This Month column has two separate parts. Both stem from requests for help from people at the annual Maine Genealogical Society Meeting held in Brewer, Maine.
Thelma Brooks question on her George Eye Ancestor
Thelma is nearly ninety years old. She talked with Jay Bullard about her family tree and the gap she had was with her ancestor George Eye. This what Thelma sent to Jay on George Eye. George most likely died in Halifax, Nova Scotia and had a wife called Maria.
They had at least 2 sons Leonard (who’s Thelma ancestor) and Philip. George came to Nova Scotia from Florida at end of the revolutionary war. She seen 7 tax records for George Eye but not sure how many Georges there were in Nova Scotia.
First a quick look at George Eye. I did see that there was a George Eye in Halifax, Nova Scotia getting a land grant in 1784. I check the last name of Eye in Nova Scotia and found only one other person a Margaret Eye getting a land grant also in 1784 but she was in Digby, Nova Scotia. I did not find a lot on George in Ancestory.com. There were 2 poll tax records in 1791 & 1792 for George Eye in Dutch Valley, Halifax, Nova Scotia. Dutch Valley is now a suburban of Halifax.
From previous research I knew that Loyalists troops from Pennsylvania and Maryland had fought in the Florida campaigns during the Revolutionary War of Independence. I went to Familysearch.org and looked for George Eye. I found none in the correct time frame. There are a few later on in the mid-eighteen hundreds.
I check a book on German surnames that Jay Bullard had, to find various spellings for Eye surname. Found a few but still could not find a George Eye. I then switch back to Ancestry to see if anyone with the surname of Eye showed up in the early censuses in the USA.
Found that in the Greater Philadelphia, PA a number of men with Eye surname. Most of Eye families that had records going forward were of German descent.
So next month I will be researching to see what I can find from both the Nova Scotia Archives and from various books and web sites for Pennsylvania for more information on the Eye families of Greater Philadelphia and Nova Scotia.
Brian Bouchard question on documenting his ancestor Alexis/Alexander Terrio/Theriault
Brian was questioning if he had enough records and documentation to prove his ancestor Alexander/Alexis Terrio was the son of Michel Terrio and Angelique Martin and could be included in the online International Terrio/Theriault Family web site. Brian sent me inform on what he had found and the order in which he had found records and how he built his case to prove Alex Terrio was indeed part of Jehan Terrio and his wife Perrine Bourg of Port Royal, Acadia family.
Brian had a copy of Alex Terrio death record, a transcript of his married record to Nellie Gilbert in Waterville. He had written to Van Buren, Maine seeking a birth record for Alex Terrio. He was informed that there was an Alexis Theriault born in 1853 son of Michel Terrio and Angelique Martin. This was a year off from his death record age born in 1854. Death records are only as good as the person giving the information. Those of us who done Genealogy knows the census and death records can be off from the person actual year of birth.
Brian was told there was a second child for Michel Terrio and Angelique Martin in St. Bruno church records a son called Remi born in Dec. 1854. Brian when to Ancestry.com and copied from the Van Buren records the acts for the children of Michel & Angelique. He did find a couple of census for Michel’s Family but was confused by names of the children.
Brian has done a good job on tracing his line and knows that he needs to get a copy of the great grandparents’ marriage from Waterville. I am going to suggest to Brian that he submits a more complete family group sheet for Michel Theriault and his three marriages.
I need to thank Jean-Guy Poitras and Gary Levesque for their hard work in transcribing the various church records on both sides of the St. John River. Having their books has been a help with tracing Michel Theriault’s children. The books have made it easier to do research and save time and money by not having to go to the various churches for records. Also with the books information it makes easier to get a copy of the record as you can give actual date of baptism to the parish secretary. They don’t have to hunt for a record.
Next month story will the challenge of find Michel and Angelique Martin Theriault’s children.
