Category: America

America, Events, family history, O'Brien/Farrall, Records2 Comments

Political shocks ruin the inventing business Glass and electrical innovator crushed by patriotic efforts

Cutlock & Co

It’s not often that you find records concerning a (distant) relative that have been locked away by the state for a hundred years. And even more notable when the story that is uncovered includes political intrigue, Ireland’s fight for independence and a major change in circumstances for said relation.

The story is a little tricky to tell, requiring some political background and a careful selection from the pages of material available, while not losing sight of the family history in the flood of details. » Continue reading “Political shocks ruin the inventing business Glass and electrical innovator crushed by patriotic efforts”

America, family history, Newspapers, WattsLeave a comment

The Jearys in sundry Seward stories More Nebraskan nitty gritty

Cutlock & Co

This piece delves wider and deeper into local news items not-so-newly available online for Seward, Nebraska, as described in the Cutlock & Co piece Local papers for local people (March 2017). That looked at a family reunion, one listing of local family visits and an obituary.

Differing aspects of Jeary pioneers

In a simple search for Jeary in Nebraska, press cuttings for brother Edwin, a state senator and prominent person, tend to drown out Robert Jeary. » Continue reading “The Jearys in sundry Seward stories More Nebraskan nitty gritty”

America, family history, Newspapers, WattsLeave a comment

Local papers for local people Surprising details in press archives, but also errors

Cutlock & Co

A new resource of searchable back editions for various newspapers published in and around Seward county, Nebraska, has appeared online, at the Seward Memorial Library Digital Archives {1}. As mentioned on the Going Abroad section of Cutlock & Co, this is where a number of Watts relatives emigrated to. It didn’t take a great deal of searching to find interesting material.

These rural American newspapers certainly go to town on their personal angles. » Continue reading “Local papers for local people Surprising details in press archives, but also errors”

America, Census, family history, WattsLeave a comment

A right Frosdick family for the Barnard bunch Some quite interesting Ancestry hints

Cutlock & Co

Since August I have been slowly clearing a backlog of ‘hints’ generated by the Ancestry site for the HowesWatkinsNealScott tree. These can be useful in pointing up records previously overlooked in researching an individual, but there are also plenty of duff leads and repeats of info already collected. New hints tend to appear in batches and it can be hard to keep up – with an accumulated total of just shy of 16,000 it was getting out of hand! » Continue reading “A right Frosdick family for the Barnard bunch Some quite interesting Ancestry hints”

America, Migration/travel, Rhondda, Watkins, WorkLeave a comment

Putting all the Levis in order Another tale of Welsh miners in America

Cutlock & Co

The idea of one, or more, Watkins ancestors being born in America was tackled a while back, in ‘Cracking a family myth‘. Now another possible source of the tale has emerged, through a family tree on Ancestry.

The original story as recounted by cousin Islwyn was about the father of John Watkins, namely my 2x great grandfather Levy. Or Levi – I use the alternative spelling as a way to reduce confusion with my grandfather of the same name. » Continue reading “Putting all the Levis in order Another tale of Welsh miners in America”

America, Canada, family history, Rhondda, Watts, Work1 Comment

Notable names Prominent family connections

Cutlock & Co

I think it has been said here before, but Cutlock and Co and associated family research isn’t about trying to find famous connections, and every person has their role to play. However, it is still interesting to come across individuals with a bit more prominence, if only because there is more likely to have been stuff written about them, which may just be available somewhere.

A certain William Jones Pate fits the bill, and gains a mention on Cutlock and Co he wouldn’t otherwise get, seeing as he’s the brother-in-law to a brother of Rev Spencer May, who married a great aunt. » Continue reading “Notable names Prominent family connections”