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Do you need help finding an ancestor? Do you have a genealogy question you would like to ask me? Do you want to know where to find certain genealogy records? Let Lorine help! Every day I will choose one question to answer. Send your query about your ancestors to me then check back here to see if it has been answered. Please take a few minutes to read other queries that I've responded to so you get an idea of the kind of query most apt to be chosen.

Wednesday, May 18, 2011

Missing Person Means a Missing PIece of the Genealogy Puzzle

Michelle asked about her father

I have searched and searched and searched and searched till im all out of ability and resources to look. seriously.my father, yes...THAT close to me, is a man I cant seem to find any (if any) inforation on ANYWHERE. I come close, but because the middle name is spelled different, I don’t think its him.

his name:Robert Alan Manning (the one I find is: Robert Allen Manning)

born: sometime in the 1930s ? the other: 1931. my mom was born in 1935, and he was older than her, so hed be 1934 or before that.

married? I don’t know when to my mother (if ever)? the other: has no family so-to-speak of listed beyond himself.my mothers name when married: Gay Joanne Suiter

now, heres the tricky part:
my dad was married to at least 3 women and divorced from none of them

1 was in utah, they had 3 sons
2 was in california and had a daughter/moms name was either linda or cheryl, daughter was the oppsite name cheryl or linda
3 my mom, and me

and that’s ALL the wives I know up to me, pretty sure there were others beyond me.

on my birth certificate he lists his birthplace as: Hong Kong. my mom said he was born in San Francisco. he also listed his job as: Movie Director, he was some kind of maintenance man/janitor person

so, knowing he has a lying past...has made it hard. he supposedly has a half brother named: jesse/Jessie/jessy. his mother was supposed to have married allot of men during my fahters growing up years.his father was supposed to have killed himself in texas (date unknown)

he was in the army...im guessing after 1938-1952? if he entered at 18.

how can I even know anything about this family tree when I cant even complete the 1st leaf? id be so appreciative if you could help me and find some resolve or a small clue even..

ASK OLIVE TREE RESPONSE: Michelle, you have a lot to figure out and I am sure it's been very frustrating for you. I don't usually give advice for finding a person who might still be living (as your dad might be) because people who disappear usually don't want to be found. But your query captured my interest so I'd like to try to give you some ideas for more reesarch.

I saw another post you made online and it gave a bit more detail so I'll be referring to that as well as what you wrote to me. You mentioned that your parents were together for 2 years but you don't seem sure if they were legally married.

My first step would be to talk to your mother if she is still alive and if it won't upset her. If they were married you may be able to get a copy of the licence which should give your father's name and hopefully his parents' names. Pay close attention to any witness names as they may be relatives. Ask her who came to the wedding.

Also, ask your mom what she remembers during the time they were together - who did they hang around with? His friends? His family? Ask for names, even if they are not related. You may have better luck tracking a friend than trying to immediately find your dad.

Where did he work while they were together? Ask your mom. You might be able to find out more about him through his workplace.

Find out if he ever got mail from a relative - maybe your mother can remember who it was from or what city it was mailed from. Basically you are trying to get clues and details from anything your mom can remember from that time period.

What about your father's parents? Did your grandparents know about you? Did they ever visit? The more you talk to your mom the more she is probably going to remember.

Have you talked to your mom's family - sisters, brothers, cousins? They may know something, some little detail that will help you in your search.

If he told the truth on your birth certificate about being born in Hong Kong, then there should be a ships passenger list for his arrival in the USA. It would be interesting to know why your mom is so sure he was born in San Francisco. Perhaps he told her something of his childhood or teen years which would help you trace him.

Have you checked newspapers to see if there is anything for Robert Allan Manning? You may want to try GenealogyBank.com I would not be concerned with the spelling of Allan. It could be Alan, or Allen and still be the same man.

