Hello Listers, I am writing this from Australia and am seeking help on how one starts looking for information on an ancestor who was born in Pennsylvania c1869, but spent the latter part of his life in Australia. I understand what resources are available for Australian births for researching this person, but I have no idea what is available in Pennsylvania. I have the 1906 marriage record of a Ralph Richard Brown (the marriage occurred here in Australia) in which he states that he is 37 years and was born in Pennsylvania, America. He also states his parents are John Brown and Catherine Goddikia/Goddikie. Can someone please advise me as to how to start this research, considering the problem of distance. Cheers Peter Lakeman Victoria, Australia

Hi, Peter: Is the 1906 marriage the 1st marriage of Ralph R. Brown? I found this in the 1900 PA census on Heritage Quest: 1900 - 21-WD Philadelphia, Philadelphia Co., PA - 6/7/1900 Coddington, David - head - 3/1860 - married 17 yrs... --------------- S..... - ? - 4/1864 - 36 - married 17 yrs. - 4 children/3 living... --------------- Ellsworth - son - 4/ 1885 - 15 - single... --------------- ...ronica - dau. - 10/1886 - 13 - single... --------------- Marie - dau. - 5/1889 - 11 - single... Brown, Ralph - boarder - 1/1870 - 30 - married 0 yrs. - PA/Ireland x 2 - wool spinner -------- Annie - boarder - 9/1872 - 27 - married 0 yrs. - 0 children/0 - PA/Ireland x 2 Guiespie, Katie - boarder - 11/1872 - 27 - single... Colman, Annie - boarder - 9/1873 - 26 - single... Any chance your John Brown has Hamilton in his name?   Household: 1880 (familysearch.org)  Name  Relation Marital Status Gender Race Age Birthplace Occupation Father's Birthplace Mother's Birthplace  Hamilton BROWN   Self   M   Male   W   56   IRE   Laborer   IRE   IRE   Kate BROWN   Wife   M   Female   W   46   IRE   Keeping House   IRE   IRE   Jane BROWN   Dau   S   Female   W   17   PA   Works In Cotton Mill   IRE   IRE   Sarah BROWN   Dau   S   Female   W   16   PA   Works In Cotton Mill   IRE   IRE   James BROWN   Son   S   Male   W   12   PA   At School   IRE   IRE   Ralph BROWN   Son   S   Male   W   10   PA   At School   IRE   IRE   Edward MC GETTIGAN   Other   S   Male   W   14   PA   Works In Cotton Mill   IRE   IRE  ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Source Information:   Census Place Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania   Family History Library Film   1255180   NA Film Number   T9-1180   Page Number   10C      Or maybe...   Household: 1880 (Continued from Rufus CARR)  Name  Relation Marital Status Gender Race Age Birthplace Occupation Father's Birthplace Mother's Birthplace  Ralph J. BROWN   Other   M   Male   W   41   NY   Manager For Scribner   ---   ---   Kate E. BROWN   Other   M   Female   W   31   PA      ---   ---   Ralph BROWN   Other   S   Male   W   8   PA      NY   PA   Mabel BROWN   Other   S   Female   W   5   PA      NY   PA    This one looks like a good possibility...any chance the mother went by "Maggie"?   Household: 1880  Name  Relation Marital Status Gender Race Age Birthplace Occupation Father's Birthplace Mother's Birthplace  John L. BROWN   Self   M   Male   W   26   PA   Farmer   PA   NY   Maggie BROWN   Wife   M   Female   W   26   PA   Keeping House   PA   NY   Stella A. BROWN   Dau   S   Female   W   7   PA      PA   PA   Ralph R. BROWN   Son   S   Male   W   5   PA      PA   PA   Edna P. BROWN   Dau   S   Female   W   3   OH      PA   PA   Hallie W. BROWN   Son   S   Male   W   1   OH      PA   PA  ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Source Information:   Census Place Austinburg, Ashtabula, Ohio   Family History Library Film   1254991   NA Film Number   T9-0991   Page Number   337D Do you have any more information on this family (siblings, parents' birth years/places...) to help to narrow the search? Debra On Tuesday, Jun 15, 2004, at 04:50 US/Eastern, Peter Lakeman wrote: > Hello Listers, > > I am writing this from Australia and am seeking help on how one starts > looking for information on an ancestor who was born in Pennsylvania > c1869, but spent the latter part of his life in Australia. I > understand what resources are available for Australian births for > researching this person, but I have no idea what is available in > Pennsylvania. > > I have the 1906 marriage record of a Ralph Richard Brown (the marriage > occurred here in Australia) in which he states that he is 37 years and > was born in Pennsylvania, America. He also states his parents are John > Brown and Catherine Goddikia/Goddikie. > > Can someone please advise me as to how to start this research, > considering the problem of distance. > > Cheers > > Peter Lakeman > Victoria, Australia > > ==== PENNSYLVANIA Mailing List ==== > Help your fellow researcher out when you can... You may be surprised > by how they may help you. > > ============================== > You can manage your RootsWeb-Review subscription from > http://newsletters.rootsweb.com/ >

