013 20:53:00 +0000

Writing challenge update - not fairing well. I started with great intentions and I appreciate the writing prompts and ideas that I am receiving that I will find helpful as I continue on the path of updating the family history.

As I mentioned in the previous update, I had made contact with two researchers of the Mucklow family, the family that my great-grandfather Josiah Dudley had married into. The Canadian researcher and the English researcher are sharing information.

The English researcher has sent me a copy of a newspaper clipping that supports the information she had included on her Ancestry tree.

John Mucklow, father of Sarah, who married Josiah Dudley was a gamekeeper according to several records but where he might have worked was only a guess. The two possibilitlies had been Aston Cantlow or Wooton Wawen, Warwickshire. It is still possible that at sometime or other John was employed in one or both of these parishes.

Where did the newspaper say he worked? John Mucklow was a gamekeeper for Sir W. Throckmorton and he presented the case of two men with snares on property belonging to Mr. Lane in the parish of Haselor on the 14th ult. Val Mucklow says that the article was from the Redditch Advertiser, Redditch, Worcestershire and it was dated 6th ending with ber in the month 1863. So the case was before the court during September, October or November.

Closer look at the clipping shows a small heading that is partly cut off.

"PETTY SESSIONS. NOVEMBER [?] - Before [-?- -?-], [-?-] Fisher, and J. Brown, Esqrs.

GAME - Charles Tredgall and George Louch, of Alcester, were charged with [?] snares for the destruction of game on land belonging to Mr. Lane, in the parish of Haselor, on the 14th, ult.

John Mucklow, gamekeeper to Sir W. Throckmorton, [laid?] the information, and Woodward, a witness proved the case stating that between five and six o'clock in the evening of the above day, he met the defendants in the lane leading from Haselor to Aston, and there saw the defendant Tredgall set a snare in a [meuse?] or run on the bank, and saw several snares that were set within a short distance along the road that defendants came, and the defendant Louch signalled to Tredgall that some one was near, but did not see Louch set any snares, or with any in his possession. . . .

Only one brief mention of John but oh so important in the story of his life.
The Throckmortons have been owners of Coughton Court since 1409. This large estate is still lived in by the family but it is now part of the National Trust system.

This information will help me add more to the story of the life of John Mucklow. I will do some research on the work of a gamekeeper and Coughton Court and the details added will certainly make the story more interesting, I hope, for the readers.

Having this article is timely for courses that I will be taking starting in March concerning Court records and land records in England.

It is time to get back to writing more about the Dudley family and then on to the Mucklow family.

© 2013 Janet Iles

Pancake Tuesday / Shrove Tuesday

noreply@blogger.com (Janet Iles) — Tue, 12 Feb 2013 16:40:00 +0000

Today is Pancake Tuesday or properly called Shrove Tuesday or Mardi Gras. Recently, one of our ministers mentioned Pancake races. I had never heard of them before. So, it was interesting this morning as I am writing about Josiah and Sarah Dudley that I checked a reference and discovered that today in Alcester, where Josiah and Sarah lived during their early years of marriage, they are having a pancake race. This an old tradition in England going back to the 1400s.

This of course gets me to thinking did any of my English ancestors ever participate in pancake races as active participants or did they go and watch and cheer? According to the Redditch Advertiser website, Alcester has only been hosting this event for about a half century, so it would not be in that community if they ever were part of one of these races.

Growing up, we would often have pancakes for supper on Pancake Tuesday. Back in the 1980s, our youth church group hosted a pancake supper and my father pitched in to help in the kitchen. For quite a few years at Knox the Sunday School hosted a pancake brunch after church. I haven't decided yet whether pancakes will be on the menu for my supper today.

Will be pancakes be on your menu today?

© 2013 Janet Iles

Family History Writing Challenge - Update #1

noreply@blogger.com (Janet Iles) — Wed, 06 Feb 2013 16:11:00 +0000

We are at the morning of 6th of February and so far my word count is only 577 words (I wonder if it counts the footnotes?). I should have done some prepartory work before beginning. I am writing about Josiah and Sarah (nee Mucklow) Dudley. I found that I would write something from my research and then I would think - what details could I add about this or that? Where was the church located? What did it look like? Then off I'd go searching the Internet to find information. Then I would add the information and then of course, I need to cite the source.

Next, I found myself over on Ancestry.ca searching Sarah. I found a family tree that included Sarah's family and it is linked into my family. She has information about Sarah's father that I didn't have including his gravestone that she had received from one of the Mucklow descendants who lives in England as well as the name of the place where he had been a gameskeeper. This differs to what I had been told by a cousin in England but he only could give me a possibility.

