IDTG

I am frequently asked by people how to go about their genealogical research. Many have not started at all while others have some bits and pieces of data but, not at all organized and mostly in their head.

With this blog post, I’m going to try to share the same advice I’ve given friends and others that have contacted me with this same question. It may be of value to you or not but, I have found it works for me.

Write down everything you know or think you know
This is very important. Be as detailed as possible. It will give you a good idea of what it is that you know about your family tree, relations, legends, stories, etc. This will allow you to identify gaps in your knowledge and will help create a road map of what you need to tackle. You may discover that you don’t know the birthdays of any of your cousins or that you don’t have the names of your mother’s cousins.

Attempt to put it in the form of a tree, what do you get?

After you’ve analyzed what you already know, you will be able to start asking the right questions

Don’t discount family stories/legends

We all have that family story of the great-great-grandad who was the King or Prince or was the richest person in town or owned all the land in a region or something like that. More often than not, this is complete hogwash. However, within these stories are grains of truth. It may be that great-great-grandad was not a prince but he was an officer that worked for him or worked at the prince’s favorite bar. Examine the story and see what can be discovered. You will ultimately prove or disprove the story, which is an achievement in itself, but you will also find the truth and some fascinating stories about your family.

Talk to senior family members

The only certainties in life are death and taxes. This is why it is important to make the most of the time we have with the eldest members of our family. They can be parents, uncles, grandparents, cousins, whatever they all have a story to tell. Spend some time with them and just have a conversation about the family. Don’t make it an interview or an interrogation, just let them talk. You’ll find that all they need is a reason to tell their stories and off they go!

I would recommend having a recorder handy to record the conversation, this way you won’t be worried about committing it memory or keeping notes and can focus on the actual story, asking questions when needed and steering them away from tangents.

Don’t worry about inconsistencies or contradictions. Have them go back to the same event from a different path and see if they say the same thing. You will also, hopefully, have the chance to compare with other elder family members.

Document, document, document

Did I say document already? Everything you do or find should be documented. Try to find proofs of whatever it is you are examining. These proofs can be birth/baptismal certificates, death certificates, marriage certs, wills, court decisions, video, pictures, anything. Pretend that your genealogical research will have to be presented in court, that should give you a good feel of how well to prepare.

If you ever plan on petitioning to join any sort of hereditary society, you will need at least a birth/baptismal, marriage, and death certificate for every person in every generation in the line in question, going back as far as possible.

Use good software

If you are doing it all in pen and paper, more power to you. For the rest of us that live in the current century, we like computers. I won’t go into the benefit of using a computer for this as it should be self evident but I will go into the importance of using the right software.

Some may prefer to use Word or Excel and some may have even gotten creative and are tracking things in an Access database you’ve built yourselves. Great! But, it’s not good enough. You need specialized software that can handle all the aspects of genealogical research, handles backups efficiently, is easy to use, can generate reports, perform searches, organize sources, and can support the standard data interchange formats that have been developed specifically for genealogical research.

There are a lot of options out there ranging from desktop only solutions to iPad apps to web based ones. Some are completely free while others are paid for and still others are in between. The choice is yours. I do strongly suggest that you try before you buy, to make sure it does what you need.
Supporting the standard data interchange, called GEDCOM, is crucial. Especially if you’re going to transfer your data from one application to another or what to share with another researcher/family member. Re-entering 10-20 people is a pain but doable. Re-entering 10,000 is reason enough to crawl into a corner and start crying.

Use online sources cautiously

Sites such as FamilySearch.org and Ancestry.com are amazing resources. However, one must exercise caution when using them and really examine the source information. If there are scanned images associated with the text, examine them. Never take anything at face value because mistakes can and do happen. This is more prevalent on sites such as Ancestry.com and Rodovid.org since individuals may basically enter whatever they want. For example, according to Rodovid.org I am a direct descendant of Poseidon, the Greek God of the sea!

Also, Google is a great tool. You never know what you may find simply searching on a name. Give it a try!

