1870s Marriage Certificate Found in Thrift Shop: The Whole Story
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 6 ก.ค. 2024
- National media picked up this family history story about the 1870’s marriage certificate that was found in the back of a painting in a thrift shop. I’m the one who solved the mystery of this old marriage certificate. In this episode, I’m going to share with you the whole story, how I did the genealogy research, and all the behind-the-scenes happenings that made this story become national news. This was so much fun, I can’t wait for you to see it.
Where to find more information about William T. DeWorth and Katey Havey:
On ANCESTRY: Go to Ancestry.com - Search - All Collections - for William Tindall DeWorth in New Jersey born in 1849. There you will find several family trees with them in it.
On FAMILYSEARCH: Go to FamilySearch.org and sign in. Then go to Search - Family Tree - Find by ID GMQ3-M9C.
Hope Harbor Home Donations to:
P.O. Box 230
Supply, NC 28462
THREE WAYS to get the HANDOUTS!
1) Become a Channel Member at the Info Access level $9.99 per month. This gets you all the handouts. th-cam.com/users/genealogytvjoin. As a Channel Member, find the handouts by scrolling through the blog posts on the Community tab at th-cam.com/users/GenealogyTVC....
2) All handouts can be purchased individually ($5 - $10) at genealogytv.org/handouts/
3) Become a Patron with a monthly Happy Dance Subscription ($15/Month) or more and get early release of the videos and the handouts are emailed to you when they become available. / genealogytv
👉 Subscribe to Genealogy TV on TH-cam
/ @genealogytv
OTHER VIDEOS
🔴 Occupations that Tie Ancestors
• Occupations Tie Ancest...
🔴 How to Use Cluster Genealogy a.k.a. FAN Club Research
• Video
🔴 What is F.A.N. Club Research for Genealogy and Family History?
• What is F.A.N. Club Re...
🔴 How to Create a Genealogy Research Notes Template in MS Word
• How to Create a Geneal...
🌳 Subscription to Ancestry.com (affiliate) prf.hn/click/camref:1101l4aFW...
📰 Subscription to Newspapers.com (affiliate)
www.anrdoezrs.net/click-91101...
Genealogy TV’s Amazon Store full of Connie’s favorites. www.amazon.com/shop/genealogytv (Amazon Affiliate)
TIMING
0:00 Intro
1:13 Handout Info
1:38 The Thrift Store Discovery
2:49 Connie springs into action!
4:13 Research on Ancestry and Family Search
5:01 Transcribing the Document
5:25 Bordentown, NJ
5:48 Creating a Floating Tree on Ancestry
6:31 Census Records and City Directories
7:06 Google Maps
7:38 Targeted Research
8:09 Using Occupations
8:28 FAN Club Research
9:41 Research Notes
10:04 Finding Irene
12:03 A Zoom call with Irene
12:47 Irene’s Mother’s genealogy notes
13:32 Cluster research!
14:20 The news goes wild!
16:18 Irene comes to NC
17:00 Meeting Pam Phelps
17:47 The family’s history
19:21 Research Report info
19:41 “It’s as if your family is trying to reach out to you”
21:14 Irene receives the certificate
23:47 Connie’s interview with Irene and Karmen
24:43 The background of the couple
27:45 Karmen’s comments
28:30 What’s next for Irene?
29:52 Irene and County Claire, Ireland
30:21 The Genealogy TV Challenge!
31:20 Why aren’t people answering my messages on Ancestry?
32:20 The Domestic Violence connection - Carmen’s Mission
33:09 Meet Karmen Smith
34:06 How to help Hope Harbor Domestic Violence shelter
35:45 Hope Harbor Home Address - Make a donation
36:06 Conclusions
37:19 Outro
* * *
❤️BECOME A GENEALOGY TV CHANNEL MEMBER and help support Genealogy TV. Click the link to learn about the Perks of Membership.
th-cam.com/users/genealogytvjoin
❤️ NEED HELP? Join the "Genealogy TV Insiders." For more info...
genealogytv.org/coaching-opti...
