I knew that the city of San Francisco did not have a copy of the marriage record for my Great Great Grandparents, Thomas A. Jones and Margaret Kelly because the records were destroyed in 1906. I also knew that the state of California did not begin recording vital records until after 1905. I didn’t know…
Category: About My Ancestors
Newspapers Provide Proof When Disasters Destroy Records
MARRIED JONES–KELLY–In this city, February 7, by the Rev. Father Scanlon, Thomas A. Jones to Miss Margaret Kelly, both of this city. [San Francisco Call, San Francisco, CA, 9 Feb 1869, page 3] It doesn’t look like much, does it? A groom, a bride, a priest, and a date. To the untrained eye, it’s just…
The Problem with Patrick Dolan’s Obituary
Again on the trail of the Dolan family… I have Patrick Dolan’s obituary, which started this whole mess, I mean, adventure. The obituary proves that Patrick Dolan is my gr gr gr Uncle, but it leaves much to be desired in sorting out his unknown brother. The only facts it presents is that he is…
A Dabbler in Languages, A Master of None
I have lines in France, the Azores, Portugal, Australia, Ireland, and England. Further back into my noble lines, I hit most of Europe. Because of the wide range of countries, I’ve had to learn the basics of a couple of languages. I’ve learned a little French and a little more Portuguese. I know some Spanish…
Why are some family lines more difficult than others?
When I first started my family tree, I didn’t worry about my French lines because my Aunt had been working on those for years. I thought the Irish and British would be a piece of cake. I feared the Portuguese because I didn’t know the language. My perceptions turned out to be all wrong (except…