Thursday, September 9, 2021

Throwback Thursday - Finding Millie

 
Millie (left), Ma (right), Ida

In a conversation I had with Ma, I had told her she should go through the old photographs and label them so we (The Brother and I) would know who was in them. Her answer to me was "we" (Dad and Ma) know.

This photograph was one example. On the back Millie, Mary, Ida in Newark, New Jersey July 1936. When I was young I had asked Ma why she was in New Jersey and she said her father let them (I'm assuming she meant her mother, sister, and youngest brother) go on vacation. In 1936, Ma was 18 years old.

Sometime later my comment must have jolted her to action as written in pencil on the back: Millie looks like me. She's my cousin. The other girl is a girlfriend. And the 64 million dollar question: Millie who? 

This week, I fell down the genealogy rabbit hole. I stumbled onto a site that had birth, marriage, death records from Ariano Puglia (now Ariano Irpino) where my mother's parents were from. This was an unbelievable gold mine.

I knew very little about my mother's side of the family.  I pulled two all nighters searching records. My grandmother went from being a child with a brother to  having 4 sisters and 3 brothers! I knew she had a brother because I have a photograph of her and him (I don't know which brother) taken when she went back to Italy for a visit in 1963.

I found siblings for her parents. And spouses for her aunts and uncles, And cousins! Grandma's maternal aunt turns out to be Millie's mother and my great-grand aunt. The great- grand aunt also has the same first name as my mother.  Millie and I are first cousins twice removed. Millie's mother is a great aunt to Ma, and Millie and Ma are first cousins once removed. I think that's how  the theory of relativity goes.

When one mystery is solved another mystery pops up. Off to find another cousin of my grandmother.

20 comments:

  1. Great that you made so many discoveries and found relations you didn't know of. A cousin of mine has unearthed lots of facts about our family, too, and made it into a book. Have a great day, Valerie

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  2. It's exciting to find all the genealogical bits and pieces, isn't it? I have lots of blanks in my family trees also. Glad you found out all this new info. The only side of my family I feel good about is my dad's dad's side. So many questions otherwise. Hope you stay dry today.

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    1. I knew very little about my maternal side of the family, but slowly, threads are starting to come together.

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  3. It gets so complicated it makes my head spin! I'm more interested in the stories and reasons rather than the dates and places. No one left to ask so I gave up. :-/
    Good for you to keep on digging!

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    1. I don't have many stories, but I'm happy to connect a few photos to events.

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  4. We lose so much when we lose the generations before us. I remember Mother getting rid of photos that were only important to her, because she said she didn't want us wondering if they were relations. I suggested labeling, but she always said, "You won't care anything about these people". I find myself doing the same thing. Old school photos, old friends long dead... out they go! lol It's hard enough to figure out who the relatives are.

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  5. best fishes on your search; I TOTALLY get it, placing NAMES on the back of photos; I have too many that anyone left living, hasn't a clue as to who they are.....we actually do better at remembering the pets names.....rather sad on our part I guess !!!!! ☺☺☺

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  6. You certainly did well on your discoveries ...

    All the best Jan

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  7. That's great that you were able to research and find her.

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  8. How exciting to discovery family you didn't know about.

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  9. This is some journey!!! Hope you find much more.
    Here... no such luck.

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    1. It's a slow journey and only if you have access to records.

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  10. I'm thrilled that genealogy interests you. I have no one to ask and too little knowledge, so I've never been interested in it. You are really making great finds, too.

    Sorry I am so late visiting. I have been sick for the past two days and I could barely get out of bed. Something I ate, at least that's what I hope it is. I'm marginally better today, at least.

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  11. So sorry that you're not feeling well.

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