This is my space to share my quest to collect as many broken branches as I can in my fractured family tree which resembles a bramble bush more then a proper tree.As I go forward in this blogging journey I hope to share how I have searched far & wide for family - with no regard for where they come from or if I should really want them. You can pick your friends, but you can't pick your family you know!
52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks 2023: Week 13 (LIGHT A CANDLE)
The moment I thought about this prompt I couldn't stop thinking about blowing out a candle and making a wish.
Then I pondered -- shouldn't I be focusing on lighting the candle, and not blowing it out?
BUT, I couldn't stop thinking about wishes.
I really do wish I could get past one of our brick walls, but that isn't the wish I am referencing.
We have the name WISH that is a 'brick wall' in our Bramble Bush.
My X2 great grandmother on my mother's paternal line is Edith May Lake BIRTH 25 NOV 1886 • Mankato, Minnesota, USA DEATH 13 MAR 1960 • Oakland, Alameda, California, USA
In the few documents I have found there are a variety of birth years, and details.
Also are conflicting names for her parents.
Records said her father was John Lake or Fred Lake, and her mother Della Wish or Zundal Jackson.
AND now we understand why I began thinking about X2 great grandma Edith -- X3 great grandma's maiden name might have been WISH!
Then again maybe the records aren't for the same person.
Wishing for a visit with X2 great grandma Edith May Lake to help clear up the conflicting information and break down this brick wall!!!
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***
Not late according to the 52Ancestors challenge, but definitely late on my own schedule.
I found myself 'down the rabbit hole' this week.
The more I clicked, the more intrigued I became.
I finally decided that I just had to write & post when I realized I will never know it all.
Lets start at the beginning!
Like so many who grew up during the 70s and 80s I loved the Beach Boys. I sang their songs while trying to dance along with them. I imagined myself at the beach: surfing, singing, and dancing!
What amazing music they shared with us.
Brian, Dennis & Carl Wilson are my 10th cousins via their mom's (and my mom's) family line. I am not related to their cousin Mike Love who was also a founding member. He is their cousin via the Wilson line.
We share our 9th great grandparents: Hepzibah Ford BIRTH 15 MAY 1625 • Dorchester, Dorset, England DEATH 11 APR 1683 • Northampton, Hampshire, Massachusetts, USA and Richard Lyman BIRTH FEB 1618 • High Ongar, Essex, England DEATH 3 JUN 1662 • Windsor, Hartford, Connecticut, USA
Me through daughter Sarah (my 8th great grandmother): Sarah Lyman BIRTH 1643 • Hartford, Hartford, Connecticut, USA DEATH 1701 • Northampton, Hampshire, Massachusetts Bay, British Colonial America and husband Jonathan (John) Marsh BIRTH 29 AUG 1643 • Hartford, Connecticut, USA DEATH 1 JUL 1727 • Hartford, Hartford, Colony of Connecticut, British Colonial America
The Wilson brothers through daughter Hepzibah (their 8th great grandmother): Hepzibah Lyman BIRTH 1644 • Windsor, Hartford County, Connecticut, USA DEATH 4 JUN 1732 • Lebanon, New London County, Connecticut, USA and husband Josiah Dewey BIRTH 10 OCT 1641 • Windsor, Hartford County, Connecticut, USA DEATH 7 SEP 1732 • Lebanon, New London County, Connecticut, USA
This makes Brian's daughters, Carnie & Wendy, my 10th Cousins X1 Removed.
Carnie & Wendy are the Wilson part of Wilson Phillips!
When I discovered a musical connection to my family line I was surprised.
I can't carry a tune.
That has never stopped me from singing.
My favourite part of commuting includes being a ROCK STAR. I dance and sing with all I have while driving down the freeway. It's a challenge to cover all the parts, but I manage to be my own backup singer too.
I have been trying to learn to play the ukulele for the past 4 or so years. After all of the practice and online learning I can tune my ukeleles (yes I have 2) like a demon! Actually playing them (or any other instrument) is beyond me.
Anyone who has heard me sing would be shocked to find out that I lead parents & tots in song as a Parent-Child Mother Goose Teacher.
I sincerely hope the takeaway for the parents I lead is that having fun is more important that carrying a tune.
My husband plays piano.
He took Royal Conservatory lessons as a child, and is still pretty good.
He tried to teach me, but it appears as though I have two left feet while trying to play the piano. My husband lost patience with me. He just couldn't understand why my left feet were making an appearance at the piano!
He taught both of our boys to read music, and to play piano. Both boys have musical talent. Neither of their feet made appearances during their lessons.
They appear to have good hemispheric communication allowing both their hands to do different things at the same time. I have realized that I do not have this skill.
Neither of our boys have taken any professional lessons, and both play a few instruments.
Our youngest taught himself to play violin using only the internet when he was about 8.
I always thought their talent was inherited from their dad's side of this Bramble Bush.
After finding this musical family line I'm not so sure.
The Beach Boys parents were both musical.
There is a possibility their mom's talent and skill descends down the same line as I descend from.
As I continued to research I discovered that I am related to:
Amy Grant
Pete Seeger
and a lot more.
