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Research in Other Countries => Immigrants & Emigrants - General => Topic started by: jkennerdale on Sunday 22 September 13 12:38 BST (UK)
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If anyone could possibly suggest how to find a needle in a haystack I'd be glad of advice and suggestions!
Wm John Best born 1873 Dorset, son of William Pope Best and Martha Jane Moore, last documented evidence of him 1891 Warminster census.
Emigrated at some point. His (most likely) grandson, was stationed in England 1942ish, name unknown. My mother, then 19 yrs old met him.
I have been searching for his family, of which there are rumoured to be many, for the last fifteen years without a trace. There are a few of that name in Canada and the US but further research has eliminated them as they were born in Canada, or the US.
As I am aware new records go online all the time now, just wondered if anyone could possibly help?
kind regards
Judith
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hi Judith
the big problem with passenger records is that they can be very hit or miss with the amount of info on them some have full names and birth yrs others only first initial and no birth yr,s the only 2 likely candidates I can see if your sure he,s not in brit census after 1891 are these .
w j best departure 2 sept 1893 from Liverpool to new York occupation mechanic , ship name lucania
w best departure 3 mar 1900 from Liverpool to n y no occ ,ship Etruria
regards
trevor
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Thank you Trevor, I appreciate your help, that gives me something to go on.
kind regards
Judith
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Hi Judith:
On the 1891 Census his occupation is Blacksmith. Assuming he kept the same occupation that may be one way to narrow down the search for him.
I'm wondering why you show him as 'emigrated to Canada or Us after 1891'. What about South Africa and Australia?
sami
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Hi Sami,
I have tried the occupation angle but not got any further.
I have searched Australia, where there are large numbers of Best's but most arrived long before 1891,and/or are from Cornwall. I have checked South Africa and New Zealand where there are Wm John Bests but all were born in those countries, no trace of mine at all. I've looked at Canada and the States, but both many years ago and just felt maybe more records had gone online since then and that I might be missing something! The proverbial brick wall! I'm ever hopeful one of his descendants will get a sudden urge to start looking at their family history!!!
Thanks for your help, I appreciate it!
kind regards
Judith
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as a guide take care when looking for anyone going to Canada or the usa as they may go into one country and then cross the border into the other so if he,s not found in one then always check the other .
collections Canada has records for a William john best and a William john best jnr regarding western land grants 1870-1930 a possible ?.
occupations aren,t a good guide for this time period with technology changing so quickly the introduction of mechanical vehicles and machines in the late 1890,s up to and beyond ww1 changed the world one day a blacksmith next day a mechanic !! .
regards
trevor
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Here's a possible - names flipped about, and his age has dropped significantly (perhaps because his bride was b. 1890!)
https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/KS88-TP5
(there may be more details then are on this index on the original)
Child b. 1912:
https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/FMH4-G6J
Child b/d. 1915:
https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/JDJN-GZS
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Hi,
thank you SO much, I have a feeling this is the one!!! I don't want to get too excited, I can't quite believe it after all these years. Any suggestions as to what Canadian records I can look at?
kind regards
Judith
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The place of birth given for John William Best (above) was Ireland. Apart from the age difference, another little idiosyncrasy ???
The child Oswald died 17 November 1915 - Burial :- Prospect Cemetery. Disease causing death :- Inanition. Immediate cause of death :- Malnutrition.
Father:- Wm J Best and Mother Ella Godwin.
Sandra
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That is a very sad piece of information, but thank you Sandra.
The only positive thing I have going here is his parents names, but could be coincidental.
If only in the interests of elimination, I very much appreciate your help!
Judith
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Thanks Trevor,
can you point me in the right direction for these land grants?
kind regards
Judith
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Hello again Sandra, can you tell me please where to find the entry of death at Prospect Cemetery?
I've tried familysearch but nothing comes up under his name. Not sure where else to look.
Many thanks
Judith
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Information came from Ontario, Canada, Deaths, 1869-1938 and Deaths Overseas, 1939-1947 available by subscription on the anc site.
Sandra
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ahh! I keep finding the need to upgrade!!!
Thanks Sandra!
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The Prospect Cemetery lists are also on familysearch although not fully name indexed:
http://www.rootschat.com/links/0w8e/
No additional information except I believe "poor Inter" means a common grave (family didn't own the plot) and an address is given for W.J. Best: "140 West Lodge Ave"
I can see Ella at http://www.automatedgenealogy.com/census11/ in North Toronto (as a domestic). According to the census, she was born Ireland.
I can't find William/John Best there (either the b. 1874 English or b. 1882 Irish versions) or a suitable WWI record for him.
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The Western land grants are at
http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/databases/western-land-grants/001007-110.01-e.php
In these cases the patents are online and show that William John Best was awarded land in British Columbia in 1891- I think Sr and Jr are the 50 year old and 20 year old on the BC census of 1891 respectively - from Ontario originally. Their deaths in BC:
https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/FLL6-J3J
https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/FLRR-5VP
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That is very helpful, thanks.
The Best's you very kindly sent me from the land records were both born in Canada so they are out!
I think the only thing I can do is pursue Toronto bmd's; the son/grandson who turned up in England during the last war may be son of this Wm J's' daughter Ethel Martha. I'm trying to acclimatise myself to Canadian records!!
regards
Judith
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There are no Central registries/indexes in Canada for BMDs. Canada has very strict privacy laws and each province imposes its own even further. Additionally, some provinces are more research friendly than others so researching in Canada can be challenging. As a guide BMD Records are only available for births more than a 100 years ago, marriages 80 years ago and deaths 70 years ago.
Trying to trace modern day families in Canada you depend on newspaper announcements, cemetery records, obituaries, telephone directories.
So you can see from that how tight the privacy laws make it in trying to get information.
Sandra
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I see what you mean. Drat!
Maybe this is why he is so difficult to find. I can understand a 3rd great grandfather disappearing into thin air, but a great uncle? I have long since believed that my only hope was to find someone researching the family, sadly there is no sign yet.
It's incredibly interesting never the less.
Thanks again
Judith