Then I sent a message to the poster of the information. I heard back from her the next day. She is a sister of the wife of one of my first cousins once removed. I will get back to her with some questions and I can perhaps share some information with her. The exciting part is that she will be visiting England this summer with my cousin and his wife and they hope to meet this Mucklow descendant.

I just checked my files and discover that when I was in Salt Lake City in August 2012, I had found the tree of this Mucklow descendant and had saved some of the documents that she had included. I had forgotten that I had saved these files.

I have decided that I will update the family history that I created in 2000 and updated in 2007 that focuses on the ancestors and descendants of my parents. The expanded stories will be my focus and the new information that I found. The original was done completely on my printer and inserted in a 3 ring binder. I haven't decided on how I will do this one.

Famly History Writing Challenge

noreply@blogger.com (Janet Iles) — Sat, 02 Feb 2013 03:37:00 +0000

Yesterday, I signed up to take part in the Family History Writing Challenge created by Lynn Palermo, the Armchair Genealogist. Each day during February, those taking part will receive an email with tips to inspire us and to get us writing. Well, February 1st is almost over and I haven't written the 250 words I had hoped to get written. I didn't do any organization, although I did think about who would I write about. I think for now, I will continue with the family history blog format that I have been doing for the last few years. I hope that some of the blog articles that I have written about family could be included in a family history along with the genealogy of the family.

Goals (Genealogy) 2012 - how did I do? What are my goals for 2013?

noreply@blogger.com (Janet Iles) — Tue, 01 Jan 2013 12:30:00 +0000

Here was what I wrote for my goals for 2012 with my comments.
My main goal for this year will be organizational in nature: my office, desk, files, books, etc. so that I can be very productive in pleasant surroundings.

Well I was partially successful in this regard. The new shelving is fairly well organized but it could use some sprucing up. The filing cabinet was purchased. I purchased a three-drawer (used) lateral filing cabinet. I like the ability to have hanging files. I did some preliminary work on this but it still needs some better organization and likely purging of some materials. My challenge is that some material is in binders, some in files and some still needing to be filed.

I purchased six two-drawer plastic organizers. I use these to divide the different paper supplies. Each drawer is labelled so that it is easy to find special papers when they are needed.

I still would like to update my family history that was put aside last year.
I was unsuccessful -- I did not do this. I didn't even work on it. I did some research while in Salt Lake City but that still needs to be reviewed and incorporated into what I have.

I also look forward to helping others with their genealogical research. I always learn something new with each project.
I am very pleased that I worked on more projects for clients this year - some small and some much larger. Each was interesting and as always, I learned something new with each one.

2013
The list does not change. What I need to do next is to take these three goals and refine them by breaking them down and adding more specific details and putting in some deadlines for each portion.

© 2013 Janet Iles

Knox United Church will become Harmony Centre

noreply@blogger.com (Janet Iles) — Tue, 30 Oct 2012 13:41:00 +0000

Today is a historic day in the history of Knox United Church, Owen Sound. On the 1st of January this year the congregation made the move to amalgamate with the former Division St. United Church to become Georgian Shores United Church. The two churches were only a block apart. Both were prior to the formation of the United Church of Canada in 1925, Presbyterian Churches. Originally, they were different variations of Presbyterianism but as times changed the majority of the Presbyterian denominations in Canada became one.

Today, the sale of Knox United Church becomes final. The plan for the building is that it will become Harmony Centre run by a non-profit board. The purchasers have several plans for the building.

One that has been announced is that the basement kitchen and auditorium will be a soup kitchen run by not-for-profit Owen Sound Hunger and Relief Effort, or OSHaRE. The organization is hopeful that they will be up and running by February 14, 2013 - Valentine's Day.

It is sad to see the end of Knox but it is good that the plans are that the building will be still be used to serve the community. The former Knox congregation is pleased to see that the building will not be torn down. Since January 1, 2012, many former Knox members are now active participants in the life and work of the new Georgian Shores United Church.

OShare website Harmony Centre Website

Wordless Wednesday - Autumn Colors in Halliburton

noreply@blogger.com (Janet Iles) — Wed, 03 Oct 2012 15:02:00 +0000

Happy 100th birthday to Harrison Park

noreply@blogger.com (Janet Iles) — Sun, 15 Jul 2012 01:48:00 +0000

I have been going to Harrison Park since I was a baby. It is in the heart of Owen Sound. It is a very large park. The last couple of days, our community has celebrated its 100th birthday. I went through my photo albums and those of my parents to see if I could find photos. I was surprised that I didn't have many as I thought I would have. There were photos from different church events held there - winter fun day in the park and several worship services.

