Unknowns Halloween Challenge: Skeletons in the Closet

+23 votes
1.8k views

imageWhat do you know now about researching that you didn't know when you started doing genealogy or joined WikiTree? Do you know how to find information that you didn't know how to find when you were a newbie? Do you have profiles on your watchlist created some time ago which might have "Unknown" for the Last Name at Birth? Maybe there are new sources available, or maybe you have profiles created in a GEDcom that are "skeletons" with no sources or LNAB or haven't been "out of the closet" for a while.

This weekend, instead of researching a celebrity, we're challenging you to research YOU!! Check your watchlist, look for Unknown profiles and take the "Skeletons in the Closet" challenge. 

To join the challenge, post an answer below stating that you want to join and how many unknowns you manage.

The challenge kicks off at 12:01 am (EDT)/4:01 am (UTC) on Friday, October 28th and goes until 12:01 am (EDT)/4:01 am (UTC) on Monday, October 31st.

To participate in the challenge, work on solving unknowns in your Watchlist. No unknowns on your list??? Lucky you!!! Help us solve orphaned Unknowns (find them here.)

When you solve an unknown, post a link to the profile as a comment to your answer below.

Solve 10 Unknowns and get a special challenge sticker for your profile!

So join us for the weekend, clean out some closets and help these unknowns become known. :)

in The Tree House by Pam Smith G2G6 Mach 2 (29.2k points)
edited by Pam Smith
As we work on the Unknowns and come across ones that are simply brick walls, is there an appropriate category we can add to the profile to identify it as such?
No, not really - just leave research notes of what and when you checked...who knows what someone else will find? Thanks for working on them!!
I can’t seem to get any profiles using the link above. I’m specifically looking for ones tagged Canada and/or Quebec.

@Liza

add Canada or Quebec to the text box after orphan

then select Get profiles button

Thanks a lot Tommy!

40 Answers

+6 votes
 
Best answer
Thanks so much to all who participated - there were 39 participants and many who received stickers for 10 or more unknowns solved!!! (If you didn't get a sticker - and think you should have -  please drop me a note....)If you had fun and want to do more, please contact me....the Unknowns project needs your help. Only about 350,000 more to solve!! LOL!!

Hooray for WikiTree!!
by Pam Smith G2G6 Mach 2 (29.2k points)
selected by Mel Bishop
+17 votes
I'd love to sign up! No Unknowns on my Watchlist, though, so I'll dive into the Unknown Orphans.
by Ros Haywood G2G Astronaut (2.0m points)
Thanks for joining us! Let us know what you find!

Mary (Unknown) Welton has now become Mary (Beaumont) Welton.

+21 votes
I have way too many Unknowns in my watchlist so I will join up and try to solve at least 10!
by Eowyn Walker G2G Astronaut (2.5m points)
Hooray! Glad to have you with us !! (couldn't have done it without you!! )
+17 votes
It was my idea - so I will certainly get to work!! :)
by Pam Smith G2G6 Mach 2 (29.2k points)
Love to see a video on how you did this. You have Jedi research skills!
Thanks - I'm actually doing a presentation on solving for Unknowns on WikiDay next weekend...please drop by!! It's easy with a few tips!! :)
+15 votes
I am in ... I've got one on my watchlist.
by Tommy Buch G2G Astronaut (1.9m points)
  1. Just discovered that Jacob W. Leiby on the 1860 and 1870 censuses is Jacob U. Leiby.
  2. Corrected a profile with an incorrect LNAB.
Thanks, Tommy!! Lucky you with only one Unknown....maybe you can find an orphan or two to solve!!
I am looking in the closets of my ancestor surnames using the surname pages.
+14 votes
I will have a go on the South African profiles
by Esmé van der Westhuizen G2G6 Pilot (150k points)
Wow!! Great job Esme!! I would expect no less from the former leader of the Unknowns!! I have big shoes to fill!! Thank you!!
+14 votes
Count me in! Only one on my watchlist so I'll focus on those  in Washington and Oregon
az :)
by Azure Robinson G2G6 Pilot (568k points)
Thanks, Azure. Those are two states where I don't have team members working already, so we'll be glad to have you take a look!!
+14 votes

Is there a way to get a list of profiles with 

1) last name Unknown that 

2) created by Turkington-66

3) has this book as a reference -  The History of Ogle County, Illinois

4) And even better, the ones that have a name in the Other Last Name field.

