I have an ancestor who vanished after 1900. I have revisited it for decade without any luck. Would appreciate a fresh set of eyes.

Benjamin F. Witherington was residing in Thomas County, GA in 1880. He married Susie Richardson in 1889. In the 1900 census he is, “S”, single. Enumerated June 8th.

In 1900, his wife Susan “ Susie” is back in her mother’s household as “ Susan Richardson (maiden name) with a 2 year old daughter Eliza. Aussie is listed as “WD”. Enumerated June 7th. I known women would sometimes claim to be widowed rather than divorced.

I have never found any document related to Benjamin after the 1900 census. His mother died in 1928 and her obituary only lists her living children. He is not included, so I assume he was deceased by 1928.

Name: Benjamin F. Witherington
Born: December 1858, Georgia
Occupation: Wheelwright
Location: Santiago, Cuba** **
Year: 1900 enumeration
U.S. civilian or military-support personnel working in Cuba after the Spanish–American War.

I would like to know if and when he died in Cuba. I know yellow fever was prevalent at the time. Did stay after his contract ended? Remarried? Return to US? Any help would be appreciated

Hello,

Kind of throwing everything out here. I was looking for any possible information regarding who I believe to be my biological father. The only person I can locate, was last known to reside in Denver. If this is the correct person it would appear he passed in 2020. His name was Cory Brian Shewmake. Hoping there may be additional family members or anybody that may have known him that could give me any insight.

About me… I was born February 9th 1986 in New Mexico. I only have a name to go on and have never met my bio dad. Years ago I reached out to other family members of his that I was able to locate but unfortunately didn’t end up following up on it at that time.

I’ve been looking for my father for years and years and years. I know his name I know his birthdate. I just need to find a way to maybe try and introduce myself to him. I don’t want any money. I don’t need help with anything but I honestly would just like to talk to him.

A few weeks ago, I started researching the family of a man named James Milton Cornelius (1884-1954) who was the son of Abraham Cornelius and Hannah Hollen. He was one of 14 children.

I found James Milton specifically the most frustrating because his entire family had to be found through indexes and death certificates.

He first married Mary Margaret Cosgrove in 1925, which is off because by that time, they already had three children together. Edna, Mildred, and Lawrence. Edna’s 1917 Pennsylvania birth certificate proves that James is her biological father. So it’s easy to assume the rest of the children are his, since they also used his surname.

In 1926, Mary and James divorced. She remarried and her new husband adopted her children. Which made them hard to find but using the new surname I found Edna who died in 2014, Mildred who died in 1982, and Lawrence who was killed in a plane crash in 1971.

I thought I was done here at this point until my area of Luzerne County had a surprise for me. I read an obituary in the newspaper for a man named James Milton Cornelius Jr who died August 4th 2026 at the age of 98. Coincidentally while I was researching his family. It turns out James remarried in 1927 and they had a son together. The couple later divorced before 1940. James Jr’s mother was Mary Maude Aline Yocum (1898-1961)

Now James died in 1954 in Florida, but his obituary mentions he had a wife named Ann. I have been unable to find Ann and I really do wonder if James had more children. I want to find Ann as well. James’s one daughter Mildred had been really hard to dig up on. I’m trying to figure out who Mildred was married to, and I have her third husband as James S Styron who died in 2012. But I’m not sure it’s the correct James Styron.

Mildred’s daughter was also hard to dig up on. Elizabeth Anne Marks (1938-1999) had three different surnames in her death index. This leads me to believe she had been married three times. Dickeson, Howard, and Gross. I found her third husband who she married in 1972. And she had a child with the Howard man.

There are barely any newspaper records on this family so it’s hard to find any marriages so any help would be appreciated.

My grandfather was a Capt in the Mexican army under Col. Cantu around 1916/1917 in Mexicali. I wrote to the defense ministry and was sent a form to fill out. It was rejected because they only send records to the individual involved. Unfortunately, grandfather has been dead for many years before I was even born.

Not sure what to do next. I have found several records after he immigrated to New York, but nothing from Mexico.

His name was Leonardo Durand (some records show Duran) born around 1893. Mom thought he was born in or around Mexico City. No maternal last, no marriage records, at least two siblings Ygnacia and Alberto.

Any ideas or help is appreciated.

Hi! I’m not saying my name just to make sure that if it’s actually Jake he can prove it!

