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Europe / Trying to find Greek Ancestor - John Barber we were told he was born in Hydra
« on: Friday 19 June 15 06:13 BST (UK) »
Hi all I have done my Ancestry now trying to help my husband with his we are trying to find information on his GGrandfather John Barber we were told he was born in Hydra Greece in 1851 although I managed to find a Naturalization in Wellington for 1901 when he was 50 that states he was born in Piraeus Greece,and he had lived in Wellington NZ for 22 years which makes his arriving here in 1879,he married in Wellington in 1884 to an Elizabeth Donnelly her mother was also Elizabeth Donnelly nee Timmony from Ireland I think it was Timmons, we can not find any information as to how he arrived here we know he was a Seaman when he married on Cert also that the surname he was born with was Barberis and that it had been changed,the family folklore is that he arrived here on a Merchant ship and stayed here otherwise known as jumping ship then changed his name I can not find anything on any sites about Births etc in Greece does anyone know if we would have to go to Greece to find the right answers. The other interesting thing about this story is that Johns mothers maiden name was Cotter from Ireland went to Greece to marry Johns father no information anywhere for that either some family members have been trying to work out these mysteries for 18 years or more with no results hoping someone out there can help before I have no hair left.