Long Lost Family is presented by Nicky Campbell and Davina McCall

US pubcaster PBS has picked up 12 seasons of the UK version of long-running genealogy format Long Lost Family from Dutch distributor Lineup Industries to help feed its slew of new FAST channels.

PBS unveiled a major expansion of its activities in the free ad-supported streaming TV market last month with the launch of more than 150 channels on Amazon’s Prime Video in the US.

Now, the organisation’s PBS Distribution subsidiary has signed a deal with Lineup for Long Lost Family archives, plus seven seasons of spin-off series What Happened Next, to help power new FAST channel, PBS Genealogy, available on Pluto TV in the US, as well as via PBS Passport, available via the PBS app.

Over the course of two decades on air, since its launch on NPO1, Long Lost Family has been produced locally for channels including TLC in the US, Sweden’s TV4, Reshet in Israel, Ten in Australia, DR Denmark, and RTL in Hungary. Produced by Wall to Wall, the UK version originated on ITV, where it has been recognised by awards from BAFTA, Grierson, National TV and TV Choice and inspiring spin-off shows What Happened Next and Born Without Trace.

Following the 2023 fires that destroyed or severely damaged eight historic sites managed by the nonprofit Lahaina Restoration Foundation—resulting in the loss of tens of thousands of artifacts and records from the former capital of the Hawaiian Kingdom—US Senators Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI) and Ed Markey (D-MA) introduced the Public Archives Resiliency Act. 

The proposed legislation would authorize grants to support the preservation, climate resilience, and continuity of vital government records, while protecting historically and culturally significant documents. It would fund public archives, libraries, museums, educational institutions, and nonprofits, with companion legislation introduced in the US House by Rep. Alma Adams (D-NC).

“Public records are essential to the preservation of our history and culture,” said Hirono. “The Public Archives Resiliency Act will help to better protect them from the effects of climate change, including natural disasters like wildfires or floods.”

Government records are generated through birth, death, marriage, taxes, military service, education, immigration, property ownership, and much more. Many institutions that manage these records however, are at risk of environmental damage and lack resources to protect themselves and their communities. When these public records are destroyed or become inaccessible, it can delay an individual’s ability to access key government benefits and services, as well as result in the loss of irreplaceable cultural artifacts.

“The importance of this bill cannot be overstated,” said Janel Quirante, head archivist, at ‘Ulu‘ulu: The Henry Ku‘ualoha Giugni Moving Image Archive of Hawai‘i. “This bill provides crucial support to libraries, archives and museums that care for historic and cultural materials endangered by the impacts of climate change. Infrastructure support would allow for critical improvements to aging HVAC systems, especially in Hawai‘i and other tropical climates where high temperature and humidity pose major challenges to maintaining a safe long term preservation environment for archival films. Digitization support would allow for the preservation, access and sharing of our cultural heritage documented on films and videos that are increasingly susceptible to loss from climate disasters.”

“Historic records and artifacts left by our kūpuna (ancestors) serve as foundational blueprints, offering invaluable guidance for addressing present-day challenges and shaping our future,” said Kai Kahele, chairman of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs Board of Trustees. “The Public Archives Resiliency Act, which allocates additional funding to repositories, greatly strengthens the capacity of Hawai‘i’s archives to preserve and access essential historical records. This support is particularly critical as we confront the challenges of climate change, as recently underscored by the devastating wildfires on Maui in 2023.”

The Public Archives Resiliency Act will provide essential support to Hawai‘i’s repositories dedicated to the preservation and accessibility of historic documents and artifacts,” said Kale Hannahs, research systems administrator at the Office of Hawaiian Affairs. “These institutions serve as vital stewards, empowering and educating the communities they support. OHA’s partnership with the Lahaina Restoration Foundation serves as a timely example of the importance of digitizing historic documents for the purpose of preserving Hawaiʻi’s history and provides a foundational framework upon which we build our future.”

Full text of the legislation is available here.

Ottawa police say advances in DNA technology helped them find, arrest and charge a suspect in a 1996 stabbing death on the Portage Bridge.

At a news conference Monday, Deputy Chief Trish Ferguson said 73-year-old Lawrence Diehl, who was living in Vancouver, was arrested and charged with second-degree murder last week for the death of Christopher Smith.

