On a Virtual Walk - Visiting the Old Homestead

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks: Week 39 (MAP IT OUT)


I sent away for the homestead grant information for my great grandfather, Alexander Pellack. When the envelope arrived from the Provincial Archives of Saskatchewan I was very excited to see what had been sent.


My grandfather claimed to have been born in San Francisco. He was born in Gronlid, Saskatchewan, Canada. A small town in the northern part of Sasksatchewan. His parents arrived from Ukraine (part of the Austrian Empire at the time) in 1909 with their three oldest children. My grandfather was the first born in Canada. He was born on the homestead that would eventually be the family farm. I can find no records of grandpa's birth being registered. His younger brother registered his own birth as an adult. Having never been registered it would have been easy for Grandpa to choose a new name for himself as he did.

I had previously found these two maps and record at the Library & Archives website.. 

Name:

• Alexr Pelyck

Part:

SW

Section:

1

Township:

48

Range:

17

Meridian:

W2

Folio:

38

Liber:

633

Microfilm Reel Number:

C-6439

Item Number:

87918

I opened the envelope to find a Cummins map noting the homestead plots with the associated name. This is a very small piece of the 4 page map.

Provincial Archives of Saskatchewan, Cummins Map

Also included was all of the pages of the complete Homestead Grant file. I noticed that my great grandfather did not sign the document. His mark was recorded. I now understood how the name Pellack ended up spelled in so many different ways: Pellack, Pelyck, Pelack, Pelec, Pelyk, 

His mark, Alexander Pelyck (Pellack) 
Provincial Archives of Saskatchewan,

I loved seeing the farm grow

Pellack Family Farm is growing 
Provincial Archives of Saskatchewan,

On October 9th 1914 my great grandparents became landowners having met all the requirements of the homesteading terms.

Pellack Family Homestead 
Provincial Archives of Saskatchewan,

I tried to use Google Maps for a street view of the farm my grandfather had grown up on, but was not successful.   


I took a look to see where I might be staying if my virtual visit was real.

I then went looking for the church my grandfather attended as a child. The Ukrainian Catholic parish of St. Michael at Gronlid. His father wasn't included in the original church planning names, but his uncle was. Many of the names included are found throughout this part of my family tree. The original settlers began arriving in 1908, and by 1919 decided that a local church was needed. They began the planning and financing, and 

"By April 18, 1919 the framing was completed. On Palm Sunday
of that year the parishioners, without a priest, were directed by
Tymko Bodnarchuk and John Buriock in their first holy
service in the church. Subsequently, they met every Sunday
and on holy days for prayer services, hymns and Molebni.
There were very few priests in this area and they visited
the parish once or twice a year" 1

Using Google's Street View I decided to walk the streets of Gronlid, Saskatchewan finding:

The SALOON 

The FIRE HALL

The COMMUNITY HALL

I then took a walk down a rural road, and imagined my grandpa growing up on a farm that looked a lot like this one

Presumably not the family farm
I couldn't find the address using the homestead details
will need to visit in real life to see the family homestead

My first time visiting my grandpa's hometown via Google Street View!







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 this blog post***





Related Previous Blogs:

Somehow Related Blog Spot,
First Things First - Going Back to the Beginning of My Genealogy Blog
https://somehowrelated.blogspot.com/2019/01/first-things-first.html

Somehow Related Blog Spot

Treasures from the Library - Interlibrary Loans

https://somehowrelated.blogspot.com/2019/01/treasures-from-library-interlibrary.html

Surprise -- I'm Ashkenazi Jewish

https://somehowrelated.blogspot.com/2019/02/surprise-im-ashkenazi-jewish.html

Max Pellack ~ I'm Not a Diamond Heiress with a Tiny Flluuuffy Dog in a Sparkly Flllluuufffy Handbag!

somehowrelated.blogspot.com/2019/03/not-diamond-heiress-with-tiny-flluuuffy.html

Reposting ~ If I Were a Man, and Wore a Cowboy Hat

https://somehowrelated.blogspot.com/2019/06/reposting-if-i-were-man-and-wore-cowboy.html

Footnotes:

1 Church of St. Michael constructed 1949-1951 near Gronlid; R.M. 458. Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of Saskatoon, Retrieved September 15th 2019 from

https://www.skeparchy.org/wordpress/about-us/parishes/gronlid-st-michael/



Sources:

