This will be my entry for the theme of “Thankful” and it should become clear why I am thankful as this story unfolds. A few days ago I was finally able to do something that had long been on my genealogy wish list. My husband accompanied me to Mount Moriah Cemetery in Philadelphia to look…
Category: Hartley
Hannah Hartley Ingham – Where There’s a Will, There Might Be a Clue – 52 Ancestors 2015 #18
Years ago, I tracked down William Hartley, my husband’s 3rd great-grandfather and black sheep of the family. William Hartley (born 1796 in Thornton near Bradford, Yorkshire, England) was a convicted felon who was dramatically apprehended by the local constable trying to pass two forged bank notes worth 10 pounds at an inn. This is the…
Moses McGaughey Senior – The Lucky Bible – 52 Ancestors 2015 #11
St. Patrick’s Day is approaching. My side of the family has 100% of its origins in Germany, at least in the last 150 years or so. For Irish roots, I have to turn to my husband’s family. Gary’s 2x great-grandfather on his paternal side was Moses McGaughey. Moses arrived in Philadelphia, PA, in 1825 aboard…
John Elliott – Burned to a Crisp – 52 Ancestors #37
Entry #37 John Elliot, my husband’s 3rd great grandfather, was the eldest child of Robert Elliott and his wife, Lillian (last name unknown). They were Irish immigrants who made the journey to relocate in Philadelphia from their native land in 1816. John was born sometime in the following year. On 24 April 1838, he married…
Thomas Hartley – Too Many of You – 52 Ancestors #36
Entry #36 The farthest back I have been able to go with my husband’s Hartley line is Thomas Hartley. He was the father of the black sheep of the family, William Hartley, who was convicted of passing forged banknotes and transported to Van Damien’s Land (Tasmania) in 1832. This was a lucky break for my…
Joseph Köhler – It’s Nice to Know You Better – #52 Ancestors #28
Entry #28 I am visiting family in Pennsylvania this week and staying with my mother-in-law. She has been telling my husband and I for a few months that she found boxes of “really old photos.” At my request, she dragged out the five boxes in her keeping. Mostly, I was disappointed. There are only a…
Barbara Ackermann – A Clue from a Postcard – 52 Ancestors #26 (or #10 continued!)
Entry #26 Last week was full of genealogical finds, mostly because I had some new films to view at my Family History Center. This is going to be one of the biggest pleasures of my new retirement. It has been very difficult for me to travel an hour and twenty minutes each way to view…
Henry O’Donnell – Died on the 4th of July (Heat Exhaustion) – 52 Ancestors #25
Entry #25 Henry O’Donnell was the husband of Sarah J. McGaughey, who was my husband’s 2nd great grandaunt and sister of Moses McGaughey Jr. Both Henry O’Donnell and Moses McGaughey Jr. were members of the Philadelphia police force, but at separate times. The two brother-in-laws were stone polishers prior to becoming police officers; perhaps they…
Nathan Hainsworth Died in the Workhouse – 52 Ancestors #14
Entry #14 Illustrated History from Hipperholme to Tong James Parker, 1904 – also postcard collection of Maggie Land Blanck: Weaving in Yorkshire Nathan Hainsworth (b. 15 June 1792) was a weaver from Thornton, Bradford, West Yorkshire, England to James Hainsworth and Mary (unknown). He is my husband’s third great grandfather and a contemporary of William…
Anna Marie and Elisabeth Lang – When in Doubt, Test the DNA – 52 Ancestors #10
Entry #10 This is one of those serendipitous stories where truth is stranger than fiction. Allen Weirick and I met in the 10th grade through our mutual friend, Steve Tsou. We became part of a small group of friends that spent a lot of time together. This translates to having known one another for about…