Date: Mon, 11 Aug 1997Dear Bruce:
Thank you for your recent response to my inquiry of the Bickerstaff surname in the Genealogical Research Directory.
My mothers side of the family is the Irish side. My mother's mother, was born, Catherine Ellen Bickerstaff in 1909, in Belfast, Ireland to John Patrick Bickerstaff and Mary Catherine McCormick.
My grandmother was brought to Canada by her parents as a very young child. They settled in Calgary, Alberta. My grandmother married John Vincent Liddington and had 5 children. One of those children is my mother, Marjorie Liddington. My mother married Bryan Edward Ladick and had 2 children. One of those children is myself. My parents moved our family to Vancouver, BC, Canada in 1967. I am, 42, and at the present time, divorced with two children, a nineteen year old daughter, Shauna, and a five year old son, Jamie. Shauna and her boyfriend just had a baby boy, Jake, May 26, 1997. I moved my family to Abbotsford (which is just an hours drive south of the big city of Vancouver) three years ago. My parents also moved here three years ago.
I have been trying to research lines on both of my parents sides. Due to little free time, little spending money, and lack of knowledge and/or interest of my relatives, it has been many years of frustration. I just received your letter today, and just got home from work. I was very excited to view your web page and email you. It is very hot and humid today, my arms are sticking to the desk, there is no air circulaton and the cats are walking over the keyboard wanting my attention. I would like to review your web page in greater detail in a cooler room (I printed it out) and get back you, or get involved in the web site somehow, by meeting the other "relations???"
Two of my aunts (my mothers sisters) are in town for a few days. I told them about your letter, they seemed excited. I'll show them your web page material. By the way, they told me that the "Bickerstaffs" originally came from Holland, and dispersed in different directions from there due to some kind of trouble. They say that there is a ring that is given to the first born boy, with a "J" on it, and that the first born boy was always called "John". My grandmother's father was "John". Will close for now and try to "cool down".
Laurie Ladick
Email: laurieladick (at) yahoo.ca
Date: Tue, 28 Oct 1997
Dear Bruce
I was just introduced to your home page by my brother Steven. Hope to spend more time on it in the near future. Please add my e-mail address to your list. I live in Cornwall, Ontario which is south of Ottawa.
Michael & Cindy Bickerstaffe
Date: Thu, 26 Mar 1998
Hi Bruce
Thanks from another Bickerstaff for a wonderful Bickerstaff Home Page. I know it takes a lot of time and attention, just know, we (all the Bickerstaffs) Thank You.I am Linda Gale Bickerstaff Barker, and was so excited when I found you home page. Thanks to Steven H. J. Bickerstaffe for you address. I have been working on our Roots for quite some time, doesn’t seem like I have made a lot of progress.
Most of our family, that we know about, is from the southern United States. You don’t seem to have any information on us. I can help with that. I have a file almost ready to send, if you wish and I can figure out how to send it over the www. I have condensed my information to about 6 or 7 pages. If nothing else, will send it by your snail mail.
( Note : Gale subsequently sent this information and you can access it as a text file by clicking here ... BB )
Hopefully we will find someone that knows of a Melon A. Bickerstaff b. in 1818, we think in Mississippi. He was my great, great grandfather and we haven’t been able to go further back than Melon. My Dad, Will Morris Bickerstaff, always told me, 3 brothers moved from Germany to Ireland to the USA and settled in the south. I think that one of them would be Melon A. Bickerstaff’s father. We hope to visit some other Bickerstaffs this summer, will let you know, if we find anyone new.
I have a small manufacturing Company here in Arkansas. We make gift item from tapestry and sell wholesale, that is to stores only. The summer and fall are my traveling times. We go to Trade shows, to show our line. We make table covers, table runners, Christmas tree skirts, stockings, photo albums, to name a few. I started this business in 1983 in Houston, Texas. In 1990 my husband, John Edward Barker and I moved to Doddridge, Arkansas and built a log house in the woods. It was a major culture shock, but we are getting used to the quiet. John has loved it from the start, except he has to drive a ways to find a golf course.
