Family Tree Frog

  Margaret McLoughlin nee Flanagan 1835-1908 Thanks to my cousin Marilyn (and other cousins too, I suspect), I am very lucky indeed to have a picture of my 2nd-great-grandmother, and I think it speaks volumes. At first glance, you could describe her countenance as grim. And she has not let what I suspect is the bible fall from her grip. Scratch the surface of those slim facts, and her expression reflects the many struggles that she faced. Margaret was born around 1835 in Fermoy, County Cork. 1 Her parents were married in the workhouse there by Rev Dr Barry on 16th August 1830. 2 I have not been able to find a record of her birth, but one website tells me that 1832–1834 was a period of "great distress" for Fermoy when a cholera epidemic struck. 3 Somehow, Margaret made her escape, and the next record shows her marrying Patrick McLoughlin in Prescot, England, in 1858. Neither party to the marriage could write. Patrick is described as a labourer. Margaret has no rank or profes...

Amy Johnson Crow offers the following prompt for bloggers who are participating in 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks. This week’s theme is “In the Beginning.” (According to “The Sound of Music,” the beginning is a very good place to start.) Who was the first person you wanted to find when you started your genealogy journey? Was there a family member who sparked your interest, maybe by giving you a bunch of genealogy “stuff”? This would be a great week to write about them! Some people think family history is my life.  Perhaps they're not far off the mark. Although bridge, my grandson, reading, sewing and spending time with dear friends compete heavily for my attention too.  This week's prompt has made me think about who was there at the beginning of my family history journey? Three women were very supportive of my early efforts in family history research - my mother, my mother-in-law and her sister-in-law.   Barbara, Isabel, Alex and Caspar I became aware of family history in my t...

    Kit McLoughlin Helen Kate (Kit) McLOUGHLIN (nee FORFAR)  Ahnentafel Number 7 The context for discovery: The photo above is of my maternal grandmother who died before I was born. She is wearing pearls, pearl earrings, a gondola brooch and a rather fetching pair of adorned glasses.  I'm guessing this photo was taken circa 1950s. T he gondola brooch was bequeathed to me by my mother. This biography was written as part of the 52 ancestors in 52 weeks exercise devised by Amy Johnson Crow.  You can join in too here. The theme for this month is Mistakes. Amy says: “We all make them — and that includes us and our ancestors. What's a mistake that an ancestor made? What's a mistake that you've made in your research?”   Kit 's name  varies according to the certificates you read.      On her birth certificate, she is called Helen Kate Forfar.      On her marriage certificate, she is called Katherine Helen Forfar.   ...