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Part 6: Who is Birdie Winchester? And why do I have her stuff?

Saturday, May 24th, 2008

Most mornings while drinking coffee, I surf the Internet. I usually start with the Weather Channel Web site to check the day’s forecast, and then I move on to CNN for national headlines. After that, it depends. Some mornings I’m focused on genealogy, some mornings on something else.

This morning I ran a search on Google for “Unity BOOMER.”

Unity was the daughter of Eliza and James FORTON and the sister of Esther FORTON. Esther married H.E. (Harlon) WINCHESTER, father of Birdie WINCHESTER. I guess that makes Unity a step-aunt to Birdie.

In any event, I ran the search to see if my post from yesterday had been indexed by Google. Unity was mentioned in yesterday’s post because she had been listed in Eliza FORTON’s will, and sure enough, my post was the first return for that search this morning.

The third of three returns was a link to information about a tombstone for Unity BOOMER, wife of Benjamin BOOMER Jr. The tombstone is located in Bristol Cemetery in Genesee County, Michigan, so the location was right for it to be the same Unity BOOMER.

After doing some additional searches and checking my records, it appears the link I found this morning is indeed for the tombstone of Unity FORTON BOOMER. I said “appears to be” because the information about the tombstone lists her death date as 20 July 1916, and I have an obituary for Unity FORTON BOOMER that was published in April 1916.

Unity BOOMER’s obituary, published in the 20 April 1916 issue of the Flint Daily Journal:

“Mrs. Unity Boomer of Flint Twp. Dead

“Mrs. Unity FORTON BOOMER died this morning at 7:30 o’clock at her home in Flint township of the infirmities of age. She was the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. James FORTON of London, England, and was born in London in 1835, coming to America when a child. Her parents made their home in Detroit and after residing there for three years they came to Genesee county and made their home in Burton township. She was married to Benjamin BOOMER on November 16, 1854. She was a member of the Bristol M.E. church and was very active in church affairs.

“Mrs. BOOMER leaves two sons, Clarence and Clement of Flint township, one daughter, Mrs. Florence GOTSHALL of Mundy township, three sisters, Martha YOUNG and Victoria SHATTUCK of Corunna and Esther WINCHESTER of Detroit, and four grandchildren.

“The funeral will be held on Easter Sunday. Fifteen years ago on Easter Sunday a daughter of Mrs. Boomer was buried.”

Posted in FORTON genealogy, Michigan genealogy, WINCHESTER genealogy | No Comments »

Part 5: Who is Birdie Winchester? And why do I have her stuff?

Friday, May 23rd, 2008

One of the most surprising items among the papers that may have belonged to Birdie WINCHESTER was a will written by Eliza FORTON of Genesee County, Michigan.

The will, dated 12 Jan. 1876, was written when Eliza was 70 years old. It lists Eliza’s son Ebenezer; daughters Eliza, Esther, Martha, Mercy, Unity, and Victoria; and a grandson, Frederick L. ARNOLD. All of the daughters, except Esther, appeared to be married; they were listed as Eliza JACKSON, Mercy ARNOLD, Unity BOOMER, Martha YOUNG, and Victoria YOUNG POWERS.

I didn’t recognize any of the names, and I wasn’t aware that any of my ancestors had lived in Genesee County. Yet my dad had found the will, along with a package of letters and other information, in his home after my mom’s death.

I zeroed in on the will, thinking it would have some important clues for my family history.

This is what I have discovered so far about Eliza FORTON and her family:

1. Eliza’s husband, James, died on 8 Oct. 1873, about three years before Eliza wrote her will.

2. Eliz died on 28 April 1881.

3. Eliza and James FORTON were both from England.

4. The family first appears in the Genesee County, Michigan, census in 1850.

5. A James FORTON, possibly the same one who ended up in Genesee County, appears on the 1840 Michigan census for Wayne County.

6. According to the 1850 census, Unity was born about 1836 in England. All of the older children – James Jr., Mercy, and Ebenezer – were also born in England.

7. Daughters Martha, Esther, and Victoria were all born in Michigan; Martha, the oldest, was born about 1838.

8. The above birth places and dates narrow the date of this family’s arrival in Michigan to about 1837.

9. Son James Jr. wasn’t listed in the will because he died on 7 Nov. 1875 in Saginaw County. That was about two months before Eliza penned her will. According to his death record, he was born 2 April 1834 in London, England.

10. Daughter Esther, who was not married at the time the will was written, later married H.E. (Harlon) WINCHESTER, Birdie WINCHESTER’s father. This means, of course, that Esther FORTON was Birdie’s step-mother, and Eliza FORTON was Birdie’s step-grandmother.