Alexander Pellack, Homestead Record, Libraries & Archives Canada, Retrieved September 15th 2019 from
https://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/land/land-grants-western-canada-1870-1930/Pages/item.aspx?IdNumber=87918&


Gronlid hotel, Google Maps, Retrieved September 16th 2019 from
https://www.google.ca/maps/place/Gronlid+Hotel/@53.1565402,-104.5444177,11z/data=!4m8!1m2!2m1!1shotel+near+Gronlid,+SK!3m4!1s0x0:0x9720b62a7a558922!8m2!3d53.1638578!4d-104.4314218?hl=en&authuser=0


Streetview, Gronlid, Google Maps, Retrieved September 15th 2019 from https://www.google.ca/maps/@53.1012373,-104.4652601,3a,75y,101.76h,90t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1se4AErGQd1vairtOFANbXZA!2e0!6s%2F%2Fgeo2.ggpht.com%2Fcbk%3Fpanoid%3De4AErGQd1vairtOFANbXZA%26output%3Dthumbnail%26cb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile.gps%26thumb%3D2%26w%3D203%26h%3D100%26yaw%3D109.11898%26pitch%3D0%26thumbfov%3D100!7i13312!8i6656?hl=en&authuser=0

Provincial Archives of Saskatchewan, Homestead Documents, received 2017

Church of St. Michael constructed 1949-1951 near Gronlid; R.M. 458. Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of Saskatoon, Retrieved September 15th 2019 from
https://www.skeparchy.org/wordpress/about-us/parishes/gronlid-st-michael/





Links:

Amy Johnson Crow, 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks Challenge
https://www.amyjohnsoncrow.com/

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!

_____________________________________________________________________

Tale of Two Cousins ~ Ann(e) Kirk Graham

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks: Week 38 (COUSINS)

Cousins - First Friends

In my first tree on Ancestry I used the shaky leaf hints, and had quite a few mistakes in assigning children to their parents. 


Traditional Scottish naming patterns can create confusion when attaching children to parents because the names are repeated. The traditional naming patterns can also provide clarity and confirmation when viewed with caution.


There was one that was more confusing than others.



The two Ann(e) Kirk Grahams who were 1st cousins.

My  4th great grandparents on the left,
Robert's older brother James on the right
The DNA symbol profile photo notes
confirmed DNA match for the family line

My 4th great aunt Anne Kirk (Annie) Graham
BIRTH 19 JAN 1847 • Lesmahagow, Lanark
DEATH 16 MAY 1918 • Galashiels, Selkirkshire, Scotland
&
my 1st cousin X5 removed
Ann Kirk Graham
BIRTH 27 FEB 1850 • Lesmahagow, Lanark
DEATH 26 JAN 1876 • Lesmahagow Lanarkshire Scotland



My 5th Great Grandparents

                                 Ann(e) Kirk      &          Peter Graham

                                  BIRTH ABT 1785                    BIRTH ABT 1788

                                       Unknown                  Closeburn, Dumfriesshire
                                   DEATH Unknown                  DEATH Unknown

Anne and Peter had two sons & 2 daughters.


Their first child was James, my 5th great uncle

James Graham
BIRTH 16 JUL 1811 • Closeburn, Dumfrieshire, Scotland
DEATH 23 MAR 1886 • Drowned in River Dothan, Lesmahagow, Lanarkshire
married to my 5th great aunt
Elizabeth Pate
BIRTH 16 JUL 1818 • Lesmahagow, Lanarkshire, Scotland
DEATH 19 JULY 1873 • Turfholm, Lesmahagow, Lanarkshire, Scotland

Their daughter (my 1st cousin, X5 removed)
Ann Kirk Graham
BIRTH 27 FEB 1850 • Lesmahagow, Lanark
DEATH 26 JAN 1876 • Lesmahagow Lanarkshire Scotland

She was their 5th child, second daughter. 

