Beneath the Wraps

           So here is a family history find.   Jack Day Prather was born in Nicaragua to a single mother who had mentioned Jack’s father to him.   The name of his father is Ralph Prather – the same Ralph Prather that had married my Grandma Mary when my mom was sixteen.   At age eighteen Jack decided he wanted to go to the states and needed proof of his birth.   His birth certificate had him listed as Jack Day Garcia – no mention of a father or even his last name.   Thus when Jack arrived in the states he dropped the Prather/Garcia and passed himself off as Jack Day and has gone by that name ever since. Eventually Jack did have the desire to know his father – or the man he was told was his father and has been on a mission for many decades.   It’s too bad facebook and Google didn’t exist in the 70’s for both he and Ralph were living in California – though different parts.   He missed finding him. He did find Richard th...

          Every once in a while I will click on Ancestry just because it ’ s there.  For the most part I don ’ t know if the information is accurate or not.  My passion isn ’ t there to remember if Uncle Harold was born in one place or another.  I mean, I think I could narrow it down to state or region that I could figure out the inaccuracy such as knowing the birth took place in Utah although I don ’ t know exactly where in Utah, I think it is safe to rule out Texas or Florida should they come up.         Today when I went into Ancestry I noticed that there were hints for my dad.   Okay, I can do that.   I can break it down more easily than any of his uncles or cousins.   I clicked on the census and grave information.   Both were correct and I added to others as well.   And then I found my own name.   I clicked on my name – which came up as my maiden name.   Eleven hints. ...

I have an ancestor named Robert Stuart Stirrat Purdie.   That's his name.   Both middle names are pronounced "Stew-ert".   My mom had told me that it was a custom (whether in the family or community is unknown) for the parents to name the child (in this case middle name) after the first visitor who calls after the baby was born.   Friends Stuart and Stirrat (whose last names are unknown to me at this time) arrived together to call upon the family - thus Robert was given two identical middle names, although different spellings.   Comes in handy when trying to piece together if various records do indeed belong with the ancestor you're trying to find.   I have not run into any juniors or seniors on either side of my family (well, not until the lines of royalty - which thus far are just names - the accuracy of their relation is also unknown.   They didn't actually use Junior and Senior but I, II, II, IV, etc.)   My grandmother wanted to name h...