1986 June services

I also found a picture from 1941 of my mother before she was married. It was labelled taken at Harrison Park.

Edward Horton Festival, Feversham

noreply@blogger.com (Janet Iles) — Fri, 06 Jul 2012 14:04:00 +0000

July 7 to July 15, Feversham, Ontario is going to be a busy community as it celebrates the Edward Horton Festival, [Facebook page] celebrating the 200th birthday of the founder of Feversham.

Feversham might not be on the radar of many Grey County residents, especially those who live in the northern part of the County, but I hope that this event will bring more attention to it. Visitors to the Feversham Gorge - the Madeleine Graydon Memorial Conservation Area might go into the village to explore. An Internet search for Feversham Gorge will provide links to sites with photographs of the beauty of the area.

Several years while exploring the southern part of Grey County for a presentation on "Place Names in Grey County", I was travelling with a friend where we discovered this pretty spot. Our luck that day, a barbecue was set up and we had lunch as we visited with some of the members of the Osprey Museum Board. This resulted in the Grey County Historical Society paying a visit to the Osprey Museum in Rob Roy for one of our meetings.

From information received from one of the organizers of the event:

Edward Horton was born in 1812 near Brockville, Ontario, settled in Osprey Township about 1853 with his wife Jane, nee Bolton and their young family. On the Beaver River that crossed his property, he built mills and laid plans for a village where tradesmen and merchants could settle and provide their services and goods in the surrounding area. Edward Horton also served two terms as Reeve and another as Councilor in Osprey Township.

Though he died in 1864 at the age of 52, his vision and efforts began the development of the village of Feversham which has evolved through the last century from a center of commerce to a quiet country village as roads improved and larger centers at a distance could be easily accessed.

Here are some of the events:
Saturday - July 7, 4 p.m. at the Methodist Cemetery, John St., Feversham =
Unveiling of an historical plaque to commemorate the burial site of Edward Horton

Sunday July 8, - 4 - 6:30 p.m. = Annual Garden Party at Old School House Rob Roy,
all you can eat buffet. $15 at door $12 advance

Monday, July 9, 7 to 9 p.m., Osprey Community Centre, Feversham, Free admission = Dr. John C. Carter -- presentation on Ontario's Historic Barns

Tuesday, July 10, 2 to 4 p.m. Osprey Community Centre, Feversham, Free admission = Janet Iles (that's me) -- Pioneer Churches followed by John Bruce Brigham -- Abandoned Buildings and Ghost Towns

Wednesday, July 11 - Artist2 Go by Tom Thomson Gallery re-registration required

Thursday, July 12 - Dinner and Fashion Show - Osprey Community Centre 6 to 10:30 $16 at door, #12 in advance

Friday, July 13th Musical Jamboree Feversham Ball Park, Wellington St. 7-11 p.m. $2 per person or $5 family bring your own chairs

Saturday, July 14th - Re-enactment of Village Life - Mill Bridge Road, Feversham 10 to 4. Free admission. Free shuttle service from Osprey Community Centre

Saturday Dance 9 - 1, Community Centre arena, age of majority $15 at Door, $10 advance
in Community hall Teen Dance (13-18) $10 at door, $7 advance.

Sunday, July 15th Brunch at Osprey Community Centre 10 to 1 $8 per person
Church Services
1 p.m. Feversham Ball Park, Wellington St. Militia Demonstrations by Incorporated Militia of Upper Canada.

It sounds like a wonderful line up of events. I wish I lived closer to take in many of these events.

© 2012 Janet Iles

Wordless Wednesday - My aunt May

noreply@blogger.com (Janet Iles) — Wed, 04 Jul 2012 12:06:00 +0000

My Aunt May (May Litherland nee Iles) in Owen Sound likely in the 60s. Note to upper right photo of my father.

© 2012 Janet Iles

Reading and books for the 118th Carnival of Genealogy

noreply@blogger.com (Janet Iles) — Sat, 02 Jun 2012 03:12:00 +0000

For over 30 years, I worked in a public library so I would be remiss if I didn't write something about books and reading.

My mother liked to read. I do not know if books were plentiful when she was growing up on the Manitoulin Island but I know she loved it when she came to Owen Sound to finish her high school that there was a public library here. In those days, you were limited to the number of books you could borrow at a time, so she was a regular visitor as she soon had read her selections. She kept for quite a few years, a small notebook with a list of what she had read. I don't know if I still have it. It could be in one of the unpacked boxes.