First born was William Graham (born before parent's marriage)
Second born was Peter Graham (James' father was Peter)
Third born was Grace Graham (Elizabeth's mother was  Grizel/Grace)
Fourth born was Alexander (Elizabeth's father was Alexander)
Fifth born was Ann Kirk Graham above (James' mother was Ann(e) Kirk)
Sixth born was Isabella Graham (named after mother's sister)
Seventh born was Jane (Jean) Graham (named after mother's sister)
Eighth born was Elisabeth Graham (named after mother & father's sister)
Ninth born was William Graham (named after mother's brother or older brother)

Peter & Anne's second child, Robert, is my 4th great grandfather
Robert Graham
BIRTH 16 JAN 1814 • Thornhill, Closeburn, Dumfrieshire, Scotland
DEATH 24 MAR 1892 • Forth, Lanarkshire, Scotland
married to my 4th great grandmother
Susanah (Susan) Hamilton
BIRTH 03 NOV 1814 • Carnwath, Lanarkshire, Scotland
DEATH 11 APR 1894 • Forth, Lanarkshire, Scotland

There daughter (4th great aunt)
Anne Kirk (Annie) Graham
BIRTH 19 JAN 1847 • Lesmahagow, Lanarkshire, Scotland
DEATH 16 MAY 1918 • Galashiels, Selkirkshire, Scotland

She was their 4th child, second daughter. 

First born was Marion Weir Graham (Susanah's mother was Marion Weir)
Second born was Peter Graham (named after Robert's father)
Third born was Andrew Graham (Susana's father was Andrew)
Fourth born was Anne Kirk Graham above (named after Robert's mother)
Fifth born was Susan Graham (named after her mother)
Sixth born was Robert Graham (named after his father)
Seventh born was Catherine Graham (named after mother's sister)
Eighth born was William Graham (named after father' brother - below)
Ninth born was Thomas Graham (named after mother's brother)


In looking at the names of the children born to these brothers the Scottish naming patterns are pretty clear.

The naming patterns are as below
1st boy - named after father's father
1st girl - named after mother's mother
2nd boy - named after mother's father
2nd girl - named after father's mother
3rd boy - named after father
3rd girl - named after mother
4 or more children were named after the siblings of the parents. There was also a variation of naming after great grandparents. I can't say for certain if that is what happened with these two brothers because I haven't gone further up the tree for anyone except Susanah (Susan) Hamilton.


Susanah's children were not named after her grandparents


Thomas Hamilton
BIRTH 15 JUL 1749 • Douglas, Lanarkshire, Scotland
DEATH 2 APR 1818 • Douglas Parish, Lanarkshire, Scotland
and
Marion Tudhope
BIRTH 1749 • Lesmahagow, Lanarkshire, Scotland
DEATH 4 MAY 1821 • Lesmahagow, Lanarkshire, Scotland
&
John Weir
BIRTH ABT. 1755 • Lanarkshire, Scotland
DEATH Scotland
and
Anne Stark
BIRTH ABT. 1757 • Lanarkshire, Scotland
DEATH Scotland


Not to be forgotten
Peter & Ann(e) (nee Kirk) Graham's daughter were
3rd born child 
Mary Graham
BIRTH 9 FEB 1819 • Crawfordjohn, Lanarkshire, Scotland
DEATH Unknown
I have no further information about Mary at this time

4th born child 
Elizabeth Graham
BIRTH 10 FEB 1821 • Muirkirk, Ayrshire, Scotland:
DEATH 22 NOV 1903 • 16 Anderson Street, Cambusnethan, Lanarkshire
who married
William Stark
who may be related to Susanah's grandfather (above), but that research has not been done to date.


Going back to Ann(e) Kirk who married Peter Graham, and was the grandmother of the two Ann(e)s who are the subject of this blog. Ann(e)'s name was interchangeably used with an E on the end, and sometime no E. One granddaughter got the E, and the other did not. 


Census records show that when Anne Kirk Graham was 6 her family had moved to Carnwath from Lesmahagow. Ann Kirk Graham's family remained living in Lesmahagow. While only a 31 minute car ride in today's world the distance would have been pretty far in 1853. 

Ann's home on the left, Anne's home on the right

The Ann(e)'s were only 3 years apart & living near  each other until 1953. I imagine they were close cousins who visited with each other's families and their grandparents. When Anne Kirk Graham's family moved away the loss would have been hard. Then again - I am probably projecting as I have experienced this firsthand.


The Peter & Ann(e) (nee Kirk) Graham BRICK WALL remains fully in place.  I have not been able to find any children beyond the 4 noted above. I haven't been able to confirm birth, marriage, or death for Peter & Ann(e). 




Cousins by birth, friends by choice!