Patience

All the other stuff is important but, perhaps the most important thing to have when embarking on the journey of genealogical discovery is patience. This is a lifelong project and probably even longer. Disappointment abounds as do brick walls. However, patience and perseverance will help you push forward and make the discoveries that will make you feel it is all worth it. It IS worth it!

I hope this helps and I am open to discussing your own experiences. Feel free to post below in the comments section or shoot me an email.

The “Ίδρυμα Μείζονος Ελληνισμού” or “Foundation of the Hellenic World” is an international organization trying to maintain and support the Hellenic traditions alive wherever Greeks are found, anywhere in the world.

Greeks have set forth and populated lands far and wide, away from the tiny peninsula that is Greece, following a tradition of immigration that started thousands of years ago. Most of the Mediterranean coast as well as that of the Black Sea was first colonized by Greek settlers and the Greek spirit remained vibrant, through religious and political upheavals for over 2500 years and well into the 20th century!

Greeks spread out far beyond the confines of the Mediterranean and into the New World, settling in the Americas, as well as all the other continents.

Considering the very tumultuous history of the region Greece is in, it is not surprising that there has been so much movement throughout the centuries. However, Greeks have always tried to maintain the Hellenic spirit alive, through the generations, regardless of distance from Greece.

There have been three major migrations of Greeks to foreign lands:

• In antiquity, when the Greek city-states would colonize the Mediterranean and the Black Sea
• Around the time of the fall of Constantinople in 1453
• After the end of World War 2

As a result of all this movement, about half of the total world population that identifies itself as “Greek” (without counting those that are of Greek descent but identify themselves otherwise) resides outside of Greece.

The table below is a demonstration of the distribution of Greeks around the world. This table was taken from the Wikipedia article on Greeks and though it is fully referenced, the usual Wikipedia caveats apply.

By the way, notice how few Greeks are left in modern day Turkey: 2500. Whoever is familiar with the region’s history would realize what this means.

In recognition of this wide distribution around the world, the “Foundation of the Hellenic World” was created as a central organization to bring all these communities together and make sure contact with Greece is not lost.

As part of the work this foundation has undertaken is to record the oral histories of Greeks in their senior years and try to create some sort of genealogical reference database to assist those who are trying to find their roots. By making copies of documents, journals, periodicals and, most importantly, oral records of the senior most (in age) a database can be developed to be referenced by future generations.

As I have mentioned before, in my own genealogical research, finding records for Greek ancestors is a herculean task. Some of the highlights, in reverse chronological order:

• Turkish invasion of Cyprus of 1974: All records of the norther half of the island are lost
• Greek Civil War of 1945-1950: Government and Communist forces were destroying records to either take land or to hide family ties
• Nazi Occupation of 1940-1944: Nazi forces and Nazi collaborators were destroying records so as to steal lands legally owned by others
• The Greek Genocide of 1914-1923 by the Turks in modern day Turkey: Destroyed all remnants of Hellenism there (also check the table above to see how successful they were)
• Ottoman rule 1400′s to early 1900′s: Destroyed records of Christians, had a formal plan of Islamization and also violently suppressed any attempts to teach Greek or Greek history in an organized matter.

This is why it is so important for organizations such as these to continue their work and get all the support they need both from individuals and the Greek government.

The link to the Foundation’s home page is: http://www.ime.gr/

The link to the Genealogy and Oral History department is: http://genealogy.ime.gr/

As I have written many times before, I am a member of the extended Edwards family of Chile on my mother’s side. My maternal grandmother was a direct patrilineal descendant of the founder of the family in Chile, Jorge (George) Edwards Brown.

The Edwards family of Chile is of British origin and has a long and illustrious presence in that country, its members having been integral parts of Chile’s history, affecting it along the way at critical junctures.

As with any family, there are many legends surrounding the Edwards. The most prominant legend of them all is the one that links the Edwards to the Mostyn de Vaux family.

The legend has been repeated from generation to generation for a very long time. I remember, as a kid, my mother recounting the story and I know that all the family members took this legend as gospel.

So, what does this legend say?

