I have never blogged before but I am so excited about my recent breakthrough!  I originally tracked down my Whiteley's living in Lowell, Massachusetts.  George Whiteley had come to the US about 1880 from England, married Mary Murphy in 1882 and had two daughters - he died in 1888 in Lowell.  I combed vital records/census records to see if I could find any family for him with no luck. I found his wife's grave at St Patrick's Cemetery in Lowell but he was not there.  Then I located him in Edson Cemetery in Lowell buried with a brother, Charles,  and a whole bunch of Proctors.  I was unsure of the connection to the Proctor family until I located a death record for one of the Proctor children which identified his mother as Annie Whiteley Proctor.  So now I knew George had at least one brother and a sister that came to the US.

 I had no information where the Whiteley's were from in England.  Annie died in 1911 so I ordered her death certificate and there it was...place of birth Yorkshire England.  It was that easy!  I knew their parents were David Whiteley and Rebecca (unknown last) from Mass vitals.  Armed with this information I was able to locate the whole family around Leeds in Yorkshire in 1851, 1861, 1871 and 1881 census records.  I now have birth locations for the parents, new siblings, and lots of clues to help me find another generation!

I am waiting on a birth certificate from England to clarify/confirm Rebecca's maiden name.  This is the first line on my husband's side that I have been able to push across the pond!  Now I just have to find my elusive Irish.