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Friday, December 19, 2008
To one and all, regardless of your religion, Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. May 2009 bring you good health, happiness and prosperity. And to those of us who have lost our jobs, may it bring us gameful employment.
Monday, November 10, 2008
His exact burial location is not known due to conditions of war. His death is commemorated at the YPRES (MENIN GATE) MEMORIAL, Leper, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium, on panel 24 - 26 - 28 - 30. Ypres (now Leper) is a town in the Province of West Flanders. The memorial is situated at the eastern side of the town on the road to Menin and Courtrai, and bears the names of me who were lost without trace during the defence of the Ypres Salient in the First World War.
IMPORTANT: I used the Advanced Search button on the Canadian Virtual War Memorial Veterans Affairs Canada website today. I was very much taken back when I discovered that 108 mother's sons from Ken's Manitoba Regiment, out of 425 Allied soldiers in total, died this day 91 years ago. The 3rd Battle for Ypres started on July 31, 1917 and "supposedly" ended with the fall of Passchendaele village on 6 November. 264 men from the Manitoba Regiment alone died in the first 10 days of November 1917. When I tried to search October 10 to November 10, 1917, the number from just this one proud Regiment exceeded 500 men. I have emailed Veterans Affairs Canada to enquire as to how many Canadians from Ken's Regiment died in that battle, as I would like to know. 20,000 Canadian troops were committed to the Battle of Passchendaele and 15,000 died within the span of approx. 1 month. That's a 75% loss. We should not glorify war, rather remember and respect the sacrifice.
Those of us in the so-called Baby Boomer generation have no comprehesion as to how many of our ancestors gave their lives, so that we can sit back, whine and bitch about everything under the sun. We don't how lucky we are to have the freedoms to be able to belly ache. I have read that there were 68,000 Canadians who died in World War I alone. I think that we should do away with November 11th as Rememberance Day, and remember every veteran EVERY SINGLE DAY.
When Ken enlisted he was part of the 141st Battalion from Rainy River in Northern Ontario. He was later assigned to the 8th Battalion Manitoba Regiment as a sniper.
Does anyone know who this unknown soldier might be? The photograph was in my paternal grandparents photo album. My grandfather was born at Pratt Siding, Mosa Township, Middlesex County, Ontario. There was nothing on the back of the photograph. Neither my late grandmother nor any of my living family know who he is. I checked, its not Ken. I expect that "may" have been a member of the 135th Battalion Middlesex Regiment CEF from London, Ontario, as that was my grandfather's battalion.
Friday, November 7, 2008
An interim update has been uploaded for the FRETZ database. It contains some new information as well as corrections in linking between generations. Also the MEMORIAL page has been updated to reflect another member of our GILES family who passed away earlier this week.
Thursday, October 23, 2008
I have created and uploaded an online database for my YEATMAN research. I am continuing to re-check all data in the other databases including the verification of the sources. There will be updates coming for FRETZ, GILES, and HASKELL as time permits. If anyone emails corrections to the data presented in any database or new information, please be prepared to provide me with the source thereof. Its very important to know exactly where the data comes from.
Sunday, October 19, 2008
Corrections and updates have been done to both the HASKELL and HURDLE databases. Both have now been uploaded.
Myself and another HASKELL researcher continue to work together on the immediate family of Nathaniel HASKILL & Abigail (SAWYER) trying to verify that the data that we both have recorded is correct or as correct as we can make it given the sources that we have to work with. And it doesn't help when you have both spellings existing across multiple documents and within the same families.
I have been a Toronto Maple Leafs fan since the day that I first discovered what hockey was. I can still remember the last time they won dear Stanley's mug and inspite of those of you who must think I'm nuts, I will continue to support them. That said however, there are better things on TV than watching the leafs fall. If I want to do that, then I just need to look out my front window at the oak tree across the street. My maple tree out back is almost completely green as are most of my neighbours but that ole oak tree seems to have a major dump when anybody mentions the fr... word. Bert or Ernie one of neighbourhood squirrels must have put a solar powered radio up in ole oakie just to p... him off.
I say him because I think the tree is a guy with male leaf loss syndrome.
Thursday, October 16, 2008
The GILES database has been updated and loaded back up to the main website. I opted to go back to the original software. Even though the new format has some distinct advantages its html coding was inconsistent with the rest of the website, therefore it won't be used to create "online" web pages. Rather I may use it when creating pages to be burned to a CD or DVD. For that application it is a better option.
Work continues on extending research on GILES, HURDLE, and YEATMAN. Certificates have been ordered from the GRO in England, and I eagerly await their arrival. I am again considering creating an online version of the YEATMAN database.
Saturday, October 11, 2008
I wasn't tired again last evening, so I stayed up researching at the Library and Archives Canada website, and I have finally found the Ships Passenger Manifest that covers the emigration to Canada of my maternal great grandparents Joseph GILES and Sophia (HUNT), their daughter Gwendoline (my great aunt), and their son Walter Stanley "Jack" (my great uncle). The emigration/immigration information for all of my GILES ancestors who came from England to Canada is now complete. As it turns out, the information recorded in the old GILES Reunion Binder along with that which I received from Walter MORRIS several years ago, were both correct even though other source data suggested that it was not. Joseph and his family did arrive in Canada in May of 1911. The information from the Ships Passenger Manifest including the Immigration data will be recorded, transcribed and added to the secure PAF® GILES database stored off-line. Its highly unlikely that this information will be listed in the GILES database that will eventually be added back to this website, however, that will ultimately depend upon what software programme I use to create those pages. Phew, what a relief to have this puzzle finished. Its a very nice Thanksgiving gift. Monday, October 13 is Thanksgiving here in Canada.
I have also discovered by using the indices to the General Register Office in England, that my great uncle George Henry GILES, brother to my maternal grandfather, married Clara Daisy (HERBERT) my great aunt between Sept and Dec 1910, at Henley-On-Thames, Oxfordshire, England. This is approx. 8 miles north-east of Tilehurst, Berkshire. It is believed to have taken place at Holy Trinity Parish Ch. of England. Research is underway to confirm this.
I sincerely hope that all of you will have a good and safe Thanksgiving weekend, and while you're piling in the turkey and all the fixins, remember those folks who are not fortunate enough to have good food to eat and safe roof over the heads.