I am working on a Bickerstaff Cookbook, recipes from the Bickerstaffs I know. It has taken a lot of time, but it is almost finished. We want to put as much information on the Bickerstaffs in as possible, pictures to. The name of our book is Recipes and Remembrances and is dedicated to our Fathers, Mothers, Aunts, Uncles, etc., a group of 5 Bickerstaff brothers and sisters.
Also I will try to have a family reunion this fall. We would love to have some new Bickerstaffs. I have taken enough of your time. Please feel free to use what ever you can.
Best Regards
GaleSnail Mail: Gale Barker, Rt. 1 Box 317A, Doddridge, Ar 71834
Date: Tue, 26 May 1998
Hello Bruce
Thanks for answering, I will give you what little I have to this point ...Yes, Bernie is a cousin and not too distant, as soon as I can get a hold of my Aunt Carolyn in Washington, D.C., we can get some of the pieces to the puzzle. There are very few black Bickerstaff's around, but the one thing that I have noticed over the years is that the White & Black Bickerstaff's choose the same first names - such as Harry, James, David, Bruce, Perry, DuPre (DePriest), Samuel, Harold. As far as I can gather my family's journey began in Alabama around Warrior and Danville area., from there the trek went to Fairmont W.V. and then to Steubenville, Ohio and various routes from there.
These I believe are the beginnings in Alabama:
Adline Perry, born: March 3, 1860 died: Feb.29, 1936 Sam Perry, born: March 13, 1860 died: April 10, 1954 Hattie Perry Bickerstaff, born: April 3, 1885 died: Nov 5,1971 Rev.Authur Bickerstaff, born: Feb 22, 1885 died: Feb 10, 1937These Bruce are the beginnings ... I hope that this can help and I will get on the job, I also found a Black geneology web site that has a lot of interesting facts.
So I shall close for now.
Yours
David
Sun May 31 1998
Hello from a Biggerstaff!
I am a newcomer to the Internet and recently came across your page while browsing for "Biggerstaff". I read your material regarding the origin of the Bickerstaffe name with much interest, as I was almost completely ignorant of my family's background. Until a few years ago I had always thought that Biggerstaff was an Anglicized version of a German name. Then, while reading one of my wife's college literature books, I came across a reference in a 17th (16th ??) century publication called "The Spectator" in which the author referred to his Aunt Mary Bickerstaff.
I was born in the Piedmont region of North Carolina, where the Biggerstaffs settled either just prior to our Revolutionary War or in the early 1800s. I have no idea which date is correct. From there, some Biggerstaffs moved to Indiana, while others moved to Texas. A John Biggerstaff, who lives in Mebane, North Carolina (a small town), has compiled a history of Biggerstaffs in NC but I have never read it. I have been told there are a large number of Biggerstaffs living near Palestine, Texas, although I have never confirmed this. Mostly though, Biggerstaffs are rare. I used to travel throughout the U.S. and always looked in the local phone directory for Biggerstaffs – almost always without success. For example, on my last trips (which were several years ago) there were no Biggerstaffs listed in New York City, San Francisco, Chicago, or Boston.
I was amused by the note on your homepage from "Bubba" Bickerstaff of southern Alabama who was disturbed because people frequently misspelled his name to Biggerstaff. I, on the other hand, never heard the name Bickerstaff until I graduated from college and moved to Tennessee.
By way of closing, my daughter married an Australian and I have three half Aussie grandchildren who live in the Washington, DC, area.
Regards
Gene Biggerstaff
Email address: gene_biggerstaff (at) earthlink.net
Wed Aug 26 1998Greetings from a long lost tribe. Didn't know of this GREAT site until I received an e-mail from Steven H.J. Bickerstaffe. Copied all of the pages and gave them to my father. We're both excited. We finally have been able to track ourselves back to England, not Germany.
My full name is Edwin Neal Bickerstaff, born in Jasper, Al. Graduate of Auburn University School of Pharmacy. Have been married for 17 years to the most wonderful wife (sorry guys), Janice. Janice was a nurse for 15+ years before deciding to spend time at home with the homework. Oops, I mean kids. Live in the country, like to hunt, fish, woodwork, and ride 4-wheelers and play with my other child (what my wife calls my computer). Currently a pharmacist at University Hospital in Birmingham, Alabama. Have 9 year old twins, Micah Neal (son) and Morgan Leigh (dau).
