Genealogy Chat

Hi folks Just thought I'd share a bit of research I've been doing. I'm quite pleased with being able to find out quite a lot about one of my relations! My Nan told me she had an uncle who'd gone off to be a gold miner in the US. That was all......no name...nothing about him. I found him born in 1873 in Bridgwater, Somerset and his name was James Culliford. Some time ago I found him on the Ellis Island site entering the US in 1905. That record gave me quite a lot about him. Someone in America found him for me in 1920 in Seattle living as a lodger.....not a goldminer. Then a few days ago I got in at the last minute on a special offer of 3 free days on Ancestry. I looked him up in the US 1920 census myself and discovered a bit more. He appeared to have been living in a boarding house and he was still single. He was a dock worker then. I then discovered his registration draft card for WW1 on Ancestry. He was still a British citizen then but registered in Portland Oregon. Last night I found his seaman's record online at National Archives. He signed up to the Royal Navy in 1895 for 12 years but was invalided out in 1902. I can now build up quite a picture of this man. I know he had dark hair and blue eyes. I know his height and chest measurements and that he had two tattoo marks on his hand. He started as a solicitor's clerk then was a steward in the Navy mostly on hospital ships. I have the list of the ships he was on and his promotions. He was invalided then supposedly became an accountant back in Bridgwater (Ellis Island entry says that......I bet he was a clerk again). I think he grew restless and went to seek his fortune in America. He went first to Michegan but ended up in Oregon. It doesn't look as if he became rich and I wonder if he was lonely. He's not a direct ancestor but I feel close to this man, my great grand uncle. I don't think he had any descendants but I wish I could tell him that I care what happened to him. I couldn't have found all this without the Internet. This goes to show what can be done even if you can't get to a records office (with a bit of luck!). Now if only I could find out where he died..........he isn't on the 1930 US census and I can't find him on deaths back in the UK. Ah well.........it's taken me years to unravel this so no rush. In the meantime I am researching the docks in Seattle and Portland, the ships he was on in the Royal Navy before he went to the US and I hope to find out sometime if he was ever called up to fight in WW1. My general knowledge on history is being really improved by doing family history. Sue

Hi Sue, Thats a great bit of family history detective work. I have my grandfathers navy record, quite detailed as to his size/scars etc, he put 6 inches on his chest and height during his service. Family legend has it that he was sunk during the battle of Jutland, but I doubt that, it appears that all the ships/shore stations he was on were training establishments! Never mind, will have to find more info too. Keith

You clever lady! Well done, you deserve all the info. you found. I should be so lucky. Susan

Hi Susan, Have you looked on the Commonwealth War Graves Site at http://www.cwgc.org/ to see if he was a casualty in the First or Second World War? Paul

Bravo, Sue! Putting flesh on the bare bones means so much. So many people just want names with dates of birth and death. These are real people that we are researching and to know a little detail like someone had blue eyes and dark hair adds so much. Keep up the good work. Margaret

Thanks folks! I'm feeling very chuffed about this! This padding out of the bare facts is for me what family history is all about. The tree is simply a skeleton holding the facts together. I've spent years trying to do this level of research on as many people in my tree as possible. I've always liked puzzles and a good challenge. Whenever I have been stuck for a while I have done background reading about the places people lived and the jobs they did. Sometimes reading books on history will reveal why people behaved as they did. I've found a lot of Black Sheep and secrets I expect the ancestors thought would be hidden forever but that makes them even more interesting! Keep digging everyone Sue

Hi Susan Reading others findings like yours and putting flesh on bones of another addicted nutter like us is almost as good as finding a snippet of info in our own family tree. A HUGE well done to you and thankyou for sharing it with us. I love reading these storys...it spurs me on.....as I'm sure it does others. My favorit rellie has gotta be my g/great gran, flippin Matilda, maried 3 times with loadsa kids! A really sad story goes with one of them.My gran was named after a dead child(her half aunt) also her grandmother...Annie Matilda<<<<my Nan. My 2nd favorit is my Daniel Overs/Hovers.....I have his whole life mapped out. Where he started his life, where he went looking for work following his elder brother, where he married and had his children and where he died....also where he was buried.1830-1876. Daniel died of broncitus....I was born with broncitus! and I have suffered with it most of my life......cheers Daniel! love you all the same lol Is this a great hobby? or is it not! Happy searching Susan and everyone else. Gerri x

Thanks Paul I went and checked that site because it's been a while since I'd looked. He isn't there but I know he was alive in Seattle in 1920 and I'd guess he died in the US before 1930 as he isn't on that census. I think if he'd returned to the UK then my Nan might have met him. With luck I'll dig up this bit of information eventually. I'm really hooked on this family history. When I meet someone new I find myself wondering if their surname would be fun to research!!! Sue

Ah......favourite relatives? I think the baddies are fun. (Most of mine are called Culliford!). Distant cousin George was interesting. He ran a smuggling operation getting French prisoners of war back to France after the Napoleonic Wars. The posh ones were being held as house guests of posh folks in the west country and George had already been in prison for smuggling when he was captured yet again. It took several men to hold him down and bring him in. The trial as reported in the newspapers told a sorry tale of George and his accomplice escorting the French by night down to the Dorset coast. The boat set off but was forced back by bad weather. The poor French were dumped on a beach. An irate reader of a newspaper later said that the tides had been such that they were lucky not to be drowned. I think they were fortunate not to be dumped at sea actually.The French prisoners wandered about till forced to find shelter in a cottage and were recaptured. George was chased back to his home town of Ilchester before his capture. Somehow at the trial the accomplice was transported for life while George (the ring leader) was only fined! Then there was cousin Henry (Culliford!) transported for life for burglary. The judge at his trial muttered darkly that the law no longer allowed a sentence of execution and that this was the 7th member of the family to be 'sent out at the country's expense'! Um.......I'm also fond of Frederick (bet you can't guess his surname!) who was imprisoned for witchcraft. Got lots more! Some even juicier. Anyone copying my tree gets names, birthdates and places. This is the stuff I share with relations! Best wishes Sue