New Brunswickers Lost at Sea

A few years ago I started gathering names of the people of New Brunswick, Canada who were lost or died at sea.  A few months ago I began added them in spreadsheet form to create a new database which is up to almost 300 people.

Some are larger wreck or gales that sank as many as 20 boats.  Others added are seaman from New Brunswick that shipped around the world and died from accident or illness. Fisherman in smaller boats is also included.

Taken from Old Newspapers, diaries, books, and archives it is growing daily.

Some families and communities lost so much to the sea. (see below) Capt. Gilbert Alwin Hoar, his wife was Izetta Mary Daniels, daughter of Capt. William Daniels and Nancy Edgett, her brother Capt. Albert Daniels.

"Hopewell Hill (Albert Co.) Oct. 4 - Advices received here last night state that the masters of the three-masted schooner "Valkyrie" of St. John, commanded by Capt. G.A. HOAR, formerly of this place, have given the vessel up for lost. It is considered the only hope of the crew's safetly is the possibility that they might have been taken off by a passing vessel. Capt. Hoar, the last few years, has been residing in St. John and his wife and family are now there. Mrs. Hoar is a d/o late Capt. Wm DANIELS of Hopewell, whose vessel, the "Alice Carey", foundered at sea on a voyage from the Memramcook quarry to Baltimore, about 25 years ago, all hands, including the captain, being lost. Mrs. Hoar's brother, Capt. Albert DANIELS, was also lost at sea with his crew a few years ago while in command of the brig "Emeline"."
The Daily Sun, Saint John, New Brunswick, 5 Oct 1893 (from PANB Newspapers)


It contains Names, Date of loss, Name of ship, place of birth/residence, age and family if noted.  The sources of the information are also available.

At some point, I hope to add all of the Maritimes but one Province at a time is more manageable.

If you have a family member or ancestor from New Brunswick that is known to have perished at sea please leave a comment or e-mail me directly with sources.

If you are looking for someone before the list is up also feel free to contact me with questions.

I will add an updated blog when I feel it is ready to go online and what format I have decided to use.  Right now I am thinking Google Doc's might be the best.

I welcome your thoughts, suggestions or information.

Michele

Grampy was an NPE

Blogging does not come easy to me.  So I don't do it as often as I would like. That said I will be trying to post my genealogical thoughts more this year.

NPE's or Non-Parent Expected - is a term in Genetic Genealogy that most know but not many had to deal with until the last few years.  With the advancement of Autosomal (atDNA) testing and the sheer numbers of people testing NPE is becoming very well known to most.

I started testing family almost 8 years ago now.  I read and researched to understand how atDNA worked and began charting all my family matches and where they fell into my tree.

Shortly after I started helping others, adoptees and people who were confused by their DNA test because they didn't match to the family they thought they should.  I will admit I started many on their journey by sending a note to request information to how we related on a specific line of my family.

Most would say they have no ancestry with that name or in that area and I learned quickly to leave it alone.  All of them would come back later finding they didn't belong to their father or that one of their parents didn't belong to theirs.

I had helped many using paper trails in past years to find birth families so adding DNA was a natural progression.  It is challenging and emotional but I am so thankful for the people who I have met along the way.  Some have become chosen family to me.

A few years ago I knew something was not right with one line of my family, so I tested my maternal aunt, my mother had passed several years before DNA have become affordable, neither of us was getting matches to my grandfather's paternal line.  As I have mentioned in previous blogs parts of my family are from Albert County, New Brunswick.  Endogamy causes huge issues with figuring out DNA matches in this area.

My grandfather's only sibling died at age 2, and his Birth Certificate Father (BCF) was an only child. None of us would have a close match show up for this family because you have to go back to 1849 to find his grandfathers siblings.

I can't use my own atDNA to help other Leaman descendants from that area to find their ancestors because I descend from Robert Leaman 4 different ways.

Believing the endogamy was part of the problem I kept trying to locate the connections.  I tested my other maternal aunt.  I am so thankful to her and her family for her agreeing to test while very ill.
Again no matches.
Helping a few friends/distant cousins with their results was the breakthrough I needed.  I could see their matches.  Because of the Endogamy, they had shared matches that belonged to the family I was searching for.  There they were, match after match and not one matched me or my aunts.

About the same time in late 2016, I had a new match show up on Ancestry, at 212 cM's I contacted her and even build a tree for her to see how we connected.  Believe me, I know all my 2nd cousins and she was not one of them. Looking things over I was afraid I would have to tell another person they didn't belong to their father.

I wanted to make sure I have everything correct so I made a spreadsheet of matches, a mirror/floating tree, and a handwritten chart.  It quickly came to light that it was my DNA that was matching to her family.

The only place I had any questions was my maternal grandfather, Weston, he was my person, my go-to guy.  He pass when I was 7 and I don't remember if we ever had any conversations about his family.

Narrowing down the possibilities of who was his biological father I was down to 3 men of the same family.  Luckily for me, I contact the grandson of one of the men.  The key was the picture of my grandfather I sent, who looked very like his grandfather.  He agreed to ask his father, at age 92, if he would take an atDNA test for me.  I was so thankful he said yes and as I can attest it is not easy to get a DNA test order in the US delivered to Canada.

The test showed he matched my maternal aunt at 596 cM's, so most likely he was a full cousin of my grandfather.

Down to two men, but one was not in the same area and was only 15 at the time. So it fell to one man, the grandfather of my original 212 cM match.

