BS: Help- find lost love in America for mum

Subject: RE: Help- find lost love in America for mum
From: Banjer
Date: 02 Jan 03 - 05:33 AM

Thank you, Mary, I did send her an e-mail shortly after I posted here. I figured what's the worst that could happen? I found her reply already in this mornings e-mail! I need to send her some additional info and although she says she may not be able to help much she can send me some info on various sources that may be able to find what I want. Thanks for bringing her to our attention!!

Subject: RE: Help- find lost love in America for mum
From: rock chick
Date: 02 Jan 03 - 12:54 PM

Good luck with your search Banjer, keep us informed please, fingers crossed.

Stilly River Sage: I have e-mailed the alumni office, just have to wait for a reply, it sounds hopeful, fingers crossed. Thanks.
Mary I will be contacting [e-mail] also tonight, thanks. Will update you hopefully soon.

rc

Subject: RE: Help- find lost love in America for mum
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 02 Jan 03 - 04:16 PM

RC--many universities are only now beginning to rouse after the christmas holiday. Some may not have full staff back until next week, so don't be surprised if it takes a few days.

Meanwhile, there was a photo of the woman at that web site. If she is the sister, I wonder if she looks enough like her brother for your mom to see some resemblance?


SRS

Subject: RE: Help- find lost love in America for mum
From: Tinker
Date: 03 Jan 03 - 12:10 AM

This link should bring you to the submissions page for the Nutley Journal here in New Jersey. They should run a letter looking for information and might even go for a story. Let me know if you need me to do anything locally.


Kathy

Subject: RE: Help- find lost love in America for mum
From: rock chick
Date: 03 Jan 03 - 04:37 AM

Kathy

Thanks so much for the info and your offer to help, I didn't waste any time contacting the paper, I sent a letter to the editor of the paper in Nutley, gave him the story, finger crossed.

I will be in touch soon as I have some info back. Thanks so much again.

Subject: RE: Help- find lost love in America for mum
From: rock chick
Date: 03 Jan 03 - 05:39 PM

refresh

Subject: RE: Help- find lost love in America for mum
From: rock chick
Date: 04 Jan 03 - 05:43 AM

Hi there Mary

Have just e-mailed the lady you suggested I try, will let you know outcome ASAP.

Subject: RE: Help- find lost love in America for mum
From: Banjer
Date: 04 Jan 03 - 07:48 AM

Brief update on my search for my birth dad, sparked by this thread. The lady Mary Garvey referred us to has been very helpful. Although as Mary said, her ,aim field is Viet Nam era, she has applied what she knows and passed on some good suggestions. Between her search and me sitting my Mom down and grilling her for information, I have learned more in the past week than I thought possible. I now know his dob (he would be 87 years old this coming February), names of his mother and father, the fact hat he had two sisters, one of whom married a fellow by the name of Boyd or Boyard and lived in Columbus, OH. He was originally from Kimberley County, WV and probably returned there after his enlistment was up. I have long forgotten pictures of him that just recently were found again by Mom and the physical facial comparison is striking. I look like a younger version of him when comparing some pictures of myself in the service to his. More as it develops.

Subject: RE: Help- find lost love in America for mum
From: Banjer
Date: 04 Jan 03 - 08:12 AM

I put the pictures up on Foto-time. They will be there for about two weeks (until the trial period runs out!). Look if you want and notice the similarity betwen myself and my dad.


Click here

Just click on the first picture and after that click next to see all four.

Subject: RE: Help- find lost love in America for mum
From: Janie
Date: 04 Jan 03 - 08:22 AM

Banjer--there is no Kimberly Co. in WV and I can't think of a county thatcomes close. Maybe it is in Kentucky or Ohio?

Rock Chick--what a compelling search you have started here. Good luck with it.

Janie

Subject: RE: Help- find lost love in America for mum
From: Banjer
Date: 04 Jan 03 - 08:34 AM

Hi Janie....Hmmmmmm....The state of WV is a sure thing, maybe it isn't a county but a city instead? I'll look into that. Thanks!