My mom and dad also purchased the condensed Reader's Digest books -- a way to read many of the popular books when you didn't have a lot of time. When they had the supermarket, they worked long hours. When I travelled with my parents to some Caribbean Islands, we would spend many hours reading and relaxing.

I had a library card as a child but I don't recall titles from the early years. My siblings and I had a small collection of books. I remember as a pre-teen and teen, curling up with books at the cottage, especially on a rainy day. I read the Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew, Sue Barton nurse stories and Cherry Ames.

The first five years working at the library, I spent in children's services. Oh how I loved reading the picture books to the children in the pre-school group, "My Mother and I'. As part of my reader's advisory work, I needed to know the collection, so it was my delight to bring home children's books to read.

I have found since I got interested in genealogy, my reading has changed from reading mostly fiction to reading more non-fiction books, journals and magazines. In fiction, I enjoy mysteries, historical fiction and family stories. My personal library collection consists mainly of reference type material relating to genealogy and local history.

When I retired, I joined a book club, which has introduced me to some authors that I would not likely have picked up, but I have really enjoyed reading. During the year, we have several months where it is reader's choice: a particular author or a summer read. For the other months, a variety of books are chosen. The group purchases with our monthly fee several copies of each title that are shared amongst our small group. This year, to encourage more discussion, we are taking turns on being the discussion leader. So far this has been working out well. We also love to eat and chat about what is going on.

One book on our reading list was Kate Grenville's The Secret River, an historical fiction based on her great-great-great grandfather. This lead me to read Searching for the Secret River: a Writing Memoir. This is a book I would recommend to genealogists and local historians as it describes her research process in Australia and England to get the background story of her ancestor.

© 2012 Janet Iles

noreply@blogger.com (Janet Iles) — Tue, 22 May 2012 15:31:00 +0000

I received this photo from Brad Buckle of Collingwood who found my blog when he was researching the Black cemetery in Priceville, he found my article on the Priceville Cenotaph.

The photo taken 5 October 1916 shows the Flesherton Greys WW1, 36 of them leaving for overseas with all their family members in the background.

Thanks Brad for sharing this.

© 2012 Janet Iles

Wordless Wednesday - Dudley Brothers

noreply@blogger.com (Janet Iles) — Wed, 02 May 2012 20:47:00 +0000

Lily Iles (nee Dudley) with J. Gilbert Dudley

Charles H. Dudley

Article on what was learned about them from the 1940 United States Census

Carnival of Genealogy - Finds on the 1940 US census

noreply@blogger.com (Janet Iles) — Tue, 01 May 2012 02:43:00 +0000

Not wanting to be left out of all the excitement of the release of the 1940 United States census, I asked myself, who of my relatives that went to the United States would be living in 1940. I went to my family history database and did some checking. There should be at least one Hemingway family, a Stiver family and of course, the two siblings of my grandmother Iles, Josiah and Gilbert Dudley.

Thanks to Ancestry.com making circa 1930 documents available for free up until the 10th of April, I decided to take advantage of this opportunity to see what I could find about the Dudley brothers. I had never searched for them in any of the American census records. I knew that one had gone to Boston, Massachusetts and one had gone to Providence, Rhode Island. I mentioned them in a recent article about their mother.

Josiah Gilbert Dudley
A search of the 1930 census found him listed as J Gilbert Dudley, aged 55 with wife Mary E. aged 55 and Esther Barlow, his sister-in-law, living in Providence, Rhode Island at 106 Porter Street. They were renting a place for $35 a month. He is listed as a designer of stained glass. Knowing their enumeration district and the Steve Morse conversion of the ed, I was able to locate the family in the 1940 census living in the same dwelling.

Sister-in-law, Esther provided the information for the enumerator. They were now paying $30 a month as rent. Gilbert is 64; Mary is 65 and Esther is 59. They all were born in England. The two sisters came to the United States in 1891 and Gilbert came in 1892. Gilbert's occupation is listed as artist, owner in a Stained Glass works. Esther is a secretary to a physician. Mary has no occupation listed.

I was also able to locate an index entry on Familysearch for Josiah G Dudley, 35, in 1910 in ward 6 of Providence Rhode Island with his wife, Mary E., 35, and daughter Marion G. aged 11 years. His year of immigration is given as 1893. Familysearch also has the 1915 Rhode Island State Census entry for them. Ancestry.com has the marriage index for Rhode Island. It gives the marriage of Mary E. Barlow and Josiah G. Dudley as 21 December 1897.

