British Columbia Genealogist March 2019 Page 2 a Message from Our President… the British Columbia Genealogical Society Is 48 Years Old
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THE BRITISH COLUMBIA GENEALOGIST ISSN 2561-9586 Volume 49 No. 1 March 2019 BRITISH COLUMBIA GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY Box 88054, Lansdowne Mall Richmond, BC V6X 3T6 www.bcgs.ca e-mail: [email protected] BCGS WALTER DRAYCOTT MEMORIAL LIBRARY and RESOURCE CENTRE 211 - 12837 76th Avenue Surrey, BC Telephone 604-502-9119 Email: [email protected] Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday 10:00 am - 3:00 pm The BRITISH COLUMBIA GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY was incorporated in 1978, and registered with Revenue Canada as a charitable society. The Society promotes and encourages interest in genealogy and family history in British Columbia. OFFICERS AND BOARD of DIRECTORS 2019- 2020 Executive President Eunice Robinson [email protected] Vice President Bill Clayton [email protected] Vice President Linda Maitland [email protected] Recording Secretary Ann Buchanan [email protected] Corresponding Secretary Lorraine Irving [email protected] Treasurer Judy Rosmus [email protected] Directors: 2020 Term Marnie Ingvaldson [email protected] Judith M. Ueland [email protected] 2021 Term Peter Whitlock [email protected] Sherry King [email protected] 2022 Term Claire Belzer [email protected] Kenneth Livingstone [email protected] Past President Rob Whitlock [email protected] Library Administrator Corrine Jubb [email protected] The British Columbia Genealogist March 2019 Page 2 A message from our president… The British Columbia Genealogical Society is 48 years old. As a member since 1973, I've seen a lot a changes, both in how research is conducted and the resources now available. Every year I say 'this is the best time to be a family history researcher', and every year it is true! In many cases, records that couldn't be seen in person because they were located in a The British Columbia Genealogist faraway archives or record office, are now is published four times per year available online. A census search that used (March, June, September, December) to take an hour or so, can now been accomplished in a much shorter time. And Meetings instead of taking copious notes or even 2nd Wednesday each month, photocopies of records, we can often copy a 7:30-9:30 pm. digital image to a thumb drive, and bring it Visitors are always welcome. home to download into our genealogy For more details, check : program. www.bcgs.ca For those of you planning a research trip, do Meeting Location your homework first. Are the records you are Danish Lutheran Church seeking available online? What kind of 6010 Kincaid St., Burnaby, BC preparation can you do from home? Read Membership Fees: the Finding Aids of the repository you are planning on visiting, check their hours of $45.00 per year (Individual) operation, be aware of any local holidays, $10.00 per year (Associate) and any restrictions they may have regarding $22.50 (Youth) copying the records, or do you need to make $45.00 (Affiliate Society) an appointment. Annual Membership includes: Contact the local genealogical society. Four issues of our e-journal, The Perhaps arrange to visit that area and attend British Columbia Genealogist one of their meetings. You might make a Monthly Newsletters contact who would be happy to trundle you Free access to our Resource around to see a distant cemetery or who Centre at the Walter Draycott knows the perfect person at the local record Memorial Library in Surrey. office. For more information, contact And when you return from your successful Marilyn Ponting at [email protected] junket with your new found records, maybe Web Page http://www.bcgs.ca you'd like to share your story, and write an article for our Newsletter or Journal on your Queries [email protected] experience. Facebook Discussion Group: As always, happy hunting! https://www.facebook.com/groups/bcgs discussion/ Eunice Robinson The British Columbia Genealogist March 2019 Page 3 From the Desk of the Editor IN THIS ISSUE Welcome to the first edition of our electronic Page 3 - A Message from our President British Columbia Genealogist for 2019 ! Page 5 - A Surprising Family Connection We start with reports from the Most Improved by Marian Wright Genealogist contest, with surprising results this year - Four winners. Congratulations to Page 7 - My Journey to Know my 3X Suzanne Spohn, Chris Hay, Linda Drake and Great Uncles Joseph and Mary Turnbull. As you read their reports, you Ruthven Emerson will discover missing cousins, distant travels, by Suzanne Spohn detective work and how to write a book ! Page 13 - Military Records Finally Reveal As well, we have four more My Hay Family Lineage in articles about special Family Glasgow Treasures. Janice Kidwell by Chris Hay worked with her mother Page 18 - Postcard, Postcards, Postcards Alberta MacDonald to tell a by Janice Kidwell wartime story. Moyna Laing shares a discovery about a Page 17 - Spallumcheen, The Early Years special silver bowl. Sally Funk by Linda Drake shares a picnic treasure and Page 19 - As Nana Remembers Bev Taylor tells us about grandfather's lifts. by Mary Turnbull Perhaps you have a similar item in your attic. Page 21 - Royal Dairy, Charlotte and Three There are more surprises, as Marian Wight Marriages discovers a family connection in an article in by Alberta MacDonald last December's Journal. Page 24 - My Merryweather Bowl We also have a special request from Rob by Moyna Laing Hyde, one that might interest you if one of your ancestors went to school in Vancouver. Page 26 - Picnic At Capilano My mother-in-law did, and now I need to find by Sally Funk that old photograph. Page 28 - Aaron Galpin As we edge into spring, I'm looking forward to by Beverley Taylor visiting a distant cousin, or two. One never Page 29 - Vancouver School Class Photos knows what secrets will surface ! by Rob Hyde Lynne Fletcher Page 31 - Book Review: [email protected] Marjorie, Her War Years From Our Front Page by Eunice Robinson This month, our front page Page 32 - Meeting My Second Cousin honours Walter Draycott, whose by Bev Squires generosity helped get our present Library up and running. Page 34 - The Laings, Part III Check page 6 for more details, by Moyna Laing and the wall at the front desk for Page 38 - Welcome to Our New Members his picture from his younger years. Copyright © 2019 The British Columbia Genealogist March 2019 Page 4 A SURPRISING FAMILY CONNECTION By Marian Wight - BCGS Member #4906 Their next child Ann Beaton Petrie was born on July 7, 1811 in Stromness, Orkney, The December Journal article “Searching for Scotland, just three months after George Sergeant Campbell” resulted in Sharon Campbell's birth at the same place. And Clayton receiving a surprising response from then, their son, William Petrie was born on Marian Wight, who volunteers with Sharon March 21, 1813, about three months before on our BCGS Library’s Cataloguing Team. Hector Urqhuart Campbell. I really loved While reading Sharon’s article, Marian reading your account as to why they were in realized that her Petrie 4th great the Orkneys. grandparents and Sharon’s Campbell 4th Unfortunately, William's story does not end great grandparents must have know each as well as Joseph's. When he was other well. During the years that the 9th discharged in 1814, he was suffering from Royal Veterans Battalion was stationed in being wounded, as well as having an ulcer. Edinburgh, Berwick- upon-Tweed and Stromness, three babies in each family There were no more children. I have not were born, within months of each other, found any information about William's death. at the same places. Here is Marian I suspect that it was not too long after his Wight’s Petrie family story: discharge. Hi, Sharon: Janet Finnie remarried in 1821 to William I read your article in the latest journal with King, who was also a soldier. They had two great interest. What astounded me were the children. similarities in our 4th great grandfathers' My 3rd great grandmother Marion Petrie lives. died in 1855, when she was only 47 years of My 4th great grandfather William Petrie also age. Because she died in that served in the 9th RVB in Scotland, although documentation rich year, there is a wealth of he was a Private, not a Sergeant. I have information on her death registration. I can attached a copy of his discharge document only imagine that her life was a difficult one. (WO97) for you. As well as losing her father, and her mother remarrying, Marion lost two of her children. There are a number of other commonalities The census records show that everyone in that made your story so fascinating to me: the family worked hard at sustaining the William Petrie married Janet Finnie in hand-loom weaving that they did in their Edinburgh Parish, Edinburgh, Midlothian, home in Kilbarchan, Renfrewshire, Scotland. Scotland on November 19, 1807. Their first I have been unable to find any information child, my 3rd Great Grandmother, Marion on Marion's two siblings but was able to Petrie, was born in Berwick- upon-Tweed, follow the two children from Janet Finnie's Northumberland, England, on September second marriage. Their descendants came 24, 1808. to the USA ; I have been in contact with one Marion was baptized by Reverend Andrew of them. Thomson at the Shaws Lane Relief Chapel By the way, one other interesting piece of on September 27, 1808 - within a month information: William Petrie was born in of Henry Campbell's birth. Like you, I have Troqueer, Kirkcudbrightshire, Scotland. no idea why our 4th great grandfathers were stationed there. The British Columbia Genealogist March 2019 Page 5 A SURPRISING FAMILY CONNECTION Thank you so very much for telling this story.