RECORDS JUST ADDED 2022

INTRODUCTION: Go to the bottom of page for latest reports on new records just added.

What follows is a report over the year, some my own travel reports, and total records added for each country.

Happy New Year, everyone! It is January, and I am busy doing year end counts, and setting new goals. Having a focus really helps make life more enjoyable. I will change this introduction a bit, from time to time, to record a bit of history that is occurring.

Light snow dusting the ground here in Western Ontario, Canada with lots more of the white stuff as expected in January and February. Temps outside just now at -8 C in early January, but did plunge to -20 C later on. Usually it ranges from about 0 C to -8, with lots of mild spells. I am in a snow belt, milder than the region where my daughter lives way up north. She reports it is -30 C all the time. Gas at the pumps was $1.34 per litre unleaded. It leaped up to $1.55 by end of February. Heading to $1.69 in March. At $2.00/litre in mid May.

COVID pandemic was the milder variant, Omicron infections during January, but gladly fading by March. Still with us in May but new variants. Demonstrators, hating restrictions, caused huge upsets across Canada, especially in Ottawa. Prime Minister Trudeau declared an Emergency Situation to get special powers to end the crisis. Just as one problem seems to end, another one arises in Europe. Russia has just invaded Ukraine. The military crisis fills news reporting.

I feel that 4,938 Military Records are the most underused section of this website. A retired military nurse I know helped those fleeing terrible fires last year and is doing more volunteer work during this one. What a challenge to come up higher.

Thanks, son, my techie, who just provided a new email for the contact page to speed your requests for information or comments. He is developing a new Tech Information U-tube videos website.

I am a fan of John Campbell’s insights of the world-wide pandemic situation. Plus there are lots of medical teaching U-tube videos on his website. He says along with vaccinations, a milder Omicron infection can build immunity to deadlier Delta variant, wiping it out. His interview with a specialist confirmed that strong, natural protection occurs if one overcomes an Omicron infection.

Here it is March and the Ukraine crisis fills the news. I want to recommend two organizations who are offering practical help for those who are suffering:

Samaritan’s Purse has just airlifted two field hospitals with staff and have set up and are receiving the wounded and anyone who is sick. Pray for protection of all. In May they are flying Ukrainians to Canada.

Joyce Meyer Ministries is also involved through the Hand of Hope crisis ministry. I enjoy her daily broadcast from her website. Very encouraging and strengthening.

Happy Saint Patrick’s Day. I am very proud of my Irish roots. Don’t forget my Scottish ones either. I report on that through DNA testing from Ancestry.

Congratulations to the parents of two baby boys whose births, in my family connections, occurred during April and May 2022. Neither had the last name Gillespie, but close relatives of younger generations.

Summer is passing and a lot of rain and thunderstorms during August, even two tornado warnings. Gas did go way up to $2.00/litre but has dropped now to $1.59…but it has been all over the place this year in Ontario. Reports from Alberta recently said regular gas was $1.39 per litre at the pumps for unleaded.

The leaves are starting to change already way up north and it is cold reports my daughter. She lives in an area that will get snow in October, whereas here it will not likely appear before the first week of November.

The bird migration is in full display as September nears, although I only get glimpses of it from where I live. It puzzles me when a flock arrives from the southwest heading north. Are they going to land on the shoreline nearby to feed, I wonder? Much too high, I think. Very confusing. I have only ever seen flocks coming from the north to feed overnight, then continue on their way southwest. I am so happy with a family of chickadees at my waterer on my balcony garden. A pair of red cardinals visit the bird feeder handing below my deck. I changed the solution in my hummingbird feeder for the last time, just in case a passing bird needs strengthening on its long journey to Mexico. A lovely butterfly passed by, but disappeared before I could put out some food for it. Only one this whole year.

Fall is here and the trees begin to change colour. I leave on a trip soon so was checking the Parks Canada report on where the colour change is noticeable. I harvested the last of my veggies from my balcony garden yesterday, end of September, with only flowers in bloom left. We are about to be hit with a cold blast, says the weather report. Rain twice this week has dampened the ground helping the perennials and trees prepare for the winter. I’ll add tulip time planting in my Gardening Tips column, while just settling some just planted in pots in the bottom of my fridge.