Lineage goes as follows: William (from England) John(ston) b.1720 at sea Johnson, Sr. b.1760-1770 John L. b.1798 William H. b.1827 Henry C. b.1843 Samuel Lonzo b.1871 (Brothers Weldon S. b.1875,Vergil L. b.1869, and John W. b.1873) John Leonard b.1896 Harold L. b.1928 Edwin N. b.1956 Micah N. b.1989Note: Weldon S. or Vergil L. is the father or grandfather of Douglas Ross from Mobile, Al, father of Ken. They are apparently not from Germany.
Thanks everyone for the pieces. Now I need to spend time filling in the blanks on the sides.
Edwin & Janice Bickerstaff
60 Fran Tidwell Road
Jasper, Al 35504p.s. What family tree program does everyone use to keep this all together?
Email: ebicker(at)sonet dot net (in this format to discourage spammers)
Date: Fri, 18 Sep 1998
Hello,
My name is Kim A. Pulsipher (Harvey). Right now I live near Macon, Georgia in the US. I have 3 children, a girl 19, a girl 17 and a boy 16. We are military (Air Force) and move around a lot.
About my connection to the Bickerstaffs:
Robert Bickerstaff b. 1812 in Amagh, Ireland (mothers name June) emigrated from Warren Point, Ireland in April 1851 & arrived in Erie, Pennsylvania, October 1851
m. Elizabeth b. 1815, Ireland
d. 6 September 1884 in PennsylvaniaTheir son D. Waddell Bickerstaff b. 1842 in Ireland
m. Georgianna Hill b. 3 August 1848, Pennsylvania
d. 1934 Mercer Co. Pennsylvania
d. 1926 Mercer Co. PennsylvaniaTheir daughter Sarah Elizabeth Bickerstaff (my great-grandmother)
b. 15 May 1870 Mercer Co. Pennsylvania
m. Douglas Agnew Foulk
d. 18 November 1963 Venango Co. PennsylvaniaRobert was born in per his naturalization statement in the county of Amagh. I would really appreciate any information available on his Irish family.
Please send any communication to:
Puls-k(at)juno.com
or write
Kim Pulsipher
538 Centerville St.
RAFB, GA 31098
Date: Thu Oct 22 1998
Dear Bruce
Hello. How are you ?? I may not be much help to you for I am only 15 years old, but I shall tell you what I know ...
WILLIAM NORRIS ______________RUTH BICKERSTAFF / | \ | BILL NORRIS BICKERSTAFF-BONNIE NORRIS BICKERSTAFF-BOB NORRIS BICKERSTAFF | | | BRITTON BICKERSTAFF BENTLY BICKERSTAFF KIMBERLY BICKERSTAFF | (ADOPTED) | GRAHAM BICKERSTAFF ROBERT BICKERSTAFF | MELISSA BICKERSTAFF (NONE OF THESE CHILDREN HAVE KIDS) \ \ THATS METHIS IS ALL I REALLY KNOW. I SHALL TRY MY BEST TO GET IN TOUCH WITH MY GRANDMOTHER (RUTH BICKERSTAFF) AND GET SOME INFORMATION FROM HER. WE HAVE A COAT OF ARMS. WHAT IT IS I DO NOT KNOW BUT AS SOON AS I GET MORE INF. I SHALL INFORM YOU. BY THE WAY I LIVE IN ATHENS,GEORGIA. MOST OF MY FAMILY DOES. WELL I HAVE TO GO. SEND MY REGARDS TO THE FAMILY!!!
LOVE,
MELISSA NORRIS BICKERSTAFF
Date: Tue, 22 Jun 1999
Subject: Greetings from California.Dear Bruce,
I was trying to research the name Bickerstaffe for medical reasons when I found your page. Although I moved to California in the sixties I am one of the Lancashire bunch. My Grandma Eva was the Darwen Bickerstaffe's her family consisted of Amy, Walter and Fred. Darwen near Blackburn according to a history I read on the computer was on a well travelled Roman route for commerce. As I read some of the posts and saw Bold, Freckleton and Preston mentioned one can trace the migration in that small area of England. I also saw Blowing Sands and Marton mentioned my father not a Bickerstaffe was born on Blowing Sands and was called one of the Sand Grown Un's. Until I took the big step and moved to California I was the first to move out of that small area of Lancashire. People died having never taken a trip out of their birthplace of course money was scarce and at the turn of the century especially on the Blowing Sands shanks pony was a common way of getting around .We are as far as I know not the Blackpool Tower Bickerstaffes which for some reason always irked my mother. My mother used to talk about being cheated out of land.