or any combination thereof

not sure if someone else has cleaned them up

by S Stevenson G2G6 Pilot (253k points)
This isn't quite what you want but may work - open profiles created by Turkington-66 with LNAB = unknown and Ogle in a location field

https://wikitree.sdms.si/default.htm?report=srch1&Query=open+location%3Dogle+Creator_Turkington-66+LastNameatBirth%3Dunknown&MaxProfiles=5000&PageSize=500
Thank-you so much!  This works!
This is fabulous - there are 75 profiles on that list....so appreciate you working on them - the first one is the son of Bennett and the brother of Bennett....love that you're solving  these!!! Thank you!!
I am so glad it helped. I should check how closely I am connected to this cluster -- I have Ogle County family.
I had connected about 6,000+ of her profiles, most related to that Ogle history book, there were still about 2000+ unconnected profiles before they removed her as manager.  You may be able to connect some of those unconnected Ogle profiles.
getting error message trying to access WikiTree+ report. will wait for server reset.

I have done many of them.
have switched over to process pending merges with last name Unknown (there are 100 - more than welcome to join me), i am working from end of list working up
ugh, the merges are harder than i thought. if someone has pre-1700 certification maybe have a look at the merges.
Gee, I am astounded that there are so many waiting there...what a great project!! Thank you!
I am done the list of 75, there were about 6 where i could not find the lnab or did not love the sources.
oh, i removed the location query from the WikiTree+ report, it returns 402 unknown profiles so less the 75 already worked on, she had another 325 unknown profiles. i will keep working on these.
Wow! This is so great what you are doing
Just when I think I know where all the Unknown profiles are....another big pile turns up. Thanks for your efforts!
+16 votes
I'm in! Super fun.
by Beverly Diaz G2G6 Mach 4 (41.0k points)
Unknowns are soooo much fun to solve! Maybe you'll get "hooked" and keep helping us!!! Thanks for being here!

I adopted the profile so I could correct the LNAB. Now how do I unadopt her?

ETA: Nevermind. I figured it out.

+16 votes
I will try to work on profiles from West Virginia.
by Karen Stewart G2G6 Pilot (127k points)
+18 votes
I'm gonna try to solve some Unknowns of the Canada Unsourced lists. That is potentially two flies with one clap.
by Jelena Eckstädt G2G Astronaut (1.5m points)
and already was able to solve one. I wrote a comment on the profile, since the profile has a manager.
However, this Challenge doesn't start until Friday...

Hmmm, I decided on "short notice" to change my focus on the German Unknowns List, which is linked on the Germany Project page.

And there I was already able to change a name from "Unknown" to "Müller". Similar to change it from Unknown to Smith, but who cares if that is Mary's surname.

Jelena - we are delighted to have your help with those German profiles! There are so many and no one has been working on them!!
And one more German Unknown is named.

And again a woman got her LNAB

And here is the next one

Catharina Buhl went to South Africa with her family.

Margaret Bruns married in Ohio

Heike Dannen is also born as Bruns.

Veronica Enck decided at some point in the 1850s to go by the name of Jane

Rosina Katharina Ziegler emigrated to Tasmania

Her father also needed a new LNAB, although he was not "unknown".

Margaret Fischen was first enumerated in Canada before continuing the migration to the US.

+16 votes
I enjoy a fun challenge, and will help solve some Unknown orphan profiles.
by Ron Lamoreaux G2G6 Mach 2 (22.6k points)
Thanks, Ron! Unknowns are a HUGE challenge and we welcome your assistance!!

There were several Unknown that I could not find a LNAB, but I did add any sources found for future research, and I will continue finding more Unknowns.  Here are my first ten:

Unknown-596383 ⇒ Adeline Prosper; Unknown-588813 ⇒ Mary Edwards; Unknown-588851 ⇒ Pauline Crawford; Unknown-588844 ⇒ Winifred Bryans; Unknown-496610 ⇒ Elsie Miller; Unknown-335876 ⇒ Margaret Kalchthaler; Unknown-588733 ⇒ Daisy Taylor; Unknown-349786 ⇒ Helen Schmidt; Unknown-490422 ⇒ Kathryn Krinock; Unknown-267560 ⇒ Susan Shickora

Great job, Ron!! Thank you!!
+14 votes
This sounds like fun! I have 15 unknowns on my watchlist, but they are mostly enslaved people, but I think I can get them named. I also have some from the 1600s which I don't think I'll be able to help, but then there is always the orphans!
by Lucy Selvaggio-Diaz G2G6 Pilot (838k points)
Lucy - be sure those enslaved people have the sticker to guide the Black Heritage folks to take a look!! If in USA, {{African American sticker}}..etc. Thanks for working on them!
+15 votes
Oooh this sounds like fun. I'm in!

