Tuesday, January 29, 2013

Tombstone Tuesday- Joseph Delherbe Family Tomb


 Greenwood Cemetery, New Orleans, La
Buried in this tomb are :
Joseph John Delherbe
Anna Osborne Delherbe
Whitney Joseph Faulk
Louise Delherbe Babin
Minor Joseph Babin
Adele Delherbe Faulk





Saturday, January 26, 2013

Surname Saturday- Booth

My great grandfather's half brother was named John William Booth born in 1863 in Plaquemines Parish, La. You can just imagine the trouble I have when I search John W. Booth in the 1800's. Of course each search in old papers and other records always bring me to the infamous John Wilkes Booth that shot Lincoln. To make matters worse, some of my Booth family were a family of actors in Louisiana. So, it has been quite a fascinating journey muddling through the John W. Booth's to find my John.

William Booth was born in England about 1829. He came to Louisiana and settled in Plaquemines Parish around 1840. His obituary was published  in The Empire Parish newspaper, published in Pointe-a-la-Hache, Louisiana.

  Died-William Booth, 5 Sept. 1866, a native of England, but lived  in Plaquemines many years. He was 37, he left a widow and two small children.  William BOOTH husband of Margaret CONRAD - died 5 March 1866.
He was listed in the 1850 Louisiana census with spouse, Jean born England, and an Anthony A. Booth, born in Plaquemines Parish 1842.

William married Margaret Conrad before 1857. They had two children, Josephine Booth (who married Alexander Gordon Grimshaw) and John W. Booth. 

John W. Booth married Lucienne Marie Solis in 1888 and they had nine children:

Edwin W. Booth
Viola Agatha Booth
Reginald Gordon Booth
Anita Regina Booth
John Stephen Booth
Mildred Josephine Booth
Clarence Richard Booth
Hewitt H. Booth
Herbert Conrad Booth

In 1888 John W. Booth was elected as the Justice of the Peace of Plaquemines Parish, in Lousiana.

The 1893 Hurricane destroyed the Booth family home in Plaquemines Parish. He moved to New Orleans after he received an  appointment at the U.S. Mint in New Orleans.

His son Reginald Booth was an actor and traveled throughout Lousiana with his troupe. My grandmother and great aunt had find memories of their cousin and his acting.



John William Booth died on March 16, 1908 in New Orleans, La. His obituary in the Plaquemines Parish Newspaper follows:

JOHN W. BOOTH, age 45 years, died in New Orleans, La. on Monday 16 March 1908.  Mr. Booth, a native of this parish where he resided up to a few years ago, when he received an appointment to the New Orleans Mint. He was a gentle man and was held to the highest esteem by the people of his native parish.....  Mr. Booth leaves a widow and several children.... The funeral took place Tuesday evening and the remains were laid to rest in the New St. Louis Cemetery of New Orleans.





Saturday, January 19, 2013

Surname Saturday- Grimshaw

A few weeks back I wrote of the Berthoud family, the ancestors of my cousins,  Maud and Meta Grimshaw. Now I will write of their father's family, the Grimshaw's of Louisiana.

James Grimshaw was born in England and came to the U.S. around 1827. He was a wealthy merchant and an owner of  Tayleur, Grimshaw &  Sloan. James became involved in the business in 1827 as this notice given in the Louisiana Advertiser on February 23, 1827 will attribute:


The firm had a London branch as well as one in New Orleans at 79 Canal Street. The firm was apparently dissolved in 1834, as this notice in the London Gazette will attribute:

After the dissolution of the firm of Tayleur, Grimshaw & Sloane, James founded a new firm entitled Grimshaw & Jones that operated out of Mobile, Alabama.  They later went bankrupt in 1843. 

James married  Mary Julia Berthoud, daughter of  Nicholas Berthoud and Eliza Bakewell, in New York in 1835. They later settled in the New Orleans area. James was a much respected citizen and a staunch supporter of the Christ Church, Episcopal Church in New Orleans where he served as vestryman.


