Why You Can't Find an Ancestor in the 1851 Canadian Census

Sharon recently wrote to AskOliveTree@gmail.com

My ancestor John Davis was born in Whitechurch in 1820.  So were his children.  I can not find any census of Whitechurch, was the name changed, if so, to what?


Hello Sharon,

Here is a link to Library and Archives Canada (LAC) where the list of surviving census returns for 1851 are listed. Many did not survive.

I'm afraid Whitchurch was one that has not survived the years. You may want to look for alternate records for that time period.

Perhaps land records might prove helpful. See Ontario Land Records.

Don't Overlook FamilySearch in your Genealogy Hunt

Bonnie asked about her Grandmother

I have recently found my Grandmother listed on the 1901 Ontario Census in the township of Wroxeter in Huron County.  She was born on August 5, 1899.  Her parents were George J Harris and Agnes J Harris born Jan 3, 1875 and Sept 21, 1877 respectively.  I was hoping to find where George and Agnes were born, and when their families emigrated and from where?  We know very little about the Harris side of the family so I was very excited to see this much!

Marriage Registration 1898 Wellington Co. Ontario

Bonnie - A look at that 1901 census gives you more clues. For example George is recorded as George Jr leading me to suspect that his father might also be called George. He is Presbyterian so you can have a look for Presbyterian churches in the area where you might find births, marriages or burials for the family.

You should also check the online Ontario Vital Registrations for the births of George and Agnes and their marriage.  In fact a very quick visit to FamilySearch and their marriage registration of 1898 pops up.

George is recorded as born 1875 in Wroxeter to George Harris and Elizabeth Stewart. Agnes is recorded as born in California in to John Burns & Margaret Oliver.  George's birth record is also found on FamilySearch

Look for Agnes in the 1880 Census for California - she is found with her parents and siblings in Vallejo, Solano, California

Armed with these new findings you should be able to trace the families further back in time.  

Look for Siblings Obituaries for Info on an Ancestor

Deloris asked about her grandfather.

My maternal grandfather, John Russell Horne, b Nov 1877 in Reach, Ontario, Canada emigrated to Kittson, MN, USA in circa 1892 and disappeared from Hallock, MN, USA sometime in 1905 or very early 1906.  Can not find any evidence of his being in the USA after that date so am thinking he returned to his home territory but have been unable to find any information on him.  Any help you can give me will be greatly appreciated!

 Well Deloris you sent me scrambling to find out what state MN refers to. It's easy to assume that everyone knows what you know, but the person you're asking for help might not know anything about USA state abbreviations. Like me. I'm Canadian eh.....

Okay so I now know it is Minnesota. I would check Minnesota newspapers for an obituary and death records. I will warn you about an entry for your grandfather on FindAGrave that might lead to confusion. His name comes up as being in a cemetery and there is a nice biography of him plus a death year of 1910. At first I thought I'd found his death and grave but nope. He is not buried there and there is no marker for him. So unless the person who put the memorial online has a source for that death year of 1910 you can't trust that information.

I see that in 1920 his wife is recorded as a widow in the Minnesota census but even that cannot be trusted as factual. She may have lied to avoid a stigma of being a deserted or divorced wife. 

If he were my ancestor I would search for obituaries for all his siblings in hopes he is mentioned as being either alive or dead.

Google is Your Friend

Clara asked:

Do you know where I might find a copy of the book "History of Wellington County" by J. Hutchinson?  It is mentioned in "The Scottish Pioneers of Upper Canada, 1784-1855 by Lucille H. Campey as a source.

Sure thing. A Google Search for the book gave me the answer to your question. You can purchase a copy of The History of Wellington County on Amazon.ca

There is a cheaper copy (half the price!) available  here http://amzn.to/1MdVjLq

Land Records Can Be Very Helpful in Genealogy Research

Stanley asked for help with his Vrooman ancestry

I am looking for information on Vroomans that do not go through New York, My history says that my ancestors were 7 brothers that came over from Holland to Canada (not a lot to go on)

However I have traced my 2nd Great Grandfather back to Charles Vrooman b 26 Dec 1804 in Canada West, d 2 Jun 1894 in Fremont, Sanilac, Michigan; married to Esther Hoyt b 1823 New Brunswick, Canada, d 1883 Fremont, Sanilac, Michigan

I also know that Charles; mother, Elizabeth was living with him and Esther in 1961 [sic] census, and that Elizabeth's birthplace is noted as New Brunswick, and that she was born around 1789

However, I am not convinced by the argument that this is the same Elizabeth that is married to Adam Vrooman Jr and that her last name is McCowan with the sons David and James as has been put forth by various genealogist and on various forms.

