Ships List Insights – Invaluable

Montreal Gazette June 23, 1817

British and Irish Emigrants
We are truly gratified to learn, that Messrs. John Molson, & Sons, proprietors of the first Steam Boats used in the St. Lawrence, have upon the application of his Majesty’s Consul for New-York, liberally agreed to afford accommodation to such settlers as may in future arrive at Quebec, transport on the most easy terms to Montreal, with a view to proceed to Upper Canada.—We understand that each settler will be allowed to take nearly 200 lbs. baggage, instead of only 60 lbs. allowed to travellers; and that the whole expense for each grown settler will be 30s. from Quebec to Kingston, and 1s. 3d. more to York;—children half price. We further learn that Messrs. Berthelet & Norton, have made equally generous offers on behalf of Settlers, who may be accommodated by them with excellent provisions in small quantities, at the wholesale prices upon making application, and testifying that they will settle in Lower or Upper Canada. While we rejoice in these beneficial regulations, we are not without hope, that their effect will be of permanent utility to the settlers, and consequently to these fine Provinces. Whilst we are thus indulging in ardent expectations, we cannot but reprobate a fatal delusion that is too often successfully practised by ship owners and masters in the British and Irish ports, to fleece the unsuspecting emigrant of his money.

In Irish and Scotch papers, we see vessels advertised for the Islands in the Gluph [sic] of St. Lawrence, Nova Scotia and Halifax; these advertisements, state to people wishing to emigrate to Canada, that the ports, such vessels are bound for, are on the high road to the place they wish to arrive at; while every informed man knows, that to come from Halifax, St. Johns [sic], Pictou, Prince Edward Island, &c. to Quebec, will cost as much as to come from Britain or Ireland direct. It is earnestly to be hoped that these facts may be generally known by all ranks in the mother country, that the people may not be led astray by the chicane of American agents, and the cupidity of the British ship masters and owners. Canada begins to be known at home, but we are sorry to say, least of all by ministers, who ought to be the best informed of the relative value of every part of the Empire.

Link to The Ships List

Note this article was printed 10 years in advance of the arrival of Richard Jestin and his family.

Mapping Toronto’s Past

I haven’t posted in a long while. Today, however, I came across an online tool that may be of great value to you, when searching for ancestral sites in Toronto. Have fun!

2012 in review

The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2012 annual report for this blog.

Here’s an excerpt:

The new Boeing 787 Dreamliner can carry about 250 passengers. This blog was viewed about 1,300 times in 2012. If it were a Dreamliner, it would take about 5 trips to carry that many people.

Click here to see the complete report.

Happy New Year to all newly found distant cousins, and to our shared ancestors – you are not forgotten, even in your diaspora.

A new genealogical atlas of Ireland

Brian Mitchell’s book was published in 1986. It may not be accurate for contemporary Ireland, but it is proving to be invaluable for 19th century Eire. Look this one up in your local library.

The Jestin Family in Ireland: Here and Now

It was a big day yesterday. I received an email from a partner of a real, honest to goodness Irish Jestin. We haven’t made the connection yet, but we are sharing information. Stay tuned.

Roots Ireland: When Content is King there are Costs

 

The fundamental difference between the British/Irish model of genealogical data and that of the North American model is cost. The Brits and Irish make it a profit centre. North America’s point of view is that tax payers paid to collect the data, they should be allowed to retrieve the data at a nominal cost. Needless to say the second model appeals to me more than the first.

As the author and editor of the family monthly e-newsletter, I am continually seeking new, RELEVANT, data. Content costs. When I am asked what the biggest landmine is when it comes to family history, I say the price of curiosity. Roots Ireland is an excellent tool if you are searching for Irish family history. Irish data prior to 1922 is extremely limited, and has huge holes in it. One reason is politics – it is Ireland after all – but the other was the fire of 1922, which destroyed the building in Dublin where most of the historical records were kept. (OK, that was political too.)

The price is in Euros, and you pay per search. There is no monthly access fee. Users buy credits 5 Euros will get you 35 credits. Sounds like a lot, until you discover that to view the document you want cost 25 credits. To view search pages costs one credit per page. The data that on which you spend your credits are available for 24 months. After that you have to pay again. There are bulk discounts. I bought 150 for 18 Euros. They were gone in 5 minutes, because I had taken advantage of the 10 free page views that tempt you to open your wallet.

When I searched Jestin, the birth list was 85 entries. Most however were Justin, not Jestin…and I had to pay to find that out. See what I mean…making a profit is the goal of that site. Now there are costs involved in digitizing data, keeping the database working, and the website working smoothly. There are expenses that must be covered.  I understand there has to be a cost. I just hate the customer gouging that is common across the pond.

What did I find out for my 18 Euros?

Richard Jestin of County Laois, who died 31 Nov 1871 was 95 years of age. Cause of death: Decay of Nature. He was born in 1776, which means he must have known my Richard Jestin, before he set sail for Upper Canada. So close, but so far!

Martin Jestin, who died in County Laois 23 June, 1865, was 2 when Richard left Ireland. Richard’s eldest son was Martin too. The Irish Martin died of paralysis.

I found a record of baptism dated 23 August 1818, nearly 10 years before Richard left. Anne Jestin’s father was John Jestin, her mother Catherine Harper. She was baptised in County Monaghan. There is no occupation listed for either of her parents. Her address is Travellers…are Jestins gypsies?

Another Richard Jestin was born 5 February 1876, in County Laois. His father was William Jestin, a farmer. His mother had the outstanding name of Dezinda Bloonfield. A name like that is a blessing for Family Historians, even if it is riddled with transcription errors!

There are “addresses” for all the people I pulled. I could develop a family history tour of Ireland that would take us to all the Jestin places. That may be the most important data purchased for my 18 Euros.

 

Irish Prison Records: Both sides of the Law

Irish Prison Register

W H Jestin was a policeman, stationed in Cork at the turn of the 18th century, early 19th. On Find My Past, I have found evidence, and on a number of Irish genealogical sites,  of his respectability. No connection to the Canadian Jestin family, yet I feel a kinship, because of his steadfastness.

On the other side of the steel bars are two other William Jestins and a Catharine Jestin. Find my Past has digital copies of the Irish Prison Register. It took just a minute to find, the three references. The first naughty William was in court in 1869, charged with “Unregistered arms.” He was discharged by the court. The second rascal named William was jailed in 1910. The register does not mention why. The third problem child, Catharine, was charged with drunkenness – you go girl. She had to pay a fine or spend 48 hours in jail. That embarrassment occurred in September 1857.  Catherine was 37 at the time.

Conclusion: There is no place for pride when you are the family historian.

Cork County Gaol (Jail)