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1500 questions
11
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6 answers
How can I get others excited about an aspect of my family history without gloating?
For example, one of the major battles of the Revolutionary War was fought on my [several-]great-grandfather's farm grounds.
Without sounding like I'm gloating when talking about the event, how can I get folks outside my family excited about the…
warren
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11
votes
2 answers
Citing local BMD registrations in England and Wales
The index of civil registrations of births, marriages, and deaths in England and Wales can be found on the FreeBMD Web site. This is not yet complete but fuller versions can also be found on the commercial Web sites.
References to these entries…
ACProctor
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11
votes
3 answers
Tracing records of Royal Navy personnel who died in World War 2?
My grandmother's brother was in the Royal Navy during WW2 and was killed. I know very little about him other than his name and I think I have the year he was born.
By searching his name - William John Miller - online I have come up with one that I…
AvieRose
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11
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6 answers
Help needed reading a place of birth in an 1871 census record from Glamorgan, Wales
I'm struggling to read the place of birth of Elizabeth Jones (Head of household schedule 167) in this image from the 1871 census of Merthyr Tydfil, Glamorgan, Wales.
Here is a larger image of the problem word.
user104
11
votes
6 answers
What can I learn about Sir William Brereton based on his portrait?
This portrait of Sir William Brereton (1550-1631) hangs in the Detroit Institute of Arts:
Regarding the portrait I have the following questions:
I assume the number "1579" in the corner is the date the portrait was made?
What is the (I assume…
fbrereto
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11
votes
2 answers
Seemingly missing NYC birth records
I am looking for birth records for the children of David Nechemias and Etta Ehrensaal. From census records, I have Beatrice (b. abt 1897), Helen (b. abt 1904), Sidney (b. about 1907) and Roselyn (b. abt 1911). The first three children should be…
Gene Golovchinsky
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11
votes
8 answers
How far from the direct descendant line is regarded as no longer a relative?
I have started a family tree, starting with myself and working back in time. As I climb up the tree, how far from the direct line is considered a relative?
Peter
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11
votes
1 answer
When (if ever) is it acceptable to drop "shire" from a UK county name?
This question is sparked by an amendment made to a previous question made by ColeValleyGirl (for which I thank her).
I "believed" (possibly from seeing it on birth records, but I cannot cite an example) that the county name (such as Worcestershire)…
Fortiter
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11
votes
1 answer
How did the lives of Worcestershire nail-makers change 1840-1880?
The 1851 Census of England and Wales shows my ancestors living in Forge Lane, Halesowen, Worcestershire. Not only are all the adult males on the page working as gun barrel forgers, but also every household has at least one female listed as a…
Fortiter
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11
votes
2 answers
Seeking copy of 19th century South African birth certificate?
I'm trying to find the birth certificate of my wife's great grandmother who was probably born in Durban, South Africa in 1884. I'm currently unable to find any online resources for this.
If such a thing does not exist online, is there any other…
John Doyle
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11
votes
3 answers
Who built the SS Persia in Quebec in 1853?
Like many other Australians with European heritage, I have several ancestors who spent more than 100 days on a ship travelling to Australia in the nineteenth century. There was ample time for births, deaths (and the occasional marriage); so some…
Fortiter
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11
votes
3 answers
What did "SVO co" mean in Worcester, Massachusetts circa 1940?
I have been trying to track my great grandfather's life as detailed as possible. In doing so, I came across two nearly identical entries for him in the Polk's Worcester City Directories, one from 1939, the other from 1941. The 1939 entry looks like…
Curious Layman
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11
votes
2 answers
How can I track down back issues of a family history newsletter from the 1980's?
When I started asking my parents about family history in 2008, my mother gave me a copy of a "Burbank Family News" newsletter of the Burbank-Burbanck family edited by John R. Burbank in St. Albans, Vermont. I only have one issue, #21 from January…
BennyMcBenBen
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11
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2 answers
Where do I look for a woman who vanished for 17 years?
Cornelia Wilkins (nee MEDWELL) (1877-1952) gave birth to her second child in Northamptonshire (UK) in the first quarter of 1908. She does not appear in the 1911 Census. Her husband is recorded in the Census living with his mother in Peterboro; and…
Fortiter
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11
votes
4 answers
Reducing cost of BMD Certificates in England and Wales?
The cost of BMD certificates from the General Records Office (GRO) of England and Wales is quite expensive (£9.25 at time of writing) but what is preventing the obvious streamlining of this?
The GRO, now part of the Identity and Passport Service,…
ACProctor
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