While on the Ancestry.com website, I decided to check for his naturalization information. I located it and learned that Josiah Gilbert Dudley arrived at the port of Boston, Massachusetts on 14 June 1892 and was naturalized 25 June 1904 and was living at 71 Rugby Street. His place of birth is given as Derby, England.

Charles Henry Dudley
In 1930, Charles H. Dudley, aged 53 is living on Cottage Street in Boston Massachusetts with his wife Jennie M., aged 42 and born in Connecticut, and son Gilbert C. aged 19 years. Charles owned his home and it was valued at $10,000. Charles was a barber. His year of immigration was given as 1908. I had always thought that he had left England earlier than my grandmother (his sister). Ten years later, their home's value has decreased to $9,000. Jennie provided the information.

Further research provided me with more information. I located him in the 1910 and 1920 census records. His naturalization record of 9 March 1925, gives his birth information as 22 February 1877 in Matlock, England. He is a barber and his wife's name is Jennie. Charles was living at 700 Columbia Road, Boston. Ancestry.com also has his passenger record. He arrived in Boston on board the Saxonia on 23 July 1908.

My curiosity about the 1940 census led to quite a bit of information on both of my great uncles and clues for further research.

To see photos of the two brothers, see the Wordless Wednesday posting.

© 2012 Janet Iles

Carnival of Genealogy: Women's History Month 2012

noreply@blogger.com (Janet Iles) — Sun, 01 Apr 2012 01:59:00 +0000

For this Carnival, I thought I'd would share what I know about Sarah Mucklow, my great-grandmother.

Sarah was baptized the 16th of September in 1849 in Arrow, Warwickshire. Her parents were John Mucklow and Hannah James. According to Free BMD website, her birth was registered in the September 1/4 1849. This is a record that I could order.

I have her in the census records for 1861 to 1901 -- 1861 in Exhall, 1871 in Alcester, 1881 in Birmingham, 1891 in Aston All Saints Bordesley and 1901, Aston, St. Andrew. So I need to find her in 1851 and 1911.

Sarah married Josiah Dudley 28 July 1867 in Haselor, Warwickshire.

The family story that I have been told about her is that she had 22 children: three sets of twins, two sets of triplets but only four survived to adulthood.

So far, I have found only 5 children
Bertha Ann baptized 10 March 1869 -- she appears on the 1871 census A search of Free BMDs give this listing but not in the 1881 census where you would expect to still find her living with her parents. The following death is likely for her.

death March 1875 quarter

DUDLEY

Bertha Ann

Derby

391

Next I have Joseph Gilbert.
This could be him

birth March 1875 quarter Dudley

Josiah Gilbert

Derby

479

Next I have Charles H. born about 1875
Could this be his birth registration
birth June quarter 1877

Dudley

Charles Henry

Bakewell

753

Both Joseph and Charles move to the United States to live.

My grandmother, Emily Lily was born 31 January 1884 in Birmingham.
Her registration March quarter 1884

Dudley

Emily Lily

Birmingham

The last known child was Rose who was born 8 May 1889.
This is likely her registration - June quarter 1889.

Dudley

Rose May

Aston

289

Sarah's husband died 17 November 1901. Josiah's trade had been a bricklayer.

Although, I have been told by relatives that Sarah died in 1922, the registration that looks like a match for her is not until 1924.

Deaths Sep quarter 1924
Dudley Sarah 56 Birmingham 6d 198

As I review what I know about her, I see there are large gaps between some of the known children. Did she actually have 22 children? That remains to be seen.

---

Baptism: Sarah Mucklow baptismal record Arrow Parish Church, Warwickshire, microfilm 549945, Family History Library, Salt Lake City, Utah.

Bertha Ann Dudley baptismal record Alcester Warwickshire Parish Records. FHL #0537290
Sarah Mucklow -- Josiah Dudley marriage Church of England. Parish Church of Haselor p. 26 FHL 557286 item 1
© 2012 Janet Iles

Saturday Night Genealogy Fun - How Many Surnames

noreply@blogger.com (Janet Iles) — Sun, 11 Mar 2012 00:42:00 +0000

Randy Seaver has asked about the surnames in our Genealogical Managment Program. I use Brother's Keeper for my own research. I did the surname report and requested that it be put in order from the greatest number of surnames to least.