The victim was crossing the Portage Bridge between Ottawa and Gatineau, Que., early on April 12, 1996, with a cousin when he got into an altercation and was stabbed, police said. Smith was later pronounced dead at a Gatineau hospital.

Ferguson said advances in genetic genealogy, or building potential family trees using DNA, helped lead investigators to the breakthrough. She declined to share more details.

While this is the first time Ottawa police say they have found relatives using the technology, it's also been used to help identify Jewell Parchman Langford as the "Nation River Lady.” 

Ottawa police thanked police in Toronto and Vancouver and the RCMP. They're also asking the public for any additional information about what Diehl was doing in Ottawa around that time, saying only that he was there for work.

Ottawa police said they're regularly reviewing more than 60 unsolved homicides. In 2012, they put up a $50,000 reward for information related to his death.

Diehl appeared in court on Saturday. He has not yet entered a plea. 

This article originally appeared on https://www.huffpost.com/entry/heritage-travel-genealogy-tourism_l_67591567e4b068cbf4c261c5:

These days, it seems like more people are traveling than ever. So it makes sense that many travelers are seeking unique experiences that don’t feel like the same standard vacation everyone else is taking (and posting about on social media). 

Fortunately, there are plenty of fresh and fulfilling types of trips you can take ― from “destination dupes” to “mystery travel.” But a particularly meaningful option is “heritage travel.”

Below, travel experts break down this approach to travel and what you should know before you plan a heritage trip. 

What is heritage travel?

“Heritage travel is when you explore destinations tied to your ancestry or cultural roots,” said Gabby Beckford, founder of the travel site Packs Light. “It’s about discovering more about yourself, your family stories, and your overall identity by traveling to places where you are, in some part, ‘from.’”

People interested in heritage travel ― which is also known as genealogy tourism, ancestral travel, roots tourism and DNA tourism ― can plan vacations around their family lineage and walk the path of their ancestors. This is all much easier to do in the age of services like 23andMe, AncestryDNA and MyHeritage. 

“It’s been popular for years already, but I think it’s really grown since the advent of at-home DNA testing products,” said Laura Motta, the senior director of content at Lonely Planet. “They can give people a ton of insight into where their families are from.”

For many, these home kits have awakened a desire to connect with their history and experience aspects of their ancestors’ culture firsthand. Now, companies like Ancestry are offering special guided heritage travel opportunities to customers who want to gain a greater understanding of their family’s past. Options include ancestral home visits, genealogy cruisesand personal guided tours.

Heritage travel is increasingly common in places that experienced mass emigration or forced removal at some point and therefore have a large diaspora community in other parts of the world. Examples include Ireland, Ghana and Italy (as seen in Season 2 of HBO’s “The White Lotus,” which featured a three-generation Sicilian American family returning to their ancestral roots in Testa dell’Acqua). 

“Lots of countries and communities are working to enable and encourage heritage tourism, which makes complete sense. It’s big business,” Motta said. “Tour operators and tourism boards often have information to help you get started.”

Heritage travel can also refer more broadly to any type of tourism that involves visiting historic and cultural sites and immersing yourself in the destination’s past and present way of life. And this certainly applies to ancestry-focused tourism. 

“Reconnection to the past is at the central core of heritage travel,” said Katy Nastro, a travel expert and spokesperson for the Going travel app. “A type of travel designed to better engage a traveler with the cultural heritage of a place, heritage travel is more about understanding a destination through genuine traditions and experiences rooted in history. 

What are the benefits of heritage travel?

There are many reasons why heritage travel might appeal to tourists. 

“It can be really fascinating and can help connect people to their ethnic and cultural roots,” Motta said. “Of course, heritage tourism can mean very different things to different people. You might be chasing a complicated paper trail of baptism certificates and immigration records in Ireland, or finding your family’s former home in California, or learning about rituals that your ancestors performed in Ghana.”

Beckford said she personally finds the heritage travel trend to be very exciting. 

“As someone who is multiracial, I understand that in a world that likes to put people into neat categories, not fitting perfectly into one can feel alienating,” she noted. “I believe knowledge is power, and traveling back to where your ancestors came from to understand how you became the person you are today can be not only fascinating but healing for many people like me.”

Heritage travel can take many forms and include a wide range of experiences. People may have different goals and approaches to their ancestral journeys. 