According to the legend, George Edwards, the founder of the family:^[1]

• Was not just any British immigrant to Chile with a story of rags to riches.
• Was not the (illegitimate perhaps?) son of John Edwards and Elizabeth Brown, born in Shoreditch, London.
• Was the 4^th son of Lord Hugh Mostyn, Baron de Vaux y of Elizabeth O’Higgins

It appears that this story was first published in the book “Linajes vascos y montañeses en Chile” by Pedro Javier Fernández Pradel, published in 1930.^[2] This same story is then repeated in the book “Un alma cumbre: Juana Ross de Edwards” by Blanca Subercaseaux de Valdés, published in 1944.

 On page 16 of the book by Subercaseaux de Valdés, we find that there’s more to the story:^[1]

A diferencia de sus hermanos, [Jorge] no siguió la carrera de las armas sino que, apasionado por las ciencias naturales, estudió medicina en Eton, llegando a graduarse de médico en el Real Colegio de Físicos de Londres.

Pero Jorge Mostyn no vivía sólo para el laboratorio. A pesar de la oposición de sus padres, se casó con una célebre belleza, bailarina, o actriz, renunciando por ella, en pública escritura, a sus apellidos adoptando los muy comunes que usó desde entonces.

Habiendo fallecido a los pocos meses la esposa causante de eso graves trastornos familiares, y queriendo el joven distraer su pena y desengaño, se contrató de médico a bordo de una fragata rusa. Naufragada la fragata en las costas de Alaska, Lord Hugo pensó que se encontraba su hijo entre las víctimas del naufragio y así lo deja declarado en su testamento.

or in English

As opposed to his brothers, [George] did not follow a military career but instead, as he was passionate about the natural sciences, studied medicine at Eton and graduating as a medical doctor from the Royal College of Physicians in London.

However, George Mostyn had a life beyond the laboratory. Over his parents’ objections, he married a celebrated beauty, ballerina or actress renouncing, for her, in writing and publicly his family name and adopting the common surname he used ever since.

A few months later, the wife that caused this family turmoil died and the young man wanting to distract himself from the grief, joined the crew of a Russian frigate. This frigate shipwrecked on the Alaskan coast and Lord Hugh believed that his son was among the victims and states it in his will.

The source of the text above is the previously cited book by Fernández Pradel and the footnote include the following:^[1]

Da alguna luz sobre el linaje de don Jorge el oficio que, el 12 de Noviembre de 1806, redacta el doctor Hipólito de Villegas, subdelegado de Coquimbo, acusando al fisco (sic) inglés, Jorge Edwards de los Valles por creerlo, erradamente, comprometido en un contrabando cometido en Totoralillo. Es posible que en uno de los muchos interrogatorios a que fue sometido se le preguntara por su nombre y

contestara: ‘Jorge Edwards’ ¿que más? inquiriría el oficial, refiriéndose al apellido materno, según es costumbre entre nosotros, y entonces el interesado, acordándose de su apellido solariego, repondría: ‘de los Valles’. Ahora bien en ‘Burkes Peerage’, edición de 1914-1915, se hace mención de los Edwards de Vaux, (de los Valles, en francés) oriundo de Gales, rama filial de Mostyn

in English:

Some light is shed on the lineage of George the official document dated November 12, 1806 where Dr. Hipólito de Villegas, subdelegate of Coquimbo, accuses the British doctor, George Edwards “de los Valles” [from the valleys] of erroneously believing he was engaged in smuggling in Totralillo. It is possible that in one of the many interrogations he [George] was submitted to, he was asked for his name and he would respond: “George Edwards”. “What else?” would ask the official, referring to the maternal surname, as is customary among us, and he would respond, remembering his illustrious surname: “de los Valles”. As a matter of fact, in “Burke’s Peerage”, edition of 1914-1915, there is a listing for the Edwards de Vaux (“from the valleys” in French) originally from Wales, a branch of the Mostyn family

So, now we know what the legend says.

Let’s investigate at each part separately and see if there is any truth to it.

The obvious starting point is, naturally, also the most important: the title of “Baron de Vaux”.