Late October: Rain almost every day it seems. Tree leaves are falling rapidly as temperatures drop to near zero C….Christmas tree and greenery to balcony edge put outside, and bird feeders filled and lots of big and little birds coming and going. Love the little ones, like Goldfinch, Sparrows but Chickadees snatch and go frequently. Blue Jay gobbles a mouth full in a quick snatch and leaves. Morning doves and a few pigeons land on the outer deck area to find the seeds dropped from the feeders. Red Cardinals look, but so far just land and leave. Fun watching them out the living room window from my desk.

I am hunting a solar system to run the pond pump and heater, but nothing small enough found so far. No big battery, no generator to be used. Snow gets very deep here in this western area close the Great Lakes. Sleet this morning by 4:00 am. I rarely go outside just now and am enjoying finding newer obits to catch up on my Ontario Gillespie records.

Chose a battery pack that is portable but packed with power, small enough to fit in my hand. Can power all my electronics at once, so great for travel. No solar needed for this project, although there is great video on portable ones on U-tube. Just checked all connections, and yes, everything is ready for about the 15th of November. when I will plug the extension cord into the power pack every evening for a few hours. Have to build or find a storage box and keep the battery warm out there in the snow and cold), but am very happy with this purchase. (found one and lined it with stiff styrafoam, and made a piece to cover the lid. Even bought a brick to hold it all in place, cause the winds are strong sometimes so high up.

Ukraine family fleeing the violence moved into this neighbourhood a few doors away. Man, woman, baby and toddler. A professional who has lost everything and trying to start life all over again. Volunteers have been arriving to set up the house for them. The rest of us area voting now for Municipal governments across Ontario, local Councils.

Late November: Deep snow now and cold temperatures hover around freezing or 1 C for over a week. First snow fall occurred on November 13th here in Western Ontario, Canada. It has snowed almost every day since. I live near the Great Lakes and appear to be in a deep snow region. I turn the Christmas lights on the balcony on every evening, but after a week now the power pack only keeps them on for an hour to an hour and a half. Tried all kinds of adjustments to no avail. Simply not strong enough. I live and learn.

Just went out to shovel snow from my balcony and replace the bird feeders with only those protected by metal, and a suet feeder. Some mixed grain to the big covered bird feeder. I sprinkle seed on the balcony floor lightly for birds who won’t go to the feeders – a few pigeons and morning doves in particular. They will have to discover how to come closer to the house to find this food for them. Gradually four or five pigeons keep coming, but haven’t seen mourning doves for some time. They seem very shy and intimidated by the more aggressive birds. Learning if there is a pecking order of the birds that do enjoy visiting my open bird feeder and hanging ones.

I am expecting a return of the four black squirrels with whom I have quarrelled repeatedly. I removed everything about three weeks ago to get rid of them finally and was relieved. But I see the great need of the feathered flock and must respond.

God sees the little sparrow fall, says the Bible and song, I know God cares for the birds. So I do, too. So, I just let come at will whoever shows up. Maybe there are lessons to be learned even about squirrels. To think that God loves us despite our faults and failures. He sees beyond the outer appearance, knows all, and keeps on loving. May we do the same.

This Website Genealogy Records:

January 1st, 2022 Standings

USA – 9,501 records
Canada – 9,143 records
Ireland – 7,787 records
Scotland – 5,071records
Military – 4.838 records

This year, I’ll keep things together, simply adding to each section rather than month by month reports, with a bit of travel dialogue. Watch the totals change over time. New sections and columns introduced will be added at the bottom of the page. If you are wondering where else to research, take a glance at sources for records on bottom of each page.

Click on green highlighted country names below in this list to find records.

AFRICA – 3 records

Last time I was in Africa, I landed briefly by plane in Egypt. Didn’t see much except from the skies. Enjoyed the outline of Ethiopia and the Red Sea when flying from India to Aden in Arabia, then on to land in Alexandria in Egypt, and continuing on to Europe.