“I see many families, particularly second and third generations, taking heritage trips to reconnect with rituals, traditions, religions, holidays, or even to honor specific family members who have passed,” Beckford said.

By taking a heritage-focused trip, you have the opportunity to truly immerse yourself in the local culture and history as well. 

“Travelers more and more are seeking an authentic travel experience, away from uber-popular tourist traps, traveling more purposefully,” Nastro said. “There is no better way to understand your current surroundings than by walking through its past.”

She added that you don’t necessarily need to design an entire vacation around heritage travel, but can instead incorporate it through specific activities or experiences in your trip. 

You can read the full article at: https://www.huffpost.com/entry/heritage-travel-genealogy-tourism_l_67591567e4b068cbf4c261c5.

One of the most important histories of Scotland, which sheds new light on William Wallace and the Stone of Destiny, has found its permanent home at the University of St Andrews.

It’s being made available to the public for the first time in its 500-year history and has been given a new name.

The St Andrews Chronicles is a startling manuscript. It is largely a handwritten copy of John Mair’s History of Greater Britain – one of the most influential and innovative histories of Scotland and England of the sixteenth century. It also contains an earlier hand-copied pamphlet, chronicling Scotland’s earlier history, including new information about William Wallace, the nation’s time under Guardianship, and even the Stone of Destiny.

Elizabeth Henderson, Rare Books Librarian at the University, said: “It’s really important that a manuscript like this is held in a public institution like St Andrews where it can be cared for in perpetuity and also where it can be made accessible for research.

“It’s a Scottish manuscript about the history of and origins of Scotland and it’s been through a succession of Scottish owners since the 16th century, so there’s a real resonance having it back in a Scottish institution.

“The first name listed as owner describes himself as a ‘chaplain of Edinburgh’. However, some of the names listed as owners of the book potentially correlate to students in St Andrews who were studying in the early sixteenth century – indicating an even greater correlation with St Andrews than previously thought.”

The St Andrews Chronicles was acquired at auction by the University with generous support from Dr William Zachs and the Friends of the Nations’ Libraries, after being sold by notable Norwegian collector Martin Schoyen, who bought it in 1990. Much of its journey is a mystery, but it was at Balcarres in the East Neuk of Fife near St Andrews in the sixteenth Century.

The book is the size of an iPad and joins the archive and rare book collection at the University of St Andrews. Built up over 600 years, the collection contains over 200,000 rare books and many medieval and early modern manuscripts. The collection supports teaching and research at the University and elsewhere.

Professor Dame Sally Mapstone, Principal and Vice-Chancellor of the University, said: “I am absolutely delighted that the manuscript has come back to Scotland and particularly to a place with which it has real associations.”

“John Mair taught at our University in the 1520s. The manuscript was also owned during the later sixteenth century by John Lindsay of Balcarres, a notable Fife noble and secretary of state. The University continues to value its links with Balcarres.

“The manuscript is back in Scotland, where it can be readily displayed, and readily studied by a range of scholars and students. Its subject matter, of Scotland’s chronicle history and the history of ideas, is also very much within my own research area, so I do hope to contribute to that.

“We understand our present so much better if we engage with, cherish, and interrogate our past. This manuscript really helps us to do that.”

Sean Rippington, Head of Archives and Rare books at the University, said: “We were waiting patiently for it to arrive by courier, and every time the doorbell went off we all jumped; it took about half a dozen times of the bell going before it actually arrived.

“When it came it was unassuming and small. I got over excited and took lots of photos of it even before we took it out of its packaging. A group of us gathered around it while Elizabeth unpacked it. There were quite a few gasps.”

Elizabeth Henderson said: “We had seen photos of some of it, but there was nothing like seeing the real thing, and the conversations which were sparking up amongst this group of archivists, librarians and conservators was amazing, we were all seeing different things from the very beginning. It was magical.”

The small book is bound in stamped leather over wooden boards and originally would have been fastened with a clasp. The stamps include an unidentified beast and a hound chasing a hare. The text inside is neatly handwritten Latin script, with capitals and decorations added in red.

Notable scholar of the work, Professor Dauvit Broun from the University of Glasgow, said: “The contents of this home-made pamphlet include a chronicle for the years 1286 to 1327 which has a few bits of new information  (for example, seven—not six—guardians were elected to rule Scotland after Alexander III’s tragic death in 1286, as well as Wallace co-leading the attack on the sheriff of Lanark, rather than leading on his own: it also gives us the exact date—3 May 1297—of when this happened).  It also has a copy of what is likely to be the earliest version of the legend about the Stone of Destiny.”

