Family Photos

Although I'd been wanting to switch the blog to private for a while (as concerns were expressed that the names of some family members should not be on a public website along with pictures), I have finally just switched it over.

Something pretty cool happened when it was public, though-- a new Cosgriff relative contacted me and has sent over some of her family photos! Her name is Laurie, and her maternal Grandfather is Francis "Frank" Matthew Cosgriff-- the son of David Cosgriff and Annie McMahon. (Also more photos here.) She and her husband live in Bangor, Maine having moved there from Camano Island, Washington to be near their daughter and her husband. She is currently doing some family history research on her Cosgriff side of the family. I directed her to John, of course, as I am a newbie to all the Cosgriff history :) She's a real sweetie and it has been fun "meeting" her like this.

Here is a bit about her side of the family:

It would be interesting to see what your father-in-law knows about my grandfather's branch of the Cosgriff Family. I've primarily been researching my father's side of the family for over a year now. His grandfather changed his surname before his first marriage in 1884 and we have yet to discover his ancestors or where they hailed from.

My grandfather Frank Cosgriff and his wife, Jessie Anne MacKay, had two children, a son, Terrence David Cosgriff, who was killed in WWII in 1944. And a daughter, my mother, Louise Marie Cosgriff, who passed in 2000. I met Grandpa's sisters, Genevieve and Grace, years ago when I was young. I visited with Aunt Genevieve and her husband, Duncan Chisholm, twice and Aunt Grace once. Grandpa's oldest sister, Ellen, and his younger brother, Marcus both passed before I was born.

Other than the names, David and Annie Cosgriff, and a few pictures of them that my mother showed me back in the early eighties, I don't have any photos or personal stories / information for the Cosgriffs. I've been told by my siblings that the photos Mom shared with me years ago cannot be located at my father's home in Sacramento, California. Perhaps they will show up some day. This was why I was so excited to see the photos of the Cosgriffs on your blog.

Most of the genealogy for the Cosgriffs I have found on the internet, through Ancestry.com, FamilySearch.org, national, state, county, and other websites as well as search engines. I do have my Grandmother Jessie's letters that I saved over the years, but any references to ancestors are to those on her side of the family, MacKenzies and MacKays, who resided mostly in Nova Scotia.

Unfortunately, I don't have any photos of my Grandfather Frank as a young man either, only a few taken when he was older in group photos at family weddings, etc. I do have a photo of my Grandmother Jessie as a young woman. I should go through what I have to pick out a few for you. Again, I'm not that organized with my maternal ancestors since I've been focusing on my father's side of the family at his request, so it will take some time.

Now for some gorgeous photos of some of her Cosgriff family: