I suppose I should update my bleat as it goes far back. I have had, quite recently, some correspondence with a fairly distant relative who saw one of my postings on Rootschat.
The chap who contacted me about 18 months ago suddenly disappeared - "Canicus" are you reading this?
The upgrade of systems on Genes Reunited as well as their vast membership has been very beneficial as I am in touch with several 2nd and 3rd cousins from that source. Their Hot Matches system seems to work although one must eliminate lots of chaff.
Through Rootschat I also found the death record of one of my uncles by marriage, in Vancouver, Canada. From that I was able to trace one living cousin in Ontario and learned of the death of my aunt in rather tragic circumstances.
Another cousin mentioned that he saw a record on Amazon of a piece of music, a song really, written by my grandfather, Stanley V. Murrill. I cannot imagine why it was there as neither they not their various affiliates had it for sale. However it was a valuable lead to the British Library catalogue. There I found 4 songs by him that had been published between 1911 and 1914 [he was killed in France in 1917]. I have ordered copies of all 4 - at a pretty fancy price.
So, all sources are potentially valuable. Rootsweb, on the other hand, has never produced the slightest sign of a contact, nor did Curious Fox. I nearly lost all will to live when I tried Lost Cousins.
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