Dorothy (Dolly) Edwards Learned 1879-1977

My paternal grandmother, Dolly Edwards Learned, grew up in Lewes, Delaware.  Her father, William S. Edwards was a 5th generation pilot of Delaware Bay and River.  Her mother, Clara Burton, was the daughter of Cornelius T. Burton and granddaughter of John Burton, another pilot of the Bay and River.  Dolly's mother died from injuries sustained when a can of coal oil exploded, leaving three young children, Catherine, 8, William, Jr., 5 and Dolly, 1 1/2.  Her father remarried Hannah White in 1882.  While researching the 1880 census, my grandmother, 3 months old, is listed as Hannah.  I can only assume that her name change to Dorothy happened when her father married a Hannah.  There is no birth certificate for her created at the time of birth.  There is a delayed one created when she applied for a passport in 1939 with her mother's brother attesting to the information about her birth.

I am surprised at the lack of genealogical material about the early pilots on the Bay & River.  Some of them lived in Cape May, some in Lewes and others chose to live in Philadelphia.  Apparently it was quite a cutthroat profession in the early days, each pilot trying to out run his competition to be the pilot on an incoming vessel.  Eventually, they had to join together mostly because of the privateers and pirates that found that area of the Atlantic very rich pickings.  I have found a few stories, mostly about the War of 1812 and the bombardment of Lewes.  I would love to find a diary written by the wife of one of these pilots. 

I did not grow up close to my grandparents.  I only saw them every 2 or 3 years.  By the time I began to get interested in genealogy, it was too late to ask her anything and we lived 1300 miles apart.  My father, William Edwards Learned, was an only child so the hope of finding a diary or letters about her childhood is not good.   I do remember she was small, had beautiful gray hair and wore it piled on her head, wore a corset, and smelled good.

Pastfinders of South Lake County

Most of my genealogical research has been in the northeastern states - all of New England, New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware.  I didn't realize how lucky I was with the availability of research materials until I moved to Florida and began helping other people discover their families through our Help Session program of Pastfinders of South Lake County Genealogical Society.  I have worked with people researching most of the US as well as 1st and 2nd generation Americans who want to know about immigration and researching in Eastern Europe, South American, Latin America, Greece, Germany, France and more.  While I have not become an expert in any of these areas, every moment spent in research is an exciting exploration into new territories. 

Still looking for my Scottish links.  I found an Agnes Ewine who married Adam Templeton in Lanakshire, Scotland.  The dates look good, but I still have no proof. Are these the people who moved to Northern Ireland and are the  parents of Adam and Janet who ended up in New Hampshire about 1735?

Matrilineal line

My most important research involves following my matrilineal line.  It isn't easy, but is the most satisfying when you get that next connection.  Right now, I am stuck in Scotland in the early 1700's.  I have a "possibility"for further research but have not located the proof that I need to proceed.  I wish I had gotten this far when I was still able to go to Scotland.  For years I was looking at Northern Ireland but had no maiden name. Once that was found, the search moved to Ayeshire in Scotland. Over the years, we have enjoyed 3 fabulous trips to the British Isles, but I think our traveling days are over.  On one trip we went to Wales, England and Scotland as well as all of Ireland but, at that time,  I had no idea that my genealogical journey was going to lead  to Scotland.

Jeremiah Dugan, 1821-1894, from Bantry, co Cork, Ireland to Montague, Massachusetts

This is Jeremiah Dugan.  He came to America in 1847 from Bantry, Co. Cork, Ireland.  His wife Mary (Cronin) and 2 children came over later ( June1849). They settled in Montague, Massachusetts where my great grandfather John Michael was born in 1850.   Handsome man, I think.

genealogy blogs

I have added 3 genealogy blogs on my reader.google page. Still trying to decide if I need more. Wish I could find some dealing with Ireland & Scotland surnames.  It's amazing how much information is out there on the blogs.

Ancestors I am looking for

I have finally learned the surname of my 6th great grandmother. Her name is Janet Templeton and she married Alexander Simpson about 1744 in Windham, Rockingham C., New Hampshire. She came to New Hampshire from Northern Ireland about 1735 with her brotherAdam and her future husband (and probably others.) The family had not been in Northern Ireland for a long time. They came from Scotland, I think from Ayrshire. I have found Templetons there but cannot affirm that these are the right people. How I would love to go to Scotland once again now that I know where she came from.