Posts Tagged genealogy
#52 Ancestors – No. 36 – Napoleon Groulx (Groux)
Posted by Caroll in French Canadian Genealogy, Genealogy on September 7, 2014
This post is number 36 in the series of the #52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks Challenge where a group of us blog about a different ancestor for each week of the year. To learn more about the 52 Ancestor Challenge visit Amy Johnson’s site at Amy’s website.
Glad to know my five years of French through high school and college still has some use today. Not that I can speak the language anymore. Being able to recognize french words and handwriting styles comes in handy in deciphering French Canadian historical records. It is a necessary skill to have. One of the most useful Quebec vital records are the Drouin church records.
Drouin Marriage Record for Napolean Groux
I am a descendent of French ancestors who were settled Quebec in the 1600’s. In addition to my direct line, I have a few collateral lines who married individuals of French ancestry that I also research. I try my best to read the French records to glean information.
My grand aunt, Opal Anderson, daughter of Ernest Anderson and Minnie White; married Norman Joseph Groulx. Norman is the grandson of Napoleon Groux and Azilda (Exilda) Lacombe. Napoleon and Azilda were married in Ripon, Quebec, Canada, in 1869. The marriage was witnessed by Joseph Groux and Jule Lacombe.
I am not sure why the letter “l” was added to the name. It could be to help the pronunciation in English. My family pronounced the name as “Grew”. The marriage date is written in a flourish scroll, and I cannot clearly read the month. The date in French is; Le sept Janvier or Fevrier, [mil] huit cent soixante et neuf. Translated to 7 January or February 1869.
I have not been able to find a surname meaning for Groux. There is a church, Saint Groux, in France. Google maps displayed a couple of streets name Les Groux in several French cities. Since it is a collateral line, further research is usually when I get blocked by a wall and need a distraction.
Photo Source Information:
#52 Ancestors – No. 17 – Gracie Pittman
This post is number 17 in the series of the 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks Challenge where a group of us blog about a different ancestor for each week of the year. To learn more about the 52 Ancestor Challenge visit Amy’s website.
I just spent a fun weekend catching up with half-cousins once removed. So this week’s entry is going to be quick. No, really.
Gracie Pittman was born in 1887. She is the first daughter of then 15 year-old, Josepine Woodburn and John T. Pittman. She is the sister to my great-grandmother, Mable Pittman Roll Baumgartel.
Gracie marries at age 17 in 1904 to one, Chester Oliver Board. The marriage wasn’t agreeable to either of them. They are together on the 1910 Census and have gone their separate ways by the 1920 Census. The 1910 Census alleges that the mother has given birth to two children that are living. However, no children are enumerated with this couple. I have not discovered a birth or death certificate for any child born of this union.
Chester is living in San Francisco as a laborer on the 1920 Census. Gracie has remarried. Her new husband is James H. Holmes. James and Gracie have four children. Mary B Holmes, 1918; James in 1921, Margaret in 1923, and the last Bettie Jo Holmes in 1927.
Regrettably, Gracie Pittman Holmes dies in 1932 at the age of 45. The cause of death in Pulmonary Tuberculois. She passes away at the Western State Hospital in Hopkinsville, KY. Her oldest child is 14 and the youngest, is just 5. I have not been able to locate the family in the 1940 Census at this time.
Within my grandmother Olive Roll Howes batch of photos, there was a mystery photograph of an Edwards family. My genealogy research led me to identify the family as children of Margaret Holmes Edwards.
“Kentucky Marriages, 1785-1979,” index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/F4QR-6DJ : accessed 29 Apr 2014), Chester O Board and Gracie Pittman, 12 Nov 1904; citing Muhlenberg, Kentucky, reference ; FHL microfilm 557331.
“United States Census, 1910,” index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/M28N-DL4 : accessed 29 Apr 2014), Grace Board in household of Chester Board, Magisterial District 1, Caldwell, Kentucky, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 11, sheet 12A, family 235, NARA microfilm publication T624, FHL microfilm 1374481.
“Kentucky Vital Statistics Original Death Certificates – Microfilm (1911-19550. Microfilm rolls” #7016130-7041803. Kentucky Dept for Libraries, and Archives, Frankfort, Kentucky.
#52 Ancestors – No. 7 Oliver Cromwell Roll
Posted by Caroll in Uncategorized on February 17, 2014
This post is number 7 in the series of the 52 Ancestors Challenge where we blog about a different ancestor for each week of the year.
