Here’s an example of the kinds of cool things that happen when you enter the world of genealogy. A few weeks ago I received an envelope from someone I’d never heard of before. When I opened it I found a picture of a 12 month old girl named Mabel Eade. The photographer was Alderson from Warren, IL. There were notes from the sender indicating that her father was Josiah Alcott Eade and her mother Carrie Kilburn Earl. She lived from 1886-1888, not a long time.
I had to look her up, but there she was in my Nana’s Earl lineage. Her mother’s name Carrie Earl clearly was connected to my great grandmother. In fact, my Nana, Carrie Earl McFadden, was born in 1867. So they were contemporaries, little Mabel in IL and baby Carrie in San Leandro, CA. Knowing the naming traditions that are common in Irish families, I’m betting there are other Carries further back in the Earl-Kilburn tree.
I was thrilled. The sender had found her picture in a Peru, IL antique mall and taken the trouble to find her on Ancestry, and then to find me and send me this picture. I scanned it and uploaded it to my ancestry tree.
Here’s the response I received, “I got your thank you card and I’m glad you received the photo and that you’re happy with it. I’m ecstatic to see it posted on Ancestry–that’s what makes it all worthwhile for me. Continued success with your tree(s)!”
At his entreaty, Mabel has been given a good home amongst our family photos.
Following the trails of our ancestors 