censuses for family GARTRELL completed

[CatherineRea]

Hi Madhu

I'm not sure if we're related directly, but must be related in some way or another - I'm Samuel Phelps French's great great granddaughter; his son Samuel Phelps French Jr was my great grandfather. In tracking the French family back to 1500, I've researched all of the maternal ancestry as well, 90% of it in Gloucestershire. I'd love to share it with anyone interested.

If you are a Gartrell, I've got some information on Elsie May (nee French) and Norman Gartrell. I know this stuff is fun (the hunting for history), but I don't want you to have to repeat what has already been done.

Sorry - I don't know what PM is, so I've contacted you this way again.

Kind regards

Catherine

[madhu]

Hi Catherine ,
PM is for personal message and one can click on the little green scroll on the left. One can the communicate with the other person and no one else can read the message. But I dont mind writing this way as sometimes one finds there are others who are interested.
So I think we are distantly related. Samuel Phelps Frenchs wife Susannah Smith was the sister of my great grand father, George White Smith. He married Eugenie Lewis of Gloucester and they went to live in South Africa in about 1905. I only discovered the French family a few months ago while doing family research. This is very exciting as there are many family members in SA as well as in New Zealand.
And maybe you can help where I have run into a brick wall with the Smith family in Coaley ,Gloucestershire.
By the way my name is Elizabeth ( born Smith) I am born in SAfrica but at present I live in Austria.
Kind regards,
Elizabeth

[madhu]

Hi Catherine, I will write tomorrow evening as it is late and I have to get up early, Elizabeth

[CatherineRea]

Dear Elizabeth

You cannot imagine how long I have been looking for George!! He is the only one I have not been able to find and I am so happy to have made contact with his family!!

I have a lovely photograph of the Smith family from when George was just a little boy - it has all of the family members' names on the back of it with their "pet" names as well. Four of George's siblings came to Canada to live - Mary Ann White Gordon, Susannah French, Robert Smith Jr, and Charlotte Davis.

I too have had difficulty with the Smith family's history in Gloucestershire. Smith is such a difficult name to have when it comes to family history. As far as I can tell Robert Smith was raised by a cousin of his Father's. I don't think Jesse Smith was his father, although he considered him to be so (marriage certificate). I've also had trouble finding Mary Ann White's family - all I am certain of is that her Father was William and her brother Charles. If you have had more success there are many Canadian cousins who would be grateful for your input.

I will share whatever I have that you are interested in having. The photo is lovely and I expect the first thing you'll want.

Kind regards
Catherine

[s_lander]

I am in the process of adding this family to WikiTree [ http://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Gartrell-71 ] with citations. The Summerland Museum [ http://www.summerlandmuseum.org/ ] has a large file on the Summerland family and I think much more. Contact them for details. I am not related.