In looking at the the series of volumes of Burke’s Peerage, we discover that the title of Baron de Vaux was in abeyance starting in 1662.^[3] It isn’t until 1838 that the title is restored in the person of George Mostyn, resident of Harrowden (a town close to Bedford, about 100klm from London).^[3]

Burke’s Peerage is also very helpful in this research as it lists the ancestry of George Mostyn. In this genealogical record, there isn’t a Hugh to be found in any of the generations listed, clearly contradicting what Subercaseaux de Valdés wrote in her book.^[3]

The logical conclusion here is that the core of the legend is not true because simply, there was no “Baron de Vaux” during the majority of the lifetime of George Edwards! George was born circa 1780 (120 year after the title became dormant and 60 before it was restore) and died circa 1848 (only 10 years after the restoration of the title).^[4]

At this point, we have enough evidence to tear down this whole myth. However, I enjoy the mental exercise so, let’s dig some more.

Let’s look at the source Subercaseaux de Valdés used, the book by Fernández Pradel. From here is the footnote in the former’s book that says that George Edwards responded “from the valleys”. Fernández Pradel concludes that this response can be nothing else by a reference to “de Vaux” since it is the French translation of the response.

Apparently, Fernández Pradel discounted the fact that George Edwards was British and his primary language was English and not French or Spanish.

Ask anyone from England or Wales what “from the valleys” means and they’ll tell you that it’s a reference to the valleys in the south of Wales. Coincidentally, this region is known for its coal mines, though a very respectable profession, not exactly a hallmark of nobility or aristocracy. Also, let’s not forget that “Edwards” is one of the more common surnames in Wales.

The myth now completely busted, it would be a good place to call it a day.

But, perhaps there are still some doubters out there. I mean, we’re talking about a family legend that people have sworn by for almost a century!

Therefore, my question is this: How come the Edwards family, that has counted among them some of the wealthiest entrepreneurs, most powerful politicians, most noted academics, most celebrated genealogists and most influential diplomats in the history of Chile never decided to look into this? How come a family with close, personal ties to the political leadership of the United Kingdom that sent its children to the UK to study and had its members as ambassadors of Chile to that country never took on this project?

Well…. they did!

Gabriel Vial Correa in his celebrated biography of Agustín Edwards MacClure (founder of the largest newspaper of Chile “El Mercurio”, Foreign Minister of Chile and Interior Minister of Chile among other highlights) says on pages 19 and 20 that at the time of death of Alberto Edwards Vives (noted historian, Minister of Finance, then Education, then Foreign Relations and finally Justice of Chile), an unsigned document appeared among his personal documents that detailed the alleged link of George Edwards with the de Vaux family.^[5]

A bit further down, Vial Correa adds:^[5]

La viuda de Alberto Edwards [Vives] hizo llegar el papel a nuestro biografiado [Agustín Edwards MacClure] – embajador entonces ante Gran Bretaña – que encargó investigarlo a un genealogista de fama, aunque de nombre casi impronunciable: Hargreaves-Mawdsley, el cual mediante una veintena de libra esterlina dictaminaría el año 1936. Los resultados de su investigación, dio, eran ‘notables’ pero lo ‘uniformemente negativos’. El documento anónimo no contenía nada verdadero.

in English:

The widow of Alberto Edwards [Vives] sent the document to the subject of this biography [Agustín Edwards MacClure], at the time ambassador to Great Britan, who took it to a famous genealogist with an almost unpronounceable name: Hargreaves-Mawdsley, and was charged 20 pounds sterling in 1936. The results of his [Hargreaves-Mawdsley's] investigation were “notable” but “uniformly negative”. The anonymous document did not contain any truth.

I think that the legend has now been checked from all possible angles and it is completely clear that the story of George Edwards being a “Mostyn de Vaux” is complete and utter fantasy!

I’ve wanted to publish my research here for the longest time and only recently did I find the time to put all my notes together into a cohesive and comprehensible article.