The older relatives still alive in their eighties have fantastic memories until I start to discuss any family history, then as they say in Lancashire they glum up. I did get out of them when I was visiting in November of 1998 that one of the male Bickerstaffes ( Fred or Walter) was environmental inspector for Darwen which I found was something to do with inspecting meat as he was a butcher. I will try and pull teeth again to get some information because I am trying to search a genetic health problem which seems to have come from the Bickerstaffe side of the family.
I will keep checking the site and I will try and get more information.
Patricia Gates
Email: Iammavis(at)aol.com
Date: Sun, 3 Oct 99
Bruce: Have been scanning the "bickerstaff home page" I am a Bickerstaff and have been researching the Irish Bickerstaffs for a few years now. I am particularly interested in being in touch with anyway researching the Glenavy Parish County Antrim Irish. I'm back to about 1700 but would like to continue. Any help?
Thanks in advance
Bonita Bickerstaff Spall
Date: Thu, 11 Nov 1999
Hi my name is C. Wayne Bickerstaff age 60, my wife Marge age 59 and I live in Westmoreland City PA (near Pittsburgh PA). We have three children Stephen, Michelle Neff and April. Stephen (our son) and His wife Sheila have three children Stephen (9), Shawn (7), and Alicia (6).
I retired from Westinghouse Headquarters last year as Corporate Manager of Occupational Health. Currently I am working at the Westinghouse Cheswick PA facility as a radiation protection consultant on a nuclear remediation project.
My wife is an emergency room Nurse RN at a hospital in Greensburg PA. To day is the 10 anniversary of my Father's (Clarence Edgar) death, and my mother Faye died last year.
I have two brothers Dale and Paul and two sisters Patty and Connie. As far as I can tell from the family bible history, which dates to early 1800's our clan during this time, has lived near Pittsburgh PA.
My wife and I had planned a vacation to England last month, but had to cancel, because of my work project. We had planned to visit the village of Bickerstaffe and also the city of Blackpool. Maybe next year!!
My Address is:
C.Wayne Bickerstaff
1241 Sumac Street
Westmoreland City PA 15692
724/864-0240
e-mail:bickercw (at) westinghouse.com
Date: Tue, 7 Dec 1999
Dear Bruce
My daughter is doing a research project on family tree and decided to do it on my maiden name which is Bickerstaff. I had received (some time back) some written information from Barbara Bickerstaff in Houston, Tx about your site and am just now getting around to signing on with the web page.My name is Lynda Sue Bickerstaff, daughter of A.E. (Gene) and Cornelia (Connie) Marie Siebenthal Bickerstaff, living in Carlsbad, NM, USA, born Feb 9, 1952. I have a brother, A.E. (Andy), Jr, age 47, and a sister, Cheryl Ann, (Cheri) Williams, age 51. My grandfather was E.E. (Eb) Bickerstaff, born 1900, and was married to Blanche Selleck Bickerstaff, born about 1905. My dad's brothers (and you have this information from Barbara Bickerstaff), are Clarence, (Curly), and Henry - now both deceased. My father, A.E. (Gene) is still living and only 73. I got some verbal information years ago from a sister of Eb's who lived in Houston, Tx.Her name was Maude Bickerstaff Hill and she stated that there were 4 Bickerstaff brothers who came to the NorthAmerican continent from Holland and each one traveled and settled in a different place on the continent - Canada, Eastern US, Southern US, and the other place I have forgotten. I have always assumed that my part of the Bickerstaff's came from the southern clan because Eb moved to Carlsbad, NM from Texas.