My main reason for not thinking Adam is my Charles father is that the Michigan death index for Charles Vroman states that Charles parents are William and Eliza.

I however have not been able to get past my 2 brick walls of William's father, mother and decedents, or Eliza's maiden name and parents

1851 Census Nissouri West, Middlesex Co. Ontario

Stanley - the first question that comes to  my mind is how you are so certain your Vrooman ancestors did not go through New York to arrive in Canada? Your family lore of 7 brothers arriving may be quite wrong or slightly confused. Family lore is often incorrect, memories fade over time and it's like the childhood game of "Telephone". By the time the last person gets the message started by the first person, it is jumbled. So I would keep an open mind. Go with the known and methodically dig backwards.

Re Charles' death certificate, remember that death certificates can also be incorrect. The information on them was not given by the deceased and may have been given by a family member who didn't know the answer (but thought they did) or by a family doctor. You do not know how accurate that information is. 

I took a quick look and found the following information:

1851 Census Nissouri West, Middlesex Ontario shows Charles Vrooman, 44 born Canada, a farmer with wife Ester born New Brunswick, age 29 and son Isaac Hoyt Vrooman age 1 born Canada. Also living with them are Benjamin Hoyt, 71 born USA and wife Elenor 63 born Nova Scotia. Going to the second page of this census page, we see that this is one family living in one home (a log home). I suggest you will find that Benjamin and Elenor Hoyt are the parents of Ester.

1861 Census Nissouri West, Middlesex Ontario shows Charles, 53 born Canada West (present day Ontario), his wife Ester, 37 and children Alexander 10, Hoyt 8, John 8, Arthur 6, Elenor 4, Gertrude 2 and 72 year old Elizabeth born New Brunswick, a widow.

1881 Census Caradoc, Middlesex Ontario shows Charles age 73 and Ester 57 living with their son Hoyt

Looking for Elizabeth Vrooman born New Brunswick in earlier census records (1851) does lead to Adam and Elizabeth Vrooman in Haldimand County but you have no way of knowing if this is your Elizabeth or not. My suggestion is you search more obscure records such as Upper Canada Land Petitions, Land Board Records and CLRI. I note that Charles is listed as a farmer in the census records so finding his land records may prove very helpful as you may find he was given land by a parent.

Look for Obituaries & Death Records of Everyone in the Family

Diane asked for help with William Henry Leitch

Son of John E Leitch and Sarah Blagborough in Brantford, Ontario.  He is my grandfather.  I found reference to him in the 1924 Brantford City Directory, working as a salesman for Met Life Insurance.  After that……..nothing.  I know he and my G.mother separated shortly after that date……any suggestions on how I might find out what happened to him?  Have not been able to locate him in any local cemetery or find an obit or death record for him.  His sister emigrated to Mass, USA and I found her but he was not with her.

Diane

1953 Voter's List

I did a little digging and found William born ca 1887 and often going by his middle name of Henry in the records. In 1891 he is 4 years old in Brantford with his parents and sister Florence May. In 1901 he is a lodger in Brantford with his wife Nellie. In 1921 he and Nellie and their son Harold are still in Brantford.

In 1953 his wife Nellie is listed as a widow living in Brantford with their son Harold and a Mavis Leitch who I suspect is a daughter.

Nellie may have lied about her matrimonial status but it is also possible she was telling the truth. I would look for cemetery records in and around Brantford between 1924 and 1953. Also you might check newspapers for an obituary of either his sister in Massachusetts or William Henry himself. Try death records and obituaries of his children as well.

Could this be your Nellie Leitch celebrating her 90th birthday? Brantford Expositor Index:

Leitch Mrs Nellie 90th

Birthday

Jul 16, 1980

P20

Leitch Nellie 90th

Birthday

Jul 26, 1980

P19

Perhaps this is her death?