Subject: RE: Help- find lost love in America for mum
From: rock chick
Date: 04 Jan 03 - 10:18 AM

Looked at the photos banjer, they are great, good luck with your quest, looks like we have started something here between us. People are just amazing, so helpful. Keep us informed of any new you may receive. Good Luck
I have just phoned another Gardner in Nantucket given to me by the same lady 'Noonie' via Mary, she has put a message on her Buddy search page so you never know.

Will be in touch again, if you don't first.

Subject: RE: Help- find lost love in America for mum
From: katlaughing
Date: 04 Jan 03 - 11:29 AM

Banj, I saw two likely towns listed in WVa: Kimberely and Kimberling, the former in Monagahelia(sp) County, the latter in Mingo County. Kimberley was only around from the 30's to 1976. I forgot to check the dates on Kimberling.

Subject: RE: Help- find lost love in America for mum
From: Banjer
Date: 04 Jan 03 - 11:33 AM

What happened to the town of Kimberely? Was it remnamed or just fold up? Thanks, Kat, I did a Google search for WV cities but nothing came up. Where did you find your info? Thanks, Banjer

Subject: RE: Help- find lost love in America for mum
From: Banjer
Date: 04 Jan 03 - 11:48 AM

Just spoke with mom, she says the Kimberly she spoke of was in Fayette County. Info checks out on Google. I may have miscopied info last night making Kimberly a county rather than a city. I will see her tomorrow and go over all the notes I have so far to make sure what she told me earlier still reads the same. She does have a wonderful memory. I don't know how she does it but she can reacll birthdays and dates of death for family on her side back at least three generations!

Subject: RE: BS: Help- find lost love in America for mum
From: katlaughing
Date: 04 Jan 03 - 05:42 PM

Sorry, Banj, I should have included a link. I don't know what happened to that town, but I'll bet the folks in the links at this site would be able to tell you. Maybe we are related! Some of my direct ancestors came from Fayette County! Here ya go: Place Names in West Virginia.

The people at the Harper's Ferry National Park were really helpful when Claymore pointed me in there direction in this thread, when I was stumped on place names. They might be able to tell you what happened to the town or know someone who would know.

Did you get my PM? I'd be happy to help out with some research.:-)

kat

Subject: RE: BS: Help- find lost love in America for mum
From: Janie
Date: 04 Jan 03 - 06:08 PM

Banjer, I found info on Kimberly WV at www.digital-neighbors.com. Population is 108. Such a small community, bound to be some one there who knew, or knew of, your father. Lots of good old-time musicians in Fayette County, by the way.

Janie

Subject: RE: BS: Help- find lost love in America for mum
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 05 Jan 03 - 12:25 AM

Banjer, I was searching for a town in Washington called "Kerriston" that didn't seem to be on any map. I told my father about this search (it had to do with a fascinating letter written in about 1912 by my great uncle to my great grandmother, to do with a mining accident and a minor miracle in getting aid). Dad told me to contact the folks at the University of Washington Libraries in the Pacific Northwest Collection. I got an email back with a legal description of the town. Lucky I'd spent years dealing with legal descriptions in my Forest Service days, and I in fact pulled out a Forest Service map and found the "town," now simply a private inholding of bare land on the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest.

So, you may well want to check out local university libraries with Special Collections. They'll have finding aids for going through their collections that are available to the public. These are often online. I've posted a link to a Mudcat discussion of such things. Good luck! (Those were great photos you posted--you made your case as far as family resemblance!)

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Help- find lost love in America for mum
From: Banjer
Date: 05 Jan 03 - 01:59 AM

SRS, Kimberly is alive and well and located in Fayette County, West Virginia. There is a population of 108 people in that town and according to a 411 search there are 9 families with the surname of Davis. Two of the listings are the same phone number so I am assuming they are probably husband and wife. That narrows the possibilities to 8. I am in the process of compiling a phone list and an address list on these folks and those I cannot reach by phone will receive a letter of inquiry. If all goes well and as I hope, I should know before too long if any of them know of John W Davis, 87 years of age, with a birthday of 26 FEB 1916, who was an MP during and right after WWII and something about his sisters. I feel I am closing in on it. I will keep you all posted and up to date. Thanks for the assist. If any of these plans fall by the wayside I will have to form a plan B and possibly C. I will keep going till I run out of alphabet and then we'll start numbering if need be!! **BG**

Subject: RE: BS: Help- find lost love in America for mum
From: JennyO
Date: 05 Jan 03 - 07:27 AM

Banjer, those two with the same phone number could be brother and sister, or in some other way related, so they might still be possibilities!