Now the St Andrews Chronicles is digitised and made available online for the first time, it will be on display at the Wardlaw Museum in 2025.

Sean Rippington said: “The digital version opens it up to new forms of investigation and research. We wanted to give democratic access for people to see and connect with it. It’s for being read and researched, not for being observed from afar.

“The University of St Andrews is its permanent home. It has been in private ownership for its entire existence, meaning relatively few people have seen it, so we are keen to make it available to the wider population in as far as possible.”

Taylor Swift is officially feelin’ 35, and to celebrate, she gave fans the best present: an archive site featuring behind-the-scenes looks at some of your fave music videos. Tay’s in-house marketing and public relations company, Taylor Nation, posted about the launch of the Taylor Swift Era Archives site on December 13 (Blondie’s birthday, ofc)...and there’s an ever-so-brief moment in the IG video post that has fans asking the same question: Did I just see the Reputation font? 

The video kicks off with a quick montage of the words “Taylor’s Version” flashing across the screen in various fonts (with each font representing a different era), and per the comments section, fans *swear* they can see the distinct Engravers Old English font associated with her Reputation era. I gotta say—I’m not not convinced!

View full post on Tiktok

If you haven’t been following along, Swifties have been trying to pin down a possible release date for Reputation (Taylor’s Version) for foreeeeeever now, with many hoping an announcement would come at the end of the Eras Tour. (Spoiler: It didn’t.) Is the (possible) use of the Reputation font yet another clue that the album is coming? Your guess is as good as mine!!

Today is Friday the 13th again. This is an especially bad day for people who suffer from a phobia famously called triskaidekaphobia, a fear of the number 13. Any Friday that falls on the 13th of the month is especially bad, causing the fear of Friday the 13th, called paraskevidekatriaphobia, from the Greek words Paraskeví (meaning “Friday”), and dekatreís (meaning “thirteen”).

In the Christian world the number 13 has long been associated with many bad events. Jesus had 12 disciples, which meant there were a total of 13 people in attendance the evening of the Last Supper, with Judas being received as the 13th guest.

On Friday 13, 1307, King Philip IV of France ordered Knights Templar Grand Master Jacques de Molay and scores of other French Templars to be simultaneously arrested. The Knights Templar were charged with numerous other offenses, such as financial corruption, fraud, secrecy, denying Christ, spitting on the crucifix, idol worship, blasphemy, and various obscenities. The soldiers arrested and imprisoned all the Knights Templar they could find. Most of those imprisoned were tortured until they died. Many in France were burned at the stake, including Grand Master Jacques de Molay. Only a few Knights Templar survived, mostly those who were in distant countries at the time, and they went into hiding.

The German Luftwaffe bombed Buckingham Palace on Friday, the 13th of September, 1940.

Hip hop star Tupac Shakur died on Friday, September 13, 1996, of gunshot wounds suffered in a Las Vegas drive-by shooting.

The Costa Concordia cruise ship crashed off the coast of Italy, killing 30 people, on Friday, the 13th of January 2012.

In 1907, Thomas W. Lawson published a novel called Friday, the Thirteenth, with the story of an unscrupulous broker taking advantage of the superstition to create a Wall Street panic on a Friday the 13th. The novel became a best seller of the time.

Then, of course, we have the hockey mask-wearing killer named Jason in the movie Friday the 13th, released in 1980.

In spite of these misfortunes, there is no truth to the idea that Friday the 13th is unlucky. Still, I am not taking any chances. You won’t see me this Friday as I am taking the day off and staying in bed.

Evernote has long been one of the best note-taking apps for use by genealogists and by millions of others. I have been a big Evernote fan for years and still am. However, Evernote later increased the prices of its Plus and Premium versions. Evernote Basic remains available free of charge but is now limited to two devices per account, like a computer and a phone, two computers, or a phone and a tablet. Bummer! 

Many Evernote users were disappointed by the news and have since looked for replacement programs. Now a new candidate from a well-known vendor is entering the marketplace.

