Stumps
These are the interim dead ends, evanescent roadblocks, and temporary brick walls that I've come across in my genealogical research. If you offer any insight into any of these, please contact me shanna.bourke AT gmail.
Alice Ortego
I am - unsuccesfully - searching for information on my great-great grandmother, Alice Ortego Beauvais.
She was born about 1880; she died at the age of 79 on 13 Nov 1959 in Morganza, Louisiana. Her obit, which I have, says only that she was a "native of Evangeline Parish". The only other info I have of her life is that her obit lists a surviving brother as "Rosemo Ortego" in Cottonport, Louisiana.
I have found her and my great-great grandfather, Ernest, in the 1910 Census, listed as "Beamish" (instead of Beauvais).
She first married Ogé Deaville, and with him she had three children - Telemaque (sometimes spelled "Telemark"), Virginia, and Aimee. Ogé died of unknown causes, and Alice married an older bachelor, my grandfather, Oscar Ernest Beauvais (known as Ernest). They had six children: Mildred, Salonie, Hazel, Horace, Ernest, and Lillian. Horace was my great-grandfather (m. Melina Nugent).
I have been unable to find who Alice's parents and/or siblings were. Her obit lists a surviving brother as "Rosemo", but I have been unable to find anything on him either.
Michael Nugent
My ancestor is Michael Levi Nugent (b.1852 d.1876) and married to Rosalie Guillory of Louisiana.
Michael Levi's parents were Michael Nugent (b.1806 d.1865) and Mary Jane Droddy.
Finding Michael Nugent's parents has been quite a headache! I found two different sources that say two different things.
One is that Michael Nugent is actually "Matthew Michael" and is the son of Matthew & Zylpha Nugent.
However, other records I have found indicate that Matthew & Zylpha had a son named Matthew William, who married Julia Ann Mackie - not a Matthew Michael married to Mary Jane Droddy. Matthew William was born in 1802 and died 1879.
The other is that Michael Nugent is the son of Thomas Edmond Nugent, wife unknown. Thomas Edmond, "Edmond", (b.1750 d.1815) is the son of Matthew Nugent & Isabel MacBray of North Carolina.
I am absolutely stumped as to who the true parents of Michael Nugent, m. to Mary Jane Droddy, are. The info I have been able to dig up is conflicting.
Florence Mae Guerin SOLVED!
I have been unsuccessful at finding the mother of my great-grandmother, Florence Mae Guerin Prestenback (b.1898 d.1966).
Florence Mae's father is Oliver Guerin (b.1855 d.1937), son of Gerard Guerin and Julie Aguillard. Who is wife is remains a mystery. My grandfather, Florence Mae's son, does not know her name. All I know about her is that she died from complications resulting from a broken hip; an injury she sustained after slipping on a corn cob on the family's porch. Florence Mae was "around 13" at the time.
Oliver and our Mystery Woman had 3 sons and 5 daughters (Aliska, Florence Mae, Elme, Julia and Unknown). Julia and Unknown married two brothers, Edward and Edva Vallet. In 1927, the sister, Unknown, who was married to Edva, died young in childbirth; the child, a boy, lived. Elme married Charlie Badeaux and had one son, Charlie (aka 'Lil Charlie). Aliska married a man with the surname of Sicard.
A 1910 Census shows Oliver Gulvin (Guerin), aged 49, living in Nairn, Pointe Coupee Parish, Louisiana. His wife is "Sarga", aged 27. Their children are Oliver Jr. (aged 18), Elmire (aged 16) and Florence M (aged 12). Is "Sarga" correct?
I had learned that my great-great grandmother's named was Leilah or Leila, and had no more to go on than that - which made it impossible to find her family. After many headaches, it was a casual conversation with my grandfather wherein he said, "Oh, yes, her last name was Lebeau.", that solved the mystery.
At his statement, my jaw hit the floor.
"Pa!", I exclaimed, "You said you didn't know her name when I asked!"
"Well I don't know her first name. I always knew her last name was Lebeau, though."
*slaps forehead*
Make mental note: Be VERY VERY specific when asking questions to Pa-Pa Riley!
My great-great grandmother was Lelia Lebeau - who married Adolphe Oliver Guerin ("Oliver") in about 1875. Her parents, as far as I have been able to uncover, were Leliot Lebeau and Adelphine Bergeron. A little more research should easily reveal the rest. That's one Stump solved.
Thanks to all that helped with this info - especially: JamesLDabadie on the Guerin message board at RootsWeb, and kedzz and jagill1966 over at the Find A Grave forums.
