Only that She Existed

Published by

Laura Aanenson

August 27, 2016

Surname Saturday - Richard

Are there women in your family tree about whom you know next-to-nothing?

My French-born 5th grandmother Barbe RICHARD is one of those women.

I know her name because it appears in the birth records of the ten children she had with her artist husband Joseph François GURY.

But of her? I really know only that she existed.

2016 08-27 BR Gury, Jean

The 14 Mar 1794 birth record above was the oldest one (chronologically speaking) that I located for a child who’s père et mère (father and mother) were Joseph François GURY and Barbe RICHARD.

I am working from the assumption that the couple was married about a year prior to the birth of this child, Jean GURY who, coincidentally, is my 4th great-grandfather.

And I’m hoping that combined information from the birth records of Jean and his nine siblings will give me more insight into the life of their mother.

6 responses to “Only that She Existed”

Sheryl

August 28, 2016

When I do family history I’m absolutely amazed how much I’m able to learn about some ancestors – and how little I can find about others. When I begin a search I often have little sense which it will be for any given ancestor.

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1. Laura Aanenson
  
  August 29, 2016
  
  I’ve had the same experience Sheryl. I’d like to know more of my ancestors’ stories, but that is rarely the case. Thank goodness for the ones that allow us a little insight into their lives!
  
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Amy

August 28, 2016

I have found that when I blog about a family, all too often the only “facts” I have about a woman is her name, maybe dates, name of parents, name of husband, and names of children. Because women didn’t generally work out of the house, it’s hard to learn much more for many of them.

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1. Laura Aanenson
  
  August 29, 2016
  
  So often it feels like we’re only telling half the story.
  
  I’m a contributor to Find A Grave and have encountered a number of headstones and obituaries that don’t even give the woman’s name! She’s “the wife of …” or “Mrs….”. The poor woman has no identity other than her relationship to her husband. Argh, frustrating!
  
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Luanne @ TFK

August 27, 2016

Yes, I have a lot of women like this. That is why I have written a chapbook of poetry and lyrical prose imagining (using research) the lives of some of these women.

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1. Laura Aanenson
  
  August 27, 2016
  
  What a wonderful way to bring them to life!
  
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I’m Laura

and I’m interested in all things genealogy. Join me as I continue my decades-long quest to learn more about my family history and the lives of my ancestors.