I am an associate professor of nursing in the community college in my town (pop. 28,000), am recently divorced and have taken back my maiden name of Bickerstaff and intend to keep it. I have two daughters, Jill Marie Sowers, age 17, and Molly Kathleen Sowers, age 14.
Thanks for keeping up with all of us.
Lynda
Email: lsowers (at) carlsbadnm.com
Sun Jan 2 2000
Hello Bruce
My name is Gerry and I live in Vancouver BC Canada. I have been researching my family history for 6 months now, mostly concentrating on my fathers side. I have recently start to work on my mothers side of the family and by doing so I have found that we have the name Bickerstaffe in our history. My great grandmother was a Bickerstaffe before she married Ernest Jones. Her father was John Bickerstaffe of Lytham and her mother was Alice (don't have a maiden name as yet) Her siblings are as follows:Jane born 1868 Alice born 1870 Mary Ann born 1873 (my ggrandmother) died in Reddish Stockport John born 1875 Edward born 1877 Eliza born 1879Sir John Bickerstaffe of Blackpool Tower fame is the cousin of my ggrandmother and her siblings. Apparently my ggrandmother was kicked out of the family at some point because of alcohol abuse. Mary Ann married Ernest Jones and had 6 children and they are as follows:
Alice b 1897 d 1996 (my grandmother)
Richard
Edward
Edith
Ernest
Mabel (still living in Reddish, Stockport Lancashire)Alice (my grandmother) married James Alvin Ogden and had 7 children Ernest b 1920 d 1978 (Never married) was captured at Singapore during WW2 and was a prisoner of the Japanese. Ellen b 1921 Still living in Bolton Lancs Married George Thomasson had 2 sons Neil, Mark Edith b 1924 (my mother) Living Vancouver, BC Canada Married to Francis Conboy had 2 children Geraldine (me) Mark Joseph Edward b1926 d 1978 Married Mary (?) Had 7 children Dorothy Alice b 1928 living in Bolton never married Elise Mabel b 1933 living in Bolton married Hugh Mason 4 children Florence Jean b 1938 living in Bolton married Bill Sharpe 1 daughter VickiWhen my grandmother was born an aunt was dealing with the registration of her birth and was to have registered her Dorothy Alice, but decided that she didn't like that name and had her registered as Alice Eveline. All her life she was called Dorothy by her family though. Sorry if I have given you too much information but I do have more names if you do want more information. I hope that we can find a connection between our Bickerstaffes. I have found 2 new cousins in 1999 and would love to make my family even bigger. Please let me know if you detect a connection. I have also sent some of this information to Steven Bickerstaffe in Ontario.
Gerry Hodgson
Email: gerryhodgson(at)home.com
Wed Feb 16 2000Hello ...My name is Janice Abdilla from Canada. I had been browsing a Lancashire site for my Whittaker geneology search and saw a Bickerstaffe listing, following this I came across your site. I have really enjoyed reading all of the Bickerstaffe material. I am not yet educated on my Bickerstaffe connections as I only started my geneology attempts after the new year. I do know however that my g. grandmother on my father's side was a Hannah Bickerstaffe married to a John Burton Whittaker. Hannah was born c. 1900 in the Burnley Lancashire area and of her siblings the only ones I know of yet are a Helen who married John's brother Frederick, and a sister Rose who never married. Their parents were a James and Anna Bickerstaffe. This is all that I know of so far and when I am able to find the lines I will let you know.
Thank you, Mrs. Janice Abdilla, Stoney Creek, Ontario, Canada
Hello Bruce
In the past week I have received more info of my Bickerstaffe family from a great aunt in British Columbia. My g. grandmother, one Hannah Bickerstaffe born 1900 to James, born 1872 in Gt. Harwood, Lancashire and Hannah Burton born 1872 of Accrington. They had 5 children, Hannah, 1900, James, 1901, Nora, Rose Hannah, born 1904, and Mary Ellen, born 1908. On the 1881 Census for Church, Lancs, James (1872) is listed with brother Peter (1870) and widowed mother Lucy(1847) all born in Gt. Harwood. Also listed are 2 stepsons Thomas Noble (1874) and William Noble(1877)My g. grandmother Hannah married John Burton Whittaker and they had 8 children John Burton, Vincent, Eileen, Constance (all deceased ), Margaret Mary (B.C., Canada) Colin, James and Kenneth Whittaker all of Lancashire area, England. Thank you for the great site, Janice Abdilla
Subject: Southern Bickerstaffs - Date: Sat, 25 Mar 2000Hello Bruce,
I'm an American Bickerstaff descended from Johnston Bickerstaff to John Russell to William Newton to William Lee to Weldon Newton to Helen Sue Bickerstaff (me) . We went from Georgia>Alabama> Mississippi>Texas. I still live there. My grandfather said that his father left Mississippi around 1890 to come to Texas.I am a middle school math teacher, widowed, mother of a 30 yr. old son and a 5 year old granddaughter. I love genealogy and meeting "cousins". I would be very happy to share any information I have with anyone.
