Jane Gaylor married to Robert Watt ~ Tracking the mtDNA

  52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks 2025: Week 15 (BIG MISTAKE)

My 5th great grandmother following my father's maternal line is

Jane Gaylor
Birth 21 MAY 1763 • Whitekirk, East Lothian, Scotland
Death Unknown
married to
Robert Watt
Birth 5 NOV 1765 • Athelstaneford, East Lothian, Scotland
Death 2 OCT 1851 • Prestonkirk, East Lothian, Scotland

This is as far back on my dad's direct maternal line I have found via traditional paper-based research.

Recently we did dad's mtDNA:
The initial results: mtDNA Haplogroup I1a1, 
The updated results: Mitotree Haplogroup I1a1l

We are luckier than some because dad had 5 exact matches along with 13 1 step matches.

In looking at the matches who have trees not one jumped out as an obvious connection.

Since we are only back to X4 great grandma on that side it really would have been a mistake to think mtDNA would provide what was needed to go back further on that line.

BUT it also might be that the research I have done so far isn't correct.

Elizabeth Young (nee Slicer) Thomson with
her daughters Marion (Maisie) &
Mary (my grandmother) up front

When the mistake might be in the research!!! 

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***

Photos:

Personal

Links:

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

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!

______________________________________________________________

Alone ~ Edgar Allan Poe's Poem

 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks 2023: Week 15 (SOLITUDE)

April is National Poetry Month.

What better way to celebrate than to share this:

"In Alone, Poe reflects upon a life experienced as an emotional outsider.

The narrator’s experience of perceiving life and emotions differently to
others in Edgar Allen Poe's Alone, has led to him feeling isolated and here
he is questioning why he sees things so differently. The beauty and irony of
Alone's major theme - that of feeling isolated, different, misunderstood -
is one that many people can relate to, the very act of expressing these feelings through poetry connects the writer with others who feel the same." 1

Edgar Allan Poe wrote the poem ALONE in 1829, but it wasn't published until 1875 when it was found after his death.

Alone

From childhood’s hour I have not been
As others were—I have not seen
As others saw—I could not bring
My passions from a common spring—
From the same source I have not taken
My sorrow—I could not awaken
My heart to joy at the same tone—
And all I lov’d—I lov’d alone—
Then—in my childhood—in the dawn
Of a most stormy life—was drawn
From ev’ry depth of good and ill
The mystery which binds me still—
From the torrent, or the fountain—
From the red cliff of the mountain—
From the sun that ’round me roll’d
In its autumn tint of gold—
From the lightning in the sky
As it pass’d me flying by—
From the thunder, and the storm—
And the cloud that took the form
(When the rest of Heaven was blue)
Of a demon in my view— 2

When I think of solitude I think of being alone in a positive way. This poem identifies that feeling of loneliness in being alone. 

Edgar was one of 3 children born to his parents, David & Elizabeth (nee Arnold) Poe. 

Elizabeth was the granddaughter of the infamous Benedict Arnold who I will have to write about another time.

The children were Henry (born 1807), Edgar (born 1809), and Rosalie (born 1810). Sometime in 1810 (before Rosalie's birth) David left the family. In 1811 his mother, Elizabeth, died  of Tuberculosis. The three children were placed in 3 different homes. 

When reading Edgar Allan Poe's work through a trauma lens it's not hard to see the early loss impact on his story telling. 

As an adult the losses in his life continued.

At the age of 40 he died leaving a mystery behind. 

I work in a public library, and have always been intrigued by the writing, life, and death of Edgar Allan Poe. 

What I didn't know is he and I are related.

Edgar Allan Poe is my X2 great grandfather's 9th cousin - making him my 9th cousin X4 removed. 

These are our shared Great Grandparents (his 8th and my 12th):

John Webster

BIRTH 14 AUG 1535 • Cossington, Leicestershire, England

DEATH 11 OCT 1594 • Cossington, Leicestershire, England
and

Alice Olven

BIRTH 1544 • Cossington, Leicestershire, England

DEATH 11 OCT 1594 • Cossington, Leicester, England

The line runs through our maternal grandmothers' paternal lines.

Finding life's meaning in the published works of your distant relatives!!! 

