Follow Friday ~ Blogs To Visit

I'm the happy recipient of the "Ancestor Approved Award" initiated by Leslie Ann Ballou of Ancestors Live Here .


My thanks to Lisa Wallen Logsdon of Old Stones Undeciphered 
for choosing my blog as a recipient.






List of blogs I've passed the Award on to. All worth visiting:

Grave Yard Rabbit-Grey County - Janet
We Tree - Amy
Grave Yard Travels Wright - Diane W
Canada Genealogy - Jane's Your Aunt - Diane W
Gen Wish List - Tina
Delia's Genealogy Blog - Delia
Linda's Flipside - Linda
Irish Family Research - Deborah
The Family Curator - Denise


My surprises:
2003 - The very first time I found some of my Mother's family online while doing research for her 90th birthday.

The email address of a third cousin that I found at the same time.

The package of information from the same cousin. Included were a family history booklet, photos and census records.
 
Another package of information from a first cousin in 2003. Included photos, funeral cards, postcards, etc.

I was so pleased to be able to show this information to my Mom on her 90th birthday. Before she passed in the summer of 2004, at age 91, I was able to share many moments reminiscing with her.

My Mother told me that my paternal grandmother was the eldest of 10 siblings, two of which had died. My surprise was to find that Grandma actually had 12 siblings. Three died within 2 years of each other. Two died in 1894, ages 4 years 6 months and 2 years 9 months. One died in 1893, age 3 months.  So she was the eldest of 10 surviving siblings. Mom was partly correct!!

In 2009, I started to research again and was amazed at the wealth of information available 6 years later.

In 2010, I started a blog. Again, amazed and delighted to find so many bloggers and family researchers online.

Fascinating stories, useful research tips, creative and talented people. Thanks to all for inspiration.

2010 - copyright © Carole Gates

Follow Friday ~ The Jeanie Johnston Ship ~ A tribute to the strength and courage of the Irish.

First, this is quite a coincidence for me, since my mother's surname is JOHNSON. However, it was know in her family that the proper surname for them was JOHNSTON. My research shows that her great grandfather, John JOHNSTON, came from Ireland between 1836 and 1838.

The Jeanie Johnston site is not only about the modern day replica of the Jeanie Johnston ship but it reaches back in history to 1847 and the Great Famine in Ireland.

This site includes the history of the Jeanie Johnston.

"A square-sterned, three masted barque, constructed of Quebec oak and pine, the 408 tonne ship was built in Quebec,Canada by noted Scottish-born shipbuilder, John Munn in 1847. A year later, the prominent Tralee, County Kerry hardware merchant, Nicholas Donovan, purchased the ship in Liverpool and originally intended to use it on the North Atlantic route as a cargo vessel."

In eight years, between 1848 and 1855 the Jeanie Johnston carried over 2500 Irish from County Kerry to Canada and the United States.

"The Jeanie Johnston accomplished a remarkable feat. Under the direction of its kind-hearted owner, Nicholas Donovan, its caring Captain, Captain James Attridge and highly experienced resident medical doctor, Dr. Richard Blennerhassett, no lives were lost on board."

 The building was completed in 2002 and she toured the eastern seaboard of the United Stated and Canada for eight months. Today the  Jeanie Johnston's home port is Dublin.