When I published my first
family history blog in January 2023, I had no idea where this little project
would take me. I had self-published two books about my grandparents but had no
more book-energy left in me. However, I did want to share some of the
interesting stories I had uncovered while researching others on my family tree.
Surely, among the thousands of names I had collected, there were a few people
whose lives deserved more than a birth date, a marriage and a death date.
Well, here I am, almost
four years and 150 stories later, and I have discovered that there is certainly
no shortage of material!
Along the way, I have met
an astonishing array of relatives. There have been farmers and factory workers,
pioneers and politicians, soldiers and sailors, clerics and entertainers,
artists and adventurers. Some have achieved remarkable things, while others
have led perfectly ordinary lives. There have been heroes, villains,
eccentrics, criminals and a few people whose behaviour was, to put it politely,
rather questionable.
As I approached this 150th
blog, I decided to look back, not so much at the
individuals I have written about, but at the range of stories
that have emerged from my research.
A Journey Through Time
One of the good things of genealogy is that it allows me to travel through history without leaving
home.
My stories have taken me
back hundreds of years, from medieval and Tudor England (John Mundy, Lord Mayor
of London #115; John Gaunt and his mistress Kathryn Swynford #137)) to the Mayflower
and early settlements of colonial America (Francis Cooke #43), through the
upheavals of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries and into the much more
familiar world of the twentieth century.
I have explored the lives
of people who lived in a world without electricity, automobiles, modern
medicine or the countless technological tools we take for granted today. Their
daily routines, opportunities and expectations were vastly different from my own.
Some witnessed great
historical events. Others were caught up in circumstances that reflected the
fears and beliefs of their times (Rebecca Nurse and the Salem witch trials #74;
Sarah Josepha Hale, editor, whose work reflected the changing expectations of
nineteenth-century women #147).
Especially fascinating is
discovering how these larger historical developments influenced the lives of
ordinary people. History books tell us about wars, economic depressions,
political revolutions and mass migrations; family history allows us to see how
those events affected individual families. Perhaps that is the retired history
teacher in me. I have always believed that history is far more interesting when
we understand the people who lived through it.
Around the World with
My Relatives
My family tree has taken me on quite a geographical journey.
Although Canada and the
United States feature prominently, my research has carried me across the
Atlantic to England, Ireland, Finland and Germany, to the battlefields
of Europe, and much farther afield to Australia and other corners of the world.
Immigration and migration
have been recurring themes. Why did people leave the familiar surroundings of
their homelands? Was it poverty, religious persecution, political unrest, the
promise of employment or simply the hope of a better future? Some left with
great optimism. Others departed out of desperation. Some prospered in their new
surroundings, while others experienced disappointment, hardship or tragedy.
I have written about early
settlers carving farms out of the Canadian wilderness, Irish families escaping
famine, Englishmen wanting religious freedom, German and Finnish immigrants seeking economic opportunities in North America. There have been ocean crossings, long overland
journeys and, occasionally, the discovery that the grass was not necessarily
greener on the other side. Among these were the Homuth family's voyage from
Prussia in 1858 (Charles and Christina Homuth and their children, #9), the
arrival of Finnish immigrants in the early twentieth century (Mimi Hendrikson #94),
families escaping the Irish famine (the Whelans #95 and the Netterfields #48) and
the much more unsettling experiences of those who sought a socialist paradise
in Soviet Karelia (Väinö and Carrie Suomela #10, #149).
A particularly rewarding
aspect of my research has been visiting some of the places connected with these
stories. Walking through an ancestral village, sitting in a family church, standing
in an old cemetery or visiting the port where family members left from, or arrived
at, add a dimension that no census record or passenger list can provide. Suddenly,
the people I have been researching seem just a little closer.
The Good, the Bad and
the Occasionally Outrageous
I have certainly
discovered that being related to someone does not necessarily mean I would have
wanted to invite them to dinner!
Among my subjects have
been people who made significant contributions to their communities,
demonstrated extraordinary courage or achieved considerable success in their
chosen professions.
But there have also been
thieves, fraudsters, questionable entrepreneurs and individuals who found
themselves on the wrong side of the law (Felton Brown Pearson, who was imprisoned
in San Quentin #8; the notorious Dr. Crippen #142; jewelry thief
Richard Pearson #84, #85; the Slighs, a family of petty crooks #110; shyster Dr.
Espanto Netterfield #141).
Some were involved in
scandalous relationships, dubious business ventures or activities that
attracted the attention of the newspapers (Joseph Charles Duncan and his
much-publicized bank collapse #89; Isadora Duncan and her unconventional
private life #92). Others were simply wonderfully eccentrics (Raymond Duncan,
who wandered around Paris dressed in an ancient Greek toga #91). There was the
elopement of 13 year old Birdie Schley #109. There was the arrest of James Netterfield, who
got off because he was too drunk to have actually participated in the Wingham riot of 1896
#5. These have been some of the most entertaining stories to research.
Newspaper reporters of earlier generations certainly knew how to turn a scandal
into a good story, and I must admit that discovering a colourful character
hiding among my ancestors was rather exciting.