Warmest regards, Sue Bickerstaff Gillispie
Email: mrsg (at) etex.net
Thu Apr 27, 2000Dear Bruce,
During my search for Bickerstaff information, I came upon your web site. I enjoyed the history of the Bickerstaff's. I have just started my genealogy search and decided to trace the Bickerstaff line since I know the least about it. I have always wondered about my grandfather's family and would love to have some information about them. Since I have very little information and I would appreciate any information that you or anyone else may have that would help. Here is what I know so far:Pete(r) Bickerstaff b. 22 Feb 1952/54? d. 12 Aug 1936 Born in LA; died in Orange TX and was a carpenter m. Ella (?) c. 1888 (info from 1900 Orange Co. TX census)
Children of Pete & Ella (all born in TX probably Orange TX)
Mildred (dau) b. Jan 1889
Maude (dau) b. Dec 1890
Eugene (son) b. Apr 1893
Cecil (son) b. Dec 1895 (possible name is Elmer Cecil)
Katie (dau) b. May 1898
Pete (son) b. Feb 1905 (my grandfather)
Jimmie (dau) b. c 1908
John (son) b. c. 1910P. B. 'Pete' Bickerstaff b. 23 Feb 1905 d. 5 Feb 1938 m. Bernice Trumble c. 1930 and they had 3 children: Elmer Eugene 'Gene' Bickerstaff b. 4 Oct 1931 d. Aug 1986 (never married) Betty Jean Bickerstaff b. 4 Jun 1933 d. 10 Jun 1970 m. 39 Jan 1953 George Buck (3 Children) Beulah Katherine 'Kathy' Bickerstaff b. c 1935 m. c 1955 Clem Smith (?) last known address CA
Pete Bickerstaff worked on a boat of some type in the Orange area and died when he fell off the boat into the canal and drowned. He is buried in Bosier Cemetery in Orange TX. My mother, Betty, was just a child and remembered very little about her father. She died at the age of 37 from lupus. I have been unable to date (due to limited time to do research) to find information on the elder Pete's parents. Possible father is Seaborn/Seborn Bickerstaff b. c 1810 in MS.
Sincerely,
Debra Buck Green
Thu May 25 2000Hello! I ran across your "Bickerstaff" pages today when searching to see if my uncle has e-mail anywhere. I am NOT a Bickerstaff by name, but my mum is. My mum's name is Avril Patricia Bickerstaff and she was born in London. My grandfather was Thomas Marsden Bickerstaff, born in Liverpool I believe. He has 2 sisters (again, I think). My mom has a brother, Thomas Bickerstaff (not sure of his middle name). He lives in London also, with his wife Betty. My grandmother also still lives in London, Ruth Bickerstaff, not sure if she has a middle name or not (nee: Melbourne). I don't really have much else information other than this, I am sorry, but maybe it can be of some assistance in your geneology. If you can think of any questions or more info you would like, let me know and I will let you know what I can.
Clare Allsebrook
Email: BabyCham2 (at) aol.com
Sun Aug 13, 2000Subject: Bickerstaff, Lavina
Hi, Bruce!
