Genealogy update. Met my new found cousin, Tim Champness and his wife Carrie and their sons through DNA and was able to visit him and his family yesterday. What are the chances of having them live a few blocks away? Well it is true. We had a wonderful visit and I brought them a family history book that I made of the O'Neill and Curran families. Had a wonderful lunch and visit with them and got a tour of their beautiful home. To me family is everything and I want to know all about my ancestors and where I came from and what were their character, traits, foibles, successes and the hardship they endure to make it through their lives. It is an excited adventure with lots of surprises. Looking forward to springtime weather and the feeling that brings to revive a soul from the winter blues.
Below are some pictures of the family and the great grandfather Edward Champness whose mother was Merriam Seale. Edward was born on March 4, 1890. Merriam said she married a Mr. Brooks in 1890 and somehow the next year Mr. Brooks wasn't in the picture. We can't find any marriage record or death for Mr. Brooks. At the time of Edward's birth Merriam was 22 and the only O'Neill relative of the right age to be the father is James O'Neill who was 17 at the time. The Seale brothers were in business relationship with our Curran relatives owning a stable at the time. So the families Seales, O'Neills and Currans must have been in association. The mystery still needs to be solved but the Champness family are definitely O'Neills according to DNA matches and the Y111 test the Champness boys did.
Picture of visit Tim Champness, Rita O'Neill Hill and Carrie Champness
Pictures of the Champness family
Pictures of James O'Neill
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