Unknowns Halloween Challenge: Skeletons in the Closet

Question

What 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. :)

Comments

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?

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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!!

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I can’t seem to get any profiles using the link above. I’m specifically looking for ones tagged Canada and/or Quebec.

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@Liza

add Canada or Quebec to the text box after orphan

then select Get profiles button

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Thanks a lot Tommy!

Answer 1

I'm in, there are an obscene amount of Unknowns in my watchlist.

Comments

We are glad to have you here and glad to help you with your Unknowns if you get stuck!! Thanks!

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https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Gingras-786

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Ford-21109

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Noftall-28

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Key-Jones-1

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/McFadden-3749

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Forte-306

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https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Burdette-944

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Hatten-344

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Amhowitz-1

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Miller-102487

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Spero-21

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Branstner-33

Answer 2

Count me in please. I can't solve my paternal line unknowns due to no information available but will tackle some orphaned unknowns

Comments

Unknown-20050 was Sarah Ardel at birth[[Ardel-3|Sarah (Ardel) Deighton (1819-abt.1901)]]

Unknown-155185 was Letha Bott at birth  [[Bott-980|Letha (Bott) Finley (abt.1911-abt.1980)]]

[[Unknown-566156|Judith (Unknown) Crowther (1803-1878)]] was Judith Kershaw at birth

[[Kershaw-1193|Judith (Kershaw) Crowther (1803-1878)]]

Unknown-155189 was Evelyn Egan at birth [[Egan-2921|Evelyn Mary (Egan) Vanderweel (1903-1980)]]

Unknown-154582 was Gertrude J Wheeler at birth  [[Wheeler-25141|Gertrude J. (Wheeler) Morris (1886-1926)]]

Unknown-154057 was Tylle Forkin at birth [[Forkin-17|Tylle V (Forkin) Pitman (abt.1893-abt.1946)]]

Unknown-154056 was Olive Dratz

[[Dratz-4|Olive K (Dratz) Pitman (abt.1887-abt.1978)]]

UNKNOWN-78889 was Mary Jones at birth [[Jones-126342|Mary (Jones) Ransford (abt.1767-)]]

UNKNOWN-77564 was Willie Kay Harvill at birth [[Harvill-165|Willie Kay (Harvill) Wilkinson (abt.1938-)]]

UNKNOWN-78890 was Mary Cook at birth [[Cook-45333|Mary (Cook) Ransford (abt.1778-1843)]]

Unknown-77604 was Jane Elizabeth Midwood at birth [[Midwood-54|Jane Elizabeth (Midwood) Vasey (1874-1950)]]

UNKNOWN-77580 was Lillie Louise Bivens at birth [[Bivens-915|Lillie Louise (Bivens) Wise (1921-2008)]]

Unknown-572672 was Sarah Ann Greenhouse at birth   [[Greenhouse-50|Sarah Ann (Greenhouse) McKew (1803-)]]

[[Unknown-572977|Grace (Unknown) Wilkins (1803-)]] was Grace Batchelor at birth

[[Batchelor-2353|Grace (Batchelor) Wilkins (1803-)]]

Unknown-337675 was Mary Langdon at birth

[[Langdon-2880|Mary (Langdon) Spinks (1804-1884)]]

[[Unknown-453055|Martha (Unknown) Buxton (1807-1875)]] was Martha Buxton at birth

[[Buxton-2102|Martha Buxton (1807-1875)]]

Unknown-457108 was Julia Lynch at birth

[[Lynch-14829|Julia (Lynch) Poynton (abt.1807-1865)]]

[[Unknown-520192|Sarah (Unknown) Beadsworth (1807-1898)]] was Sarah Gleaves at birth also given in daughters birth record

[[Gleaves-148|Sarah (Gleaves) Beadsworth (1807-1898)]]

[[Unknown-565568|Augusta (Unknown) Martin (1808-)]] was Augusta Thornton at birth

[[Thornton-10605|Augusta (Thornton) Martin (1808-)]]

[[Unknown-565432|Trifanna (Unknown) Hartley (1812-)]] was Tryphena Rowe  at birth

[[Rowe-12895|Trifanna (Rowe) Hartley (1812-)]]

[[Unknown-565003|Ann (Unknown) Board (1812-)]]

was Ann Merrett at birth

[[Merrett-420|Ann (Merrett) Board (1812-)]]

[[Unknown-573277|Harriett (Unknown) Lodge (1812-)]] was Harriett Williams at birth

[[Williams-118421|Harriett (Williams) Lodge (1812-)]]

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Thanks for helping with our big pile of Unknown orphans!!

Answer 3

Count me in, please!

Comments

We appreciate any help you can give!! Thank you!

