Monday, October 18, 2010

Mystery Monday: Gamble/McKillop, Irish Immigrants

The Gamble surname has been my most difficult to research so far. My 2nd great-grandfather, James Gamble, immigrated to the US from Ireland, settled in Danville, Vermont, and later moved to Cabot, Vermont. Here is what I know about him:

James Gamble was born on 03 May 1862 in Antrim, Ireland. According to his death certificate, his parents were James Gamble and Ellen (maiden name unknown) from Ireland. I assume they lived their lives in Ireland.

In 1883, James came to Vermont with his girlfriend/fiance, Rose McKillop, and her family. Rose & James were married on 02 Dec. 1885 in Danville, Vermont. Rose was born on 16 Jan 1857 in Ballymena, Antrim, Ireland to James McKillop and Margaret Leslie. She died on 16 Apr 1940 in Cabot, Vermont and is buried in Danville, Vermont.

James McKillop was born about 1827 in Ireland. He died on 08 Sep 1907 in Danville, Vermont. His parents were Patrick McKillop and Rose (maiden name unknown). He is buried in St. Johnsbury, Vermont. Margaret Leslie was born about 1823 in Ireland.

James Gamble died on 28 Jun 1940 in St. Johnsbury, Vermont. He is buried in Danville, Vermont.

James and Rose had one known child: Edward John Gamble, who was born on 28 Apr 1889 in Cabot, Vermont. He married Gertrude Baylaw (Bailaw, Balaw) on 29 Jul 1912 in Cabot, Vermont. He died on 02 Dec 1955 in Waldon, Vermont.

I would like to know more about both the Gamble and McKillop families prior to their arrival in the US.

Sunday, October 17, 2010

Black Sheep Sunday: Jailhouse Death

Create a post with the main focus being an ancestor with a “shaded past.” Bring out your ne’er-do-wells, your cads, your black widows, your horse thieves and tell their stories. And don’t forget to check out the International Black Sheep Society of Genealogists (IBSSG). This is an ongoing series at GeneaBloggers.


According to a family story, my great-granduncle, Daniel Lee Baker, died in his jail cell in Hyde Park, Vermont. It was uncertain how he died, but there was some speculation that he hung himself.

I located his death certificate on Ancestry.com, which lists his cause of death as "obstruction of air passage with food due to acute alcoholism with vomiting." So it seems that Daniel did not hang himself, but rather choked on his own vomit while he was drunk. However, it still not known if he died at the jailhouse or not. The death certificate does list his place of death as Hyde Park, Vermont, which is where the jailhouse is located, but it doesn't specify a particular building or institution, so I suppose that part of the mystery remains unsolved for now.



Daniel Lee Baker was born on 20 Oct 1919 in Belvidere, Vermont. His parents were Daniel James Baker (03 Jan 1877 - 07 Nov 1949) and Minnie Belle Childs (29 May 1894 - 28 Feb 1963). He was never married, nor did he have any children. He died on 22 Apr 1945 in Hyde Park, Vermont.

Friday, October 15, 2010

The Second Great American Local Poem And Song Genealogy Challenge Part II

In my previous post, I briefly described the Second Great American Local Poem And Song Genealogy Challenge, and posted a poem that was written by my great-grandmother, Elizabeth (Beard) Baker.

As a follow-up, I also want to post a bit of genealogy about my great-grandmother, her parents, and her siblings. I am eager to fill in the missing blanks, so if you are researching this family and can provide me with any information, I am happy to hear it!

1. William Riley Beard was born on 04 Dec. 1877 in Sheldon, Vermont. His parents were Roland S. Beard and Florence Eliza Kittell. William married Olive Elizabeth "Grace" LaGrange on 11 Mar.1899. He died on 12 Feb. 1956 in Waterbury, Vermont.

2. Olive Elizabeth "Grace" LaGrange was born on 4 May 1878 in Sheldon, Vermont. Her parents were Abraham LaGrange and Elizabeth Isabel Rainey/Renney. She died on 9 Sep. 1963 in Morrisville, Vermont.

Their Children:

3. Clyde Archival Beard was born on 13 Jan 1900 in Palmer, Massachusetts. He married a woman named Lula M. He died between 1956 and 1963.

4. Beulah Olive Beard was born on 5 Jan. 1902. She married Harold Allen, and died on 4 Sep. 1994 in Bradford, Vermont.

5. Wilma Rita Beard was born on 16 Apr 1903. She married Rufus W. Stancliff on 16 Apr 1921 in Morrisville, Vermont. She died on 16 Aug 1984 on Morrisville, Vermont.

