100 Years ago – Elizabeth Grace Darling – (1906-1987)

Posted on March 22, 2016 by Don Taylor
Today is a great day to remember Elizabeth Grace Darling, “Aunt Betty,” because today would be her 110th birthday if she were still living.  Betty is my wife’s great-aunt; the sister of my wife’s grandfather. I have written about my wife’s grandfather several times, See:
Robert Harry Darling (1907-1969)
100 Years Ago – Robert Harry Darling – (1907-1969)
Robert Harry Darling

Elizabeth Grace Darling – (1906-1987)

Elizabeth Grace Darling was born on March 22, 1906, in Pittsburgh, PA. Her mother died in 1913 and she went to live with her grandmother, Margaret Lamb McAllister. In 1915 there was a family issue that required Margaret to return to her native England.  So, in August, 1915, she took her two grandchildren, Elizabeth and Robert Harry, with her to England. Family oral history says she took the children to England so they could be “properly civilized.”
So, little Elizabeth would have spent her 10th birthday celebration in England, apparently in the Lakes Region, probably Appleby (Now Appleby-in-Westmorland), Cumbria, in North West England.
Elizabeth would have been hearing news about the war in Europe. The Russians were having success against the Germans in the north taking the Dneister Bridgehead and also defeating the Austrians in the south. She probably didn’t know that the US was fighting its own war. General Funston was asking for more troops to send into Mexico to assist General Pershing against Francisco Villa. This was really important because General Pershing telegraph communications had been cut off.[1]
Elizabeth Grace Darling Gwyer
c. 1939
Margaret and the two children remained in England until December of 1916 when they returned to the United States aboard the SS Philadelphia, then locating in the Mount Oliver area of Pittsburgh, PA. Their return was just in time.  Betty’s father, Rufus Harry Darling died just two weeks later, on 5 January 1917.
Later in January, 1917, Germany invited Mexico to join them as an ally against the United States. Germany said they would finance Mexico’s war to recover the territories of Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona.[2] Mexico declined, but America was not pleased about Germany trying to bring the Great War to American soil.  The United States declared war on Germany on April 6, 1917.[3]
On 10 May 1927, Elizabeth married William Otis Gwyer.  They would later divorce.
On 11 October 1947, Elizabeth married Frank Howell Kemon in the chapel of Mount Vernon Methodist Church, Washington, DC with Rev. John Rustin officiating.[4]
Kemon – Glenwood Cemetery, Washington DC.
Betty Darling – Frank Howell
1906-1987 – 1906-1973
Elizabeth’s husband Frank Kemon died in 1973. In the 1980s, Aunt Betty came to live with her niece and family in Bridgton, Maine.
Elizabeth died on 10 June 1987 at her niece’s home in Bridgton. She was buried at Glenwood Cemetery, Section K, Lot 69, Site 2585 in Washington, DC next to her husband Frank Howell Kemon.[5]

ENDNOTES

[1] The Washington Post, Wednesday, March 22, 1916, Front Page via Newspapers.com
[2] Wikipedia – World War I – Entry of the United States
[4] Historical Newspapers, Birth, Marriage, & Death Announcements, 1851-2003 – The Washington Post, October 1947, Ancestry.com
[5] Find a Grave – Elizabeth Darling “Betty” Gwyer Kemon – Memorial# 133079409

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Finding Family – Ancestry and AncestryDNA provided the tools to determine my biological father and half-siblings.