My great grandmother, Weston's mother, had been married for several years when he was born.  I don't judge her in any way, I believe she was in an arranged marriage to a man who most likely could not have children.

I belong to a Facebook group for NPE's there were not many in the beginning but it is about to hit 10,000 people, all who found they did not belong to who they thought they did through DNA.

I had worked with people for years, helping them through finding their families, the emotions, disappointments, and joys.  I was not ready for the feeling of losing a quarter of my ancestry.  At that time 25 years of research gone.  I knew that family inside and out, having re-written the book on them.  Now they were not mine.  The walls and shelves of my house loaded with pictures of people who were absolutely no relation to me anymore.  I would just stand there and look them over feeling so sad for this family, who now no longer had any descendants.

This week I had the opportunity to meet a cousin from my new family. The first person I have seen that I share this family with.  My grandfather did not have any siblings that lived or paternal cousins. So it wonderful to add, cousins and Aunts and Uncles to his tree.  We only had a short time but it was wonderful to share information and hear stories of my new great grandfather.  To him, his Uncle Pete.

NPE is not a club I would have asked to join but being place in it has been a journey of discovery and finding others who have joined who are trying to find their new place in the world has changed me forever.

The Hunt for Joshua J. Virgie's Children...

Joshua J. Virgie was born 11 Dec 1798 in Nova Scotia, the son of John Vergee and Sarah Etter.  You can find variances of the surname as Vergie, Virgee, Vergee, Virgy, and Verge just to name a few.  It is a very uncommon name and this family is the only one known to live in New Brunswick with the Surname.

When I first started researching my forth great grandfather I found a family tree on file with the LDS that showed his name as possible John and wife's name as Jane and a list of 11 children.  There was a note stating that Jane may have also been the wife of William Hayward.

After several trips to the Provincial Archives in New Brunswick and finding very little on the family I decided that the only way to find more was to go to Curryville, New Brunswick.  After a very long drive I arrived to find a small town with a few houses, a church and a cemetery. Curryville is on the eastern edge of Albert County near Hopewell.  I did not have to walk far into the neatly kept grounds of the church yard to find the Virgie graves and the grave of William Hayward and his wife Jane situated next to one another.

Joshua J. Virgie and Cynthia Smith

William Hayward, Jr and Jane

                                                           


The graves were not easy to read but I copied and photographed what I could and then called the number posted on the church to see if someone could help with records for the town.  I spoke to a nice man who said someone took the records home years ago and no one has seen them since.  Well that was a new one, usually it is that the Church or Town Hall burnt years ago.  The man knew the graves but said he never knew any Virgie's or Hayward's in the area.

With a day to spare before I had to head home I drove back to the Archives in Fredericton, New Brunswick about a 3 hour trip from Curryville.  This time I finally got lucky and came across the will of William Hayward, Jr.

William Hayward, Jr born 1777 most likely in Ireland was the son of Henry Hayward and Isabella Griffin, he died in Apr of 1849 in Hopewell, Albert Co, New Brunswick. He married Jane, she died in 1847, both are buried in the Curryville Cemetery.  No children have ever been found for this couple and it is believed they never had any.

In William's will Proved Jun 1849 He list 7 of the Virgie children, Rosannah, William, Sarah, John, Benjamin Etter, Lucinda Malisa and Mary Jane.  He does not list a relationship to the children as he does others in the will. Their inheritance is as follows (spelling is a transcribed):

• "To Rosannah Virgie All my household furniture together with any clock and thirty pounds currance out of my real estate said thirty pounds to be paid by installments yearly five pounds in year intuil the whole thirty pounds shall be paid with Interest for the same after the sale of said land"
• "To William Henry Virgie the sum of five pounds on the day he may arrives at the age of twenty one years."
• "To Sarah Virgie to give and bequeath any bed and bed stead and stand table and one two year old heifer said therfor to be delivered unto her the said Sarah Virgie at the age of eighteen....Sarah Virgie before named shall have three pounds to be at interest same as the others for the purpose of purchasing said two year old heifer."
• "John Virgie one pair of two year old steers and one two year old Heifer, the sum to be delivered to him at his demand where he may achieve at the full age of twenty one, or in other words the sum of the pounds provided the steers and the heifer cannon be procured."
• "To Lucinda Malisa Virgie the sum of three pounds to be put to interest for her twelve month after my deceased and to be paid when she shall be of the age of eighteen years"
• "To Benjamin Etter Virgie, the sum of five pounds and one years schooling Enclussion of board."
• "To Mary Jane Virgie Two years schooling to be paid for also the sum of three pounds to draw interest several months after my decease and to be paid unto her by my executors when she may be at the age of eighteen years...and to Mary Jane Virgie before married the further sum of three pounds and the same to draw interest same as the others three pounds."

What I found odd about the will was that I believe Joshua Virgie had an older daughter Rhoda b. 1823 who is not listed and at the time of the Will had another child that had been born in 1846.  Now I had to figure out why they were left out.

In the 1851 Albert Co Census all of the older children with exception of Benjamin Etter Virgie were living with other families. 

• Rhoda is married and living with husband in Albert Co, New Brunswick 
• Rosannah has never been found in the 1851 census in New Brunswick
• William is living with Daniel Clark and his wife Cynthia as an Apprentice Joiner
• Sarah is living with her grandmother Sarah Clark Wright but listed as a Lodger.
• John Verge is living with William Wright as a Lodger, his Uncle.
• Lucinda Malisa is living with Winkworth and Elizabeth Wright Brewster, her aunt.
• Mary Jane is listed as Mary Wright and living with Uncle James and wife Margaret Featherby Wright, listed as a lodger.

