New Book – Discovering the Shiels Family
I am very happy to announce that I have written another book on the Shiels Family. This one is called “Discovering the Shiels Family” and is available to read On-Line through my website at https://shiels.ca or available in print form through Amazon by searching for the book title.
This new book is all about the stories of the Shiels Family. It details how I started research back in 1979, over 45 years ago. It includes the process that Judy & I have followed from our initial discussions with aunts and uncles, to that first trip to Ontario where we found our own ancestor’s graves and connected with Bill Ford and the expanded Shiels family. I go on to detail our finding of Ruby Shiels and Christene Cox in Winnipeg, the Shiels family in BC through a discussion with Lottie Burdet and eventually David French and Meryl Harris in Scotland. What a journey it has been!!
Every time I consider stopping, something new pops up. This summer, I got an email from Carol Adams, a cousin in New Zealand, that we did not know about. She was “Over the Moon” to have found my website and my last book. Carol’s story is in this new book.
There are lots of stories about my grandfather and the hardships he went through, but he never gave up. Even after his wife died and the house burned to the ground, he simply started again. The story about “I Like Rice” is one of my favorites as well as the “Halloween Outhouse”. My favorite story of my dad was “Who are you holding that light for, you or me”. From the BC Sawmills to the Dirty Thirties on the Prairies, from Christene Cox in Winnipeg recognizing herself in an old photo from Saskatchewan to the story of the string down the middile of East Mains for the two old sisters, there are lots of stories. You will need to read the book to see them all.
My earlier book was full of facts and figures and is a great reference document for relationships and how we are all connected. This new book focuses on the stories behind the history. We have added new branches that were not there before and have cleared up a lot of family tradition stories. There is an old saying that I used to use when I was working “Don’t let the Facts get in the way of a good Story”. In this new book, we would rather have the “Facts” and we have verified the family stories as much as possible. We have clearly pointed out where some stories are simply handed down through the generations with no way to verify them. Some of them are very good stories, like Robert Shiels who had a horse step on his head and lived for another 11 years!
There is a great deal in this book that is firsthand knowledge where Judy & I have personally been involved or have heard stories directly from someone that was there. Like David French telling us about East Mains, our old Scottish home, that he visited as a young boy.
There is a family name index in the back of the book that lists all the names and the page where you can find their story. These names have their birth & death years as well as their parents and spouse where applicable so you can find the right person. If you choose to read the book online, this index is electronically linked so clicking on the name will take you directly to their page.
I really hope you enjoy reading this as much as I have enjoyed writing it. I would love to hear your feedback by email or through the form on the website.
Christmas is just around the corner and this could make a great Christmas gift for any family member! Order your copy on Amazon and have it delivered to your door.
Enjoy the Journey