FAN: Friends, Associates, Neighbors

Hunting for ancestors results in thousands of names, dates, and locations, but you need even more than just "family members."  You should also be looking at, and recording, the people who lived next to your persons of interest; worked with them or owned businesses with them; witnessed wills and marriages; sponsored religious ceremonies, and so on.

This is called the FAN Method:  Friends, Associates, and Neighbors.

In the 1855 New York State Census (images available at FamilySearch.org), George W Duryea (1823-1864) and his family are living in New York City, 19th Ward.  With them is a servant, Mary Walpole, age 28, born in Ireland.  This Irish servant later married George's brother, Jacob Duryea (1824-1899).  This shows us how Mary Walpole probably crossed paths with Jacob Duryea.

Mary died in 1915 in Jersey City.  She was buried at Hoboken Cemetery in North Bergen, Hudson County, New Jersey.

Unlike other sources, Mary's death certificate gives her place of birth as England, not Ireland.
Her parents are listed as John Wallpole and Mary Brazil.

Discovering Ancestors in Names of Cousins

When researching family lines, it is vital that you research siblings of your direct ancestors, as well as their children and grandchildren, because they will yield additional information on your shared ancestors.  Also, when possible, obtain certificates of births, marriages, and deaths, even if you *think* that the record would contain nothing new.  The record would at least confirm other evidence and may provide new clues.

John Duryea (1861-1919) was a first cousin of my great great grandfather, Abraham Brewer Duryea (1878-1944).  Abraham's middle name, Brewer, is from the family of his maternal grandmother, Rene Brewer (1824-1904).

John and Abraham's grandfather was Garrett Duryea (1777-1834).  I am seeking documentation that Garrett's first wife was Charity Horton.  John and Abraham descend from Garrett's second wife, Ann Cornell (1784-1871).

On my most recent trip to the New Jersey State Archives in Trenton, I copied John Duryea's marriage certificate to Katherine Dwyer (1858-1929).  They were married in Hoboken, Hudson County, New Jersey on February 11, 1889.  To my surprise and delight, John's middle name was included on the certificate.  HORTON.  I wonder if the family knew of the origin of this name when John was named, as he is the grandson of Ann Cornell, not Charity Horton.

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Newspaper Account versus Death Record

I like to coordinate newspaper articles with other records.

At GenealogyBank I was perusing the Jersey Journal, a newspaper for Jersey City, New Jersey, and came across an article and an obituary for Mrs Annie Duryea.  She held the belief that an animal was living in her stomach and slowly killing her.  Annie died on December 12, 1879- before the article appeared in the paper.

True to the doctor's opinion in the paper, Annie's death certificate listed the cause of death as Phthisis Pulmonalis, or tuberculosis of the lungs.  (This ancient disease still infects people today.)  One symptom of this infection is wasting away of the body, which Annie and her family attributed to the creature living in her stomach.  We must wonder if Annie had some other medical issue causing her problems, such as a tumor, allergy to food, or even a pregnancy, which medical providers of the 1870s may not have discovered.

Death certificate for Annie "Duryee", died December 12, 1879 in Jersey City, New Jersey.

Cause of death was Phthisis Pulmonalis, also called consumption of the lungs, or tuberculosis.

The address, 274 Sixth Street in Jersey City, is the same on the death certificate as in the newspaper.  Her parents were Gilbert Johson (or Johnson?) and Elizabeth.  I do not know Annie's husband at this point.  No Duryeas were living at this address in this time period.

If this Annie belongs to a branch in your tree, let us know.