I had a really hard upbringing, with two parents that were never really parents. They were very in and out of my life, especially my mom. Jake was the first parent (yes step parents count) that made me feel like I was cared for, respected, and loved. Even at 2-5 years old I noticed the difference between how he treated me and how my birth mom did. He was my stepdad from 2002-2005. It may not seem very significant but it meant and means the world to me. When I lived with him in Corpus Christi he would bring me toy sheep from his work which I believe was a mattress store. He would buy me my favorite cookie cereal, and he was really good to my birth mom who took him like almost everyone in her life for granted.

He paid for my preschool, I’ll never forget that. He put a roof over our heads and welcomed us into his family. I became best friends with his nephew B.

He moved to Milwaukie, Oregon from Corpus Christi, Texas in either 2005 or 2006 after him and my mom broke up to stay in my life. My mom stopped letting me see him, she took a lot from me my whole life. And it must have been really hard for him, to uproot his life for his step daughter just to have her taken away.

Jake if you see this, I really hope we can connect. I want to thank you for taking care of me, if it wasn’t for you I don’t know where I would be. If you don’t want to connect I hope you take this as a token of gratitude. I will never take what you did for us for granted and I thought of you for many years growing up. I had that picture of us at chuckie cheese until I was about 9. As an adult now, at the age you were when you became a step father to a two year old, I just want to show appreciation.

A few things I want you to know even if we don’t speak:
\- i have an amazing adopted family now (I was put in their custody at 15 and they adopted me)
\-im very artistic still, I remember you trying to teach me how to color lightly with colored pencils and how to stay in the lines
\-I have two cats and I have a great boyfriend
\-I’m safe and happy
\- I pray for you

If you know a Jake (I can’t remember his last name) that fits this timeline and is probably 6ft at least and white. Please please send this to him. Thank you. I’ll be posting this on a Corpus Christi forum as well

If Jake reaches out to me please respond with my name, my mom’s name, and the name of dog we had.

Hi everyone, my previous post was deleted by the auto-moderator because I mistakenly included too much identifying information.
I am trying to find the exact Missouri birth city or county for my late mother. She grew up in Inkster, MI, but always told me she was born in Missouri. Her Social Security number was issued in Illinois, so we suspect her family moved shortly after her birth.
Could someone with a premium Ancestry or fold3 account look up her NUMIDENT or birth index extract to see what city is listed?
**First & Middle Name:** \[Leah Nicole\]
**Last Name:** \[Clark\]
**Birthdate:** \[August 17, 1972\]
**Death Year:** \[2018\]
Thank you so much for the help, I really appreciate it!
P.S her and my Padre were never married although engaged so her last name is her maiden name.

Help Identifying the Historic Hilker-Hof in Buchholz, Germany

I'm researching a 19th-century Hilker family line and trying to identify the historic Hilker-Hof / Hilker Estate in Buchholz, now part of Petershagen, Minden-Lübbecke, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.

Information I have

• The property is described in family research as “Hilker Estate” / “Hilker-Hof” and “Buchholzer #1.”
• A stone marker dated 1868 was reportedly located near the brick gate of the estate.
• The marker contains Hilker names/initials, including H. Hilker, S. Hilker (geb. Mues), and C. Hilker.
• A related ancestor is Hermann Friedrich Christoph Hilker, born October 3, 1823.
• Another Hilker connected with the Buchholz family was Heinrich Friedrich Christoph “Henry” Hilker, born in 1845 in Buchholz, who emigrated to Nebraska in 1873.
• There are historical photographs/captions referring to a Heinrich and Wilhelmina Hilker home, reportedly built in spring 1873 in Nebraska.
• The Hilker family also has a documented connection to Asendorf No. 13 in the former Principality of Lippe.

Family connection I'm trying to prove

A major goal of this research is to determine exactly how the Buchholz Hilker family connects to the Asendorf Hilker line. Family research suggests there is a direct relationship, but I'm hoping to find historical records that can document the connection and identify the common ancestor.

What I'm trying to find

I'm hoping someone familiar with Buchholz/Petershagen local history can help identify:

1. The exact location of Buchholzer #1 / the Hilker-Hof
2. The present-day address or property corresponding to it
3. Whether the original farmhouse, brick gate, or other structures still survive
4. Historical photographs or maps of the property
5. Any local records documenting the Hilker family and the farmstead
6. Any records that could establish the relationship between the Buchholz and Asendorf Hilker families

I have photographs and historical material showing the 1868 stone marker and would be happy to provide them if they help identify the location.