Posted on March 20, 2016 by Don Taylor

By Don Taylor


Determining my biological father and discovering new half siblings is, by far, the greatest success I’ve had in my genealogical activities.  Thanks to Ancestry and AncestryDNA, I have been successful in answering lifelong questions regarding my paternity and my ancestry.
Don with step father's 1964 Olds Dynamic 88, the car he learned to drive on.
Don [Matson] Taylor with step-father’s ’64 Olds Dynamic 88
(The car in which I learned how to drive – c.1965)
Note the white sidewall tires — “Budgar” had to have them.
My quest started when I was sixteen and I needed a copy of my birth certificate to get a driver’s license.  That is when I learned that the man I thought was my father not only didn’t die in a car accident when I was a baby, but he wasn’t my father either. I had used his surname (Larson) for 12 years after which I used a new step-father’s name (Matson) for four years. Now, after sixteen years,  I had a completely new identity.  My biological father’s name was completely unknown and the surname on my birth certificate was completely made up. (That’s another story.) I adopted my birth surname then and have lived with it ever since. My mother gave me some hints as to possible friends of my biological father that I might be able to contact and learn my father’s name, but following those leads were never successful. My frustration was high but I’d go back to searching and seeking over and over again.
In 1994, a here-to-unknown half-sister, Glennis Peterson, who had been put up for adoption, found her birth mother and I suddenly had a new half-sister. Glennis didn’t learn she was adopted until she was in her 20s and had been searching for her birth mother (and a known older brother – me) for nearly 20 years. (That is another story but it is her story to tell – I think it will make a great book and she is a writer.) Anyway, her finding her birth family was a major impetus for my expanding my genealogical activities. First, I wanted to support her in learning about her new family (our shared Brown/Montran line), but also her finding us meant that maybe, just maybe, I’d be able to figure out who my biological father was. For the next few years, I retraced my previous efforts making sure I hadn’t missed anything. Again, to no avail.
In 2008, Ancestry offered a Y-DNA test and I took it.  Through that test, I learned that my closest Y-DNA matches all had the same surname, “Roberts.”  The problem was all of the matches were many generations away (eight to ten generations or more); there were no close matches. Although I tried, I was unable to find any of these people having a Roberts ancestor who had descendants in the place at the right time as my conception.

In 2011, Ancestry knew they were going to eliminate their Y-DNA testing and concentrate on atDNA testing. They sent me a free “Beta” test package, so I could be included in their atDNA database. My results weren’t very exciting, most matches were known distant relatives on my mother’s side. There were a few paternal matches, but they were very distant and never had any Roberts surnamed individuals.  I was disappointed and frustrated.  I even worked on someone’s tree for a while looking for potential matches on another person’s tree that the three of us shared a segment on the same chromosome.  Still no luck. Then the wall came tumbling down.
In December 2015, I had a new match – 1st to 2nd cousin.  Wow.  And that person had a tree on Ancestry.Com.  I looked at her tree and found her grandfather’s surname was Roberts.  Could it be?  If we were second cousins we would share a great grandparent, so I used Ancestry to learn about her great grandfather’s life.  I then used that information to further understand his children. He had three sons and one of them was in the right place (Detroit, MI) at the right time (Nov. 1949).
I decided to post two stories on my blog about my findings so far.  First, I wrote about “My Paternal Brick Wall” and how I believe it to be shattered. A couple weeks later I wrote about “Compulsive searching – Bert Allen Roberts (1903-1949).” It was my intent to examine and explore this family line more and more until I knew if it contained my people. 
A couple weeks later, I was contacted by Melody Roberts Jackson. She was Google searching her grandmother’s name and came across my “Compulsive searching…” article. Melody read it and “My Paternal Brick Wall” post and was amazed. These were her people that I was writing about. After exchanging a few emails we chatted at length on the telephone. She said she would contact one of her cousins, someone I suspected might be a half-sister.  The potential half sister, Beverly Roberts, then called me.  And we chatted for a long time. I indicated that the only way we’d know for certain was if she took an atDNA test as also.  She agreed. AncestryDNA sent to test directly to her and she sent it in.
Hugh Eugene “Gene” Roberts
Photo Courtesy: Tom Roberts
Then the agonizing wait.  AncestryDNA says six to eight weeks, possibly longer.  We were hoping for six weeks, but it took the full eight weeks. When the results came in, we learned that we share 1593 centimorgans of DNA across 58 DNA segments.  The DNA doesn’t say we are half siblings but gives clues to possible relationships.  The only relations we share that much DNA with are grandchild, niece/nephew, aunt/uncle, or a half-sibling.   I am older than BR so I can’t possibly be her grandchild. Her oldest sibling is younger than I am, so I can’t possibly be her nephew. Her (our) grandfather died fourteen months before I was born, so I can’t possibly be her uncle. Simple logic eliminated all potential relationships except one, that of half-sibling.  Which means I finally determined who my biological father was, Hugh Eugene “Gene” Roberts. From discussions with my mother over the years, I am pretty certain he was never told of my existence.
Sadly, Hugh Eugene “Gene” Roberts died in 1997, so I’ll never have a chance to meet my biological father. However, my new found Roberts family is excited to have a new family member.  I now have five new half-siblings and a passel of new cousins. There is a whole new line to explore genealogically. But best of all, I am looking forward to meeting my new Roberts family in person later this spring and I really feel they are excited to meet me too.

ENDNOTES

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Family Search Marriage Indexes — Marriage of Samuel Scott & Amanda Haley

Posted on March 16, 2016 by Don Taylor

I don’t like to admit it, but oftentimes I accept the index entries for records.  I know I should view the source document for everything possible, but the time, effort and cost of seeing every document often seems prohibitive.  When the index provides the key information I need to know, I generally accept it.  Although I know that the original documents may show much more information or even provide more accurate information, I have been lax and not ordered the actual film. Such is the case of the marriage of Samuel Scott and Amanda Haley. 