The top one was Smith 259
Stiver 242
Johnston 226
Helmkay 185
Archibald 135
Iles 130
Hemingway113
Hagerman 113
Williamson 107
Love 98

Except for Smith which is both on my maternal and paternal side and Iles on my paternal side, all the rest I believe are from my maternal side.
© 2011 Janet Iles

Flash Family History - Johnston and Love

noreply@blogger.com (Janet Iles) — Sat, 03 Mar 2012 15:51:00 +0000

The following is a flash family history for my maternal grandparents. I didn't get this completed in time for the Carnival of Genealogy. The histories are each less than 300 words. I found these more difficult to write as I know less about my maternal grandparents. I had been raised across the road from my paternal grandparents up to the age of seven and then since we lived in the same city we saw them regularly. I attended my paternal grandparents' funerals but not those of my maternal grandparents.

Janet Johnston (for whom I am named) was born in 1 May 1883 in Sandfield Township, Manitoulin Island, Ontario. Her parents were Josiah Hemingway Johnston and Agnes Chambers. She was the middle child with four siblings older than her and four younger than her. They were Isaac Maurice, Mary Elizabeth, James Earnest, Gordon Rudman, David Augustus, Amy Isabel, Charles and Walter Lloyd.

On 11 May 1909, she married John Thomas Love of Carnarvon Township at the home of her parents’ in Silver Bay. Janet who often went by Gertrude (her middle name) or Gertie moved to the Love family farm near Mindemoya where they raised five children: Agnes Elizabeth, Winifred Eleanor, James Everett, Ross Augustus and Marion Gertrude. Across the lane lived her husband’s parents and his siblings.

My mother in a journal wrote: "I remember my mother as always rushing around doing things & waiting on us." Isn't it interesting that is my picture of her too? In latter years, Janet was very stooped over. During her life, she never had an electric refrigerator. I can picture her running around to the side of the house to go to the basement to get things that had been put in the cold cellar to cool. Electricity came first to the barn. I can't recall if they had indoor plumping during her lifetime. There was a large wood stove in the kitchen and a door at the bottom of the stairs going up to the bedrooms.

Allied family names from the marriages of her siblings are Smith and Wilson. Allied family names from the marriages of her children are Cox and Iles.

Janet died in 14 June 1958 in Carnarvon Township. She is buried in the Mindemoya Cemetery, Lot 16, Concesssion 3 Carnarvon Township.

John Thomas Love was born in 25 August 1884 to James Love and Elizabeth Fields Robinson in Carnarvon Township, Manitoulin Island. The majority of his life was spent on the family farm. His siblings were Jane, Agnes Hamilton, Cora, Norman Luther, Laura Jane, Ethel Mae, James Lorne, Margaret Isabel and Grace Elizabeth. Jane, Agnes, Norman and James died at a very young age. John’s father died tragically in a farm accident in 1914.

John’s home where he raised his family was across the lane from where he had lived until his marriage. He married Janet Gertrude Johnston of Sandfield Township at the home of her parents’ in Silver Bay on 11 May 1909. John and Janet had five children: Agnes Elizabeth, Winifred Eleanor, James Everett, Ross Augustus and Marion Gertrude (my mother).

John was according to my mother a very strict person. He ate potatoes at every meal. John died 7 March 1961 in Little Current at the home of his eldest sister. He is buried in the Mindemoya Cemetery, Lot 16, Concession 3, Carnarvon Township.

Allied family names from the marriages of his sisters are: McGill, Hopkins, Miller, Wilson and Boyd. Allied family names from the marriages of his children are Cox and Iles.© 2011 Janet Iles

Flash Family History -- Iles and Dudley

noreply@blogger.com (Janet Iles) — Fri, 02 Mar 2012 03:10:00 +0000

Each of their stories are 300 words or less.

Born in Naunton, Gloucestershire, England on 1 February 1885, my paternal grandfather, William George Iles, was the eldest son of George Iles and Emily Pugh. Because of the nature of his father's work as a bone and rag man, hawker and later a grocery carter, the family moved many times. His siblings were Edith, Alice, Ethel, Albert Valentine, Emmanuel James, Harold Edward, and Lillian Ruth. By 1900, the family was living in Small Heath, Birmingham, England.

William was employed with the railways. In 1903, he married Emily Lily Dudley. He immigrated to Canada in 1905 with his wife and young daughter, May, his mother and siblings. His father most likely came the previous year.

In World War I, William served his country with the 58th Canadian Infantry Battalion in France as a bandsman and a stretcher bearer. William was employed as a nickle-plater with the Empire Stove and Furniture Company in Owen Sound for 45 years.