South Africa: 2 marriages; 1 death

ASIA – 54 new records

China:

one death record for Hong Kong

India:

India’s 2020 population is 1.38 billion people. I lived for two years in India after travelling overland from Belgium through the Middle East from Turkey to Iran, then up over the mountains and down to the Caspian Sea. Lovely highway from Herat, Afghanistan through Kandahar, to Kabul for a rest. Then down the Khyber Pass to Pakistan, and finally further south to Bombay. A year there, then travelling all over, up to Nepal for 3 months, then back down to Delhi to finish in the states of Gujarat and Rajasthan. This journey was shared with photos in more detail on this site, but has since been withdrawn into privacy. A lifetime ago, 1968 to 1970 when India still had the flavour of the British Empire, and parts of those countries had not yet been blown apart.

(This section includes Aden in early records here, as it was part of British Empire). Yemen today, Middle East.

Births 21 records
Marriages 17 records
Deaths/Burials 11 records (165 Gillespies are buried in India; earliest presence so far a death in Calcutta 1748)

Sri Lanka or Ceylon: 3 deaths/burials

Thailand: 1 Australian burial, PNG

AUSTRALIA: 350 new records

Australia’s 2020 population is 25 million and a bit.

link to death record index for all Australia’s newspapers.
Added record of 1798 prisoner to Australia on Passenger Lists, which is earliest record so far.
NSW: 1 Birth record; 34 Marriages; 39 Deaths
Queensland: 257 deaths
Victoria: 4 Deaths
Western Australia: 2 marriages
No location given: 4 marriages

See a note under Military on this page.

CANADA: 376 new records

2021 census reports Canada’s population is 14,826, 000.

Nova Scotia Births, Marriages, Deaths =76 new records. Why begin in the Maritimes? Because so many people are moving there, says the news and it caught my attention. I visited the Atlantic Provinces in 2019, and remember the Titanic burials in Halifax that moved me so deeply. After all this time, (1912) many passengers buried there have not been identified. People lay roses on Jack’s grave, even though he isn’t the one from the movie.

Manitoba: 5 deaths
New Brunswick 2 marriages; 22 deaths
Newfoundland 1 death
Nova Scotia 1 marriage; 1 death
Prince Edward Island 3 births, 4 deaths
Quebec 1 birth; 2 marriages, 4 deaths
Ontario 37 marriages; 194 deaths
Alberta 10 deaths
British Columbia 4 marriage; 5 deaths
Saskatchewan 4 deaths

Someone has contacted this office wanting to contact Kathy, wife and family of Allister Gillespie of Rockwood, Manitoba who died 1971 in an airplane crash in Northern Ontario.

CARIBBEAN -10 new records

Cuba: listing of 5 Gillespie passengers on ships arriving or departing from Havana

Jamaica:

train wreck killed a Gillespie 1939.
Soldier identified for World War I St Ann’s Parish, Jamaica listed under Military
2 burials in Biggar Park Cemetery, Jamaica, including Major John Gilbert Gillespie from World War II.

Virgin Islands: 1 death record

CENTRAL AMERICA

No new records found.

I flew to Cancun, Mexico for March break 2015 in order to catch the bus to BELISE. Not the gorgeous ocean side resorts, but local hotel accommodation. Figured out the transit system and sat with locals on buses as I explored the city. My main focus was moving south, so I caught the bus to the border, airconditioned and comfortable as any here, but glad I had brought my travel blanket and pillow.

Stopped at the border. Charged $25 to be able to cross into the new country, frustrating a lot of passengers in the middle of the night. Same thing happened coming back but by then I knew what to expect. Search of suitcases was as usual, but I noticed the guy ahead of me had been rejected, and gone outside, while the rest of us got on the bus again to leave. We waited a bit and surprisingly, the guy came back on board, so we left. I leaned forward to ask him what happened. He told me he slipped some money in his passport and tried a second time, and viola.