Posted by Genealogy Blogger at 1:42 PM

SERIF WEB PLUS ESSENTIALS PROGRAM PURCHASED

i got an email the other day from Sarif, about 4 days after i downloaded a trial version of their new web page builder program, to get the premium version for 60% off retail price, making it 20.00

so, craig agreed to let me get it, cause of the price cut, and i downloaded it.

im currently re-learning this program so i can make the FAMILY HISTORY WEB PAGE idea i have.

MICHELLE

FAMILY BOOK OF ELDERED

rooting around online i had come across a few threads in some forums by people seeking to know more about the ELDRED family tree, apparently they would also be related to me somewhere in the line.

as i read i saw that there were three books that were written about the earliest of Eldreds...

one of the books is titled:

"William Eldred of Yarmouth, Massachusetts and some of his descendants" by: Nelson B. Eldred III

of course, i had to see if this boom was available to purchase.

i found 1 copy! ONE!
on amazon.com

$50.00
+ $3.99shipping

New

Seller: Parnassus Book Service

50.00 is fairly steep for a book with maybe 100+ pages. but its also priceless in my quest to have resources available and handy to pass off to future family who might want to get into genealogy.

ill have to beg for this book for a special event gift, like my anniversary in august.
tomorrow is mothers day, id sure like to be able to order it so i could make sure id own the single copy i found before someone else gets it.

MICHELLE

OTHER books of interest ill need as well:

1. Samuel Eldred and Some of His Descendants
2. William Eldred of Yarmouth, Massachusetts
3. Robert Eldred of Yarmouth and Chatham, Massachusetts
4. The Saxon House of Eldred

and whom to contact for them :

Charles Nelson Eldred288
2885 Pine Grove Court
Marietta, Georgia 30067-5617
United States
(770) 952-6597
smieldred@stupidpc.com

NOTHING VENTURED-NOTHING GAINED

i have searched and searched and searched and searched for ANYTHING on my father online.

in a day and age when EVERYTHING is online weather we want it to be or not...youd think this name would show up on someones family tree. yet, with all my searches i can never find the name as his records state his name is spelled.

i do, however, find another ROBERT MANNING with the middle name not spelled : Alan, but ALLEN. on almost every search i hit.

online in FAMILYSEARCH.org THIS robert happens to be listed AND it has a name fr me to email for more info..

so..i did:

"hi, my name is Michelle Alane Manning Williamson. I was born in california in 1967, to my mother Gay Joanne Suiter, and a man I have never known by the name of Robert Alan Manning.

I don’t know if this will lead me anywhere. I have searched online, in every single site for my fathers name, and every time I do, im lead to the closest match which happens to be your Robert Allen (different spelling) Manning.

my father was born sometime in the 30s, he was a bit older than my mother who was born in 35.
he was blond, and blue eyed.
on my birth certificate it states he claimed he was born in Hong Kong, my mother said that was false and he was born in San Francisco.

he and my mother were together about 2 years before he either left us, or my mom took me away.
we lived in Van Nuys California.
I was given the middle name Alane as a homage for my fathers middle name Alan. could have been Allen. id probably still be Alane. just with 2 “L”s instead.

after 1969 I have no idea what ever became of him, or who he was with, or if there are any other children after me.

my mother told me, and this doesn’t mean its true, that his mother was married several times, and his father was military and supposedly killed himself in texas(?).
he supposedly has a half brother named Jessie/Jessy/ Jesse.

you’re the ONLY name I can resource as being the one to ask about this man. he comes up on no other family tree anywhere else, unless the same tree is on other sites, but this man you have listed is the ONLY name I find even remotely close to being MY dad.

id SO love to able to fill my family tree out with names, of my relatives on his side of the tree, looks pretty blank when theres just one lowly leaf there

MICHELLE MANNING WILLIAMSON"

sent it of, now well just wait for some reply (if any)

MICHELLE

DIRECT DESEDANTS OF JOHN ELDRED & SGT. SAMULE ELDRED (ELDRIDGE) SR.