Jenny

Subject: RE: BS: Help- find lost love in America for mum
From: Banjer
Date: 05 Jan 03 - 08:16 AM

That's a possibility, but in that case what one would know the other probably would also know. I have a feeling that by the end of this week I will have an answer to my quest. I Hope!! Like in Rock Chicks case my Mom is now all excited at the prospect of finding out what happened to him. Two calls from her yesterday asking if I made any progress yet! Thanks to everybody's help I'm sure we are close.

Subject: RE: BS: Help- find lost love in America for mum
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 05 Jan 03 - 11:27 AM

The referral to Special Collections doesn't just apply to Banjer's search--there are lots of groups that for various reasons choose to donate their records to libraries that specialize in processing their type of materials. If you're trying to locate someone and you know something about their employment, you can do a search on professional organizations or unions and possibly dig up germane materials by figuring out where those records are kept. I realized that your town existed, but it sounded like it was so small that perhaps the records were no longer being updated. In which case, is it part of a larger community now (annexed?) or unincorporated, oart if a county only, with no municipal transactions, etc. There are records to do with all of this that can help track down individuals. It is the long shot approach, however.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Help- find lost love in America for mum
From: Banjer
Date: 05 Jan 03 - 07:09 PM

Update on John W Davis search:

I found a person in Kimberly, WV who knew of name. When I called I said that I had been doing some genealogical research and the name of John W Davis seemed to keep appearing, was this person familiar with the name. He said, "Yes, he was my father-in-law" Further conversation revealed that he passed in 1990. He was unable to tell me of his military career but said his wife would know that. She was not home and our schedules conflict so badly that it was agreed that I would call back next Saturday morning to speak with her. Sounded like very willing person to share info. I did not tell him that I was looking for my Dad. I will tell the lady, who I guess would be my half sister! Wow!!!! It was only the second call I made!! I will keep hunting for other info to correlate this find.

Subject: RE: BS: Help- find lost love in America for mum
From: JennyO
Date: 05 Jan 03 - 10:17 PM

Ooh, this is getting exciting! Sounds like you're getting close, Banjer! How are you going with it, Rock Chick? Good luck to you both!

Jenny-on-the-other-side-of-the-world

Subject: RE: BS: Help- find lost love in America for mum
From: Ebbie
Date: 05 Jan 03 - 11:45 PM

I'm excited for both of you!

Banjer, this is great. How far from your home in Florida is this West Virginia family? I do hope you've found the right one, and that you will LOVE your new relatives... Don't forget to keep us updated!

Rock Chick, the best of luck to you and your mother. If you find that Gardner MacDonald is no longer among us, I think katlaughing's suggestion is an excellent one. It's a well-demonstrated fact that writing or talking in isolation to someone when you can not physically confront them is an effective tool for closure. But maybe you will find he is alive and well.

Thanks, guys. A wonderful thread.

Ebbie

Subject: RE: BS: Help- find lost love in America for mum
From: rock chick
Date: 06 Jan 03 - 06:50 PM

Wow! Banjer what fantastic news I really hope it all goes well and that you find you have a new family, this is so exciting, keep us posted.

I haven't heard any more yet as far as Gardner is concerned, mum is still really hopeful, I speak to her most days and she always ask, she also wishes you all the best of luck banjer with your search.

Just waiting to hear back from people at the moment, it's the waiting that's so hard.

Anyway will be in touch soon.

Subject: RE: BS: Help- find lost love in America for mum
From: Naemanson
Date: 07 Jan 03 - 12:23 PM

I'm confused and I don't have time to re-read the whole thread. Is Banjer's search different from RockChick's?

Subject: RE: BS: Help- find lost love in America for mum
From: Sorcha
Date: 07 Jan 03 - 12:26 PM

Yes.

Subject: RE: BS: Help- find lost love in America for mum
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 07 Jan 03 - 12:29 PM

Mary Garvey came up with some good resources for Rock Chick, and Banjer inquired about a search of his own using the same contacts. Now, they're neck-and-neck on their way to both being solved.