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 this blog post***





Related Previous Blogs:

Somehow Related Blog Spot,
Brick Wall - researching Grahams from Holytown, Scotland who immigrated to Canada
https://somehowrelated.blogspot.com/2019/01/brick-wall-researching-grahams-from.html

Somehow Related Blog Spot
Robert Graham ~ Scottish Carrier
https://somehowrelated.blogspot.com/2019/05/robert-graham-scottish-carrier.html


Sources:

Travel  Lesmahagow to Carnwath, Google Maps, retrieved September 16th 2019 from
https://www.google.ca/maps/dir/Lesmahagow,+Lanark,+UK/Carnwath,+Lanark,+UK/@55.6417809,-3.8954293,11z/data=!4m14!4m13!1m5!1m1!1s0x4888105949081b09:0x8d19df4aeb985b86!2m2!1d-3.88657!2d55.637634!1m5!1m1!1s0x4887e02885067a65:0x8423c9b76c881b52!2m2!1d-3.6235701!2d55.701201!3e0?hl=en&authuser=0

Scotland Names Personal, Family Search,  retrieved September 15th 2019 from
https://www.familysearch.org/wiki/en/Scotland_Names_Personal

Understanding the Scottish Naming Pattern 54, The Indepth Genealogist,  retrieved September 15th 2019 from 
http://theindepthgenealogist.com/understanding-scottish-naming-pattern/


Links:

Amy Johnson Crow, 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks Challenge
https://www.amyjohnsoncrow.com/

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!

_____________________________________________________________________

Correcting Mistakes ~ Missed Opportunities

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks: Week 37 (MISTAKE)


I have been researching my family history since I was a child. 

Me, about age 11

I first began researching my last name, and was enthralled by the Scottish history. I envisioned myself a "Highland Lass" wearing my family's tartan. 

Robertson Modern Plaid, from google images

Robertson Ancient Hunting Plaid, from google images

It was many years later that I discovered that my Scottish Grandfather was Ukrainian, and the last name had been randomly chosen for reasons I still don't know. 

newly married Clyde & Mary (nee Thomson) Robertson (my grandparents)
December 1940, Granville Street, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

In 2013 I was having surgery that would require a 6 week recovery time with lots of rest. I am not a restful person. I decided to purchase an Ancestry World Deluxe membership to assist me with remaining stationary. After 6 weeks of screen time I had made amazing progress in tracking back. 


I went back to work feeling super accomplished and an expert in genealogy.


My Ancestry membership remained dormant for several months. 


On a day off from work I decided to record some details from notes I had taken while talking to my grandmother. I had a bit of a hard time adding the details because I had created some errors in my collecting from all those trees. Simply adding people to my tree from the Ancestry Hints had resulted in children married to their parents, children assigned to the wrong parents, children born after mother's deaths, and more. I sat looking at the mess of my tree, and realized that I had made some serious rookie mistakes. 


My 6 week recovery was successful, but all the research I had done was not. My tree was a mess.  I fixed a few people, but then overwhelmed signed out of my Ancestry account leaving the paid membership to go dormant again. 


I signed up for an online course from the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow,  Scotland through FutureLearn. I learned about proper research techniques & how to conduct a reasonable exhaustive search. I began trying to fix the errors in my tree.  I made slow progress because there was a lot of errors.


One day I opened my email to discover I had received an inbox message from a fellow Ancestry member. In reading the message I realized this person was a distant relative


The message was not very friendly. This person was very upset with an error in my tree that intersected with his tree. The message is below with private information redacted. 

Message I received from a distant relative

I immediately went to my tree, and considered how to fix the issue. I looked at his tree, and mine. I removed the second husband after confirming my only source was another Ancestry Tree.


I didn't reply to the message. I deleted the message. I made my tree private, and not findable deciding that I would make it public again after I corrected the errors. 



With my new found research techniques I decided that fixing my old tree would be too hard. I deleted my tree, and began a new one.


Receiving that email was discouraging.


I wonder how things would have worked out if he would have reached out in kindness. I wonder if we would be collaborating in our shared research on our shared branches.


In the years since I received that email I have found errors in the trees of others. When that happens I reach out in a friendly manner asking for their source.


Who knows - maybe they are right, and I am wrong as shown in the amount of adoptees and NPEs (non parental events) I have discovered in my tree.





Keeping it friendly when seeking clarification!







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 this blog post***







Links:

Amy Johnson Crow, 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks Challenge
https://www.amyjohnsoncrow.com/

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!

_____________________________________________________________________