One of the kits I manage, I’ll call “JS,” has received his Ethnicity Estimate and he now knows he is 88% descended from England, Wales, and Northwestern Europe, 10% from Ireland and Scotland, and two percent from Germanic Europe. Pretty cool.
Ancestry also provides some pretty maps indicating a person’s ethnicity. In his case, the three ethnicity areas overlap.
Ancestry also provides connections to “Additional Communities.” In his case, there are:
“Lower Midwest & Virginia Settlers,” which includes Illinois, Indiana, and Tennessee.
Six of his eight great-grandparents are from the area identified by Ancestry which is as expected. However, the Mississippi & Louisiana settlers is somewhat of a surprise, and not seeing northern Midwestern ancestors was also unexpected. But although the Ethnicity Estimates and Communities are fun and interesting to see, there has to be more. For $99 (regular price) there has to be more, and there is. DNA Matches is the next big part of the process and in my next blog, I’ll describe what to do with them.
Endnotes
[i] Ancestors with two states listed were born in the first state and died in the second state listed.
[ii] The ancestors born in Tennessee also died in Tennessee.
Montrans in the News – Discovered during week 22 of 2019
Montran Monday By Don Taylor
My grandmother’s father was John Montran. She used the surname, as a young child and again when she began in show business. The name is uncommon and most of the Montrans I see in the newspapers are her during her early vaudeville career. With a constant flow of newly digitized material, I often learn of new articles that contain the Montran name. I pay attention to the finding and try to determine it’s possible relationship to grandma Donna or her father, John Montran. Hopefully, you will find the articles interesting, This week, for Montran Monday I found the following two articles:
 This week’s first entry is from The Paterson Morning Call dated Dec 30, 1941.
Incorporations
Papers of incorporation were filed in the office of County Clerk Lloyd B. Marsh yesterday by the Bargain House of America, Inc., whose principal office at 812 Market street is in charge of Bando J. Caruso of 427 Bloomfield avenue, Montclair, as statutory agent. The corporation has been formed for the purpose of dealing and selling of motor cars, aircraft, motor boats and other articles.
 The authorized stock of the corporation is 200 shares with no par value. Ten shares have been subscribed with which to commence business. The incorporators are: Betty Schimmel, 331 Ninety-fourth street, Brooklyn, five shares; Sally Schimmel, 34½ St. Marks place, New York city, four shares; Fred Montran, 188 Warren street, Brooklyn, one share.Â
I was unsuccessful finding any additional information regard a Fred Montran at 188 Warren Street. Today, that address is a 3-story walk up with 4 apartments (one down, 3 up). A search of the address found several articles regarding the address, but none referring to a Fred or a Montran. Likewise, searches for the “Bargain House of America” failed to yield any additional information. I think this was a false lead.Â
 This week’s second entry is from The Plattsmouth Journal (Plattsmouth, NE dated Dec 30, 1941. Â
— Nehawka — S/Sgt. Jed Kropp left Tuesday morning for Tucson, Ariz, to spend the remainder of his enlisted time in the air corps at Davis-Montran air base. His father, Ernest Cropp accompanied him to Kansas City, where they visited relatives.
I had never heard of a Davis-Montran air base in Arizona, so I suspected an error of some sort. A quick look confirmed it should have been reported as the Davis-Monthan Air Force Base. Clearly a newspaper typo.
No new Montran facts were discovered this week (sigh). Hopefully, I’ll find something next week.
Some days, you are completely surprised by what you find. In the Case of Hannah Bell, I conjectured that she was widowed sometime between February 1852, when her son Peter was born, and December 1855, when she married Charles Mayholland. I saw that Hannah Maholland died in 1856 and figured she died within the year. So, to confirm my speculation, I ordered a copy of the death registry record.
The death record indicates my speculation was wrong. Hannah Maholland, who died in 1856, died at 14 days old. My first thought was that Maholland and Mayholland must have been different people. I don’t think so. Little Hannah died at High Church Street, the same location that Hannah had lived for many years. The death registry record for Hannah MaHolland reads:
No.     355
When: 25 May 1856 – High Church Street, Workington
Who:Â Â Hannah Maholland
Sex:Â Â Â Â Female
Age:Â Â Â Â 14 days
Prof.:Â Â Daughter of Charles Maholland, a lawyer journeyman
CoD:Â Â Â Premature Birth Certified
Inf.:Â Â Â Â Â Ann Solkirt
When: 27 May 1856
Reg.    John Askew, Registrar
Death Registry Record for Hannah Maholland (25 May 1856)
Even though there is a minor name difference (Maholland vs. Mayholland), I’m pretty sure that this Charles Maholland is the husband of Hannah (Bell) McAllister. My new theory is that Hannah had a daughter that died at 14 days old and that Hannah (the mother) did not die in the spring of 1856 as I initially supposed.
This research reminded me that relying on indexes can get you into trouble. Always get the original record to confirm the information you have.