William began playing cornet as a boy of 14 in England and he soon joined a Salvation Army Band. When he came to Owen Sound, he reorganized the Salvation Army Band and became its bandmaster. He also took over leadership of the Legion Band that eventually became the Owen Sound City Band. It is through his work with the brass bands in the city that he became best known. He taught many young people how to play a brass instrument.

William died in 1964.

William and Emily had at least ten children: Edith May, Iva Ella, Daisy Gladys, Clarence William Albert, Wilfred George Dudley, Harold Ballantyne (my father), William, Clifford Harvey, Emanuel Kenneth, and William Charles.

Allied surnames through the marriage of his sisters are Dyson, Fearnall, and Brooks. Allied surnames through the marriage of his daughters are: Litherland, Banks, and Barber.

Emily Lily Dudley was born in 31 January 1884 in Birmingham, England, to Josiah Dudley, a bricklayer, and Sarah Mucklow. Three siblings, Joseph Gilbert, Charles and Rose May, lived to adulthood.

In 1901, Lil's father died. Two years later, she married William George Iles, in the Register office.

Lily came to Canada in 1905 with her husband, baby girl, May, William's mother and his siblings. Her brothers had already immigrated to the United States. She left behind in England, her sister, Rose and her mother, Sarah.

The 1911 census shows the George and William Iles families living outside Owen Sound. What a contrast after living in the crowded city of Birmingham. The family moved into Owen Sound, a small town, where Lil lived the rest of her life.

Until her death, Lily was a member of the Salvation Army, but her husband and some of the boys left the Salvation Army to join the United Church of Canada. I have been told that she played the timbrel (similar to a tambourine).She was an active member of the Home League.

Lil was mother to nine who lived to adulthood: three daughters and six sons, with none living now. During World War II, five sons served with the Canadian Armed Forces. Fortunately, all returned home.

She knit baby sets and sweaters for her young grandchildren. She was grandma to over thirty grand-children. When she got older and her vision was getting poorer, grandpa wrote out the patterns on cardboard to make it easier for her to follow.

They celebrated their sixtieth wedding anniversary with a family dinner. In attendance were her six sons and three daughters, twenty-eight grandchildren and thirty-three great grandchildren.

In her later years, she became quite frail, but she still had the sparkle in her eyes. She died in 1967.

Too late for the COG, I posted stories about my maternal grandparents.

© 2012 Janet Iles

Saturday Night Genealogy Fun - Ahnentafel Roulette: Hannah Cowley

noreply@blogger.com (Janet Iles) — Sun, 19 Feb 2012 01:03:00 +0000

Randy Seaver has put out his Saturday night Genealogy fun challenge - Ahnentafel Roulette

To find our person: " (1) What year was your paternal grandfather born? Divide this number by 100 and round the number off to a whole number. This is your "roulette number."

2) Use your pedigree charts or your family tree genealogy software program to find the person with that number in your ancestral name list (some people call it an "ahnentafel"). Who is that person?

3) Tell us three facts about that person in your ancestral name list with the "roulette number."

Using the computation guidelines, my person of interest this evening is #19: Hannah Cowley, my great great grandmother.

I have written about Hannah Cowley and the process of finding the marriage registration for her second marriage to William Clifford in a blog post but I will give a little more information today. As per the instructions from Randy, we are to share three things about her.

1. Hannah Cowley, daughter of Thomas Cowley married first Charles Pugh 13 May 1850 at King Sutton's Northampton Parish Church.

2. In the 1851 census she is listed as Hannah Pugh, married woman and daughter in the home of Thomas Cowley in Donnington, Gloucestershire. She has a baby Mary Ann 6 months born in Donnington.

3. In the 1861 census, Hannah Pugh is in Maugersbury Workhouse, with two children: Mary 11 born at Donnington and Emily 10 months born at Maugersbury Workhouse. Hannah is listed as a pauper.

2012 Janet Iles

2012 - what are my goals?

noreply@blogger.com (Janet Iles) — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 12:46:00 +0000

I am glad to see that I am not the only one who is late in posting their goals for 2012.

I was successful last year in publishing In Grateful Remembrance: Honouring the Men from Knox, who Paid the Supreme Sacrifice. Sales haven't been great but my main goal was to honour these men but of course, I would be very happy to sell some more. Finishing the book took the first eight months of the year.

I had several speaking engagements that I really enjoyed and I did some client work that included some challenges.