Just found the World-Wide Bickerstaff Home Page. My gggrandmother is Lavina Louis Bickerstaff. I know nothing about her except what was in her obituary:
Lavina Bickerstaff was born in Franklin County, PA, Sept. 20, 1829, and died near Morley, IA, Oct 18, 1903. She was married to John S. Weaver Oct. 20, 1844 and they had seven children, James F., Martha Jane (Bickerstaff) Harris, John S., Wm. Alexander, Sarah Bickerstaff Easterly, Samuel P. and Porter S. They moved to Jones County, IA, near Rome. I do have info. on the children sent to me by a 2nd cousin. I have found nothing on either Lavina or John Weaver's parents or siblings. I had no idea there were so many Bickerstaffs out there, had not even heard the name until receiving this obituary from my cousin. I will keep watching the web site in case someone appears who seems to be connected to Lavina. My e-mail is ??? email address now invalid. The AT&T address below is my husband's. I can be reached at either. Have a great day!Margaret Porter Gardner
Email: Herb_G1 (at) worldnet.att.net
Sun Jul 30, 2000Dear Bruce:
Several years ago, my former husband, Douglas Ballard Bickerstaff, and I started researching his Bickerstaff ancestors. There was a wealth of information at the Historical Society in Mentachie, MS.
Doug lives in Billings, MT where he has been an independent oil properties broker since 1952. He has had a stroke and finds it difficult to communicate, so I am following through with the family history. We both grew up in Mobile, AL.
My name is Sarah Strange Bickerstaff, and I live in Big Sky, MT (a ski and summer resort just north of Yellowstone Park).
We have come up with the following info on our line:
William Bickerstaff-England John or Johnston b 1720 at sea d 1795-1800 m 1750 to Sarah Cynthia Pollard b 1725 Johnston or Johnson b 1768-1770 d 1836 m Elizabeth(?) John L. b 1795-1799 d 1835 m 1819 to #1 Ann Hampton #2 Celia John Russell b ca.1831 d after 1880 m ca. 1852 to Charlotte J. Lollar b 1834 d after 1900 David Randolph b 1871 d 1945 m 1892 to Lena Ballard b 1874 d 1942 Judson Lamar b 1897 d 1969 m 1926 to Bessie Marguerite McCrary b 1901 d 1994 Douglas Ballard b 1927 m 1948 to Sarah Newman Strange b 1927 Children of Douglas B. Bickerstaff: Douglas, Jr. b 1950 m 2000 to Linda Konrad b 1954 Michael Strange b 1953 m 1981 to Zoeann Roberts b 1956. Son Matthew Douglas b 1981 Stephen Judson b 1954 m 1988 to Kristie Reddon b 1949. Son Stephen, Jr. b 1988 Catherrine Ann b 1956 m 1981 to Thomas J. Perry b 1950. Son Tyler C. b 1985 and daughter Caitlin Sarah b 1989 David Randolph b 1960 m 1993 to Jan Weber b 1957. Son John Douglas b 1998I will appreciate any Bickerstaffs contacting me regarding date and spouse corrections to the above. There are many siblings in my records I can share also.
We have enjoyed the Bickerstaff web page. Didn't realize there were so many of us.
Sarah Strange Bickerstaff
E-Mail: Zbick (at) 3rivers.net
Fri, 8 Dec 2000Bruce,
Greetings from Los Angeles, CA. I am Roderick K. Bickerstaff, Sr., and I am orginally from Cleveland, Ohio. My father (deceased) is Percy J. Bickerstaff, Sr. We are part of the African-American Bickerstaffs and every two years, there is a Bickerstaff Family Reunion; the next one is in 2002 in Los Angeles. Bickerstaffs from Alabama/Georgia, New York, and Cleveland will attend.
I have one son, Roderick K. Bickerstaff, Jr., born 03-01-00. I also have six siblings. Bernie Bickerstaff is my first cousin. There are many very accomplished Bickerstaffs in our family. I am an educator and attorney and practice in Los Angeles. Another first cousin is Dr. Joyce Bickerstaff, a professor at Vassar. There are several Bickerstaffs who are educators, and other fields.
Our roots trace back, in brief, to Maryland, Virgina and Alabama. One Robert Banks, aka Wallace Bickerstaff, was born in 1811 and died in 1899. He was a captured while traveling, taken to Alabama, and sold at an auction. He was purchased by Andy Bickerstaff, who changed Robert's name to Wallace Bickerstaff. Wallace was married to Jannie, and they had eight children, five sons and three daughters. My family is of this line.