LEITCH, NELLIE ADA

Death

Jan 25, 1992

You can search for yourself at http://brantford.library.on.ca/localhistory/bmd/search-the-bmd/ 

Obituaries and death records of all family members may prove to be very helpful

Verify For Yourself By Viewing the Original Record

Jenny asked "Looking for parents of my 3rd great grandfather Samuel(or Lemuel, or Randall) Goss b. abt 1798 NY. 

What I have: wife Grace Fenton b.29 Feb 1808 in N. Gwillumbury, York Co., Ontario, Canada. MARRIAGE DATE UNKNOWN ? 

 Samuel Goss emigration Aug. 29, 1829 N. Gwillumbury, York Co., Ontario, Canada. Son Thomas Randall Goss b.18 Dec. 1830 in N. Gwillumbury, York Co., Ontario, Canada. Thomas's Death record has father Randall. One marriage record father Samuel, another marriage record father Lemuel. 

Son: John Fenton Goss b. Sept. 1831 or 1835 NY marriage record to 2nd wife Emma Stephens, states father; Samuel Goss. 1860 census Lewiston, Niagara, New York, USA: GOSS, John, Abigail, John 29, Abigail 36, Clara E. 5, Ann E. 2, Allice 6/12 & Lemuel Goss 61 NY."

1829 Naturalization Record for Lemuel Goss

My answer: It's important to remember that the death record with the name "Randall" was not given by Thomas himself. Therefore, depending who the informant was, it may not be correct. The marriage records however are far more likely to be accurate, if we assume that Thomas himself provided the info. Also "S" and "L" are very often confused in old handwriting. So if you have only seen a transcribed or indexed record and not the original, it may be that there is only ONE name being recorded (either Samuel OR Lemuel) and not two

Being curious, I brought up the two images for both of Thomas' marriages (on Ancestry) They both give his father as "Lemuel". It is very clear on both images

I next found the record and image for that 1829 immigration. It is LEMUEL Goss's Naturalization record, not his year of immigration. He no doubt immigrated some time before he naturalized. He lives in N. Gwillimbury as you said and the date is what you had. The difference is that the name on the image is LEMUEL, not Samuel. So you have three good primary records now that provide his name - Lemuel, not Samuel.


It's always important to verify indexes or transcriptions of records by viewing the actual record yourself. In this case you can see that there were several mis-transcriptions of Lemuel to Samuel.

Don't Be Sidetracked by Online Family Trees Before Obtaining Basic Records

John asked this question:

" I've been seeking information on the parents of my great, great grandfather, John Barry. There, I've run into a brick wall. My information is from a family Bible record that goes back to 1810. John Barry married Johanna Harrington on 23 Feb. 1840 in Ireland. Witnesses were Daniel Harrington and Patrick Barry. The report identified the Diocesan Area as Cork & Ross and the Parochial Area as Durris (Muintervara). I know John and Johanna (I've found two spellings for her first name) had one child in Ireland who survived the trip to Canada in 1846. Family legend claims two children died aboard ship and were buried at sea. I've been told that local parish records in Cork prior to 1820 have been destroyed so I cannot pursue more on Patrick or Mary. Any ideas? I have found some possible death records on Ancestry.com that I can't authenticate. What might I try now?  John Barry, 1810-1880, married Johanna(?) Harrington, 1815-1883, on 23 Feb. 1840"

In response to a question I posed, John stated that he had found about 15 family trees on Ancestry but they had lots of incorrect information. 

1871 Census Caradoc Twp, Middlesex Co. Ontario

My response:

You can confirm that family lore by visiting the census records. I had a quick look on  Ancestry.com and found John and Johanna in Caradoc, Middlesex County in 1871. Living next door were John Harrington and wife Jane and family. John Harrington and Johanna are quite possibly siblings. 

In the 1861 Agricultural census John Barry and John Harrington are shown sharing (50 acres each) Lot 1 Conc. 8 in Caradoc. In 1881 Michael Barry, Johanna Barry and James Barry live next door to John Harrington and family. No doubt  John Barry died between 1871 and 1881.