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1. https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Burton-14663
2. https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Conway-4576
3. https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Walsh-12134
4. https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Hussey-2860
5. https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Higgins-11913
6. https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Paton-2137

Answer 4

I'd love to join!! I don't have any Unknowns (that I know of) in my Watchlist and would be glad to work on the Orphan list.

Comments

15. Melinda (Unknown) Dunkle is now Melinda (Knight) Dunkle (abt. 1812-1887)   UNKNOWN-21429

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16. Bessie R (Unknown) Simpson is now Nancy Elizabeth (Rainey) Simpson  (1889-1948)   UNKNOWN-21426

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17. Floria (Unknown) Woods is now Flavia (Reese) Woods (1780-1863)

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GREAT job Judith!!!

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18. Ellen C. (Unknown) Harris is now Ellen C. (Woodward) Harris (1819)

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19. Vina (Unknown) Rosson is now Vina Elizabeth (Morse) Rosson (1878-bef 1942)

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20. Elizabeth (Unknown) Cherry is now Elizabeth (Hineman) Cherry (abt 1814)

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21. Sarah (Unknown) Smith is now Sarah Alice (Voorhis) Smith (1875-1912)

22. Sarah (Unknown) Abernathy is now Sarah (Wright) Abernathy (1843)

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23. Helen M (Unknown) Warren is now Helen M (Lilley) Warren (1836-1873)

24. Lois (Unknown) McDaniel is now Lois (Koser) McDaniel (1867-1903)

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25. Eva B (Unknown) Haley is now Eva Bell (Bowker) Haley (1886-1973)

Answer 5

I have 17 Unknowns on my Watchlist. Count me in  Happy Halloween!

Comments

Thanks, Maggie!! Glad to have you join us!! :)

Answer 6

This sounds interesting, hope to get some done

Answer 7

I have 7 unknowns, all women, none with a marriage record, some but not all sourced with baptisms of their children, 2 with a burial record as name wife of ‘the husband”, 6 of 7 were born, married and died before censuses were taken in the places they lived, only one with a census record she is described as Mary wife of Michael. One sourced with military records from the  American Revolution and UEL records from Canada. 

5 were most likely born in England the earliest in the mid to late 1600s and early 1700s, 1 about 1770 and assumed birth locations based on that their children were baptised in England

2 born in Ireland, one of them about 1778, the second abt 1820, and 1 other born about 1750 possibly in Ireland or also could be somewhere in the northern American colonies maybe New York colony, New Hampshire, possibly Massachusetts. 

All of my Unknowns have been researched on and off for many years with no results, I will look again but I'm not hopeful. Though I would be thrilled if I found only 1 record with a maiden name for one of them. 

Comments

Thanks for working on them - put what you know on G2G and see who can assist!! I've had such good luck asking for help from people who know more than I do ---and most people do!! (Grin!!)

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I have just finished looking again at Sarah Unknown wife of William Jones, if I have their children correct, as Jones is such a common name it's complicated , their first child was baptised in 1791. Some of the reasoning behind this is later records for their probable children, one of whom is my  3 x GGF.

 Which means they probably were married between 1788 and 1791, there are 149 possible marriages between William Jones's and Sarahs within about 20 miles of the location of their children's baptisms. If I extend the area by only about 10 miles, the number of marriages expands to about 300, none of which are any more probable than the others, none  the children have second names which means there is no indication of what might be a mother's maiden name.

Answer 8

I will try to work on the orphaned Unknowns I adopted in order to change their name but then came to brick walls with them.

Comments

Thanks, Karen (hardworking team member of the Unknowns!!)  We appreciate all you do to work on these profiles!!

Answer 9

I'll give it a try.  Sign me up.

Comments

Welcome aboard!! We appreciate anything you can do!!

Answer 10

Great, sign me up!

Comments

Glad to have your help, Gary!!

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1. Unknown-21086 is now Patrick Fielding (1840-1915) Fielding-1277

