Genealogy Chat

There have been a number of posts from people who find a contact and then get no reply, or a reply after a relatively long time. Check this out! Well last night on another site I found a posting from a descendant of the man who shot and killed my gg-uncle in Virginia City USA in 1898. Great Excitement all round, I even phoned my mother to tell her! There were a couple of replies to the post, one from the original poster, so I spent all night last night checking to see if I had a reply, then checked the dates. The original posting was 2001, with a question from someone else on the same day, then a reply from the original in February 2006. 5 years to answer, I can't wait that long :((((((((( He says he has the court records and all. I WANT IT NOW! Can't find him on GR or anywhere else for that matter AAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! Paddy over for now! Christine in NZ

Is the name distinctive enough to be worth trying to google for it? I've found a contact that way before now. Christine

Jones :(((((((((((((((((((( !

oh poor you Christine, how frustrating. I had a wait of almost 9 month from someone, but yours is ridiculous.

Christine, he could be asleep on the other side of the world! Maybe when you wake up tomorrow morning a reply will be waiting for you. Presumably it's the middle of the day over there in Kiwi-land?

I can't wait either, and its not even my relative! Tell us more!!

We grew up with the story of my grandmother's uncle who was shot and killed in Virginia City USA. I seem to remember as kids that we were interested but not too surprised, having seen all the Cowboys and Indians movies etc. I guess we thought that was how people died in America! Probably a little disappointed that it was a 'bad guy' that got him and not an Indian! His name was William Ennis and the town of Ennis, Montana was named after him. I think he settled in that area. I know my grandmother corresponded with William's granddaughter for many years, they were of a similar age. I have recently decided to follow the Ennis line, difficult because of the Irish connection but of the 10 kids I believe that 4 went to the States and my g-grandfather came to NZ. He married rather late in life, so his childen were of a similar age to his brother's grandchildren. So very early on in my Ennis research I have come across this posting from his killers gg grandson and thought all my Christmas's had come at once. I guess I can hope that this fellow does clear his messages occasionally. I did find an email addy for him on the site and so have messaged him that way as well. I would love to get a copy of the court records and find out what actually did happen. Christine in NZ

I found one of my names listed on GoONS, so I contacted the person in question... and waited... and waited. The reply eventually came after eight months, and even then it was in the negative.

If there are other messages on the same thread you could e-mail the senders and ask them if they have made direct contact with him. My father's adoptive mother was jailed for the manslaughter of a young woman in 1943, and I recently made contact with the victim's sister-in law. As you can imagine the phone conversation was a little hesitant at first but quickly became a fascinating interchange. This woman's husband, the victim's brother, had been away fighting in the war and was never told the true circumstances of his sister's death - an attempted abortion. His whole family, most of the village and his own wife knew, but he went to his grave in ignorance!