Remembering - Thomas & Elizabeth Young (nee Slicer) Thomson, and politics

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks: Week 8 (Family Photo)

Elizabeth Young (nee Slicer) Thomson was born in 1882 in North Berwick, Scotland. She married Thomas Thomson who was also born in North Berwick, Scotland in 1880. Thomas came from a traditional North Berwick fishing family.  Elizabeth's father was a Stonemason whose skills were likely in high demand in the seaside fishing village they called home. I haven't yet found the records to figure out if Thomas was a Stonemason when he met Elizabeth or if he was influenced by her father, and became a Stonemason after meeting her. 

Regardless of when it happened Thomas was a Stonemason who traveled the world creating artistic and functional stone products. This may have been how they ended up coming to Canada, and settling at 923 5th St NW, Calgary, Alberta in their newly purchased home. I haven't yet found the documents to support what year they initially arrived, but I do know when they arrived for the second time. It was important to Elizabeth to be with her family while having her first child. They rented out their home in Calgary, and set off for North Berwick, Scotland in early 1914.

Their first daughter was born in May of 1914. World War 1 broke out in July. They found themselves unable to go back to Calgary due to the war, and hoped their tennants were looking after their home while they were away. Their second daughter (my grandmother) was born in December 1915. My grandmother told me there was a baby brother who died, but I haven't found any records to indicate if he was born still or died after birth. I have found no evidence, but we remember. No one should be forgotten. Elizabeth and Thomas had no other children. When the war ended the family of 4 set sail on the 1st of October 1920 from Glasgow to Quebec on the Cassandra (I have the ship's manifest). They settled back in their home in Calgary as shown on the 1921 census. Grandma told me her parents were so happy to find their tenants had looked after the house the entire time they were gone.



Thomas was a father & husband before his time. He supported his daughters in their educational endeavors. He supported his wife in all her endeavors.  The time was 1932 when women were still expected to be caring for hearth & home, and yet we find my great grandmother in this historic photo. 

The Co-operative Commonwealth Federation (CCF) was founded in 1932 in Calgary, Alberta. In 1961 the CCF joined with the Canadian Labour Council (CLC) to become the New Democratic Party (NDP). My great grandmother was there to start what would become the NDP we still know today. Elizabeth Young (nee Slicer) Thomson is in the white hat, second in from the left in the front row. She was a woman I am proud to call my ancestor. She is one of the many strong woman I descend from.

                         Thomas & Elizabeth Young (nee Slicer) Thomson, 1940



I began my genealogy researching in the hopes of finding my role in my own family story. I discovered that politics runs deep. During the 2014 municipal elections in British Columbia I discovered several of my newly found family members were in politics. In the 2018 elections I discovered these family members were very committed since they successfully ran again. I have several politicians in my family tree, and now know my great grandmother was part of building the New Democratic Party (NDP) which I definitely lean towards.

I had never considered getting involved in politics before I was approached to run in the 2013 British Columbia provincial election. In the end I decided that it wasn't a good fit for the party in question. The only real reason I truly pondered getting involved was ego. I was flattered that anyone would consider me a good candidate to represent their party in an election.

The most important part of being a politician I think is being sure you have no skeletons in your closet.

My personal closet is difficult to close due to things I am not particularly proud of over the years. But none of these are truly big skeletons in the big picture of life. Just stupid choices made at different times during the growing up years.

I have copies of The Vancouver Sun & Province in 1949 regarding my grandfather. The Province newspaper dubbed him 'The Shotgun Bandit' in a bold headline about a taxi robbery and pulling a sawed off shotgun on a 'Plucky Rookie Police Officer'.  

Since I have no idea what other skeletons are in my family closets due to having really no idea where I actually come from I feel unsure at the idea of politics.


BUT given that political ambitions seem to run in my family tree maybe I need to think twice before I decide life with books is enough for me.


Skeletons falling out of closets makes for interesting searching!

This is why I search - 

Cause ... 

You can pick your friends, but you can't pick your family you know!

***Any errors are my own. Please send me any updates or corrections via the comments at the bottom of to the blog post***

If you reference or use my blog posts in any way please

include a link to the specific blog and

credit http://somehowrelated.blogspot.com/

My blogs are ©Deborah Buchner, 2014 forward.

All rights reserved.

Please & Thank you!

Love - Valentine's Day, and Missing My Mom

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks: Week 7 (Love)


When you commit to blogging for 52 weeks you must blog every week regardless of what is happening in your personal life.   Due to vacation, training away from home, and a quick Valentine's getaway my suitcases have had the biggest workout they have ever had. Add to this our youngest is here visiting, and we have plans. My time with the computer has been seriously impacted this past couple of weeks.

What is a blogger to do when the BLOG MUST GO ON!

Sometimes your best is not required. Just get the damn thing done!

Words to live by!!!

