Thursday, April 30, 2020

ANCESTORS IN THE NEWS ~ Richard Lindsay to become Grand Patriarch of the Odd Fellows organization - 1914


Another in my series of news articles about my paternal great granduncle, Richard Lindsay (1862-1927).

Here are the other blog posts written about Richard Lindsay, so far.  My blogging has taken a hit during this Covid-19 situation.  It’s been difficult to focus and do any research or writing.  Instead, I’ve been cleaning and organizing various areas in my house. Have any of you found it difficult to conduct your research as well?  Or, have you been able to do more?



This particular news article is about a meeting of the Odd Fellows organization.  The meeting took place in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan in May 1914.

I wondered what exactly was the Odd Fellows?  Are they similar to Masons?  I know that Richard Lindsay belonged to both organizations, as mentioned in other articles about him and his obituary.

I used our friend Goggle and found this Wikipedia explanation of the Odd Fellow organization.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Odd_Fellows  The answer to my question about them being the same as the Masons would be, they are similar organizations.

Here is the full page of the article which includes photos.  Richard Lindsay being second from the left.



Here is a transcription of the portion of the article about Richard Lindsay.  He was slated to become the Grand Patriarch.

“Reward Detroit Man – There is but little doubt of the re-election of Richard Lindsay, of Detroit to the highest office in the state organization, that of grand patriarch, to succeed Thomas Conlin of Crystal Falls, the present incumbent.  The election of the grand high priest to grand patriarch follows in the natural order of advancement of officers, this being the system adopted by the Grand Encampment in the election of its officers.  Mr. Lindsay is the present grand high priest.  He is a member of Western Lodge of Detroit, one of the strongest in the state.  He is a past grand of that lodge and past chief patriarch of Enterprise Encampment of Detroit.”

Did you have ancestors who belonged to organizations such as these?  I have many in my family who were members of Masonic Lodges and one family involved in Canadian Order of Foresters and Companions of Foresters, among others.

Happy hunting,
Michigan Girl
Copyright ©  2010-2020   Diane Gould Hall
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.  NO USE WITHOUT PERMISSION

Tuesday, April 14, 2020

TOMBSTONE TUESDAY ~ My maternal 2nd great grandparents–Joseph Gillespie (1837-1908) and Susan Burgess (1841-1933)

Far left is Susan Gillespie, next to her Joseph Gillespie - the larger stone is their daughter, Louise Forsyth & her husband James F. Forsyth - the lone stone on the right is Susan Gillespie's mother, Elizabeth Gaydon Burgess (1813-1884) 

My maternal 2nd great grandparents were both born in Devonshire, England.  Joseph in Tiverton and Susan in Barnstaple. 
They immigrated to the United States in 1862 with their 2 infants, Susan (my great grandmother) and little William.

Joseph died at age 71 on 26 May 1908 in Detroit, Wayne, Michigan.  His death certificate states the cause of death as Dilation of the Heart.

Susan outlived him by 25 years.  She died of Myocarditis, on 8 Mar 1933 in Detroit, Wayne, Michigan at age 91.

They are buried at Elmwood Cemetery in Detroit.  I’ve been to this cemetery a couple of times during my visits from California.  There are 32 members of my family at rest in this cemetery.

Here are the photos of their headstones


They are in Section O, Lot 53, Graves 14 & 15. 
You may visit their memorials here Joseph #21177918 and Susan #21177747.

If you are connected to this couple I’d love to hear from you.  Joseph had 9 brothers and a sister so there must be many descendants out there.

OTHER POSTS THAT MAY BE OF INTEREST


Happy hunting,
Michigan Girl
Copyright ©  2010-2020   Diane Gould Hall
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.  NO USE WITHOUT PERMISSION

Saturday, April 11, 2020

SEPIA SATURDAY ~ Who are the people in these unknown photos? They were in my maternal grandmother’s photo collection


We all have pictures in our collections that we cannot identify.  I have found, over the years, that sometimes the identities are revealed as we gain more knowledge of the family and connect with more cousins.  Those new cousins may have knowledge that we don’t have.

I never throw away old photos for just that reason.

My maternal family on my grandfather’s side (Milne) are from Aberdeen, Scotland.  The fact that one of the photos is from an Aberdeen studio and another from a MILNE Aberdeen studio certainly leads me to believe these may be ancestor photos.  These photos were among those belonging to my grandmother, Florence Bowden who married Joseph A. Milne.  Joseph’s father Andrew Charles Milne was born in Aboyne, Aberdeen, Scotland in 1856 and immigrated to the U.S. through Canada in 1868.
 
Today I’d like to share some pictures that I haven’t been able to identify……yet.  Perhaps someone out there can shed some light on them?