❤️ TIP JAR - If you like what you see and wish to help support Genealogy TV ,Thank you!
/ genealogytv
▶️ SUBSCRIBE To Genealogy TV on TH-cam at
th-cam.com/users/genealogytv?...
▶️ SUBSCRIBE to NC Ancestry on TH-cam at
/ @ncancestry
✅ Genealogy TV WEBSITE
genealogytv.org/
✅ Genealogy TV on FACEBOOK
/ genealogytv
✅ SIGN UP For GENEALOGY TV NEWSLETTER
mailchi.mp/a0862c6473aa/genea...
🍃BEGINNERS go to LEARN GENEALOGY Playlist at
• Learn Genealogy From t...
I am a fanatic for genealogy, family history and DNA to research my American ancestors. I teach the genealogy research skills while building my family tree and studying family origins. I am a professional genealogist.
#Genealogy #GenealogyTV #FamilyHistory
Music Credits for Song on Word Tree Open
Circus Waltz Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
creativecommons.org/licenses/b...
Did you enjoy this episode? What a great journey Connie went on!
Brush up on your own research note taking with Connie's video Research Notes template! th-cam.com/video/j1gWa99q20E/w-d-xo.html
-Genealogy TV Team
Really nice!
Thank you
I was struck by what Irene said about a feeling of “belonging”- I’ve felt that many times on this genealogy journey, and it’s changed how I view myself and my place in the world.
I think we can all relate to that.
What a great story to share in your Family History Center. A lot of hard work putting this amazing puzzle together with a wonderful. story.
When you’re researching your ancestors you come to feel as if you know them. To hold something they held and to have a chance to keep and cherish something they cherished must mean so much to Irene. How wonderful that you were able to do that for her!
What an amazing story, I hope Irene bought the picture that the certificate was found in. Great work Connie.
Stay tuned next week for more about the painting.
Just plain awesome!
Thank you!
About twelve years ago, I was the Book Lady in a Thrift Store. A Bible came through. It was purchased in 1874, and the buyer wrote a rather thoughtful note to his son, who was venturing "Out West" (Montana). Over the years, the usual births, deaths, marriages were recorded, and a handful of newspaper clippings tucked between pages. Remember the old Family Genealogy Forums? I put a message on, with enough names someone might recognize them. Seems like about the third reply was "I wondered what Gramma did with her father's old Bible". Within a few days, that person had the Bible, complete with a sample of her 2nd GGPa's handwriting. Sure felt good.
Good for you! That’s awesome.
This is so amazing and I know exactly how Irene feels. In my genealogy research, I found the obits of my paternal great grandmother and great great grandmother. Both had information in them that brought me that moment of belonging that Irene referenced. Astounding how these little gems make the effort worthwhile. Fantastic story, Connie.
Thank you Cheri
Having genealogy research as a passion has enabled me to put old photos I found in thrift shops, similar to this marriage certificate, in the hands of family. I am currently working on finding the right family member for a very old scrapbook full of photos that I found.
Oh good job.
I do this, too!
Remarkable story! Awesome work on your part, Connie, and so glad the ladies at the thrift shop cared enough to initiate the search! 😀
Thank you Lora.
I love this story. Irene's remark that she felt her family was reaching out to her, making her feel connected to them is exactly how I have felt as I've uncovered my own family history.
I agree. I grew up in California and now I live in North Carolina... and all my ancestors are from NC. So sometimes I feel like I came home when I moved here... even though I was born out west.
What a wonderful story! I have reunited a couple of families to photos of great grandparents that they didn't have and it is truly an emotionally rewarding experience. Thank you for sharing this story with all of us!
Thanks Marilyn. Thank you for supporting the channel.
Every document I find for my parents and grandparents, great grandparents, etc. helps to make me feel connected and somehow grounded. And the excitement factor makes it so much fun!
Love that!
Amazing story. Great work on your part.
Thanks
LOVE THIS! Thank you!