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***

Footnotes:

1  FEATURED POEM: ALONE – EDGAR ALLEN POE. The Reader. Originally published April 24th 2018.  Retrieved March 13th 2023 from
https://www.thereader.org.uk/featured-poem-alone-edgar-allen-poe/#:~:text=In%20Alone%2C%20Poe%20reflects%20upon,he%20sees%20things%20so%20differently.

2  Poe, Edgar Allan. Alone.  Poem. Original source: Source: American Poetry: The Nineteenth Century (1993). Retrieved March 13th 2023 from
https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/46477/alone-56d2265f2667d

Sources:

Edgar Allan Poe. The Poe Museum. Retrieved March 13th 2023 from
https://poemuseum.org/

Photos:

Edgar Allan Poe. Derived from File: Edgar Allan Poe, circa 1849, restored.jpg; originally from http://www.getty.edu/art/gettyguide/artObjectDetails?artobj=39406
Retrieved March 13th 2023 from
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Edgar_Allan_Poe,_circa_1849,_restored,_squared_off.jpg

Links:

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

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!

______________________________________________________________

When the Records Are Hard To Find ~ Family Name Spelled So Many Ways

I was 29 years old, and pregnant with our 2nd child when I first heard the name Pellack. I was 49 before a DNA match confirmed my grandfather, known as Clyde Robertson, was Max Pellack.

In the years since I have been unable to trace the family back very far. They immigrated from Ukraine in 1909 to Saskatchewan, Canada. 

The name was spelled many different ways over the years making it hard to find all of the records that might be available.  Finding records in Ukraine was a difficult task before the Russian Invasion, and now it's next to impossible. 

I wonder how exactly the name was spelled in Ukraine, but in sounding out the various spellings the pronunciation can be heard. 

Alexander & Mary (nee Maximiw) Pellack - my Great Grandparents

The family name eventually was spelled PELLACK, but over the years it was spelled many different ways. 

On the ship's manifest from the trip to Canada in 1909 the name was spelled PELECH

In the 1911 (their first in Canada) &  the 1916 census the name is spelled PELICK

In the 1926 census the name was spelled PELYCK.

BUT I also found my grandfather enumerated separately (he was also at home with his parents), and the name was spelled PELLACH.

On the homestead records  the name was spelled PELYCK

On the Cummins map the name was spelled PALACK

Trying to find the records when the spelling of the family name keeps changing!!!

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***

Sources:

Library & Archives Canada, Immigration, Passenger Lists, Page 16, Retrieved March 6th 2020 from
http://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/immigration/immigration-records/passenger-lists/passenger-lists-1865-1922/Pages/item.aspx?IdNumber=5121&fbclid=IwAR0bFKIO58BlaeooRHtWlgBb6yrB7Ii6RlXBMf3dzADF_YdBLfITZJzNJtw

Our Courageous Pioneers : History of Gronlid and Surrounding Districts of Argus, Athol, Edenbridge, Freedom, Maryville, Murphy Creek, Sandhill Creek, Taelman, Taras, Teddington,." (Melfort Saskatchewan: Phillips Publishers , 1991),

Pellack family, 1916, 1921, 1926 Census records, Library and Archives Canada. 

Provincial Archives of Saskatchewan, Homestead Documents, received 2017

Provincial Archives of Saskatchewan, Cummins Map

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!

______________________________________________________________

Researching Brick Walls ~ A Bag of Tricks

 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks 2021: Week 15 (BRICK WALL)

I have written about my brick walls many times.

In last week's post I discovered I haven't researched high enough in my tree. I realized I definitely need to focus on going higher up this Bramble Bush.

This week's prompt of BRICK WALL is an ideal time to spend some time breaking down those walls. 

BUT that is not what I did this week. 

Maybe I haven't mentioned it yet, but I chase shiny things.

As I began searching I started to ponder the phrase BRICK WALL as it relates to Genealogy. I then made the mistake of typing BRICK WALL GENEALOGY into a search bar, and the next thing I knew it was time for bed.

On the negative side I spent the entire day staring at my computer screen, and had nothing to add to my brick walls. 

On the positive side I now have a whole new 'bag of tricks' to try. 

I will share my new Brick Wall researching resources for this week's blog.

Normally I include my sources at the end, but this blog post is about these sources so you won't find any at the end. 

They will all be listed below in alphabetical order by the article's title. 

EXCEPT in first spot, in non-alphabetical order, is the article I found by Amy Johnson Crow.  