Friday, October 10, 2008
Previous marriage information for Emily Maria GILES, daughter of William Joseph GILES and Fanny (LAINSBURY), appears to be in error. She was an aunt to my maternal great grandfather Joseph GILES. The marriage record and spousal information in question has been removed from the off-line GILES database until such time as its source can be clarified. There is however a marriage record in existence for her sister Edith Ellen GILES. This has yet to be investigated in detail. I have taken a break from examining the Ships Passenger Manifests so that I can take advantage of decent weather for outside fall tasks that I need to complete. I hope to resume my elusive search sometime next week.
Sunday, October 05, 2008
Too much coffee last night and I couldn't get to sleep so I took the time to revise several of the pages on this website, including the Copyright Notice and Use of Data Statement. Now I am going to lay down and see if I can catch a couple of hours of rest.
Saturday, October 04, 2008
I stand corrected. The 1911 Canadian Census enumeration actually began on June 1st. The March 31st date came from the British 1911 Census. This now means that Ships Passenger Manifests from the months of April and May 1911 must also be examined if I am to learn when Joseph, Sophia, Gwendolin, and Walter Stanley GILES actually immigrated into Canada. Research to date indicates that they did not come during the months of January or February 1911. I am now working on manifests for March 1911.
I also have research underway to determine which Boys School in Berks, England that my maternal grandmother was employed at and in what capacity. Also whether my maternal grandfather may have also worked there, given the occupation that he listed on the immigration portion of the 1912 Ships Passenger Manifest. I am also searching St. Michael's Church of England Parish Records for all information on GILES. This is the parish that our family attended in England.
After contacting the Guildhall Library in London England and having a record extraction done, I now know the confirmed Dates of Birth and Baptism for my paternal 4th G. Grandfather John HURDLE, as well as his father's occupation, that being a "cooper".
Friday, September 26, 2008
After nearly becoming cross-eyed (don't laugh, its not funny) I have finally found the records to confirm when my maternal grandparents Ernest & Kate GILES emigrated from England to Canada. The name of the steamship and the Company, Port of Departure and the date, Port of Arrival and the date, Destination and method of continued carriage. Grandpa's occupation was listed as a "Steward" which is not what I was expecting, and Grandma had no listed occupation. That would make sense given that she was 8 months pregnant with Uncle Dennis. She must have had nerves of steel to make such a journey and be so far along.
I now have scanned images of the pages from the pertinent Ships Passenger Manifests for both my grandfather Ernest GILES and my great uncle Ted GILES. Upon re-examination of the 1911 Census for Metcalf Township, I see where my great grandparents Joseph and Sophia GILES, Auntie Gwen, and Uncle Jack indicated that they had arrived in Canada in 1911. This narrows the search for their immigration information to the months of January, February, and March, as the 1911 Census was enumerated on March 31, 1911. During those months the St. Lawrence River Ports of Quebec City and Montreal were frozen in, therefore the Ports of Arrival could only be Halifax NS or Saint John NB. If the carrier was the White Star Line or the Allan Line, it probably would have been Halifax. If the carrier was the Canadian Northern Steamship Line, it could also be Saint John NB. This means many more hours of looking at small bad handwriting in order to complete the immigration puzzle for my GILES ancestors.
Thursday, September 25, 2008 - PM entry
Of the 24 Ships Passenger Manifests (England to Canada) that I have wish to look at, I have viewed 16 so far. I have not yet found where my GILES grandparents emigrated to Canada. Given the size and style of handwriting it has proven very hard on my eyes, so I have taken a short break away from it. The amount of information that you can derive from these lists is incredible. For example, the person's occupation in England, and in some cases for how many years. I have also discovered that a person could book passage on a freight steamship. As a result a Ships Passenger Manifest had to be created and the inforrmation therein contained the same as on a passenger steamship. Some people even signed on a part of the crew in order to receive room, board and free passage to Canada. I guess that's OK if you don't mind the hard work and don't get sea sick.
Thursday, September 25, 2008 - AM entry
I have been asked many times how am I related to a given family or individual. Below by surname only, is a list of how each main family that I am researching relates to me. Keeping with established tradition, maiden names are within parenthesis.
Paternal
Father: HURDLE.
Grandparents: HURDLE and (HASKELL).
G. Grandparents: HURDLE & (HASKELL); HASKELL & (FRETZ).
G. G. Grandparents: HURDLE & (DEACON); HASKELL & (WEATHEROUFFE); HASKELL & (WEATHEROUFFE); FRETZ & (SIDER).
Maternal
Mother: (GILES).
Grandparents: GILES and (YEATMAN).
G. Grandparents: GILES & (HUNT); YEATMAN & (KENDALL).
G. G. Grandparents: GILES & (LAINSBURY); HUNT & (APPLEFORD); YEATMAN & (CLARKE); KENDALL & (ELSWORTH).
Also worth noting and with respect to the FRETZ database in particular. There are so many marriages between the various inter-related surnames, that I have recorded all stray occurrences. This has been done in the hopes of connecting them in as descendants of Lancaster John FRETZ. These families including our branch of FRETZ, started out in Welland County Ontario after immigrating from the State of Pennsylvania USA in June 1800. Down through the generations many of these families spread out in search of more land, and they moved west into the Counties of Haldimand, Norfork, Elgin, Middlesex, Kent, Lambton, Huron, etc.
I have also recorded "some" information on Canada John FRETZ and his descendants, even though no supporting documents have been located to date either in Canada or the USA to prove that he was a first cousin to Lancaster John FRETZ.
These families for the most part are of Pennsylvania Deutsch or German lineage. It is incorrect to refer to them as Pennsylvania Dutch, as they were in fact German.
Sunday, September 21, 2008
Giles Research
I have set aside my quests into the GILES' farms for now, to again pursue Ships Passenger Manifests. This time I tried to determine dates and places of departure and arrival for my GILES grandparents from England. So far, I have not found them, however I still have 16 Ships Passenger Manifests to look through at an average of 50 or so handwritten pages per ship. The Pursers should have been drawn and quartered for making those entries so small and difficult to read. In the research processes I discovered Uncle Ted and Auntie Ada's departure and arrival details. I have also discovered that inspite of hard copy information that I received from HIGGS family members in the UK, Uncle Ted and Aunt Ada were in fact not married in Canada afterall. They were married at Bradfield, BRK, England, a few days before emigrating to Canada by steamship.
Joseph, Sophia, Gwendolin, and Walter Stanley GILES, arrived separately and after Uncle Ted and Aunt Ada did, possibly later in 1910 or early in 1911. All were recorded on the 1911 Census as living in the same Metcalf Township household. If I could determine when they arrived or atleast what month/year, I could search Passenger Lists for them as well. I already have the details for Uncle George and Aunt Daisy.