Thank you I Am Joy. And thank you for becoming a CHANNEL member.
So happy for Irene to have such a wonderful document returned. My great grand parents was discovered and photographed by a vacationer thrift shopper. I have not been able to retreave it due to the thrift store going out of business. Thank you and everyone who worked on this.
Connie - you absolutely rock! When Irene was talking about feeling like her family was reaching out and she feels connected now - I cried and wanted to give her a hug ❤️
Thank you! That was sweet. I have a new friend in Irene.
Connie, this was so exciting to watch! You just never know what you can find in a thrift store. This find was a treasure that will be cherished for a long time.
I know right?
@@GenealogyTV yes!
Great work Connie, always lovely to be able to do a random act of kindness. Wonderful happy ending for Irene, and for the charity too.
Thanks Andrew.
Wonderful episode, Connie! Love your teaching vids, but this one takes the cake. I’d love to see more of this kind of vids! Your excitement tickled me as I have certainly been there. I repeat, wonderful episode!
Thank you! Will do! It was a fun one.
Connie what a wonderfull video. This story shows us that genealogy brings people together. Connie, Karmen and Irene, three fantastic women.
That was very sweet. Thank you for saying so.
I have been in this store many times and they help support domestic violence victims in Brunswick County. They are great ladies! I am so glad they were able to find the family. I loved hearing the detail in this story.
Thank you
I agree, wonderful group of women. They felt like family.
Definately Irene's mum bringing you altogether, how appropriate that it was at a place with HOPE in it. You are an amazing genealogist Connie. Thanks for sharing!
Thanks Fiona. That was very nice of you to say.
Congratulations on a job well done, Connie! What fun that must have been.
It was!
Thanks to all envolved in sharing this remarkable story. This story has rejuvenated my interest once again. I can see you were genuinely excited to tell this story. Irene's reaction when she had 1st seen the certificate was very touching :-)
Thank you
Good job, Connie. I'm glad she mentioned your name because you did a fab job. This video made me smile.
Thank you so much!
What a great story and a lot of great work by you Connie.
Thank you so much!
Great story, delightful ladies Irene and Carmen, God bless you all!
Thank you so much!
Irene is participating in the wikitree challenge next month!!
Yes she is. It’s very exciting.
There really are people just looking ahead in my family. Dad never said much about family but I find family of the past, close, real and fascinating. They existed just like this moment. The future draws a blank but of course, hope.
Keep digging! Yes... hope helps us continue the search.
Connie...what an ABSOLUTELY fascinating story. I could FEEL the emotional response from Irene. I walked the cobblestones of Smithfield in Dublin, where my great grandfather & his family lived before immigrating to Boston in 1890's. I stood there and cried..
I have a good friend in Dublin, who is a professional Genealogist.
I purchased your research report to send to her. Maybe she can help with some of the county Clare questions. This is SO KOOL!!!!!
Thanks Carol.
That’s wonderful. Thank you for sharing the research report with your friend!
This happened in our local area. Great to see Connie in our neighborhood.
😎
This is an amazing story!!! Thank you for sharing! It gives me hope in researching my own ancestry.👍☺️
Best of luck!
Irene your Ad n creators NEVER EVER DIE...They are Alive and working and walking with you...😍😍😍
So true!
This is absolutely fascinating. Great job Connie. Love your videos.
Thank you
Look at that experience in helping to solve this wonderful story. Thank you so much for sharing this video with us. Amen
Thank you Katrina.
I used to work in the copy center of an Office Depot. I got to talking with a customer and told her about doing my family tree. The same thing happened to her. I can't remember if it was her parents or grandparents but someone found the marriage certificate in a thrift store. She brought it one day because she knew I'd be interested to see it. It was beautiful! It was just like artwork.
Seems bibles are pretty common too.
