52 Ancestors Challenge Week 14: "Check It Out" - My Annotated Bibliography of Publish Local and Family Histories

As a librarian, this week's theme of "Check It Out", of course, makes me think of library books. There are several wonderful published family histories that I have discovered about various lines of my family tree. And, like a librarian, here is my annotated bibliography for you. These come straight from my personal library. You'll have to forgive me my formatting. Blogger doesn't allow me to create hanging indents:

Berger, Antony R. The Good and Beautiful Bay: A History of Bonne Bay to Confederation and a Little Beyond. St. John's, NL: Flanker Press Limited, 2014.

This book is about the history of the Bonne Bay region of western Newfoundland, in the heart of Gros Morne National Park. It encompasses the communities of Woody Point and Norris Point where my great-great grandmother, Sarah Samms-Earle-Bromley (October 13, 1857 - March 20, 1899), was born and where she lived until she married my great-great grandfather, Abraham Earle (1849 - 1890) of Twillingate, Newfoundland. Sarah and her parents are mentioned in the text by name but my favorite detail is on page 95-96. "Across the tickle [that is what Newfoundlanders say for a narrow salt water channel] from Norris Point is Gadds Harbour...When families moved, their houses commonly went, with them, as did the Sammses' in Gadds Harbour..." To the right of that statement is the photo below of my family's home bobbing across the water and a caption above which read "The Samms house, the last in Gadds Harbour, was floated across The Tickle to Norris Point (Woody Point Collection)." Remarkable, right?

Evans, Calvin. Master Shipbuilders Of Newfoundland And Labrador, Volume 1: Cape Spear to Boyd's Cove. St. John's, NL: Breakwater Books Ltd., 2013.

If you have family from the province of Newfoundland and Labrador, you likely have a shipbuilder somewhere in your family tree. This author explores every coast, bay, and harbor around the "Rock" chronicling each craftsman's productivity. I only own Volume 1. Chapter 5 covers The Straight Shore and "Fogo, Twillingate, and Morton's Harbour" where my Earles came from. Page 204 mentions John Earle of Farmer's Arm. I am not sure how I am related to John but that is where my great grandfather was born. I am certain I am related. I think the John they speak of could be my great grandfather Abram Thomas Earle's first cousin, John Earle (August 11, 1863 - May 8, 1913). It names 4 ships he built between 1900 and 1908: The first, name not recorded but was built for John B. Lock of Twillingate, then there was the Invincible, Snowbird, and the John Earle.

Flynn, Michael F. Historic Bay Roberts: Not Your Typical Small Town. St. John's, NL: Flanker Press, 2011.

The first paragraph on page 2 of this books begins, "John Earle, Sr. was born on November 1, 1678, in Poole, Dorset, England but moved to Newfoundland..." Now I'm not sure that is my ancestor but my great-great-great grandfather Elias Earle was born in about 1808 somewhere in Newfoundland and died in Twillingate, Newfoundland on February 28, 1875. Twillingate is less than 250 miles from Bay Roberts, Newfoundland. So do I think there is a connection between my Elias and that John - - yeah, probably, which is why this book is in my collection.

History of Bedford New Hampshire from 1737: Being statistics compiled on the occasion of the one hundred and fiftieth anniversary of the incorporation of the town, May 15, 1900. Concord, NH: The Rumford Printing Company, 1903.

The first time I encountered this book was online through Google Books but I have since purchased a reprint of it. Since then it has also been digitized and made available through Ancestry.com. My Moore family ancestors were early settlers of Bedford, NH as well as Londonderry (now Derry), NH. Lineages and stories about the family are scattered through out this 1100+ page book. My favorite part, though is the list of illustrations that directs the reader to page 480 and an image of Col. Daniel Moore's house and Moore's Tavern. A tavern you say. That explains some things. The images do not reproduce well so in short, these structure existed during the American Revolution. Daniel Moore, sometimes with the silent "e" and sometimes without, was my 5th great grandfather and a colonel in the American Revolution, present at the surrender of General Burgoyne.

Lore, Gordon and Hector Earle. The Earles of Newfoundland and Labrador.  St. John's, NL: DRC Publishing, 2015.

The title kind of says it all. This book does not make much mention of my particular line of Earles. Earle is an old, rather common surname in Newfoundland. On page 174, though, the author lists my great-great grandfather, Abraham Earle ( About 1849 - 1890) who died aboard a ship called the Rise and Go. On page 180 my great grandfather, Abram Thomas Earle (January 13, 1891 - November 18, 1973) is listed, stating he was the son of Abraham and Sarah Samms-Earle of Twillingate. The details of both entries are not entirely accurate but does not diminish the richness of details included within the resource.

