Genealogy New Year’s Resolutions for 2017

This is a start! Need help to finish!

I gave up on resolutions years ago, as with most  people, I never followed through on them.

I now have so many goals swimming in my head that I realize I need to be better organized to complete them.

In my genealogy field, these include:

• Genealogy Do-Over - I confess, this is my third attempt. I am looking forward to seeing and hearing Thomas MacEntee this weekend with my local San Diego Genealogical Society.

• Start a blog. Which I did. But I am getting frustrated with the website’s technical issues. 

• More confidence with my Source Citations.  

• Complete goals with better organization of family photos, scrapbooks, letters, and documents.  

I am a great starter, but, my issue is to FINISH my goals. I also have to be able to focus on one item at a time until it is satisfactorily done. I am easily sidetracked by those Bright Shiny Objects.

Resolutions can only be successful if one follows through on them day by day all year to become successful habits. 

Ask me how I am progressing on my goals six months from now. No, it should be monthly. I so appreciate all of the help that is available out in the internet world. 

The Old COOPER Bible

Austin COOPER and Elizabeth GIBSON (my second great-grandparents) of Mullingar, Westmeath, Ireland, had 14 children after they were married on 24 Jun 1851, in the Church of Ireland. Austin also had a son from a previous marriage to Mary Agnes IRWIN who had died [in childbirth].  The names written on my grandfather’s (John Carrick COOPER, the son of Alexander Sisson COOPER) tree include * -

*Austin Irwin COOPER 

*Henry COOPER

*Alexander Sisson COOPER

 Arthur Lincoln COOPER

*Edwin Ashley COOPER

*Samuel COOPER

*John Turner COOPER

*Walter COOPER

*Ashley J. COOPER

James COOPER

Sylvester COOPER

*Jane "Jenny" M. COOPER

*Bessie COOPER

*Marion Frances COOPER

*Mary "Minnie" E. COOPER

Those highlighted in yellow were included from my (third, 1x removed) cousin’s, Richard Austin Cooper, book, Butterhill & Beyond (on a Chapeau Gules): Illustrated History of the Cooper Family of Byfleet, Killenure Castle, Co. Tipperary and Abbeville House, Co. Dublin. The one highlighted in blue is my find.

In 2006, I discovered Ancestry.com’s Message Boards. I typed in ‘Alexander Sisson Cooper’ in different formats. No show. I continued with his male sibling ‘Arthur Lincoln Cooper’ and up popped a jewel. There he was listed in a query titled ‘Old Cooper Bible’ found in Denver, Colorado, at a boarding house on Speer Blvd. back in 1960. Included was my great-grandfather, Alexander ‘Sissen’ Cooper, with birth date and location of 3 Oct 1854 in ‘Martinstown’‡ of Mullingar, Westmeath, Ireland. The author who found this Bible requested that she would like to get this to the Cooper family it belongs to. I e-mailed her and had the family Bible in my own hands days later. What a treasure!

It is small measuring 4”x6”x2.” Sadly, the front title page is torn out, so I do not know when this Bible was published. The back inner cover was transcribed for the query.

“Ashley Joseph Cooper was born 22 August 1868 at Roscommon.

Henry Cooper was born on Monday Morning the 12th of April 1852 at Martinstown.

Mary Elizabeth Cooper was born the 20th of August 1853 at Martinstown.

Alexander Sissen Cooper was born on the 3rd of October 1854 on Tuesday night at half past two at Martinstown. Baptized by his grandfather the 31 of the same month.

Aurthur Linclon Cooper was born on the 20th of January 1856 on Monday at (can't read) at Canterbury Bariack. Baptized by his g Uncle August 1858 in Qubleu.

Elizabeth Cooper was born on Sunday the 31st May 1857 at Faringdon Rvan. Baptized by her grandfather July 1851.”

I turned to the pages between the Testaments and found this.

“Austin & Elizabeth [nee Gibson] Cooper were married on Saturday the 14th of June 1851.

Austin Irwin Cooper was born on Sunday the 25th of March 1849 at 10 o'clock & baptized on Tuesday the 17th of April Dublin.” (Austin Irwin Cooper was the child of Austin Cooper and Mary Irwin. Mary died in 1849, possibly in childbirth.)