How a Professional Genealogist Approaches Brick Wall Problems, Amy Johnson Crow. Retrieved April 10th 2021 from 
https://www.amyjohnsoncrow.com/professional-genealogist-brick-walls/

She is the creator of the challenge 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks. She was the inspiration that moved me from an uncommitted relationship with my genealogy blog to a committed relationship.

She deserves to be highlighted in first place!

While you are at her site  be sure to check out all of her other interesting and informative articles!

Are You Really at A Genealogy Brick Wall? Family Tree Magazine. Retrieved April 10th 2021 from 
https://www.familytreemagazine.com/strategies/true-genealogy-brick-walls/
Family Tree Magazine's article "Are You Really at a Genealogy Brick Wall?" explains what a brick wall really is, and outlines tips to work around tough to find relatives. There are so many articles at this site you may lose DAYS as you click. If you sign up for their Free eNewsletter you will receive Family Tree 10 Essential Family History Research Forms. You can also sign up for a membership, and access more forms, research hints, and attend courses. 

Brick Wall Busting Playlist. Family History Fanatics. Retrieved April 10th 2021 from
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLcVx-GSCjcdkUTzh5k8Vr3dtWwjyOaVST

DNA Brick Wall: Finding a Female Ancestor, Your DNA Guide. Retrieved April 10th 2021 from 
https://www.yourdnaguide.com/ydgblog/2020/10/14/1119-lisa-dna-story-brick-wall-tree

Brick walls or just pit stops? Leaves Family History. Retrieved April 10th 2021 from https://leavesfamilyhistory.co.uk/blog/brickwalls/

DNA Testing and Endogamy, Your DNA Guide. Retrieved April 10th 2021 from
https://www.yourdnaguide.com/ydgblog/2019/2/23/endogamy

The Dreaded Brick Wall. What to do next?, Ancestry Blog. Retrieved April 10th 2021 from
https://www.ancestry.com/corporate/blog/the-dreaded-brick-wall-what-to-do-next/

Genealogy - Brick Wall, Collection by Grant Davis, Pinterest. Retrieved April 10th 2021 from https://www.pinterest.ca/histgen/genealogy-brick-wall/

Genealogy Research Tips: Breaking Through Brick Walls and Getting Past Dead Ends, New York Public Library Blog. Retrieved April 10th 2021 from 
https://www.nypl.org/blog/2011/08/03/genealogy-research-tips

Genealogy: The Brick Wall Part One, Fauquier County Public Library. Retrieved April 10th 2021 from https://fauquierlibrary.org/2017/09/06/genealogy-the-brick-wall-part-one/

Genealogy: The Brick Wall Part Two, Fauquier County Public Library. Retrieved April 10th 2021 from https://fauquierlibrary.org/2017/09/25/genealogy-the-brick-wall-part-two/

Hit a Brick Wall? Cyndi's List. Retrieved April 10th 2021 from
https://www.cyndislist.com/brickwall/articles/

Hit a Brick Wall? Go back and re-read everything. Irish Family Roots Blog. Retrieved April 10th 2021 from  
https://www.irishfamilyroots.com/post/hit-a-brick-wall-go-back-and-re-read-everything
You can receive a 4 page eBook -  7 Steps for Busting Genealogy Brick Walls from Family History Fanatics that provides directions on how to tackle your most difficult research challenges, and when to call in an expert!

My Genealogy Brick Wall John Townley - Brick Wall Busting Series Introduction, Family History Fanatics. Retrieved April 10th 2021 from 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1tv2sc2k1nY

I’ve Hit a Brick Wall… Now What?, Geneosity. Retrieved April 10th 2021 from https://www.geneosity.com/ive-hit-a-brick-wall-now-what/

Overcoming Brick Walls in Your Family Tree with a Genealogy DNA Test, Family Search Blog. Retrieved April 10th 2021 from|
https://www.familysearch.org/blog/en/genealogy-dna-test/

Reviewing Research and Records Opens the Door in Regina Huberty’s Brick Wall, Opening Doors in Brick Walls Blog. Retrieved April 10th 2021 from 
https://openingdoorsinbrickwalls.wordpress.com/

Solve Your Genealogy Brick Wall, Kindred Past. Retrieved April 10th 2021 from
https://kindredpast.com/2020/01/22/solve-your-genealogy-brick-wall/

