My Genealogy Story

This is my personal story of why I started my genealogy research, the discoveries I have made and most of all, answers. My research is a tribute to my ancestors, a gift to my family and my ancestor's families. I offer this story to you, as encouragement and to continue even at difficult moments when you are about to give up. The personal reward is tremendous.

My grandmother Thelma Ferne Perry, is what prompted my genealogy research. After her passing in 1979, leaving me only her words that we were Portuguese and all the children have the Perry eyes, I began my endeavor and to pay tribute to my ancestors. My story is as follows.

I never met my father until I was 20 (1968). My mother kept his whereabouts unknown. So naturally when I met him, I had a whole new family, father, step-mother, a half brother, three half sisters, an uncle, three cousins and a grandmother whom I never knew or met, Thelma Ferne Perry.

My grandmother Thelma Ferne Perry's eulogy card stated she was born in Auburn, ME. I sent off for her birth certificate which lists her father as Anthony D. Perry, born in Taunton MA. Finding no records anywhere of his birth, I called my cousin Ginger. I learned that Anthony had come to CA and worked at a lumber yard in Hayward, CA. I searched the CA death indexes, found him, and sent for his death certificate. He was born in Portugal and his father was Antone Cardoza Pereira. Ginger also told me about a second cousin twice removed, Jesse Rose whose grandmother was Rita Perry, daughter to Antone Pereira Cardoso III.

Since then, one thing led to another. Most of my research at first was at a Family History Center, and documenting my finds on the computer. The volunteers at the family history center were very helpful, they are the ones who first told me that Perry could be Pereira. One search turned up a family group sheet of Antone Perry and from the information of who provided this information to the church, I contacted them. They turned out to be a second cousin once removed Edgar Allen Smith. I came to find there was a manuscript written by another first cousin twice removed Richard Edwin Luiz of our Portuguese ancestry dating back to 1807, how our surname came to be Perry, pictures I never saw, nor had my father and the immigration and migration of the Pereira Cardoso Family Story.

When I sent for my fathers birth certificate and my query came back without a find for the name of Richard Newton Young. While he was alive I asked my father about his birth, and he said, he was born a Begnal. How did we become Young? He didn't know. I sent for his birth certificate a second time as Richard Newton Begnal. It came back Newton Richard Begnal and his father was Clifford Franklin Begnal. Like my other grandfather I never met him either, nor had my father. Again I checked the death indexes, and located a death certificate for Clifford Franklin Begnal, he died in 1960 in the line of duty for the South San Francisco Fire Department. On his death certificate stated Clifford F. Begnal Jr. submitted the death info.

I located Clifford F. Begnal Jr. who in turn called me. I asked, if his father Clifford Franklin ever mentioned my father Newton Richard. He said, no and that he had two other brothers as well. I called my father and told him about his father, grandfather and 3 half brothers. George Begnal was listed as Clifford Franklin Begnal's father.

Another Begnal, Robert replied to my letter, and Robert stated that his father George Begnal was 55 years old at the time of his birth. This confirmed to be the same George Begnal as Clifford's father. I received e-mail from a woman in Oregon one day and she said, she was married to one of Clifford Floyd Begnal brothers. She sent photographs of my grandfather Clifford Franklin Begnal and his three sons from his second marriage. Unfortunately my father died in 1995, and was not able to meet Clifford Floyd Begnal or his surviving brother or see photographs of them.

By coincidence Robert Begnal moved within 7 miles of me from Saratoga Springs, NY.

Having never met my grandfather Earle Kenneth Wilson nor had my mother, I located his death certificate and on his 1985 death certificate, stated Gayle Parker submitted the death information. I mailed her a letter asking how she knew my grandfather. She replied, she was his daughter. I called my mother June Elsie Wilson, and told her of her half sister, not one but two others (twins). Gayle was able to send photo's of not only my grandfather at age 1, 24, his mother, her mother, and my gggrandfather Charles G. Wilson.

One picture of my grandfather Earle Kenneth Wilson in a newspaper dated 14 Apr 1929, was taken before his leaving for Los Angeles, CA. My mother thought her father was never CA, however I found him in the 1930 census in Los Angeles, but I am not able to find my grandmother and mother in this census. From the divorce filing by my grandmother, states my grandfather left in 1929 for Los Angeles from New Haven CT. That in December 1930, my grandmother and mother headed to CA to be with him and about 21 Dec 1930, Earle abandoned them.

I knew from my Mother that we were of Hungarian descent and her mother Antonia Victoria Belasco came to American after the turn of the century. It was not until 1997, when my mother dropped off my grandmothers personal effects, did I find newspaper articles about my Hungarian ancestors and photographs. Her grandfather John Blaskow per a Connecticut newspaper article dated 26 Jul 1936, was a Captain in the Austrian Guards and served directly under Emperor Franz Josef.. He was in the Turkish-Prussian war and after retirement from the army, he went into the wrought iron business in Vienna. He came to America in 1904, after becoming troubled with rheumatism in 1897. The doctors advised a change of climate would help and he came to America.

I found a Johann Blaschkow, age 22, a workman from Hungary listed 5 Oct 1883, from Bremem, Germany on the Immigrant Ships Transcribers Guild SS Strassburg passenger list at;

this places his birth about 1861. This is confirmed by the newspaper article stating John Blaskow of being age 75 at the time of the writing. However, in this newspaper article states John coming to America in 1904. This raises more questions, did he go back and forth to Vienna between 18?? and 1904?

My great grandmother is Katalin (Folrich) Blaskow, I found listed at Ellis Island Records.com, age 37, coming from Szentgyörgy, Hungary, 14 Jan 1908, on the ship Rydam from Rotterdam, South Holland along with Maria, 14y, Szanislo, 6y, Antonia, 4y, (my grandmother) and Gottlieb, 2y. The passenger list states she was leaving her father Janos Folrich and going to be with her husband J. Blaschkow

Per my grandmother's social security application dated 14 July 1959 at age 58, was born 7 Jun 1901, her father as John Belasco and her birth name as Antoinette Victoria Belasco, born in New York City, NY. However, by the passenger list puts her being born in 1904. Her baptismal places her birth in 1901, born in Szentgyörgy, Hungry.

Now for the real coincidence. I never knew any of my lineage until 1994. At that time, I had been a firefighter for 22 years. Charles G. Wilson was a fireman for Fair Haven CT about 1890's (one of the pictures sent by Gayle). Clifford Franklin Begnal, died in the line of duty working for the So. San Francisco Fire Dept., Anthony D. Perry occupation on my grandmothers 1906 birth certificate, was fireman. My cousin Clifford Alex Young-Begnal is a paramedic for Santa Clara Co. CA. It has been said, that I have other relatives who were the Fire Chief and a Captain for Richmond, CA Fire Department.