You need to get the images for all these records and study the neighbours, occupations of individuals etc. For eg John Barry and John Harrington are noted as farmers - that means they likely bought land and your next step would be to check the CLRI *and* the Abstract Indexes to Deeds for more information on their land purchases! For help with the CLRI and the AI to D, see http://www.olivetreegenealogy.com/can/ont/clri.shtml

The death certificate of a daughter of John Harrington and Jane gives Jane's maiden name as Barry. It looks like siblings married siblings.  It seems you have a lot of records available to help you put these families together and learn more about them

Start with Census and Vital Registrations

Patricia asked this question "I am in search of Archie Angle who lived near Moulton Station in the early 1920'2 he was married to Lucretia Putnam, who is my grandmother's sister we have been the library in Dunnville and to the town records in Cayuga nothing turned up we would like to know his date of birth, date of death and where he is buried please"

First3 Results for search of Archie Angle in Ontario 1900-1950

My answer:   

Patricia - If you go to FamilySearch.org and search for Archie Angle living in Ontario 1900-1950 you will find his birth (with parents' names), and several census records with spouse Lucretia. There's a lot there for Archie and it will take you back a few generations. Follow the onlne census records and the birth, marriage and death records.

As an example Archie is found as a single man in the 1901 census (with his parents Archie & Lucretia) You can also find his father's death with parents' names, also his father and mother's marriage- so you can jump back 3 generations very quickly and easily. 

 

Clues You Can Find in a Census Record

Bonnie recently asked Olive Tree Genealogy this question about her ancestors:

I have recently found my Grandmother listed on the 1901 Ontario Census in the township of Wroxeter in Huron County.  She was born on August 5, 1899.  Her parents were George J Harris and Agnes J Harris born Jan 3, 1875 and Sept 21, 1877 respectively.  I was hoping to find where George and Agnes were born, and when their families emigrated and from where?  We know very little about the Harris side of the family so I was very excited to see this much!

Dear Bonnie - It is easy to overlook clues that are in a record. For instance ONE census record can often provide a great many new facts and clues to work on. 

FACTS FROM THE CENSUS IMAGE

First let me show you some important facts I think you may have overlooked on that 1901 census. A look at the online image shows that George was born in Ontario and his wife Agnes in the USA. Agnes gives her year of immigration from America to Canada as 1881.

This means you can search the Ontario birth registrations to find who George's parents were. You also know that it is quite likely George and Agnes were married in Ontario so I'd start looking at Ontario marriage records. This should give you both sets of parents' names for the bride and the groom.

Secondly, Wroxeter is not the township where the couple lived. It is a village in Howick Township, Huron County.  The census images clearly indicates Wroxeter Village and a quick search online reveals the township it is in.

Continue reading at

Clues You Can Find in a Census Record!

How to Find a Professional Genealogist

Patti sent a query to Olive Tree Genealogy. Because of privacy concerns on my part, I'm editing out the details of the person Patti is looking for. Her main question can be easily answered.

I am doing family tree research and am looking for xxx born xxx 1936, Ontario County, Ontario Canada. Sc ottish/German Descent.
Went to University of xxx. Served with the xx in xx.His mother and Father were both dead by the time he was 28.

I am having trouble finding a genealogist who works in Ontario specifically.

Thank you for any help you can give me!

Patt,

All you need do is visit the APG (Association of Professional Genealogists) website and click on "Chapters" at the bottom of the page.

Then scroll down until you see "Ontario" and click on the link provided to go to the Ontario Chapter of the APG. Click on "Members" and you will see very long list of Genealogists who specialize in Ontario research.  For your convenience here is the direct link http://ocapg.org/members.html

You could have approached this in a different way - by joining and writing to the Ontario Mailing List on Rootsweb.

Not All Genealogy Research Can be Done Online

Lynden asked about births and marriages in Ontario.

I feel like I've hit the "brick wall" looking for information on my spouse's great grandfather, Eugene Herley (Herlihey). I am hoping you can help.  I've scrolled through 100's of marriage and birth files including ancestry.com and Ontariogenealogy  and not finding the marriage (abt 1861-62) of Eugene Herlihey to Mary McNamara. Nor, do I find the birth of their first two children James P (abt 1863) and George Francis (abt 1865).  I've seen marriages and baptisms for other members of his family, but not Eugene.  I'm open to suggestions on where to look next.

Lynden - Ontario did not begin Vital Registrations (of births, marriages and deaths) until 1869. That is why you have not found the ca 1861 marriage and the two births ca 1863 and 1865.