Amazing story, amazing people, thank you for sharing
Thanks
What a great story that connected family together even if not in person. I believe in the universe bringing all of you together to give Irene a piece of her past in this present time. That is why I love Ancestry ❤
Thanks Connie
I’m not even 10 min in & my mind is blown 🤯 I had pause it to take time to thank you & tell you how incredibly perfect this is as a learning tool.. I am so scatterbrained & impatient that I lose full nights of sleep research jumping. Having it in some type of step by step tutorial is going to help me tremendously!! Thank you! Also, extremely jealous that I didn’t hear about this before you 😂 I def would’ve had to call that thrift shop
Wow, thank you!
This is a wonderful story! Thank you for doing the work and for sharing.
Thank you Jacqueline.
Such a heartwarming story!
Thank you!
This is a truly beautiful story. God bless those who help others connect with their ancestors. Thank you Connie for this wonderful video.
Thank you Mary
This is really the coolest story! I'm so excited you did this!!
Yay! Thank you! I'm glad you enjoyed it. I had fun doing it.
This has been my favorite episode so far....and that's saying a lot!😊
Thank you.
So amazing!! I learn so much from your videos!! Thank you so much for all you share. 💓
You are so welcome!
Connie, This gave me goosebumps! And the handout is such a wonderful example- Thank you, What a wonderful story.
Thanks. And again, I appreciate your support.
This is such an exciting story. Thanks for taking the time and effort to research this mystery and then for sharing it with us.
Thanks LeAllyson
All I can say is WOW!! What a remarkable experience. I love a mystery and research too and would have been awake at 3 am thinking…. And Irene is so charming and articulate. I believe in “Divine Intervention” and this must have been what it was. My favorite Bible verse for genealogists? Daniel 2:28 “There is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries.” God bless that thrift shop and the shelter for what they are doing. Fabulous coverage, Connie, and thanks for sharing it on your channel.
It was a ton of fun. I'm just glad it all worked out, I was able to find Irene, and it had a happy ending.
W🤗W! What a fascinating story! You are a genealogy master!🥰💞💞💞
Thank you. I don’t know about being a genealogy master, but I appreciate the compliment.
How fun and exciting this story was! I had something similar happen to me years ago. Someone contacted me on Ancestry to let me know they had found a marriage certificate in a fancy frame at a garage sale. My husband was not a direct descendant but I did have the people on the certificate in my tree. I didn’t take it any farther but perhaps now I will. Great work Connie!
Thanks for sharing!!
Oddly enough I lived near Bordentown for much of my growing up year and now live in NC. This was such a great story!
Glad you enjoyed it! Seems you have ties in both states then. :)
@@GenealogyTV I do, my father hailed from NC, mom from upstate NY. Raised in NJ now retired in NC
I love North Carolina.
@@GenealogyTV western north Carolina has some of the most beautiful vistas and friendliest people.
What a super episode, and I'm hoping that very soon you'll be able to give us another update as people discover more.
Will do.
What is interesting is that the surnames were quite readable compared to some records I have struggled through. The news reports said all they had were first names. Great work on this!
Well I cranked the contrast on the image for the video. I can see how the original image that was emailed to the reporter was hard to read.
Ah ok!
Just amazing. Thanks to all involved!
Thanks John
Just finished watching. So fun!!
Yay! Thank you!
Love, love, love this video. So heart warming.❤❤❤
What a great job of genealogical detective work, Connie!
Thanks
How fun! Glad you happened to see the original story and REALLY followed through!
Me too! 😀
Well done, Connie!
Thank you
What an amazing story! Thank you for doing this for her!
Thanks
Awesome video Connie! It's a great feeling to solve old mysteries and return documents to the family. The certificate really is beautiful. If it were me, I would have hid it behind the painting and then forgotten where I put it. I'm excited too have a look at the hand out. I'm looking forward to reading the research report. 🤓 I have been writing genealogical research reports for 3 years now. Before that, I wrote research reports for big consulting firms. I love how organized your handouts are so I'm really looking forward to learning from your research report handout. Lastly, I can relate with not sleeping when there is genealogy to do! Sometimes I dream of genealogy and wake up in the morning exciting to talk about everything I thought about while I was sleeping LOL
Thanks Kat. You are doing some great work over there at Ancestry Nerd too. Anyone wanting to see what Kat is up to, go to th-cam.com/channels/ub02fhwWNlhWLWr_dunyoA.html
I really enjoyed this! Amazing!