Oliver Cromwell Roll (aka Ollie C. Roll) was of medium height and build with gray eyes and brown hair. His life was short t down by bronchopneumonia in the 1918 Influenza Epidemic. He lived long enough to marry my great grandmother Mabel Pittman and have one child, Olive A. Roll.
Ollie C Roll, 8 months old, 1884
Scan of a tintype photo
At 16, Ollie is working as day laborer, so is his 13 brother David; according to the 1900 Census. On his 1917 WWI Registration card, he lists his occupation as miner for Woolley Mines. I find it interesting that he and Mabel live on Olive Street in Evansville, Indiana with their daughter named, Olive.
Born to David W. Roll and Katherine Traylor Guy in 1884, most likely named for his father’s brother; Oliver C. Roll (1848-1926). He is the oldest son with five living siblings. He married Mabel on August 10, 1906. I do not have a copy of the marriage certificate. The record at FamilySearch.org cites a record showing Ollie’s last name as ROSE. It is most likely a transcription error.
My grandmother, Olive, was very fond of her father and greatly sadden by his death. Her family story is that she passed the flu virus on to her father that eventually claimed his life in 1918. After Ollie’s death, Mabel kept in touch with the Roll family throughout her life and so did my grandmother Olive.
Sources
Death Certificate – Vanderburgh Co Health Department certified copy issued October 2003 from the original record. The original source of this record is the book CH-5 on page 342 within the series produced by the Indiana Works Progress Administration.
WWI Registration Card
Marriage Certificate – “Kentucky Marriages, 1785-1979,” index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/F498-C8G : accessed 17 Feb 2014), Ollie Rose and Mabel Pittman, 10 Aug 1906.
#52Ancestors – No. 4 – Theodocia R. Sims
This post is part of the 52 Ancestors Challenge were we blog about a different ancestor for each week of the year.
In this weeks’ challenge I chose Theodocia Rachael Sims. Theodocia is the wife of last week’s ancestor Benjamin C. Woodburn. I had assumed early in my research that she most likely passed way before 1890. I was not able to find a record of her in later years. Years have come and go and new information has bought a series of dots to connect on this line.
Theodocia was born in 1841, near Hopkinsville, Christian County, Kentucky. She is the daughter of William Sims/Simms and Catherine Woodburn. William Sims dies within a year or two of Theodocia’s birth. This leaves her mother with seven daughters to rear. Her mother Catherine stays close to the Woodburn family and is enumerated on the same census page in 1850 and 1860. Her farm, if she had a farm, may have been next door to her father’s James Woodburn or brother, Alexander Woodburn. The Wilson family between the two families, is Catherine’s oldest daughter, Amanda Woodburn Wilson.
- Woodburn’s and Sim’s 1860 Census
Theodocia didn’t go too far to meet her husband. He was just across the field at her Uncle Alexander’s house. Theodosia married her first cousin, Benjamin Woodburn who was four years younger. Benjamin enlisted in the Union army in 1862 and returned home sometime before 1867. He and Theodocia married in April 1867 in Christian Co., Kentucky. I have not been able to find an image of the marriage bond or license.
On the 1870 Census, they reside near Decker Station, Indiana. Four children are listed, with the oldest one, Charles, born in 1864, three years before they married. Benjamin was in the Civil War for at least 3-4 years. He could have furloughed from the war and had pre-marital relations with Theodocia. Or, Theodocia was married before or had relations with another man. I have not found a marriage record for an earlier marriage.
Fast forward to Civil War Pension records. Theodocia applies for a widow’s pension in 1892. So now I know she is still around. I am still not able to find her in the 1900, 1910 or 1920 Censuses. While researching her daughter Addie Decker Woodburn, I found information leading me to Theodocia. I found Addie’s death certificate listing her mother’s name and Addie’s married name (Morris) and residence. Addie is living in Dallas and/or Fort Worth area of Texas. I started looking to see if I could find Theodocia. By that time Texas records were added to Ancestry.com.
Eureka! A death certificate is discovered for Theodocia R. Sims Thacker. Theodocia’s death certificate lists Billie Sims and Katherine Woodburn as her parents. The date of her death is August 3, 1926. The informant on the record is Jimmie Morris, Addie’s husband. At findagrave, there is a headstone for Granny Thacker, no first name. The spouse on the headstone is M. L. Thacker.