Moore, George Washington. Genealogy of the Moore family of Londonderry, New Hampshire and Peterborough, New Hampshire, 1648-1924.  Peterborough, N.H. : Transcript Print. Co., 1925.

Again, I first encountered this book was online through Google Books but I have since purchased a reprint of it. It has also been digitized and made available through Ancestry.com and FamilySearch.org. And this really, really follows my particular line of the Moores for multiple generations. It is more of a giant pedigree chart than a story though. I kind of like the books that have more story to them.

The book starts with John Moore (1648 - February 12, 1692) who was a member of the McDonald Clan of Glencoe, Scotland and who was killed there in a massacre by the Clan Campbell, a rather famous conflict. I am not 100% sure if I am descended from this man or his brother, Samuel. The dates of birth and death seem to vary from resource to resource. I know these are my people though. My research through documentation leads clearly from me to Col. Daniel Moore (February 11, 1730 - April 13, 1811), colonel in the American Revolution, from Londonderry, now Derry, NH

Moore, J. Clifford. The Life and Times of a High School Principal in Rural Quebec. Canada: The Townships Sun, 1996.

This book reflects on my mother's Canadian line, the Moore family, which I have written about quite a bit in my blog. It particularly highlights my 4th great grandparents, William Moore (about 1763 - July 1817) and Eleanor Moore-Moore (about 1767 - October 19, 1836) who were the second pair of settlers to arrive in what is now St. Felix de Kingsey, Quebec, Canada in about 1801 from their birthplace of New Hampshire. On page 56 there is an image of about 25 school children taken in 1912, one of which I believe is my great grandmother's brother, Daniel Sharp, labeled as Dan Sharpe. On pages 105-107, there is a listing of those buried in the Moore Family Cemetery. On that very last page is the entry for my great-great grandfather, Daniel Sharp (March 14, 1822 - October 12, 1898), and his mother, Anne Moore-Sharp (about 1782 - January 14, 1868). I have been to this family cemetery. Although it has fallen into disrepair, it is located right along the St. Francis River, an incredibly beautiful spot to spend eternity if you ask me.

Peyton, Amy Louise. River Lords: Father and Son. St. John's, NL: Flanker Press, 2005.

This book was gifted to me by the homeowner of the AirBnB I stayed in on Farmers Arm, Twillingate in 2018; Kinda-Cousin Charlie. Charlie now owns the land that once belonged to William and John Earle, my great grandfather's uncles. I am not descended from the Peytons of Twillingate, Newfoundland but my great grandfather, Abram Earle's brother-in-law was Edgar Paint Peyton (February 14, 1877 - October 20, 1964). Edgar was the man who surveyed Charlie's land when it belonged to my Earles.

Edgar was number 7 of 10 children of Thomas Peyton (December 28, 1827 - September 5, 1912). Thomas's personal journals are featured prominently in the book and include reflections on stories told to him by his father, John Peyton the younger. (Baptized January 21, 1793 - July 25, 1879), about his grandfather, John Peyton the elder (1747 - About 1827 or 1829), including descriptions of the variety of economic activities pursued by John Sr. in the predominantly dried-cod economy of  Notre Dame Bay. It is a blend of regional and family history based primarily on private Peyton family papers in the author possession which had not been previously available to academics. 

Although the author does try to dispel the shameful narratives previously written about the atrocities committed by the Peytons, especially John Sr., against the native peoples, the Beothuks, Amy Louise Peyton's direct connection to the main characters paints a unique image of Atlantic pioneers.

Potter, Ralph Kimball. Early Southards of New York and New Jersey. [Place of publication not identified]: [publisher not identified], 1974.

Not every book I have is about my Canadian ancestors but apparently most are, this one is not. Three years ago the College I work for was celebrating the centennial of its first graduating class. The valedictorian of the class of 1919 was Bradford Southard of Freeport, New York. When I tracked down his daughter to invite her to campus I mentioned to her that we were probably related. My family settled Freeport and Southard is an old Long Island family name. After discussing her family history, I came across this book in the library collection of Wantagh Public Library. It helped me to piece together not only Bradford's family line but my own as well. Thomas Southard (1615-1688) is my 9th great grandfather. 

Publish histories can be just as flawed as anyone's Ancestry family tree. Authors should provide the sources from which they have taken their names, dates, and details but often they do not. A published family history though, can be rich with information about the area and culture from which your family came. In short, such sources should not be ignored; scrutinized but not ignored.