Happy
April!
Since
my last post, we unfortunately said goodbye to my husband's
grandmother, Beverley. I mention this because she is the perfect
place to start this week's exciting discovery! But first, I have to
explain some family history.
Beverley's
great-grandfather Jonas Shears married Harriet Buffett on 6 May 1858
in Burgeo, Newfoundland. I have record of them having six children
prior to her death on 7 April 1874 in Rocky Harbour, Newfoundland.
Jonas subsequently married a widow named Susannah White, maiden name
Thomas, about 1878 in Rocky Harbour and they had four children I am
aware of. Beverley, and therefore also my husband, is descended from
the marriage of Jonas and Susannah. Nevertheless, I'm going to return
to Jonas' first wife, Harriet.
Harriet
was my 1st
cousin, 6 times removed. Her maternal grandparents, Samuel Durnford
and his wife Ann, maiden name unknown, are my 6x great-grandparents.
I have found various websites and family trees state that they were
both from Dorset, England, and married there in the 1790s before
relocating to Newfoundland in the late 1790s. However, I have
personally not yet found any proof to confirm that information.
Samuel
and Ann's daughter Rebecca Durnford, born about 1801 in Francois,
Newfoundland, is my 5x great-grandmother. She married John Buffett
about 1822 in Francois. Her sister Edith, born about 1803 in
Francois, married John's brother Benjamin Buffett in 1832, also in
Francois. Edith and John were Harriet's parents. Another sister
Miriam, born about 1798 in Francois, married Gabriel Billard about
1815.
This
leads me to my exciting discovery! The maid of honour from my wedding
has been a close friend for nearly 20 years. Her longtime partner is
a Billard, and this weekend I finally managed to connect his Billards
into “mine”. He is actually descended from Miriam Durnford and
Gabriel Billard, which means that he is, like me, descended from
Samuel and Ann Durnford, making us 6th
cousins once removed! So at this point, my extended tree includes my
husband, if only as a step-relative through his ancestor Jonas, and
my maid of honour, since I now know that she is the mother of my 7th
cousin!
Three
more members of our wedding party, that I'm aware of, had ancestors
from the south and southwest coasts where the Durnfords, Buffetts,
and Billards lived, so it's possible that there are more connections
with long-time friends to come!
If
these names are in your family, please get in touch! I'd love to
connect and share information!
Go
dtí an chéad uair eile.