The bottom line in all this is if my family is somehow related to the WINCHESTERs, I am not related to the FORTONs – and vice versa.

None of these clues have helped me figure out why my mom had this information in the first place, but I’m enjoying the mystery nevertheless.

Posted in FORTON genealogy, Michigan genealogy, WINCHESTER genealogy | No Comments »

Part 4: Who is Birdie Winchester? And why do I have her stuff?

Tuesday, May 13th, 2008

Three photos were among the papers that may have belonged to Birdie WINCHESTER.

Two of the photos had nothing written on the back. On the back of the above photo was some writing, almost as if Birdie (I assume) was using the photo to write herself reminders.

On one edge of the photo there are some numbers: “ 1870, 1841,” etc., as if she were trying to figure out someone’s age.

On the opposite edge of the photo there is the phrase “2 picture frames” and below that: “1 – 12 x 15” and “1 – 10 x 12.” It appears that she wanted to purchase two picture frames of those dimensions.

On another edge of the photo it says: “Mark Twains works.” Under that is says something that I originally thought illegible and then “Head Wilson.” On the third line is another word that I can’t read.

My first thought was that “Head Wilson” might be the identity of the woman in the photo, but then I decided to run a search on Google for “Mark Twain works” and “head wilson” to see if there were any interesting returns.

Indeed there were.

It turns out Mark Twain wrote a story titled “Pudd’n’head Wilson.”

Now when I look at the illegible word on the second line it does look like it could be “Puddn.” Is this a reference to the Mark Twain story? And why? Especially jotted on the back of a photo?

The final notes on the photo are three lines located in the center. Each appear to be a first name, a number, and another name. Perhaps they are addresses of friends? I believe they are as follows:

“Kits 1017 Oakland
“Maude 221 Barnes
“Esther (?) 218 Smith”

These three lines partially cover the notes about Mark Twain, as if they were written after the Mark Twain jottings.

None of these notes, however, appear to give any clues to the identity of the woman in the photo.

Perhaps reading the Twain story or searching city directories and census records for the possible identity of Kits, Maude, and Esther may shed some more light on this mystery.

Posted in Michigan genealogy, Uncategorized, WINCHESTER genealogy | No Comments »

Memorial Day good time to profile military ancestors

Monday, May 12th, 2008

I once read a suggestion, urging genealogists to honor their military ancestors by writing a profile of one of them for Memorial Day.

I thought it was a great idea.

As most of you probably know, Memorial Day in the United States is a day set aside to honor those who have died in our nation’s service. This year Memorial Day falls on Monday, May 26.

Last year I wrote a biographical sketch of H.E. (Harlon) WINCHESTER, a Michigan Civil War soldier. He did not die serving the Union; however, I still wanted to honor his service to his country.
As far as I know, he is not one of my ancestors, but I have an interest in his family.

This year I will profile one of my Civil War ancestors who fought for the Confederacy.

In the meantime, I’d like to urge you to consider writing a profile for one of your military ancestors. You can post it on your blog or another Web site or on a mailing list. For example, I posted Harlon’s biography on the MI-Genealogy mailing list and the Genealogy of the Winchester Family Surname web site.

You also could share your biography in many traditional ways — by sending it to your interested family members, for example, or donating it to a genealogy collection at an appropriate archives or library.

If you don’t know whether one of your ancestors served in the military, there are many great sources to help you in your quest, such as the National Archives web site Research in Military Records and the Web sites connected with the USGenWeb Project.

I’ve discussed a number of sources for military records in my books, Michigan Genealogy: Sources and Resources and Virginia Genealogy: Sources and Resources. Of course, the sources are specific to those states. More information about my books, including limited previews, is available from my publisher’s web site, Genealogical Publishing Co.

Let me know if you write a biography, where you shared it, and if you connected with any distant “cousins” as a result.

Good luck!

Posted in Michigan genealogy, Virginia genealogy, WINCHESTER genealogy, genealogy research tips | No Comments »

Part 3: Who is Birdie Winchester? And why do I have her stuff?

Sunday, March 23rd, 2008

The oldest letter among the papers that may have belonged to Birdie WINCHESTER was dated Aug. 26, 1883; it was written to Birdie from her Aunty Susie.

The letter was written in one long paragraph and had little punctuation. As I transcribed it, I added some commas and periods and divided it into several paragraphs to improve its readability. However, I didn’t change any of the spelling – and hopefully, none of the meaning.

The John mentioned in the letter is probably John Merritt WINCHESTER, Birdie’s older brother. He was born ca. 1872, about a year before Birdie.

