Katie G
@katiegors.bsky.social
Software developer by day. Baker, knitter, and hobbyist Franklin expedition genealogist by night. alongblank.com. 🇨🇦
Currently on a road trip through Ontario and Quebec with some family and look what I scored from a used book store in Kingston! They had a whole shelf on polar exploration but I only had about 15 minutes to look before we had to run, so I didn’t have that much time to browse!
October 1, 2025 at 1:31 AM
Currently on a road trip through Ontario and Quebec with some family and look what I scored from a used book store in Kingston! They had a whole shelf on polar exploration but I only had about 15 minutes to look before we had to run, so I didn’t have that much time to browse!
I adore this owl cup at the ROM! The wonky little owl looks like something I could paint, I love her. I also enjoy the subtle shade of the plaque, noting that it's "much stylized"
September 23, 2025 at 7:42 PM
I adore this owl cup at the ROM! The wonky little owl looks like something I could paint, I love her. I also enjoy the subtle shade of the plaque, noting that it's "much stylized"
Clear skies over Greenland! (Keflavik -> Calgary, August 6 2025)
September 17, 2025 at 2:39 AM
Clear skies over Greenland! (Keflavik -> Calgary, August 6 2025)
Requesting transcription assistance again! This comes from genealogy notes written in 1909 by the niece of an able seaman on the Franklin expedition.
I think I make out: "Went very young with Franklin to arctic. Mother was afraid he'd ??? away ??? so she filter him out."
I think I make out: "Went very young with Franklin to arctic. Mother was afraid he'd ??? away ??? so she filter him out."
July 3, 2025 at 11:28 PM
Requesting transcription assistance again! This comes from genealogy notes written in 1909 by the niece of an able seaman on the Franklin expedition.
I think I make out: "Went very young with Franklin to arctic. Mother was afraid he'd ??? away ??? so she filter him out."
I think I make out: "Went very young with Franklin to arctic. Mother was afraid he'd ??? away ??? so she filter him out."
Requesting transcription assistance! This is in a list of who received an arctic medal on behalf of someone on the Franklin Expedition. For HMS Erebus ship's boy David Young I can make out:
David Young / Father ??? 13/5/59
There's what looks like two abbreviations I'm unsure of.
David Young / Father ??? 13/5/59
There's what looks like two abbreviations I'm unsure of.
June 5, 2025 at 1:29 AM
Requesting transcription assistance! This is in a list of who received an arctic medal on behalf of someone on the Franklin Expedition. For HMS Erebus ship's boy David Young I can make out:
David Young / Father ??? 13/5/59
There's what looks like two abbreviations I'm unsure of.
David Young / Father ??? 13/5/59
There's what looks like two abbreviations I'm unsure of.
And then there's stuff like this! What is this!?! A sister Selena Trott is named in the estate tax record, and I found her marriage record but it lists her own name as her father? Is this a clerical error or meant to signify she's illegitimate or what? But the occupation "Smith" is correct so??
May 17, 2025 at 5:09 AM
And then there's stuff like this! What is this!?! A sister Selena Trott is named in the estate tax record, and I found her marriage record but it lists her own name as her father? Is this a clerical error or meant to signify she's illegitimate or what? But the occupation "Smith" is correct so??
Here's a fun little tidbit! I'm tracing a very tentative maternal line connecting to Terror blacksmith Samuel Honey, and Honey's grandnephew Arthur Smith was baptized on the same day at the same church that William Orren's grandnephew was. Small world!
May 16, 2025 at 4:21 AM
Here's a fun little tidbit! I'm tracing a very tentative maternal line connecting to Terror blacksmith Samuel Honey, and Honey's grandnephew Arthur Smith was baptized on the same day at the same church that William Orren's grandnephew was. Small world!
The saddest one I've found so far is for Erebus's cook John Diggle. His daughter tried to collect his estate when she was an adult but Diggle's father had already inherited it.