6. Lillian W. Beard was born in 1906. She married Edward Peterson, and died sometime after 1963.

7. Gerald William Beard was born on 23 May 1905 and died after 1963.

8. Elizabeth "Beth" Florence Beard was born on 16 Oct 1911 in Morrisville, Vermont. She married George Dewey (Holcomb) Baker on 23 Aug 1932. She died on 22 Dec 1995. Elizabeth is the author of the poem listed in my previous post.

9. Ardell Floye Beard was born on 20 Feb 1918. She married Raymond Rebman, and died about 1987.

10. Robert Melvin Beard was born on 26 May 1921 and died after 1963.

The Second Great American Local Poem And Song Genealogy Challenge

I am so sorry for having been so neglectful of this blog. I'd like to say that my neglectfulness will improve, but I can not be certain of that. I am still working diligently on my own personal genealogy, as well as projects I have been contracted for on a professional level, however, due to life circumstances, I have not had a lot of time for blogging.

I did want to post for the Second Great American Local Poem And Song Genealogy Challenge that is hosted by West in New England. The challenge is simply to locate a poem or song that was written by a poet/song writer in the area where your ancestor lived.

I have decided to put my own spin on the challenge by posting a poem that was written by my great-grandmother, Elizabeth (Beard) Baker. The poem is included in a book she compiled and gave away to family members as Christmas gifts in 1990. Really, what poem could I possibly find to better represent a time in my ancestor's life than this one about her parents and their eight children? I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

Our Family Tree
By Elizabeth “Beth” (Beard) Baker

The arithmetic of marriage is a quiet thing;
Strange things begin with a bride’s wedding ring.

‘Twas fifty years ago and they were two
Who, on the morrow, found they were but one
To travel on together, man and wife,
Through storm and sunshine ‘till the setting sun;
They would be one forever – so they vowed –
But marriage has mathematics all its own;
And soon they found they had a little son;
And now were three, and were no more alone.

He was a smart one – that boy, Clyde;
His mother told him not to run away,
As his red hat upon his head she tied,
Then sent her little fellow out to play;
When, later on, she called him to come in
He wasn’t there! But when she found him, talked,
“But, Mamma, I didn’t run away,
I didn’t run, why no, I only walked!”

Then, later on, a little girl was born,
And little Beulah made their number four;
But when she was just a little babe,
Long days she lay beside death’s door;
She gained, and grew, and soon was growing up
To help her mother care for all the brood
That followed her, to clean, and tend, and sew,
And help prepare their daily food.

Wilma was the next to come along;
Another girl to wear a dainty dress;
But when Mother dressed her up to go to town,
Then dressed the others, she was oft a mess;
It seems that they then lived upon a farm,
And on a farm it seems that cows abound,
And when they dressed in her best to go away,
A fresh cow manure she nearly always found!

Another girl – are there nowhere any boys?
She should have been one maybe – I don’t know –
But Lillian was always full of life,
And who was best man would her brother show;
She would hold her own in any tricks;
In pranks or mischief she was often first;
When she and Stub got in a friendly row
It wasn’t always her that came out worst!

At last another boy was brought to them,
And he must bear a special kind of stamp,
For Gerald was always getting cut or hurt,
But didn’t seem to mind – the little scamp;
He had a teacher once he didn’t like,
And in her desk he’d put a little snake
With a red belly – or sometimes a frog!
A slap she paid him with – sometimes a shake.

Some five years later came another girl,
And e’er Beth went to school her mother found
It wasn’t safe to leave a dress grown old,
Or scrap of cloth, or bits of thread around;
She loved her dolls and liked to make them clothes,
And dress them up, and this was but a start
Toward times ahead, with children of her own,
To make things for them from things she’d torn apart.

When Ardell came, and Mother had to leave
And stay in the hospital quite awhile;
But she came back, and Ardell grew,
And kept things humming with a happy smile;
When she was young they had a little pup
Who grew to be to all the kids a “chum”;
‘Tis sure, if dogs can go to Heaven, he
Will someday have a happy home

Robert finished up this crew of eight;
He was a sturdy lad and full of fun;
Of all the kids this boy has traveled most,
And yet his traveling days may not be done;
Whoever thought, when he was just a lad,
A minister this boy would be one day?
I’m sure he’s with us in his thoughts tonight
Though, in reality, he’s far away.

Best wishes to these two who gave us birth;
Long years of happy life we wish for them;
We are but branches of our family tree,
And, joined by marriage, they are still the stem;
They once were two and marriage made them one,
But in the coming years who is to know
How far the reach, how great the work they’ve done!
“Great oaks from little acorns grow!”


I have posted the genealogy of the people listed in this poem on my next post.