Your brick wall and how you solved it!

[Boongie Pam]

I've toppled a couple of brickwalls that have stood for 20+ years recently.  There are more and more records being indexed and digitised so regularly review my stubborn relatives to see if anything new comes up.  Most new leads have come from newspapers (BNA mostly) and the catholic and "other" church records in Scotland.

[mirl]

And take advantage of free weekends on those sites you don't subscribe to as some of their data sets are different from what you regularly use.

During one such weekend I found a relative missing from 1861 residing at Bedlam receiving treatment for being a violent dipsomaniac; then two of his sons in the army in India and Ireland one of whom was circumcised after getting an STD and the other court martialed for drawing his sword on an officer.

[coombs]

Another tip that may help find a missing marriage is they may have wed by licence at their local town. A few times I have found missing marriages in such as way. Rural dwellers marrying in their local town or city.

Or do a search of any "Roger" marriages to a "Mary" 1730-1760 if you have a (for example) Roger Lockwood and wife Mary having children in a parish in Suffolk, Sussex or wherever, but cannot find their marriage. Try a county wide search of "Roger" marrying a "Mary". You may then find a "Roger Lookwood" marriage to Mary or something. As Churchill said "Never surrender" always keep looking for new info on ancestors.

[iluleah]

Several brickwalls solved simply by looking in the right place and I know that seems simplistic however most of us follow the trail of records the individual generated during their lifetime and also what we think we know from family stories or maybe we knew the person when we were young so we do make judgements/assumptions.

I do tend to use rootschat to ground myself back to 'reality' as those who answer, ask questions "what record did you find that xxx in"  or " how do you know that" that makes me took at facts ( as in records found) and in what I think I 'know' ( as in personally knowing the individual/family story)

I had been looking (post 1911 census) for a marriage they lived in England until they died, he in the 1950s she is the 1970s I know where they lived, know where buried, I knew her ( not him) they had no children......nothing for decades, was told he was Irish and I searched there too, in fact finding the right named single people living streets away from each other, who married and then found their deaths/burials so back to the drawing board.

So I put aside what I thought I knew and family stories and just dealt with the record facts.... several potential record leads from Scotland, Hampshire and Canada, all followed up and the Scottish one delivered with the name of her father on the marriage cert somewhere  I would not have looked, didn't know she lived there, didn't know she was married twice( in Scotland) or was a step mother to two girls (both who immigrated) and didn't know she was a professional photographer.

So my advice would be don't try and fill in the gaps in records with what you think you know.

[Brickwall Demolisher]

I would love to hear some inspirational tales of brick walls and how you found your answers.... Maybe we can all learn from your experience!

My what I believe to date, is my and the family's best brickwall destroying results but comes with a very sad ending. I found this column after putting my findings on the beginners board. ..... Oh,......how they tried to hide, ....what would their feelings be if they knew of the progression into computer's of today. Please refer to the beginners board.

Regards JUST J.

[dowdstree]

Maybe not a brick wall as such but one mystery solved last year which meant a great deal to me. My great aunt  passed away in 1929 in childbirth. I had her birth, marriage and death records from Scotlands People.

My late father's recollection of the day of her funeral was that he was given money to take his young cousin, her son, to the cinema. All he remembered of where she was buried was that she was in a grave with someone who had an Irish sounding name.

I had been in touch with Dundee City Archives regarding another grave location and on the off chance asked if my great aunt was in their records too. Result they were able to give me a grave number. We were in Dundee in October and were having difficulty locating her grave but the kind superintendant helped us. I was absolutely astounded when I saw the two names on the headstone - James Dickson and Sarah Conlin. They are my 3 x great grandparents and were the first of that line to come over from County Down in the 1800's.

Pure luck I would say.

Dorrie

[LizzieW]

I wish I could tell you but I haven't solved my brick wall.  Where did my g.grandfather come from before he started living with my g.gran?  They didn't marry so no marriage cert, so no father's name to help me.  All we know is that his mother was Spanish.  Was he illegitimate and took his father's English name, or did he just decide to change his name when he became an adult.  I don't think I will ever break down this brick wall.  Many rootschatters have tried, as has my half 2nd cousin once removed! Her g.grandmother was half sister to my grandmother, same mother who was actually married at the time my gran's half sister was born, then she took up with my g.grandfather.  We think her husband was drowned at sea, but can't find any record of this - or any record of a death up to 100 years after his date of birth.  Why didn't she marry my g.grandfather, did she think her husband was still alive, or was my g.grandfather unable to marry?

[Jill Eaton]

I haven't broken down my brick walls just yet. I did find a death certificate for a gt gt grandparent who defied/still defies identification and that was down to the very generous efforts of fellow Rootschatters.

I'm now hoping that dna matches might provide some new leads. I accept that it may be some time before that happens...........

[Brickwall Demolisher]

Hi Jill,
    I just consider ourselves lucky to have collated, and put together what the records show. Thankfully I had the recognition of my Grandparents on the 1911 census.  The remainder who were nieces / nephews, Aunt / Uncle accordingly. I'm not sure that I will ever have the same luck again. This is where ROOTSCHAT's members are so helpful. Having a few more pairs of eyes overlooking a problem brickwall they certainly are knowledgeable and do try to make sure you are put in the right direction. Finding out how we all solve our brickwalls, will benefit everyone who reads and digests the outcome. In my case the release of the 1911 census, and the putting together of 2 marriage certificates held the answers. My own knowledge that the family of the time had tried to alter / hide hoping from then on,  time would do the eventual cover up. My Parents / Aunts / Uncle's would / could no way have forseen the amount of interest that has been into finding who we are and where we come from, which has only been boosted with the aid of computers. Keep trying, get other family members, if they also have an interest, along side you. Wishing you the best on your brickwall demolishing,
     My best Regards,  JUST J