Dropbox has long been a very popular cloud-based file storage service. Most Dropbox users find it is an excellent service for making backup copies of files as well as copying (or "replicating") those files amongst multiple computers, such as keeping the same files at all times on both your your desktop and laptop computers. The same files also can be retrieved on an iPad, iPhone, Android device, Windows Phone, or even on a Kindle Fire. Dropbox  has added a new trick that appears to be aimed at enticing Evernote users to switch to Dropbox's new service.

Dropbox Paper is a brand-new offering that is available to anyone who would like to try it. In it's simplest form, Dropbox Paper is a note-taking application built into the Dropbox file storage and replication service. It is designed for note taking and it (optionally) replicates copies of those notes to the owner's Windows computers, Macintosh computers, iPad, iPhone, and Android devices. All the notes are also available on any computer by opening a web browser and going to the Dropbox Paper web site. Does this sound like Evernote? You bet it does! I doubt if that is a coincidence.

Dropbox is also making a play for corporate users, again competing with Evernote. Dropbox Paper is cloud-connected so that your group can meet up in the same document and at the same time, regardless of where all team members are located or what devices they are currently using. Team members can enrich shared pages with lists, blocks of code, and embedded media. They can even embed Dropbox documents in your pages.

Dropbox Paper displays all related mentions, comments, shares and other notifications in a neat little list. That list and its associated pages can all file into folders, which you can sort by team or topic.

This is a huge part of how Dropbox is “reimagining the way people work together,” said Christina Cacioppo, Paper product manager. “Dropbox Paper is built to help fast-moving teams organize all their team’s knowledge in a single place, creating a home for their projects.”

Downsides

Dropbox Paper is still a bit buggy so if you try it please do not be surprised if you encounter a few bugs or if all the features are not yet enabled. I have tried it briefly and it does look good. I will caution you, however, that it does not yet seem to have much security. I'm using it for my recipes and for other non-personal items. However, I wouldn't use Dropbox Paper just yet for anything sensitive, such as my credit card information, bank account info, or anything else I would like to keep private. 

Dropbox's security reportedly is not as good as that of some of its competitors. Alternatively, you can use a competing service like SpiderOak which does not have the capability to see your data as long as you’re using the SpiderOak client you installed on your computer. 

Summation

Dropbox Paper looks like it may become a strong competitor to Evernote. You might want to try it now to see for yourself. 

You can learn more about Dropbox Paper at: https://help.dropbox.com/organize/dropbox-paper-faqs, https://www.dropbox.com/paper/start,  https://www.dropbox.com/apps/dropbox_paper, and at: https://learn.dropbox.com/self-guided-learning/dropbox-fundamentals-course/fundamentals-how-do-i-use-paper. 

 Author Marcel Deer announces the release of his new book "Finding Your Tribe: A Guide to Ancestry, Genealogy, and Family History," drawing from his personal journey of discovering his biological family through DNA testing and genealogical research.

A GUIDE TO ANCESTRY, GENEALOGY, AND FAMILY HISTORY

MARCEL DEER
Finding Your Tribe: A Guide to Ancestry, Genealogy, and Family History

Inspired by his own 38-year search for his biological father, Deer's comprehensive guide provides readers with practical tools and strategies for uncovering their family histories. The book combines personal experience with expert insights from genealogist Rob Earnden, offering a roadmap for others embarking on similar journeys of discovery.

The book emerged from Deer's successful search for his biological family, which culminated in discovering his half-sister through DNA testing and genealogical research. This discovery came after decades of searching, aided by genealogy expert Rob Earnden's expertise in DNA analysis and family tree construction.

"From the first time we spoke, there was an instant connection," Marcel recalls about meeting his half-sister. "She's an incredible woman, and it's been amazing to discover how much we share, not just in DNA but in interests and personality."

Finding Your Tribe: A Guide to Ancestry, Genealogy, and Family History provides readers with detailed guidance on using DNA testing, genealogy tools, and online resources to uncover family connections. The book includes practical methodologies, expert insights, and real-world examples to assist both beginners and experienced genealogists. 

"Thanks to Rob's knowledge and dedication, I discovered not only my father's identity but also a sister I never knew I had," says Deer. "It's been an incredible journey, and I want to help others experience the same joy of discovery."

Finding Your Tribe: A Guide to Ancestry, Genealogy, and Family History is now available on Amazon. The Kindle edition is priced at $4.99.