10 ‘Brick Wall’ Tips for Your Family Tree, Tenacious Genealogy. Retrieved April 10th 2021 from https://tenaciousgenealogy.com/brick-wall-tips/

Using DNA to Solve Genealogy Brick Walls, Legacy Tree Genealogists. Retrieved April 10th 2021 from https://www.legacytree.com/blog/using-dna-to-solve-genealogy-brick-walls

What are Genealogy Brick Walls? Family History Fanatics. Retrieved April 10th 2021 from https://www.familyhistoryfanatics.com/post/genealogy-brick-walls

When Is a Brick Wall Not a Brick Wall? The Family History Guide Blog. Retrieved April 10th 2021 from http://www.thefhguide.com/blog/when-is-a-brick-wall-not-a-brick-wall/

Will You Be Your Family’s Brick Wall?, Geneosity. Retrieved April 10th 2021 from 
https://www.geneosity.com/will-you-be-your-familys-brick-wall/

When chasing shiny things isn't a waste of time!

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!

________________________________________________________________

Father & Son ~ Explosion At Work

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks: 2020 Week 15 (FIRE)


It was a Thursday.
January 19th 1905 when Michael Aspden went to work at the sawmill in Cultus, Ontario, Canada. He, like many of the local farmers, made extra money during the winter at sawmills. 

Whitehead's Sawmill, 1905

That day, like any other winter day, he probably said goodbye to his wife & children. Maybe he kissed his wife Maggie goodbye?  

Michael & Maggie (nee Murphy) Aspden
My husband's X2 great grandparents

Maybe his kids chased after him?  Maybe he left with a full heart?  Maybe he left worried about things?  What exactly he was thinking about we don't know.  

What we do know is that Michael went to work at the sawmill. He was working that day with his oldest child John, and third oldest child Tom.  He likely met them at work. 


By 1905 Tom likely was not living at home. In the 1901 census he was listed as  living nearby with the Fleming family. By 1905 he may have moved back home since he was not married. 

Oldest son John had gotten married just a few weeks before on December 28th to Jessie Burger. He and Jessie likely lived nearby as was typical of that era. Maybe John met up with Michael & Tom to go to work, or maybe he met them there.


The day likely began & progressed just like any other work day. Just before quitting time John bent over to pick something up off the floor. That moment would save his life. 


At about 5:00 p.m. the boiler at the sawmill exploded. Tom and coworkers Charles Hainer, and George McCallum were killed instantly.  Michael & Freeman Moffatt critically injured. 

Simcoe Reformer, January 27th 1905 

An Aspden family member wrote the following after hearing the stories at a family reunion. 
"We can imagine the horror of John when he straightened up and gaped at the wreckage around him. His younger brother, Thomas, was dead. So too was the hired help, Charles Hainer. At first glance, Michael was in shock, badly burnt, but looked like he was going to make it."1


It was 6 days later that Michael succumbed to the injuries he sustained that day. 

Thomas Aspden & Charles Hainer died instantly
Michael Aspden died from inernal injuries 6 days later

When I decided to write about Michael & Tom Aspden for this week's blog, using the prompt, FIRE I thought I knew the story well having heard it from my husband's aunt who had heard it from her father who was 21 at the time of the explosion that killed his father and brother. 


I found researching fairly difficult because of the errors and misspellings in the past. There were a lot of media articles that listed Tom as George Aspden. The name Aspden was spelled as Ashben, Aspben, and Ashpen, and other ways. Once I finally figured out the sawmill wasn't owned by Michael as the family believed, but was owned by a gentleman named George Whitehead, researching became a little easier. 


It was known as Whitehead's Sawmill. The family story only included two killed, and one injured. There was much of the tale that we didn't know.


The insurance company released the information below. It doesn't list Charles Hainer who was included in the death registration above. Nor does it list Michael as dying from the injuries.I wasn't able to find Charles Penard so it's possible that the Charles listed below is the same Charles listed above. Which name is the correct one can't be determined, but likely the burial information is correct. The death registration isn't fully correct since Charles' age was not 18. Charles. This burial record appears to be accurate:

