And the Emails Keep Piling Up!

I love email, I really do. Sure, letters are much more personal and allow for so much embellishment (I've been known to drop cash for stationary more often than not), but emails are timely and efficient. So, I email for Unitarianism.

Well, I spent some time answering the various emails that come across my desk on a regular, and sometimes alarming, rate. The first, of course, is from Pat Thompson. For those who need a reminder, she was the family historian who provided key information that led me to some surprising conclusions regarding my ggg grandfather, Alva "Alvey" Thompson, who was born in Lennox and Addington Counties. I finally discovered, through vital records and the Simcoe Reformer, that Alva's parents were John Foster and Mary Jane Thompson. I have yet to further develop the branch, but when the time is right, I'll get to it.

Another email I received in the last week was from Elaine (Giles) Vanderwal. She is the progeny of the Collver branch as well. Her grandmother, Louesa Jane Collver (1851-1915) was the older sister of my gg grandmother, Amanda Monera (Collver) Deming (1864-1937). The silhouette attached to this post is of their father, Hiram E. Collver, who was both an eccentric and a savant. I guess that's what happens when you have the Double Collver Quartet in your family! Anyway, she provided some more information and sent some photograph scans that I greatly appreciate. She has quite a few treasures that I think any family member would covet. Plus, she is one of the many distant cousins that have helped me over the years. It seems distant family members tend to be more helpful than closer relations.

I know its not an email, but Carla Kennedy posted a comment on my Public Ancestry Tree this week. She is one of the many Culver/Collver/Colver researchers. The loyalist family is pretty prominent and quite large in membership. She wanted me to name the persons found in a reunion photo of my great, great uncle's family (Lorne Charlton Deming) in the 1950's. I had had some of them identified by my cousin, Marion, but I really don't know the rest. If you think you can help out, follow this link.

Finally, here is the most interesting email of all this week. I received from my posted Rootsweb tree this week on my great grandfather's eldest sister, Emma Ruth Shelly (1889-?). It seems, Cindy Sileo has information regarding her marriage to Edward Wayman Bye (1884-?) and a child I found in border crossing documents. She says, "Emma left Edward Wayman Bye in Feb. 1907. Chalres Fancis Badder was the father of Walter." Enter expletive here.

Okay, so the first thing that came to mind were family stories regarding my Grandpa Frank's family. His brother, Emerson Dewitt Shelly, was hanged in 1915 for the murder of the aged Christian Shoup, a close family friend. After the media circus had died down (i.e. the O.J. Simpson fiasco in the backwaters of southern Ontario), most of his family had fled to Ohio and then to California. Aunt Mabel Luedell (Shelly) Pretty had said - via cousin Marion - that one sister was disinherited because of marrying a Catholic and another used to phone on occasion to let Mabel know she had remarried and changed her name yet again. I always thought it was Emma that was disinherited (although the Bye's were Baptists and Methodists) and Delia was the name-changer. I think it might be the other way around. The news requires much consideration and research to be filled out. Wish me luck!

News on the Thompson Front

After coming home and taking down the Christmas lights and decorations outside, I sat down to do a little digging. It's funny, I had meant to just spend some time warming up (although it was really a warm day) and got hooked. At first, I search for any Alvey or Alva Thompson's to be found in 1861. Only one was found - living with a family at age 20. From GGG Grandfather's death record, I knew he was born in Lennox County, and from the obituary I knew he came to Norfolk "as a young man." Since no other Alva's were found, this had to be him.

Hmmm .... so I checked to names on the census. Although very difficult to read, I finally surmised that it was Joel and Mill Thompson, with Joel being born about 1830 in Upper Canada. Since the census says Alva is a member of household, I thought Joel must be his brother. In searching for a Joel Thompson (b. abt. 1830), I ran across one, the son of William and Hanna (Wees) Thompson in Lennox County. One tree says he was married to a Mary Mills. At that point, I had to walk away, and do what I have done since university when I need to think - keep my hands busy in household chores.

So, the evening went by (yes, I returned to the computer, but only to email a couple of researchers who have posted their trees on Ancestry.ca), and went to bed at a decent time. Since I had not a clue as to how to develop a game plan to solve this riddle, I knew I needed more time to consider my findings - what's better than sleep for that? The next morning, I woke and returned to the computer to check my email (something I have to do at least 4 times a day to stay on top of things). Lo' and behold, a Pat Thompson had emailed me! She said my Alva could not be part of her William and Hannah (Wees) Thompson tree, but she had run across him and had no idea where he fit in. Crestfallen, I returned to my primary line of research - to find the parents recorded on Alvey Thompson's death record - John and Jane Thompson.

Well, I have now spent a couple of hours researching - no luck. The only John and Jane Thompson on the 1852 census are from Woodhouse Township in Norfolk County -no children. As well, the only Alva Thompson is living with a Blyth Armstrong in North Gwillimbury Township, York County. So, here I stand, being no further than nearly 40 hours ago.