The Genealogy Detective
We bring our investigation to a close, tracing Moby's tree back to Scotland and talk through all of Herman Melville's own family's ancestral hopes. Background on Herman Melville’s genealogy and Thomas and Allan Melvill’s attempt to prove their relation to General Robert Melvill comes several sources, including: “Data on the Melvill Family,” the research put together by Allan Melvill, courtesy of the Berkshire Athenaeum in Pittsfield, Massachusetts , (Hennig Cohen and Donald Yannella, 1992) “,” (ed. Cuyler Reynolds, 1911) Jean F. Melvill, “Melvill...
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Our research into Moby's ancestry begins in earnest and leads to a Melville ancestor. Notes: Moby discussing Moby-Dick from a video made for Read if you dare Moby discussing family from a video made for Moby talking about his grandmother from (2016) Music by Blue Dot Sessions, closing theme Breakmaster Cylinder.
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My friend Adam brings a question to me: is Moby (aka Richard Melville Hall) really related to Moby-Dick author Herman Melville. Notes: A screenshot of Moby’s , taken May 2023 Excerpt from the Afterword of Moby’s 2016 memoir, (2016) Tweet from Moby (): “On this day in 1851…” Tweet from Moby (): “Happy Birthday Uncle Herman…” Background on Moby’s career was compiled from several sources including: Moby’s memoirs (2016) and (2019); Grayson Haver Currin, “,” NPR, May 22, 2020 Rob Gordon Bralver documentary, (2021) Clip from “Rave...
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Hannah's grandfather always said their family was related to Boris Pasternak. The Genealogy Detective digs for proof, and teaches herself the Cyrillic alphabet.
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Mariel never knew her grandmother Ilona, a Holocaust survivor, or about Ilona's parents, siblings, and extended family. But she's in a place in her life where questions about her family and their history have begun to take on new importance. In this episode we find some answers.
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Mary Duffy is the Genealogy Detective, solving your family's mysteries and telling your stories. Each episode we'll solve a new case: unearthing family secrets, finding long-lost cousins, uncovering origins with research or DNA, and proving whether the legends your grandmother handed down are true. No case is too small.
info_outlineWe bring our investigation to a close, tracing Moby's tree back to Scotland and talk through all of Herman Melville's own family's ancestral hopes.
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Background on Herman Melville’s genealogy and Thomas and Allan Melvill’s attempt to prove their relation to General Robert Melvill comes several sources, including:
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“Data on the Melvill Family,” the research put together by Allan Melvill, courtesy of the Berkshire Athenaeum in Pittsfield, Massachusetts
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Herman Melville's Malcom Letter, (Hennig Cohen and Donald Yannella, 1992)
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“Hudson-Mohawk Genealogical and Family Memoirs: Melville,” (ed. Cuyler Reynolds, 1911)
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Jean F. Melvill, “Melvill Genealogy,” Melville Society Extracts Number 95, December 1993
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Merton Sealts Jr., “The Melvill Heritage,” Harvard Library Bulletin XXXIV (4), Fall 1986
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Hershel Parker, Herman Melville: A Biography (Volume 1), 1996
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John Bryant’s biography of Herman Melville is Herman Melville: A Half-Known Life (2021)
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Melville lineage back to 13th century from Sir Robert Douglas’ The Baronage of Scotland (1798)
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Letters between Allan and Thomas Melvill about their ancestry and heritage are collected in “Data on the Melvill Family” (Berkshire Athenaeum)
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Descendants of David Melvill of Boston, Massachusetts and Newport, Rhode Island, Helen S. Ullmann, 2021
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David Melville’s (1776-1793) pewter porringer and plate are at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City
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Wikipedia page for David Melville (1773-1856), inventor of the first gas street lighting. For more information see Daniel W. Mattausch, “David Melville And The First American Gas Light Patents,” Rushlight Journal, December 1998
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Herman Melville, Redburn (1849)
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For more about Herman Melville’s choice of names for his children, and particularly Malcolm, see Herman Melville's Malcolm Letter: Man's Final Love, by Hennig Cohen and Donald Yanella (1993)
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Moby discussing Moby-Dick from a video made for LA Library Foundation
Music by Blue Dot Sessions and Breakmaster Cylinder. Special thanks to John Bryant, Hap Hall, Elizabeth Doss and Gregor Ehrlich.