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The Life From The Roots blog topics have changed several times since I began this blog in 2009. I initially wrote only about the family history I had been working on for 20 years. Years later, I was into visiting gardens, historical homes, churches, libraries that had genealogical collections, historical societies, war memorials, and travel/tourism places. I also enjoy posting autographs and photos of famous people I've met or have seen.

Along with my New England roots, other areas include New York, New Jersey, Michigan, Illinois, Wisconsin, and the Eastern Townships of Quebec, Canada.

Please check out the labels on the right side for topics (please note, they need work). Below the labels and pageviews is a listing of my top nine posts, according to Google. Four of them pertain to Lowell, MA. These posts change often because they are based on what people are reading.

Tuesday, March 15, 2016

Miscellaneous Queries

A Bridge to the Past
If you have a blog, especially one that covers family history, chances are somebody is going to find your blog by doing a google search. There are times, I don't have any idea how they found me and what  prompted them to even write. Always, the queries are interesting, and below is a collection of some rather recent ones. I've replied to all, except the last and the reason is pretty sad. Her query got forgotten in my inbox of over 1,500 emails. It has been in that box since March 2014! I will respond to her tomorrow. Fortunately, I've been cleaning out that box and now have only 110 emails (most are to read and only one to respond). This is very embarrassing to admit, so I'm facing one of my faults in public.

I'm not asking for help with any of these queries. It is my hope that the names will show up in google searches and I can put the individuals in contact with each other. Some I've helped others I couldn't.


I found your tree on line.  I have family trees for Elsie father, Charles Cowlam, going back a few more generations in England.  Cushman is a descendant of John Alden of the Mayflower.  If you are interested, I can send GEDCOMS.
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Hello Barbara. My name is Kris ____. My grandfather (he died in 2005) said that John ____ (died 2011 years, WTC) is my family. I am looking for their roots. Can you help me? What do you know about the family of John? They came from?
I know that my grandfather had two brothers. In 1944 - 1945 the year escaped from Lvov (former Poland) by Rumunię.Dwóch brothers returned to Polish. One of the brothers escaped to Canada. His children lived in the United States, reportedly including John ____. I will be very grateful for the information. Kris ____.

I am sorry for my poor English.
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I am researching my Chapman line and noticed your web site.     Since I believe I connect up thru David Chapman b 1675,   I clicked on that and it took to me to weird web site,  just thought you should know.   Or maybe I am reading it wrong?

Anyways,  have you done much research down the David Chapman line (b 1675).   I am stuck at Ebenezer Chapman b 1764.
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HI Barbara, no i do not think we have communicated before, but maybe my memory is short.    I am the registrar of ____ and I have a prospective member who has desperately. Trying for years to find connection to a Amos Parmele in Killingworth who had a son Richard who married a Thankful X.   Richard moved around a lot in CT and finally in Oneida County NY.    Amos did have a daughter Polly who married an Amos Warner in Bethlehem CT and then settled in Oneida Co.   We are trying to prove Richard had a son Amos Parmelee who was in Oneida County and then moved to Orland, Cook County, Il.   

I just learned from the PM that she did get info from  the library in Killingworth which she does not think will help her.   It is most frustrating, but I will understand if you can't help either.   

Are you involved in your chapter lineage or as registrar?
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Dear Barbara,
Your RootsWeb page says you've been studying your roots for 26 years; I've only been at it (when I can) for about 2 years.  Your RootsWeb page gave me my first big clue as to the family of my 3rd Great Grandmother, Jane Winn b. 22 Aug 1800, and pointed me to the book "The Mohawk Valley Ehles and Allied Families".  I sincerely thank you for that.  I am writing you for two reasons:
1) The Mohawk Valley Ehles book says John Winn (Jane's grandfather) was from Belfast, Ireland.  From what I have researched and you show on your page, he appears to have been born in Albany County, NY and his immigrant ancester seems to have been born in Belgium.  Any opinion on that?  Just another document error?
and
 2) I haven't tried all avenues yet, but I now need to find out more about Jane's husband, John G. Kelly, and his family. I'm not sure exactly how you are descended from the Scramblings and others, but I was wondering if you had stumbled across anything about John & Jane.  Since you've been studing the family so long, perhaps you could suggest some juicy research material for the western New York area and its people.  I have the census information and some information after they settled in Hamberg, NY, but I'd like to break the wall of where John G. Kelly (born in USA) came from... why they lived in Canada for awhile...  and anything else I can find. 
Okay, I admit writing you is a shot in the dark, but I thought I'd try.  I think I have done all I can on the internet and now I need to try writing/contacting some record sources and finding other avenues of research.
Again, thank you for the lead on Jane
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My name is ____. I live in Upton, Massachusetts, which is central Massachusetts. I grew up, in part, in Hampton New Hampshire for several years until I was around 13. My family rented a large house which had a carriage house and barn in the back. To my recollection, the house was owned by a gentleman who lived in New York, who was the last of the Lane family. I moved to California after High School, which I attended in Rhode Island, and lived there during my college years and for many years after. I moved back to Massachusetts several years ago, and have gone to visit Portsmouth. My family moved from Hampton to Portsmouth for a few years, and I did go back to Hampton just once, in hopes of visiting the house I remember so well from my childhood. I remember the location as being close enough to walk to the Main Street, which was not much of a downtown area thirty years ago, when we lived there. And, I was also able to walk to the library, which I loved and have many fond memories of.
I was disappointed when I went to visit, as I was unable to find the house my family rented, which was owned by the Lane family.  I was told by someone in town that the house burned down many years ago. Curiosity over the years has led to want to know more about the family, the house and the history of Hampton.
As I was doing a little online research I came upon your blog via ‘Life From The Roots’. I noticed a house, could it be the home of the historical society, which looks so much like the style of the house my family lived in for several years. It made me wonder if perhaps the Lane family home hadn’t burned down after all, and I was misinformed.
Can you provide any insight, or do you know how I might find out more on the topic? It’s a curiosity which has never left me for many reasons.

Follow-up: I did write the above person (after two years). Amazingly, she responded within hours. Here is what she wrote me:

"I’m very impressed and grateful that you’ve responded, albeit after some time. Thank you for that!  Actually, the house was located within a very short walk of the central business district as it were, and the town Public library. I will contact the Hampton historical society, what and excellent idea.
 

And, thank you for posting it on your blog. One never knows where connections take place."