Once I get back into searching the Land Records, I plan to learn the details of all of the GILES farms that were held in Metcalf Township and possibly Mosa Township as well. Various other record sources are inconclusive as to who owned what and when. Therefore further research is required.
Friday, September 12, 2008
Research
The 2-1/2 hours spent in the Reference Library yesterday afternoon proved to be time well spent. My purpose in going there was to verify data that I had already recorded against one of my maternal lines, that being GILES. I was in fact able to confirm the location of my grandfather Ernest GILES's original farm, as well as the location of his father Joseph's farm and that of his older brother Ted's farms as well. I was able to obtain new information on my paternal lines of HURDLE, HASKELL, and FRETZ as well. And of course as is the case with most family history research, for every answer comes at least two new questions, therefore one or more return visits to the library will be undertaken.
Thursday, September 11, 2008
FRETZ
I never had any intention of entering strays into the FRETZ database, but when I went into the big cabinet looking for documents for the GILES research planned for this afternoon, I came across work that I started well over a year ago. For some reason I got interrupted and the material was set aside, and as fate would have it, it got put back into the cabinet. I also found some for HASKELL as well. And to make matters worse, I never did find what I was looking for. Its probably there, and when I do figure out where I put it, I won't need it. Grrr! Maybe later after a few hours of shut eye.
Say a prayer for the families who lost loved ones during the 9/11 attack on New York City.
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
HUNT
Its been almost 2 years since the last update was created and uploaded for the HUNT database. This has now been done.
GILES
I am back into researching the GILES family which is one of my maternal lines. I am continuing in my quest to verify all existing data as well as securing new information (hopefully).
The new information and photographs from Carole have been added in to the GILES Family History as well as HUNT, KENDALL, and YEATMAN. I have sent her a number of photographs from my collection which hopefully she can use in her project, as well as a list of another 147 that she can choose from if she so desires.
Monday, September 08, 2008
KNISLEY, & NEFF
While looking though information from the KNISLEY family bible translation and its reference to an Abraham NEFF, I discovered that I had duplicate information on the family of Abraham NEFF 1781-1857 both in my own computer and in the FRETZ database on this website. The referenced Abraham NEFF was a 4th great uncle to me. This has now been corrected. When I finally got back into examining the KNISLEY information in greater detail, I have found how it fits in with some KNISLEY data that I had already recorded. I am expanding the KNISLEY data in the hopes that more of it will tie back in to some of the descendants of Lancaster John FRETZ, my 5th great grandfather.
I received an email from Philip MAIN who has kindly pointed out that we have collectively misspelled his grandfather William F PHILIP's surname. This too has been corrected. Both corrections will be included in the next FRETZ update.
GILES
I also received an email from Carole GILES, the wife of one of my first cousins. She has sent new information and an attachment all of will be added in to the GILES Family History. The data will also be added into the GILES Reunion binder which currently exists only in a computerized form. The information source will be properly recorded. I will gather the promised photograph(s) and send them on to her by email as requested.
With respect to GILES and all of the families that I am researching, I remind all of you that the various hard copy printings (booklets) and website database publications of my research that I have made, are copyrighted by me to protect my research. With respect to the GILES Family History, even though some of those booklets are in someone elses possession I still own them with "all rights reserved". If you wish to borrow a booklet or use any of the information therein contained from my research, the ethical thing to do is to ask me first, wait for permission to be granted (rarely is it ever not given), then always quote all of your sources. I have every right to know ahead of time when one of my booklets has been loaned, to whom and for what purposes. Please also remember that the last hard copy printing of the GILES Family History was done in May 2004. A great deal of the information that it contained is now out of date having had corrections made to it as well as new information added.
OK an Explanation
I have had a considerable amount of my hard work stolen from me throughout the years by people, relatives, and entities who have used and republished the data for profit and other reasons; all of which was done without my permission and without quoting my research as their source material. Therefore I am quite sensitive about my research. I have no issue with the legitimate "sharing" of information as long at that it what it is. People must be willing contribute information and photographs to the preservation of the GILES Family History as well as wanting to use to recorded information. I am however suspicious of the timing of these other projects that seem to appear out of the blue along with the amount and nature of the information that they seek to record. When you consider how my research has been used and in combination with the fact that many of my GILES cousins for reasons unknown to me have been and continue to be very unfriendly, then its no wonder that I tend to be bitchy with many of you and why I come cross in an abrasive manner, and yes, why I have chosen not to attend past GILES Reunions. I am a caring, compassionate, friendly, sharing person if one tries to get to know me. I would like to be optimistic about that in the future.
I too live in the present and plan as best I can for the future and all of the wonderful things that it holds, however that said, one can not ignore the past. In order for me to know who I am and who I can become, I must also know about those who have gone before me, about their struggles, their accomplishments, their mistakes and their failures. Is it so wrong to want to be know about and be proud of one's ancestry, even those people that I was never fortunate enough to meet because they had already gone before I was born?
Thursday, September 04, 2008
Website Database Updates
Another interim update has been made to the Fretz database, and much overdue major updates to the Haskell and Hurdle databases have been completed. All 3 updates have now been uploaded. As always, if anyone finds any errors or has additional information to contribute, please send me an email.
CLASS Picture - update
OK, so I cheated a wee bit and dug out the H. B. Beal Technical Highschool Year Book from my graduating year. All the guys are now identified and their names neatly printed onto the picture that somebody left me. I don't know if it was a former teacher or classmate but I am curious. Looking at the faces in the year book brought back many warm and favourable memories. Debbie Holmes, Debbie Partridge, Becky Sage, and I can't forget my old pal "Oscar" or are you still going by "Bubbles". Oscar/Bubbles is in fact a girl. Long story ... ;-)
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
CLASS Picture
Ok. Which one of you guys left our Grade 12 Electronics Class picture in my mail box? Its been 36 + years since it was taken, and while most of the faces look familiar, I can only name about 5 people. If there was a note or a letter inside with the picture and the floppy disk, I didn't get it. The envelope had been opened before I got it.
Tuesday, August 18, 2008
THUNDERSTORMS and DSL
For quite some time now, I have been able to determine the onset of an approaching thunderstorm by watching my DSL internet connectivity go into the toilet. I know many people who obtain their internet access through a cable company such as Roger's or Shaw or Cogeco, and they do not have this problem. Why not? So yesterday afternoon between the many thunderstorms that rolled through London where I am, I decided to research this issue in greater detail, and provide answers.