2. Unknown-21099 is now Mary Giles (1826-1870) Giles-419

3. Unknown-21103 is now Dorothye Morton (1616-1673) Morton-13397

4. Unknown-21174 is now Amamada E Hooper (1866-1902) Hooper-9265

5. Unknown- 21187 is now Robert Orval Carter (1906-1986) Carter-43812

6. Unknown-21200 is now Claude Mckindley Rice (1895-1954) Rice-464

7. Unknown-21334 is now Robert McCord (1828-1982) McCord-550

8. Unknown-21338 is now Sarah Belle Pratt (1878-1967) Pratt-14271

9. Unknown-196784 is now Josephine Graf (1829-11855) Graf-1564

10. Unidentified Schaub-141 is now Catherine Schaub-141

11. Unknown-196769 is now Sarah Emma Clark (1870-1909 Clark-77030

12. Unknown-196761 is now Marie Wilhelmina Paleske (1799-1886) Paleke-1

13. Unknown-78850 is now Marinda s Steadman (1815-1895) Steadman-1108

14. Unknown-2393 is now Lucinda Card (1829-1881) Card-2184

15. Unknown-196819 is now Mary Polly Hudson (1809-1899) Hudson-16629

16. Unknown-231921 is now Ida Bell Yandow (1885-1979) Yandow-22

17. Unknown-78369 is now Mary Neilan (1823-1892) Neilan-80

18. unknown-79075 is now Bodil Jensdatter (1818-1897) Jensdatter-4124

19. Unknown- 79210 is now Mildred Marshall (1832-1854) Marshall-26191

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Wow, Gary!!! Great job!!!

Answer 11

I worked on some Canadian unknowns before but I know there are many more so please count me in.

Comments

Can someone please remind me how to get to the Canadians with LNAB=unknown? I forgot how to get to that list.

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Are you familiar with Wiki+?

The server is having difficulties at this moment....but put in LastNameatBirth=Canada   or you can limit it to a certain province or time period....drop me a note if this doesn't make sense

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Thank you

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I have two completed so far 1) Lucie Denault and 2) Marie Emma Alexina Normand. These two ladies have taken me down rabbit holes as both of their spouses were connected to the wrong parents.

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Cross another one off - Philomene (Blain) Gingras

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https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Unknown-597493 was an illegitimate child with no last name at birth.

Fixed, as mentioned above:

Unknown-34387 Lucy Stebbins

Unknown-184366 Marie Emma Bessette

Unknown-394717 Philomene Gingras

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Unknown-382099 - Rachel (Hawley) Armstrong

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Unknown-348497 - Pierre Cliche

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Unknown-342666 is Marie Charlotte Malboeuf

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Unknown-324956 is Margaret (Moyles) Mullin

Unknown-363106 is Jessie (Silverstone) Lazarus

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Unknown-363454 is Elle Marie (Scolfield) Jackson

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Unknown-382101 is Nina Virginia (Anderson) MacFie

Answer 12

I have exactly 4 unknowns on my watchlist. I'll try to clean those up and find a few more among the Orphans.  Count me in

Comments

Thanks for joining up!!  Glad to have the help with our Unknowns!

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Just added LNAB for this one https://www.wikitree.com/index.php?title=Carle-2340

Adding some records to her bio now that confirm

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And another one.  Added LNAB for

https://www.wikitree.com/index.php?title=Barker-17444

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Here's #3 from the orphans list

https://www.wikitree.com/index.php?title=Mara-253

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Here's #4

https://www.wikitree.com/index.php?title=French-14892

Answer 13

Looks like I've got 22 on my watchlist - I'll join the challenge and see what I can find to solve some of them.

Comments

UNKNOWN-31820 has been corrected to Emma Petersen (Petersen-6314)

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One down, a few more to go!! Thanks for working on these!!

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Unknown-20576 has been corrected to Ila Dickerson (Dickerson-4678)

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Unknown-142977 has been corrected to Harriet Cannon (Cannon-7265)

Answer 14

I will try to work on some. Looks like a rainy weekend.

Comments

Great - I hate to hear that it's a rainy weekend wherever you are, but we are oh-so-glad to have your assistance!!

Answer 15

I am in. I recently accidentally cleared my watchlist so I only have a few but I am with the project and search out unknowns regularly. 

Here is my list..

1. [[Unknown-268164|Louvena L. (Unknown) Muncy (1884-1954)]] is now [[Lunsford-4340|Louvena L. (Lunsford) Muncy (1884-1954)]] solved and connected to the tree on October 28th, 2022
2. [[Unknown-349510|Hattie G Unknown (abt.1884-)]] is now [[Gross-6666|Hattie Mae (Gross) Agee (1883-1958)]] October 29th. 
3. [[Unknown-558757|Martha (Unknown) Blair (abt.1884-1968)]] is now [[Hounshell-148|Martha (Hounshell) Blair (abt.1884-1968)]] October 29th, 2022
4. [[Unknown-368999|Mary Pearl (Unknown) Jones (1884-)]] is now [[Smith-289064|Mary Pearl (Smith) Jones Payne (1883-1941)]] October 29th
5. [[Unknown-432505|Martha (Unknown) Thompson (abt.1884-)]] is now [[Brown-149563|Martha (Brown) Thompson (abt.1884-)]] October 29th.
6. [[Hallie (Unknown) Thompson (1884-1952)]] is now [[Thompson-78660|Hallie Thompson (1884-1952)]] October 29th.
7. [[Unknown-294977|Gretural (Unknown) Harrod (abt.1885-)]] is now [[Hopper-1721|Gertrude (Hopper) Harrod (1885-1965)]] Connected to the October 29th.
8. [[Sarah Alyce (Unknown) Collins]] is now [[Powell-24348|Sarah Alice (Powell) Collins (1885-1940)]] October 29th.
9. [[Unknown-325779|Addie (Unknown) Stidham (abt.1885-)]] is now [[Hall-63799|Addie (Hall) Stidham (abt.1885-)]] October 29th. 
10. [[Unknown-366084|Rosie (Unknown) Spillman (abt.1885-)]] is now [[Law-5837|Roxie (Law) Spillman (abt.1886-1913)]] October 29th.
11. [[Unknown-374543|Nannie (Unknown) Smith (1885-)]] is now [[Rose-21761|Nannie Frances (Rose) Smith (1884-1951)]] connected October 30th. 
12. [[Unknown-623165|Mary Ann (Unknown) Miles (abt.1872-aft.1930)]] is now [[Barnes-27226|Mary Ann (Barnes) Miles (1974-aft.1930)]] Connected through merge on October 30th.