Children at home with Joshua and Cynthia were:

Benjamin, Alonzo, Dorcus, Alexander (Wilford)

Next I found the will of Alonzo George Virgie, son of Joshua, He was a wealthy Sea Captain. His Will lists the children of his sister Lucinda Virgie Pye as well as his sister Dorcas Virgie Archibald and children of his brother Wilford.  He also list a cousin Chipman Smith.

So now I have William Hayward, his wife Jane and Chipman Smith that are somehow connected to this group.  But how?

After a few more years of research it has all come together thanks to a few death cerficiates:

Facts:

Joshua J. Virgie b. 11 dec 1798 in Nova Scotia d. 13 Dec 1880 in Hopewell Parish, Albert Co, New Brunswick and is buried in the Curryville Cemetery.  The family seemed to be poor and made living as farmers.  

Most research have always assumed that Lucinda and Cynthia were the same person but finding the death certificates of the younger children in the family I was able to break them into how they are listed below.

Joshua married at least two times but most likely three:

* Unknown wife:

<1> Rhoda Virgie b. abt 1823 New Brunswick died before 1881.  She married first James Fales b. 1815 Nova Scotia  on 7 Nov 1843 in Hopewell Parish.  This couple had 6 children Benjamin, William, Mary Ann, Charlotte Elizabeth, John Shenton and Isabella Rebecca Fales.

After her husbands death in 17 jun 1864 she married Robert Blinkin Hoar (don't you love that name!) on 24 Nov 1874 and died between 1874 and 1880.  On a side note Robert was the widower of my 4 great grandmother Martha Rogers (her 2nd marriage, his first) and he was 1st cousin to her first husband John Hoar.

* Lucinda Wright b. abt 1806 d. abt 1845 No grave found. She married Joshua on 14 Aug 1828 in Hopewell, Albert Co, New Brunswick. Lucinda was the daughter of William Wright and Sarah Clark.

<2> Rosannah Virgie, b. 3 Feb 1829 at Hopewell Hill, Albert Co, New Brunswick d. 30 Sep 1911 at Hopewell Hill.  She married David Oliver Woodworth on 15 Dec 1853 at Hopewell.

Their children, Lucy Jane (my GG grandmother), Daniel Obed, Albert W, Lena Pauline, Edgar James and Fredrick W. Woodworth

John Hoar, Lucy Woodworth Hoar, Weston Arrol Hoar (child) and Elmer Stiles Hoar on their farm on the Salisbury Rd, Moncton, New Brunswick c.1924

                                                                                     

<3> William Henry Virgie b. 3 Apr 1832 Hopewell, Albert Co, New Brunswick d. 17 Jan 1913 in Clarksburg, Harrison Co, West Virginia.  Known as W.H., He was an Civil Engineer and Bridge Contractor.  

He married twice, first to Charlotte Bishop on 15 dec 1853 in Coverdale, Albert Co, New Brunswick.  Charlotte and their unnamed first born son died in childbirth 12 Feb 1856, they are buried at the Old Shepody Cemetery.

Second he married Sarah Frances Vickery b. 6 Aug 1844 in Nova Scotia . They had 3 children Guy Morse (died at age 8), William Blair and Alice Whitmore Virgie.

Excerpts from From the diary of Anna Eliza Rogers (Gallagher/Moore) of Albert Co, New Brunswick:

• 12 Feb 1856; Rain.  Mrs. William Vergie (Charlotte Bishop) died at the Cape.  They have been married one year.
• 28 Nov 1858 Sunday, Snow all day but not cold.  I was to see some persons baptized, viz, William Vergie, Mrs. Miles Peck, Old Mrs. Elizha Peck and Jane Peck.
• 12 Apr 1860 Fine. William Vergie fell off Russel's vessel where he had been working, got hurt pretty bad.
• 24 Sep 1860, Fine. got a letter from Mary.  She says William Vergie is to be married to Sarah Vickery.  We all went to the Mechanics' fair at Fennel Hall Boston. (Anna Eliza was in Roxbury, Mass at the time)

<4> Sarah Elizabeth Virgie b. abt 1834 Alma, Albert Co, New Brunswick d. bef. 1867 married Thomas Hanson Brigham on 29 Dec 1859 in Shepody, Albert Co, New Brunswick.  Thomas was born Nov 1829 in Massachusetts.  They had one known child Arthur Ansel Brigham who resided in Rhode Island.  It is possible that a Coleman Brigham also belonged to this family but no proof yet.

<5> John Franklin Virgie b. 1837 in Demoiselle Creek, Albert Co, New Brunswick d. 23 Aug 1897 in Waterside, Albert Co, New Brunswick.  He married Martha Jane Copp on 9 Aug 1865 in Harvey, Albert Co, New Brunswick.   They had two children William Harvey Virgie who resided in Massachusetts and Fern Lucy Virgie who died 26 Apr 1908 at the age of 23, unmarried.

Date November 3 1892

County Albert

Place Albert

Newspaper The Maple Leaf

John Virgie and wife, who has been living in Boston, Mass. for some time, returned home last week.

<6> Benjamin Etter Virgie was born abt. 1840 in New Brunswick.  The 1861 (listed as just Etter) Albert Co, Census he is living with his older sister Rosannah and her husband David Woodworth.  He is listed as Sick or Infirm at the time.  No futher records or his grave have ever been found.

