What is the biggest mystery in your tree?

[PaulaToo]

Oh that's a new one, it's usually the other way round 

[Deb D]

Never let it be said that any of my mob did things the "normal" way 

[AnneMc]

Deb

Could here first husband still been alive when she married in 1911? or what about her second husband could have still been married?


Cheers
Anne

[Doddie]

I have numerous brick walls, enough to make me tear out what's left of my hair.

Main one concerns my g.g.g grandmother Flora Jackson (maiden name McNair). She was born in Glassary area of Argyll, Scotland in about 1815. Married John Jackson, a shoemaker, about 1838. They had ten children and she appeared regularly in censuses. John died in 1880. Last trace of Flora in 1881 census aged "69". She is listed as "Flora Mn. Jackson" staying as a "visitor" with Archibald McNair (who I am positive was a younger brother) and his family in Ardrishaig. After this, NADDA, ZILCH, ZIPPO!!!! No details of death, no census entries and no remarriage etc. I have  also searched in England without success. She may have emigrated but I doubt it. I have resigned myself to having to accept this particular brick wall.

Doddie

[aghadowey]

At the moment one of my biggest mysteries is someone who appears in 1930 U.S. census and then vanishes!
Great-grandfather listed in 1930 census with family (wife died Dec.1929) including a 'son' with the first name of Knox. Have checked with all living family members who were alive at the time and they don't remember him. He doesn't appear with that same name in any other census. Went through family tree and found no person with that name or a marriage to anyone with the surname of Knox.
Closest I could come is a child named Knox the correct age in the same area with a different surname. It was a small town and if this was great-grandfather's illegitimate child everyone would have known it and he certainly wouldn't have been staying with the family in 1930.
Suspect this one will probably remain a mystery.

[sarahsean]

I found out my grandmother, and siblings along with my great grandmother emigrated to USA in 1928 lived there until 1935 before returning to the UK. Then my grandmother met my grandfather had my father in 1937, re-emigrated in 1946 to Canada. I knew they lived in Canada as my father lived there until the late  1950's but nothing about USA.

 Must be something in the blood though as my father returned to UK from Canada married my mother and then emigrated to New Zealand when my sister was little. They then returned to the UK and had me and I now live in Ireland with husband and family ,we seem to be a family of travelers! My sister also spent a few years in the USA before settling back in UK. Wonder where our children will end up?!

Sarah

[Willow 4873]

My mystery is my GGreat grandfather George Mears/Meers

His wife Elizabeth was born Raddington Somerset

Great Grandfather James lists his place of birth as Appleton Lancashire. His two sisters a year and 4 years younger were both born in Wolverhampton and we have their baptism records and he is listed as a miner

But we cant find anything for George! Elizabeth remarried in Wolverhampton 1848 but we cant find a death registered for George

There doesnt seem to be any trace of the family on the 1841 census either so I am well and truly stuck

Willow x

[stoney]

So many mysteries with my lot!

One I'd really like to solve is the final resting place of my 2xG-Grandfather, Archibald Meyers - last heard of in the 1851 census for Wetheral, Cumberland, although I believe a 10th child was baptised in 1853. Wife remarried in 1857, but so far no sign of Archie?

Also, the family rumour-mill suggests the Meyers' originated from Heligoland, but Archie's birthplace on census is given as "Scotland" (really helpful!) - ho hum, maybe one day I'll track him down! 

[Deb D]

Deb

Could here first husband still been alive when she married in 1911? or what about her second husband could have still been married?


Cheers
Anne

Hi Anne, - interesting thought, but no, her first husband died in Scotland in 1908, and the fellow she married in Oz in 1911 was listed as a "bachelor" (albeit, the father of at least one of her daughters - the other one didn't have a father listed on her birth cert., nor on her marriage cert.), with no prior marriage registrations - I checked