I stayed in a very poor hostel beside a river in the capital city of Belise, but explored on foot. The smelly drain ditches were not so nice in this area. However they soon disappeared as I walked closer to the rich hotels along the shoreline. Cruise ships were anchored a bit off shore, but lots of tourists wandering about. The transit station left much to be desired, very busy, but I was able to make my connection for a bus trip south to another community near the Guatemala border. The drive was nice, and lots of tropical vegetation abounded.

The hostel I stayed at was recommended, the room small but adequate, and meals local and strengthening.. Had several nice day trips to see Mayan ruins, and a spice farm, and enjoyed a really lovely meal at a more upscale resort. It was interesting in the town to watch villagers line up to pay to use a man’s cell phone to make calls.

I enjoyed learning different gardening techniques as my landlord had a bit of a plantation. Fresh fruit abounded. The local dogs were everywhere just wandering about during the day, but extremely vicious at night. I learned how nasty when I was being shown around someone’s new home construction. He led me past two chained animals he owned. Suddenly, one was in full attack. I was cornered, and the dog he grabbed my lower leg, biting viciously. I fell forward out his reach. It terrified me. After having the wounds cleaned and bandages by others, I left as quickly as possible. I don’t like this part of the world at all, anxious about snakes in the grass and lack of security. The deep poverty is unending, yet the men have gorgeous vehicles, especially big trucks, parked beside their huts or cheap homes. One of the men who drove me around on trips, a US vet from Vietnam, was later murdered I heard. Romance was definitely in the air, although I gently held it off by leaving for my flight, I got a gorgeous red rose to smell, nonetheless. Oh, I was very glad to get back on Canadian soil.

ENGLAND & Channel Islands = 39 new records

See my notes under Scotland for my last trip to England, Wales and Scotland in 2014. I travelled independently, using a train pass for most of it. Great adventure for a senior seeking her roots, and visiting the places I had been studying.

England: (also Isle of Wight)

Births 7
Marriages 7
Deaths: 24

Jersey:

Deaths 1

EUROPE:

Denmark – death records of several people with last name Gilleb = I have never seen this before as a variant of Gillespie, and don’t think it is, but of interest, wondering the name’s origin.

I travelled Europe in my youth with an international organization. Time in France deeply moved me, as I visited old military graveyards, walked the tunnels that World War I soldiers did. My main trip was from the Italian border along the Riviera, past Monaco along the beach highway to Marseilles. North by car to Paris, learning to keep my left hand up with my right on a table while eating (from days of duelling). Speaking a lot of school French with locals, but getting understood at last and improving.

IMMIGRATION & PASSENGER LISTS = 60

two new records for 1700s
see Cuba for arriving and departing passenger lists
Once you find a name of someone going through Ellis Island, New York which peaked in 1907, how to find more detailed information about an entry is explained on Steve More’s Website.

Reviewed 1900 to 1910 arrivals at port of Quebec

1903 1 new record
1905 2 records
1906 3 records
1907 3 records
1908 2 records
1909 2 records
1910 5 records = includes a family from Australia arriving in Canada.

Movement of British troops to far reaches of British Empire now being added. New records just added for years: 1798, 1806; 1808 1811; 1814; 1815; 1816; 1817; 1818; 1821; 1822; 1825; 1827; 1833; 1834;1837; 1838; 1840; 1851;1863.1870; 1872;1878′. 1879;

IRELAND: 265 new records

Ireland’s current population 2022 is 4,937,786 people, just at that 5 million point.

In Dublin, my first stop was to Trinity College Library to see the famous Book of Kells, the ancient manuscripts containing the four Gospels of the Vulgate Bible from the 9th Century. They were donated to the library in 1661 where they have remained ever since. That first night, after shopping along Grafton & O’Connell Streets, I discovered someone had stolen my Visa, and thus ended my plans to pick up a rental car and head out to visit some castles. Oh, that was a shock. My new motto is always have a backup plan.