Hi, Peter, I thought it might be helpful to search around the "Goddikia/Goddikie" name as well. It's interesting to see that in 1870, there is absolutely no one listed at that surname variation, in any state. With or without two "d"s! But, when you enter the name with a soundex, you get some close calls. So I moved back to 1850, assuming your Ralph Brown's mother was alive at that time, and I think she would be, and I found a "Cath Goedecke", 10 years old, born in New York, still living in NY. That's really the only name that comes close, with age appropriate enough for her to give birth in 1869. I know this isn't very helpful, but.... I also poked around at the Ralph Browns in 1870. I did a quick look at all the Ralph Browns in the USA between the ages of 1 month and three years, and the only one that comes close enough to fitting it the one given you by others....with Hamilton as a father. There is one other Ralph, two years old, living in Ohio with his mother Kate. They're living with another family, the Calb Family, on farm. Good luck in your search. I think finding our if Hamilton could be John or if you know they hailed from Ireland would be especially helpful. Best wishes, Elysia ----- Original Message ----- From: "Peter Lakeman" <surreal@netspace.net.au> To: <PENNSYLVANIA-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Tuesday, June 15, 2004 4:50 AM Subject: [PA] Overseas researcher needs advice. > Hello Listers, > > I am writing this from Australia and am seeking help on how one starts > looking for information on an ancestor who was born in Pennsylvania c1869, > but spent the latter part of his life in Australia. I understand what > resources are available for Australian births for researching this person, > but I have no idea what is available in Pennsylvania. > > I have the 1906 marriage record of a Ralph Richard Brown (the marriage > occurred here in Australia) in which he states that he is 37 years and was > born in Pennsylvania, America. He also states his parents are John Brown > and Catherine Goddikia/Goddikie. > > Can someone please advise me as to how to start this research, considering > the problem of distance. > > Cheers > > Peter Lakeman > Victoria, Australia > > > ==== PENNSYLVANIA Mailing List ==== > Help your fellow researcher out when you can... You may be surprised > by how they may help you. > > ============================== > You can manage your RootsWeb-Review subscription from > http://newsletters.rootsweb.com/ > >

What exactly are you looking for? You can find old censuses on Historic Pittsburgh to start. debi --- Peter Lakeman <surreal@netspace.net.au> wrote: > Hello Listers, > > I am writing this from Australia and am seeking help > on how one starts > looking for information on an ancestor who was born > in Pennsylvania c1869, > but spent the latter part of his life in Australia. > I understand what > resources are available for Australian births for > researching this person, > but I have no idea what is available in > Pennsylvania. > > I have the 1906 marriage record of a Ralph Richard > Brown (the marriage > occurred here in Australia) in which he states that > he is 37 years and was > born in Pennsylvania, America. He also states his > parents are John Brown > and Catherine Goddikia/Goddikie. > > Can someone please advise me as to how to start this > research, considering > the problem of distance. > > Cheers > > Peter Lakeman > Victoria, Australia > > > ==== PENNSYLVANIA Mailing List ==== > Help your fellow researcher out when you can... You > may be surprised > by how they may help you. > > ============================== > You can manage your RootsWeb-Review subscription > from > http://newsletters.rootsweb.com/ > > __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Mail - Helps protect you from nasty viruses. http://promotions.yahoo.com/new_mail