First post ... Hello to all.
My maternal grandmother, at the approximate age of 2 years (in 1897) was stolen by a professional beggar/tramp who used her for begging purposes. He was known to authorities, his 'territory' being Derby to Northampton. Six months after taking her, authorities caught up with him in Loughborough, where he was charged (Loughboro Petty Sessions) and convicted. My grandmother, unable to identify herself, was made a ward of the state and entered NSPCC. Not long afterwards, she was placed into Barnardo's, Stepney Causeway. She was later placed in a foster home in Kent for a few years and then at age 9, with the foster mother too ill to care for her, she was shipped to Canada under the government's "Home Child" program. She never knew her true identity, and I made a vow to my Mum that I would do everything possible to try and find her missing family, and hopefully, discover her true identity.
I recently had DNA testing in an attempt to find family but so far, I'm not getting anywhere. I have been conducting research for the last 10 years and am very eager to uncover something about her.
Any ideas of where I can turn would be greatly appreciated. Some popular names surfacing as DNA matches with me are: Owens, Potter, Lewis, Weeks, Chase, etc. It appears she may have been of Austrian/German/Dutch ancestry as I have discovered ancestors in Romania, Poland, France, Netherlands, Georgia, Ukraine, Russia, Lithuania, Estonia, etc. Also, an Amish/Mennonite ancestor has surfaced and I cannot explain any of these matches.
I realize that her story may not have survived - existing family may not even know that she existed, or may have been told that she died as a young child, which is heartbreaking to think about. I can't begin to image what something like this does to a family.
If anyone can help to find my missing family, I would be more than grateful.
Thank you in advance.
Carol