Instead I headed to the train station and headed north to Belfast. I passed through the countryside rapidly and easily sometimes in brief out bursts of rain. Then into the sunshine of the coast, the sea always appearing on the right and then the north from time to time. Locals asked me where I was staying in Londonderry and explained the city is divided into the Catholic and Protestant sectors, and shopping in the middle. It was here I found out about a special bus pass, which I picked up the next day, and headed out to explore the regions around the rest of the emerald island. I was eager to see the land of my ancestors near Five Mile Town

Hauling a heavy suitcase proved a real downer until I asked a stationmaster if I could leave it at the station for awhile and went off to explore Galway, one of my favourite shopping enjoyments. Further south, I picked up some more currency at the airport in Shannon then booked into an Irish bed and breakfast near the Blarney Castle in County Cork. I was tuckered out, and stayed here three days with a group of Canadians visitors like myself. My Irish hostess was married to a Canadian, and they took me with them to church on Easter Sunday. Delightful music (including an Irish jig I later introduced to the folk at home), and a reception and great meals during my stay. I’d love to share an earlier adventure in Sligo, but this brief travelogue limits that. Many adventures.

Suddenly I discovered just how powerful religion is in Ireland when I was unable to continue on my bus journey towards Wexford and the east coast. Public transport stopped abruptly while people went off to celebrate. I found a train ride that cut across the centre of the land to take me back to Dublin, but missed most of the view being deep in conversation with Irish locals on the train. Loved those talks.

A quiet afternoon rest on St Stephen’s Green in Dublin with beautiful flowers and trees was so soothing. I almost missed my return flight home to Toronto as a group of us waited in a lounge at the airport. I wondered where everyone was, so rechecked the flight board to discover the lounge had been changed, so a small group of us rushed to the new one just in time to board for that long flight across the Atlantic. Ah, so much more!!! What a trip. Lightened name indicates where new records added.

No location: 1 marriage

Co Antrim: 9 Marriages; 8 death Records

Co Armagh: 3 births; 7 marriages; 6 deaths

Belfast: 1 Birth; 6 Marriages; 20 obits

Co Cork: 1 death record

Co Donegal: 3 birth; 21 marriages; 42 death records (see comments under New Zealand)

Co Down: 8 Births; 18 Marriages; 5 deaths

Dublin: 1 birth; 2 marriage; 2 deaths

Co Fermanagh: 5 Marriages; 17 deaths; Name of early RC Priest

Co Kildare: 1 marriage

Co Londonderry: 1 birth; 5 marriages

Co Louth: 6 deaths

Co Mayo: 2 births; 2 Marriage; 8 deaths

Co Meath: 2 births

Co Monaghan: Added link to family history of an early Gillespie family near Clones plus 14 death records

Co Roscommon: 11 death record

Co Sligo: 2 marriages; 4 deaths

Co Tyrone: 1 Birth; 2 marriages; 9 deaths

A wonderful study on the Immigration Scheme of the 17th Century involving Northern Ireland, Scotland and England. For history buffs who want a deeper insight. If this link goes dead, find it on the Ulster Historical Foundation website. Notice they are offering workshops across the USA this year.

NEW ZEALAND: 47 new records

A special thanks to two New Zealand researchers’ inquires this month, one of whom identified the journey of an early Irish family from Co Donegal to the USA then to Australia and final settlement in New Zealand in the mid 1850-1860s. The origins of early Gillespie Scots to New Zealand is known, but this was a wonderful find for early Irish from Donegal. To respond, when I into the Archives to make a new chart where people from Donegal went across the world, I discovered that Shrove, Co Donegal is spelled two other ways in records on this website, but is identified with Moville on the Inishowen Peninsula.

Baptisms: 17, all Presbyterian
Marriages: 27 all Presbyterian
Deaths: 3

SCOTLAND: 273 new records

Scotland population 2019 reported 5.454 million people.