Of course, I have also
learned that family history is not always something to celebrate. Some research
has uncovered uncomfortable truths about prejudice, inequality, slavery and the
treatment of vulnerable people (Richard and Joseph Hutchinson, #61). I believe
these stories deserve to be told as well. Our ancestors were human beings, not
perfect characters in a carefully polished family history. But their achievements,
mistakes, prejudices and shortcomings are all part of the story.
Tragedy, Hardship and
Survival
Not all my research has
been lighthearted. Many stories have involved extraordinary hardship and
personal tragedy.
I have written about
families devastated by the deaths of young children (Deborah Collar #2; Sabrina
Shannon #39), men lost in war (James Cantlon at Vimy #77; Alfred Jolley at Vimy
#121; Theodore McDonald at Vimy #41; Clarence “Lightning” Homuth on D-Day, #64),
fatal drownings, airplane accidents, explosions, shipwrecks, poverty, murder, suicides,
mental illness (Ellen and Mary Moran, #72).
Some individuals faced
hardships almost unimaginable today (Grace Lemin, who worked in Cornwall's tin
mines and spent her final years in a workhouse, #3; Thomas Eppison, a Toronto
coal deliveryman #112; Augustin Duncan, who continued acting after losing his
sight, #88). Yet these stories have also revealed remarkable resilience. People
endured devastating losses, rebuilt their lives, raised families and somehow
continued through circumstances that might easily have overwhelmed them.
Researching these lives
has frequently made me reflect on how fortunate we are to live in a time and
place where so many things our ancestors struggled for are now taken for
granted. These are stories that have affected me deeply.
The Women in My Family
Tree
One aspect of my research
that has become increasingly important is uncovering the lives of women. For
much of history, women were recorded primarily as wives, mothers and daughters.
Their names often changed with marriage, their occupations went unrecorded, and
their individual achievements received little recognition.
Yet behind those sparse
historical records were women with personalities, ambitions, talents,
frustrations and extraordinary strength.
I have encountered
pioneering women, determined immigrants, devoted mothers, successful
professionals, businesswomen, writers, teachers, performers and social
reformers (journalist Mary Netterfield Cottingham, #50; my mom, Dr. Viola
Homuth, #18; Sarah Josepha Hale, editor and advocate for women’s education,
#147; Mary Duncan, who supported her children through music and dance, #89; my
aunt Lila, a telephone pioneer #129; WWI nurse Mona Whelan #13). Some challenged the conventions of their
time. Others worked quietly within the limited opportunities available to them.
I have enjoyed trying to
discover something about these women's lives beyond the names and dates that
appear on a family tree. Often, that has required reading between the lines of
historical records and considering the social expectations of the time. Their
stories deserve to be remembered every bit as much as those of the men.
Family History Is More
Than Famous People
Occasionally, my research
has uncovered a connection to someone who achieved fame or made a significant
contribution to society.
Some relatives became
internationally recognized entertainers (William Farnum, one of Hollywood's
highest-paid silent film actors #27; Isadora Duncan, the celebrated pioneer of
modern dance, #92; Lavinia Warren “Mrs. Tom Thumb” #34; hockey forward Jack
Keating #130-1; radio broadcaster Lamont Tilden #36).
Others made their mark
through public service and a commitment to improving the lives of others (Rev.
Canon Borden Purcell, a champion of human rights, #32; Angus Sargent Duncan,
who advocated for actors’ working conditions, #88; Prime Minister Lester
Pearson #12; African missionary Charles Homuth #16).
Those discoveries are
certainly fun. But I have come to appreciate that some of the most meaningful
stories belong to people who never appeared in a history book. They were the
farmers who worked the land, the mothers who raised large families, the
labourers who struggled to make a living and the immigrants who arrived with
little more than their hopes for the future. Their lives may have seemed
unremarkable to their contemporaries, but viewed through the lens of history,
they can tell us an enormous amount about the world in which they lived. Not
every story requires a famous relative, a scandal or a dramatic event.
Sometimes an old
photograph, a treasured possession, a family home or a childhood memory
provided the starting point for a wonderful story (Grandpa Fred’s photographs #124;
Adelaide Netterfield Homuth and other grandmothers captured at work, #60; my
Dad’s many collections #54-57). These more personal accounts are especially
important because they preserve memories that might otherwise disappear with
the passing of another generation. These quieter stories are every bit as
deserving of preservation as those involving famous or notorious relatives.
After all, it was the ordinary people who made up the extraordinary fabric of
our family's history.
A Picture Is Worth a
Thousand Questions!
Some of my blogs have
taken unexpected directions, inspired by something as simple as an old family
photograph. A grandmother wearing an apron #128, gentlemen sporting impressive
beards #82, an assortment of elaborate hats #23 or an ancestor working as a
blacksmith #87 have all prompted me to ask questions. Why did people dress
that way? What tools did they
use, and how did their occupations shape their everyday experiences? Before
long, what began as a photograph of a relative became an exploration of social
history —changing fashions, musical instruments #79, early Ontario motoring #126,
cemetery practices #118, #127, century farms #20, ancestral homes #49, #62, #67, churches #4, #15, #58. These investigations have
been particularly enjoyable because they remind me that even the most ordinary
details in an old photograph can open a fascinating window into the past. And
sometimes, the most interesting thing in a family photograph isn't the person
at all!