May 15, 2025 at 5:30 AM
The saddest one I've found so far is for Erebus's cook John Diggle. His daughter tried to collect his estate when she was an adult but Diggle's father had already inherited it.
Anyone have experience with Seamen's effect papers (ADM 44)? I'm curious about why there's an 1859 entry for James Allen who as far as I can tell wasn't on the Terror for the Franklin expedition or the Ross Antarctic expedition
May 13, 2025 at 4:54 AM
Anyone have experience with Seamen's effect papers (ADM 44)? I'm curious about why there's an 1859 entry for James Allen who as far as I can tell wasn't on the Terror for the Franklin expedition or the Ross Antarctic expedition
Did some research into Hopcraft in the hopes it'll help me track down his estate info later this week. His daughter appears to still be alive in 1854 so I'd assume she'd inherit it. I checked for descendants but only made it briefly into 1900s with his brother's line before it petered out.
May 6, 2025 at 3:50 AM
Did some research into Hopcraft in the hopes it'll help me track down his estate info later this week. His daughter appears to still be alive in 1854 so I'd assume she'd inherit it. I checked for descendants but only made it briefly into 1900s with his brother's line before it petered out.
Regrouped today and put together a list of the crew whose estate tax info I'm still missing. 7 guys have wills so I know even if I can't find the tax record at least we have estate info for them. Aside from them, what's left are these 8 guys on my shit list. Where are your estates, my dudes!!!
May 3, 2025 at 6:55 AM
Regrouped today and put together a list of the crew whose estate tax info I'm still missing. 7 guys have wills so I know even if I can't find the tax record at least we have estate info for them. Aside from them, what's left are these 8 guys on my shit list. Where are your estates, my dudes!!!
Banging my head against the wall trying to get the estate tax records for my last 15 Franklin guys and then found one tonight for seaman William Mark in EIGHTEEN SEVENTY THREE???!!! No wonder I couldn't find it! Why the hell was his estate not settled until 20 years after the crew was declared dead!
May 1, 2025 at 5:17 AM
Banging my head against the wall trying to get the estate tax records for my last 15 Franklin guys and then found one tonight for seaman William Mark in EIGHTEEN SEVENTY THREE???!!! No wonder I couldn't find it! Why the hell was his estate not settled until 20 years after the crew was declared dead!
Initially I was very "Oh I'll contact descendants online, but when it comes to physical mail I think it's better to leave that to the professionals!"
Guess what I'm doing today? 🙄 Curse my overly-helpful ass!
Guess what I'm doing today? 🙄 Curse my overly-helpful ass!
April 27, 2025 at 5:08 AM
Initially I was very "Oh I'll contact descendants online, but when it comes to physical mail I think it's better to leave that to the professionals!"
Guess what I'm doing today? 🙄 Curse my overly-helpful ass!
Guess what I'm doing today? 🙄 Curse my overly-helpful ass!
Thomas Jopson, captain's steward. Or is it Thomas Jackson, captain of the hold?
April 24, 2025 at 6:30 AM
Thomas Jopson, captain's steward. Or is it Thomas Jackson, captain of the hold?
Literally going through these files like
April 4, 2025 at 2:43 PM
Literally going through these files like
I do! His administrator was his sister Sarah Barrett, though I'm not sure what's going on with his beneficiaries section.
April 4, 2025 at 2:27 AM
I do! His administrator was his sister Sarah Barrett, though I'm not sure what's going on with his beneficiaries section.
Solomon Tozer's estate was administered by his mother and split between her and 12 (!?!!!) siblings
April 4, 2025 at 1:16 AM
Solomon Tozer's estate was administered by his mother and split between her and 12 (!?!!!) siblings
Edward Little's estate was administered by his brother Simon Ridley Little, and was split between 10 (!?) siblings
April 4, 2025 at 1:01 AM
Edward Little's estate was administered by his brother Simon Ridley Little, and was split between 10 (!?) siblings
Who the fuck is Henry Wright???