Comments

Glad to see you working on the challenge, Pam!! So glad to have you on the Unknowns team!!

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Thanks Pam. I’m drumming away in Kentucky.

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Great job!! Congratulations!!

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Thanks, 12 isn’t bad considering I started half way through.

Answer 16

Ooh, I want to join this. I’ll check out some orphaned Unknowns.

Comments

1. Sarah A (Unknown) Snider is now Sarah A (McBee) Snider
2. Mary B. (Unknown) Wilbur is now Mary B. (Holmes) Wilbur
3. Sarah (Unknown) Jackson is now Sarah (Price) Jackson
4. Harriet (Unknown) Mason is now Harriet (Tribble) Mason
5. Mary A. (Unknown) Haden is now Mary A. (Moore) Haden
6. Martha (Unknown) Parish is now Martha A. "Mollie" (Huguely) Parish
7. Emily (Unknown) McCord is now Emily B "Emma" (Hisle) McCord
8. Louise (Unknown) McCord is now Louise W (Wagers) McCord
9. Mary Corinne (Unknown) Hoover is now Mary Corinne (Hoover) Hoover
10. Sarah (Unknown) Walter is now Sarah "Sally" (McClure) Walter

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Welcome, Mindy!! so glad to have you working with us!!! I still hope to connect with you about other challenges.....!!!

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Me too! I can't wait to hear what other ideas you have. I love this one.

Answer 17

Trying to change the unknown in a person to the birth last name, but the message comes across that I am not allowed.

Comments

Did you adopt the profile, Susanna?

Answer 18

Fun! - I can work on a few for Kentucky I think. I've only one on my watchlist that I haven't been able to solve in ages and ages - but I can get some orphans for sure.

Comments

1. Unknown-222999 is now Catherine (Scott) Rose.
2. Unknown-359193 is now Catherine (Coppage) Coppage [yep- conveniently had a written consent from her mother, or I'd have suspected she was a widow].
3. Unknown-474149 is now Naomi (Sims) Gill.
4. Unknown-619886 is now Lizzie (Coffee) Caton.
5. Unknown-619323 is now Sebra L. (Fyffe) Ferguson.
6. Unknown-616381 is now Annie (Beauchamp) White.
7. Unknown-615180 is now Sarah Jane (Gardner) Hargis.
8. Unknown-612142 is now Artemesia (Mitchell) Stewart.
9. Unknown-609876 is now Linda (Barker) Fraley.
10. Unknown-588142 is now Carrie (Minor) Lee.

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I'll share the orphans with you, Mel  there are plenty!

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It looked like you were starting at the top, so I'm starting at the bottom (after I hit Harrison first, of course) .

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Hooray!! Thanks for the assistance!!

Pam

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Well done, Mel!!

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Thanks Pam - not sure if I'll be able to get a few more tomorrow or not, but I will have to add this to my monthly maintenance - it was fun.

Answer 19

I found my original. Can’t figure out how to delete this sorry.

Answer 20

I'm a little late to the party, but I love working Unknowns and I'm sure I can tackle a few Orphans in the remaining time!

Comments

1. [[Unknown-469071|Abbie Susan (Unknown) Larrabee (1860-1948)]] is now [[Pettigrew-1424|Abbie Susan (Pettigrew) Larrabee (1860-1948)]]

2. [[Unknown-3674|Cathy (Unknown) Dill]] is now [[Brown-149565|Catherine (Brown) Dill (abt.1818-abt.1892)]]

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So glad to have you participating!!! You have 24+ hours to keep working!! Thank you!