Genealogy---My Grandmother has become a brick wall

Discussion in 'Hobbies and Crafts' started by toni, Jul 7, 2015.

  1. toni

    toni Mistress of Garden Junque Staff Member Moderator Plants Contributor

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    As I wrote on Auntie Bel, http://www.auntiebel.com/threads/hitting-a-brick-wall.678/ , I am having a real hard time finding out much about her. I have been trying all sorts of different searches but nothing. I know her birth date and death date from my Mom's records and I have a photo of her headstone. And I know her parents names because my grandfather included them on her death certificate, but those names get me nowhere either.
    My Mom mentioned one time that she really wasn't sure about her Mom's middle name. I can find her listed on Census reports even though one says she was 27 at the time of her first marriage and another says she was 20.

    So I am hoping that there are some family history hunters out there with ideas for new searches.
     
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  3. eileen

    eileen Resident Taxonomist Staff Member Moderator Plants Contributor

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    Wish I could help you out Toni. We're have problems finding information at the moment too regarding Ian's grandfather.
     
  4. toni

    toni Mistress of Garden Junque Staff Member Moderator Plants Contributor

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    I never realized just how common my Grandmother's name was until I started searching for her. I knew her first name, Ruth, would be common for the time period, but who knew there were and are so many Hedrick family members out there....and so many of the females are named Ruth!!! My Mom always told me her middle name was Bess, but in her last few years she thought she remembered being told that she had a different middle name and Bess was a nickname someone (probably my Mom's Dad) had called her. Okay, so Bess is sometimes a nickname for Elizabeth and there are several Ruth Elizabeth ladies out there. And if her name is Ruth Elizabeth, then that means that I inadvertently named my first daughter after her. ;)
     
    Last edited: Jul 8, 2015
  5. Tooty2shoes

    Tooty2shoes Hardy Maple

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    Toni: are you a member of Ancestry? It can be really frustrating trying to figure out those past ancestors. Spelling of last names have been change, and spelling of first names can be different. With your Grandmother middle names can be a challenge like you said.
    I finally figured out who a widow was listd on one of the census's reports I had found. I had only know her first name to be Minnie. Then I find out her real first name was Wilhelmina. Boy that opened so many doors now that I had her first name.
    If you are not a member of Ancestry. I could go there and see if I can find out anything about her. Just let me know. :like:
     



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  6. toni

    toni Mistress of Garden Junque Staff Member Moderator Plants Contributor

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    Thanks for the offer, been on Ancestry for about 5 years and still haven't found anything about her there. I have been looking for her on FamilySearch.org and the only info they have is the exact same I got from Ancestry.

    I have two spellings for her maiden name, neither of which get me any further, her married name was Ruth Brown.....do you know how common that name is??? I have found at least 5 who lived in Chicago Illinois around the same time she did but they all turned out to be someone else's ancestor. I have found a whole passel of other names that Bess could be a nickname for, I just haven't had the time yet to check them all out.
     
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  7. Tooty2shoes

    Tooty2shoes Hardy Maple

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    Yes Toni I see what you mean. Brown is as common as Smith. It would be fun to be on one of those ancestor search shows to see what they could come up with.
    Yes it does take a lot of time doing that kind of research. I usually discontinue my Ancestry subscription for a few months during the summer, and fall. Way to much other stuff to do. Then during the winter I just renew my subscription. Why pay for something I am not using.
     

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