End of July Update.

July, for the most part (in genealogy) has remained somewhat quiet. I'm trying to solve a couple of other puzzles... but there isn't really enough information on one. The other looks like a connection to a Michael Gallagher and a lady with name of White as the possible connection. I'm trying to reach our subject, here, but haven't been able to do so.

Another really needs to test at Ancestry... that's her best bet to determine beyond who her father really is. It's still a question.

Just waiting on tests. Although I'm sure this is likely now solved, it's just that little bit of proof that the final connection is correct.

One test, each side. and then we start to construct an accurate tree. That may be tough, because of the records... but we will do our best.

Possible mistaken Identity

I don't have the correct word...disheartening, maybe? discouraging? I really don't know.

I recently learned that who we suspect as mom -- who was in the US in the early 50s -- returned to the US for a while, to search for a child. I'm told it was in the early 90s -- that could be 90-91-92-93. I'm going to assume 91-92.

One day, out of the blue, Charles answered a call -- a male voice on the other end said, "I have information about your daughter."

Charles had no biological children, and still does not. He said, "I have no daughter," and hung up. Scam, right?

He knew of Trisha's daughter, but didn't make any connection. But the daughter would not have been of an age at which anyone could make contact. She could try, of course... but I've never heard if she did or not.

Fast Forward to this year. It's learned that mom, or maybe mom, had been back in the US. Could Catholic Charities have tried to call and somehow believed that Trish and Charles were father and daughter?

We'll never know for sure. But if Mom had come, where did she look? Did she look in Florida? Or elsewhere? We had been married in late 1990. If this call was in 1991(I don't remember for sure), could they have been Catholic Charities, actually looking for the adoptee?

Or was it truly looking for Trish, as mother? Or was it just a scam?

It is sad to think that the call may have actually been mom looking for daughter, and getting cut off by a misunderstood message.

I hope she looks down from the clouds today, and smiles... I'm praying our answers are right.

Progress

Saturday morning (After 2 PM in Great Britain), we got our call.  We worked together.  We're convinced, but I lack the "proof"... DNA evidence.

It has brought me new members to the family.  Sweeney, for one.  Mulloy.  Hodge.

It has narrowed a search for another, person, Rita.  Were both connected to a Riley line.  And that line, I have discovered, connects to a Rowland.  Rowland connects to Mulloy.
It may be solving a Hegeman mystery, too.  It's connection to a Gallagher.  And that's been found at about a 3rd cousin level... which definitely points just one generation back to a line that may connect Anthony Gallagher to our lines.

Hoping for tests!  Praying for results.

Of course, this still has other mysteries to solve.  Trying to convince someone to test at Ancestry, which may provide a clue to her father.. and a crime.  But that aside, there's still plenty to do!

So many have had a hand in this.  Hulbert (Although he doesn't acknowledge). Coleman, Kristin Wood, Dawn F, two branches of a McNulty tree, plus several others that connect with McNulty.  And Corrigan.
Joe B.  And any one and Everyone who has tested so far!  :)

Results, pending.  Answers, I hope, soon.  :)

Reaching out.

I have reached out to 2 others. One, I have learned (Perhaps incorrectly) has passed on, so there is no hope of contact. The other DID get back to me. And I anxiously await a phone call from the other side of the Atlantic. A 5 hour difference may cause some difficulty. Hopefully, it's not too much! My biggest hope is that I can get my contact, or one of the known siblings, to do a test. It will give us the information needed to check our equation. The wildcard, which I call "E", is a variable that won't change A and X but will change R. That equation is probably less likely to be (A+X) *E = R, which is the way I have it written, but more complex, involving an Absolute and probably some form of Calculus! X is going to be between 0 and 196. But if it equals 0, that's going to be a problem. "A" needs to be in range of 1400-1800. E, our wildcard is between 1 and -1, but cannot be 0. Fingers crossed. Pray for our best results. Somebody's tree is going to be shaken up if A and X are in range. But if they are, our search... 64 years running... will be over. But that will give rise to the "real" work... constructing an accurate tree!

Slowing searches, changing directions, hope and loss...

June has just about ended.  It's not been a good month; lost our puppy. (I know, 17 years isn't exactly a puppy, but he was our puppy!)

The month has brought little progress (If any) with a contact across the sea and a new 2nd? cousin, a Rowland...which, to me, confirms the line we are examining, but there are too many siblings in that time period.  I still need 2 people to check!

If our lines are correct, both parents are gone.  Grandparents have no possibility of being alive!  BUT..there are siblings if these are the right lines.  I pray I can get them to test to make our final determinations.

A Happy Birthday to a family member who probably has no idea that he's related to us:  Sean.  Have a great day, kiddo!  You fast approach the double digits and terrible teens.  To his Mother...:)  (HI, SP!)... I hope you're ready for those teen years.  They've changed so much since we were teens!

The hope for more results seems... distant, now.  I'm turning my searches slightly off, trying to verify some connections, but so far, it's difficult.

Tim, Remember:  I hope you can get that test soon:  I'd like that validation before any more of us leave this mortal coil.  :)  To M.S., I'm still hoping you'll get back to me..  I know you're busy, but an Email address is really a good, solid start!

Have a safe holiday to all of our American citizens... and best to everyone for a safe weekend.

Hopes and dreams. Can they be fulfilled?

I have been taking things slowly and carefully. I need more contact than just 1 person, I think. When the names are common, everyday names (nothing like Boris, or Vlad, or Heather, or Bertha), it makes tracking difficult.

You try, on Facebook, for friends with the same names, hoping you can make a connection. It often leads to failure or confusion.

Sometimes, it just takes a lucky break.

You may get blocked out. You may not. You may find yourself disturbing the grave of a long-hidden family secret. It's taboo; you don't know you're doing it.

Back to search. May we not offend in our search for truth. But if we do, let us pray that those who are hurt have short memories and clear consciences.

Warm days, slow progress

June brings warmer weather and summer starts in just a 20 days.  This has slowed our quest for definitive proof of family members.  People are outside, rather than inside.  They're at the pool rather than at the library.  (Library?  What's that?)  They're in the garden, rather than on the computer services.  (Except for politicians, of course, but how can we define them?)

And so our messages to people who might help are going unnoticed, for the most part.

BUT.

Trisha's very persistent 2nd cousin and sister have managed to connect us to another branch.  And we some some highly cooperative and curious individuals!  The movement has begun!  And we're hoping to see contact with suspected half-siblings and first cousins who are willing to test and not reluctant to accept change and possible chaos for a while.  The appearance of a previously unknown family member can sometimes upset the scheme of things.  Especially if it's proof of someone's indiscretion or infidelity, it may be denial, and it could lead to things coming to light --things that people have tried to forget, or bury.

I can only hope that this doesn't happen in this case.

We've still met a lot of wonderful, accepting family.  I never dreamed that our goal could be realized so quickly.  But still, there's some sadness...no chance to meet the parents.  Just wasn't meant to be.  But the siblings (or half-siblings) and hundreds of new family will certainly ease the pain.  And if there are pictures, or letters, or messages that were left, 10 to 64 years ago, maybe those can bring new understand of what was really happening.

We search.  We search, not to embarrass (although that can and does happen), but for Truth.  That is the goal.  May it always be so.  

More to come as more comes to light.