You will have to search alternate sources, which includes church records. I see that you found the family in two early Ontario census records (1851 and 1861). Go back and see what religion they were.

Then check the location where they lived and find out what churches existed for that area in the time period you need. I would then look at Ontario Archives website to determine what, if any, have been microfilmed. You will have to obtain the relevant microfilm(s) and start looking. With any luck you'll find your family!

Finding an Ancestor in Ontario before 1858

Susan asked a question about ancestors in St. Mary's Perth County Ontario

My family is the John Edmondson and Mary Ann Oddy. They lived in St Mary's, Blanchard twp. Perth County from 1837'ish. Had 9 children Sarah 1842,Alice 1844, Elizabeth 1845, Annie 1848, William 1849,Thomas 1851, Ruth 1854, James 1857 and John 1858. I am looking for info of any kind.

Susan, I hope you saw my response to another St. Mary's ancestor query. The information about the St. Mary's Museum, the CLRI which is an index to early land records, and early tax and assessment records may be helpful

Also, you should check the online 1851 census for your names. I had a quick look and I see that they lived in a log shanty. That's a very poor and very temporary home, so either they had not been in that location very long or they were quite impoverished. You can see this information on the second page of the 1851 census. Don't overlook that facing page as it tells you things such as who was in school, who was absent when the census was taken, and more. I see that their eldest child is listed as being in school but also noted as being absent.

Interestingly the names recorded in 1851 don't quite agree with your list above. John and Mary Ann are the parents but children in order of birth are William? R., Margaret, Sarah J., Alice, Elizabeth, Ann and what looks like Willin (possibly William which would mean the first child has a different first name than I was able to decipher)

Lucky you, your John is also on the 1851 Agricultural Census for St. Mary's. This will show you his exact land location, how many acres he owned, how many were cultivated, what he had planted, livestock he owned and so on. For more details on the 1851 Agricultural Census see my blog post Finding Ancestors on 1851 Agricultural Census Canada

There is a second adult Edmonson living with him or right next door but I am unable to easily decipher the first name. I'll leave it to you to have that fun! Another fun fact for you to consider is that a William Oddy shows as living very near your ancestor in the Agricultural Census.

I see that a Leonard Edmonson, age 66 is living beside (or possibly in the same house) as your John Edmonson in 1861 census. It may be Leonard whose name I could not decipher in the 1851 Agricultural Census. No doubt he is a relative, perhaps a father or uncle. Again, the Gods of Genealogy are on your side, as your John is found online in the 1861 Agricultural Census! 

Back to Leonard - he's in the 1851 Personal Census for St. Mary's with his wife Elizabeth. And nearby is William Oddy with family. You'll definitely want to check those individuals out.

I neglected to suggest to Sharon (the other St Mary's query) that she should have a look in the Church Records for St. Mary's but this is something you may want to do. The Edmonson's religion is noted in all the census records so you can have a hunt for the church in St. Mary's that they might have attended.

Finding an Ancestor in Ontario before 1864

Nelly asked: I'm looking for James SIMPSON. He was born about 1814 and died in 1864. He was of Irish descent and came to Whitby Ontario about 1835. I'm seeking his marriage record in particular but I'm new to Canadian research and don't know where to start. Are there census records? What about other records?
OLIVE TREE ANSWER: Dear Nelly: You may want to join two lists specifically for Ontario research. One is Ontario@rootsweb.com (for Ontario after 1867). The second is Upper-Canada@rootsweb.com (for Ontario before 1867) You can subscribe to either by sending a subscribe request to Ontario-request@rootsweb.com and Upper-Canada-request@rootsweb.com Put SUBSCRIBE in the message body and nothing else.

Since Vital Stats did not begin until 1869, you must consult church records. That means you need to know James' religion. This link should help you with church records

Next, find the family on the available census or assessment records. There is an online 1851 census you search but be aware that not all locations have survived.

you'll have to find out what early census or tax assessment records Whitby has. To do that you need to know the township and county it was/is in. For help with that, see Canada GeoNames or Ontario Locator

That will give you a county and township names now. Then you need to see what District Whitby was in before 1846 because when searching for early records you need to search in the District records as well as the County and/or Township.

