r/ancestryinvestigators

I'm putting together my family tree on Ancestry. And I've done the DNA test on there. I've hit a wall on one ancestor and am trying to figure out how to proceed. I was hoping the DNA results would help, but so far I don't see a clear trail.

The ancestor in question is Oscar Franklin Moore, my mother's father's father's father. My first record of him is in the 1900 census in Mineral Co CO where he is listed as a 32 yr old miner, living a a boarder with his future mother-in-law. I have a newspaper record of him marrying the daughter of the head of household a month or two after the census, so not sure if he met her and then moved in or the other way around. She was recently divorced as of the census and had a young daughter already from the first marriage.

In the 1910 census they're living in Hinsdale Co CO and started their own household, raising the stepdaughter as well as their own kids. He died in Grand Junction CO in 1914 in his mid 40s from pneumonia. His family shows up a lot in the local Lake City newspaper in the 1900s and 1910s.

His place of birth is listed alternately as Indiana, Iowa, or Illinois depending on the record. And his year of birth back calculates to sometime 1865-1875ish depending on the record also.

I haven't found any records further back that would help ID his parents or earlier ancestors. Moore is a fairly common surname. The missing 1890 census is impeding things some I'm sure. His wife's family came from KY through TX to CO, so I don't think he knew them before meeting in CO.

On the DNA front in my matches I have my father, 2 first cousins on my mom's side, and my parents' first cousins from all 4 grandparents' sides. So that helps pin each other match to one of my grandparents. And my dad has an extensively well mapped tree, so lots of common ancestor matches on that side. But my mom's side is less well developed, especially on her dad's side.

Any ideas on how to use the DNA or other methods to trace him back further?

I am finally breaking down and asking for help on a brick wall in the family tree, I can only find an exact set of relatives in the 1940 New Jersey census. No other census years, or records listing them together. There are also a couple other similar people but their dates dont add up, and it looks like it has confused family trees and is making it difficult to work backwards. Any information, especially parents or birth/death/marriage records would be really helpful. Thanks for any help!

So here is what I have got:

Joseph A (possibly Aloysious) O Brien birth 8/2/1896, death 1978 New Jersey possible parents: Francis X O Brien, Mary Longworth Possible siblings: Mary A, and Margarete
in the military between August 6 1918 and September 30 1921 Ironworker maybe? Father possibly a Brass founder?
Catherine (possibly E, possibly Irene) O Brien, listed as 40 in census but death index records say birth 11/2/1904, death 1992 New Jersey Marion R, born 1927 New Jersey Joseph Jr, born 1929 New Jersey Catherine, born 1931 New Jersey Jean Ann, born 1933 New Jersey Geraldine, born 1938 New Jersey

Issues I have found: There seems to be a marriage certificate for Joseph A O Brien and Catherine Egan in 1919 in New York, but wrong parent's name for Joseph.

Another issue: I found other 1920 census records for a Joseph A O Brien and Catherine Irene or Irene Catherine O Brien in New Jersey, but again puts her age wrong at birth date 1895, and also appears on the 1940 census with Joseph A O Brien with other kids in New Jersey. Some family trees listing his marriage to Irene Catherine do list his parents of Francis X and Mary Longworth though

One of these Joseph A O Brien appears on 1900 and 1910 census records with parents of Francis X and Mary Ann with the correct age and siblings, how do you tell which one? Or are both of them the same person and he had two families in 1940? It shows they lived like 10 miles apart

His ex wife (my sister) died a few weeks ago and we have been trying to find him. Even the police haven't been able to help. Alojzy Roik, 78 or 79 years old now.

Unfortunately, I have a gap in my research regarding my great-great-grandmother's mother. She was Jewish and lived in Pomerania; her mother was Johanna Caspary (or Kaspary) and her father was Hermann Guter. Hermann Guter died in Berlin in 1901, and his side of the family is well-documented. However, I have been unable to find any information on Johanna—neither at *Pommerscher Greif* nor on *Genbaza*—including any record of her birth or the couple's marriage. Unfortunately, the patriarchal nature of historical record-keeping often comes to the fore in genealogy, as the female line is very difficult to trace and inevitably contains gaps. I also had no success searching *JewishGen*. Johanna Guter (née Kasbary/Caspary/Kaspary) lived in the Köslin district and died before 1901. Where else could I look or obtain information—perhaps a death record, a grave, or a marriage record? The marriage took place before the introduction of Prussian civil registry offices, so there ought to be Jewish records somewhere, provided they weren't destroyed during the war. I appreciate any help

Hi All, I’m trying to find my Great grand mother who was born in Ostrów Wielkopolski
(former Prussia), she was born 05/09/1870 her name was Amalia(Malka) Haim/Hain or any other version.
Her father was Michael Haim(born in 20/03/1836) in Pleschen and her mom’s name was Friederike Heim née Kayser(Raiser).

Any help will be greatly appreciated!!

Thanks!
Michael

I have an ancestor, my 3rd great grandma, who was reportedly Native American and adopted into the family. Her name was Lizzie.

I know it’s not uncommon for settlers to have tall tales of being fractionally native and I am aware this could all just be family lore. Reportedly my great grandma (who I was fortunate enough to know as a child) was 1/4 native.

When I started looking into it, I was pretty sure it was a lie, but I can see in my family tree that Lizzie is the only person not born in the two places anyone else in my family has been born: 1. Netherlands or 2. Michigan.

She is the only child to my 4th great grandparents and was born in Nebraska according to records. Her birth year was around 1884. In 1885, it was recorded that she was a resident in Panama Precinct in Lincoln, Lancaster Nebraska. Her parents do not have any residency in Nebraska. Their only records show being born in Netherlands and then living in Michigan.

How would I go deeper into this? I seem to have exhausted any leads I would get through family and plus I’m not sure how much I should trust that anyway.

PS. I fully realize if she truly was adopted into a settler family, the circumstances of the adoption are probably not happy or positive. But this is kind of the point of me looking into it. Not to claim a fractional bloom quantum. But to honor this ancestor and what she might have went through in her 38 years on earth.

Thanks in advance