Tuesday, June 13, 2017

 

 

Cathern's Canada 150 Family Roots Project

My Canada 150 tulips or a look alike :D


Introduction

June 2017

This year there has been a need within me to do something special for Canada during the 150th anniversary of Confederation - yet nothing I thought of appealed until I realized one morning I am sitting on  one of the best gifts I can give to not Canada as much as our descendants, and that  is what is behind  Cathern's Canada 150 Family Roots Project. 

Our wedding August 22 1964

Since 2006 I have been a member of Ancestry on and off  with the goal of building our family trees. However my need to learn more about my roots began before that - not sure when other than asking my mother to give me a gift for my birthday of her life stories somewhere around 1992.  She jokingly asked, “Why do you think I’m going to die?” that made me back off for a while, but then gave it an honest try to get her stories.  Sat down and asked her questions while I wrote out what she said ,that approach loses something in the method. Next tried a tape recorder, (also taped my father and father-in-law), then life took over and it was put aside. 
 Mom passed away in October 1994. I only had little bits and some records that came to us after the death of our parents. There was a tree an aunt had started, a little journal my maternal grandmother had kept  for about 56 years and my memory,  it was enough for a good start on trees. Ancestry was the greatest resource of all. Between our two trees there are now about 3,000 names many never known about of course.  

Having dates and names was not enough for me. I want to know something about our ancestors so go beyond what records and facts tell and look into a person, the history of the time and search other trees and/or the internet  for more about individuals, a time they lived in or why some facts seem to stand out. In other words I wanted to bring life back to them.

While doing research I have met several people that are related to us or also interested in an ancestor in one of our trees. Most are very giving and share photos trees etc. which adds to the joy of being an amateur genealogist. There are also those that are willing to help a person out even if there is no connection via roots or interest. I am very grateful for all the contacts and help. 
 A photo an unknown second cousin shared with me. It is of my Great-Great Grandparents Alexandre Jarveau and Margaret McMillan, parents of Great-Grandmother Christrine Jarvo (different spelling of surname)taken at their 60th wedding anniversary in 1930.

A very kind women that lived in the same area of what was once Lostock Lancashire, sent this Google overhead shot to me, She pinned the buildings of what was once the Parsonage Nursery and Green Grocers Harrison Family business.
 My paternal grandparents Mary Agnes Morris and Wilfrid Harrison were working and living there when they moved to Canada in 1907.
The kind woman also went for a walk in the area and spoke to a man outside working in his yard who told her the nursery must have been quiet a business as he was always digging up bits of clay pots and other gardening material.



Have quite a stash of records, stories, photos that will waste away if they are not shared with the hope someone will eventually pick up the reigns where I leave off as genealogy is never completed - there are always changes, new addition and stories to be added.  However,  that is what is behind the Cathern's Canada 150 Family Roots Project.

It is time to get my act together and start publishing some of what I have worked on. The goal is to have at least one book done by the end of 2017.   In the meantime will also post blogs as the project develops to share with anyone interested but it will also be a method of proof reading before publishing...

As I said there are about 3,000 names in our two trees too many to do in one book if at all thus  I decided to aim at the three  previous generations before my husband and me. That's a total of 28 people give or take.  


Following is the beginning of the project.



Previous three generations before
Cathern Agnes Harrison 

Parents
Joseph Henry Harrison and Mabel Amelia Abbott

Paternal Grandparents

Wilfrid Harrison and Mary Agnes Morris

Maternal Grandparents

Edward George Songhurst Abbott and Ida Viola Ross


Great Grandparents:

Parents of Wilfred:

James Harrison and Elizabeth Gould

Parents of Mary Agnes:

Unknown father - Sarah Morris


Parents of Edward George Songhurst:

Austin Abbott and Emily Amelia Songhurst

Parents of Viola Ida:

                                      Fredrick Alfred Ross and Christina Ann Jarvo


     ---------------------------------------------------



Previous three generations before
Richard Hector Francis Drury

Parents
William Myles FranklinDrury and Aline Alexandra Paiement

Paternal Grandparents
George FranklinDrury and Sarah Collins (Law)
Maternal Grandparents
Joseph Hector Paiement and Appolline Eugenie Zadra

Great Grandparents

Parents of George Franklin Drury
Miles Huff Drury and Catherine Callan

Parents of Sarah Elizabeth
Unknown Father - Bessie Elizabeth Law

Parents of Joseph
Joseph Lucien Albert Payment and
Marguerite Adeline Hébert dit Larose

Parents of Appolline
Jean B Zadra and Marie Boguet