Hello Vern, Replying via the list, as I sometimes have problems getting through to you. I'm absolutely delighted to learn of your success, and thank you so much for sharing it and for your kind words. One thing which I need to mention - talking of Google Books - is that I've recently discovered that some of the "General Baptist Repository" annual magazines, with very detailed obituaries of ministers, deacons and prominent church members, have been added to the collection. Additionally, I found that a good collection of the annual "Baptist Magazine" (also with obituaries) had also been added since I last looked. http://tinyurl.com/3wm53y ("General Baptist Repository and Missionary Observer") http://tinyurl.com/57uj2j (The "Baptist Magazine") (Those which are marked "full view" are downloadable and searchable). James Hurford Wood's "Condensed History of the Baptists of the New Connexion" (pub. 1847), which has a lot about the history of the East Midlands General Baptist (of the New Connexion) churches, is also downloadable. Given William's prominent status in the Coleorton community (and in the GBs) you may have the fortune to find a decent obituary for him - particularly in the "GB Repository". That would be the icing on the cake! Thank you again. I share your excitement! :-)) Kind regards Blanche Blanche Charles (nee Norton) Wellington New Zealand NORTON Family History Unlimited http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~blanchec/indexdby.htm East Midlands General Baptist History http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~blanchec/EMidBaps.htm ---------------------------------------------------------------------- "Vern Prescott" <vprescott1@cogeco.ca> wrote: I have a success story to share with all of you that shows how persistence and unorthodox methods can pay off. I also want to share my joy of course. As most of you will know (especially Blanche who is always so helpful), my GGG grandfather was William Stenson, born in Coleorton about 1771. Being unable to find his birth and parentage, I started looking at all the other Stensons in the area, hoping to find a connection back to my William. I also started looking at some wills, and one that was mentioned to me by Blanche for a Joseph Stenson looked promising. He mentioned a son William, who appeared to be the oldest because he was mentioned first. I had information on some other members of the family, and if William was the oldest he would have been born at about the right time for my William. Of course, I had no proof or hard evidence, but it was a possibility. Being persistent, I have made a habit of searching Google Books periodically, searching for William Stenson. I have found several references in the past to his involvement in the Leicester and Swannington railway. Last week, I found a new reference, which has me excited. In a book on the Midland Railway (1877), I found this line "Mr Joseph Stenson of Leeds informs us that it was his late uncle, Mr William Stenson, who took the first initiative in this matter" (the Leicester & Swannington railway). Because of my research on other Stensons, I knew I had information on Joseph Stenson of Leeds. I check my information, and he was the grandson of the Joseph Stenson whose will I have. So his uncle William (my William) is the William from the will, and therefore I now have hard evidence that my GGGG Grandfather was Joseph Stenson. (Of course, I have to double check all my information to be certain that what I have is correct.) I also have Joseph`s father, and have some evidence of who his grandfather was also. It is my hope that my success story might inspire others to look at other avenues to smash down their brick walls. No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG - http://www.avg.com Version: 8.0.138 / Virus Database: 270.4.11/1554 - Release Date: 15/07/2008 18:03

Thanks for the tips, Blanche. I regularly check Google books and have a list of books mentioning Stenson which I want to check out at the University Library in London, about an hour's drive from here. As you say, the library is growing and more and more books are becoming Full View. Vern > Hello Vern, > > Replying via the list, as I sometimes have problems getting through to > you. > > I'm absolutely delighted to learn of your success, and thank you so much > for sharing it and for your > kind words. > > One thing which I need to mention - talking of Google Books - is that I've > recently discovered that > some of the "General Baptist Repository" annual magazines, with very > detailed obituaries of > ministers, deacons and prominent church members, have been added to the > collection. > Additionally, I found that a good collection of the annual "Baptist > Magazine" (also with > obituaries) had also been added since I last looked. > > http://tinyurl.com/3wm53y ("General Baptist Repository and Missionary > Observer") > > http://tinyurl.com/57uj2j (The "Baptist Magazine") > > (Those which are marked "full view" are downloadable and searchable). > > James Hurford Wood's "Condensed History of the Baptists of the New > Connexion" (pub. 1847), which has > a lot about the history of the East Midlands General Baptist (of the New > Connexion) churches, is > also downloadable. > > Given William's prominent status in the Coleorton community (and in the > GBs) you may have the > fortune to find a decent obituary for him - particularly in the "GB > Repository". That would be the > icing on the cake! >