I last visited Scotland in 2014 and remember Edinburgh in particular and the train station where I arrived, and where later I caught the bus to the airport. Hostels in both Glasgow & Edinburgh were both good, affordable accommodations with large private rooms in both. Skies very grey in mid April, and hills very barren of trees. Glad to hear of reforestation plans. Presbyterian church visit was a lonely one with almost no one in its pews, but gave me a feel for a part of our ancestor’s lives. Food costs were terribly high. I enjoyed a lovely hot breakfast at a hotel only to realize with exchange I had just spent $25 for that the first meal of the day, shocking a thrifty country girl back then. I expect prices have probably leaped up even more.

I was budgeting $150 Canadian a day on a 14-day trip (after paying flights) which now seems quite a bargain but took careful planning. As it was, I upped that a bit when I got there. My bus trip with a tour operator got cancelled, they refunded my money and I had to suddenly plan my trip from scratch. So glad I did. It is nice to have comforts of everything taken care of, but this way I got to talk with locals and learned a lot.

The train up to Inverness and around the coastline back to Aberdeenshire gave me a lovely glimpse into the countryside and the ocean. I was using a train pass, never made a reservation, and often got a lovely hot sub and drink at train stations for a luncheon on board. Sat at a table at my seat to write in my diary, take photos, and enjoyed the sense of adventure as a senior, as I explored the British Isles on my own. Left Edinburgh on a flight to Ireland.

Aberdeenshire: 1 marriage; 3 deaths
Angus: 1 birth; 1 marriage; 1 death
Argyll 2 marriages; 1 death record
Ayrshire: 14 Births; 18 marriages; 3 deaths
Bute: 1 marriage
Dumfriesshire: 1 birth record; 4 marriage records; 2 deaths
East Lothian 1 birth; 1 marriage; 2 death record
Edinburgh: 3 marriages; 14 death records
Fife: 2 births; 3 marriages; 2 deaths
Glasgow: 20 marriages
Isle of Islay, Argyll: 1 birth; 3 marriages
Kirkcudbright: 1 death
Lanarkshire: 1 birth; 26 marriages; 8 deaths
Midlothian: 1 marriage
Perthshire: 7 marriages; 1 death
Renfrewshire: 9 marriages; 6 deaths
Roxburghshire: 1 marriage
Stirlingshire: 3 births; 71 marriages; 1 death
West Lothian: 3 marriage records; 5 deaths

Miscellaneous Birth Records of Illegitimate babies whose Gillespie mothers went to court for support, naming father. 59 records, even one on Islay,

SOUTH AMERICA – 31 new records

Argentina: 30 births, marriages & deaths

Falkland Islands: 1 birth record

USA: 558 new records

USA 2020 population report 329.5 million people.

Alabama: 2 death
Arizona 5 marriages; 2 obits
Arkansas: 2 death records
California: 5 death records
Delaware: 1 adoption record
Florida: 34 death records
Georgia: 1 Marriage; 2 death record
Idaho: 16 marriages
Illinois: 7 marriages; 1 death records
Kansas: 2 marriages
Kentucky: 1 death record
Louisiana: 1 obit
Maine: 5 marriages
Massachusetts: 14 marriages
Michigan: 1 adoption record; 3 marriages; 37 deaths
Mississippi 4 death records
Missouri 1 marriage record
Montana 1 marriage
New York: 2 births; 9 marriages.
North Carolina: 8 marriages; 1 death
Ohio: 1 obit
Pennsylvania: 15 marriages; 2 death records; 1 adoption record
South Carolina: 1 marriage; 11 obits
Tennessee: 1 adoption record; 263 marriages
Texas: 2 adoption records
Utah: 46 marriages
Vermont: 1 marriage; 1 death record
Washington State: 1 marriage
West Virginia: 7 marriages; 37 obits

GILLESPIE NAME:

Added a listing of variant, or alternative spellings for the last name Gillespie that may be found on records on this website

GILLESPIE DNA PROJECT:

Just added further details about Gillespie blood lines on the Classic Chart (click on link) showing DNA profiles of many families, including that of my brother. My profile from Ancestry DNA also done.