Today I write about my mom who passed away in 2015. About a month before she died we were in the mall killing time (having no idea she would be gone in just a few weeks, and I would give anything back to have been more present at that very moment) between some medical tests, and she admired the colour of a pink hoody. My mom seriously loved hoodies. I left her drinking coffee (the only thing she really loved more than hoodies was coffee out), and snuck back to buy her that hoody for the upcoming Valentine's Day. I hid it in the over-sized handbag I was carrying at the time. When I gave her the hoody with chocolate and a card on Valentine's Day I had no idea it was the last present I would ever give her. I come from a family that lives to 100. There was no way I could imagine that my mom would die at 65.

Ancestry DNA was not available in Canada yet so I was unable to get her to do it before it was too late. Her mom and sister agreed to stand in, and completed their Ancestry DNA for me not so long ago. I am so grateful they did.

I encourage those researching to not necessarily choose the older folks to ask for DNA samples for genealogy testing. You never know who is currently having their last special day.

On holidays and celebrations I am keenly aware that my mom is not here to share them with me. I don't miss her less on regular days. I miss knowing she is out there somewhere EVERY DAMN DAY!


I can almost hear her voice when I think about her telling me that she loved me to the moon and back again!

This is why I search - 

Cause ... 

You can pick your friends, but you can't pick your family you know!




***Any errors are my own. Please send me any updates or corrections via the comments at the bottom of to the blog post***

If you reference or use my blog posts in any way please

include a link to the specific blog and

credit http://somehowrelated.blogspot.com/

My blogs are ©Deborah Buchner, 2014 forward.

All rights reserved.

Please & Thank you!

Surprise -- I'm Ashkenazi Jewish

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks: Week 6 (Surprise)


When you are a descendant of a black sheep there are many surprises in your family tree. I descend from three (or more) black sheep which means there are way more surprises in my research than knowns. When I start searching any one person in my tree, and find records straight off I am truly surprised. Genealogy research for me is one surprise after another.

My husband's family tree is way easier to search. There are no true black sheep in his lines, but there are many surprises.  When I become frustrated or tired while researching my bramble bush I take a break by digging on his side. It's a nice feeling to create a proper tree with clear lines. His family is well researched on his father's line due to their United Empire Loyalist connections. He is related to the husband of Laura Secord. You can read more about this War of 1812 heroine here:  https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/laura-secord
pssst --  she didn't actually have anything to do with making chocolate 

I would have to say my biggest surprises was when I found out that my grandfather was not Clyde Robertson of Scottish descent. He was not born in San Francisco as he claimed. He was not an only child whose parents died before my dad was born.

At the age of 29 (pregnant with my second child) I found out that my grandfather was actually Max Pellack of Ukrainian descent. He was born in northern Saskatchewan. His parents were both alive at the time my dad was born. He had 3 older siblings, and 3 younger siblings. 

My first success in genealogy researching was when I connected with the daughter-in-law of my grandfather's youngest brother. Finally I was making progress in repairing my fractured family tree.

At the age of 49 I received my Ancestry DNA results. 

This was my second biggest surprise. I am 12% European Jewish. Finally I understood why I tan a golden colour when I am blonde and pale skinned. The Eastern European genes are strong. My dad was positive that it wasn't from his side. He was sure it was from my mom's side. He agreed to do his Ancestry DNA since my mother had passed away.   

Surprise - dad is 27% European Jewish. One of his grandparents was Jewish. His grandparents followed the Greek Catholic faith when they arrived in Canada from Ukraine. I haven't yet found church affiliations in Ukraine for my great grandparents (Austrian Empire at the time they immigrated in 1909).

We can't be sure why my grandfather changed his name and ethnicity. It could have been because of the persecution associated with both of them. I feel sad that I didn't know my own roots. All the years that I read medical study after medical study referencing the genetics of Ashkenazi Jewish people I had no idea I had any sort of connection. 

On my list of ancestors I am seeking more information about are Lena & Clara Pellack born about 1915.  There is some confusion about the twin female infants listed in the 1916 census, but no longer present for the 1921 census. Family have suggested to me that they weren't actually the children of Alexander and Mary, but maybe neighbour children there on the day census was done. They are recorded as daughters, but it is true there are mistakes in the census records.  The idea that I have two great aunts that have been totally forgotten saddens me. I will keep searching. Maybe the 1926 prairie census will have more information for me when it is released.

No one should be forgotten. 

Still researching my role in my own family story!

This is why I search - 

Cause ... 

You can pick your friends, but you can't pick your family you know!

***Any errors are my own. Please send me any updates or corrections via the comments at the bottom of to the blog post***

If you reference or use my blog posts in any way please

include a link to the specific blog and

credit http://somehowrelated.blogspot.com/

My blogs are ©Deborah Buchner, 2014 forward.

All rights reserved.

Please & Thank you!