Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Sunday, September 6, 2009
Are Numbers Enough?
Are numbers enough to confirm a puzzle piece fits the puzzle?
This week has been full of different sorts of numbers in connection with our search for puzzle pieces that fit. A microfilm with the number 1279404 on the British Isles floor at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City contains the parish records of Highworth, Wiltshire, England…1600-1880 approximately. That piece looked like it would fit and it did.
After finding the right machine with the right magnification with the right take-up reel with the right angle with the right threading with the right focus…I began to be able to see the records. I scrolled down until I found…again…the right numbers…1776 (Elizabeth’s mother, Mary Dodd’s birth year), 1805 (Elizabeth’s birth year), and the brothers… 1809 (Richard Barnes birth year), 1811 (William Barnes birth year), 1812 (another William Barnes birth year…Curious, huh…more about that later), 1815 (James Barnes birth year), 1818 (John Barnes birth year),1824 ( Mary’s Death year and Henry Barnes birth year).
As I continued to find evidence of their existence, the last number seemed very puzzling. Mary died in 1824 (supposedly from complications from the birth of Henry). William (Elizabeth’s dad), Elizabeth and her brothers left in June 1825 for Australia. The ship records show that Richard, William, James and John sailed to Australia with their dad and sister, Elizabeth on the “York” 470 tons from Cowes in England.
I began to wonder about Henry. What happened to him? He wasn’t taken to Australia according to the records. I’ve wondered if he was left in England with relatives or did he die at the same time as Mary? I really doubted that we would ever find the piece to this section of the puzzle. But I felt compelled to continue to look.
After finding record of Mary’s burial on July 25th, 1824 in Eastrop, Highworth, Wiltshire at age 47, I found no evidence (in a quick search, mind you) of Henry’s birth/baptism or death in that year. I again wondered if we would ever know. A quick thought came into my head…”Look at the next year”. I continued to slowly turn the microfilm to the year 1825. I was thinking maybe they were slow taking him in for the baptism because of the mother’s death. No “Henry Barnes” on the birth/baptism list in 1825 I scrolled down to the burial list. My heart jumped when I found a burial record for “Henry Barnes” age 11 months from Eastrop on March 20th. I also noticed on that page between March 14th and March 22nd, 6 other children were buried that week in Eastrop. I felt a sad sigh inside.
Back to the question of numbers. As I’ve thought about this search as an “age, date, place” search, I’ve found a little reward. But as I’ve thought about them as people with lives, responsibilities, happiness, sickness, and death, I’ve begun to feel a connection with them as part of me. (by Karen---Jayne will write next week!)
A Question to Think About: Why did they leave Highworth?
This week has been full of different sorts of numbers in connection with our search for puzzle pieces that fit. A microfilm with the number 1279404 on the British Isles floor at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City contains the parish records of Highworth, Wiltshire, England…1600-1880 approximately. That piece looked like it would fit and it did.
After finding the right machine with the right magnification with the right take-up reel with the right angle with the right threading with the right focus…I began to be able to see the records. I scrolled down until I found…again…the right numbers…1776 (Elizabeth’s mother, Mary Dodd’s birth year), 1805 (Elizabeth’s birth year), and the brothers… 1809 (Richard Barnes birth year), 1811 (William Barnes birth year), 1812 (another William Barnes birth year…Curious, huh…more about that later), 1815 (James Barnes birth year), 1818 (John Barnes birth year),1824 ( Mary’s Death year and Henry Barnes birth year).
As I continued to find evidence of their existence, the last number seemed very puzzling. Mary died in 1824 (supposedly from complications from the birth of Henry). William (Elizabeth’s dad), Elizabeth and her brothers left in June 1825 for Australia. The ship records show that Richard, William, James and John sailed to Australia with their dad and sister, Elizabeth on the “York” 470 tons from Cowes in England.
I began to wonder about Henry. What happened to him? He wasn’t taken to Australia according to the records. I’ve wondered if he was left in England with relatives or did he die at the same time as Mary? I really doubted that we would ever find the piece to this section of the puzzle. But I felt compelled to continue to look.
After finding record of Mary’s burial on July 25th, 1824 in Eastrop, Highworth, Wiltshire at age 47, I found no evidence (in a quick search, mind you) of Henry’s birth/baptism or death in that year. I again wondered if we would ever know. A quick thought came into my head…”Look at the next year”. I continued to slowly turn the microfilm to the year 1825. I was thinking maybe they were slow taking him in for the baptism because of the mother’s death. No “Henry Barnes” on the birth/baptism list in 1825 I scrolled down to the burial list. My heart jumped when I found a burial record for “Henry Barnes” age 11 months from Eastrop on March 20th. I also noticed on that page between March 14th and March 22nd, 6 other children were buried that week in Eastrop. I felt a sad sigh inside.
Back to the question of numbers. As I’ve thought about this search as an “age, date, place” search, I’ve found a little reward. But as I’ve thought about them as people with lives, responsibilities, happiness, sickness, and death, I’ve begun to feel a connection with them as part of me. (by Karen---Jayne will write next week!)
A Question to Think About: Why did they leave Highworth?
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