Back to front genealogy - an interesting twist from Cymru Bach

[GWYNDAF WILLIAMS]

I'm born and bred North Walian, with an unquenchanable thirst for information on my AMERICAN DESCENDANTS - thereby hangs the twist!!!

Mt G. Grandfather, Fredrick Williams was one of 9 surviving siblings - all the other 8 emigrated from Caernarfonshire to America via Liverpool to New York's Ellis Island at various intervals between 1885 and 1900. My G.G. Grandmother travelled to America more than once, going over for good after my G.G.grandfather died, and is buried in Utica, where most of her children remained. I have some good leads up to about 1987 on some of the later branches of the family - then living in Altamont NY. If anyone knows of anyone who could assist me with a bit of 'footwork' I'd be most obliged. Likewise, I extend and invitation to anyone who requires any 'footwork' in and around North Wales, I would gladly assist if i can. I subscribe to ancestry.co.uk over here, so I'm happy to do research for anyone - I can go back to at least 1841 without leaving my lounge given the correct information!!!

Diolch i chi am wrando - gwyndaf

[gaabi]

Hello, Gwyndaf! This is a fun puzzle! Just as you say, "back to front"! Have you been through census and stuff and Ellis Island records already? Are you sure about your data up to 1987 or what is the last thing you're sure of?

[GWYNDAF WILLIAMS]

Hi Gabbi, the family tree was something I hadn't worked on for many months but picked up again a few days ago. As it happens, with what must be fate, only last night I have found obituries for three of the extended family on the internet. This resulted in me finding a telephone number for one of my 'american cousins' in Massachusetts, who I rang last night and had a long converstaion with. I have aslo emailed (through the funeral parlours) the famillies of the other two who have sadly died (one only at Christmas 2008), so hopefully they will get back in touch, all in all an exceptionally fruitful, if not long night on the computer!!

Kind regards,
Gwyndaf

[gaabi]

Wow, fantastic! Yes, almost everything is somewhere on the internet, if only we are patient and determined enough. They must have been very surprised to hear from you! I wish you luck with this and hope you find lots of wonderful relatives who are overjoyed to meet you.

[WelshAmericanPride]

Hi, I'm not sure how far along you are in your searching from Liverpool to the U.S.

If there is any record of dates and/or the name of the ship your Great Grandfather was on when he emigrated via Liverpool to New York's Ellis Island, you should be able to access the passenger lists. Once you find your Great Grandfather on a passenger list, and verify that it is your Fredrick Williams, you'll see the destination of your Great Grandfather and with that info, you should be able to find him on a U.S. Census.

Since Williams is a very common Welsh name, knowing an approximate date, even a year, and the name of the ship he was on could be very important in tracking where your Great Grandfather finally settled.

In my searching for example, I had an approximate date and a close approximate name of the ship my own Grandmother Williams was on when she sailed out of Liverpool. I then found the correct name of the ship and narrowed down the sailing date or actually, dates as it turns out.

My Grandmother left Swansea, traveled to Liverpool, then boarded a ship, on the same day with 5 other women all listed on the Ship's Passenger List as being from Swansea, and all had my Grandmother's exact name, including her middle name. I was able to rule out one woman by noticing that she was much older than my Grandmother, then another one simply had the married name Williams. The rest were all about my Grandmother's age. I then looked at occupations of the all the Williams women and that was no help at all. Next I looked at their destinations. I first guessed where she might have been going, then recalled a city I was told she first visited on her first visit to the U.S.

[GWYNDAF WILLIAMS]

Hi Richrd, thankyou for your message. I've had a great deal of success this past 2 weeks in tracing descendants of the original 8 emigrants, merely by googling the names of a number of their children / grandchildren known to have been alive from the 1930 us census. Not only did i trace them, but also found addresses and telephone numbers for some. I have now actually telephoned and spoken to a few 'distant cousins' and intend to visit next spring. I also found the cemtery where my G G grandmother is interred, and also found the existence of a Williams plot in which about 12 family members have been laid to rest, again, this was through google, so all in all a good few weeks in my research. Thanks once again for your interest and suggestions, diolch yn fawr iawn, Gwyndaf

[GWYNDAF WILLIAMS]

Hi Richard, with regards your previous message, could you give me the details of the geneology websites for the Utica area that you refer to? Whilst I have traced the descendants of 3 of the emigrant siblings, there is some work to be done on at least 3 of the others who I know had children and should have descendants also, who probably still live in ther Utica area. Any assistance would be appreciated Richard, diolch yn fawr, byddaf yn falch am unrhiw wybodaeth.