I do not know the identity of Bell, Mary, or Dee Henderson.

Birdie’s mom, Maggie, died on 7 Jan. 1882 at age 37 from “heart disease.”

“Detroit, Mich., Aug. 26, 1883

“My Own Sweet Birdie

“Aunty was oh! so pleased to get a letter from you. I expect you will wonder when I tell you that it made poor Aunty cry for you did not mean to darling. But my heart is wrapt in you and John. You do know how much I love you, or how many times every day I think of you both. How I would like to see you.

“I expect you climb the highest tree by this time. When you come to the city to stay a little while with me I will have your pictures taken with me.

“Birdie, I could read your letter right off plain as print. There is no little girl in here your age who can write such a nice letter. I showed your letter to them. They thought you must be more than nine years old.

“Why does not John write to me? It would please me so much.

“And you did not tell me about your dollies, how they are getting along. Or the old dog. And you must tell me how many turkies, ducks, and chickens you raised this year, and if you help Mary wash dishes. And what Grandma is doing if she is well. And who your teacher is.

“Birdie, I am so glad Mary is going to stay with you. You must be very kind to her for she has been a mother to you and John: and you must ask her to learn you to work and sew then when you are a young lady you will not be afraid to do anything.

“I hope papa will have you instructed in music for some day I want to look at Maggie’s daughter as an accomplished young lady. And how proud I will be darling if God will let me live long enough to see that.

“If your dear Mama had lived she would have devoted her life to the culture and education of her children and I know papa will do all he can to have her desire carried out.

“Tell him, Birdie, Bell has been very sick under the Dr care since he was here. She is better now and has gone to Chicago on an excursion, will be home on Wednesday next. She read your letter and is going after you when it gets cooler.

“Tell papa I have not made his shirts – been so busy after Bell got well. Dee Henderson was here sick for over a week — very sick — and now I have written you a long letter and you must answer it.

“A kiss to you and John.

“Love to all. Aunty Susie”

On the back of the letter is the following note.

I assume that this is Birdie’s handwriting.

Posted in Michigan genealogy, WINCHESTER genealogy | No Comments »

Part 2: Who is Birdie Winchester? And why do I have her stuff?

Thursday, March 6th, 2008

Among the papers – that may have belonged to Birdie WINCHESTER – were three photographs.

There’s nothing on the back of the first or third photo to identify the women.

Is this Birdie WINCHESTER?

Or, is this Birdie WINCHESTER?

There is some writing on the back of the above photo, but it is difficult to read. I have scanned a copy of the back in hopes of figuring out the writing, but that will have to wait for another day.

If any of these women look familiar, please let me know.

Enjoy!

Posted in Michigan genealogy, WINCHESTER genealogy | No Comments »

Who is Birdie Winchester? And why do I have her stuff?

Sunday, March 2nd, 2008

One of the many reasons that I love doing family history is the mystery. Identifying a women’s maiden name, for example. Or, figuring out why a family moved from one town or state to another. Guessing how life must have been 100 or more years ago.

One of the mysteries that I work on from time to time involves one Birdie WINCHESTER. Who is she? And more, importantly why do I have her stuff?

Let me explain.

A few months after my mom died, my dad handed me an odd assortment of papers he had found while cleaning. There were some letters – the earliest dated 1883 – three photographs, blank World War I-era postcards, recipes, and song lyrics.

But most surprising of all was a will dated 1881.

He thought the information had to do with my mom’s family, but I didn’t recognize any of the names. And, I had been researching my family’s history for well over 20 years.

I’ve come to believe that this material once belonged to Birdie (Birdenia) WINCHESTER, daughter of H.E. (Harlon) WINCHESTER and Margaret STEVENSON. What I don’t know, however, is if Birdie is part of my family.

I have not figured out how or even if the WINCHESTER line is one of mine. If it is not, then why did my mom have this material? Was it something passed on to her from her parents? Or was it something she found when she and my dad moved into their home in 1952?

Birdie WINCESTER’s ancestry is documented in the book John Winchester of New England and Some of His Decendants (1925) by Henry Winchester Cunningham as well as the fantastic Genealogy of the Winchester Family Surname Web site.

The information that I’ve gathered so far about Birdie’s dad, Harlon WINCHESTER, also is available through the Winchester Family Surname Web site. I had written his biographical sketch in May 2007 and posted it to the MI-GENEALOGY mailing list in hopes of connecting with some WINCHESTER researchers. But so far, no luck.

I’ll use these blog entries to share my progress on this mystery – and many of the other ones in my family history.

Part 1 of hopefully many.

Posted in Michigan genealogy, WINCHESTER genealogy | 2 Comments »

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