Who is this lady?  The photo is from Milne studios in Aboyne, Aberdeen, Scotland - my Milne family is from Aberdeen and this photo was from the collection of a Milne descendant

Who is this man? - the photo is from an Aberdeen, Scotland studio - no markings on the back

Another photo found among my Milne group but I don't recognize this lady

There is some speculation that this is a photo of Edna Bowden (my grandmother's only sibling) - but I cannot say for sure

This young lady has some of the same facial features as other Milne or Bowden women in my family - but who is she?

I found this photo today while going through my grandmother's pictures - this lady looks very much like my grandmother, Florence Bowden Milne - but it is not her.  Could this be her sister Edna?

If anyone reading this can help identify these people, I’d love to hear from you.

Happy hunting,
Michigan Girl
Copyright ©  2010-2020   Diane Gould Hall
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.  NO USE WITHOUT PERMISSION

Friday, April 3, 2020

FRIDAY FINDS ~ The burial record for my maternal 2nd great grandaunt, Mary Ann Gillespie Addicott–1829-1898, England


Mary Ann Gillespie was the only daughter of Thomas Gillespie & Susannah Barrowcliff.  She had 10 brothers.  She was the 8th child.  What must that have been like?  Such a very busy and full household. Her oldest brother would have been about 12 when she was born and the youngest just 2 years old.  After her birth in 1829 her parents had 3 more sons.

Mary Ann’s parents are my maternal 2nd great grandparents and I descend from her younger brother Joseph Gillespie.  You can read more about Joseph & his family here Census Sunday - My 2nd great grandparents - Joseph & Susan Gillespie - 1900 Detroit, Michigan

It’s not been particularly easy finding information on all of the children in this family.  I’ve been fortunate on some and come up empty on others.
 
My first inkling that I’d located Mary Ann as an adult came when I found her mother, Susannah, living with her and her husband in the 1871 census.
 
TIP: I cannot tell you how many times I’ve located my female ancestors because they had a parent living with them.  Keep an eye out for all members in the household and be aware that family members may well be listed as “boarders.”

Today, though I want to talk about the burial record I located for Mary Ann.  I found the record on Ancestry.com Somerset, England, Church of England Burials, 1813-1914.

The record doesn’t give me a lot of information, but I do know that Mary Ann and her husband, William were living in Somerset when they were enumerated in 1871, 1881 and 1891. William was a Day Laborer.

Here’s what the record tells me:
  • Page 70 – Burials in the Parish of Huish Champflower in the County of Somerset in the Year 1896-7-8-9.
  • No. 559
  • Name – Mary Ann Addicott
  • Abode – Wiveliscombe Without
  • When Buried – September 1st
  • Age – 67
  • By whom the ceremony was performed – Walter C. Haines (officiating minister)
Naturally, when I found this record I was obliged to find out a little more about Huish Champflower.  My search found the following information on Wikipedia
History
The name comes from the hiwisc, the Saxon for homestead, and it was recorded in the Domesday book as Hiwis,[2] with the suffix marking its ownership by the family of Thomas de Champflower, who was Lord of the Manor by 1166.[3]
Just outside the village, on the road to the Brendon Hills and Clatworthy Reservoir, is Huish Champflower round barrow.[4]
The parish of Huish Champflower was part of the Williton and Freemanners Hundred.[5]
A house called Washbottle, which stands on the River Tone as it flows through the village, represents the watermill which ground the corn for the village from 1086 until World War I.[3]

I used Google Earth to find the exact location of Huish.
 
Here’s a map showing an aerial view.  This certainly looks like a quaint little village and a place I’d like to visit.


Here is a map showing the placement of Huish in the United Kingdom.


This burial record does not list the name of the cemetery.  I have searched online at all the usual sites, FindAGrave, Billion Graves and Deceased Online for any further information on Mary Ann’s burial.
   
I do suspect that if I could locate Mary Ann’s burial, I might well locate other Addicott or Gillespie family members.  I’ll keep looking from time to time and hope eventually I can locate the burial site.

NOTE:  One thing I did do when looking at the aerial view of Huish, was to find the local church, St. Peter’s.  I thought I saw a cemetery on the church grounds.  I then went to Google and searched for the church and sure enough, there is a cemetery there.  Could this be where Mary Ann is buried?  Here’s a link to the pictures I found St. Peter's Church  And, I did then locate the church cemetery on FindAGrave, but with only 3 memorials added.  Wouldn’t this be a great project?    Walk the cemetery and document all those headstones.

If you are related to any of the families mentioned in this blog post, I’d love to hear from you.

Happy hunting,
Michigan Girl
Copyright ©  2010-2020   Diane Gould Hall
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.  NO USE WITHOUT PERMISSION