I have not found any record that definitely connects Theodocia to this M. L. Thacker. M.L. Thacker is allegedly Marcus Lafayette Thacker born 1831 in Tennessee, died 1920 in Fort Worth, TX. I do know that M. L. Thacker lived in Christian Co., Kentucky in 1860. He is enumerated in the same district and not too many pages from the Woodburn’s and Sims.
I continue to search for any listing of Benjamin Woodburn. I was rewarded a couple of weeks ago when his name came up in a Civil War Remarried Widow Pension Application. Filed in May 1920, shortly after Marcus Thacker’s death, Benjamin’s widow filed for a pension. The name on the application is, Theodocia R Thacker. I’m slowly connecting the dots and tearing down the walls.
Source Citation: Year: 1860; Census Place: , Christian, Kentucky; Roll: M653_362; Page: 596; Image: 94; Family History Library Film: 803362.
“Kentucky Marriages, 1785-1979,” index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/FWBK-CVC : accessed 25 Jan 2014), Benjamin H. Woodburn and Theodocia R. Sims, 28 Apr 1867.
Perpetual Family Liar Complicates Genealogy Records
Posted by Caroll in Genealogy, Polish Genealogy on December 15, 2013
My grand uncle Stanley A. Budny is the family’s black sheep. A habitual criminal according to an account in a 1927 Ann Arbor Newspaper article. Taken to the Ann Arbor police station after a fender bender, he told a web of lies, tried bribing his way out to freedom. All for naught. He sought flight through a bathroom window, ensued a fight with an officer on the streets of Ann Arbor, only to lose his life while struggling with the officer’s gun. He lost his life for a missing license plate and a questionable vehicle registration.
Stanley’s criminal activities brought in the money that helped support his six siblings and his mother from 1917 to his death in 1927. His father Adam disappeared in 1917 and was presumed dead by the family. Stanley started using aliases early on. He lied on his 1918 World War I registration form (see image below).
So how did I attribute this registration card to my grand uncle? Borke is an anglicized variant of Borucki. Stanley’s mother is Maryanna Borucki. Both my great-grandmother and her brother Ignatz Francis Borucki (Frank Borke) used this quick and easy pronunciation and spelling of Borucki. On Ignatz Borucki’s application for citizenship, he lists Frank Borke as an alias.
I have heard the name pronounced Bor-rut-ski in a recording by a family member. I can see why the family would use a more American sounding variant of their name. The pronunciation of the name doesn’t match the spelling.
My second clue is the address listed on the form. I have city directory sources listing the same address for Mary Budny. The birth date, Nov 16, 1899, is off by three years. Stanley Budny was born November 16, 1902, Pittsburgh, PA. I think he lied about his age to work. He most likely kept up the lie when he registered. Especially if he registered with co-workers or friends in the line. Being 16 at the time he registered, he could not afford to lose a job that supported his family, so I am assuming he lied to appear older than he was.
Did Stanley steal from his own cousin? Written records should be viewed also as photographs. Photographs are worth a thousand words. This registration card is worth a thousand words too. Some people may dismiss this record or attach it as proof of a source without adding a comment. But the analysis reveals much more. I had to look at the info in detail to correctly match it to my Stanley Budny. Why, because Stanley had a cousin named Stanley Borucki, who sometimes used the name Stanley Borke. Stanley Borucki is the son of Ignatz Borucki. He was born either in Chicago, IL or Pittsburgh, PA in 1902. Stanley Borucki lists his occupation as chauffeur in his 1925 marriage record using the name Stanley Borke. On the 1920 census, he is a springmaker. The occupation listed on this registration card for this Stanley Budny is chauffeur.
Alias of Stanley Budny (Borke)
On Stanley’s and his sister’s marriage certificate they use the name Mary Borke for their mother. As stated in my previous posts, I have yet to find Mary and Stanley Budny in the 1920 census.
Stanley Budny was arrested several times for writing bad checks and stealing cars in the Detroit area. He was sentenced to a 1 to 14 year prison term to Jackson (Michigan) State Prison. He was paroled after a very short time. The lies he told that fateful day in March 1927, included a false name, tales of a wife and two children. A wife he had, children he did not. The Detroit Police had his list of aliases that Stanley used in the past. I wonder how he came up with the names, Kid Gray, Dick Grey and Kline Klinoffosky. Believe me, I checked the aliases to see if I could find clues to locate records.
I’ll keep looking to unravel the clues in records, one day may the truth be out there.
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