MILITARY: 1 new record

World War I British West Indies Regiment included E Gillespie from St Ann Parish in Jamaica. See also a burial in Jamaica for a Major John Gilbert Gillespie from World War II

Ottawa held celebrations on Saturday, April 9, 2022 to commemorate the 105th anniversary of the Battle of Vimy Ridge, which stands as one of Canada’s most decisive military victories, World War I. About 100,000 Canadian soldiers attacked the Germans from the morning of April 9 to April 12, 1917, and succeeded in capturing the ridge. But the battle didn’t come without suffering; Canada saw 10,600 casualties in the battle — nearly 3,600 of which were fatal.

A Canadian Soldier, Private V Gillespie d 1919 on memorial or burial in Co Sligo, Ireland.

Provided link about history of William Gillespie of New York and Connecticut, a Confederate Soldier during American Revolution.

British military troops on ships heading to India and other areas = very early records added to Immigration & Passenger Lists.

A researcher has contacted me to try to reach the family today of a World War II soldier. Noel C Gillespie VX43855 became a prisoner of war in Thailand and died there in 1943. Two postcards he wrote from Thailand to his mother, Mrs GE Gillespie in Elsternwick (suburb of Melbourne) and Swan Hill, Victoria, Australia dated 1941 and 1942 have been found. Wanting to return these cards to the family.

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See top menu bar for next section below:

Music: 4 new records

Gillespie Musicians & Composers

EASTER CELEBRATION in song…..Hallelujah! New song to enjoy to strengthen and uplift you.

Techie Stuff – (removed)

See top menu bar as my son, who manages this website, provides utube videos and discussion on this subject on his new website. Not my area of expertise at all, so I’m going to be learning a lot myself. Wish I could keep things aligned neatly on this page, cause numbers and photos leap out of place even though I have them lined up perfectly. No tabbing. I call it the computer ghost doing its thing again.

Studying u-tube videos about Elementor which helps one make websites more attractive. Very impressive. My interest is learning how to have a U-tube channel for educational purposes, possibly something more. Because I am not techie by nature (groan), it takes me some time to learn from others before starting online classes. Gathering equipment and learning the ropes. I have operated a sound board for a church, so know some basics, but give me a bit of time to get this right. Also trying to set up a U-tube channel for streaming videos, but not as easy as it seems.

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See right side of each page;

BLOGGING:

An educational element, now being listed down the right hand side under title Posts. Month by month

JUST FOR FUN

I love British Drama and received a subscription to BritBox.com for Christmas. As a spinoff from Father Brown, who is a Roman Catholic priest who solves murders in the Cotswolds, is a new series St Boniface Mysteries, using a Catholic nun as the main star. The local copper is Sam Gillespie……

What a great way to see the scenery of England, enjoy the humour and there is lots of it, plus stimulate the mind through great entertainment based on solving mysteries. Just my cup of tea. Don’t forget the old favourites like Agatha Christie’s Poirot and Miss Marple, and Downtown Abbey, and much more.

OTHER:

PIANO LESSONS – “learning to play by ear” is the phrase we often hear. Lots of great musicians can play classical pieces from the printed page, but may need guidance how to apply the knowledge you already have without any script. The basics first for everyone, and then how to build from there.

GARDENING TIPS: Added a new column about gardening on a balcony, and new ideas I am trying this year. The changes one has to make as seasons change. Each year I grow new plants as well as old favourites, but mainly salad veggies, a few herbs and some flowers for colour. Zone 6a.

MORE GARDENING: I introduce birding and problems with squirrels, and finding an alternative source of power for my balcony where no AC plug-in exists. Preparing for an Emergency during the winter.

MEMORIES OF COE HILL, my home town. Last year my two brothers and I published our growing up remembrances in a book: The Gillespie Family of Coe Hill. Now I am gathering Coe Hill Obituaries and finding military war history of soldiers from the Coe Hill area. Ongoing for some time, as difficulty identifying some of the men in official records.

