Full Text Search – Did FamilySearch Just Break My Brickwall?

Two days ago, I was so excited about something I found on FamilySearch that I created a video showing the process on my YouTube channel.

The day started by looking at Facebook and seeing my friend Miriam post about FamilySearch’s full-text search. I learned about full-text search back in 2024 at RootsTech and had actually created a video at the time, which you can watch HERE. I decided I had a few minutes and that I should give a quick search. Something we should all do, because FamilySearch is constantly adding more documents.

I decided to search for Walter Walden, who, through DNA, I believe is the father of Willie Beaton, my great-grandfather. My problem with Walter is that I can find him in Oxfordshire, England, in 1872, and as usual, he’s in court and in the news. In the article below, Walter tells the court that he’s getting married on Monday and that they will emigrate. That’s where I was stumped because I could never find where they went.

However, in every document I have found, my great-grandfather, William (Willie), stated that he was born in Kingston, Ontario. So you’d think you’d find something about the family travelling to either Canada or the US. However, I have yet to see it. Likely, it’s somewhere in the records, and I’ve missed a detail or haven’t considered a mispronunciation or misspelling to search for.

I have found a Walter Walden in the Kingston newspaper, and guess what – he has the same modus operandi (MO): always in trouble and always in court. However, there is no mention of his wife or children.

So, back to two days ago, when I did a search for Walter in the full-text search. If you watch my video, you’ll see that it’s easy to find the search option on FamilySearch, as it has been moved to the dropdown under Search.

I think that when you search, it’s a good idea to start with less information and add more details to drill down into the results. Often, if you put too much detail, you might miss some results. But that’s just my opinion.

When I conducted the search, I then drilled into the results and selected the “Place” option, specifying Canada. Even though that was one of the search terms I’d initially put in. The reason other countries appeared in the results was likely that documents in those other record sets contained the same search terms, but for those specific countries. (Don’t worry, I did go back and check to see if the Walter I was looking for was in those records.)

Although the county I usually look for, Frontenac, was not listed (as you’ll see in the video), I decided to search anyway. Among the records were two immigration records for Walter Walden. One where he is listed as a groom in Canada, specifically coming from Quebec in 1872, which is an important detail. However, the most crucial part of the form is at the top, which states ‘Registry of Emigrants landed at the Port of Kingston.’

It was the second immigration record that made my heart skip a beat, because on that one, it said that Walter Walden was from Oxford, and he was going to Kingston, and he was part of a three-person group.

Where you see the numbers 1, 3, 2, the columns represent: female infant 1, total souls in the party 3, and adults 2.

It has long been my suspicion that Willie’s sister was born in England and was older. Through DNA, I know that she is not Walter’s child because her descendants have no DNA connections to the Walden family. Still, many DNA connections to the Bayliss side, as Walter had married Eliza Bayliss, and that’s where I come in, as I have DNA connections to both Bayliss and Walden.

This may not be the super-brickwall breakthrough that people hope for, but I know that this Beaton Batten Mystery is all about breadcrumbs, each leading me to another piece of evidence. I do know that I cried with joy to find this record.

What will you find if you search for your elusive ancestor’s name? Will you find a breadcrumb that will lead you to another and another until you solve your mystery? I hope so.

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