Well, a friend on Facebook (Michelle) sent me a link, which led to another link, which then led to a third link and I liked what I saw.  It was a Ross County website that specifically states that they will help you with your search.  Nothing is free though you know, so I remained skeptical.

However, the website was right!  I sent out three emails and when I awoke the next morning, I had an email!

The lady who helped me (Judie) found out when Lillian was born and also a small piece of the puzzle.  Her Dad's full name.

Marvin Nelson Tudor.

And Lillian's FULL birthdate is May 5, 1936!

I was speaking to my Aunt Katie last night about all of this and we were discussing taking an upcoming trip to Ohio to see what else we could find.

Judie did say that she did NOT find any marriage records for a Lillian Tudor.  

The more I think about it, the more I'm inclined to believe that she changed her name after she left and that's why there's no trace of her.

I am hoping that Kelly remembers where in Kentucky she thinks she met her at.  But so far I've not heard back from her.  I know it won't be much to research, but at least it's something.

I'm kind of discouraged at the thought to be honest.  It's obvious that there is very little paper trail regarding Lillian, but there has to be someone...or something that will lead us to her.

A lack of info, but...

Well, I have some new information, along with some new things to research.

I was finally able to find Marvin's step-daughter Kelly!  And Marvin!  Thanks goes out to my wonderful cousin Sarah for a simple connection on how to find her.  We spoke on the phone for over 1/2 hour and it was so good to reconnect with her.  I remember her from my childhood and I'm glad that she remembered me as well. :)

Kelly did provide me with some useful information.  She remembers that Marvin Sr. took them down to Kentucky when she was around 10-11 and she met someone that Marvin Sr. introduced as their aunt.  Now, this could have been on Marvin's Dad's side, but the hopeful person in me hopes it refers to his Mom's side (my grandma).  If that is the case, it would have to be Lillian they met because all of the other children live either here in New Castle or in Missouri.

She is trying to get ahold of Marvin Jr. to see if they put their brains together if they can pinpoint the city they were in.

However, I'm still 99.9% sure I'm going to have to make a trip to Ohio to get any further in this quest.

Off of the Lillian front though, I got in contact with my 2nd cousin (?) on Facebook!  I've never met her, but she did give me her number and I'm going to give her a call tonight to let her know what I'm doing and also hoping I can count on her to get me the information for their side of the family tree! :)  Providing there are 7 kids from her Mother, that's a lot of info to fill out.  Hopefully she can put me in contact with some of the other family members from my Grandma's other sisters and brothers so I can get all their info filled into the chart too!  The one sister had 14 kids!  So that's a LOT of info to obtain!  lol

I shall update again when I hear back from Kelly regarding the Kentucky connection!

Nothing yet, but...

I have to acknowledge the help I've been given regarding my search.

Melissa - Even though it didn't pan out, I'm very appreciative of the help you were offering in regards to this quest.

Amy - You are a gem.  You've given me so much information...each one plugging a little piece of the puzzle together.  For that, I am forever grateful.  Learning about where you came from is really fascinating and you're helping me learn a lot!

Kathie - I met this wonderful lady today at the local library and her assistance took me on another path.  Thank you so much for the information you provided me with, for your compliments on what I've obtained so far (with the help of other people, might I add) and for showing me some new websites and also a new branch on the tree!

I'm 99.9% sure that a trip to Ross County, Ohio is in order in the very near future.  I think it's going to be the only way I'm going to be able to look up some more information on Lillian.  As that is my goal in doing this.

I've heard the same story over and over, but Kathie today challenged me to think outside of the story.  So I'm going to take the knowledge she shared with me and proceed from there.

Anyone up for a road trip? :P

I need a clue...

While the rest of the family chart on my Grandma's side is moving along at warp speed, sadly any information on Lillian is proving to be non-existent.

I had high hopes when I woke up this morning because I thought...maybe, just maybe when I found Marvin's obit in the paper, Lillian would be there somewhere.

Well, the wonderful Amy did her abracadabra magic tricks and produced said obit, but sadly...no reference of Lillian. :(

I'm a man of very very little patience, so I get quite frustrated when something doesn't pan out.

But, I'm trying my best to take it in stride and realize that regardless of no information on her, I'm gathering lots of other information and filling in gaps of the rest of the family.  I now know that Marvin's Dad was also named Marvin.  And I know from growing up that his son (could be step-son) is also named Marvin.  So the name continues.

So, now I continue on for more avenues to check in regards to Lillian.  Sadly, I don't even know what those avenues would be.  I guess it's back to the drawing board and interviewing more of my aunts and uncles.

Until next time...

May 5th

I'm very excited right now!  I gained some more information on Lillian today!

May 5th is her birthday.  A stroke of luck brought me this information.  I was visiting with my Mom and her older sister and was showing my Aunt Katie what information had been obtained so far.  Before I called my Aunt Eva to ask her if she knew anything (she is the second oldest girl in the family), my Aunt Katie dropped a bombshell on me when I was discussing birthdays!

She KNEW Lillian's birthdate!  Sadly, I'm still oblivious to the year, but Lillian was born on May 5th, while Aunt Eva was born on May 6th some years later!

Needless to say, I was giddy with excitement.  Each piece of this puzzle I'm trying to solve seems so critical.

I also learned some things about Marvin.  He is her full brother, whereas all the rest of the family members (my Mom included) are half-siblings due to having a different father.  I learned that the person I thought to be his daughter (Kelly), is actually not his, however he did raise her.  Another stroke of luck...during her time living here in New Castle, she dated someone...that someone is known by my cousin Sarah!  (Which is Aunt Katie's eldest daughter!)  And, she's friends with him on Facebook.  Now, I know I'm getting excited over something that happened...oh...10 years or more ago probably, but it's still a new avenue to check out.  Perhaps he has kept in contact over the years with her.  Or, perhaps he knows someone who knows someone.

At this point, I'm taking any information I can get and going with it!

And I'm going to end here for now.  I am heading to the public library in the morning to talk to a genealogy specialist.

The Search Begins

Well, I am currently researching my family tree on my Maternal side of the family.  I know my Paternal side history dating back to the early 1800's already.  I, however, didn't amass that info.  It was done by someone else.

I named the blog The Search For Lillian because I'm searching for my aunt.  Her given birth name was Lillian Tudor.  The only version of the story that I know is that when my eldest uncle, Marvin Henry Tudor, decided to join the Army, Lillian disagreed with this decision with my Grandma (Mary Frances Elliott) and left...never to be heard from again.

I am speculating that Marvin still had contact with Lillian though.  They were brother and sister...both having the same father.  I do not know, however, the fathers name.

So, this is my first try at finding information about my ancestry and I am hoping I have some sort of luck.  I shall update when I have information. :)