RootsChat.Com
Beginners => Family History Beginners Board => Topic started by: fizz83 on Monday 17 May 10 13:05 BST (UK)
-
Hi, Im trying to trace the information on George Stephenson "The Rocket" descendants. My connection is said to be a female descendant married to a Towart/Towhart or something similiar. I'm just starting my family tree, and having a little difficulty. Any tips also would be great! thanks all :-)
-
Hi Fizz83, welcome to Rootschat. It's best to take things steady and work backwards from yourself rather than leaping in to try and prove a link like that as it's so easy to get in a muddle if you don't make sure that you are following the right family.
-
The only advice I would give is that you shouldn't go looking for links to a specific person, or try to prove the family folklore about such a claim, as that is likely to bias your findings (for example if you to find you were descended from John Smith of Anytown, but then found there were two John Smiths of about the right age in Anytown, you are likely to chosse the one that you would like it to be to make the link, rather than finding out which is the correct one).
You should just start from the present and work your way back, going where the evidence leads you.
-
On sites like Ancestry, once you're on the "right" trail, the hints will come thick and fast, if you really are related. I'm related (by marriage) to several very famous Americans, and I had no trouble finding the links via Ancestry hints. Tracing descendants is much harder than tracing ancestors, so the advice given by others is basically sound. The trouble with trying to find a link to someone famous is that the task may cloud your judgement, and you could end up racing up the wrong lines.
-
I understand that the descendants of George's brothers are well documented, but he himself had no grandchildren, He had only the one son, Robert, and Robert had no surviving children. There are numerous biographies of the Stephensons.
Stan
-
This thread appears to duplicate the following:
http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,217210.30.html
The following link provides some information on the family history:
http://www.robertstephensontrust.com/page10.html
Nigel
-
Thank you to everyone :)
I've not long been searching the family tree, and you are all right, it certainly is more a muddle trying to link down as a descendant!
I'm currently searching the internet for links where I can find Birth certificates and more info, so I hope I have some luck soon working the right way.
Cheers all :D
-
Rebecca,
I think I have already had conversation with you on the Stephensons and I said that I had no details of any connection with Towards. I think that Paul Hope has led you to think that he had some new info but he only has what I have given him.
Sorry about that
Bob
-
Thanks Bob,
I've been doing more research, and my mum came and had a look the other day and she told me the connection was apparently, one of my great grandmother's sisters married into the Stephensons. Her maiden name was "Pitchford". At the moment I know of 3 sisters christian names - Elizabeth, Harriet and Hannah.
This is all just stories that she's heard too. But I'm sure you'll know better than anyone of it's true!
Thanks :-)
-
Just found this posting not too sure how old it is ;D
But one thing I would recommend is reading any biographies you can find in your local library on the Stephenson family. Firstly, google to see which books would offer the most information, then if your library does not have copies ask them to order them for you. You never know there could be some, albeit very small hint there.
But as said before, you must start from the bottom (yourself) and work your way back, it is vitually impossible to start in the middle of anything.
-
The very basic tip, which several have implied but no one has explicitly stated is to work backwards from the known to the unknown, i.e. get you own birth certificate, this will give your parents'names then do the same for them and work backwards like this. The people here will help you all we can, when you get back to someone born before 1837 then there are no more certificates and by then you will be reliant on church baptismal, marriage and burial records from the parish registers. In the case of the Stephenson family though once you get back that far you should be recognising names you have researched occurring in the published biographical records.
-
Rebecca,
-
Plummie girl/Redroger
Thanks to you both.
I have researched from my self back right through to the early 1800's now with all my direct lines. As I mentioned in the above post, My mother has corrected the family 'Story' of how we suppose to be connected to the Stephensons, and it appears not to be down the direct line.
My great Nanna Florence had 3 sisters, and it is said to be one of these sisters that married into the Stephensons. They were all born in the early 1900's as far as I'm aware and only have the christian names, (As above) and one date of birth (Harriet 1914)
I know now, that there is no direct link to myself, but now researching out of curiousity to see if there is any truth in it.
Thanks Everyone ;D
-
Dear Mr Roper
This evening I googled George Stephenson/ Scotland and RootsChat came up with messages from you. My father, John Robinson, who died in !989, made a copy of the bit of the Stephenson tree as it applied to our family. You are on it as the son of John Stephenson Stenson Roper and my dad has given your address in Rochedale. I wonder if you could mail me off forum so that we can communicate about the family tree.
best wishes
Andrew Robinson
(*) Moderator Comment: e-mail removed in accordance with RootsChat policy,
to avoid spamming and other abuses.
Please use the Personal Message (PM) system for exchanging personal data.
New members must make at least three postings before being allowed to use the PM facility.
See Help-Page: http://www.rootschat.com/help/pms.php
-
George Stephenson is my great, great, great, great, great granddad!
-
This is a very old post, however if you read the bio of George you will see he had no descendants other than a son who died childless.
http://www.robertstephensontrust.com/page10.html
-
I have 3 Stephenson families in my ancestry, all from the north of England, none of whom are linked to the famous George.