<7> Lucinda Malisa (Melisa) Virgie was born in 1843 and died 30 Dec 1870 both in Albert Co, New Brunswick.  She married Capt. Edward Pye of Prince Edward Island on 22 Jan 1863 in Coverdale, Albert Co, New Brunswick.  They had two children Rufus H. Pye who died 24 Aug 1877 at the age of 13.  In 1871 he is found living with Elizabeth Wright Brewster the same Aunt who his mother lived with when she was a child.

Second child was Charles Morley Pye he was born 4 Jan 1867 in Albert Co, New Brunswick.  He was the executor of his Uncle Alonzo Virgie's Will in 1922.

Date September 2 1896
County Saint John
Place Saint John
Newspaper Messenger and Visitor

m. At residence of bride's father, John TINGLEY, Aug. 19th, by Rev. I.B. Colwell, Charles M. PYE, Salisbury (West. Co.) / Alice M. TINGLEY, Hopewell Cape (Albert Co.)

<8> Mary Jane Virgie was born in 1845 Albert Co, New Brunswick and died at age 30 on 20 Sep 1875 in New Brunswick.  She married 16 Oct 1865 in Albert Co, William Lovell Gunning.  Along with Rosannah, above, Mary Jane is also my GG grandmother. She and her husband William, who died at age 27, left three young orphans.  William was a Ferryman and Minister.  Their children were Annie Laura, Frank Lovell (died at age 8, one year after mothers death) and John Seymore Gunning.  Very little is known of Mary Jane and William and their graves have not been found as of yet.

                                        FUNERAL MRS. ANNIE LEAMAN

The funeral of the late Mrs. Annie L. Leaman, who died at the home of her daughter Mrs Nellie M. Hoar, Salisbury on Thursday Morning was held in Cadman's Funeral Home, Alma St. Saturday afternoon at 3:30 o' clock.

Many friends and relatives gathered to pay last parting farewell. The service was conducted by Rev. Lawrence Bone, pastor of the United Church of Canada, Salisbury, assisted by Rev. Julian Green, Pastor of the United Baptist church, Salisbury, Members of the Salisbury male chorus sang the hymns " Nearer to Thee", "Jesus Lover of my soul" and "Resting Now"

Pallbearers were G. W. Gunning, Weston Hoar, Orville Leaman, Weldon Leaman, William Leaman and Kenneth Dunfield.  Many floral tributes, messages of sympathy and Gideon Memorial Bibles received by the family, testified to the high esteem in which she was held.

 Interment was made in Elmwood Vault, with Rev. Lawrence Bone, Assisted by Rev. Julian Green, Conducting the Committal service.

* Cynthia Smith b. 1816 d. 10 Dec 1866 Hopewell Parish, Albert Co, New Brunswick.  She was the daughter of Stephen Smith and Sarah Peck.  She had 7 children with Joshua.

<9> Captain Alonzo George Virgie was born May 1846 in Albert Co, New Brunswick and died 2 Jan 1922 in Curryville.  He married Sarah Rouse of Nova Scotia 20 Nov 1872 in Boston, Suffolk Co, Massachusetts.  They had four children and divorced at some point. Sarah lived in Massachusetts and Alonzo stayed at sea or in New Brunswick.

Children were James A (died as infant), Eva May, John Starr and Alonzo George Virgie (died as infant).  John Starr De Wolf Virgie drown in 1907 in Mobile, Alabama.  Daughter Eva married John King and lived in Massachusetts.  The Chipman Smith found on his will in 1922 and who he is living with in 1911 Albert Co is James Chipman Smith, son of William Smith and Elizabeth Ann Dawson.  William Smith was Alonzo's mother younger brother.

<10> Dorcus Almira Virgie b. 20 Nov 1849 in Hopewell, Albert Co, New Brunswick and died 13 Apr 1928 in Truro, Colchester Co, Nova Scotia.  She married Marshall Archibald of Truro on 16 Dec 1870 in Boston, Suffolk Co, Massachusetts.  They had 9 children, Florence, William, Dorcas, Carrie, Carl, Blair, Frederick, Alexander and Milne Archibald. Dorcas was named for her mothers sister Dorcus Almira Smith that died at age 18 in 1846.

<11> Alexander Wilford Virgie, know as Wilford born 1851 in Curryville, Albert Co, New Brunswick and died 24 Apr 1906 in Old Town, Penobscot Co, Maine.  He married Milchia Hawkes.  They are both buried in the Brownville Village Cemetery located in Brownville, Piscataquis Co, Maine.  They had 7 Children.  Mary E (died at age 3), Alonzo George, Carrie, Cynthia Jane, Norman H, Martha M and Archie Stewart Virgie.  This family has the only known male descendant still carrying the family name. 

Tombstone of Wilford A. Virgie

                                                                

<12> Irena Elizabeth Virgie b. 1854 Albert Co, New Brunswick. No other information found.

<13> Eva Jane Virgie b. 1858, Albert Co, New Brunswick.  No other information found.
<14> Annie Virgie b. 1860, Albert Co, New Brunswick, No other information found.

<15> Alfred W. Virgie b. 1863 d. 15 Sep 1864 Curryville, Albert Co, New Brunswick, buried in the Curryville Cemetery.

I still do not know how William Hayward or his wife Jane are connect to the Virgie children.  My theory is that Jane was part of the Wright family as William only left items in his will to the Children of Lucinda Wright.

