Accentuate the Positive Geneameme 2023

I am responding once again to the wonderful Jill Ball with her annual challenge.  I'm looking forward to reading all the responses from my fellow Genealogists out there.

1.  An elusive ancestor I found was – Thomas Farmer, Master Mariner (see post below)

2.  A precious family photo I found was – nothing new this year, but I have managed to put some time into making sure all my old photos are digitized and backed up.

3.  An ancestor's grave I found was – several online, including the previously mentioned Thomas Farmer.

4.  An important record I found was – Every record I find is important!  A significant find was the marriage certificate of my 4xGreat Grandfather John Pummeroy to Sarah Morgan.  Every other document I have gives her maiden name as Morgan, so I had always looked for their marriage under that name.  Subsequent research established that Morgan or Moreman was Sarah’s mother’s maiden name, her father was William Lindsey and she married as Sarah Lindsey, to John Pomroy in her home village of Woodbury in Devon.   One brick wall demolished!

5.  A newly found family member shared - notes on common ancestors.  I keep basic trees on several sites - Ancestry, FamilySearch, My Heritage, etc mainly as 'cousin bait' to make contact with others researching in the same tree so we can share information - and every now and then I strike it lucky.

6.  A geneasurprise I received was - so many genealogical websites, archives and companies who made special efforts to run meetings and conferences online to keep going during the pandemic continue to do so.  I find this so convenient as I can attend events from home that I would otherwise have no hope of accessing.

7.  A new piece of software or website I mastered was – Ancestry’s latest DNA update.

8. A social media tool I enjoyed using for genealogy was – Zoom, Skype and all the platforms that allow me to attend meetings, classes, conferences etc online. 

9. A genealogy conference/seminar/webinar from which I learnt something new was - RootsTech.  Another conference which continues to be held online and free.

10. I am proud of the presentation I gave at/to – all the branches of Campaspe Library.  It was wonderful to start running classes again after two years of the pandemic then having to cancel again in 2022 because of the worst floods on record.

11. I taught a friend how to - use Trove to access historic Australian newspapers and gazettes.

12. A great repository/archive/library I visited was - the National Archives UK - online.  Once again I've downloaded a number of wills and other digital records this year.

13. A new genealogy/history book I enjoyed was – Henry VIII : the Heart and the Crown by historian Alison Weir, following up her series ‘Six Tudor Queens, which focused on each of King Henry VIII's wives, this book tells events from the King’s perspective.

14. An achievement during the year was – keeping my files (fairly) up to date.  I have always struggled to make sure I keep my files in good order, and after spending so much time during the lockdowns getting them organised and up-to-date I am determined not to relapse!

15. Another positive I would like to share is ... The wonderful genealogical community out there.  So many people willing to help each other, suggest solutions to research problems, share their knowledge and expertise, and give back to others.

Thomas Farmer, Master Mariner

 Finding the details of an ancestor's life is always exciting, and lately I have been researching my 3xGreat Grandfather Thomas Farmer.

Thomas Farmer was born in London, baptised 2 September 1781 at St Ann Blackfriars, London, son of Thomas and Mary Farmer.  He died in Sidney Square, London and was buried 28 September 1850 at St Dunstan & All Saints, Tower Hamlets, London.

Baptism records of Thomas Farmer, 1781

 
Thomas and his wife Ann has 3 children that I have currently located.  Thomas, born 7 June 1812, Ann born 13 January 1820 and Margaret born 4 January 1822.

During my research, I discovered Thomas Farmer and wife Ann in the 1841 census, where Thomas is listed as a Master Mariner living in Jubilee Street, Tower Hamlets.  Daughters Ann and Margaret are both still living at home at the time of the census.

1841 census

I also discovered that Thomas was a Mason, listed as a member of the Dundee Arms Lodge in Nightingale Lane, Wapping.

Membership Register of the Dundee Arms Lodge, 1810

Thomas Farmer Junior was also a mariner - clearly sailing was in the family's blood as Thomas Jr followed in his father's footsteps.  Sadly, Thomas Senior would die only a month before his son gained his Master's certificate on 21 November 1850.

Thomas's youngest daughter Margaret is my great great grandmother.  She married Alexander Davis on 21 November 1843, and the couple would have five children born in Kent or London before the couple decided to emigrate to Australia.  Sadly, Margaret, daughter and sister of master mariners, would die at sea on the voyage to Australia on the ship 'President Perkouberen' giving birth two twins, neither of whom survived and were buried at sea with their mother.

Who Do You Think You Are Magazine

The latest issue of Who Do You Think You Are magazine is now available free online for Campaspe Library members via our subscription to Libby eMagazines.

