Merred Veness Genealogy Contributed by Dana Knowles, dana_knowles@hotmail.com 16 Feb 2005 [Ed's note: The following is Dana Knowles's information on her father's family, who were related to J. A. Veness of Lewis Co., WA. She is looking for information to clarify the relationship between her father's family, and J. A. Veness.] 1901 Canadian Census, New Brunswick Province, York county, Fredericton (City/Cité), St. Anne's (Ward/Quartier), e-5 37 239 Veness Henry G. M Head M Apr 14 1863 37 38 239 Veness Rebecca F Wife M Nov 20 1866 34 39 239 Veness Harding H. M Son S Apr 14 1886 14 40 239 Veness George M Son S Jul 11 1887 13 41 239 Veness Eve F Dau. S Aug 28 1889 11 42 239 Veness John M Son S Feb 5 1893 8 43 239 Veness Merred M Son S Oct 28 1896 4 Merred was my grandfather. Merred (L) moved to Massachusettes and was recorded as an immigrant in the 1930's census with his wife Ruby (Jane) Hamilton Veness, his daughter Mildred, daughter Adelaide, and Son Mered Henry. I feel reasonably sure that this is accurate due to the consistency of names from generation to generation and how unusual is the name name Merred, or Mered anyway...? But - have not ordered birth or death certificates. Henry G. has a Gedcom on the lds.org web which confirms his birth in New Brunswick. I believe he was actually recorded as being born in Lower Woodststock, however. I get confused at this point. I believe that the father: Henry Gibson's father was George Wellington, but I cannot find my source that confirms my notes. There are numerous Henry's in England at this time, and one of them was a "purveyor of cat meat" which is a sort of butcher. Butcher was the chosen field of Henry Gibson. This was such a common name at the time I feel like I am sleeping in spaghetti! Maybe you could clarify for me a bit, because I fail to find a connection with Maine - unless he referred to Maine as the Maine side of New Brunswick rather than saying he was a Canadian for the sake of being political... My father, Mered Henry Veness was born in Canada and came to Massachusetts when he was 4. I have no record of his early years but once got a sort of angry email from someone who claimed he was their father and Mered had abandoned his mother during her pregnancy and was never heard of again. I do not believe he completed Military Service, but met my mother, Louise Banks Knowles, in Florida at the end of WW2. He was working as a bartender at the Copa according to the family story. My mother became pregnant and continued to live with him until I was born (not married) while he continued his primary pastime of consuming alcohol and chasing "wimmin"... I was placed with my grandparents at 6 months by my mother. She had separated from Mered, known as "Van" who also conceived another daughter (Lana) that year. I do not know the name of her mother. Circa 1960 Van met a woman by the name of Lorayne and married her. She dried him out and they remained married until 1999 when she died 6 months prior to his own death in May of 1999. I do not believe he had more children, but do not have clear information on that. I have 3 children, Naomi Veness de Blanc, John Knowles, and Sally Knowles. John and Sally are on the LDS church records as am I - under the name I use at this time - Dana Knowles (Hatton) ---that's another story. Van's wife (my mother) still lives in Bisbee AZ. Her birth was 24 Jul 1924. Please let me know if you can confirm and or clarify the relationship between J.A. and Merred Veness and perhaps clarify a bit of my own personal chaos.