Readers can preview an exclusive sample of the eBook here.

About Marcel Deer Consultancy

As a full-time writer and marketing consultant, Marcel Deer has recently written and published his first book, 'Finding Your Tribe' A guide to Ancestry, Genealogy, and Family History. This book was written after Marcel discovered his sister, and the identity of his father, at 38 years old, earlier in 2024.

The Fellows of the American Society of Genealogists are again pleased to offer grant opportunities in support of important continuing genealogical research projects. These grants are intended to assist with those projects sitting unfinished (or unstarted) on every genealogist’s “back burner” for lack of financial aid to help cover researching and writing time, costs of copies, fees, travel, and other usual expenses associated with genealogical research and publication. 

Grants are for $2,500 each. Four grants are available for 2025. Projects are not limited regarding location, subject, length, or format, but the value of the work to other researchers and institutions will be an important consideration. Examples of possible projects include, but are not limited to, compilation of single or extended family genealogies, transcriptions or translations of original documents, bibliographies, indexes, studies of ethnic groups, geographic locations, migration patterns, legal history, etc., using genealogical resources and methods. Publication is not required, but acknowledgement of the support from the American Society of Genealogists in any distribution of the project results is requisite. The grantee is required to present ASG with a copy of the completed project in the format in which it exists – hard copy, digital image, database, etc.

To receive a 2025 Continuing Genealogical Grant Application, write to:

acwcrane@aol.com or 

Alicia Crane Williams, FASG, 4 White Trellis, Plymouth, MA 02360.

Deadline for submitting an application for 2025 grants is: April 1, 2025.

Grants awarded in 2024: 

• Shadidah Ahmad, Watertown, MA: This grant adds to the 2023 grant awarded to Ahmad to locate and record 200 funeral programs from churches and funeral homes, and through interviews with local elders to document the African American cemeteries in Holly Hill and Cottageville, South Carolina. The programs are being copied and digitized, their information captured on Excel sheets and entered into a genealogy program, with a future goal of creating a website with the digitized materials she has collected. Her research also include family Bibles and church organizations. In-person visits with community elders and with family members in charge of burial plots, etc., add flesh to the stories of a “rapidly dying history in these small, yet rich towns.” 

• Carolyne Ngara, Nairobi, Kenya: “A Comprehensive Genealogical Research of the Luo people of Kenya.” The Joka Jok oral history program has conducted 50 interviews with members of 24 ethnic Luo clans, with the expectation of eventually conducting over 100, “preserving over half a million records on the Luo.” Original documents, bibliographies, indexes, geographical locations, migration patterns and legal history of the Luo ethnic groups of Kenya will be studied. The preservation of endangered records is an urgent motivator in the face of political conflict in the area. The Luo population in Kenya us about four million or 13 percent of the total population, with others living in Tanzania, Uganda, South Sudan, Ethopia and the Democratic Republic of Congo. U.S. President Barak Obama is a descendant of the Luo clan.

• Kelly Richardson, Dickinson, ND: Grant to continue her work with the Redwood Coast Land Conservancy on their project to restore and document the Gualala River Cemetery, Northern California. Over 100 individuals buried in the long-neglected cemetery have been identified, genealogical research has been done, and descendants, most of whom do not know they have an ancestor buried there, have been contacted. Twenty-nine family sketches have been published on the website (www.rclc.org/gualala-cemetery) and include California immigrants from Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Ontario, New Brunswick, Ohio, Missouri, Denmark, Ireland, Italy, Norway, and West Prussia, connecting families who have lost track of branches that made it this far west.

• Pamela Vittorio, Brooklyn, NY: “Navigating the Records of the New York Canals (1817 to 1918): A Guide for Genealogical Research.” Tied to the Bicentennial anniversary of the Erie Canal in 2025, this project evaluates and presents for publication the records of the Erie and lateral canals of NY State at the State Archives using The New York State Canal Society’s archives, the Library of Congress, and New York Public Library, and regional collections. It is intended to supply researchers with tools, examples, and strategies for their work, and to help identify and find records of ancestors who may have worked along or been passengers on the canal. Databases include “Boats/boat owners” (1820s to 1920); “Laborers” (1817 to 1920); and “Other individuals associated with the canal, e.g. businessmen, etc.” (1817 to 1920).