Source: Ancestry.ca

"(36.) — A boiler exploded, on January 19, in Whitehead's sawmill, at Cultus,
a small town near Langdon, Ont. Charles Penard, George Aspden, George McCallum, and Freeman Moffat were killed, and George Whitehead, Michael Aspden, and Charles Whitehead were injured. The property loss is estimated

at $15,000." 2

Below is part of an entry I found in a local history book: 
"Another incident occurred at the Whitehead sawmill east of Fairground on December 19, 1904, when a steam boiler ran dry and someone tried to replace the water with the result that four men were killed and a fifth died on January 25, 1905. Four other men were injured. Charles. Hanner and Thomas Aspden were killed instantly, the latter by a brick driven through his skull. Freeman Moffatt of Cultus lived ten hours and George McCollom lived just a few minutes after being carried to the nearby boarding house. Michael Aspden died later in Langton on January 25, 1905. The injured were John L. Gee, Wally Whitehead and Allan Moffatt. Aspden was blown out of the fire hole about thirty feet beyond the west end of the mill. Wally Whitehead, nephew of John Whitehead, the owner of the mill, had just arrived on the scene when the explosion occurred and was hit by a flying object in the shoulder and arm, disabling his arm. John Aspden and Walter Stansell were the first to gather up the dead. The latter was mistaken for a doctor as he came upon the scene carrying a satchel." 3

After the explosion
Lower right of the photo is a hat - believed to be Michael Aspden's

In the photo above you will see a hat in the lower right. The family had been told it is Michael's hat. The family was told that Tom was decapitated. In the excerpt above it was described that a brick was driven through Tom's skull. It must have appeared to the family member who identified him that he had been decapitated. 


John was first to gather up the dead which included his father, brother, and colleagues. If he wouldn't have bent over right at that moment in time he too would have been injured or killed. His wife left a widow after only 22 days of marriage. His first child born 11 months later would never have been.  Like Tom's family line John's would have ended that day at work. 



In the book excerpt above the date of the explosion is wrong. After reading it I realized I needed to research this story more. I was able to confirm the date with the registration of Freeman Moffatt's death. I was not able to find George McCallum's death registration, but did find his death information on Find-A-Grave (sourced in the section below). Death records for both confirm the date of the explosion as January 19th 1905. 

Once the details were correct it was possible to find articles about the explosion. 

The Daily News, January 21st 1905

The Ottawa Journal, January 21st 1905

Manitoba Morning Free Press, January 21st 1905 

Toronto Daily Star, January 20th 1905

The Buffalo Times,  Jan 23rd 1905

The Windsor Star, January 20th 1905

When considering all the details presented the story passed down to the family regarding this tragic accident are mostly correct. The family's belief that the sawmill was owned by Michael Aspden isn't correct. I can find no connection between the owner George (or John or Charles) Whitehead and the Aspden family. 


There were 10 men working at the sawmill on the day the explosion happened. 5 were killed, 3 recovered from their injuries, and 2 were uninjured. 


The lack of safe work practices in the past is why we now have rules & legislation around safety at work. Everyone should come home at the end of their work day. 





Taking a moment to remember those who didn't come home from work in our Bramble Bush Family Tree. 






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***





Footnotes:

1 Our Aspden Roots In Lancashire, England: A Tradition of Stationary Engineers and Sawmills, Aspden, Murray Bruce.  Self published eBook, 2016, pg 4

2 The Locomotive, Vol. 25, The Hartford Steam Boiler Insepction and Insurance Company, The Case, Lockivood & Brainard Company Printers, Hartford, Connecticut, October 1905, pg 213   Retrieved April 14th 2020 from
https://archive.org/details/locomotive25hart/mode/2up

3 Sims' History of Elgin County Volume III.  Sims, Hugh Joffre. Elgin County Library St. Thomas, Ontario,  The Aylmer Express Ltd., Aylmer, Ontario, Canada, 1988, pg 160.  Retrieved April 12th 2020 from

https://inmagic.elgin.ca/ElginImages/archives/ImagesArchive/pdfs/REF15_Sims%20History%20of%20Elgin%20County%20Book%203.pdf?fbclid=IwAR0Ujt5P2b81GpcST5fBqzx6FLc39j24nNTvgJALmnYw8l3xLJiBw3J8qDo


Sources:

McCallum, George Thomas. Find-A-Grave, Retrieved April 12th 2020 from
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/109151264

News Articles unsourced belong to the newspaper who published them.

Our Aspden Roots In Lancashire, England: A Tradition of Stationary Engineers and Sawmills, Aspden, Murray Bruce.  eBook, 2016

Vital statistics records, Ontario, Canada, Ancestry.ca


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!

___________________________________________________________