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"Henry Cooper was born on Monday the 12th April 1852 at 10 o.ck. noon.

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"Alexander Sisson Cooper was born was born Oct 3 1854

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"Arthur Lincoln Cooper was born January 28 1856

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"Elizabeth Cooper was born May 31 1857”

This is in different handwriting as in the back of the Bible.

Thank you, Karen Greer, for finding this treasure to answer questions of some of Austin and Elizabeth’s children. This Bible added more questions for me to answer. The first one is: How did it end up in Denver, Colorado?

I will write about each child as I find more information about them through research and hopefully cousin contact.

‡There are both a Martinstown and a Marlinstown in Co. Westmeath, Ireland. ‘Martinstown’ is the transcription from the Bible in the query. Marlinstown is the closest to Mullingar. I see Marlinstown on the original Bible page.

I love the Bible notes at the bottom of the second page. 

◬18 parts refer to Election

⧺18 parts refer to Predestination

Tourist in Australia - Day 20

Melbourne, Past and Present
Tuesday, 8 Nov 2016

After breakfast, we walked down Swanston St. a few blocks to the Queen Victoria Market, which my cousins highly recommend we visit. 

It was fascinating to see the old and the new along with different kinds of food and items from all over the world in one location. 

I found this fascinating Self Guided History Tour of the market. Check it out. 

http://www.qvm.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Self-Guided-History-Tour.pdf

The market is still going through upgrades in the next four years. 

We entered in the fresh fruit and vegetables section.

Eileen  points out the cut fresh pineapple.

I find a line at the popular American Doughnut Kitchen.

  Coconuts from Thailand.

We walk into the meat market where meat and world dishes are prepared.

We strolled into the next area of eateries. 

Herbs and Spice Mercantile 

Bakery

Coffee shop

Chocolate

As we exited this giant market…Flowers on Therry St.

We walk out across the street to find another giant area of variety of sellers. Eileen found a nice wool lined jacket & I found a lovely pull over sweater cape. We were both freezing here as we were furthest south. “Melbourne has all four seasons in one day!” we were told. 

I find this map of the market wth future plans of upgrading this historical site by 2021. 

Interesting and much needed cap when you are out in the Outback! Keeps those flies away.

Had lunch in the food court. Signs of Christmas outside!

We walked down Elizabeth St. back to our hotel area to the free tram zone on La Troube St. that surrounds the city centre part of Melbourne.

We sit and enjoy the view of the city riding on the tram. One 10 minute stop was in front of the historical Parliament building. We stayed on back to our hotel area. 

We get off and walk back down Elizabeth St. to check out this London and American Supply Store that caught my eye earlier walking to the market. What was in here that they do not have in Oz?

It mostly had cookery items.

We walk back to hotel. See construction zone on our block. The entire south side was being torn down.  We rested for a bit and freshened up to go out again for dinner. Where to? 

We decided to go the opposite direction down Swanston St. There we are in front of a mall entrance. In we go to a several level mall right above the Central Melbourne train station.  

We walked around to the eatery for dinner at McDonalds. I was craving some American junk food. Ha ha. After I gave my order to the clerk, she asked my where I was from because of my “strange” accent. It through me off for just a bit then remembering where I was. I told her from the U.S. She was young & so cute.

Afterwards, we walked around and saw this wonder.

Inside this historical building was - along with a Men’s clothing store, R.M. Williams - a small museum giving the story of the Coop’s Shot Tower.

The local community fought in tearing this historical site down so they just built around it. 


Eileen found a free hug! 

Mary, Dermott, Eileen

We  walked back to our hotel & found Dermott in the lobby. We talked about our discoveries and asked for a photo with him. Eileen & I are both modeling our finds from Queen Victoria Market.

In the room, we packed to get everything ready for our departure back to Los Angeles the next day. Rested and found Australia’s version of Who Do You Think You Are? covering actor Jeremy Rush. 

We had a much smoother flight home on a less crowded Airbus A380. I  had a window seat with Eileen on the aisle. We took off at 11AM and landed into Los Angeles 6AM same day thanks to the International Date Line.  

Good to be back home.  

G’ Day, Australia! 

What a fantastic visit! I plan to return.