Finding an Ancestor from America in Upper Canada (Ontario) before 1850

Lara asked on Jan 19, 2009

Hi , How do I go about locating the parents of an ancestor that was born abt 1820? All I know so far is her name is Azubah ( spelling varies often) married to John CUMMING sometime bef 1836. According to Census she was born abt 1820, one census lists her as being born in US and of dutch origin and others say born in Upper Canada. With help, was able to find out her maiden name was Palmer (her obit was listed under her maiden name not married name). Have not be able to figure out who her parents were and where and when she was born. Any thoughts on where I should look?

My Answer: Hello Lara, It is good that you are questioning the discrepancies you've found as you research your ancestor. It certainly makes our genealogy lives more challenging doesn't it!

As always I like to look at the same records as the person asking me the question. Four eyes are always better than two! And sometimes clues are missed the first time around. Since you sent AskOliveTree a follow up with the details that the family lived in Brighton Ontario, that was all I needed to have a hunt for them in the online Canadian census records (Canada 1851, 1871 index, 1881, 1891, 1901 and 1911 are all available online)

The 1861 Census gives our first clue

Luckily the 1861 Brighton Census is online on Ancestry.com. In it we see quite a large family of John born Scotland, farmer, age 52; Azubah listed as born Upper Canada (Ontario), age 43. Next are their children Flora, Alvina, son (name not transcribed), another son (name not transcribed), another son (name transcribed as Duns with a question mark, meaning the transcribing could not read it) and Oscar. All the children are listed in 1861 as being born in Upper Canada. Living with them is Flora Cumming, age 79 born Scotland, a widow. She is quite likely John's mother.

It's important to realize that the 1861 census also has an agricultural section . These Agricultural returns are an overlooked genealogical treasure trove!

If you were to order the microfilm for 1861 census into a Family History Centre you could find out exactly where John and Azubah lived (Lot, Concession) Knowing their land location will allow you to search the Abstract Indexes to Deeds for that piece of property. Important info can be found there!

Back to that 1861 census - since the daughter Flora is listed as age 24, born in Upper Canada, I knew that the family would be in the 1851 census (if their area survived, as many parts of Ontario have not).

The 1851 Census hits a possible bingo!

The 1851 census images (no indexes) are available at Library & Archives Canada (LAC). An index and images are available at Ancestry.com A partial transcription, which is then linked to the images on LAC, is available at AutomatedGenealogy.com so you have many choices for searching for ancestors

A search of 1851 census on Ancestry.com found the Cumming family in Brighton. John, age 45, a farmer born Scotland, religion Baptist, is found with his wife Azubah, age 37 born Canada and several children: Flora, Jane, Alvina, Cameron, and Joshua. Also with them are Flora, 71 born Scotland (John's mother no doubt) and two Cumming girls who are no doubt John's sisters.

But the terrific find on this 1851 census page is the nearby neighbour who lives just two houses away - Joshua Palmer born USA age 62 and his wife Lucretia also born USA, age 57. Why is it a terrific find? Because very often an individual settled near other family members. My hunch is that your Azubah Cumming, nee Palmer, settled near her parents - none other than Joshua and Lucretia. But of course you can't just accept my hunch as fact, you now have to work to prove or disprove that Joshua and Lucretia are her parents.

A Growing Theory

Let's look at some of the facts and see if they support my theory/hunch:

1. Joshua is born USA and sometimes your Azubah is listed as born USA
2. Joshua and Azubah are both Baptists
3. Joshua is living 2 doors away from Azubah in 1851
4. Azubah names her eldest daughter Flora after her husband's mother. Her eldest son is Cameron (is that John's father's name? More research needed to find out) and her second born son is named Joshua (if she is following traditional naming patterns, Joshua will be her father's name. Bingo!)

Further research on my part found that Lucretia's maiden name was Draper and she was born in New York (from an online Ancestry Family Tree and her death certificate which is found at the Family Search Labs)

Taking the Next Step

The next step, which I leave to you, would be to check earlier tax and assessment records for the family. Does Brighton have an 1842 Census? How about the 1848 census - is there one that has survived for Brighton? You will need to do some research to find out what records exist for Brighton before 1851.

There may be very early tax records, some areas of Upper Canada (Ontario) have them back in the 1820s and earlier.

You can also check local churches for John and Azubah's marriage.

The Importance of Searching Siblings

I would also try to find all the known children of Joshua and Lucretia (Draper) Palmer. Don't overlook researching siblings to see if there is any interaction with a sister Azubah over the years. Perhaps Azubah is mentioned in a sibling's obit. Perhaps she witnessed a baptism or a marriage or was an informant for a death. Perhaps she lived near or next door to a sister or brother in later years.

