Fist pump. I jumped right into the research, following the leads from the Griffith Family Record (See blog entry from 11/24). Initial results were discouraging, Ancestry.com yielded few clues. Sensing a brick wall, I reached out to my fellow genealogists on the Missouri Genealogy Network, describing who and what I was seeking. I was looking for a death record or grave location for Thomas W. Griffiths of Bevier, Macon County, Missouri. I attached a family photograph, as well as birth and death dates. It took less than eight hours . . . . . break through.
A tip of the cap to the moderators and hosts at the Missouri Genealogy Network, and specifically to Debra Cooper who found an obituary for Thomas W. Griffiths on Newspapers.com. Much appreciated . . . and what a discovery.
Obituaries have proved most useful in my research because they usually reveal three generations: parents, spouses, and children, in addition to siblings. This one followed a similar pattern. From this document, I confirmed the name of his parents (Thomas and Margaret), his birthplace (Llangors, Breconshire, South Wales), and learned that he had four sisters. Identifying the sisters took further research, as the obit identifies them by their husbands name; they are: Mary, Elizabeth, Jane, and Sarah. Even further research indicated that he had a brother, Daniel, who died in 1876.
 |
| Jane Griffiths |
From here, I'll investigate census records, immigration records, and the Castle Garden website. I'll also use the census and find-a-grave to follow his sisters and their families, and identify their descendants. There is plenty to do here.
On another note, I've cataloged twenty-six 8mm films in preparation for converting them to a digital format. Most notable in this collection is an Iowa family reunion held in 1964. I'm hopeful that these new additions to my collection can be converted to a quality digital reproductions. Such an opportunity. Much more to follow . . . .
No comments:
Post a Comment