As family historians, we are often confronted with what we like to call "brick walls." These are those family lines that we just can't seem to get anywhere with. You know them. They're those stubborn ancestors that just refuse to be found and that we suspect were either dropped off or abducted by aliens. While the alien solution may explain a lot in some cases, it can be extremely difficult to document. (Aliens may be part of very advanced civilizations, but they are terrible at record keeping. There's just not enough room on the mother ship.)*
These are my own "Brick Walls" that I hope someday, some small clue will lead me to an answer. Maybe you have that clue?
First, I have to mention that I recently (2004) removed one of my oldest brick walls. It was on my 2nd Great Aunt Mary Powers, sister to Sarah Powers who married Louis Wilpolt.
Mary, or "Minnie" Powers can be found living with her parents and siblings in the 1860, 1870 and 1880 Census' and in 1886, she is listed as a witness to Louis and Sarah's wedding.
After that she disappeared.
No one in our family ever knew of her and until I came across a letter written 1970 by a distant cousin to another distant cousin he briefly mentioned the Powers family and that "Minnie was mother to Chester and Hattie Patterson. The Paterson family we have not heard from for years, don't know where they went, at one time I guess they resided in the state of Oregon." Well I spent 6 years looking for her and finally did find her death record! I still dont know her husband's first name or when they married. I am currently searching for any of their descendants!
They would be Harriet (Patterson) Stewart (about 1893- ?) who was married to Harry Stewart (born about 1894) they had a child named Arthur Stewart born in Oregon in about 1921. A second daughter of Minnie's is mentioned in her obit as Margaurite (Patterson) Gibbons (born about 1897) possibly married to Charles Gibbons. So, if you know of, or are related to any of these persons..PLEASE email me Jay .
BARBARA FELLER
BARBARA FELLER born January 17, 1851 in Osburg Germany. Her parents were Johannes FELLER and Catharina MICHELS. Her mother would die in 1871 and in 1872 her eldest brother Peter Feller would emigrate to the United States. Barbara, along with her widowed father Johannes and younger brother John would emigrate to the United States three years later, traveling on the ship SS RHEIN from Bremen to New York, arriving on May 10, 1875. Her age is listed as 24, traveling with Johann Feller (age 64) her father, and Johann Feller (age 17) her brother. In 1876 her brother Peter would marry Maria Krell. Her father would died shortly in 1878.No records can be found (YET) of Barbara Feller either getting married or dying.
More Brick walls to come!
*Opening paragraph from Juliana Smith's Daily News Column at Ancestry.com