During the last four months of 2011, my focus was the sale of my house and purchase of a brand new home. I have been moved in now for two weeks but oh the boxes that are beckoning to be unpacked. The majority of what remains to be organized relates to genealogy. The new shelving units need to be anchored to the wall before I can fill them and I need new filing cabinets.

My main goal for this year will be organizational in nature: my office, desk, files, books, etc. so that I can be very productive in pleasant surroundings.

I still would like to update my family history that was put aside last year.

I also look forward to helping others with their genealogical research. I always learn something new with each project.
© 2011 Janet Iles

January 1, 2012 - An ending and a beginning

noreply@blogger.com (Janet Iles) — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 14:43:00 +0000

January 1st is often a day of reflection on the year past and looking forward to what the new year will hold. Today, I am reflecting on not only one year but many years. Today, is a day of mixed emotions.

Today, at about 11 a.m. Knox United Church, Owen Sound will cease to exist as a place of worship. Since 1873, when the congregation of Knox Presbyterian moved into a brand new building, this building has been the church home for many. They had outgrown the frame building, several blocks away.

The congregation has its roots in a Free Presbyterian Church that was officially recognized in the village of Sydenham, as Owen Sound was then known, in 1846. That church became known as Chalmers' Church. In the early 1850s, changes were happening. Some left to establish a church below the hill. Some were likely not comfortable being part of the Free Presbyterian because they had been members of the Church of Scotland and as the community was growing in size, there were enough people to have an another place of worship for Presbyterians/Church of Scotland in the village. Amongst the folk of Chalmers, some wanted the church to be closer to the country as Chalmers had drawn people from the countryside. The ministers from Chalmers had also travelled to different parts of Grey County to provide the Sacraments.

In about 1855, Knox Presbyterian Church was formed and in 1857, the congregation of Knox moved to a frame building on Boyd's Street (5th Avenue East), which was located below the hill. Because of missing documents, the earliest records that I have found so far, that show the name Knox in existence were from 1863. The congregation outgrew the frame church building and thus the move to the present building in 1873.

The church building was enlarged in 1886 and a Sunday School wing added in 1908. Some structural changes were needed when the Casavant organ, opus 794, was added in 1919. It was dedicated to the memory of the soldiers from Knox who had paid the supreme sacrifice in the Great War.

For some people, they say it is just a building. The church is a people and that we shouldn't get attached to a building. I say it is like your family home. When you leave your home even if it is for a happy reason, it is still a change. You are leaving a place of many memories -- happy and sad.

For me Knox has been my church home all my life. Even when I went away to attend school and to teach in Northern Ontario for one school year, I never left Knox as a church member. The last few years, I have spent many hours in researching the church's history. I am a third generation member of Knox. Some have been a part of this church family as a fifth generation member.

Talk of amalgmations and closing of churches is not a new thing. Even when I was a teenager, some suggested that Owen Sound had too many United Churches (five in a city of less than 20,000 people). Some thought Knox should close back then. Owen Sound currently has four United Churches and in a couple of hours, there will be three. The large number was due to the formation of the United Church of Canada in 1925, some had been Methodists while others had been Presbyterian.

During the last couple of years, Knox has been looking at is options. On May 15, 2011, the congregations of Knox United and Division St. United both voted to amalgamate with each other. It was not to be a merger but an amalgamation. It has been compared to a marriage where there has to be give and take on both sides. Like in some marriages, one will go to live in the home of the other.

Since May, two committees have worked very hard to make this transition go as smoothly as possible: the Joint Amalgamation Committee (composed of members of both congregations and a representative of Northern Waters Presbytery) and the Joint Needs Assessment Committee [JNAC] (composed of members of both congregations and two representatives of Northern Waters Presbytery). I served on JNAC.

This morning, both congregations will begin their services in their own buildings. Part way through the service, both congregations will exit their buildings. Let's hope the weather will cooperate. Some special items from Knox will be carried down the street to the former Division St. building.

We will gather together outside and enter together into Georgian Shores United Church to conclude our time of worship. There will be a New Years Levee to follow with light refreshments.

On January 1, you also look ahead. We know the months ahead will be a time of adjustment for members of both former congregations. There will be times, we will say but we did it this way in my church. As in a marriage, you choose to honour traditions of your birth family but you also develop your own traditions. So it will be with Georgian Shores.

I am sure that some tears will be shed today as we say goodbye to our church building (I have shed some already this morning) but we look forward to new possibilities for service and worship with a larger congregation. May God bless this union and each one who will be part of it.

© 2011 Janet Iles