As it turns out, thunderstorms knocking out my DSL is not unique to me. It is common place for anyone who has DSL, regardless of your country, your bandwidth profile, or who the telephone company is that provisions the loop to your home or business. And it does not necessarily happen to every DSL customer either. A great deal depends upon how long your loop is, how new the copper is, and how well maintained the company's cable system and overall infrastucture is.
DSL
A telephone company regardless of whether the service to your home is above or below ground, uses a drop line that consists of 2 pair twisted "un-shielded" CAT-3 cable. Above ground cable has a heavier outer insulating jacket so that it stands up better to weather conditions. Now, just because you don't see an overhead line in to your home, doesn't mean that your entire loop is below ground either. More than likely a great portion of it is above ground, which is not necessarily a bad thing.
CABLE
A cable company's drop line could be above or below ground as well, and it consists of a 75 ohm shielded coaxial cable or simply "coax". Depending upon how long the coax has been in service, it could either be a tinned copper braid shield or a foil wrap shield with a tinned copper drain wire tightly bound to it. The coax is more than likely type RG-59 black or beige, however it could also be RG-6 black. It will be marked on the outside insulating jacket.
PROBLEM CAUSE
Why this problem effects DSL and not cable internet in my honest opinion, has to do primarily with the type of drop line used.
During a thunderstorm when lightning is discharged, a vast amount of energy is released across the entire radio frequency spectrum and it generates noise or interference at every frequency without exception. A perfect example of the noise is what your car radio picks up if you are listening to an AM radio station during a thunderstorm. A scratching, crackling sound, that is there for a split second then gone. Regardless of twisted wire pairs which serve to reduce the "cross talk", the telephone company's drop line is not shielded and it effectively acts like the antenna on your car radio. It picks up the noise from the lightning discharge and feeds it into the telephone company's cable system and back to their Central Office "CO" or Remote Central Office "RCO" and the DSLAM that your telephone circuit connects to. I am of the opinion that above ground drop lines are more susceptible to the lightning discharge noise problem than their below ground (buried) counterparts.
The DSLAM (Digital Subscriber Line Access Multiplier) has a modem in it for every Digital Subscriber Line (dedicated circuit or "loop") that is connected to it. The DSLAM is very quick to respond to electrical changes and when the noise on your loop is stronger than the desired signal that the DSLAM interacts with, it is unable to hear your modem. The DSLAM disconnects your ISP (Internet* green light goes out) and drops the DSL sync (DSL* green light goes out) and effectively reboots your modem. This is done to renegotiate the connection to obtain the best speed and bandwidth for the conditions that exist at that point in time. The bandwidth/speed won't be any higher than your profile but it could be and often is lower.
* My DSL modem is a Thomson Speedtouch 516 v6 connected by ethernet.
Now to be fair, the drop line is not the only culprit when it comes to noise. Electrical power lines are not shielded either and there is no reason why they should be. Power lines also act like antennas picking up lightning discharge noise even when there is no direct lightning strike upon them. Power lines transmit this and other forms of electrical noise through to any equipment attached to them. If the equipment that the telephone company uses to power its DSLAM and other electronic circuits are not filtered to remove power line noise regardless of the type and origin, then the induced noise can also cause the DSLAM to dump your connection forcing a renegotiation.
SOLUTION
There are solutions to the lightning discharge noise problem that we DSL users collectively experience. If the telephone company's are bent, bound, and determined to keep antiquated copper lines, they must introduce shielded drop lines to every subscriber voice and otherwise, and improve their system infratructure such that there are no gaps in the shielding etc. for any type of noise to leak in. But don't hold your breath. As long as everything is working reasonably well for the telephone company's voice customers, nothing will ever be done to help us. DSL should never have been provisioned on the existing copper infrastructure. It was never designed to carry RF up to 2.5 MHz. Nothing ever thought it through; nobody ever considered potential problems; and nobody has any viable solutions to those problems, save blaming someone else, or saying "if you don't like it, well ..." Ideally they should rip out all of the copper and replace it with fibre optics, then instead of DSL modems, our connectivity would be through high speed ethernet over fibre. Instead of telephone company's, cable company's, and other communications providers all running their own cable systems with different topologies, they should combine their resources into one superior high speed fibre network. I doubt that I will ever see that in my lifetime.
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS
While the loop length is an important factor, noise on your loop is by far the single largest problem that effects a healthy DSL connection. Regardless of where you live, the telephone company's standard response is to blame someone or something else rather than accepting any responsibility for DSL issues and problems. More often than not they will make absolutely no effort to rectify any of these problems even if you can prove that they are at fault. "It is *YOUR* modem that is defective" or "It is *YOUR* inside wiring that is deficient". BS!
Make the extra effort to reduce or eliminate altogether any noise that you may be inadvertently adding in to your loop. I have done that in my home even though my telephone company checked all of my original inside wiring and found everything to be OK with no faults. While the improvements I made haven't completely resolved the noise issues, especially lightning discharge noise, it has helped to stabilize my system.
* Don't route your home's internal telephone wiring in close proximity to a microwave oven or other electrical noise generating appliance. It may not effect your telephone circuits, however your internal wiring also acts like an antenna and will easily feed this noise back down into the telephone company's cable system to effect someone elses DSL loop.
* Reduce the number of telephone outlets in your home to only those that you absolutely need. This means removing unncessary wiring leading to those jacks.
* If you are using more than (1) DSL microfilter, throw it/them away and instead wire in a proper DSL splitter in between your demarcation jack and your inside wiring. Run a short piece of shielded CAT-5e cable to a dedicated shielded jack for your DSL modem. Use good wiring practises and make sure that the shield is grounded to a cold water pipe in your home. Make sure all connections on your wiring are tight and clean.
Time for supper - I'm hungry.
Sunday, August 17, 2008
A major update to the Fretz database has been completed and uploaded today. Thank you to Mary Kelly for pointing out the errors in my Fretz database, in the previous Fretz webpages, and for providing me with the corrected information.
When I email a cousin, it is only common courtesy that a reply be sent back to me, even if that cousin has not decided one way or the other as to what I offered and requested. When you don't respond, even though I know for a fact that the email was delivered, it only adds fuel to my ongoing argument.
Saturday, July 26, 2008
He started life as his mother's son, then graduated to be a young man.
He became an Elgin County farmer, one of his father's many sons.
Later a husband and a father to his own sons and daughters.
A carpenter, a store keeper, the grandfather of many.
A friend, a neighbour, someone that you could always count on if you needed a hand.