In the end the first information I found on the Virgie Family was incorrect.  It was Joshua, not John, Jane was never his wife, and Joshua had a total of 15 children with 3 wives but we all know that is how genealogy goes sometimes.

As with everything this family is a work in progress.  I hope by putting this together other descendants will contact me.  I have been in touch with several in Maine, Nova Scotia and Virginia.

Let me know if there is a family in my database you would like to see a blog on.  

Hope you have a wonderful day,
Michele

   

Whats going on this week...

The passed few weeks I have benn working on the Hovey's and connecting families in Northumberland Co, New Brunswick. 

I hope that Rootsweb.com will at some point fix their issues so I can update the One Big Circle site with all the great new information.  (3 1/2 weeks, 4 e-mails, no response)

I am a Hovey descendant but I descended from James Hovey b. 1650, brother of John, the ancestor of the group in New Brunswick. Our common ancestor would be Daniel Hovey, 1618 and Abigail Andrews, abt 1621.
                                                         <><><><><><><><><><><><>

Patrick O'Donnell b abt. 1797 in County Limerick, Ireland arrived in New Brunswick in August of 1820 per the 1851 Census record and was a Lumberman and Farmer. His wife Lydia Woods Susannah Price was born in abt. 1808 in Ludlow, New Brunswick, she was the daughter of Capt. John Price (a 3rd Price family) and Mary Hovey (a descendant of Edmund Price and Jane Webb).

Date July 1 1823

County York

Place Fredericton

Newspaper: The New Brunswick Royal Gazette

m. 26th inst., Patrick O'DONNELL / Lydia Woods eldest d/o Capt. John PRICE, all of Ludlow, North Co.

I have looked over the information available and found some issues with the death dates of the two people above. 

Census information found in 1871 shows wife Lydia, a widow, living with her children and no listing for Patrick could be found.  I believe that the death dates are either swapped or wrong.  

1851 New Brunswick, Canada Census
Patrick O'Donnell age 53                 abt 1798/99  
Lydia O'Donnell age 43                    abt 1708/09

1861 New Brunswick, Canada Census  
Patrick O'Donnell age   64               abt 1797  
Lydia O'Donnell age    54                 abt 1807

1871 New Brunswick, Canada Census
Lydia O'Donnell age     63                abt 1808   

If Lydia died in 1870 as grave shows at age 66, that would have her born in 1804 but if it is Patrick that died in 1870 his age 74 that would be 1796.  Lydia on the other hand if died 1880 at age 66 would have been born 1814.

Confused? So am I but that is what genealogy is all about.  

I am also looking for any descendants of Patrick O'donnell, Jr b 1834 and his wife Gracia Ann Lyons.  Mainly information on their daughters Leona and Charlotte.

                                                          <><><><><><><><><><><><>

Patrick and Lydia had 11 known children, all but one married and had children, creating a large O'Donnell line in New Brunswick.  Although I am almost done with the group I know I am missing some of the current families.  Feel free to contact me and add, correct or help with the above date issue.

Take Care,

Michele

Love..Love...PANB

Yes, I am in love with something besides my husband, I will gladly admit it, and my husband is even okay with it!

My love affair with the Provincial Archives of New Brunswick (PANB) is nothing new. When I was just starting out I would make the 2 hour drive to Fredericton, New Brunswick from Maine and spend my vacation time in the research room of the old brick building. The staff was always helpful, even when I didn't know what I was looking for or when I would bring my husband along and assign him to just copy things I handed him.

I took my mother with me on one trip. She had no real interest in genealogy and I had to make up nicknames for her to remember who people were. I referred to her 2rd great grandfather William Price, Jr as "William the missing", because at the time I had not found his parents, I still call him by title to this day.

We lived in Waterbury, Vermont for three years in the 1990's and I made two 8 hour (one way) trips to the archives just to research a new person.



                                        



Then they started an online site, it grew slowly into what it is today, probably the best archive website I have ever used.http://archives.gnb.ca/archives/default.aspx?culture=en-CA

I research and write allot about New Brunswick but I have researched all over the US and Canada as well as a few foreign countries. The PANB has records online from 1800-1962 most of them with the original scanned document . Last month they added a Federated Database Search that allows you to search most of the online records at once. 

Birth (to 1917), Marriage and Death (both to 1962) records are easy to search. You can search by just last name or even the first three letters of the surname. 

http://archives.gnb.ca/Search/VISSE/?culture=en-CA

The PANB added an area dedicated to Irish research a few years ago.

http://archives.gnb.ca/Irish/exhibits_en.html

It allows you to search arrivals, census and even people who resided at the St. John's Almshouse. Even if you do not have Irish roots you may find your ancestor in some these records.  Added last year was some of the work of R.Wallace Hale. I own the Early Probate book and have used it for years. It was wonderful to see the archives add it as a searchable database.

