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!

Daniel Blanchard

Daniel Blanchard was born 7 September 1847 to Stephen Blanchard and Catharine Ferris.  He was baptized Roman Catholic at St. Simon and St. Jude Church, Tignish, Prince Edward Island, 17 September 1847.  Daniel was living with his family in Tignish, Prince Edward Island in the 1861 Canadian Census.

These are the only facts that I have on Daniel.  I don't know if Daniel came to New York with Catharine, or stayed in Canada with Stephen and John.  I have searched the Prince Edward Island Public Archives and Records Office.  I have also searched New Brunswick Vital Records and Nova Scotia Vital Records.  The name Daniel Blanchard doesn't appear in any of these databases.

The clues I have to help me find Daniel are...

A Daniel Blanchard appears as a sponsor on a baptismal record from Tignish, Prince Edward Island, dated 5 December 1863.  The record is for a Stephen Blanchard whose parents are listed as Stephen Blanchard and Catharine Tennessy.  Unfortunately there is no way to tell if this is my Daniel.

The name Daniel does not appear in the Blanchard family.  Therefore I am assuming the name Daniel comes from the Ferris side.

Three + One = Four

I have been searching for four baptismal records from Prince Edward Island.  Without civil records, baptismal records are the only way to establish birth, and links to parents.

I have no records for Elizabeth (abt 1846-1901) and George (abt 1864-1940).

I have two records for Stephen (abt 1861-1936); however I am not sure if either is correct.

That is three.  My fourth record is for a girl listed in the 1861 Canadian Census.  The 1861 Canadian Census isn't nominal; however it does list the ages of people in the household.  According to the census there should be a girl, aged 16-21.  Assuming this girl isn't a servant, and based on her age and where her immediate siblings were baptized, I should find her record  at St. John the Baptist.

So to figure all this out, I ordered microfilm from my local Family History Center.  I ordered two different films.  One from St. John Baptist and one from St. Simon and St. Jude.