Land Records - the overlooked genealogy treasure trove

I would also get the land records for Joshua Palmer. The 1851 census says he is a farmer so with any luck he owned land. Find out if there is a will attached to his land records. Check the online Surrogate and Probate Court indexes for Ontario before 1859. If you find his name in the index, you can order the full record. But be cautious because NOT finding his name in the index does not mean he did not file a will. You may have to check microfilm (which is more complete than the online index)

There is also the CLRI (Ontario Land Record Index) and Upper Canada Land Petitions which you should not overlook. These can offer invaluable genealogy treasures!

Good luck and please come back and let us know by using the Comment Form, how your search is progressing.

What is the Dutch name for Anna?

Saja423 asked

QUESTION: In regards to a daughter named Anna, born in 1794: Would the Dutch have called someone named Anna ..."Effa" or "Effie"?

MY ANSWER: Effie is the equivalent of Eva, not Anna. Anna would be Annatje or even Anneken but not Effie or Efje.

See Dutch Names & Nicknames for help with these Dutch-English name equivalents

What is the British Bonus System?

Marina wrote: I have the name of the ship that my great grandparents travelled to Canada on & the date they arrived at St Johns, New Brunswick. I believe they then took a train to their destination of Pickering, Ontario. On the ship's passenger list it stated that William Mann was allowed a British Bonus. I am wondering what records might be available regarding this bonus or their settlement in Pickering.

MY ANSWER: Hi Marina. See "Manifest Markings on Canadian Passenger Lists" for information on the British Bonus System.

Briefly, the British Bonus was a commission paid by the Canadian government's Immigration Branch to steamship booking agents in the United Kingdom and in European countries for each suitable immigrant who purchased a ticket to sail to Canada.The immigrants themselves did not receive the bonus,although those who settled on western homesteads did receive a separate monetary bonus upon proof of settlement.

Ships Passenger Lists Outbound from USA

Nan asked on Jan 10/09

Is there a passenger list going from New York to Scotland 1898 time period? I'm looking for Flora McKechnie Mullen born in Scotland 9/3/1866 married Patrick Mullen. Came to the USA 12/10/1893 from Glasgow Scotland with daughter Anne.Family story is she died in 1898 after a fall. Can't find a death certificate for her. My theory is she may have returned to Scotland.

Hi Nan, I'm afraid that the USA did not keep its outbound ships passenger lists. That means you need to search inbound lists arriving in Scotland or the UK.

There are some outbound ships passenger lists being transcribed at Ships Passenger Lists from Canada & USA

Genealogists can now search for ancestors on UK Incoming Ships Passenger Lists, 1878-1960 These passenger lists include OUTBOUND lists from Canada and America as well as other countries such as Australia.

Using Naturalization Records to find a Ships Passenger List

On Jan 15, 2009 Janet wrote to Ask Olive Tree:

I would be so grateful if you could find my ancestor----on a Passenger List. Carl August Munzner born 3 May 1846 in Zwickau, Saxony, Germany. Upon arrival he changed his name to August Charles Munzner. According to the census, he immigrated in 1870. In 1880 he was living in Baltimore, Maryland

Olive Tree answer: Hi Janet, Your question sounded more like a lookup request, which isn't the purpose of Ask Olive Tree blog. But you gave some census information which allowed me to have a look to see if you perhaps overlooked any immigration or naturalization clues in the census records.

I think I can point you in the right direction to find Carl August.

The 1900, 1910 ,1920 and 1930 census identify citizenship status, with notations showing the individual was an Alien, or had started the Naturalization process or had his final papers. What great clues to help narrow the time frame for
finding the naturalization and ships passenger list records! The 1870 census also provideds a tick mark column to indicate if the individual was a U.S. citizen. There are many valuable clues to naturalization and immigration in the census records

But back to Carl August! A check of the US Census records on Ancestry.com showed that in 1910 he stated he was naturalized. I didn't look any further in the census, I'll leave that up to you. But I did check Footnote.com for their Naturalization Records and there he was. You will find him in the Indexes to Naturalization Petitions to the U.S. Circuit and District Courts for Maryland, 1797-1951

You have to be a member of Footnote.com but you can also buy just the one record. The online record gives August Munzer's exact date of naturalization, name of the court and folio and page number so you would be able to get his full record.

Don't forget too that just because the 1900 census shows him immigrating in 1870, does not mean that is correct. An immigration year is often mis-remembered so you should always allow a year or two on either side of the year given.