 Direct Descendants of John Eldred, and Sergeant Samuel Eldred (Eldridge) Sr.

1 John Eldred,
Born: before 1419 in Corby, Lincolnshire, England;
Died: 9 April 1489 in Knettishell, Suffolk County, England

…+ Unknown

…2 Reginald Eldred,
Born: before 1439 in Corby, Lincolnshire, England;
Died: before 18 March 1527/1528 in Knettishell, Suffolk County, England

……+ Agnes Coupe

……3 Thomas Eldred,
Born: about 1460 in Knettishell, Suffolk County, England;
Died: after 1545 in Knettishell, Suffolk County, England
………+ Agnes Lawsdall,
Born: about 1460 in Thurlby, England

………4 Nicholas Eldred,
Born: 1496 in Knettishell, Suffolk County, England;
Died: before 8 October 1566 in Suffolk County, England
…………+ Bridget (nee ?), Born: about 1498

…………5 Thomas Eldred, “The Circumnavigator” or “The Mariner,”
Born: 1535-1537 Ipswich, Suffolk Co., England;
Married: about 1558 Ipswich, Suffolk Co., England;
Died: before 1603 at Saint Clements, Ipswich, Suffolk County, England
……………+ Margery Studd, the daughter of Richard Studd and Unkown,
Born: 1537 Ipswich, Suffolk Co., England;
Married: Ipswich, Suffolk County, England;
Died: 1603.

……………6 William Eldred,
Born: 2 December 1574 probably Ipswich, East Suffolk County, England;
Died: before 23 June 1624 in England

………………+ Unknown

……...............7 Captain Thomas Eldred, sailor,
Born: about 1595 Ipswich, Suffolk County, England;
Married: 4 February 1617 Ipswich, Suffolk County, England;
Died: December 1640
………………...+ Anna Watson,
Born: 1597 possibly, Ipswich, East Suffolk County, England;
Died: 27 December 1642

…………………8 Sergeant Samuel Eldred (Eldredge), Immigrant, Artillery,
Born: 26-27-29 November 1620 at Ipswich, Lavenhamshire, England;
Married 25 November 1640 Saint Mary’s, at the Quay, Ipswich, Suffolk County, England; Immigrated 1640-1641;
Died: 27 November 1695 Swanzey, MA or Kingston, Washington Co., RI; 13 April 1697, or 12 February 1699 North Kingstown, Kent Co. RI
....………………...+ Elizabeth Miller ,
Born: 1622-1624 of Needham Market, Norfolk Co., England.(of Cambridge, Middlesex Co., MA);
Died 17 11 RI

……………………9 Lieutenant, Thomas Eldred, Sr., militia,
Born: 8 July/September 1648 at Cambridge, Middlesex County, MA;
Died: 9 May 1726 at North Kingstown, Washington Co., RI
................................. + Susanna Cole
Born: at Boston, Suffolk Co., MA d. 1725/1726 at Kingstown, Washington Co., RI

................... …………10 Captain, John Eldred, Sr.,
Born: About 1674 at North Kingstown, Washington Co., RI or 12 November 1670; Died: 1741 at North Kingstown, Washington Co., RI
........................................ + Mary

........................................ 11 William Eldred
Born: About 1712 at North Kingstown, Washington Co., RI
d. 8 January 1760
............................................. + Abigail Fish
Born: 10 April 1720 probably at Exeter, Washington Co., RI

............................................. 12 John Eldred, Sr.
Born: 5 March 1742 at Exeter, Washington Co., RI
d. Before 1807 at Otsego, Otsego Co., NY
.................................................. + Sarah West
Born: 23 July 1745 at Charlestown, Washington Co., RI
d. After 1810 at Otsego Co., NY

……………..……………….…13 Francis Eldred
Born: About 1765 at Exeter, Washington Co., RI.
D. After 29 July 1829.
………………..….........................+ Sarah Coggeshall
Born: About 1765 probably in NY