Subject: RE: BS: Help- find lost love in America for mum
From: Naemanson
Date: 08 Jan 03 - 11:50 AM

Cool!

Subject: RE: BS: Help- find lost love in America for mum
From: rock chick
Date: 08 Jan 03 - 04:55 PM

I think banjer may be ahead at the moment, I seem to have come to a halt, but you never know what's around the corner. Anyway if one of us is successful that in itself a fantastic achievement, which could not have possibly have happened with the help of you people out there.

I would personally think of it as a success if Banjer only succeeds because without this thread he may never have gone along the line of his quest.

By the way banjer how is it going? Any more news?

Subject: RE: BS: Help- find lost love in America for mum
From: Banjer
Date: 08 Jan 03 - 05:47 PM

Not right now, I am still waiting for Saturday morning to speak to the lady in Kimberly West Virginia about her father. He may be the object of the search. I need her to confirm his DOB and his military service. Failing that, I received some info that Kat has found about sending off for a copy of his social security application. The problem is, both are a shot in the dark. I have his service number but not his SSN. (Before 1969 they were not the same, it wasn't until 1968 that the system changed and the use of SSN as a military ID came to be) If the lady in WV comes up with the wrong DOB I will send off for that SSN application which will give the name of his mom and dad. The one that Kat found had the correct DOB. IF!!! the one in WV has the same DOB AND his SSN matches Kat's find then I will pursue that further to see if they can furnish his original service number. So, to make a long story longer, it is all up in the air until at least Saturday morning. I will, after the phone call, be either more confused than I started out or I will have a new half sister (and she a half brother) that neither knew about!

I hope that some of the letters that Rock Chick sent get answered soon. I would like to see her be successful for her Mum.

Subject: RE: BS: Help- find lost love in America for mum
From: Banjer
Date: 11 Jan 03 - 09:25 AM

.....it is all up in the air until at least Saturday morning. I will, after the phone call, be either more confused than I started out or I will have a new half sister (and she a half brother) that neither knew about!

Well, after 6 phone calls to various folks in Kimberly WV, I am still no closer to finding Dad! I will now try the SSN application approach that Katlaughing has come up with. There are also a couple of other avenues of exploration open to me, and I will try them as well. I'll keep ya'll posted!! Thanks

Subject: RE: BS: Help- find lost love in America for mum
From: rock chick
Date: 12 Jan 03 - 07:06 AM

Refresh

Subject: RE: BS: Help- find lost love in America for mum
From: Banjer
Date: 13 Jan 03 - 06:25 PM

It has been confirmed that the John W Davis whose obit I found in teh DEC 22 1993 Dayton newspaper is indeed the same person I am looking for. I called the funeral home that was listed for the obit and the lady there pulled the records and corraborated the SSN and the military service number as being the ones I was seeking. He was layed to rest at the Dayton National Cemetery. As far as the records show he retired as a sergeant. There is a daughter and three grand children which I will now attempt to locate and see if they would be willing to fill me in on any history of Dad. More news as it develops!

Subject: RE: BS: Help- find lost love in America for mum
From: katlaughing
Date: 13 Jan 03 - 07:40 PM

Wow, Banj. I am sorry he is already passed, but glad you've found out for sure. Much luck on finding more about him through your newly found sibling!

Subject: RE: BS: Help- find lost love in America for mum
From: mg
Date: 13 Jan 03 - 09:24 PM

I'm sorry that he died before you got to meet him and get to know him. But hopefully the family will be able to meet with you. mg

Subject: RE: BS: Help- find lost love in America for mum
From: Amos
Date: 13 Jan 03 - 10:46 PM

Well done, Banjer!! Well done!!

A

Subject: RE: BS: Help- find lost love in America for mum
From: Ebbie
Date: 13 Jan 03 - 11:45 PM

Well, at least you are way ahead of where you were before you got the information. Good luck, Banjer. I hope your half sister is a tremendous find.

Ebbie

Subject: RE: BS: Help- find lost love in America for mum
From: rock chick
Date: 14 Jan 03 - 10:08 AM

I really sorry your father had passed away before you had the chance to meet with him, now you have to put all your energy in contacting your new found family, good luck, and keep us all informed.