Finding Obituaries: Many Ontario funeral homes are now shutting off access to older obits beyond a two-year limit. This means we may be losing those records for genealogy research. I have yet to explore much further at the moment because of current demands, but anticipate this may increase. Let this be an alert to everyone who wants to preserve history. May I challenge those of you who do the work of adding obituaries to the Internet to keep access open and free to the public (charges now to gain access, if at all). How much they are appreciated and needed for current and future generations.

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Quick Summary

September records . Most are marriages (MR) but also a few births (BR). – reflected in totals added above for each country:

Australia: 39 No location; NSW; Western Australia
Canada: 6 Nova Scotia 1 MR. 1 DR; Quebec MR; New Brunswick;
Ireland: 29 Antrim, Armagh; Belfast, Down; Donegal, Dublin, Down, Mayo, Meath, Sligo
Scotland: 84 Argyll; 6 Ayr BR; 6 Ayr MR: Glasgow; No location marriage; Dumfries, East Lothian, Edinburgh, Lanarkshire; Midlothian; Perthshire, Renfrewshire; Stirlingshire
USA: 172 Arizona; Idaho; Illinois; Kansas; Maryland; Massachusetts, Michigan, New York, North Carolina; Pennsylvania, Tennessee; Utah; West Virginia’

October

Scotland: 12 Stirlingshire MR
Canada: 85 Ontario Current Obits: N Ontario; Carleton, Kingston, Peterborough; Northumberland; York Region; Toronto; Halton; Simcoe: Wellington Co, Waterloo, Brant, Niagara, Kent Co

November: added travel logs for Africa, India and Central America. Working on Coe Hill World War I soldiers and their backgrounds, so those who sacrificed their lives might be remembered, and their families from that village and area. I love my home village where I grew up. Memories are so important as you grow older, and some of my best ones are from that period. I didn’t realize that some of the people I knew had served overseas in the Great Wars. But I did know that the evergreen trees surrounding the graveyards were planted by the men before they left. It will be my final resting place, but in the meantime, each of us does our little bit in preserving history and enjoying life in the process.

Coe Hill Obituaries: now over 500 local folk listed, who lived in the area. Many who are buried in the two village cemeteries and several outlying ones. Not yet done. Also working on 1911 census for Wollaston Township, Hastings County, Ontario so one can see the earliest families in the Coe Hill village and outlying road residences.

Date New Records Total Count

Jan 1 42,843

Jan 1st adjustment 43,234

Adjustment as to total genealogy records on this site, rechecked thoroughly, with a new count of. 43,234.

This Month Web TOTAL New records

January 348 43,582 348

February 702 44,254 1050

March 464 44,718 1514

April 102 44,820 1616

May 103 44,923 1719

June 6 44,929 1725

Adding new records on hold due to summer travel, family needs. Postings continue, as well as answering inquiries. Enjoying life and exploring new adventures

September 325 45,254 2,050

October 97 45, 351 2,147

November – all spent looking for Coe Hill obituaries and soldiers from my home town. My Mom is the only Gillespie in all of this hunt.

December: Year End Reports. Page Counts. Closings.

2022 Web Summary

LOCATION	HITS MAIN PAGE	RECORDS	MAIN INTEREST	SECOND INTEREST
AFRICA	641	482	South Africa	Zimbabwe
ASIA	719	543	Afghanistan	India
AUSTRALIA	477	2858	New South Wales	Queensland
CANADA	765	9961	Ontario	New Brunswick
CARIBBEAN	344	52
CENTRAL AMERICA	165	39	Mexico
ENGLAND	340	1318	Marriages
EUROPE	245	44	Austria	Finland
IRELAND	754	6155	Co Donegal	Co Mayo
MIDDLE EAST	247	26	Cyprus	Iraq
NEW ZEALAND	284	521	Deaths
OCEANIA	198	2
SCOTLAND	720	5134	Stirlingshire	Glasgow
SOUTH AMERICA	425	60	Brazil	Argentina
USA	414	9820	Florida	Tennessee
WALES	159	109

Note: A visitor can go directly to any page of records without using the main country home page. The most visited page on this website is Gillespie DNA with 13,216 hits today.

normagillespie.ca