Genealogy meets CD-ROM
Memorial University
mixes Maritime history with modern technology
The readers we had in school contained wonderful stories and poems of home and abroad. Although I had never really seen the sea, I loved the poem, The Ships of Yule by Bliss Carman.
My brother Cliff and I liked to sail our little homemade wooden boats in the Salt Springs Brook. As we played, I would recite:
"When I was just a little boy, before I went to school,
I had a fleet of forty sail, I called the Ships of Yule.
Of every rig, from barkentine, to little Fundy fishing boats
With gunwales painted green.
They used to go on trading trips around the world for me.
For though I had to stay on shore my heart was on the sea . . .
And even after I was big and had to go to school,
My mind was far away aboard the Ships of Yule."
The Maritime History Archive of Memorial University of St. John's, Nfld., has produced a CD that contains information on the shipping industry of Atlantic Canada. It is derived from two British record series, and structured as three interactive databases that allow the user to search, sort and query the data.
The first database is compiled from certificates of registry for 10 major ports of Atlantic Canada: Miramichi, Richibucto and Saint John, in New Brunswick; Halifax, Sydney, Pictou, Windsor and Yarmouth, in Nova Scotia; Charlottetown, PEI; and St. John's, Nfld., from 1787 to 1936.
This database contains information on the vessels registered in each port and on their owners.
The second database is compiled from the crew agreements of vessels registered in the ports of Saint John, Yarmouth,
Windsor and Halifax from 1863 to 1914. In total, the file contains information on 182,000 seamen and 20,000 masters of Atlantic Canadian vessels.A third database contains a one per cent random sample of crew agreements from non-Canadian (British) vessels. It contains 85,000 records.
The Ships and Seafarers of Atlantic Canada CD is available to researchers at the library and archives of the New Brunswick Museum, Douglas Avenue.
It can be ordered from: The Secretary, Maritime History Archive, Memorial University, Nfld, A1C 5S7. The purchase price is $49.95.
For more interesting details, sail into the Memorial University Maritime History Archive's web site at www.mun.ca/mha/
Various topics are discussed:
(1) About the archives is an overview of the Maritime History Archive, location, etc.;
(2) Holdings of the archive contains descriptions of some of the archive's major holdings;
(3) The on-line catalogue is a direct link to the archive's electronic catalogue;
(4) Research services ask, "What we can do for you?";
(5) Genealogy research is about researching family history in Newfoundland, Atlantic Canada and the UK;
(6) Publications lists guides and indexes, books and CDs published by the MHA; and
(7) The index provides access to all the information on this site.
Query 98-310
Morris - Sivertson: I am looking for information on John M. Morris who was born in Saint John in 1849. He was reported to have been an expert maker of printing presses. He moved to New York City during the 1870s, where he married Sarah Sivertson (born in Brooklyn, NY, on March 9, 1855). They had three children. Any help would be appreciated.
- Matt Weismantel, 110 Broad St., Freehold, NJ, 07728. Or E-mail to weismant@rci.rutgers.edu. Phone (732) 932-9342, extension 609.
Query 98-311
MacDougall: I am in the final stages of completing a book for publication on the descendants of Alexander MacDougall of Carleton County, N.B. It contains considerable biographical information, photos, obits and other memorabilia collected by some of the families over the decades. One individual, whom I have been trying to obtain an obituary or other information on is Col. William MacDougall, who served in both the First and Second World Wars in the Canadian Army. At the end of his life he lived in Saint John and is buried in Fernhill Cemetery. According to the 1901 census, he was born July 24, 1892, and I believe he died at age 66, about 1958. I wish to get information about him.
- Janet C. Rourke, 29 Sunrise Terrace, Orono, ME, 04473. Phone (207) 866-2039. Or E-mail to
janet.rourke@umit.maine.edu at the University of Maine.
Query 98-312
Steeves - Theal: My great-grandfather, Chipman A. Steeves, was married to Sarah Theal on Nov. 15, 1877, in Saint John, N.B. He was a judge of juvenile court in Moncton about 1880. If anyone knows the parents of Chipman, please contact me.