Just shy of 90, and always friendly, this uncle of mine.
Answer one more request and you may finally retire and rest.
"Come, move to a better place. Come and sit at the hand of our father".
Robert Philip Giles 1918-2008
THE DASH
I once read of a man who stood to speak at the funeral of a friend.
He referred to the dates on the tombstone from the beginning......to the end.
He noted that first came the date of birth and spoke of the second with tears,
But he said what mattered most of all,
Was the dash between those years.
For the dash represents all the time that was spent alive on earth...
And now only those who loved this person, know what the little line is worth.
For it matters not, how much we own, the car...the house...the cash,
What matters the most is how we live and love and how we spend our "dash".
Citation Source: Edited excerpt from Notes from Niagara, OGS-NPB, February 2006 edition, p. 10.
I am saddened to learn today of the passing of one of my maternal uncles, a little more than 4 years since my mother's left us. I had only been informed this past Thursday that Uncle Bob was ill. I was unaware of how serious it was and I was surprized at his passing.
My sister and I will attend visitation and his funeral service this coming week so if I do not respond to your phone calls or your emails in a timely fashion as I usually do, please forgive me, as this is why.
The Memorials page which is part of my website regretably has been updated yet again. The new version will be uploaded at a later date when I deem it to be appropriate.
Monday, July 14, 2008
I am still busy making extractions from hard copy source documents and entering the data to numerous Access databases as well as into PAF ®; the databases from which my webpages are eventually created.
I'm going through all of the old issues of OGS Families as well as the newsletters from the OGS Branches's that I belong to (Kent, Lambton, Elgin, Niagara, and London-Middlesex), extracting out what I want to save, then shredding the papers to go for recycling. In some instances, I am saving specific pages. Much as I would like to save everything, I only have so much room in this house, and this contagious hobby of mine is taking up almost as much space as my living areas so, a major house cleaning and reorganization was in order.
It makes more sense to enter the data from hand written notes, etc. into the computer so that I query it through the Access databases that I've created, as opposed to spending hours hunting for something in one of my many binders that are not completely indexed. I hate spending so much time hunting when the computer can search and find it in seconds. With the OGS Branch newsletters, I'm going back in some cases as far as 2002, and I am finding considerable new information; information which I had previously classified as "strays" because at the time it didn't fit in with anything that I had.
I am making what I call catalogue tables in the databases for the various Canadian Census, based upon all occurances of the various surnames that I am researching, then in separate tables, entering full details for the families I know are or I have high suspicion of being related. I am doing this for the 1852, 1871, 1901, and 1911 Census. I may include 1891 as well.
The 1881 Census however, is somewhat different, in that I have the complete census transcription in an Access database. It was setup initially for statistical analysis and required more than 12 hours of work to make it into something useful for family history research, however it has proven to have been well worth it. It is a huge multiple field database at just under 4.3 million records, and even with a fast computer, it still takes a couple of minutes to find what I query it for. That's it for today.
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
An interim update to the Fretz database has been finished and has now been uploaded. I have a great deal more work to do on all of the databases and as time permits they will be updated and uploaded as well. Thank you to Jill Connor for her corrections and new data.
Sunday, June 08, 2008
I have edited my Family History website and removed some pages while adding a new one. I am still working hard at consolidating and verifying my source records and documents. I am entering a great deal of the information into Microsoft Access 2007 databases to make it much easier to search the data, and I am rechecking all of the sources that I have in my PAF databases as well.
Belated congratulations to my second cousin once removed Edgar Hurdle on his 80th birthday ... "SALUTE". I enjoyed the trip down to Wardsville last Sunday. I was pleased to meet so many warm and friendly people from the DILL and FENNELL families. Its refreshing.
As far as going to the Giles Reunion later on today, I don't see what the point would be. To drive all the way down to Taits Corner's in the sweltering 30+ celcius heat for a hour or so, just isn't worth my time, especially given how I am treated by you, my Giles relatives. I have no desire to stay for supper with people who consistently refuse to be friendly many of whom don't even let on that I exist. What did I ever do to any of you to deserve to be treated like dirt? Virtually a total deliberate lack of cooperation in recording and maintaining the Giles History. I had said that I would entertain reprinting the binder, but why bother. Outside of Brad and Uncle Les, none of the rest of you seem to care if the information is accurate or updated. Heck, I still haven't been "officially" notified that Todd McCabe died. Unofficially I was informed after he was buried. Its a little hard to attend his funeral isn't it? Or was that the intention?
Saturday, March 29, 2008
Having recovered from last month's traffic accident, I am back into researching my family history. Thank you to my 2nd cousin Jane Caryer in Devonshire England, who through the help of her father, has provided me with corrected and updated information on the family and descendants of Neate INGS and Edie (YEATMAN). Edie was a sister to my maternal grandmother.
One of my favourite sports is curling. Congratulations to Jennifer Jones and her Canadian rink on making the final match against the rink from China. I will be watching tomorrows match from Vernon BC and I will be cheering her on to the gold medal. The rink from Japan played very well today and while there can only be one winner as far as the score is concerned, they too were winners and have nothing to be ashamed of.
Saturday, February 23, 2008
Work on my family history databases and this website have been put on hold for a while, as I was in a serious motor vehicle accident this past Wednesday evening. My truck has been damaged, and given its age, I hope that it is repairable from my insurer's perspective. I sustained injuries from the seat belt and air bag deployment, and without their use I would have been launched through the windshield. Because they functioned as designed, I was able to walk away albeit stiff, sore, and bruised. The other driver turned left in front me as I proceeded straight through a controlled intersection. In spite of my best efforts to brake I was unable to avoid the collision, and I nailed him hard. I don't believe that his air bag deployed and I don't know if he was wearing a seat belt. I have concerns about his well being.
If you have sent or do send me an email and I don't respond right away as I usually try to do, its not because I'm trying to ignore you. I am online, SETI is running, however, my MSN ® and ICQ ® connections through the Trillian ® client are off line. Thank you.
Sunday, January 27, 2008
Much needed corrections and updates have been made to the Haskell database. New web pages have been created and uploaded earlier this morning. Corrections and updates are well under way for the Fretz database as well. I'm not sure when new pages for it will be uploaded.
At the present time I am cataloging all of my source records and transcriptions for easier reference, and cross checking them against my PAF databases in which all of my main research is recorded, and from which the website database pages are created. This became necessary due to a hardware crash and data corruption in virtually all of those same databases.