“Donna in the News” is my reporting of newly found newspapers articles and advertising regarding my grandmother, Madonna Montran (aka Donna Montran and aka Donna Darling). I am always excited when I find a new venue for my grandmother’s exciting show business career of the 1910s and 1920s.
This week, from Newspapers.com, I learned of five new venues for Donna.
From the Brooklyn Times Union (Brooklyn, NY) dated 25 January 1921, I learned that Donna Montran and her “California Bathing Beauties” were booked into the Keeney Theatre. The dates and length of the booking is unclear but I now know she was there in late January 1921.
The York Daily Record (York, PA) dated 4 April 1922, indicates that Donna Darling played at the York Opera House. The dates suggested are April 3rd, 4th, and 5th. Those dates are in conflict with other items I’ve found indicating that on April 3rd, 4th, and 5th Donna played in Johnstown, PA. Further investigation is needed on this topic.
From the Morning Call (Paterson, NJ)) dated 4 December 1922, I learned that Dona [sic] Darling and Boys played the Majestic Theatre on the 4th, 5th, and 6th, of December 1922.
Of particular interest, the Winona (MN) Daily News indicated that “Donna Darling and Earle” played at the Strand Theatre on May 12th and 13th 1923.  This booking fits into a large gap I’ve had in her work.
Back to the Brooklyn (NY) Times Union, this time dated 5 May 1928. In that issue, I learned that Donna Darling and Somory [sic] Clark played at the Majestic Theatre in Brooklyn. Again, it is unclear what the exact dates were, but I know it was in May 1928.
Additions to Donna’s Career History
Jan 25-?, 1921 – Brooklyn, New York – Keeney Theatre – Donna Montran and her “California Bathing Beauties.”
April 3-5, 1922 – York, PA – York Opera House – Donna Darling & Boys – Conflict.
December 3-5, 1922 – Paterson, NJ – Majestic Theatre – Donna and Boys.
May 12-13, 1923 – Winona, Minnesota – Strand Theatre – “Donna Darling and Earle.”
May 5, 1928 – Brooklyn, New York – Majestic Theatre – Donna Darling and Sammy Clark.
I will further research these performances and theatres in future postings. I currently have 110 performance events to still write about and research.
I received the copy of the Death record of Joseph McAllister. Sadly, the Joseph McAllister who died in the St. Mary District, Carlisle, Cumberland County on 12 Dec 1855 is a different Joseph McAllister. That Joseph was 72 years old when he died and was an “agricultural labourer.” (Neither fact were evident in the index.) Our Joseph McAllister should have been about 37 years old and a mariner.Â
Hannah still married Charles Mayholland in the fall of 1855, so her husband, Joseph McAllister, must have died before that. Searches for his death have been unsuccessful so far. I’ve ordered a copy of the marriage record from the General Register Office. I should receive the record vis US Post be mid-June.Â
Corrections to the original are either lined out or added in green
Originally posted 11 February 2019.
Cleanup
One of my practices is to clean up a name when I start research on a person. In the case of Joseph McAllister, I wanted to be sure that I had all of my records straight and associated with the correct person. I had five different Joseph McAllister in my files. One was a duplicate which I deleted. The other four included:
Joseph McAllister (1818-c.1855) – 3rd great-grandfather – I’ll review his life below.
Joseph McAllister – (1848-____) 3rd great-uncle (Joseph Senior’s oldest son)
Joseph McAllister – (1889-1962) 2nd great uncle (Great-grandmother Hannah’s brother)
When doing genealogical research on English ancestors, I find that the General Register Office (GRO) is one of the best sites to use. They maintain the national archives of all births marriages, and deaths dating back to 1837. I’ve ordered from them many times and have always been happy with what they provide.
Once you log into the GRO at HM Passport Office, (an account is free) you can do basic searches for particular records. If you know the person’s name, year of death, and place of death, you will likely find the record on the GRO website. Then you can order a copy of the record through them. If you are like me and only need a PDF version of the file, you can order a Birth or Death record for about eight dollars at the current exchange rate. You can’t order a PDF version of a marriage record, so you need to order a hard copy of one at about $12. I always think it is much better to have a copy of the record from the register than relying on just the index of the record. I highly recommend that you always get a copy of the record rather than relying on only the index information.
If you have an Ancestry World Explorer subscription, you can search several databases regarding England & Wales, Civil Registration [Birth/Marriage/Death] Indexes, 1837-1915. Ancestry has many different methods to search and potentially find the record you are looking for easier on Ancestry. When you see the indexed record, it will provide the book and page number for ordering at the Government Register Office. You can also order a physical copy through AncestryShop for $38.00.
52 – 3rd Great-grandfather: Joseph McAllister (c. 1818-c. 1855)
Joseph McAllister (1818-c.1855)
Birth
Joseph was born about 1818 in Cockermouth, Cumberland, England.[i] When Joseph was born, King George III was King of England. I have not determined who Joseph’s parents were.