The true history of George Edwards, or as he was known in Chile: Jorge Edwards Brown, is much more interesting. His life is an example of human tenacity and demonstrates that any person, regardless of their past or heritage or social status, can become wildly successful and conquer the highest peaks. Denying him the recognition of his achievements is an affront to his legacy and to the honor of the Edwards family, my family.

References:

1. Subercaseaux de Valdés, Blanca (1944). Un alma cumbre: Juana Ross de Edwards. Padre Las Casas: San Francisco. p. 16
2. Fernández Pradel, Pedro Javier (1930). Linajes vascos y montañeses en Chile. Santiago de Chile: San Rafael.
3. Burke, John Bernard (1852). A genealogical and heraldic dictionary of the peerage and baronetage of the British Empire (14 ed.). London: Colburn and Co. p. 1005.
4. Barrios Barth, Juan (1993). “Extranjeros llegados a la Serena durante el siglo pasado (3a. Parte)”. Revista de Estudios Históricos 37: 274.
5. Vial Correa, Gonzalo (2009). Agustin Edwards Mac Clure. Santiago de Chile: Aguilar Chilena De Ediciones (Mercurio Aguilar). pp. 19-20. ISBN 9789562396875.

Links of interest:

• Wikipedia entry on the Edwards family of Chile
• Wikipedia entry on George Edwards
• Wikipedia entry on the barony of Vaux 

As announced by Michael Merrigan, General Secretary of the Genealogical Society of Ireland:

A Chairde,

The June 2011 issue of ‘Ireland’s Genealogical Gazette’ the monthly newsletter of the Genealogical Society of Ireland is available on http://www.docstoc.com/docs/81609281 and on the Society’s website http://www.familyhistory.ie

Featured in this issue:

• “Is Féidir Linn” with Imagination, Innovation and Inclusivity.
• Fiftieth Anniversary & No Redaction
• Ireland 1815-1870 – Emancipation, Famine and Religion (review) http://www.fourcourtspress.ie
• Summer Cemetery Project
• GSI Lectures 2011
• GSI Board News and Events
• In Memoriam
• James Scannel Reports…
  • World War 1 Veteran Dies
  • Looting of U-Boat Wreck
  • District Nurses
• Préis of the May Lecture
• GSI Membership Package
• Diary Dates
• ‘Raids and Rallies’
• Launch of Munster Landed Estates Database
• Medal Society of Ireland
• Academic Books Wanted http://www.books4vijecnica.com
• Railway History

For further information on the Society please see http://www.familyhistory.ie

Mise le meas,

_________________

Michael Merrigan, MA, FGSI
General Secretary / Rúnaí Ginearálta
Cumann Geinealais na hÉireann
Genealogical Society of Ireland

Heraldic and genealogical studies have the distinction of requiring high academic standards in its research, to be taken seriously, but there is very little formal training and education available from traditional educational institutions. The vast majority of us in these fields are amateurs, in the original sense of the word (look it up).

Therefore, it is exciting to see that some universities take these fields seriously enough to establish some educational programs around them.

The list below is not intended to be comprehensive or all inclusive but, it will be an ever growing list (kind of like the list of heraldic artists I have):

• University of Strathclyde: Offers a Genealogical Studies Postgraduate Programme offering postgraduate certificates and diplomas via distance education. Graduates of the Diploma program have the option to continue their education and receive a MSc.
• University of Dundee: Offers a Heralrdy Course (only) that is part of its Postgraduate Certificate in Family and Local History, or as part of the University of Dundee’s Masters degree in Archives and Records Management.
• Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia (UNED): A top Spanish university, offers three levels of education via distance education at a postgraduate level also that covers not only heraldry and genealogy but also nobiliary law. The levels are “Expert”, “Specialist” and “Master” in the mentioned areas. Naturally, the language of the program is Spanish.

At this point, I’d like to quote Martin Goldstraw from his excellent Cheshire Heraldry blog where he said:

Courses of this nature can’t be a bad thing however I can’t help but think that once universities get involved we are only one step away from the view often nowadays held by academics that unless one has a recognised qualification in a particular subject one can’t possibly know anything about it.

I agree with this sentiment and would hate for this happen.