If you find something that is wrong, and you have the source documents to support corrected information, I welcome those corrections. Thank you to Alex Ross for helping me to straighten out the mess in the Haskell database. It is very much appreciated.
Sunday, January 06, 2008
I trust that everyone had a good Christmas and that you are looking forward to 2008. We here in this part of Canada, are experiencing an earlier than normal January thaw. Tomorrow and Tuesday we are expecting temperatures approaching 10 degrees C and well above 0 for the rest of the week with rain. Well, atleast we don't have to shovel it.
The Haskell database has been modified such that it now only "presents" the descendants related to Nathaniel Haskill. Work has resumed on researching Yeatman and its related surnames to include without limitation, Fancy, Ings, and Russell.
Sunday, December 09, 2007
For reasons that I choose not to elaborate on, I have decided not to send out Christmas cards this year. To my family, friends, co-workers and aquaintances, I extend a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
As a Family Historian and someone who was brought up to respect other people's property, I am thoroughly disgusted with the chain of events that sees the total vandalization/destruction of the Gladstone Baptist Cemetery Cairn, as publicized in the London Free Press and on A Channel news. It is outrageous to find any level of government that can be so disrespectful of our heritage and of the pioneers who are interred in that cemetery. I wonder how the Councillors and Mayor of the Municipality of Thames Centre would feel if someone vandalized tombstones belonging to one of their family members!
We have not heard the last of this yet nor should we. Maybe the descendants of those interred should file a hefty lawsuit against the Municipality of Thames Centre.
Sunday, November 11, 2007
I do not have a fixation with war, nor the horrors thereof. I am however appreciative of the sacrifices made for me and all of you so that we can live in freedom. We need to learn all that we can, so that we never forget. I am trying to learn as much as possible about the contributions and acomplishments of Canadians during World War I in particular, as my way of creating a memorial to those served and fought for us.
One of my great uncle's of the Haskell side of my family, was overseas in World War I, and during the many conversations that I had with him as I learned about my family history, he would tell me about his experiences during that war. Many times the tears would well up in his eyes as he described the conditions that befell him and his comrades. He told me about the gas attacks and of fellows that died from drowning in water filled shell craters either by falling off of the walkways, due to the weight of equipment and mud encaked onto their clothes, or as a result of having been wounded. It is hard to invision what it was like to have to watch as a comrade is wounded or falls into a crater or the mud, knowing that you can't go out and help them. I don't know that I could sit back and watch someone die like that.
One of my Hurdle cousins served overseas in World War I. He died 90 years ago yesterday in the final stage of The Battle of Passchendaele.
The Battle of Passchendaele (The Third Battle of Ypres)
After Germany's initial invasion of Belgium and France in August 1914, the first three years of the First World War witnessed a total stalemate on the Western Front. The two sides, the Allies and the Central Powers, constructed a long series of static trenches stretching from the North Sea all the way to the Swiss frontier, from which each side shelled the other on a daily basis. Periodically, the Allies attempted offensives with the objective of breaking through the enemy's front, as at Vimy in April 1917.
While the capture of Vimy Ridge in April 1917 was a great achievement, the success could not be exploited, as the French offensive that it had been designed to support had not succeeded. The horrendous losses of the French had led to widespread mutinies during the summer. As a result, the burden of continuing the attack on the Germans in the second half of 1917 fell to the British forces.
Sir Douglas Haig, the British Commander-in-Chief, chose the Ypres salient as the site for his new offensive. He believed this area offered the greatest scope for a breakthrough, and the Royal Navy supported him, hoping that the army could capture the ports on the Belgian coast that the Germans were using as bases for their submarine offensive against Britain's seaborne trade. The offensive began on July 31, 1917, but made disappointingly small gains. The British artillery bombardment, which was needed to shatter the enemy's defensive trench system, also wrecked the low-lying region's drainage system, and unusually rainy weather turned the ground into a wasteland of mud and water-filled craters. For three months, British troops suffered heavy casualties for limited gains. In October, the Canadian Corps, now commanded by Lieutenant-General Sir Arthur Currie, took its place on the front lines, with the British on its left and the ANZACs on its right. On October 26, the 3rd and 4th Divisions launched the first Canadian assault, in rain that made the mud worse than ever. Three days of fighting resulted in over 2,500 casualties, for a gain of approximately a thousand metres. A second attack went in on October 30. In a single day, there were another 2,300 casualties -- and only another thousand metres gained. On November 6, the 1st and 2nd Divisions launched a third attack that captured the village of Passchendaele, despite some troops having to advance through waist-deep water. A final assault on November 10 secured the rest of the high ground overlooking Ypres and held it despite heavy German shelling. This marked the end of the Passchendaele offensive.
Passchendaele was one of the war's most futile battles. The unspeakable conditions led to terrible losses -- nearly 260,000 Allied casualties, including over 15,000 Canadians killed and wounded. This suffering produced no significant territorial gains, though it did help wear down the German forces. Perhaps more than any other battle, Passchendaele has come to symbolize the horrors of the First World War.
(SOURCE: The Resources at Library and Archives Canada.)
The Ypres Salient was formed by British, French, Canadian and Belgian defensive efforts against German incursion during the 1914 "Race to the Sea", culminating in the Battle of the Yser and the First Battle of Ypres.
These battles saved the Ypres salient and the corner of Belgium around Veurne from occupation, but also led to the beginning of trench warfare in the salient as both sides "dug in" around the line. The area of the salient is mostly flat, with few rises or hills. Those that did exist became the focus for the 1915 Second Battle of Ypres, which saw the first use of gas and the almost total destruction and evacuation of Ypres, and the 1917 Third Battle of Ypres at Passchendaele.
(SOURCE: Wikpedia)
Sunday, November 04, 2007
WE SHALL NOT FORGET YOU ONE AND ALL;
NOR SHALL WE FORGET THE SUPREME SACRIFICES THAT YOU HAVE MADE,
SO THAT EACH AND EVERYONE OF US MAY LIVE IN FREEDOM.
God bless every one of you.
PRIVATE KENNETH DAVID HURDLE
820818, 8TH BATTALION, CANADIAN INFANTRY, MANITOBA REGIMENT, C.E.F.
DIED 10 NOVEMBER 1917
AT YPRES SALIENT, WEST FLANDERS, BELGIUM; DURING THE BATTLE OF PASSCHENDAELE.