Awesome! Thank you!
this story is absolutely amazing..great work
Thanks
Wonderful story! How exciting to be a part of this, Connie!
I’m still grinning.
Well produced! Great content!
Thank you Paul
Outstanding episode!
Thank you!
This was an awesome episode!!
Thank you
Amazing story! I hope they kept the picture just incase the picture is a portrait of a family member since the wedding certificate was in the back of it.
Love all of this story. I will have family members watch this as well.
Stay tuned next week. There is a little snippet about the painting.
Love this story!! Thanks.
Thanks
I love a good mystery too. Thanks, Connie.
My pleasure.
this was so much fun to watch...Brava!!! I was interested in the Tindall name. I have seen it connected to my 2x great grandfather's sister, Phebe Bishop who married Andrew Tindall.Tindalls, like Bishops, were from NJ. I am unsure from whence the Tindall's came.
Thanks.
Wonderful beyond words!!!
Ah thanks!
Wow! Love this!
I feel like a detective trying to find out about a person. I really want to learn how to appropriately document my findings. Would appreciate some direction on where to find out the best strategies on to do this. I’m more a visual learner than a book learner.
What a wonderful thing you and the thrift store did. I, with my limited ability, was able to help 2 adopted out of the family relatives find their connections to the family. One I found their father and the other their grandfather through DNA connections. Loved doing that!
Thanks Mary Ann. I have coaching options if you want to try that. That way we can jump on a Zoom call, share computer screens and I can see what you family tree. Here is a link with more information. genealogytv.org/virtual-private-coaching/
I often hit up antique stores. Most have that section with late nineteenth photos for a buck or two each. I often buy ones that have little notes written on the back. Most of the time with an hour of two of research you can find whom is pictured. I then upload it. Also whenever I can find a descendant without much work I'll offer to send the original. When you get to the point where you have to put weeks in for one new fact on your own tree it's fun to work on somebody elses.
Agreed. 🙂
I found a marriage certificate from New York in a silver frame in an antique place. I almost bought it to try to find the people who may be related but I didn't.
You never know what you will find in a thrift shop.
What an adventure...love it.
This video was amazing!
Thank you
So much about this story is amazing and inspiring! Do you have any hints about how to preserve the document itself?
Great question. The answer is in next weeks episode.
Connie you are amazing!!! ❤
Thanks
Connie -- this is a marvelous story! Thanks for taking us through it. I believe I heard the name "Haby" mentioned if I heard it correctly. Here in south Texas, there are descendants of the Haby line which originally came from Belgium, if that detail is any help.
Thank you.
What a great story!
I agree with Irene.
I think our ancestors want to know us, as much as we want to know them.
It was an ironic timing of events.
How amazing!
Thank you
I loved this episode👍🏾👍🏾💯‼🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Thanks
Great story. I did see some articles about him, one being about his merry go round, one stealing a chicken and one of him being the entertainment with his phonograph in 1897. Chronicling America old newspaper site. I only looked through a few though. I know Irene must have lots of eyes out, cause it's just so fun.
Yes it is fun.
Hi Michelle, Thank you for this info. I found the one article about the merry go round but can’t seem to locate the others. Do you, by any chance, have any links you could share. Would love to find the others.
@@irenecornish5612 If you go to the Chronicling America search page and type in William Deworth, the ones I saw were...Mount Holly News; June 1, 1897- stealing chickens (maybe son?), Dec. 21, 1897-entertaining w/phonograph, Feb. 22, 1898- daughter Mary died age 20, Aug. 16, 1910- built all steel porch to be put on market (to sell). I don't think I can put proper links here, so let me know if you'd like further help. Good luck.
@@michelleheslep8877 I was able to find them all. Thank you so much much. You also mentioned a photograph. Was it the one I posted or a different one?