Childhood
I know nothing of siblings of Joseph or his childhood. I do know that when Joseph was two, King George III died and was replaced by his son, King George IV who reigned until Joseph was about 12. George IV died: his brother William reigned for only six years. Then, in 1837, Victoria became Queen and reigned for 63 years.
Marriage
Joseph married Hannah Bell sometime between October and December 1845 in Cockermouth, Cumberland County, England. I have ordered a copy of their marriage registry entry through the General Register Office.
Adult
Joseph and Hannah had three children.
     Margaret – Born 19 October 1846 in Workington. Margaret died at the age of two, on 12 December 1848.
     Joseph – Born 1848 in Cockermouth.
     Peter – Born 12 February 1852 in Workington. He died in England in 1939.
The 1851 England Census shows the Joseph McAllister family consisting of:
     Joseph, Age 33, born in Cockermouth
     Hannah, Age 30, born Whitehaven
     Joseph, age 3, born Cockermouth
   Ann Calbeck, age 61, born Whitehaven — Ann is a “visitor” in the household. Because Ann and Hannah were both born in Whitehaven, I suspect that Ann may have been related to Hannah. Ann is 31 years older than Hannah, so possibly Ann is Hannah’s mother or an aunt. I need to do more research on Ann.
Stories
Margaret’s birth registration indicates that her father was a sailor. Likewise, Peter’s marriage record shows that his father was a sailor. Family oral history said that Peter was a sea captain. I’ve not found any evidence of that; however, I suspect that the oral history story may have been based on Peter’s father, Joseph being a sailor.
A Joseph McAllister was acquitted of stealing slabs and rails of wood from Charles Lamport of Workington. According to the newspaper article.[ii] this Joseph was 28 years-old where our Joseph would have been 33. However, this Joseph McAllister was in the same, Workington, with the same name as our Joseph McAllister.
Death & Burial
Some researchers have indicated that Joseph McAllister died between October and December 1855 in Carlisle, Cumberland, England. Carlisle is only about 35 miles from Workington and 25 miles from Cockermouth, so it certainly is possible that Joseph died there. However, all of Joseph’s other entries are in Cockermouth. I ordered a copy of Joseph McAllister’s 1855 death registration. That Joseph McAllister was 72 years old when he passed. Our Joseph McAllister would have been about 37. This Joseph McAllister who died in Carlisle in 1855 is clearly a different Joseph McAllister and from our Joseph.
Joseph McAllister is person LXWS-74R on Family Search.
Further Actions / Follow-up
Search maritime records for references to Joseph McAllister sailing out of Workington. Could Joseph have been a “sea captain?”
The Newcastle Weekly Courant (Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear, England) dated 16 January 1852, Page 2 – “Cumberland Sessions” – Joseph McAlister.
England & Wales, Civil Registration Death Index, 1837-1915, Ancestry, Joseph McAllister – Death – Oct-Nov-Dec 1855 – Carlisle, Cumberland, England. FreeBMD. England & Wales, Civil Registration Death Index, 1837-1915 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: com Operations Inc, 2006.
England & Wales, Civil Registration Marriage Index, 1837-1915, Ancestry, Marriage – Joseph McAlister [McAllister] and Hannah Bell – Oct-Nov-Dec 1845. FreeBMD. England & Wales, Civil Registration Marriage Index, 1837-1915 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA.
Entry of Marriage, General Register Office, 1878 Marriage – Peter McAllister – Margaret Lambe.
General Register Office, Births, Marriages, & Deaths (UK) (HM Passport Office), GRO.GOV.UK, Birth – Margaret McAllister – 1846 – Workington, Cumberland, England. Volume 25, Page 104, No 350.
Endnotes
[i] The 1851 England Census indicates that Joseph Allinson [McAllister] was 33 years old and had been born in Cockermouth, Cumberland, England. [ii] 1852-01-16 – Page 2 – “Cumberland Sessions” – Joseph McAlister. 1852-01-16 – The Newcastle Weekly Courant (Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear, England) · Page 2 “Cumberland Sessions” Joseph McAlister. Newcastle Weekly Courant, Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear, England.
One of the kits I manage, I’ll call “JS,” has received his Ethnicity Estimate and he now knows he is 88% descended from England, Wales, and Northwestern Europe, 10% from Ireland and Scotland, and two percent from Germanic Europe. Pretty cool.
Papers of incorporation were filed in the office of County Clerk Lloyd B. Marsh yesterday by the Bargain House of America, Inc., whose principal office at 812 Market street is in charge of Bando J. Caruso of 427 Bloomfield avenue, Montclair, as statutory agent. The corporation has been formed for the purpose of dealing and selling of motor cars, aircraft, motor boats and other articles.
The York Daily Record (York, PA) dated 4 April 1922, indicates that Donna Darling played at the York Opera House. The dates suggested are April 3rd, 4th, and 5th. Those dates are in conflict with other items I’ve found indicating that on April 3rd, 4th, and 5th Donna played in Johnstown, PA. Further investigation is needed on this topic.