Thanks for hosting this web site, and I look forward to sharing more information.
My e-mail is rod (at) rkbickerstaff.com.
Regards,
Rod Bickerstaff
Fri, 15 Dec 2000
bruce,
thanks for your reply. there is so much to learn about the bickerstaffs, european and african-american. i know someone who works for a glen bickerstaff here in LA--i have not met glen. apparently there was a judge bickerstaff who was on the bench in orange county, and i am constantly asked if we are related--usually this happens over the phone, as when i meet other attorneys, they discover that i am african-american; i don't think the judge is/was. i am also asked very often about bernie, although i think he gets aksed about me just as often. i have been an educator for twenty plus years, and have former students spread around. in addition, i have represented professional athletes and entertainers. our family is very close, and the reunions are usually well attended. my siblings range in age from 51-40, i am 43. i have one living uncle of my father's siblings, and two aunts, one is bernie's mother. it would be interesting to know if anyone recognizes the name andy bickerstaff from that era and location. well so long for now, and happy holidays to you and yours. also, please use the following e-mail address: rod (at) rkbickerstaff.com
rod b
Tue, 6 Feb 2001Hi Bruce. I am of the "USA contingent" of Bickerstaff descendants. Perused your web page with great interest...I hope this is the correct way to contact you and to have my name included on your page!
My gr-grandfather was Thomas Bernard Bickerstaff, born in England, sent along with his sister Agnes to Canada as part of the "British Home Children" scheme (to populate and help work the farms in Canada). They eventually made it to upstate NY, then settled in Nantucket, MA.
There is a mystery surrounding the parentage of Thomas & Agnes...no one is entirely sure who their father is as their mother did not add his name to their birth certificates. There are several theories about the father, but I know of no proof one way or the other. Their mother, Hannah Bickerstaff, died at a young age, leaving them as babies in the workhouse ('til sent to Canada).
I descend from Thomas through his son Richard Congdon Bickerstaff; my mother Gloria Bickerstaff Danielsen is his daughter.
I've noted at least 2 others on your list who descend from Thomas Bernard Bickerstaff, and have tried to email them directly. Since I just sent the messages, I don't yet know if I was successful!
(My aunt, Doris Farber, is listed also but I've found that her email address is no longer good.)
I may be contacted at kdgeneal (at) mindspring.com, or by mail at Kim Danielsen, Po Box 1656, Yuma, AZ 85366.
Thanks!
...Kim Danielsen
Thu, 15 Feb 2001
Hi Bruce! A dinner party for all the Bickerstaffs sounds fine, but is Australia really a good central meeting point?!
Actually, I'd love to see the country one day, but financially that time has not yet come! Just a quick question...I was revisiting your Bickerstaff info as posted on your ww website, and noted that when the Bickerstaffs went to Australia from England, a son John "went to America". The time frame you mention (ca. 1879) was just about the same date that Agnes and Thomas Bernard Bickerstaff arrived in upstate NY (Elmira) from Canada...they lived in Elmira for 2-3 years, and during 1 or 2 of those years there was also a John Bickerstaff listed in the city directory. I believe John left Elmira before A&T moved to New England...would you have any idea if this could be your John Bickerstaff?
Just a thought...
By the way, I have heard back from both Charlie Bickerstaff and Bryant Bickerstaff. Should be fun and, hopefully, fruitful to exchange info on the family.
Nice to hear from you, glad to be a part of your Bickerstaff website!
...Kim Danielsen
Hi Bruce
I've recently "met" online 2 cousins who live in England. While I [and Charles Bickerstaff as well as Bryant Bickerstaff] descend from Hannah Bickerstaff, the 2 ladies I've met descend from a sister of Hannah's. I've also changed computers and am not sure I still have the email addresses of Charles & Bryant...and they don't appear on your website any more. I was hoping to post this part of my message on the WW Bickerstaff page and contact them that way!
I'll hope for the best. :-)
...Kim Danielsen
To contact Kim, write to rmagickd(at)yahoo.com
Bruce R Bickerstaff Copyright © 2007
Last updated July 2007