Brick Walls we all have them

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Comment by Shawn Stoll on December 10, 2023 at 11:15am

Hi Everyone! My name is Shawn and I am currently working on a brick wall surrounding the paternity of my grandfather. While I was researching my family tree, I came across three (3) different first names for my great-grandfather (Franklin, William, and Charles). I am leaning towards Franklin as that name was listed on the birth certificate. William was listed on a marriage record, and Charles in an obituary. I am on the hunt to find evidence that will breakdown the brick wall as to which of these three (3) names/individuals is really my great-grandfather.

Comment by Rebecca Meyers on March 1, 2016 at 3:15pm

Hello, my name is Becca and I'm trying so hard to find my great great grandfather's information as far as any siblings , names of his parents and their lineage. I know his name is John Edward Archer , he was born 29th of April 1966, at sea from England to Africa. Per his petition for naturalization states he left from Greenock, Scotland 12th of July 1880 and arrived here in Galveston, Texas on 15th of September 1888 and lived here the rest of his life. He had 8 children here, but as far as his life before Texas everything is a Mystery. I've found a few ship passenger lists that may or may not be him and no list of family members. I see that you have a lot of information and was hoping that maybe you'd be able to help me.

Comment by Barbara Kim Thigpen on June 15, 2015 at 3:09pm

Please; I need to find info on Inez Exy or Exy Inez [seen both ways] Holland, born August 5, 1906. There may be a surname, White, in the family. Her social security # is 455 40 7894. She attended Sam Houston State Teachers College, & was married to [Ed, Eddie, Edward] Alvin Thigpen. I must locate her Cherokee ancestry [She even looked Native American.] for the purpose of joining a sovereign nation to help my daughter get her 3 daughters back from the state, as they are in a temporary foster home with many other children. I raised them, primarily, with my daughter's supportive assistance. I am trying to get my business started. I have online stores with rain~forest products & developed my own line of vegan all natural organic & wild~crafted lo~glycemic super~food gelatos. I don't have money yet to pay a genealogist.

Comment by Darnell Baker on May 31, 2015 at 2:56pm

Searching for any information on William Virgil Hudson who married Nancy Margaret Edwards who was from of Elbert County. They were married in Wilkes County, Georgia  29 Dec, 1923.  Nancy is in NC 1930 census listed as divorced but I can find no divorce record.  Nancy went on to remarry my grandfather Thomas Fritz Matherly about 1931 but suprisiningly no record of that marriage either, but they did have 3 children, one of which was my mother.  What happened to William Virgil Hudson? I can't find him in Georgia before or after the marriage.

Comment by James Joseph Corless on June 5, 2014 at 5:43pm

My Brick wall is my great grandfather, Michael Corless. 

The earliest census record I could find for Michael Corless is the1892 New York State Census enumeration on February 16, 1892.  Michael is 30 years old (born in 1861 or 1862) and Louisa, 29,(born in 1862 or 1863).  They were living in the Newtown section of Queens with their 3 children, William (my grandfather), 5, Ellen, 4, and Mary, 2. Michael and Louisa were both born in Ireland and his occupation is listed as Laborer. According to James J Corless (1927-2012) Michael was born in County Donegal, Ireland and he worked as a Sandhog laborer digging tunnels for the New York City subways. Michael became a naturalized US Citizen on October 23, 1889. Michael and Louisa were married in 1885 or 1886.

The 1900 US Census, taken June 12, 1900, shows Michael and Louisa living in the Williamsburg section of Brooklyn at 175 Meeker Avenue.They had five children: William,13, Ellen, 12, Mary, 10, Joseph, 6, and Michael,1.  The 1900 US Census lists Michael’s birth as January 1865 and Louisa’s birth  as March 1867. (This does not concur with the ages given in the 1892 NY Census) Michael emigrated to the USA in 1882 and Louisa emigrated in 1881 but it is not known whether they came alone or with their families.    

On June 16, 1907 Louisa Corless died of lobar pneumonia at the age of 39 or 40.  According to her death certificate at the time of her death her address was 215 Kent Street in Brooklyn. Her father’s name was Michael McLoughlin and her mother’s maiden name was Mary Johnson.

 After his first wife died Michael Corless married Grace Cook on December 6, 1908 at Saint Anthony of Padua Church in the Greenpoint section of Brooklyn. Grace Cook was a widow whose maiden name was Coll. She was the same age as Michael, 41, and like Michael was born in Ireland. The marriage certificate is the only document that I have that names Michael’s parents, William Corless and Mary Maloney. 

Michael and Grace Corless are found in the 1910 US Census living in Greenpoint on West Street one block off the East River. Michael’s occupation is a Locomotive Engineer. He and Grace have a servant whose name is Agnes McGee. At the same time Michael Joseph Corless (Michael’s 10 year old son) is living in Marlboro NY with the McLaughlin’s. Michael’s other children are older and probably on their own. Joseph 17, Mary 21, Ellen 22, and William (my grandfather) 23.

