When finding someone seems impossible did you carry on?

[jillynetter]

I'm interested in hearing your stories for some much needed motivation or advice from what I've typed below.

After months or constant searching for an ancestor and with help from a couple of people on here I haven't found him.
Problem is he is down as born in a different County (Northumberland) and I just can't find any link to where I find him married with children later (Carlisle).

Just wondering if you've had a difficult person to trace and did you find him or her?
I could painstakingly go through each person with that same name (which I've started doing) and narrow it down a little by tracing each person through the censuses but find no proof or be absolutely certain I end up with the right man, do you think I'm wasting my time or should I soldier on?

I'm wondering if I've missed something, or should I try searching on different sites,
I've used IGI
Freebmd
Ancestry
GenesReunited, would another pay per view or subscription site possibly come up with something different do you think?

[aspin]

Who in Northumberland are you looking for and have you any idea where they were living in Northumberland
also give some dates of the person you are looking for

Elizabeth

[jillynetter]

Aw thankyou for asking, I've already had some help but there's just so many maybes'. The thread is in the Northumberland forum asking for help here
http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,246801.0.html

Actually the link above isn't really up to date so I'll include dates here etc. below
Please don't feel obliged to search, I'm just looking for motivation and advice on what to do next. I tried to put this down and have a break but I really want to follow this line if I can

Thomas Cowen
Born around 1855-1860, Hexham, Northumberland
Married Rachel Lewis (1876)and I find him in later censuses from 1881 onwards living in Carlisle, Cumberland.
Hia marriage certificate says his father was William and profession was a Carrier.

[LizzieW]

I've been looking for my g.grandfather for over a year now, but can't find him before he shows up on my gran's birth certificate in 1884.  He has a common name and was born in Middlesex, around 1857, going on ages on census and his death certificate.

I will find him, I'm not giving up until I do.

Liz

[jillynetter]

Liz good for you I hope you find him, kind of makes me feel like I'm not on my own.

[aspin]

Had a look at your thread and I see what you mean

I queried a certificate once as I thought the register office had made a mistake
I sent for a marriage and when it came back both fathers were entered as John I had found one father Selby and one John this was the marriage of Robert Douglas to Elizabeth Bell at Warkworth I'm like you stuck there

Elizabeth

[Sylviaann]

I've been looking for someone for 20 years now so yes I carry on.  He was born about 1780 and married before 1821 and died before 1841 so you can see my problem.

When I get stuck on a person I usually have a break from that person and turn to the other side of the family or another line.  Then after a few months I come back refreshed to start again.

Keep searching.

Sylviaann

[jillynetter]

That's good advice thanks Sylviaan. 20 years is a long time, I hope you get a surprise one day and just find the details your looking for. Possibly almost like winning the lottery

[caliope47]

Hi there!

I have the same problem with my ggg grandfather, his wife and his sons. Seems the whole family was forgotten on the 1841 Devon census. When the frustration level gets too high, I do what Sylviaann does and concentrate on another branch of the tree for a while.

Having said that, however, I searched for months for an ancestor of mine in the 1891 census on Ancestry. I tried all sorts of spellings etc. I paid for a small subscription on Findmypast and lo and behold there he was! When I went back on Ancestry with this info, the spelling of his last name was so farfetched I would never have guessed it in a million years. You can also narrow your search by entering his occupation on Findmypast. Then if something looks promising, pay for a small subscription.

I will never give up with ggg grandfather though. I do believe his family was missed on the 1841 census though!

Best of luck in your search!
Liz