Early New Brunswick (Canada) Probate Records 1785-1835

http://archives.gnb.ca/Search/MC3706/Default.aspx?culture=en-CA


The Fort Havoc site below contains many records, most pertaining to Loyalist. I holds great historic information.

http://archives.gnb.ca/Exhibits/FortHavoc/Default.aspx?culture=en-CA

Often overlooked guide to family history is a small database of the books, documents for family histories on file at the archives. You can e-mail the archives to see how to obtain a copy.
http://archives.gnb.ca/ResearchTools/GuideToFamilyHistories/?culture=en-CA

Wondering about a Town or City and what county it is in?

http://archives.gnb.ca/Exhibits/Communities/Home.aspx?culture=en-CA


My favorite page overall is the New Brunswick Vital Statistics from Newspapers 1784-1896  transcribed and collected by Daniel F. Johnson (1958-2005). It can be found as a set of 102 books in many libraries around the U.S. and Canada. This database has contributed more to my search than any other I can think of. It has most of the major Newspapers in New Brunswick and is transcribed images (not a view of the orginal). You can search by family name or by a word or place. You will find Births, Marriages and Death as in any newspapers of their time but also the day to day lives of the people of New Brunswick.

http://archives.gnb.ca/Search/NewspaperVitalStats/NameIndex.aspx?culture=en-CA

When I needed to take a break one day I typed in Murder and was amazed at the stories and information in the article that came up. I then did the same with Hanging (morbid I know but I was curious) and then Fire. It was a great way to learn more about the area I spend so much time researching. 

Example:

Date December 22 1869 
County Saint John 
Place Saint John 
Newspaper Morning News 

The language of the text is the original used in the newspaper entry and as transcribed by Daniel F. Johnson. Records acquired by the Provincial Archives are not translated from the language in which they originate. 

MUNROE-VAIL Murder - Judge ALLEN then rose and with much feeling said "You stand convicted of the murder of Sarah Margaret VAIL ... The sentence of the Court is that you (John A. MUNROE) be conducted to the place from whence you came, and thence on Tuesday, 15th day of February next, to the place of execution, there to be hanged by the neck, until you are dead and may God have mercy on your soul" (see original)

If you look to the top right of the database you will see "Full-Text Search" if you click on it, it will take you to a box where you can search for words as individual or combinations. When searching always remember that spelling can be off on surnames as well as regular words. I was searching for an article I had read and I knew it contained the word Polygamy. It didn't come up so I searched by the name and when I found the article the word was spelled polygomy.   Also for those of us from "The States" keep in mind that words differ in spelling between Canada (British English) and the U.S., like Colour and Color.  I found a good site on the some of differences.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_and_British_English_spelling_differences

I hope this will be of some help in your search and that you enjoy your trip through the records of one of my favorite places.  Take the time to click on each link on the toolbar at the top of the PANB site it will take you to many more options that I have listed here.  

**Are you working on a family that I have listed marked with a * , + or *+ in the name on my Rootsweb page and want to know more?  Let me know I may have notes available that I don't show online.  I can also make it into a blog if I have enough on the group.**

Take care,

Michele

My Trip through Genetealogy...

In 2011 I asked my husband and children for DNA tests for Christmas. Sound strange? Not if you know me and my genealogy obsession. I received three DNA tests and excitedly order the first test and waited for it to arrive. Genetic Genealogy or Genetealogy as it is being called is a great tool when you are trying to crack a brickwalls or to find if your research is correct.

I started to read everything I could get my hands on to educated myself. What I would tell you is education first then order a test. I am not going to go into a long explanation about the companies available and which one is best. I choose Family Tree DNA http://www.familytreedna.com/ for two of the test and 23 and Me https://www.23andme.com/ for one. I will explain why later.

If you have already done the testing you will probably not learn anything new here but if you are just starting or even thinking about testing there are a few things you must know first.

Find a good book, there are many that are recommended but if you have just started, I recommend, "DNA & Genealogy" by Colleen Fitzpatrick and Andrew Yeiser, It is basic and easy to understand. I have also heard good things about "Trace Your Roots with DNA: Use Your DNA to Complete Your Family Tree" by Megan Smolenya and Ann Turner. However good these books are they were published over 5 years ago and in Genealogy things can change daily.

I just started reading, "DNA and Social Networking: A Guide to Genealogy in the Twenty-first Century" by Debbie Kennett's, it gives more information about autosomal DNA and using online sources in your research.

Another recommendation is The International Society of Genetic Genealogy found at http://www.isogg.org/ . Their Newbies section will give you everything you need to know to find the right test and even after to help with your results. There is also a Newbies DNA group on Yahoo http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/DNA-Testing/ . You can join both webpages.

Understanding that learning about DNA is just like learning a new language will help you in your journey. At some points I was pretty sure my head would explode with all the new terms and information. I took Biology 1,2 & 3 in High School and even Bio classes in College, although I was a History Major, I understand how it works, that was not the problem. The issue is trying to understanding what your results mean and when you ask for help the answers that you receive will just lead to more question. I found that anyone who has been doing this for a while cant or wont explain things simply. They expect you to already know what they know. If you take this into account and keep asking and searching you will find the answers.


So now you have read and re-read everything and you now have to test someone, it might be easy, like my first test I chose my husband. His Daniels ancestry was one of my brickwalls. Males carry the Y-DNA from their fathers and the MtDNA which is from the mother. Females only carry the MtDNA from their maternal ancestors. Then there is Autosomal DNA which basically allows you to find relatives but no proof of your common ancestor. A good explaination can be found here. http://www.dnainheritance.kahikatea.net/autosomal.html

Remember to keep and open mind and make sure your research will stand up to review. You may find out things you had no idea existed or disprove thing you thought you knew.

Testing will depend on what you are looking for. I was stuck on his ancestor Christopher Columbus Daniels b 1832 Virginia and lived in Ohio. He fought in the Civil War but all but a few pension records are missing. He is found in 1850 Ohio census with his mother and stepfather.

Once you chose your "subject" and the company you want to use, check the surname to see if there is a DNA project for that name. Some offer free or discounted testing.


