Letter D challenge

1558 Ainscough Origins

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Direct Line or Descendants

When you began your family history research, what did you start with? Did you begin with yourself and go back one generation at a time following your direct line only? Or did you also look at the descendants of those direct lines?

I know when I began I started just with names, dates and places and going back as far as I could – in fact I got back to 1604 with one line in Bedfordshire, England. I made connections with other researchers by using the Rootsweb emailing lists and also contacting others mentioned in the IGI (International Genealogical Index) and the IGRD (International Genealogical Research Directory). I exchanged information through RAOGK (Random Acts of Genealogical Kindness) where I would do some research in Tasmania for a person in another county of England and they would do research for me in their county.

But nowadays technology has really allowed me to do a lot more research with original records online. Less having to visit an actual archives, at least for the basics of BDM records. But it is fantastic to see so many Historical Societies having a presence online. This now allows me to connect with locals in the areas where my ancestors lived. My family history blog has also created connections with family members I knew nothing about.

By researching the descendants I have found out more about their life as a family and the community they lived in. Trove and other newspaper reports have put flesh on the bones of my family rather than just a list of names, dates and places.

Surnames in my direct line include:

  • WYATT – unknown where born
  • ENGLAND – Rotherham, York, ENG
  • SMITH – Recherche Bay, Tasmania AUS but originally Samoan and given surname Smith
  • DAVEY – Devon, ENG – free settler and down to 7 possible people
  • TEDMAN – London, ENG – waterman
  • CHANDLER – London, ENG – gardeners in Tasmania and at Government House in the 1860’s
  • COLGRAVE –  Thurleigh, Bedfordshire, ENG – back to 1604
  • SOMMERS – Portland, Tasmania, AUS
  • JACKSON – Donegal, Ireland
  • DIXON – London, ENG
  • BOYD – Maker, Cornwall, ENG
  • WATKINS – Hull, Yorkshire, ENG
  • HEARN – Edgeware, London, ENG
  • BRYANT – Rotherhithe, London, ENG
  • BULL – London, ENG
  • SWAIN – Maidstone, Kent, ENG

Readers: Please leave a comment about my post or something beginning with D that relates to your family history or your research.

letter D

15 thoughts on “Letter D challenge

  1. D is for debt which has to be controlled when on a roll and finding heaps of certicates, using the Internet and possibly having to purchase more usage, digital age which has allowed access to online information, speed with accessing the information and the ability to download the records onto your own devices. Digital age also means digital cameras that allow better copies of sources to be recorded, scanning of documents to include in digital stories, digital voice recorders to record those oral histories before your ancestors lose their marbles. Documentation, direct line of descendants, digital cameras, recorders, scanners, debt control, dollars spent, death records all a necessary part of our research and recording.

  2. December 25th or Christmas Day – day commonly used to marry on as it was the only free day for most workers in early England. Disasters, diptheria, dysentery all causes of deaths in many families in desperate living conditions, drought.

  3. D for Destitute.
    A number of my ancestors were at some point destitute.
    One family-
    My great great grandmother, Harriett, was in and out of the Adelaide Destitute Asylum, mainly for food rations. She ended up dying there as an inmate.
    Her son was taken by a relative.
    Her daughter Sarah, was sent to the Industrial School but came back to the asylum at 27yo and remained, dying there at 40yo.
    The relative who took the son in, also died at the asylum.

  4. Delighted, thanks Sue just visited Tindale Family in Bylong via RDHS Wiki, had most of this history but found a few snippets of interest and a couple of photos!

  5. Doubt.

    Always remain in doubt of any family tree, finds you locate.
    Make sure you have at least a second piece of corroborating evidence

  6. D is for Dad – as without them we wouldn’t be here with this obsession!
    Unfortunately my Dad Died at a relatively early age so I’ve had to rely on cold records to find out much.

    • Dad’s are important. I hear your story. I was 12 when my Dad passed away. He was 4 when his Dad shot through. Sometimes I feel I over do it when I download “stuff” on the family. Dads?!

  7. D is for crippling Death Duties that still linger to this Day with relatives in the UK..
    Devon and Dorset from whence we came and the banks of the Derwent for where you’ll find us.

    An Aussie Dad, grand Dad and great grand Dad’s Death Notices to trace via the Ryerson Index………..An Index to Death and funeral notices and other Death-type information:-
    Death Notices indexed by Decades. for delving into.

  8. D is obviously databases. How do you store your “stuff” in the best way. I now have 3 which includes Ancestry. I have 2 homebase ones. Each has different strengths. There is a third homebase one that offers different options again. And of course ………… I get bored with the looking at the same screen over and over again.
    “D” is the debate I continually have about how to go with this . I think I have it sorted.

  9. D’Alton

    D’Alton was my mother’s maiden name. The first D’Alton to arrive in Australia was Edward, my Great Grandfather, who came here with his two brothers, John and Phillip. The D’Alton family were quite wealthy and were from Dublin so I am not really sure why Australia attracted them. Edward’s job was that of a Commission Agent, though my grandfather had said that his father never really worked very much at all and had an income from Ireland. Unfortunately that income died when Edward passed away!

    Their grandfather was John D’Alton, a noted lawyer and historian who had had a number of books published.

  10. D is for Dead People and Detective. This wonderful obsession with finding out about Dead People has changed my occupation to Detective!

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