Thanks for your replies. Someone told me that the name Missie was something peculiar to Durham, North Yorkshire and Northumberland which is why I thought I would try the list. All I know of the family is that Missie was the d. of William JOHNSON b. abt 1854 in Moorsley, Co Durham, and Alice WILLIAMSON b. 1860 in Haswell, Co Durham. Alice's father was William Sinclair Williamson, a blacksmith from the Shetlands, and Ann LAMB. Wm & Alice married in 1883 in the Houghton le Spring area and lived in Hetton le Hole at 13 Low Street in 1891 and at 13 Princess St, Hetton Downs, in 1901. Wm was a coal miner. They had several children including two boys who were deaf and dumb, William and Luke, and the other children were called Lily, George Taylor, Elizabeth Ann, Thomas, Joseph & John. Possibly others. Was Missie actually Elizabeth? I know Lily married a man called Thomas Wilkinson so it wasn't her. Missie never married and lived in Fairy St, Hetton le Hole, with Luke - and a poltergeist, apparently! It didn't bother Luke - guess he couldn't hear it. If anyone can help or knows this family, please get in touch. Diane > Date: Tue, 5 Dec 2006 08:57:02 +1300> From: gauntd@paradise.net.nz> Subject: Re: [DUR-NBL] First Name of Missie> CC: dur-nbl@rootsweb.com> To: dcainsley@hotmail.com> > It could also just have been a pet name, originating in her childhood. I> had an aunt who was always called Madam by everyone and an old cousin who> was known as Girlie. (Their real names were Georgine and Lucy> respectively.) Of course that might make it harder for you to find her! > Why don't you give us some details such as dates and family details, which> could be useful for others to help you.> Dorothy> > In a message dated 04/12/2006 18:30:10 GMT Standard Time, > dcainsley@hotmail.com writes:> Does anyone know what the nickname of Missie actually stood for or was it a> > name in its own right? > ____________________________________________________________> > > Missie and Missy is a pet form of Melissa.> > Regards Stan Mapstone> > ==== DUR-NBL Mailing List ====> To Post a message to this list send it to,> DUR-NBL-L@rootsweb.com> > ==== DUR-NBL Mailing List ====> List Web Page> http://www.communigate.co.uk/ne/durhamgenealogy/index.phtml> > -------------------------------> To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to DUR-NBL-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message _________________________________________________________________ Be one of the first to try Windows Live Mail. http://ideas.live.com/programpage.aspx?versionId=5d21c51a-b161-4314-9b0e-4911fb2b2e6d