………………...............................14 Salmon Eldred
Born: 4 July 1803 in NY d. After 1880
…………………................................+ Anna
Born: About 1809

…………………................................15 Richard T[homas] Eldred
Born: 1836 in NY
d. 1897 at San Pierre, Starke Co., IN

………………………………………….+ Harriet Louisa Brown McCray
Born: 30 August 1845/1848 probably in Erie Co., PA
d. 10 January 1920 San Pierre, Starke Co., IN

………………………………………….16. Oscar Horace Eldred
Born: 7 October 1865 in Livingston Co., IL
d. 1 March 1936 at Millbrook Twp., Mecosta Co., MI
………………………………………………+ Anna Odelia Thompson
Born: 7/9 March 1871 in Newton Co., IN
d. 10 November 1954 at Blanchard, Mecosta Co., MI

………………………………………………17 Raymond Dee Eldred
Born: 20 July 1889 Keener Twp., Jasper Co., IN
d. 11 November 1964 Fort White, Columbia Co., FL
.............................................................................+ Susan May Chapin
Born: 28 April 1895, Hinton Twp. Mecosta Co., MI
d. 11 August 1925, Ionia, Ionia Co., MI

………………………………………………….18 Viva May Eldred
Born: 21 August 1920, Millbrook Twp., Mecosta Co, MI
………………………………..................................+ Lewis Carl Christian Koop
Born: 12 January 1917 Pontiac, Oakland Co., MI
d. 29 November 1992 Pineville, Bell Co., KY

…………………………..........................................19 Raymond Carl Koop
Born: 1 December 1948 Pontiac, Oakland Co., MI
…………………………….………………………..…+ Shirley Jean Rudd
Born: 25 August 1950 Chicago, Cook Co., IL

………………………………..……………………….20 Stephanie Joy Koop
Born: 4 May 1985 Green Brae, Marin Co., CA

ANOTHER EMAIL...with alot more info

it wasnt too long after my reply to mr Koop, that he emailed me back.
i didnt expect to have gotten such a quick reply. i figured hed process alot of the info i gave him and maybe sometime next week id have another email from him with a little more information.

he sent me a very LONG email...and it sounded as if alot of it was off the top of his head, perhaps he had notes sitting around.
he gave me more in depth info on the family line of ELDREDS

without going into the email as a whole, ill synopis it here for you.

mr Kooop believes that RICHARD T. ELDRED is the son of a SOLOMON/SALMON of NEW YORK

he hasnt been able to proove that fact as of this date, but thinks someone will have to see the last will and testement or probate records to know for sure.

several brothers names of the children repete for RICHARD T. ELDRED.
none of the other RICHARD ELDREDS whom live in NEW YORK had that as a factor.
and the location of SOLMON made the location of RICHARDS future wife easier.

mr koop has pictures of RICHARD T. ELDREDs grave in SAN PIERRE, INDIANA
(think to self, my grandmother was born in BRISBEE, INDIANA)
the tombstone is broken in half, but readable.
RICHARD T. ELDRED is buried with his wife:
HARRIET LOUISE MCRAY ELDRED HENDRYX

HARRIETS father (assumed) died young.
HARRIETS mother married: BENJAMAIN FRANKLIN MCRAY
mr Koop says " after RICHARD DIED HARRIET remarried ABRAHAM HENDRYX"
i believe he ment to say" after BENJAMAIN died harriet remarried ABRAHAM HENDRYX" the names make better sense that way.

mr Kopp states he has a picture of HARRIET with some of her children.

