Research and Stories
This is a place where I can share some of my research pertaining to early settlement and family histories intertwined with the story of Lanark County, Ontario, Canada. I’ve been researching and writing for many years and want to make some of my work more widely available.
This blog was originally designed to share my artwork and creative activities during the years when I was exhibiting widely. My art has now taken second place to refining and publishing some of my research, but I have left the art posts available for perusal.
Whatever your interest might be, enjoy, and provide feedback if you can.
Diane
Posted by Diane Miller Duncan on May 4, 2020 in Community & Family History | 0 comments
The following commentary recently came to my attention and got me thinking about the social context we need to consider when we add people to our family trees. Author unknown “For a little step back right now, imagine you were born in 1900. On your 14th birthday, World War I begins and ends on your 18th birthday. 22 million people are dying in this war. Later this year, a Spanish flu epidemic hits the planet and continues until your 20th birthday. 50 million people die in these two years. Yes, 50 million. On your 29th birthday, the Great...
read more
Posted by Diane Miller Duncan on April 6, 2020 in Featured Flag, This And that! | 5 comments
I am not an expert! This is my choice for a surgical mask pattern and is the mask preferred by my husband. I am waiting for my son to tell me whether it works with a beard! My thoughts on types of materials that may be used can be found in previous postings. I do not recommend the use of hepa materials associated with vacuum cleaners and furnaces. It seems that the companies that produce these filters are now giving an emphatic NO to inquiries about their use. The argument is that they give off small particles that when released into a large...
read more
Posted by Diane Miller Duncan on April 3, 2020 in Featured Flag, This And that! | 2 comments
It appears that my research on fabric masks was not a waste of time! Masks have become a top news story yesterday and today. So here is a little commentary based on my research to date. Wearing a cloth mask does not give YOU a high level of protection from COVID-19 but, if everyone wore a mask, THEIR masks would. The following is a ‘brain dump’ of information gathered over a two week period and was intended for personal use. I share my thoughts but do not prescribe for others. Hopefully it will encourage you to do your own...
read more
Posted by Diane Miller Duncan on March 31, 2020 in Featured Flag, This And that! | 0 comments
I don’t want to take supplies away from our medical personnel but I need access to breathing protection. So I did a lot of research. I am making fabric masks that will not be perfect for virus protection, but will up my level of protection when I have to venture out to get supplies, and will work for me during seasons when pollen, dust and smoke are prevalent. First of all I am sheltering at home and have since early March. We wash our hands and clean surfaces frequently. We try not to touch our face. We had a family member overseas at...
read more
Posted by Diane Miller Duncan on March 7, 2020 in Community & Family History, Featured Flag | 2 comments
For decades we have wondered who ‘Elizabeth Gilmour’s family might be (my 4th great grandmother). We thought that she married William Miller 14 April 1683 and that she was baptized in Mearns Parish, Renfrewshire, 25 Apr 1762 (E. Miller, 1993). This was later aligned to 14 April 1765 (considered most likely in later research) and her parents might be Agness Carselaw and William Gilmour. Until recently I accepted this information. Ted Miller, a research collaborator, recently pointed out that there were now four possibilities for Elizabeth...
read more
Posted by Diane Miller Duncan on January 17, 2020 in Community & Family History, Featured Flag | 14 comments
In addition to my personal research I need to send out a big thank you to Queensland cousins who shared info and photos and to the people who responded to queries on Facebook via ‘Lost Fassifern Valley & Pioneering Families’. Janet Fitzgerald Miller was born in 1801 on family property ‘Whitelea’ or “Whitelee’ in Cardross Parish, Dunbartonshire Scotland. She was baptized 30 Nov 1801 in that Parish. Janet was the youngest child of William Millar (1763-abt 1833) and Elizabeth Gilmour (abt 1765-1839) and came to Canada with her...
read more