I also contacted several Daniel, Daniels and even Danielson DNA groups online. The one that had the best information was the Daniel Family of Middlesex County, Virginia http://www.pamiller.net/genealogy/docs/danielmiddlesex/danieldna/index.htm

                     



My first try at DNA testing would be a textbook case of what you want to have happen.

I had a 37 marker test done with Family Tree DNA and the results come back in sections. When the first 12 markers came back much to my luck it was a 12 for 12 match to over 150 people that were tested. The good thing 15 of those were to the Daniel's of Middlesex group. The admin of the group was a wonderful woman named Joyce and I credit her with how easy my first experience with DNA research was. Then the next section came in and the next. My husband and another man in Texas were a full match. It helped prove that a mutation that man carried was specific to one ancestor and we could then track from the original William Daniel b abt 1638 through his son William Jr and to William Jr's son Obadiah. Following each know person down the trail until we found the only person left that could be my husbands ancestor.
After years of searching in only 7 weeks the misery was solved and over 200 years of missing genealogy was discovered.
For those who understand the breakdown, my husband is an I1 which is of Scandinavia ancestry. 


This Daniel's family is a good example of how DNA can change everything you know about your ancestor. William Daniel b 1638 had 4 known sons who lived to adulthood. The oldest two William Jr and Robert are from a unknown 1st wife and James and Richard were thought to be from his 2nd marriage to a Jachebed. What DNA proved is that the 3rd son James was in no way related to William Daniel Sr. His DNA is matched to a Davis family. We will probably never know if William knew that James was not his biological son.


                                                             
My next test was for me through 23 and Me, although they offer autosomal Testing, I was more interested in their health testing. I could have tested my MtDNA that would be my mothers, mothers, mother, ext. My furthers known maternal Mtdna ancestor was Hanna Sofia Conge born 1737 in Germany.  At this point I am not interested in researching her line. 

I have had some matches from my test for family members but in the 20 people I contact I heard back from 5 and we have never been able to find the connection. I am an H and 100% European ancestry.

What was great about the testing is medically I know know what I carry and what I can pass on to my children. My maternal grandmother and my mother both died of breast cancer and one maternal and one paternal aunt have been diagnosed. I have had yearly mammograms since I was 34 years old but thanks to DNA testing I know I do not carry the BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutation for early onset breast cancer. It does not mean I can stop being careful. The testing is a guide, something to add to your knowledge.


                         
The final test has been a wild and bumpy road. My great uncle was kind enough to allow me to have his DNA tested for one of my Price lines. At 89 he was excited to find out what answers his DNA could offer. Unfortunately he passed away just 4 days after the test was sent in.

When the test results came back it was determined that he was an R1b1a2 which is one of the most common European ancestries. Further testing found he was in a smaller group of R1b1a1a1a1b4 that breaks down into L21 (see all Greek!) . I am still working on this part trying to see if I want to break down the L21 into subgroups that are available or wait until more groups come available or more common descendants have test done.

The fun had just begun when I started to search my matches on Family Tree DNA and Ysearch (Free world wide DNA database) http://www.ysearch.org/ I found that my Price family matched no other Price's ever tested in the world. At 37 markers it was a full match to two tested men with the last name Williams and a 37/35 to another. Since the original test I upgraded to a 67 marker test. The Williams men went to 65 to 67 and another person has been tested at the same group. So now I have 4 men named Williams all out of Pee Dee, South Caroline that match my ancestor William Price Sr. (see previous blog) who I know has been in New Brunswick, Canada since 1783.

So far only more questions have arisen than answers and some family members just could not understand how we were not Price's. Very simply it all goes back to before there were surnames. Both families are Welsh and surnames did not come into steady practice until the 1600's (1800's in some rural areas). A full explanation can be found at http://www.terrynorm.ic24.net/welsh%20surnames.htm .

Now it will be a challenge to find when the line splits.


I have a few more DNA test to go, descendants of Peter Watson b. abt 1760 of Woodstock, New Brunswick next and Richard Flynn b. 1865 Ireland, lived Rhode Island and after that.  I am hoping to convince a distance Morton cousin to contribute his DNA to find our common ancestor Frances Morton b. 1803 possibly Nova Scotia.


The decision to test is up to you and how far you want to take the testing (and cost) as with the Daniel's I only need a 37 marker test to find what I needed. Unlike the Price's where I have upgraded twice and had tests done for more information on the SNP's. All I can do is re-emphasize educating yourself before you start and be willing to learn something new about your ancestry. 

If you have questions feel free to ask, I may not be an expert but I can point you in the right direction.  


Enjoy your hunt,
Michele

In the Beginning...

For the last 21 years I have been researching my family history and genealogy.  It has been an amazing journey and I have learned more about myself from finding my ancestors.  I wanted to create a webpage to keep updates and finds attached to my Rootweb.com site but found a Blog suited my need better.  I am hoping to do a blog a week on who I am researching, who I am looking for, and maybe even add some research tips.  I have done over 100 genealogies for others and I am always willing to help someone who is just starting out or has hit a brickwall.

