Greetings Fellow Family History Sleuths,

I'm delighted to share with you the latest installment in my immigrant photos series, this one about nameless English singing girls. My intent for each of these is to find living descendants, but the stories that have been spilling out of these previously unseen photos are astonishing! It's been a fun research ride to say the least!

I'm also pleased to say that CNN reached out to me (due to a long-held obsession) and wrote about Annie Moore, the first immigrant to Ellis Island, on St. Patrick's Day. Aside from that, you'll find the usual genealogical hodge-podge including the upcoming release of the 1931 Canada census, a 104-year-old woman selling the house she's lived in for 102 years, more WWII soldiers identified, and a 90-year-old tortoise named Mr. Pickles!

Happy sleuthing!

Captured in Time: Nameless English Singing Girls upon Arrival in America in 1890

English singing girls as seen in original photo and after colorization and enhancement (via MyHeritage and Photoshop)

No names were given, but the caption grabbed my attention: “English singing girls — imported by Italian padrone — ret’d by Britannic, Nov 19 1890.”

As part of my series about immigrants featured in the virtually unknown E.W. Austin collection of 1890–1892 photos, I’ve enjoyed writing about Percy Hemingway, Sultana Numeir, and the Lillicrap family, but this trio was nameless. Could I even figure out who they were?

Thinking the caption details might help, I dug into UK and Ireland, Incoming Passenger Lists, 1878–1960 looking for their ship, but there seemed to be a gap in the relevant time frame, so it had managed to escape the clutches of this database. And even if I had found it, would I have been able to pluck them out amid all the other passengers?

Now what?

Click here to continue reading.

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Genealogy Roundup, March 23

Photo Credit (Alexandra David-Néel in Lhasa, Tibet, 1924): Public Domain

Adventurer Elise Wortley Recreates the Journeys of Famous Female Explorers – An intriguing (and challenging!) way to pay tribute to some adventurous women who have come before!

Texas Airman Accounted For From WWII – Welcome home, Tech. Sgt. Frank Cross Ferrel. Honored to have researched your family.

For years he sang about the Irish teen who was Ellis Island's first arrival. Then he learned she was his cousin. – Delighted to see that Annie Moore of Ellis Island got a little love from CNN on St. Patrick's Day! ☘️🗽

1931 Census Of Canada To Be Released On June 1, 2023

Somerset woman sells house after 102 years living there – Not every day a 104-year-old sells the house she's been living in for 102 years. 😮

Long-Lost Letters Bring Word, at Last – I read about this before someplace else, but still sort of mind blowing, eh? Imagine learning that one of your ancestors left a trace in this collection!

A 90-Year-Old Tortoise Named Mr. Pickles Is a New Dad of Three – The family tree crawls on. 🐢 🌳

Meet the Archive Moles – I'd say that genealogists are archive moles of a slightly different sort.

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Genealogy Roundup, March 8

Korean War Memorial Photo Credit: Stanley Zimny under Creative Commons license

Ohio soldier accounted for from North Korea, DPAA announces – So wonderful to see this for a soldier I researched back in March 2001 - yes, 22 years ago! Welcome home, Cpl. Clark Ellis Worline.

A Proclamation on Irish-American Heritage Month, 2023 – Delighted to have unearthed a number of those Blewitts and Finnegans! ☘️☘️☘️

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Genealogy Roundup, March 1

Photo Credit: Victoria Pickering under Creative Commons license

I've always been proud of my Ukrainian heritage, but the astounding courage of the Ukrainian people over the last year makes me prouder still. Please meet my great-grandparents, Jurko and Parasceva (Lukacz) Sydorko. Time to go donate - again. Slava Ukraini!

Megan Smolenyak geneloygist to the stars – Points for creativity! 😏

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Genealogy Roundup, February 22

Photo Credit: adaenn under Creative Commons license

Found: An 80-Year-Old Wedding Cake With a Tragic Past – A lot of history behind a piece of family memorabilia.

Holland America Opens 150th Anniversary Poster Design Contest – The contest is over, but you might enjoy having a look at these colorful travel posters.

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