* REMEMBERED WITH HONOUR AT THE MENIN GATE MEMORIAL *
BIOGRAPHY:
Kenneth David HURDLE received part of his education at SS 2 Mosa (Pratt Siding School). He apprenticed under J. A. Hicks in Glencoe, Ontario as a Tailor. He sang and played the organ, having been taught to play by his mother. After his mother Cecelia's death in 1908, he went to Northern Ontario to join other members of his immediate family, arriving on the 1st of May 1912. Shortly thereafter he filed a claim on 100A. of land approx. 10 miles north of Emo. He was a member of the Orange Lodge in Emo.
On June 14, 1916, he enlisted in the Canadian Overseas Expeditionary Force, at Port Arthur, Ontario, as a member of the 141st Battalion called the "Bull Moose Battalion" from Rainy River in Northern Ontario. Initially he was posted to the Service Corps as a tailor, but in 1917 he was posted overseas and because he was such an excellent shot he was sent to France as a sharp shooter. Kenneth's life was short lived however, as he died on 10 November 1917, in Battle of the 3rd Ypres (universally known as the Battle of Passchendaele), in West Flanders, Belgium. (Passendaele is modern Flemish)
The Veterans Affairs Canada and the Commonwealth War Graves Commission internet web sites, confirmed Kenneth's death and when you learn the details of the battle in which he died, you will appreciate the ultimate sacrifice that he and 55,000+ other Allied soldiers made, and you will understand that his exact burial site will never been known. Canadian soldiers won the Battle of the 3rd Ypres and freed the Ridge and the Town of Passchendaele on 12 November 1917.
Kenneth died on Saturday, 10 November 1917, during the Battle of Ypres Salient. His obituary notice in the Glencoe Transcript newspaper, listed his residence as Emo, Northern Ontario. Kenneth, K D HURDLE is recorded on page 260, for the year 1917, of the Book of Rememberance located in the Peace Tower, in the Parliament Building, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. (Note: Ypres is pronounced as "uppers".)
His exact burial location is not known due to conditions of war. His death is commemorated at the YPRES - MENIN GATE MEMORIAL, Ieper, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium, on panel 24 - 26 - 28 - 30.
Ypres (now Ieper) is a town in the Province of West Flanders. The memorial is situated at the eastern side of the town on the road to Menin and Courtrai, and bears the names of the men who were lost without trace during the defence of the Ypres Salient in the First World War.
In Flanders Fields
By: Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae, MD (1872-1918)
Canadian Army
IN FLANDERS FIELDS the poppies blow
Between the crosses row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.
We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.
Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.
McCrae's "In Flanders Fields" was written in the spring 1915. It is a lasting legacy of the terrible battle in the Ypres salient that began in 1914 and lasted through to the Battle of Passchendaele in 1917.
Sunday, October 21, 2007
The Haskell and Fretz databases have been updated. Both have been uploaded today. In the Fretz database, the first major batch of strays has been recorded. Some relationships back to Lancaster John and his descendants have been established.
I apologize to those who have sent me e-mail during the last ten days. My computer has been in the shop undergoing extensive repairs. No computer has meant doing other things, not the least of which, has been to get outside and enjoy the warmer fall weather, "while it lasts".
Thursday, September 27, 2007
The footprint or size of my website has become way to big, so in an effort to reduce the amount space required on its host server, anything not being sufficiently used is being axed. The Files section is gone as of your reading this blog entry. The Fretz and Niagara databases will be merged back together and it is hoped that it will be updated shortly.
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
I should explain the difference between the Niagara and the Fretz databases that are presented elsewhere in this web site. The Niagara database is the entire Fretz database with all of my known strays recorded into it. The strays may be individuals or they may have been assembled into family groups, some of which are quite extensive. Because of the large number of surnames that are known to be inter-related to Fretz, and that were also resident in Welland County of the Niagara Penninsula, I decided may years ago to "attempt" to record all of the occurences. In soing doing I created what I call the Niagara database. It is my hope to prove relationships and to link these strays as descendants of Lancaster John Fretz.
I make every reasonable attempt to present accurate information, however, it is a work in progress and over the years, I have found both on my own and through the help of other researchers, that not all of the linkings were correct. This is why it is so very important to record your sources of information, something that I unfortunately had to learn the hard way. Given that I am again recording strays and updating information on others as well as known Fretz descendants, I thought a small explanation might be helpful to those who have asked questions.
Thursday, September 06, 2007
Elgin Street and Flora Street in the City of London, is a typical Canadian intersection where east-west traffic along the side street, that being Flora, is controlled by STOP signs. North-south traffic along Elgin Street is not controlled by either a STOP or a YIELD sign, and therefore has the full right of way. The problem is that virtually no one using the intersection has any concept of what STOP actually means. This is evidenced on a daily basis by the number of morons who drive straight through as if there was no STOP sign even there. An ever increasing number of those morons don't even take the time to look to see if any other vehicle or pedestrian is crossing in front of them. Maybe they have blinders on; or maybe they are yacking on a cell phone. One thing is for certain. They must assuredly have their heads up their asses. What other reason might account for the lack of oxygen flowing to their brains!
Motor vehicles, horse drawn carriages, motorized wheel chairs, and cyclists alike are all deemed to be "vehicles" in the eyes of the law as governed by the Highway Traffic Act and these vehicles are required to operate on the public roadway, not on sidewalks. Sidewalks are for pedestrians. Every vehicle must come to a full and complete STOP at the STOP sign, then proceed only after it is safe to do so. Unlike a YIELD sign, it is not conditional upon there being traffic on the other street. You must stop at the STOP sign itself every single time. You can not stop one, two or more "car lengths" back then drive on through. You can run up there, take a quick look then zoom on through. I recognize that winter road conditions pose problems. A foot of snow or two inches of freezing rain, makes it nearly impossible for even the most diligent driver to stop every single time, but what about when roads are clear and no adverse conditions are present. Then there is no excuse except laziness and stupidity.
How about the 3 way STOP intersection at Hale Street and Tweedsmuir Avenue or the 4 way STOP intersection at Cheapside and Barker Streets. Take a sampling of 100 vehicles using these intersections and you will find that less than 1 per cent actually make a full STOP where they are supposed to. And it's not just these intersections. It is every intersection in every community. You can make the signs 6 feet tall with flashing lights and it makes little or no difference. What about intersections normally controlled by traffic lights that have undergone a power or signal control failure? One direction is flashing amber and the other is flashing red. How many drivers don't know what to do, or just simply don't give a damn, because they are going through no matter what and to hell with the other guy.