It began on Family Search. I was looking for the marriage of Samuel V. Scott and Amanda J Haley for my Roberts Family Research. I quickly found the record. Samuel V. Scott married Amanda J. Haley on 24 May 1879. He was 17 and she was 18 years old.[i]

Then I saw a second record, Samuel V. Scott married Amanda J. Haley on 24 May 1879. He was 18 and she was 19 years old.[ii] I thought to myself, ‘that’s odd, well they probably either lied about their ages or they had birthdays between when they got their license and the actual day of the marriage.’ Then I noticed that they were two different indexes from the same database.  That seemed really odd.
I decided to check out Ancestry.com and see what they showed. Also, maybe they might have an actual image.  I quickly found two results. The first one was an index only Marriage Date of 24 May 1879, but it didn’t give their ages. The second result also didn’t give their ages, but it did indicate their marriage date was 25 May 1879 and had a comment, “This record can be found at the County Court Records, Film # 1005304 – 1005310.”
Hmmm, a day here, a year there, before long I found myself with questions about what was accurate. Samuel and Amanda are second great-grandparents on my Roberts tree, so it is important to me to assure their information right. The only way to know for certain is to order the films and see exactly what these indexes were based upon. I figured that I might need to order the record from the county court, but, I decided to go back to Family Search first.   
I searched for the surnames Scott and Haley in the Franklin County Marriage Records. I found several other marriages listed in that film for individuals whose parents were William H. Scott and Emily Hendricks and a couple more who’s parents were A. J. Haley and Montgomery. They are:
Family Member
Married to:
Date:
Image Number
Mary F Haley
T. E. L. Curry
26 Feb 1878
  9
Samuel V. Scott
Amanda J. Haley
24 May 1879
26
Viola S. Scott
Charles M. K. Galloway
5 Jul 1879
27
Serena Haley
J. A. Turner
10 Sep 1885
117
S. V. Scott
Lavina Allmend Shockley
25 Dec 1892
235
Clara M. Scott
Leonard D. Mooneyham
18 Nov 1898
341
Francis P. Scott
Florence E. Roberts
24 Mar 1901
382
Laura Scott
James Vaughn
3 Jul 1904
442
William Alonzo Scott
Fannin Jane Story
14 Sep 1905
464
I thought with this many family members it is a microfilm well worth ordering. I added the image numbers, so that when I received the microfilm I’d have the image numbers so that I could quickly and efficiently find the records I am interested in.
Then, I went to the records page[iii], so that I could order the microfilm. I saw the collection included three microfilm reels and an index (the one I was using) was available online. Looking further down, I realized that there was an icon to “browse the images online.” I didn’t need to order the microfilm.[iv] The on-line index just wasn’t linked to the images, but the film has been digitized and is available online. My list of image numbers of interest was perfect. I quickly downloaded the images and all the information on many family members. Wow, so much information, so quickly. 

The Marriage of Samuel Vaden Scott (c.1862-1931) and Amanda Jane Haley (1861-1889) 24 May 1879[v]

Marriage Register – Groom Side – Samuel V. Scott 

Marriage Register – Bride Side – Amanda J Haley
Extract

Marriage License Number: 245 | Dated: May 23, 1879
Groom: Samuel V. Scott | Residence: Goode Tp, Franklin Co. | Occupation: Farmer
Age next Birthday: 18 | Race: White | Place of Birth: Tennessee
Father’s Name: William H. Scott | Mother’s Maiden Name: Hendricks | No. of Groom’s Marriage: 1
Bride: Amanda J Healey | Residence: Goode Tp, Franklin Co.
Age next Birthday: 19 | Race: White | Place of Birth: [blank]
Father’s Name: A. J. Haley | Mother’s Maiden Name: Montgomery | No. of Bride’s Marriage: 1
Where and When Married: Goode Tp. Franklin Co. May 24 1879 | Witnesses: G. Elknis & R. Elknis [??] | By whom Certified, Name and Office: S. M. Brayfield, J. P.
Date of Return: 5 24 1879 | When Registered | 6 20 1879
Items in Green above are newly learned and include the following:
The marriage license number and when it was applied for.
Where Samuel and Amanda lived at the time.
Samuel’s occupation.
Conflicting information regarding Samuel’s place of Birth (I had/have Illinois, I’ll need to sort that out later).
Who the witnesses were (although it is difficult for me to read).
Who performed the ceremony.
And, most importantly, I learned the answer to my question about Samuel and Amanda’s ages.  Samuel was 17 and Amanda was 18 when the license was taken out and at their NEXT birthdays, they would be 18 and 19. Everything fit (except Sam’s birthplace) once I saw the actual register.
This case acted a reminder, when using Family Search, always check for the film of a document. You can get a lot more information from the image without much more effort. Sometimes very important information.  They might have the film digitized and available on-line. Even if they don’t, if you can afford it[vi], order a copy, you never know what more you can learn. I know better than to take the easy way, and I plan to do better in the future.

