Author Topic: Making contact with strangers  (Read 7762 times)

Offline booger

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Making contact with strangers
« on: Thursday 28 October 04 20:08 BST (UK) »
Has anyone tried mailing a stranger who shares a family name with one of your ancestors?

I've done it a couple of times. Worked once - got a reply.
I have tried searching for not-so-common names, on Google, in an area that my family are from.

They probably think that I'm a freaky and morbid individual - I'd much rather spend an afternoon walking around old disused cemeteries than watch football like all of those normal people.

Offline lindagene

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Re: Making contact with strangers
« Reply #1 on: Thursday 28 October 04 20:27 BST (UK) »
Yes Kris, I did.  Wrote to a building firm with the same name as one that my G Grandfather & GG Grandfather used to run, asking if they were connected with the family in any way...answer I got was 0 nothing nada zilch, still, it only cost me a stamp, and it could have paid dividends.  Guess thats the way it goes. :'(  Lindy
Snowdon, Collinson,  Durham, Northumberland,Yorkshire
Payne, Essex    Baker  Norfolk/Essex/Australia
Davies  Staffordshire, Shropshire

Offline KathyM

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Re: Making contact with strangers
« Reply #2 on: Thursday 28 October 04 20:41 BST (UK) »
Yes.....I've emailed and written to a company who I believe took over from my family....they say they were founded in 1867....but do not seem to know anything about the company history!

I have also sent about eight letters (rnc. S E A) to people with the same name in a village where I knew an elderly aunt lived until her death to try to contact any of her children.......zulch!

You would think that they would at least send the envelope back with a note saying - sorry not us!
~~~~~~~~

Census transcriptions Crown Copyright, www.NationalArchives.gov.uk

Ardill,  Bourke/Burke, Bellwood, Bridge, Cain, Church, Cragg,  Dennell, Dunning, Gough, Haslam, Holmes, Jessop, Kidson/Kitson, Knowles, Markwick, Martin, Munden, Nickerson, Robinson,  Seddon, Whittle, Varley & Walpole.

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Offline Fitty

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Re: Making contact with strangers
« Reply #3 on: Thursday 28 October 04 23:30 BST (UK) »
Every now and then i go "On a mission" and search through all the Surname Sites.  I send between 10 and 20 emails and probably get 5 back saying " sorry not us" and mebbe 1 if i,m lucky that ties up with mine.  I save all my sent emails in folders so i know who i've emailed, so i don't email them twice.

 Just recently i've been emailing a lady in Canada regarding my Baxendales.  I have a "Unrelated Folder" and a lot of information in there is relevent to her family.

So, for me it's worth going that extra mile to help someone, i,m a great believer in what goes around comes around.
---------------------------------------                    <br />                    (  @ @  )<br />-----------oOOo-(_)-oOOo---------<br /><br />       Any one seen any BAXENDALES?<br /><br />--------oooO---------------Oooo-------<br />           (    )                    (    )<br />            \\\\  (                      )  /<br />             \\\\_)                    (_/<br /><br />Brighouse:  Smith<br />Lambeth: Clisby<br />Leeds: Baxendale,Baxter, Beales,Bowe


Offline Kazza

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Re: Making contact with strangers
« Reply #4 on: Friday 29 October 04 01:29 BST (UK) »
I take the view that if you don't try you will never know.

I have only done it once,  and it has paid dividends.  I have found a researcher who is following one of my branches,  and he has been lovely,  really helpful.

Kazza.  ;)
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Offline leagen

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Re: Making contact with strangers
« Reply #5 on: Friday 29 October 04 04:37 BST (UK) »
I usually just call,  can't wait to hear via mail.  Sometimes I email.  Usually Do get email answers and have been lucky, made family connections.  By phone I have been Real lucky, many people, even if Not related are willing to do look-ups in their area and I have also found family that way.  Once on vacation I went thu phone book and actually went to people's house's who had same family name and found a distant cousin who I am now great friends with.  Even if the person can't help they wish me good luck.   Never been turned away or told off.  Just lucky I guess.  You have to be thick-skined tho and ready to be yelled at, after all you are a stranger butting into their family business.
Jenkins-Salmon-Dwyer-Hill-Sargent/ Seargent-Young/ Jung-White-Kinney/ Kenny-Cook-Waterman-O'Neill-McDonald-Shufelt/ Shufeldt-Wilbur/ Wilber-Patterson--Covey-Tisdale-Wells-Dodge-Palmer.

Offline bean

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Re: Making contact with strangers
« Reply #6 on: Monday 01 November 04 11:26 GMT (UK) »
I sent a letter to a family i knew was connected to mine, all be it 170 years ago, in the hope that i might get through a brick wall.
I not only got a reply but also a book detailing the generations around the link between our families AND a tree listing all the more recent births and marriages of the other family.
Apparently we are third cousins twice removed. Also included in the reply - big parcel, not the sae that was enclosed - was a name and address for a closer relative who had also been researching our tree.
The letter to them is in the post so fingers crossed!!
Bean

Offline leagen

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Re: Making contact with strangers
« Reply #7 on: Monday 01 November 04 11:56 GMT (UK) »
When ever I travel in an area where I might have distant rellys I get (Take, Steal?) a phone book while I am in the area.  I then look for names that seem as if they might fit into my family.  Once I found a man w/exact name of one of my distant grandfathers, first, middle and last name.  I called him and, Yes, he was related.  I am decended from a dau. and he from a son.  He was very happy and helpful.  All they can do is say they are not related or that they are but aren't interested.   As I said in another post, if u do this gene. stuff u must have a thick skin and not be upset if u get turned away at times.  I have had more Positive replys than negative.  I have even had people Not related but w/same last name actually do look-ups in their area and/or put me in contact w/others in their area.  Older people seem to be the nicest and most willing to help.  Even if they can't they usually wish me good luck.
Jenkins-Salmon-Dwyer-Hill-Sargent/ Seargent-Young/ Jung-White-Kinney/ Kenny-Cook-Waterman-O'Neill-McDonald-Shufelt/ Shufeldt-Wilbur/ Wilber-Patterson--Covey-Tisdale-Wells-Dodge-Palmer.

Offline suey

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Re: Making contact with strangers
« Reply #8 on: Monday 01 November 04 19:01 GMT (UK) »
Nothing ventured, nothing gained..... ;D

Hubbies Great Great Grandma had three husbands !

He is a decendant of Hubby No1 - I mailed someone whom I thought might have a common ancestor, she did'nt but was able to put me in touch with the G G Grandaughters from each of the other two husbands !!

I also mailed someone from a County Surname board and her Great Grandma and my G Grandpa were brother and sister so we've been sharing info ever since  :D

Give it a go you have nothing to lose..
Mind you I've also had several 'sorry can't help' and lots of unanswered mails too  :'(
All census lookups are Crown Copyright from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
Sussex - Knapp. Nailard. Potten. Coleman. Pomfrey. Carter. Picknell
Greenwich/Woolwich. - Clowting. Davis. Kitts. Ferguson. Lowther. Carvalho. Pressman. Redknap. Argent.
Hertfordshire - Sturgeon. Bird. Rule. Claxton. Taylor. Braggins