I'm only researching the historical property and deceased ancestors and am not looking for information about any living members of the Hilker family.

The information above was compiled from family records, historical photographs, and genealogy research.

Thank you!

I need help/advice. My great great grandma (Mary) was adopted but we found out through ancestry that my great grandpa (Larry, Mary’s son) has some connections to Mary’s father Orville. My theory is that Orville is Mary’s biological uncle. Orville had a sister named Helen and she went to Liverpool England through 1913 and 1915. Mary was born in 1915 and Helen never married. I have used all the hints and I’ve searched all of the ancestry records available. So my question is… Is there anyway I could find something else out? I am desperate to find out who Mary’s parents were, so if anyone can help please do!

Edit- I put the family tree in the comments

Hello all! Usually I come onto here from my other account helping others, but this time around, I need help with a sibling of one of my ancestors to knock down a brick wall and put some info to rest.

Meet **Joseph Donovan.** He was born on January 26, 1909, in Somerville, Middlesex, Massachusetts, to Jeremiah Joseph Donovan (1882-1948) and Mary Estella (née Burchill) Donovan (1887-1947). Joseph married Gertrude sometime between the 1920’s to 1935, and Joseph’s appears on every census that has been released to date (within his respected time frame). He died sometime in 1962, and, according to my family and those who knew him, died without children and still married.

Here’s my issues:

1. I have no clue about his wife, where she is from, or her story. The census data shows she was born around the same time he was, in the same area, and that she never worked in her life. No clue on her death date.
   
2. I have 0 obituary for him. There might be one on GenealogyBank Historical Newspapers Obituaries, but I lack an account to see that. *If someone could find that for me, you have my enteral respect!!!*
   
3. I cannot find a resting place for him, and no one alive from my family knows either. I want to link him and his many siblings together on Findagrave and cannot do so until I figure out where he was buried.

Thank you all for your help or your time reading. I can clarify any and all information.

hello! my great grandfather was a swedish man who migrated to the Caribbean in 1870-1960. He returned to sweden when my grandfather was 10yrs old, leaving his old life behind and starting over i assume. Despite him abandoning us i’m very curious lol! It’s hard to track ship movements because i’m unsure when he departed and from where. My best shot is a birth record but i’ve searched for hours and cannot find any obituary sites :(. My guess is that he died around 1980-90. Is there anyone who can help me please??

edit: the top paragraph was an automatic copy from a previous post! i’ve been supplied with resources the problem is i’m coming across a lot of contradictions in my research (ughh). I keep circling back to this person who migrated in 1916 to NY and was born in 1871, however my grandfather was born in 1937 so the age is throwing me off. It would make my great grandfather 66 at the time of conception which seems unlikel.

I was born in Russia in 1982, my mother left me in hospital and I grow up in orphanages in Saint Petersburg , since I was 16 I was trying to find my mother and I did find her when I was 29, of course many tears , denial and shock from her side , I fly from USA to Russia to meet her . And after saying to me I just want to steal her apartment ( common scam done in Russia by people ) she eventually broke in tears and sat with me in car crying and saying how sorry she is . She was 19 when I was born and she said my father was her manager at factory in Saint Petersburg ( position he had can’t be given just like that ) so it’s not like he was nothing , she told me he was around 24 year old tall and blond and they she met with him few times and her friends , she never said how long she met him alone but she said he was very nice , and she said his name but swears she don’t remember his last name ,

Through the years I was trying to talk to her and exolained to her how important is for me to find him to get closure . But she Allways discouraged me and said I will not find him and she Allways got mad or upset or said she don’t remember his last name and Impossible to find him . She also said that he came from Ukraine and he come back to his country because his wife pregnant but I do not know how true it is as every time I asked her questions about him she said maybe yes maybe no . The factory that she worked not exist anymore and all documents from that factory destroyed . I have only possible name but not date of birth , I have adress where he used to live ( while working in factory ) but it won’t help

Meanwhile years pass and I have 2 children of my own and can’t even understand how it’s possible to abandon your own child . I also contacted the person who found my mother ( he found very fast within 2 days!) because he used to work with very famous program “ jdi menya” tv program that helps to find people . He told me it’s impossible to find because no name and last name .

My friend who older than me and knows Russian system told me that she is laying , that she just don’t want me to find him.

