RUBY One-Name Study : studying the Ruby surname across the world

William Ruby, the eldest son of John Ruby and Elizabeth Carpenter, was born in 1815 in Abbotskerswell, Devon, England. He married Ann Garrett and two sons were born in Devon, Samuel and George. [1]   With these very young children, they undertook the journey across the cold Atlantic to Newfoundland in 1843.   A third son, Silas Garrett, was born in St. John’s, NFL in 1850.   Genealogical research in Newfoundland is challenging in a different way from many other parts of Canada – this rocky island is far from its nearest provincial neighbour. Engaged in various colonial relations with Great Britain, it did not become a province of Canada until 1949.   Settlement was often in remote locations where church officials may only pass through once a year or less; records in the 1800s and even early 1900s can be very scarce and may only be available as a transcript with the original destroyed or illegible. Civil registration was late in implementation an...

WHY YOU MIGHT WANT A FACEBOOK GROUP FOR YOUR ONE-NAME PROJECT: THE EXPERIENCE OF THE RUBY PROJECT This post comes from team member Peggy Chapman, who usually posts the work of others on the blog but has taken on the role of writer this time.  For many one-namers or genealogists in general, their work is a solitary activity and while they may receive input from others, it is simply another information source rather than a project member.   However, la rger studies often have group collaboration.   Surnames that cross different cultures may mean participation of those more familiar with different countries are integral to the study success.   This describes the Ruby project, an initiative of the Guild of One-Name Studies to celebrate its 40 th anniversary.   If you are not familiar with the project, go back in the blog archive to the first post .   It was always intended that a closed Facebook group would be a communication tool f...