I have had one reply back from Don Phares in St Louise, no luck there, still there are still other yet to find out about.

Subject: RE: BS: Help- find lost love in America for mum
From: Naemanson
Date: 14 Jan 03 - 10:31 AM

Wow, sorry about his passing but you've now increased you family and hove so much more to discover. Great job, Banjer. Thanks for letting us tag along.

Subject: RE: BS: Help- find lost love in America for mum
From: katlaughing
Date: 14 Jan 03 - 10:35 AM

rock chick, don't give up...surely something will turn up. I'll keep checking some of the sites I know of..between all of us, there's bound to be a clue out there.:-)

Subject: RE: BS: Help- find lost love in America for mum
From: rock chick
Date: 14 Jan 03 - 04:00 PM

Thanks Katlaughing, it helps knowing there is support out there, i'm know Banjer feels the same, will keep you up todate :o}

Subject: RE: BS: Help- find lost love in America for mum
From: vectis
Date: 14 Jan 03 - 05:20 PM

Sorry to hear the bad news Banjer. I've been following your quest, I just wish it had had a happier ending for you.

Subject: RE: BS: Help- find lost love in America for mum
From: Banjer
Date: 14 Jan 03 - 06:38 PM

Thanks all for the thoughts. I wish I had started sooner but I guess itjust wasn't meant to be. I will now attempt to find the daughter, my half sister and her children. At least one of the kids is a boy his name will remain the same. If any of the girls get married it will be nearly impossible to track them.

Thanks Katlaughing, it helps knowing there is support out there, i'm know Banjer feels the same......,

RC i sdead on here! If it hadn't been for information Kat found in the Ohio lists and the one John W Davis she found with the exact birthdate and SSN, I would still be looking wround West Virginia for him. It was tahnks to her that teh search shifted to Dayton and thge final pieces fell into place. Thanks Kat....I really apptreciate the help more tahn you can ever know!

As for teh calls to Plam Harbor, I have not yet reached any one with any helpful knowledge on Rock Chic's search. I will continue trying!

Subject: RE: BS: Help- find lost love in America for mum
From: rock chick
Date: 17 Jan 03 - 01:04 PM

Quick update:

I have managed to log in to school site under an alias name and posted my quest on their message board, there were only three people around that year that were still registered, but you never know what may come from it.

This advice came from Katlaughing, thanks Kat, could find anything on the genealogy forum site, tried to sign up on it to post a message, but had problems! Will try again later. Have heard back from two Phare now, no luck there, still will keep at it.

Subject: RE: BS: Help- find lost love in America for mum
From: katlaughing
Date: 17 Jan 03 - 03:20 PM

I love doing this, folks, thanks for letting me be involved. I figure I've got some experience AND the subscription, the more I get out of it, the better! Anyone else need help digging up ancestors?:-)

BTW, there's always more to learn. I just found the irootsweb library, where one can request "lookups" from the publications they have available, usually books that are too pricey for an individual who just needs to look up one or two things. Check it out: http://www.iroots.net/library/#LIBRARY.

Fascinating stuff. I'll see what else I can find for both of you in the next few days.

kat

Subject: RE: BS: Help- find lost love in America for mum
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 17 Jan 03 - 04:54 PM

Kat,
Where did you go with Banjer's father's SS# and middle name to search? How did you manage to find the Ohio connection? I just skimmed back through this thread and didn't see it explained.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Help- find lost love in America for mum
From: katlaughing
Date: 17 Jan 03 - 05:37 PM

Oops, sorry, SRS, I sent it to him by PM. I found them at the main LDS (Mormon, though I am not a member:-)site, www.ancestry.com. They have the best pay site of all for genealogical records. I subscribe to it and, like I said, figure the more I can use it for other folks and myself, the better.

The two things I use the most there are Census records, of which I can view actual images and Social Security Death Index.

If there is ever anything I can help with, please don't hesitate to ask. I don't usually go beyond finding a few starter clues for folks, and then they're off and hopefully running.:-) It sure is fun.

Subject: RE: BS: Help- find lost love in America for mum
From: rock chick
Date: 20 Jan 03 - 04:20 PM

How it going banjer? Any new yet on your new family?