List of Greats

1.     Clara/Clora Dell Scott
2.     Samuel Vaden Scott & Amanda Jane Haley


Follow-up:

Prove where Samuel Scott was born (Illinois or Tennessee).
Incorporate the marriage information for the other Scott and Haley family members in my tree that were married in Franklin County.

ENDNOTES

[i] “Illinois, County Marriages, 1810-1934,” database, Family Search (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KFK4-RF1 : accessed 14 March 2016), Samuel V. Scott and Amanda J. Haley, 24 May 1879; citing Franklin, Illinois, United States, county offices, Illinois; FHL microfilm 1,005,309.
[ii] “Illinois, County Marriages, 1810-1934,” database, Family Search (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KFKW-85D : accessed 14 March 2016), Samuel V. Scott and Amanda J. Haley, 24 May 1879; citing Franklin, Illinois, United States, county offices, Illinois; FHL microfilm 1,005,307.
[iii] Family Search, Marriage records, 1878-1916 – Franklin County (Illinois) County Clerk https://familysearch.org/search/catalog/270753?availability=Family%20History%20Library
[v] Ibid.
[vi] $7.50/film roll to rent and view at your local Family History Center.

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Happy 4th birthday to me.

Posted on March 13, 2016 by Don Taylor

Today is my Blogging Anniversary. I received a post from Geneabloggers the other day about the sites that are having anniversaries that reminded me that my blog anniversary was coming up. I was startled to see them reporting that My blog started in 2011.  I thought it can’t really have been that long.  I double checked and I see I actually started the D Taylor Genealogy blog in 2012. That set me to thinking about my blog and how it has grown over the past four years.

It doesn’t seem like it has been four years to me.  That said, the growth of my blog has been amazing. That first year (2012), I was receiving 100 to 150 page views per month. In just January and February of this year, I’ve received well over 10,000 page views. It also looks like my blog following is continuing to grow.  I would like to think that it is because my content is better and I am writing more interesting things as I go along and not that there are just that many more people using the Internet.

Lisa Louise Cooke has called blogs “Cousin Bait,” and my blog has acted like “cousin bait.” Numerous times distant cousins have contacted me because of the blog, as well as my Facebook, and Twitter presence. I have received dozens of photos of my direct ancestors that I would never otherwise have received.  Some of those photos have led to additional research and new findings. Of particular interest to me was a photo of my Grandpa Dick as a young man on a basketball team in Panama in 1928. The photo proved a family story that my grandfather had been in Panama where he met my grandmother. That photo let to many other discoveries. It also has led to my adding a trip to the National Archives to my “to do” list to find out more about his activities in the Army in Panama in the late 1920s and early 1930s.  I am so grateful to cousin Beverly for the photo.

Dick Brown – on 1828 Corozal (Panama)
championship basketball team. 

On another occasion, a cousin entered her grandmother’s name in a Google Search and discovered my blog because of a post I have regarding Bert Allen Roberts. She then contacted me and facilitated a potential half-sister to contact me. I’m still waiting for DNA test results to come back, but I’m fairly certain of the connection. I am so grateful to cousin Melody for her reaching out.

I think my biggest surprise, in terms of blog statistics, is that my number one most viewed post was a 2013 post regarding a review of Family Tree Maker Mac 3.  It has had over seven times the page views as my second most read posting. It makes me think that maybe I should do more reviews. Likewise, my second most-read post was my “rant” regarding Ancestry’s decision to drop Family Tree Maker. That post also received the most comments, by far. Maybe, I should write more rants. (Then again, maybe not.)

It isn’t until I reach my 3rd most read posting that I get to a biography about an ancestor. In this case, my wife’s fourth great grandfather, William Price. Writing about ancestors’ lives and documenting my sources is what this blog is about.