But finding his naturalization papers may help narrow that immigration year and help you to find his name on a ships passenger list.

Good luck! Let us know here on Ask Olive Tree how your search goes.

Using Google and Online Family Trees

Bill asked on Jan 15, 2009

I have traced my namesake to Moses Sarg b.1820 Berks Co. PA He married a Sarah Hasler date unknown. His parents were Jacob Sarg and Catherine ?. I do not have any additional info on them. Moses moved to Pickaway Co. OH abt 1850 and then to Wells Co. IN where he is buried. I have searched for years trying to find more on his parents and his grandparents. I would greatly appreciate ANY help you could give me. Where to search and anything else.

Olive Tree answers: Hi Bill, This is a time when using Google and looking for others searching the same family comes in handy. In general I don't think online family trees are the best research tool unless the researcher is willing to write to the submitter of the tree and ask for sources. You may want to have a quick look at I Found My Great Great Grandfather Online -- Now What!!??? (Verifying Records Found On Webpages)

A quick search of Google turned up a note from another researcher on an Ancestry.com Message Board for Pennsylvania Dutch:

Catharine Bernhar[d]t born 4 May 1792 married Jacob Sarg. Catharine is buried in Dunkel's Church Cemetery

Another search of Google for Dunkel's Church Cemetery records online brought up Jacob and catharine's cemetery transcription

SARG. Catharine 5-4-1792 9-19-1867
SARG. Jacob 9-7-1795 5-26-1852

This should be enough for you to make contact with some of the other descendants of the SARG family tree.

Looking for an ancestor from Germany to New York to Galveston Texas

On Jan 4, 2009 Yvonne in Kansas asked:

My ancestor Willm Jacobs Tammen b. 17 FEb 1850, Eversmeer Ostfriesland Germany, arrived in America at Galveston, TX in Oct 1890. with his wife Hauke Wina Decker Tammen and six children. They took a train to Wichita Falls and live there the rest of their life. The 'family' story is that they arrived at New York on 'the big boat' and transferred to a 'cattle boat' for the trip to Galveston. I have searched all the records of Castle Garden in New York and have not found them also the Galveston Ships lists do not mention them. I would like to find what ship (s) they traveled on and the dates they arrived in New York and Galveston. Or when and where they left in Germany. I feel that I will have to find a record on the German side. Where do I go from here.

MY ANSWER: Yvonne, it sounds like you have done a lot of research and kept track of the family lore. One thing to make note of is that the Galveston Ships Passenger Lists don't include passengers who transferred en route. So that means if your Tammen family came in to any other port first, then on to Galveston Texas, they will not be on the incoming Galveston Manifest.

You would have to look for them in the main port they arrived at. If your family story is of a New York arrival, you may want to search there first. You can always expand your search to other ports of arrival if you need to. You mention checking Castle Garden records. It's important to note that Castle Garden existed as a processing station for immigrants between 1 August 1855 and 18 April 1890. So after 18th April, it was no longer Castle Garden.

Passenger lists for the Castle Garden time period (and beyond) are available on microfilm and online at Ancestry.com

Another point to mention is that there are a few problems with some of the New York passenger lists. In general from about June 15th 1897 until March or April 1903, the lists for first class and second class passengers were not collected at Ellis Island
and do not survive, so therefore will not appear on microfilm, nor in the Ellis Island online database. I know this may be too late for your Tammen family arrival but it's something to keep in mind. Marian Smith has written several articles on the Missing Manifest problem on her blog

Was your ancestor naturalized? The 1900, 1910 ,1920 and 1930 census identify citizenship status, with notations showing the individual was an Alien, or had started the Naturalization process or had his final papers. I see that in the 1900 census he had his first papers (PA in the column for citizenship details) so you can have a hunt for those. If you check 1910 it will tell if he is naturalized by then. You can read more about the value of census records in your search for an immigrant ancestor on the website NaturalizationRecords.com

Last but not least, you could research all the children. Since they were all born in Germany there is a chance that an obituary might provide more details on their immigration to America.

I'm also curious what your source is for the arrival date you gave of October 1890. Depending on the accuracy of the source, the date may not be correct. For example if you found this date on a census record, you cannot trust it to be correct. Immigration and Naturalization years are often mis-remembered so you should always search a year or two on either side. I saw that in the 1900 census, Willm has a date of immigration of 1890 but you should be searching in a wider range unless you have other evidence showing that year.

If you want to respond to my answer, please post it as a comment here on the blog and I'll try to help further if possible