The reason this blog is late is because I was trying to fit all of the famous musicians into my tree before finishing this blog. Realizing this was not possible I decided to wrap things up!
I had found some very intriguing stories about the musicians attached to this Bramble Bush. I wanted to incorporate some of those stories into this blog. I realized that there are piles of books, articles and websites dedicated to sharing their stories.
Those stories were shared after careful research.
The couple of weeks I was dedicating to this research didn't even begin to scratch the surface.
Are you related to anyone famous?
Type their name into a search bar & follow the trail.
There are so many stories and facts out there just waiting to be found.
Dedicating the time necessary to research accurately!
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***
52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks: 2020 Week 13 (NEARLY FORGOTTEN)
On March 16th 2020 the library closed it's doors to the public. On March 18th the book return was locked. I don't think I have ever heard of the public library closing. The library is a much needed community resource. It's the great equalizer. The moment anyone walks through the main door they are equals. The Covid-19 worldwide pandemic is having far-reaching effects for all. After two weeks of cleaning the library top to bottom all staff were sent home with plans for working remotely.
I searched, and found minimal records of libraries closing in the past. I am grateful my employer chose to put the safety of employees at the forefront. I am also grateful they have found a way to keep us all working while the Federal Government expects 4 million Canadians to apply for Emergency Job Loss Funding along with the almost 1 million who have already applied for Employment Insurance due to job loss after businesses have closed. My online searching found records of public libraries closing during the spanish flu pandemic (1918-1920). Here we are 100 years later experiencing another worldwide pandemic. I went looking through our Bramble Bush to find victims of the Spanish Flu Pandemic. I wasn't successful in finding anyone whose death registration listed flu in the right time frame. It is highly unlikely that my husband and I have no ancestors who died during the Spanish Flu Pandemic. The majority of our Canadian people were in Ontario. The remainder were in Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Alberta, and British Columbia.
"The virulent Spanish flu, a devastating and previously unknown form of influenza, struck Canada hard between 1918 and 1920. This international pandemic killed approximately 55,000 people in Canada, most of whom were young adults between the ages of 20 and 40." 1" ... Flu victim Donald William of St. Thomas, Ontario, was described by Canadian Press as “one of the most brilliant young barristers of the era, being one of the youngest lawyers in the history of Canada to attain his qualifications, only twenty-one years of age at the time.” ... ...Out of Canada’s population of eight million, fifty thousand died from the flu, an enormous death toll in just a few months. ... ....Mr. and Mrs. Quinn of Montreal and their newborn baby died on the same day, leaving a fourteen-month-old as the family’s sole survivor. .... ...No part of Canada escaped the flu. It took from late September until late November for the worst of the flu to abate in Canada. ... ..." 2
My husband's grandfather was a young man during the Spanish Flu Pandemic.
Clifton Alexander (C.A.) (C. A.) (Cliff) Lee
BIRTH 20 MAY 1902 • Northfield Centre, Brant Co., Ontario, Canada DEATH 9 SEP 1979 • Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada
My husband's aunt, shared this story: "Dad used to talk about the Spanish Flu. He was a young man of 16 or 17. He said, the healthy people would go around the village & check who had died over night & who needed food, etc. He said he buried a lot of people, sometimes whole families." Now that I am off work I will join my neighbours in staying at home except for essential activities. My husband belongs to the group of essential workers. He will continue to go to work for his scheduled shifts, and will be working overtime as needed. He's a Paramedic.
Who knew this tiny baby would grow up to impact so many lives! There are people alive today because he showed up. ** Emergency Services Paramedic ** Such a cute little nose - with his mom
As the Covid-19 Pandemic continues to spread he, his colleagues, and all in the health care field will be stretched to their limits. I will only have to stay home. What was initially called Social Distancing is now being called Physical Distancing to clarify that 2 meters (or 6 feet) should be as close as anyone should be. I have heard folks saying that our ancestors were called to war, and we are being called to the couch to watch tv. This is very true. The Spanish Flu Pandemic and World War 1 were linked. 100 years ago being isolated to home wasn't like it is today.
100 years ago their phone system couldn't handle the extra calls Today we have mobile phones that double as entertainment photo - Public Domain
Some things aren't that much different 100 years later.
Alberta Health photo - Public Domain
No sports this time around either 100 years ago The Stanley Cup was called off photo - Public Domain
How will we spend the time that our health authority has told us to stay home RESTING
REMINISCING ABOUT WHEN WE COULD LEAVE OUR HOUSE
EATING HEALTHY
ENJOYING THE SUN AND OUR YARDS
TAKING TIME TO READ A GOOD BOOK
PRACTICING SOCIAL DISTANCING
On this day in 2020 this Bramble Bush has no living members effected. It is quite possible that all of our ancestors did not experience the worst of the pandemic. Maybe they had genes that make them resilient, and they have passed them on to us. We will never know. When I think of ancestors who may have been FORGOTTEN, and are not recorded in our bramble bush it makes me sad. No one should be forgotten. In case you were worried I was going to end this blog without sharing any human family photos you won't be disappointed. For future descendants who find this blog I present my family:
Blogging to leave the stories for my descendants! 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***
