Finding my grandmother's undocumented parents

[sparrett]

The four people are not identified in their tree because Ancestry keeps living people anonymous. But if I have guessed rightly who they are in the tree, they are second or third cousins.

Since I wrote my last post, I have made further and unexpected breakthroughs:

1. I think I have identified my grandmother's mother. I was  assuming she was born in Ballarat because that's where she was living when she gave birth, but she wasn't, and until I made this DNA connection, there was no way I could have found her among all the Mary McDonald's in Victoria. Yet to be fully confirmed but I am confident. If I've got this right, the four people are my 3rd or 4th cousins.

2. Quite out of the blue I have made an interesting discovery that may prove to be my gran's father. More later!

I hope these"leads" turn out to be a help to you.
Just a reminder.....

When a girl was "in trouble" she would often be sent away to a relative to await the birth. A different town etc.
A popular option being her mother's sister or other relation on the maternal side.

In my experience, the paternal side (her father's people) was not such a populr option.

If you have maiden names of the women you are beginning to pinpoint in point 1. (above), take some time to see if they married anyone sur-named on the list of residents in Barkley Av. Malvern.

Tedious, but that what thorough family research is all about. 

Sue

[sparrett]

The four people are not identified in their tree because Ancestry keeps living people anonymous. But if I have guessed rightly who they are in the tree, they are second or third cousins.

Since I wrote my last post, I have made further and unexpected breakthroughs:

1. I think I have identified my grandmother's mother. I was  assuming she was born in Ballarat because that's where she was living when she gave birth, but she wasn't, and until I made this DNA connection, there was no way I could have found her among all the Mary McDonald's in Victoria. Yet to be fully confirmed but I am confident. If I've got this right, the four people are my 3rd or 4th cousins.

2. Quite out of the blue I have made an interesting discovery that may prove to be my gran's father. More later!

I hope these"leads" turn out to be a help to you.
Just a reminder.....

When a girl was "in trouble" she would often be sent away to a relative to await the birth. A different town etc.
A popular option being her mother's sister or other relation on the maternal side.

In my experience, the paternal side (her father's people) was not such a populr option.

If you have maiden names of the women you are beginning to pinpoint in point 1. (above), take some time to see if they married anyone sur-named on the 1890 list of residents in Barkley Av. Malvern.

Tedious, but that what thorough family research is all about. 

Sue
[/quote]

[Eric Hatfield]

When a girl was "in trouble" she would often be sent away to a relative to await the birth. A different town etc.

Yes, that was my impression. I will look for the connections you suggest as some sort of confirmation. Thanks.

[Eric Hatfield]

Once you make a breakthrough things can move quite fast . Look forward to next update

I just thought I'd finish off this thread with the information that:

1. I believe I have certainly found my grandmother's mother. She proved indeed to be Mary McDonald, b1871, parents Allan McDonald & Annie Foster, and living near Ballarat. But she wasn't recorded in the birth records as being from Ballarat, so she wasn't one of the Mary's that I had identified as possible. I wouldn't have found her if it wasn't for the Leeds method.

2. Until I wrote this, I thought my grandmother's father, traced back also using the Leeds method, was also a Foster. But now I realise I had made an unjustified assumption. I assumed a group of matches I was researching were from the father's family, and only now, belatedly, that most likely they are also from the same Foster family as Annie, with a common ancestor further back. So the father remains a mystery.

So I have modified this post to reflect that.

Thank you to everyone who helped. I never believed that I would get such a good result so quickly. The Leeds method and the genealogical hints and investigation it opens up, is truly a wonderful tool!