Answers

I haven't been able to do much work this week, but I did get answers to two of the questions I had floating around cyberspace.

The first was an email to a cousin...

• Do you know what the ^E means in the 1872/1873 Brooklyn Directory?
• ^E Blanchard Edward, carpenter, 204 Freeman

Answer

• ^E stands for Eastern District of Brooklyn, namely Williamsburg and Greenpoint

The second question was posted on a message board in May 2009...

• I am looking for the birth/baptismal record of George Blanchard. I have a date of 26 February 1864. I am not sure if this is his birth or baptismal. I have been to the online baptismal index but it is not there. I was wondering how would I go about getting in touch with St. Simon St. Jude, Tignish. Or could anyone go to the parish and look up the record for me?

Answer

• You could also call the Tignish parish house at (902) 882 2049. They have a staff person who answers requests for genealogical information. 

Thanks Suzanne and Ron for the help!

William Blanchard

William Blanchard was born 20 April 1858, Tignish, Prince Edward Island.  He was baptized Roman Catholic, 23 May 1858, at St. Simon and St. Jude Church, Tignish, Prince Edward Island.  His parents were Stephen Blanchard and Catharine Ferris.  In the 1861 Canadian Census, William was living with his family in Tignish, Prince Edward Island.

William married Elizabeth Kidd, 7 December 1879, at St. Anthony of Padua Church, Brooklyn, New York.  After his marriage, William lived at 179 Freeman Street, Brooklyn, New York.  By 1884 William, Elizabeth, and his children Stephen (1880- ), William (1882-1883), Francis Joseph (1883- ), and Helen (1885-1886) were living at 58 North 10th Street, Brooklyn, New York.

The next moves for the family were to 45 and 43 Franklin Street, Brooklyn, New York.  Here William's family grew to include Edward J Blanchard (1892- ) and William Blanchard (1896-1941).  While William was living on Franklin Street he joined the New York City Police Department (25 March 1892).

In the 1910 United States Census and 1920 United Stated Census William's address was 128 Calyer Street, Brooklyn, New York.  It is while living at this address William retired from the Police Department (5 December 1913).   

In the 1930 United States Census William was living in Queens, New York at 41-23 53rd Street.  He died at this address on 15 April 1932.  The cause of death was cerebral hemorrhage.  William was buried in St. John's Cemetery, Middle Village, Queens.  He was buried with his wife Elizabeth, and his son William (1896-1941).

To complete my research on William, I need to find his immigration records.

6 Years, 11 Months, and 18 Days

How many times have you seen this on a death certificate?  When I first started genealogy I would ignore the months and days and just count backwards to an approximate year.  As my genealogy skills improved, I realized how horribly wrong that technique was.  Including the years, months, and days are extremely important and necessary.

Enter Tombstone Birthday Calculator.  You simply type in date of death, as well as the years, months, and days the person was when he or she died.  Hit compute, and the birthday appears.  It is that simple!  While the date is still approximate, and by no means considered absolute, I have found it to be the closest thing.  More importantly it is so much easier than anything I was doing before.

Blanchard Update

I searched the Brooklyn City Directories from 1867/1868-1875/1876.  I looked for a couple different people, but for purposes of this post I will stick with Edward.

1872/1873
Blanchard Edward, carpenter, 204 Freeman

The directory gives Edward a new documented date, the earliest found in New York.

Lyons Update

Birth Certificate

• Michael Joseph Lyons (1884-1891)

Marriage Certificate

• Michael Lyons & Anne Monahan, 3 February 1867, Manhattan, New York

Death Certificate

• William Henry Lyons (1869-1941)

My Thoughts...

The marriage certificate proves Michael was married before he married Helen (Ellen) Blanchard.  I think it is safe to assume William Henry Lyons, John J Lyons, and Annie Lyons were Michael and Anne's children.  William P Lyons was most likely not their child; however he was connected to the Lyons family.

This information also suggests Daniel Joseph Lyons was not Michael and Anne's child.  At this point I do not know who is mother was.  There is a chance Daniel didn't know either, which is why he listed Ellen Blanchard as his mom on his World War I Draft Card.

Michael Joseph Lyons Birth Certificate

Michael Joseph Lyons' birth certificate is interesting.  I find it very strange that "in wedlock" was written on the certificate.  When I was in vital records I checked, but did not find another certificate with those words written on it.  It seems if nothing was written on a birth certificate, in wedlock was assumed.  So why did Michael and Ellen write "in wedlock"?  Is Michael Joseph's birth certifcate, Michael and Ellen's marriage certificate as well?

Michael Joseph's birth certificate states Ellen was from Nova Scotia, and the state of Maine.  Could Maine be how the family entered the United States?

Finally the birth certificate states Ellen was the mother of two children.  I would like to think the other child was Helen Lyons, but until I can find her birth record I don't think I can be sure.

Random People in Random Graves

Here are some more people and their dates of burial.

Thomas F Delaney, 24 June 1886
William P Lyons, 7 June 1869