The genealogies I have gathered can be found the link below. With almost 140,000 names compiled so far, I hope to have many more years to continue my search.

http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?db=mdaniels67


Descendants of William Price and Sally Mason of Kings Co, New Brunswick;

Descendants of Mariner Price 2001

William Price b abt 1750 poss Wales but was living in Pennsylvania just before 1774 and was in New Jersey   where he joined the NJ Volunteers a Loyalist unit in the Revolutionary War.  His father was possibly also named William Price, and he may have had a brother who served with him, Joseph Price.  He married Sally Mason who is said to have been born in England but I only have that as a side note, I have never found the source of that information.  He arrived with 4 children and his wife in Oct 1783 in New Brunswick, Canada.  Their children poss James and John, one of these men was either a sailor or a Ship Captain.  Edward Price was the 3rd born son and I have little on him but know he had a son named Edward Price, Jr and was alive in 1861 living in Kent Co, New Brunswick.  Margaret Price the only known daughter married John Coates.  The only children known to be born in New Brunswick were William and Tyler Price are all listed on my site above.

The given name Tyler or Tyle is used in many generations of this family. I expect someday I will find it is a Maiden name of an ancestor but no luck so far.

This family lived in Kings Co, New Brunswick, Canada per land grants. William and Sally both lived to be at least 90 years old and died in Kings Co, NB. After their deaths many of their descendants left Kings Co. William, Edward and Margaret went to Kent Co, NB and Tyler immigrated to Ontario with is family.  I find most people have Tyler born in New York but I have never found this, the sources found all show he was born in NB including the 1861 Ontario Census.

My Ancestor William Price, Jr and his wife Sarah Cushing lived in Washington Co, Maine in 1820 and had 1 female child with them.  I have no information on her or if she lived to adult hood. *Many have William Price, Jr b abt 1789 born in Cooper, Washington Co, Maine.  No where in my research other than living in Maine in 1820 did I find any support to this information.  He may have been living in Cooper when he married Sarah on 30 Mar 1819 in Shediac, Westmorland Co, New Brunswick but in every source he is listed as being born NB.  Sarah on the other hand we know was born in Pembroke, Washington Co, Maine.

William and Sarah had at least 11 children, possibly 12 or more, with the addition of Thomas Price who is in Kent Co, NB in 1853 when he married a Jane Jackson.  No other information has ever been found on Thomas at this time but I believe he is part of this group.  If he is not the son of William than he is the son of Edward Price.
William settled on the Mclaughlin Rd, Kent Co, New Brunswick, what is now Coates Mills, NB

Church and Graveyard at Coates Mills, New Brunswick

                                     

Elijah Price (William Jr, William,Sr) b abt 1821 in NB died before 1855 leaving a wife, Sarah Abrams/Abraham and several small children.  Sarah re-marries shortly after Elijah's death, Nathan Stiles, and it seems all of her children are living with other families.  Only a daughter Hannah Price is raised by a known family members as the adopted daughter of James William Bell and Hannah Price, Elijah's younger sister.  I believe I am missing several children from this family as they are married in 1841 and I only have 4 known children before Elijah's death.  Their children were Elizabeth Jane (Betsey), Joseph, Sarah Ann and Hannah.

Elizabeth and Joseph both went to Michigan, Joseph stayed but Elizabeth and her husband John Friars returned to New Brunswick.  Daughter Sarah Ann married her 2nd cousin John Edward Coates. Grandson of Margaret Price (William Sr) and John Coates

Another son, James Price marries Sarah Jane Morton (the sister of my ancestor, see below), very little is known about the family but then names of their children and a very interesting newspaper article from the Boston Herald that was picked up by the St. John Globe;


Date May 14 1884
County Saint John
Place Saint John
Newspaper Saint John Globe

Boston 'Herald' - James F. PRICE pleaded guilty to polygomy and was sentenced to the house of correction for seven months. Price who came from Dundas, N.B. stated to the court that his brother wrote to him that his first wife, whom he married in 1857, was dead, and acting on this information he married a second time, supposing that he was a free man.

I have very little doubt that this is the same James listed above.  He is not with his wife in 1891 New Brunswick and I believe I find him married in Massachusetts at one point.  I have spoken to the Archives in NB and they have no divorce listed for James and Sarah.  I was told it was very rare and expensive as it had to go before Parliament.  I also spoke to the Law Library in Massachusetts and they found no record of the trial. I will keep searching and have a few more options on the trail and jail information.

Lastly, my ancestor William Price b. abt 1829 in NB married Elizabeth Ann (Betsey) Morton. They had as many as 11 children but most likely more.  I only know of only 6 that lived to adulthood.  William died before 1881 as Elizabeth is remarried to a Jeremiah McRae in the census. In 1891 Elizabeth is a widow listed as Elizabeth Price. I have never found what happened to Jeremiah.  This family seems to have been very poor, their home is listed as a Shanty in the 1871 Moncton, NB census.  Elizabeth is said to have died in Boston, Massachusetts in or around 1929 but a search was made a few years ago and no one matching her information was found.  I think she may have died years before that because several of her children's death cerf she is only listed as Morton with no first name.  

No graves have been found for any of my direct Price ancestors.  There is a small graveyard on Rt. 126 in Gallagher Ridge, Westmorland Co, New Brunswick that some refer to the Old Price Cemetery.  There are no stones and no records that I can find.  It is possible that several generations are buried there.

The photo at the top is at a 2001 reunion of the descendants of Mariner J. Price and Sarah Jane Leaman.  Mariner was the son of Ephraim Price, son of William and Elizabeth (Morton) Price.  There were appx. 120 of us in this photo from just this one line.  Ephraim Price Married Sarah Elizabeth Price (surprisingly no relation).
In the next blog I will be adding information of the DNA testing that has been done on this line.  

If you have something to add or a question please feel free to contact me.  This is my first blog so if  grammar or typo are here please excuse it as I become more comfortable with this format.  

Happy New Year to all,

Michele