People, use the grey matter that God gave you to think with, instead of just letting it fill the void between your ears. Never mind just the hefty monetary $ fine and demerit points if you get caught running a STOP sign, think about the pedestrian(s) or vehicle(s) that may be crossing in front of you. You would be the first person to bitch if it were YOUR child that was run down or YOUR vehicle that got smashed in to. Just in case you have forgotten, this what is a STOP sign looks like. Have a nice day.
Saturday, August 18, 2007
Brian's Blog has been restructured such that the old entries prior to June of this year have been archived. The link is at the bottom of this page. It makes loading the blog faster, for anyone who actually does read it.
Anyone who knows me well enough, knows that I am and have always been fascinated by trains. I can sit or stand and watch them for hours at a time without getting bored. My preference is steam although it really makes no difference given that diesel is here to stay. The more I learn about a given company, rail line or a piece of rolling stock/equipment, the more I want to learn. Its to the point where I can read the signal lights and I have a fundamental understanding of how "zone control" works. Traction motors, diesel-electric generator sets, speed controls. Ok, so I'm into electronics and electrical as well. Its no wonder that railfan websites, EMD, MLW and Alco are within my bookmarked sites. My interest and love of trains comes naturally as it's in my ancestry.
Many of you also know that I am actively into Family History research as well. At one time several of my great uncles were railroad track section foreman on the then CNR mainline east from Windsor Ontario. Tom Winship held the section from east of Jeannette's Creek to just west of Chatham; then George Haskell's section from there through to about Vosburg; then Bill Haskell's section ran east through Northwood to the Hwy 21 crossing in Thamesville; then Jim June's section started and went east to approx. Bothwell; where Fred Haskell's section started and it ended more or less at Glencoe. Joe Haskell, a great great uncle, also worked in a section crew (exact capacity unknown) for the Great Western Railroad, at Glencoe and later at Bridgeburg, which is now part of Fort Erie. The railroad bridge at Bridgeburg travels over the Niagara River to the USA. It was owned by the Canada Southern Railroad and the Great Western had running rights over it. I think that the Toronto Hamilton & Buffalo (THB) may also have had running rights over it as well.
Its encouraging to see short haul rail companies prosper on the lines that the big players said weren't profitable. Perfect example is GEXR on what we call the "St. Mary's Line" from London back into Brampton. CN claimed they were losing money and maybe that was their own fault given how they treat smaller rail shippers. Proof is on the old CASO line from Fort Erie to Windsor.
There, Conrail sold a "long term leased line" that they didn't actually own, to CN & CP who promised as conditions of their purchase, that they would not only maintain but would improve the line. Bull shit. All they did was to piss off all of the rail shippers to the point where they switched over to trucks that were and continue today to be more dependable. Then CN used the loss of tonnage as justification to shut the line down and tear out the rails, which IMHO was their intention all along.
CN & CP were afraid of the potential competition if the old CASO line was transferred to an another American carrier such as CSX that might improve service and become a viable competitor. By CN & CP taking over the old CASO line, they could control the Detroit-Windsor rail tunnel and what other railroads could gain access to and service the lucrative southern Ontario markets. Automobile assembly and chemical plants with their associated tonnage and volumes, to name just two.
CSX the most probable successor to Conrail in Canada, already had extensive US trackage with access to the US eastern seaboard and the ice free winter ports as well as the Chicago hub. CSX also had their own single track line from Windsor east to St. Thomas, where they had running rights over CASO to Fort Erie, and the bridge back into the USA. CSX also had a branch line from Chatham north into Sarnia and like CN, they too serviced the Chemical Valley. When CN & CP took over the CASO line, they for all intense purpose ended the CSX presence in southern Ontario, by crushing their ability to travel from Windsor to Ft. Erie. CSX no longer had St. Thomas east running rights. The only other east bound track that was close by, the old Great Western Air Line was already owned by CN and leased to another American railroad. With no other options, CSX leased their Chatham to Sarnia branch line to CP then systemically shut their Canadian operations down. Their line from Chatham east to St. Thomas, their trestle over the Kettle Creek, and their St. Thomas Maintenance Shop are all gone now, as is most of the old CASO line itself.
Its a shame as it didn't need to happen. Neglect, poor management, greed, all played as factors in the CASO/CSX demise in Canada. Its too bad that when Pierre Marquette built the original line, that they didn't finish it all the way through to Fort Erie, because their successor CSX could then have informed CN & CP where to put it in 3 steps or less. Just In My Honest Opinion.
® CASO = CAnada SOuthern Railroad. CSX = Chesse System (formerly known as the Pierre Marquette (PM Line) and later the the Chessapeake and Ohio (C & O). CN = Canadian National Railroad. CP = Canadian Pacific Railroad. GEXR = Goderich & Exeter Railroad, div. of Railtex.
Sunday, July 22, 2007
Changes have started in the design of my web site in an effort to make it XHTML compliant. I am also stream lining it by removing parts that no longer serve a useful purpose.
Wednesday, June 06, 2007
A major update to the Niagara database has been completed with much overdue revisions to some of the entries on the KENNEDY families included. My apologies to Tom Kennedy, as it was my intention to have made these corrections long ago when you first contacted me, and it wasn't done. The new web pages for this database have been created and uploaded this evening. There will be more updates coming to both the Niagara and the Fretz databases as time permits.
Work continues on the Yeatman database, which continues to be held and maintained offline.
Saturday, June 02, 2007
On the front cover of the May 2007 edition of the "Notes from Niagara" newsletter from the Niagara Branch O.G.S., is a 50th Wedding Anniversary photograph for Peter Solomon FRETZ and wife Susan (KENNEDY). Peter is a younger brother to my 2nd great grandfather Daniel Solomon FRETZ. I am a branch member and FRETZ Researcher. I am most interested to learn who is whom in that photo. I do know that neither Daniel Solomon or his wife Julia Ann (SIDER) are included as both had passed away by the time of Peter and Susan's 50th. Julia in 1908 and Daniel earlier in 1914.
Peter Solomon and Daniel Solomon are sons of Solomon FRETZ and Elizabeth (WINGER), and are two of the great grandsons of "Lancaster" John FRETZ and Magdalena (FOX).
As of today, I have researched and recorded 16,114 known descendants of "Lancaster" John FRETZ, my 5th great grandfather. I expect that there are many more yet to be added. The FRETZ database located elsewhere in my web site, has approx. 15,700 descendants in it. That database will be updated as time permits.
For older blog entries see page 1.
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Blog Created: 16 June, 2005. Displayed as the newest to the oldest entries.
All data herein contained is © 2005-2009 Brian L. Hurdle.