The Thrill of the Hunt
Of course, anyone who has
spent time researching genealogy knows that finding the story can be almost as
entertaining as telling it.
A single newspaper
clipping can lead to an unexpected discovery. A census record raises a
question about the family unit. A marriage certificate introduces an “interesting” date. An old
photograph provides another mystery. Before I knew it, I would disappear down
another genealogical rabbit hole. And some of those rabbit holes were very deep
indeed! I have learned that historical records can be incomplete, contradictory
and occasionally just plain wrong. I have also discovered that family legends
do not always survive careful investigation. Some mysteries have been solved.
Others remain stubbornly unanswered, despite hours of searching.
My very first blog
concerned one such challenge: trying to reconstruct the life of my
great-great-grandmother Huldah Pierson Netterfield #1. Even after years of
research, important questions remain unanswered. And Huldah’s own grandmother
is now proving to be just as elusive.
Another investigation
began as a tribute to a soldier killed in the First World War but eventually
led to the discovery of his earlier experiences as a British Home Child (Alfred
Jolley #121).
And sometimes I have found
myself puzzling over family relationships that reach back centuries (the Mundy
family and its elusive connections in Tudor England #113). These are reminders
that genealogy is rarely a straightforward journey from one historical record
to the next.
More recently, I have
begun exploring what the thousands of names and dates in my family tree can
tell me collectively. Looking at occupations, longevity, naming patterns, migration
routes and other statistics has revealed interesting changes across
generations. It is another reminder that genealogy is much more than collecting
ancestors. It is about discovering patterns, asking questions and trying to
understand the past.
A Collection of Human
Experiences
Looking back over these 149 stories, I am struck by the range of emotions they have inspired. Some made
me laugh. Others made me sad. Some filled me with admiration, while others left
me shaking my head in disbelief. There have been stories of love and loss,
ambition and disappointment, courage and cowardice, success and failure. There
have been tales of loneliness, adventure, migration, war, tragedy, scandal and remarkable
achievement. And there have been quieter stories about family traditions,
treasured photographs, familiar places and memories worth preserving. Taken
together, they form a collection of human experiences spanning centuries and
continents. What connects them all is that somewhere, however distantly, these
people are part of my family story.
Why I Keep Writing
When I began blogging, my
intention was simply to share some of my genealogical discoveries with my
immediate family and anyone else who might be interested. That purpose has not
changed, but I have come to appreciate the value of these stories in a much
broader sense.
Names and dates provide
the framework of a family tree, but stories give those names meaning. They
remind us that every person on that tree lived in a particular time and place,
faced challenges, made choices and experienced moments of happiness,
disappointment, love and loss. Some left behind extensive records. Others left
only the faintest traces of their existence. By researching and writing about
them, I hope I have brought at least a few of these people back into our
family's collective memory. I also hope that future generations (looking at you--Sophia, Ellie, Oliver, Miles, Owen and Calvin!) will find
something of interest in these stories, even if they never develop my
enthusiasm for genealogy. And perhaps they will discover that history is not
just something that happened to famous people long ago. It happened to their
own ancestors, too.
So, what do 150 blogs add
up to? Nearly four years of writing, four branches of our family tree, stories
spanning at least three continents and eight countries, and more than five
centuries of history! Along the way, I have encountered wars, famines,
epidemics, shipwrecks, immigration adventures and more than a few family
scandals. My relatives have pursued dozens of occupations, from farmers, miners
and labourers to doctors, teachers, politicians, artists and Hollywood stars. I
have uncovered heroes and villains, pioneers and prisoners, saints and
scoundrels, and enough eccentric characters to populate a small town. There
have been countless hours spent examining census records, reading newspaper
clippings, and examining old photographs, not to mention the many in-depth google
searches. And how many hours have I spent disappearing down genealogical rabbit
holes? Some statistics are probably best left uncalculated!
And So, On to Story
#151!
After 150 blogs, I have
certainly not exhausted the possibilities. There are still mysteries to solve,
forgotten relatives to investigate, old photographs to identify and countless
names on my family tree that seem to be waiting patiently for their turn.
I never know quite where my
next story will come from. Sometimes I set out with a particular subject in
mind. At other times, an unexpected discovery sends me in a completely
different direction. That unpredictability is part of the fun.
I have learned a great
deal about history; it is the minute questions and detail that intrigue. (And I am a much better-prepared Jeopardy player). I have learned about the lives of my ancestors and about the curious
behaviour of human beings. Most importantly, I know that a family tree
is not simply a collection of names and dates. It is a collection of stories.
And after four years and
150 blogs, I have reached one very reassuring conclusion: I have far more
relatives than I ever imagined, and there is absolutely no danger of running
out of stories!
The Numbers
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