Archives

Armstrong Garfield Robinson (1883-1954) ~ Trains, Brains and False Claims

From time to time I scan the newspaper archives for mention of interesting historical stories from my hometown of Hadleigh, Essex from the same month. February’s search threw up what at first appeared to be an amusing story of a Hadleigh bridegroom’s over-exuberance in London on the eve of his wedding causing him the need to beg for money to get back home. What I went on to uncover were three generations of well-respected railway engineers, and a clever man’s life blighted by alcohol and the after-effects of a head injury sustained during WWI.

George Edward Frank SPEERS vs. George Edward WIDLEY

Ontario Genealogy Facebook group member “JM” asked for help deciphering the maiden name of the groom’s mother on a wedding certificate, the groom being one George Edward Frank SPEERS.

Christian BARNES and Latham STULL ~ Canada

The parents of my 4th great-grandfather Christian BARNES (1771-1868) died in 1778 during the American Revolution when he was about six or seven years old. Various family trees state his father George BARNES (c.1746-1778) was a Lieutenant in the British Army, but no source evidence has been found as yet. Family legend also has it that Christian was taken in by the neighbouring STULL family who were most likely living in Schoharie, New York at the time. Can researching the head of the family Lathum STULL lead to any further clues on George BARNES, or where his son Christian was living between 1778 and 1797 when he arrived in Ontario, Canada?