So there are a lot of questions: Is Mary McLaughlin actually Mary Johnson McLaughlin and Louisa's mother or not? Did Michael Corless send his son Michael to live with people who just happened to be named McLaughlin by coincidence? Is this some kind of Orphan Train thing?  And, in 1910, why is Michael’s young son living in Marlboro NY when Michael and Grace seem to be doing quite well in Greenpoint with Agnes McGee the maid and Michael in a respectable occupation? Or are there inaccuracies in the Census data collected in 1900? Genealogy can be very frustrating.

Michael Sr. died in 1917 at the age of 56. He is buried with his first wife, Louisa, in Calvary Cemetery Section 18, Range 1, Plot G, Grave 8. His February 25, 1917 date of death is assumed since according to cemetery records he was buried February 28. 1917. I have been unsuccessful in obtaining Michael's death certificate. There is no death certificate for Michael Corless in the NYC Municipal archives for the year 1917 in the boroughs of Brooklyn, Queens or Manhattan. Michael and Louisa have no gravestone.  Either the stone was of inexpensive sandstone and disintegrated over time or there was never a stone at the site.

I do not know if Michael’s parents William Corless and Mary Maloney ever came to the US. 

Comment by Barbara Kim Thigpen on May 1, 2014 at 6:47pm

INEZ was born 05 August 1906; received Social Security number 455-40-7894, which corresponds to Texas; and died May 1974. Exy Inez Holland; married to Edward Alvin Thigpen // This is my father's mother. I need to know for sure who her parents are.

Comment by Anne on February 13, 2014 at 1:48pm

I am searching for a William Rose, father of Mary Eliza Rose
According to the census, Mary Eliza Rose was born abt. 1829 in Kentucky. She lived in the vicinity of Portland and Louisville, Jefferson County, Kentucky. It is possible, based on my exploration of other neighboring families, that this rose family may have originally come from Ohio or Michigan. (The family may have had strong ties to the water as boatmen.)
Eventually Mary Eliza Rose married Thomas Nave(s) on 7 Jan 1846 and they resided in Louisville.
Mary Eliza Rose died 24 Mar 1894 in Louisville.

Mary Eliza Rose had one sister, Elizabeth Rose who later married a Matthew Collins and also resided in Louisville. According to the death certificate of Elizabeth Collins, the wife of William Rose was an "Arios Smith" but this clue really hasn't resulted in anything concrete and I believe the informant on the death certificate was misremembering the name.

Comment by Helen Pust on October 21, 2013 at 11:37am

Yahoo,  I finally knocked down my grandfather Louden"s wall.  Since I post pictures of cemetery headstones in Calgary some one contacted me to find her family from here.  Because I found them and more info for her, she did some looking around for me in England. His surname had changed again at least 2 more times. but because of the addresses I had it all come together.  Now if I can only knock down the German side of the family down it would make the year of 13 a lot more worth remembering.  Angie was a great help and I will be forever in her debt.

 

Comment by Carmel M Reynen on November 19, 2012 at 3:18am

Just a follow up on Alfred Woodhead born a year earlier than I thought with no registration well I found it. He was Alfred Townley Woodhead! and not Alfred Benjamin as was stated. I found on it on Find my past. I knew his birthday (thanks to his daugther's birthday book) and family search had this date. I then checked family search and it was correct, however they did have his grandparents listed as his parents (another reason we had problems tracking him) sent for his birth certificate and that had the right parents. Another gap filled!

Comment by Marlene Miller on November 7, 2012 at 8:23am

I'm searching for information on my paternal great and great great grandfathers.  Any help or information would be greatly appreciated.  Here's what I know: My grandfather was Charles Levi Miller born 11 jul 1863 in Windham, Bradford, PA and died 13 May 1913 in Corning, Steuben, NY.  He married Winifred F. Turner born 19 May 1870 in Newport, Monmouth, Wales UK and died 21 Nov 1949 in North Tonawanda, Niagara, NY.  Charles' father was William Miller born 6 Mar 1815 in PA, and died 9 May 1899 in Nichols, Tioga, NY.  William married Mary Ann Shipman born 14 Oct 1820 in PA and died Nov 1887 in Nichols, Tioga, NY. I believe that William's father was also a William born about 1785 in MA and may have married Ann Buck.  If so this William died in Litchfield, Bradford, PA after 1850.  Ann Buck was born in 1804 in Easton, Bristol, MA and also died in Litchfield aft 1850, so she certainly fits as his wife, if he is actually the father of my William, however since I haven't been able to find any information on him, I have no idea if he is the correct parent.  He is my brick wall.  I have been unable to take that line of my father's family back any farther than this. Any input, ideas or help most appreciated.  

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