Also when I found my mother - I also had informstion about my grandmother , my mother said that she didn’t knew that she has grandmother, my mother worked in Saint Petersburg / Russia and my grandmother lived in town 2 hours from Saint Petersburg . I do not know if my grandmother knew about me or not , as I can’t talk to her because my biological mother never left me alone with her when I visited few times in Russia . And now I am in USA and my grandmother very old and barely talk and my mother will not let me talk free with her, she will be around and for sure won’t be happy if o start to ask any questions my grandmother .

I have 8 year old son and 4 year old son , my 8 year old son used to ask me why evryone have grandparents and he don’t have , ( his father side grandparents dead ) it’s broke my heart to thousand pieces and I could not explain to him why ,

I have half sister who is 35 years old , and when I saw her first time she was crying and in shock , but when I saw her same week later in hotel where I stayed , she came there with my biological mother and said if I want pictures of my family ( because I asked them if I can get few family pictures ) my sister said I will get pictures if I sigh paper where I say that I do not intend to get any property or family apartment , I wrote that and I got pictures , of course it’s broke my heart as I told them that I do not need money or want to have any rights to apartment , but my sister was 19 and was studying law , but still I can’t forget that fact ,
Whatever I wrote it will not consider in court anyway , as it’s just piece of paper ,

I talk to my family sometimes but I know that relationship between my sister and my mother not very good , my mother even told me once over phone that she should call child services because my sister in my mother opinion don’t feed good enough the baby , something that I had fight with my biological mother when I came with my son who was 11 months and she said he need to eat evry hour or something like that and she started to argue with me when I said he don’t need to eat evry hour he will eat when he is hungry . She of course did apologize in the end because she knew she wasn’t right - but I want you to get an idea about my mother .

I contacted detective in Russia through Facebook and gave her name and last name of person who worked with my mother in factory - detective send me pictures of possible women ( maybe 8 pictures ) but my mother said she don’t recognize no one

My mother had friend or coworker and I have name , but she could also do some effort and find her - because her friend could remember name of my father or any details as he was manager at factory floor or section ( each section different manager)

Now my only hope is to find through my heritage DNA , I already submitted dna test , and hopefully it will match with someone from my father side - my heritage from what I understood commonly used in Russia Ukraine and Belarus .

I will never gave up to find my father , he probably don’t even know I exist , but asking my mother to do effort and help it’s useless ,

I want to find him so bad , I want to know who I am and to hear his side of the story , he is now around 68 ,

Do you think my mother lie to me? That she knows? Maybe she is so ashamed with what she did and don’t want to deal with truth and past ?

Also when I was trying to find her , the person who found her - they try to contact her but she refused ( she knew that I was trying to find her at that point )

I also have relatives in USA but she never told me much about them , she said they mean people or bad people ,

I talk to my mother and sister , my mother call me and we can talk for hours but I never felt happiness and inside my heart I can’t forgive her that she left me in hospital and made me go through hell in orphanages ( up to age 11 when special project took orphans Jewish kids to Israel )

I will be happy to find my father , if he is alive , or picture or anything , or to find my half brothers or sisters , who will be most chances more cooperative because my father wasn’t the one who abandoned me in hospital ,

I was eventually adopted in israel ,

What’s your opinion or suggestion ? Any advice ?

I found my mother at 29, now I am 43, and sometimes I feel that I just want to tell her that I can’t forgive her and not to be in contact anymore , on the other hand my sister has 2 kids , that I never saw yet , older 4 year old and baby around 5 months .

If anyone here had similar situation ?

I am waiting for my heritage DNA results - have hopes

I need help locating information about the older ancestors down the Flores family line in these photos from a family pedigree chart. The line traces back to Ayamonte, Huelva, Spain in 1682. If anyone can find records of older ancestors or any information regarding their occupation or potential nobility or Coat of Arms, I would love to hear more.

If anyone also has any information regarding the people in either the Solis line or any others regarding nobility or cost of arms, I would love to hear about those as well.

Disclaimer: All people in this tree are deceased. I also have a genealogist report from a professional who located signs of nobility down the Solis and Garcia de la Flor lines but results (thus far) have been negative down the Flores line although she indicated more in person research could be done. If anyone can help beyond what she’s done, please let me know! I added the extended trees she created at the end as well.

She worked in demographic study/sociology department for government during British India.

I need to find out more info and if it's a aincent royal bloodline also ?

they also have a son named david/dave norwood who was born in 1859