James and Mary had twelve children:
Mary Julia Grimshaw, who married Brigadier General Johnson Kelly Duncan.
Henry Grimshaw, who married Lida Travis
Elizabeth Berthoud Grimshaw, who married William Seymour
Augustus Berthoud Grimshaw
James Russell Grimshaw, died at the battle of Shiloh
Alexander Gordon Grimshaw, who married Josephine Booth (parents to Maud, Meta and Russell)
Edith Grimshaw, who died as an infant
Newton Mercer Grimshaw, died young
Edward Kenyon Grimshaw, married Annie Reade
Francis Hammond Grimshaw, died young
William Grimshaw, married Hattie Knight
Meta Grimshaw

Their son, Alexander Gordon Grimshaw married Josephine Booth, daughter of Margaret Conrad and William Booth. They had four children, Edith who died as a child, James Russell, and the twins, Maud and Meta Grimshaw. James Russell, who was known as Russell never married and died without issue. The twins Maud and Meta devoted their lives to taking care of others, both of them becoming nurses after dedicating themselves to caring for their sick father for many years before his passing. They never married, nor had children, though they cared for many of their nieces and nephews as though they were their own children. They adored their Uncle Alan Wiese, my great grandfather and doted upon him.

There is a fantastic website about the Grimshaw family by Thomas Grimshaw at, Grimshaw Origins and History, which details Grimshaw's from England to America which may prove beneficial to any who are researching this family. I would suggest you contact Mr. Thomas Grimshaw if you have anything to add or any questions regarding the Grimshaw line, I myself have contributed numerous times to his site regarding my cousins portion of the family.

Tuesday, January 15, 2013

Saturday, January 5, 2013

Surname Saturday- Berthoud

I have written of my two elderly twin cousins Maud and Meta Grimshaw before, telling my memories of them and their lives. Today I will look further into their past, to their grandparents and great grandparents. Finding more about them has led me to understand more about what made Maud and Meta the fascinating genteel southern ladies that they were.

Their grandfather was James Grimshaw and their grandmother was Mary Julia Berthoud. Mary Julia Berthoud was born in 1816 Kentucky to the parents of Nicholas Berthoud and Eliza Bakewell. Eliza's sister Lucy was the wife of John James Audubon, famous naturalist.

Nicholas Berthoud was the son of James Berthoud, who was really the Marquis de St. Pierre of France. Nicholas' mother was said to be a lady in waiting to Marie Antoinette. They had escaped the terror in France thanks to a loyal servant who had helped them flee, hiding the eight year old Nicholas under the carriage seat when they were stopped in fear that  he would be mistaken for the Dauphin whom was the same age. The servant was James Berthoud, he purchased tickets for the passage to America in his name for the family. The Marquis and family assumed the servant's name Berthoud and kept it upon arriving in America. They settled in Kentucky. Much can be found written about this story in the Kentucky histories, as well as most of the books written about John James Audubon. The Berthoud family and their story are always mentioned.

Nicholas met and married Eliza Bakewell when she was in Kentucky visiting her sister and brother in law. They had several children and among them was Mary Julia Berthoud.

The first portrait drawings Audubon did were of the Berthoud family. He first drew James Berthoud and after meeting with success he then drew Mrs. Berthoud, and later Nicholas. In later years he also painted Mary Julia Berthoud Grimshaw.

In going back and looking at all of these portraits, I can see the two women I loved so dearly in each of their faces. The noble French heritage is stamped upon them and was apparent in their actions and carriage. I have never known anyone quite like those two ladies. They had a proud history, and they knew it.



Mary Julia Berthoud Grimshaw as painted by Audubon


Friday, January 4, 2013

Wonderful Team Member Readership Award

Wonderful Team Member Readership Award 


What a wonderful surprise to be nominated for such an award! I sincerely would like to thank Yvonne Demoskoff of  Yvonne's Genealogy Blog  for nominating me!!

It is always a joy to read what others have written and to be able to share the love of genealogy with a kindred spirit. I am very grateful to those who read my blog and comment on the stories.


RULES:

(i) Don’t forget to thank the nominator and link back to their site as well;
(ii) Display the award logo on your blog;
(iii) Nominate no more than fourteen readers of your blog you appreciate and leave a comment on their blogs to let them know about the award;
(iv) Finish this sentence: “A great reader is…”

“A great reader is a person who takes the time to read your blog, comment, and even make suggestions.”

My nominations for the Wonderful Team Member Readership Award are:

1. LindaRe- Between the Gate Posts

2.Niall- From Aberdeen to Alabama

3. Magda- Genealogy Works-Hungarian Family Record & More

Once again I would like to thank Yvonne for nominating me, you can read about it HERE . I would nominate her in return but she has already been nominated! Thanks Yvonne for reading and for all of your comments!! Thanks to any and all of my readers; those who follow faithfully and those who just stumble by. I appreciate you all!








Wednesday, January 2, 2013

Tuesday, January 1, 2013

Tombstone Tuesday- Wiese



Tomb of James A. Wiese and Edna C. Delherbe. They were buried in the Grimshaw -Withan tomb in Greenwood Cemetery, New Orleans, La.