[[UNKNOWN-118980|Mary Ann (UNKNOWN) Bond (abt.1810-)]] LNAB Mace - noted on profile (not orphaned)

[[Foster-31887|Sarah Ann (Foster) Yearly (abt.1831-1884)]]

[[Crowfoot-244|Harriet (Crowfoot) Girling (bef.1829-1918)]]

[[Girling-2719|Ethel Alexsina Louise Girling (abt.1897-1992)]]

[[Newrick-85|Griselda (Newrick) Girling (abt.1892-abt.1972)]]

[[Moore-77123|Elsie Ellen (Moore) Girling (1888-1983)]]

[[Nayler-87|Mary (Nayler) Betts (abt.1805-)]]

[[Jermyn-296|Sophia (Jermyn) Girling (bef.1820-)]]

[[Unknown-491219|Ellen (Unknown) Girling (1865-1933)]] merged into [[Davison-4591|Ellen (Davison) Girling (abt.1865-)]]

[[Finbow-119|Ellen (Finbow) Girling (abt.1896-abt.1971)]]

[[Kemp-10751|Emily Frances (Kemp) Girling (abt.1891-1983)]]

[[Clowting-5|Mary Ann (Clowting) Girling (bef.1827-abt.1886)]]
by Alison Palmer G2G6 Mach 3 (33.5k points)
edited by Alison Palmer
I should probably warn you that solving Unknowns can be addictive!! Glad to have you participating!
Well done, Alison!! Thanks so much!! Hope you continue!!
+14 votes
That Sounds like the right challenge for me!
by Beate Hauer G2G6 Mach 1 (18.1k points)
Thanks for participating!! so glad to have someone working on those Austrian Unknowns!!
+12 votes

I have some unknown skeletons in my closet. I'll do what I can this weekend!!

I actually fixed two of them yesterday! laugh

by Julie Ricketts G2G6 Pilot (489k points)

One down!
Mildred Trammel

Hooray!! Thanks for being here!!!
+13 votes
I'm in! I gedcom dumped into the tree in 2015 and my sources weren't always attached.  I started going through them this months so this is perfectly timed.
by Michelle Reed G2G6 Mach 1 (17.8k points)
We are so glad to have you with us on this fun challenge!! Thanks for working on those old GEDcom profiles!!
+13 votes
I will sign up!  I have 6 unknowns in my watchlist.  Will try also looking at orphaned unknowns from Minnesota.
by C. Mulyck G2G6 Mach 1 (18.0k points)
Thanks! Minnesota has lots of unknowns to work on...and we're glad you are addressing your own watchlist as well!!

1)  Unknown-444232 is now Litt-200

2)  Unknown-599468 now Reid-20297

3)  Unknown-254029 now Grates-9

4)  Unknown-440980 now Carter-43816 https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Carter-43816

5)  Unknown-605164 now Lowry-5167 https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Lowry-5167

6) Unknown-586441 now Van_Den_Dries-40 https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Van_Den_Dries-40

7) Unknown-566485 now Malnar-7 https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Malnar-7

8) Unknown-565243 now Durose-36 https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Durose-36

9) UNKNOWN-188227 now Przybylski-236

10) Unknown-312882 now Murdock-2626

11) Unknown-445488 now Schultz-8185

12) Unknown-435575 now Ballenthin-3

13) Unknown-553093 now Hellmann-138

Great job!!! Thanks!!
+13 votes
Count me in on the unknown’s probably going to do orphaned unknowns.
by Helen Holt G2G6 Mach 1 (15.9k points)
Great! We are so glad to have your help with this big project!!Thank you!!
+11 votes
I have 3 Unknown profiles on my watchlist, but I have a bigger problem: Missing Grandfather.  He is named on my mother's birth certificate, but so far he is a cypher.
by Jo Gill G2G6 Pilot (168k points)
Jo (FABULOUS hardworking member of our Unknowns team!!) - we appreciate all you do and would love to help you find Grandpa!! Thank you for being here!

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