Inside this month's issue: 

• 12 Christmas projects 12 fun ways to build your family tree over the Christmas period
• Christmas quiz Try out these family history brainteasers
• Reader story Mary Jones' seven-year-old relative was arrested for stealing coal
• The history of Christmas dinner What did our ancestors eat at a festive feast?
• Old newspapers How to use newspapers in family history research
• London ancestors Our complete guide to tracing your family history in the capital
• And more
  

 

Ancestry DNA 2-step Verification

For those who have done a DNA test with Ancestry, you may have already noticed that to access your DNA matches you are now required to set up 2 step verification.

To set up this added layer of security, you are first required to choose between having your code sent to a mobile phone or an email address.  Then you input the number or address you wish to choose and confirm using your current Ancestry password.  A code is then sent to you via your chosen method for you to input before you are able to access your DNA matches.

Once you have accessed your DNA matches, you have several ways of sorting them.  At the top level, you can view matches by :

• Parent - view matches on your maternal or paternal line
• Ancestor - choose any ancestor in your Ancestry tree
• Location - zoom in on a world map to see where you matches are dispersed

You can also filter by 

• Unviewed matches - highlighting those DNA matches you have not yet evaluated.  
• Common Ancestors - viewing only matches whose Ancestry tree intersects your own
• Trees - sort by Private Linked Trees, Public Linked Trees or Unlinked Trees
• Shared DNA - sort by Close Matches, Distant Matches or by Custom Centimorgan Range
• Group - create you own custom group such as new matches

So if you have done an Ancestry DNA test and haven't checked back in a while, go set up your 2 step verification and check out the latest updates.

Family Tree US Magazine

The latest issue of Family Tree US magazine is now available free online for Campaspe Library members via our subscription to Libby eMagazines. 

Inside this month's issue :  

• 23andMe Data Breach
• 2024 Virtual Genealogy Conferences
• Living History - Building ancestral homes gives one woman a hands-on family history experience.
• The Year Ahead - 366 genealogy tips will make 2024 your best research year yet.
• FAQs - Go back to the basics with these answers to common genealogy questions.
• What Kind of Cousins Are We?
• Genealogy Mythology
• Types of DNA Tests
• Getting he Picture - Unlock the clues hiding in your family photos.
• Passenger Lists
• Preserving Scrapbooks
• Small Ethnicity Estimates
• Civil War Genealogy
• And more
  

PROV Researcher Resources

Did you know that the Public Records Office of Victoria (PROV) has its own YouTube channel?  They offer a wealth of videos to help you get the most out of their archives.

From an Open House Tour of the Victorian Archives Centre, to deep dive research, stories within the Archives or how to use the PROV website, there is a wealth of presentations free to view to help you with your research.

Learn to get the most from the PROV website with :

• How to create an account and log in
• How to search and filter
• How to order a record or box to view
• How to order copies
• How to order via Direct Entry
• Order dashboard
• Understanding and researching the public record  collection

The Deep Dive Subject Research tutorials include :

• Correspondence records
• Introduction to researching place
• Introduction to crime research
• Crown Grant records
• Pupil Registers
• Rate records
• Divorce records
• Criminal trials

So take a look to the PROV YouTube channel and get the most out of the records on offer.

Victorian Court of Petty Sessions Records

A new record collection available on Ancestry includes images of the original records from the proceedings of Australian Courts of Petty Sessions between 1854 and 1922. 

The court registers in this collection typically have criminal, civil, and licensing cases mixed together, but the busiest courts may have recorded each type of case in separate registers. Entries in the court registers were typically organized chronologically and were handwritten, making some information difficult to read.

Records may include the following information:

• Name
• Court date
• Court city
• Names of children
• Place of residence
• Reason for appearance
• Result of appearance
  

The records were created by officials working for Courts of Petty Sessions in Victoria, Australia. The original documents are primary historical sources, and the information in them may not be available in other records. The original register books are housed at the Public Record Office Victoria in Melbourne.

The powers and jurisdiction of the Courts of Petty Sessions were established by a parliamentary act in 1832. These local courts were conducted by two or more justices hearing cases together and commonly making decisions without the input of a jury. The most common criminal cases heard in Petty Sessions were for theft, drunkenness, and disorderly or dishonest conduct. People also were charged with failure to show up for work or were accused of speaking to their employer in abusive language. Courts of Petty Sessions also handled civil cases and the issuance of licenses. However, in 1886, separate courts were established to process liquor licenses.

From minor criminal charges to cases of child neglect to accusations of drunk and disorderly conduct, this record set has been a gold mine of information about my ancestors.  Not only can these records be used to confirm that my ancestors appeared before a Court of Petty Sessions at a specific time and place, they also confirm where these people lived at the time of their court appearance gives me a location to search for land, church and government records. 

Don't forget that you can search the Ancestry database for free at any branch of Campaspe Libraries using our public access PCs or wifi through our subscription to Ancestry Library Edition.