RICHARD and HARRIETS oldest son was Rev. OSCAR HORACE ELDRED a bretheren minister and farmer.
me Koop. is decended thru OSCAR HORACE ELDREDS line.

he states he has traced back in the family line from SOLMON ELDRED, as well. trying to find the connection from RICHARD and SOLMON, to be able to join the lines as one. hes traced as far back as the ealiest progenitor

mr Koop sis till trying to find a good contact in NEW YORK to locate the last will and testement or the probate of SOLMONs will.

he then stated hed be happy to share said information with my aunt and my uncle.

and was suprised to note that in all the searching of family lines i was a member of the church of jesus christ of latter-day saints. (my grandmother was the first to join the church)

he uses the churches PAF system to do this geneology. (im still trying to familairize myself with it)

he then ends the email with a bit about the information and where its kept and makes not that he has about 20,000 names gathered!!!!

TWENTY THOUSAND!!!! i cant imagine having done so much geneology research that id aquire that much info about my family tree. AMAZING!!! hes very dedicated to this task.

i cant wait to get more info.

family tree as stated by mr Koop:

SOLMON ELDRED
-RICHARD T. ELDRED (related as son to SOLMON?)
married: HARRIET LOUISE BROWN MCRAY ELDRED HENDRYX
--HARRIETTEs mother was married to:
? ? BROWN (whom died young-assumed)
BENJAIMAIN FRANKLIN MCRAY (died)
ABRAHAM HENDRYX
---OSCAR HORACE ELDRED (RICHARD and HARRIETTEs oldest son)
----RAYMOND C. KOOP (author of email)

so that a start, and tomarrow there will be more to post about.

MICHELLE

OUT OF THE BLUE EMAIL!!...the start of recording a family tree?

yesterday i got an email, that quite frankly, shocked me to some degree.

i originally thought it was a hoax, a spoof, a SPAM actually from some nigerian in africa

the email read:

SUBJECT: GERTRUDE LOUISA ELDRED (thats my grandmother)

Dear Michelle Alane Manning (my maiden name even!)
i believe i am related to you. i have done some research on the ELDREDS (my grandmothers fathers line). i believe your grandmother , GERTRUDE LOUISA ELDRED, descendent of LEONARD PETER ELDERED (her father), RICHARD T. ELDRED, etc. who are in my family tree.

i am a descended through RICHARD T. ELDREDS eldest son, OSCAR H. ELDRED.

i would be happy to share what i have with you for free.

RAY
(dr. raymond c. coop, ph.d
chaplain (retired) united states army
adjunct professor beacon university
"for God and country"

i was dumbfounded! i was in shock! i was sitting here, with my mouth wide open in dis-belief.

first, to have out of the blue an email concerning family history, second that came to me. i would have figured someone would have looked for my uncle or my aunt first. but i guess he went to the oldest childs child of my grandmother and was trying to work his way down till he found a source that would reply.

i now have MORE family...i hadnt even given it alot of thought to think that my grandmothers father had any kin anywhere.
now, i know.

i sent a reply forward to my aunt and uncle so they could see it for themselves and perhaps email mr Koop if they wanted to share any information they may know better than i myself may know.

all of this before my 40th birthday...

my grandmother was VERY keen on geneology, and i have no doubt she had something to do with this in the after-life somehow. it would be just like her to have done so.

heres the tree (his and mine combined):

MICHELLE ALANE (manning-maiden/carmichael-divorced 2006) WILLIAMSON (me)
-GAY JOANNE (suiter-maiden) MANNING (my mother)
-married: ROBERT ALAN MANING (divorced 1969?) (my father)
--GERTRUDE LOUISA (eldred-maiden name) SUITER (my grandmother)
--married: WILBUR RAYMOND SUITER My grandfather)
---PETER LEONARD ELDRED (my grandmothers father)
---married: i cant remember her fisrt name CONCHEN (my grandmothers mother)
----somehow related to: RICHARD T. ELDRED
-----OSCAR H. ELDRED (RICHARD T. ELDREDS oldest son)
------enter: RAYMOND C. KOOP (the author of the email)


so, now i have reason to really do my family geneology.

MICHELLE