There are many more routes you can go in your research of your Ontario family but I'll leave you to start with these

Finding Catholic Records in Ontario

RMC asked:

Cameron: Albert Alexander, b. 1837 in "Ontario," likely. Married 1869 in Catholic service to Minnie O'Toole in Guelph. Moved to SLC, Utah, prior to 1875. Any idea how one might find his parents' names. They both immigrated from Scotland, according to census records. Thank you!

Olive Tree Answer: Hello RMC. You provided your private email and requested a response to it, but the purpose of the AskOliveTree Blog is to publish queries and my answers on it for all genealogists to read. It is my hope that the Q & A will help more than one researcher!

Since your family were Catholic in Guelph, you may wish to write to Church of Our Lady (in Guelph) and request a lookup of Albert and Minnie's marriage. The research fee used to be $15.00 per hour. Just address your letter to the Secretary, Church of Our Lady, 28 Norfolk St. Guelph, ON N1H 4H8, Canada

You can also contact them using their online email form

How to Find an Early Ontario Ancestor

Janice writes to ask

I am stumped. I cannot find the origin (poss. USA) or father of myancestor John Knapp b. abt 1784 and d. 1851.Kingston twp, ONT
He married Mary Knight d/o Mahlon Knight U.E.L. of Kingston, ON.Marriage date of John and Mary was July 15, 1807 Kingston.Their children were Mahlon, Rachel, Peter, Rhoda, John.

John Knapp Sr. apparently had a sister Mary Knapp b. 1788 who marriedMary Knight's brother Jonathan Knight Feb 22, 1809.DNA testing indicates that these Knapp's are from the Nicholas Knappline, but parentage and place of birth of John has eluded many
searchers for years.Connecting this Ontario Knapp to other Ontario Knapp's has also eluded us.Any suggestions

?Olive Tree Answer:

Janice, My suggestion is you go back to Mary Knight and John Knapp and dig deeply. For example, do you have Mary's OIC (Orders in Council)? Have you looked to see if she submitted a petition for her rightful land claims as DUE (Daughter of a Loyalist)? Petitions often contain a wealth of genealogical information. Have you checked the various Loyalist resources to find out if John was a Loyalist? What about UCLP (Upper Canada Land Petitions) - did John submit a petition for land? Have you looked in the CLRI to see if he was a first time purchaser of Crown Land? Have you checked Abstract Indexes to Deeds for John (or Mary's) land? You need an exact location - Lot, Concession, Township and County to check the AItoD.

What about Township papers? Upper Canada Sundries? I would personally check all these records carefully for both John and Mary. You may also want to have a look at early tax or assessment records for the area.

I'd also check on John's possible sister Mary who married Mary Knight's brother Jonathan. Find out everything you can on them! If Mary is a sister, this is a perfect time to follow the earlier advice on Olive Tree Genealogy blog about searching siblings to find out more information about family and ancestors of a direct ancestor!

Checking Canada Census as well as American

Lance asked:

James Thomas BROWN was born in Illinois in Jun 1849 according to the 1900 Montana Census. He is also listed in the 1880 Nebraska Census. I can’t find him in 1850, 1860 or1870. He was in Milwaukee in 1868 where he married. Believed to be living in Ontario in 1869, where his first child was born in Kent County.

Hi Lance,

The USA 1900 census states that your James' father was born in Canada - Eng. which generally means Ontario (not always, but usually).

Since he was in Ontario in 1869 you may want to you may want to check 1851, 1861 (partially transcribed) and 1871 Canada Census (head of house only indexed online).

See http://allcensusrecords.com/canada/ for help finding these online records.

Early Ontario Records

Randy's Question:

I have been stuck looking for John Wilson born in County Tyrone in 1831 (we have his obit) and his wife Ellen McGowan born 1834. The John and Ellen Wilson family is identified as Irish in the census and was composed of at least eight children four girls and four boys. (Ellen, Leah, Rachel, Anna, George, Joseph, Johnston and James L.) The Wilsons were living in Mulmur township probably in the 1840’s and 1850’s which is approximately 30 miles east of Meaford. By 1857 the Wilson family was in St. Vincent township living approximately 4 miles south of Meaford on the fourth line. I am stuck finding info on where in Tyrone he was born. I have even done the DNA testing but the closest relative would be 20 generations ago.