- Lynne (Smith) Shellborn, Box 39, Jaffray, BC, V0B 1T0. Or E-mail to shell@cintek.com.
Query 98-313
Devenne: John and Hugh Devenne arrived from Ireland about 1847. John then moved to Philadelphia, Pa, for a time,
returning to Saint John - Portland by 1863. He had sons: Samuel, John, possibly William. Were Jane and Alexander siblings? Our Samuel Jr. moved to Boston at the turn of the century. There has been communication with New Brunswick since that time. I believe there may be Devenne descendants still living in Saint John. I'd love to hear from them and swap notes.
- Lela Curtis, 5465 Fillmore Ave., Alexandria, VA, 22311. Or E-mail to LLCarchive@aol.com.
Query 98-314
Keeler: I am trying to find information on Nathaniel Keeler. He was in Simcoe's Regiment of the Queens Rangers in the
Revolutionary War.
- Willard Schuppol, 547 So Garfield Ave., Monterey Park, CA, 91754.
Query 98-315
McDonald - MacDonald: I am looking for information on Esther McDonald or MacDonald born in 1915 in Grand Falls, N.B. Her mother was Mattie McDonald. Any information would be appreciated.
- Mattie Ulrich, 1046 Wedgefield Dr., Marietta, Georgia, 30064. Or E-mail to mulric1@ibm.net.Query 98-316
Parks: I am looking for any leads or information on John and Elizabeth Parks and their three children, William, Mary and Rachel. They arrived in Saint John on Feb. 4, 1847, aboard the Marchioness of Clydesdale R.C. Any help would be appreciated.
- Bill Parks, 1184 Winrose Dr., Collierville, TN, 38017. Or E-mail to bdparks@memphisonline.com.
Query 98-317
Rideout - Ripley - Greenlaw - Getchell - Caldwell: I am attempting to learn more about my ancestors by researching the surnames of Rideout, Ripley, Greenlaw, Getchell and Caldwell. Most of my activity is in, but not limited to, the State of Maine, and New Brunswick , Canada. My missing link is information on the parents, siblings and children of Oliver Bradford Rideout who was born in 1795 at St. Andrews, New Brunswick, Canada. (Place of birth not verified) Oliver married Lucy Greenlaw on Sept. 24, 1819 in St. Andrew's Parish. Lucy Greenlaw was born in 1799 at St. Andrews, New Brunswick, Canada.(Place of birth not verified) Oliver and Lucy had eight children. The first six were born in St. Andrews. It is believed the last two were born in St. Stephen The children were as follows: Alexander born about 1821; Elisha born about 1823; Lorana born 1826; Raymond Ezekial born May 01, 1827; Rebecca born 1829; Ransom B. born 1831; Glorana born 1836 and Duncan born 1843. Some moved to Washington County, Maine. I am willing and eager to exchange information. Any assistance would be greatly appreciated.
-Ben Rideout, 222 West Hanover Avenue, Morristown, NJ, 07960. Phone 973-540-1078. Or E-mail to
BPR@Worldnet.att.net.
Query 98-318
McLeod - MacLeod: I am trying to find the ancestors of James D. Mc(Mac) Leod He was probably born about 1869 in Saint John. He died Mar. 26, 1929 in Portland, Maine. His father was Everett McLeod. Mother's name not known to me. Any help would be appreciated.
- Gloria MacLeod Philpot, 124 Smith Rd., Windham, ME, 04062. Or E-mail to babbip@aol.com.
Ruby Cusack is a genealogy buff living in Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada. Readers are invited to send their New Brunswick genealogical queries to Ruby at rmcusack@nbnet.nb.ca. When E-Mailing please put Yesteryear Families in the Subject line. Please include in the query, your name and postal address as someone reading the newspaper, may have information to share with you but not have access to E-mail. Queries should be no more than 45 words in length.
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