I probably learn more about how to research my family’s
history by chit-chatting with genealogy friends than any other method. I love
hearing their success stories, but I get much more out of hearing about their
search struggles. Each step along their journey is important to me. As I listen
to them explain their adventures I learn about techniques they have tried, and
new repositories they have explored. Many times their stories are mere vents of
frustration but usually there are juicy gems embedded along their journey’s
path.
Tonight at the TriCity Genealogical Society meeting I was
entertained and educated by two very dear friends, Sandra Floberg and Bob
DeLorenzo. Janet McKinnon introduced Sandra as our “Southern Lady”, so she was
given the opportunity to speak first, allowing our “Italian Gentleman”, Bob
DeLorenzo, to wrap up the evening.
Sandra has been one of those close genealogy friends that I
have the honor of interacting with quite frequently. I was not at all surprised
that she was going to talk about her John Worth Meacham – again. Her presentation started with the general
list of questions that all genealogists should ask when they begin their hunt
for information. She then proceeded to explain what she had done to try to unravel
her quagmire of Meachams and Worths that all enjoyed the same naming patterns
and had adopted the name of John Worth Meacham for generations, overlapping not
only generations within their own family but also generations of neighboring John
Worth Meachams.
Sandra shared how she had finally explored the use of DNA
testing, and had taken results from other companies to combine the results into
Family Tree DNA ( http://www.familytreedna.com/ ). She explained how hopeful she had been that by using yet another
company to match results she might gain answers to questions she had worked on
for so many years.
As a friend, and as an attendee at the TriCity Genealogical
Society meeting, I was shocked when Sandra shared that even with DNA testing
she was not able to determine the parentage of John Worth Meacham. She admitted
that there was not yet enough DNA samples, and that she would have to walk away
from her chase. Not only was I shocked, but I was saddened. Now what would she
possibly have to share with her genealogy friends? I felt as if I was
experiencing the death of a decade.
What transpired next shook my world and was a true
revelation. Sandra shared a census record showing her John Worth Meacham and
his wife, Elizabeth Allen, which also held clues for Sandra to begin
researching Elizabeth Allen’s lineage. For years she had worked on John Worth
Meacham, but when she finally walked away from that particular chase and began
working on his wife’s lineage the doors started to open.
Sandra has found a new peace. She is comfortable waiting for
answers on her John Worth Meacham. By following his wife’s lineage she has been
able to add two more Revolutionary Patriots to her family tree. That is a
pretty amazing accomplishment and a big bonus as she serves as Regent for the
Kennewick Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution.
Bob DeLorenzo then got up to speak. I love listening to
Bob’s comfortable speaking style and was so glad he had agreed to speak at
tonight’s meeting.
Bob began by giving an introduction to the Mayflower
Society. He explained a little about their history and read the Mayflower Compact.
He then shared the story of how he and his deceased wife, Nancy, got involved
with genealogy and Nancy’s desire to join the Mayflower Society.
After joining the Mayflower Society, Nancy decided that she
wanted to prove that she had another lineage that was connected to the
Mayflower, to Pilgrim Francis Eaton. When Nancy and Bob started digging
through the Silver Books, which are books full of information about Mayflower
descendants, they found the initials n.f.r. after Francis Eaton's descendant
Sarah Ramsdell, which stands for "no further records"!!
Nancy had an ancestor named Sarah Ramsdell, and she was persuaded that her
Sarah Ramsdell was the same person as Francis Eaton's descendant with that
name, but how could she prove it?
Bob shared how he and Nancy had used logic to determine that
Sarah and her sister Lydia, (who also had n.f.r. after her name in the
Silver Book), and their mother, had moved to a neighboring town
after the death of Sarah's (and Lydia's) father, Thomas. There
were no records to prove this move, but logically it could be explained.
This was presented to the Mayflower Society, but Nancy’s supplemental
application for Francis Eaton was denied. This was heart breaking, but Bob
acknowledged that the denial was proper since there were no documents to prove
their theory that Nancy's Sarah Ramsdell, and Francis Eaton's descendant, Sarah
Ramsdell, were the same person.
After Nancy’s death Bob
continues to work on proving Sarah (and Lydia) Ramsdell, and their mother,
relocated, and he hopes that the documentation to prove his logical explanation
will lay in records left my Sarah and Lydia's mother’s employer, a judge. He
has searched probate records and now plans on looking for personal memoirs or
social history left by the judge’s family.
A startling discovery was shared about an heirloom spinning
wheel that is showcased in the DeLorenzo home. The spinning wheel has been appraised
by professionals. It is in great condition for its age, however its age has not
been determined. While researching probate records Bob came upon a Last Will
and Testament dated before the Revolutionary War. In the Will one of the
daughters was listed as not being left anything, but not being overlooked
either. She had been given a spinning wheel before the Will was written. By
finding this probate record, Bob was able to date the spinning wheel that sits
in his living room to a preRevolutionary War timeframe.
I left the meeting feeling appreciative of the gems Sandra
and Bob freely gave. No longer will I beat my head against my own brick wall,
but rather look at how my brick wall ancestor integrates in his wife’s family
documents. By doing this maybe I can find a couple more Revolutionary War
patriots, or even my own Mayflower connection.