Is this supposed to be Henry Wilkes? The details match except for the last name, which is a significant thing to not match
Is this supposed to be Henry Wilkes? The details match except for the last name, which is a significant thing to not match
April 3, 2025 at 11:38 PM
Who the fuck is Henry Wright???
Is this supposed to be Henry Wilkes? The details match except for the last name, which is a significant thing to not match
Is this supposed to be Henry Wilkes? The details match except for the last name, which is a significant thing to not match
Also infuriatingly there is a John Best listed as a child of the right family on familysearch and a couple ancestry trees, but none have sources.
THEY HAVE HIM DYING IN THE ARCTIC IN 1847. WHERE ARE YOUR SOURCES RANDOM ANCESTRY ACCOUNT. WHAT DO YOU KNOW??????
THEY HAVE HIM DYING IN THE ARCTIC IN 1847. WHERE ARE YOUR SOURCES RANDOM ANCESTRY ACCOUNT. WHAT DO YOU KNOW??????
April 3, 2025 at 4:37 PM
Also infuriatingly there is a John Best listed as a child of the right family on familysearch and a couple ancestry trees, but none have sources.
THEY HAVE HIM DYING IN THE ARCTIC IN 1847. WHERE ARE YOUR SOURCES RANDOM ANCESTRY ACCOUNT. WHAT DO YOU KNOW??????
THEY HAVE HIM DYING IN THE ARCTIC IN 1847. WHERE ARE YOUR SOURCES RANDOM ANCESTRY ACCOUNT. WHAT DO YOU KNOW??????
But another AB, this one on HMS Erebus, Charles Best, may have been as well?
The muster says he's from Fareham, Hants, born ~1822.
His estate tax records show his administrator as his widowed mother named Isabella Best, living in Wolfville, Nova Scotia. Also that he went by the name John.
The muster says he's from Fareham, Hants, born ~1822.
His estate tax records show his administrator as his widowed mother named Isabella Best, living in Wolfville, Nova Scotia. Also that he went by the name John.
April 3, 2025 at 4:37 PM
But another AB, this one on HMS Erebus, Charles Best, may have been as well?
The muster says he's from Fareham, Hants, born ~1822.
His estate tax records show his administrator as his widowed mother named Isabella Best, living in Wolfville, Nova Scotia. Also that he went by the name John.
The muster says he's from Fareham, Hants, born ~1822.
His estate tax records show his administrator as his widowed mother named Isabella Best, living in Wolfville, Nova Scotia. Also that he went by the name John.
John Bridgens's estate (born Henry James Bridgens) went to his mother Harriet.
April 3, 2025 at 6:50 AM
John Bridgens's estate (born Henry James Bridgens) went to his mother Harriet.
George Henry Hodgson's estate was administered to his brother, Reverend Beilby Porteus Hodgson. Quite a name! His estate was split 5 ways between his mother, 2 brothers, and 2 sisters.
April 3, 2025 at 6:36 AM
George Henry Hodgson's estate was administered to his brother, Reverend Beilby Porteus Hodgson. Quite a name! His estate was split 5 ways between his mother, 2 brothers, and 2 sisters.
William Gibson's estate went to his father, Stewart Gibson, a tailor.
April 3, 2025 at 6:09 AM
William Gibson's estate went to his father, Stewart Gibson, a tailor.
Here's some records from some of fandom's Special Guys™️
Thomas Jopson's estate was supposed to go to his father, but his father died the same year (1854), so instead it went to his sister Mary
Thomas Jopson's estate was supposed to go to his father, but his father died the same year (1854), so instead it went to his sister Mary
April 3, 2025 at 6:09 AM
Here's some records from some of fandom's Special Guys™️
Thomas Jopson's estate was supposed to go to his father, but his father died the same year (1854), so instead it went to his sister Mary
Thomas Jopson's estate was supposed to go to his father, but his father died the same year (1854), so instead it went to his sister Mary