Looking at the various statistics reminded me to consider, what is the purpose for the Blog.  Is it to act as “cousin bait,” or is it to get the most traffic possible so I can have some income from my affiliate links? Both of these are important, however, as I ponder its purpose, the primary reason for this blog is to act as a journal of my genealogical efforts.  The act of journaling, of expressing genealogical findings in a clear manner, helps immensely in assuring my research conclusions make sense. It provides a forum for me to assure I have my sources and that I’ve reached reasonable conclusions and that everything fits together.  If it doesn’t then it provides a means to know what is missing and what I should do to reconcile any issues.

This  blog is more for my growth and understanding than it is about writing for others.  I try to add hints and  items of interest for others. They help remind me of things I shouldn’t forget.  But, again the process of journaling makes me stronger.

If I ever write something that you think is wrong, please let me know. If you write via the comments form, I will likely publish your comments to the blog, if appropriate and not self-serving. If you respond via Facebook, I will consider your comment as communications between the two of us and private. Either way, please give me feedback, what should I focus upon, Brown, Roberts, Howell, or Darling lines.  Should I write more about Donna Montran’s vaudeville life, DNA, my various Projects, or other things? Let me know if there is something specific you would like me to write about. Also, if you have something that is appropriate for this blog and would like to submit it to me for publication, I do accept items from guest bloggers.

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One wife or two? M & Eartha [Hobbs]

Posted on March 11, 2016 by Don Taylor

One Wife or Two?

It is really unclear to me if George Hobbs (1801-1860) had one wife or two. The records and family history make it really difficult to determine the truth. But, here is my logic.
Martin County Heritage, by Hughes, S. J. N., & Martin County Historical Society (N.C.) Published in 1980 has hundreds of articles regarding individuals from Martin County, NC.  What is good about these articles is they were written by individuals who had access to family records and often knew the individuals written about.[i]

Article 419 was written by 1st cousin once removed, Hazel Armstrong Valentine. Hazel was born in 1895 and knew the family in North Carolina first hand. Her article sates that “George Hobbs and Eartha W. Gaskins were married 3-29-1836. This is the first entry under “Marriages” in J.A. Hobbs’ Bible. 
Another article in the same book, “Article 495 – Hettie Elizabeth Johnson” indicates that Hettie’s mother [Hester Jane Hobbs] was “the daughter of George A. Hobbs and his wife listed as only ‘M’ (born 1809).” 
It appears that George died before the 1860 Census as I cannot find him enumerated in that census. Also it appears that all his children are living in different places.
The 1850 Census is clear, George Hobbs, living with 41-year-old M Hobbs, and six Hobbs children.[ii] Although relationships are not given in the 1850 Census, it is clearly a family unit. Being 41 years of age during the 1850 census infers “M” has a birthdate between 2 June 1808 and 1 June 1809. Also, their daughter Sarah F Hobbs was age 14 during the Census. That would infer a birthdate between 2 June 1835 and 1 June 1836. What isn’t clear is that if Eartha Gaskins married George on 3-29-1836 then Sarah came pretty quick after the wedding, within 2 months. Alternately with Sarah being 14 during the 1850 Census, she could have been born as early as 2 June 1835. If that is the there was probably another wife who gave birth to Sarah and that would have to be “M.” But “M” is reported in George’s household in 1850, so “M” couldn’t have been replaced by Eartha, rather, “M” is likely Eartha M Gaskins (“M” instead of W” and was misread.

Name
Born
Married
 Notes
Eartha W. Gaskins
3/29/1836
M.
1909
Mother of Hester Jane
I cannot be certain if “M” and Eartha are the same person, but I suspect that they are.  I will need to closely analyze the other children and see if I can find any additional facts which will prove my contention either way.

Bio – Eartha W Gaskins, aka “M”

Born:  1809 in North Carolina
Married: 3/29/1838 to George W Hobbs.
1850: Lived with George Hobbs and apparently six children

Sarah F Hobbs (1836-?)
C. S. Hobbs (Edward s) (1840-?)
George Hobbs (1842-1865)
James A Hobbs (1841-1920)
Elizabeth Hobbs (1847-?)
Easter I Hobbs (Hester Jane) (1849-1908)

Future actions

Find death record for Eartha W Hobbs and/or “M” Hobbs.
Trace Birth, marriage, and death records for Sarah, Edward, Elizabeth and Hester.

List of Greats

James Ashley Hobbs
M and/or Eartha W Gaskins

ENDNOTES

[i] Hughes, Shelby Jean Nelson. 1980. Martin County heritage. Williamston, N.C.: Martin County Historical Society.
[ii] Source: 1850 Census; George Hobbs – Martin County, North Carolina; Ancestry.Com

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