@@irenecornish5612 I may have mentioned phonograph, haven't found a photo, but will let you know if I come across any.
Great story - but what happened to the painting? Was that just a print, or was someone trying to tell us something by placing that certificate in that particular painting? I hope she took that home as well, just in case.
She did John. Good question. Watch next week. You'll learn more about where the painting is now.
It is just a print dated 1889. I do have the framed print. Keep hoping someone will recognize it and know where it originated.
Great story. I sure could use your help...
Thank you. I have coaching options if you want to try that. That way we can jump on a Zoom call, share computer screens and I can see what you family tree. Here is a link with more information. genealogytv.org/virtual-private-coaching/
Yes Irene your ancestors are reaching out to you. This is mild compared to 2 events that I have experienced.
They want you to learn something important to you.
Yes... It is ironic how it all played out.
There are also tiny one room museums in many small towns with collections from the people who have previously lived there.
Good tip!
Wonderful Story. Thanks for the insight on the number of people who respond to messages. On my research, for my wife's DNA, I've only had 1 out of 7 or 8 that have responded and it has been discouraging. I still marching along though.
You might find them on social media. I have had success doing that too.
Glad to see it's not just me who drops everything to work on genealogy when something irresistible comes up 🤭👍👌
Right?! LOL I've been bitten by the genealogy bug more than once.
This video is better than Netflix!
Now that's a compliment. You made my day!
EXCELLENT
Thank you
Question? I have a family tree on Ancestry and I have Family Tree Maker on my computer which has the same tree, can I sync my tree on Family Search or do I have to type all of the names in? I have over 6,000 names on my tree so far.
Yes. Although it has been a while since I’ve done it. Make a back up of you FTM tree before trying it. Keep in mind FS is a collaborative tree so you will need to know exactly how to resolve each conflict.
You are a true genealogy addict Connie. Lol Good detective work.
I try
Thank you for the report to the story, Interesting and entertaining. Are you by any chance trying to find out the connection of the painting to the family, how did the marriage certificate made it to the back of the painting? Who owned the painting? and last, is the painting a portrait of a member of the Deworth family?
Since the painting wad donated anonymously unless they come forward, there is now way for us to trace it. This is all in Irene's hands now. She is investigating and has found several new things. We're talking about doing a follow up episode in a few months.
It’s a print from 1899 from a London newspaper. My siblings are older but had been to my great grandparents’ home. They don’t recognize the print. But there was a large Currier & Ives print that used to hang in their living room. Wondering if this print might have replaced that one at a later date.
Connie. Hello from Ireland. Can you tell Irene that Katherine's last name would have been Heavey (pronounced Hee-vee usually in Ireland, but sometimes pronounced as Havey, although spelt Heavey). You will see that her sister Annie spells it Heavey on the Census you showed. All the best to Irene in her further search.
Theresa.
Will do T Sharkey! Thanks!
Thank you. More good info.
This was a fun story with great outcome. I hope it will lead to others tracking down old documents and photos and getting them to descendants. There is a facebook group that does this on a volunteer basis, mostly photos.
Yes it seems to be a fun and popular hobby now.
I loved that painting! Did they sell it?
Irene took it home with her.
Wonderful story!!!
As a side note, I don't know if you know how many active aficionados and 'historians' of carnivals, sideshows, and circuses et al are out there on the internet. Rather amazing....
Travelling wooden Ferris Wheels, and ventriloquists, and travelling carnivals are not all forgotten.
Please let her know that patient, intelligent, and persistent googling, and following breadcrumbs, and leaving polite queries, can yield perhaps more than newspapers might be able to do on this.
Mine, and my husband's, connections to all this are somewhat later, so she will want to include a date range, and places, of course.. But there are a lot of people who might have some clues, or suggestions on where to look next.
Nice folks, generally.
[Browse around some, and get a feel for their jargon ;) ]
Will do. I’ll let Irene know.
Good info. Thank you.
Pretty cool story
Thanks