Olive Tree Answer: It's a challenge finding information in early 1800s Ontario. But there are some records you may not have checked.

First, to narrow the timeline for the family arrival in Ontario, you will want to check for tax and assessment records for Mulmur.

Have you checked land records for John Wilson? If he filed a petition for land, there could very well be information on his origins in it. BRIEFLY -- land records are very important and they are plentiful. Here's what's available for Ontario:

CLRI (aka Ontario Land Record Index) summarizes land grants from sales of Crown Land, from Canada Company sales or leases and from Peter Robinson settlers' grants.

UCLP are the actual Petitions for land which were submitted in Upper Canada (Ontario) . They frequently contain information about the petitioner and his or her family. Loyalists and discharged soldiers often mentioned the regiment in which they served.

Land Books are basically a summary of land grants. They rarely contain more info than name, date and location. Sometimes they have little gems in the comment section. But they're helpful because if you can't find a petition in the UCLP it may be in the Land Book so at least you have some record of the event.

Township Papers are a miscellaneous group of land-related records have been arranged by township name, then by concession and lot or by town name and lot number. They're a mixed bag - they may contain correspondence re land, some petitions, copies of orders-in-council, etc

Cemetery and church records sometimes have specific towns of origins for individuals. I found an Irish ancestor's town of origin in the cemetery books (not on his tombstone) and another in his marriage record in the church register. Perhaps those will be some help to you.

Complete Your Research using One Set of Records before jumping to the next

Karen asked:

John Dill, was my husband's great-grandfather. A family member having done some research on him advised of the following, but did not specify where he got info. He believed John Dill came from Germany and arrived in Canada West in the 1840's. He was married before arriving there and settled in Hullett Township. He had a son, christened Matthew, after his father - son born 1849. The mother died soon after childbirth - name unknown. John hired a girl next door to be nanny and housekeeper, her name was Clara Gatzemeyer.

Clara was my husband's great grandmother. Accordingly to some church records I found, John and Clara married on 18 Feb 1852 in St. Columban "Irishtown". John's parents were listed as Matthew Dill and Anna Zahnt. Clara and John Dill had 6 children [list of children edited by Lorine]

I found an 1871 cenus listing for Canada-Ontario (Huron South district, Tuckersmith sub-district) which I think may be the correct John Dill - but could not find the actual census. Plus I thought sure I found an 1851 census listing for John, his son Matthew and housekeeper Clara Gatzemeyer, but for the life of me I cannot find it again.

I just can seem to find anything on him, nothing on his son's birth, his wife's (name unknown) death, not even his death which family has said was 1875 - but when, where?? Any suggestions on places I might search? I sure need some help.

Answer: Hi Karen, You have some good information, both factual and second hand, but it looks like you don't have sources. You might find it helpful to focus on one area of research, gather your information and sources for it and study it for further clues before jumping ahead. I suggest you start with those census records. Don't look for deaths or marriages or the son's birth until you've exhausted census. You can include tax and assessment records in with those census records too.

Bookmarking Websites

So let's start with 1851 census of Canada. You said you saw it but can't find it again. It may be time for you to bookmark certain sites that have links to various records. It's easy to forget where we were online and it helps to keep some sites in your web browser favourite list. If you follow my sites, you'll know that I have one called AllCensusRecords.com That's one you can bookmark and use to find out where various census years for Canada (and USA) can be found online.

1851 Canadian Census

The 1851 Canadian census is online at LAC (Library & Archives Canada) but it is not searchable there. You can browse the images but you will need to have a very precise location. 1851 Canadian Census has been transcribed by volunteers and the transcription is online at AutomatedGenealogy. Lastly Ancestry.com has the 1851 Canadian Census indexed and linked to images. So you have several choices for consulting that census online.

1861 Ontario Census

The 1861 Ontario census is not online (yet) but it is coming this year. However you can check at AllCensusRecords.com to see if the location you need has been transcribed, as there are bits and pieces of 1861 done and available for searching at two websites - OGSPI and Ontario GenWeb Census Project

1871 Ontario Census

As for the 1871 Ontario Census, that is available as an index only on LAC. If you read their instructions as to what to do after you have found a name in the index, you will see you can order a copy of the census page from LAC. It's easy to do and affordable. You can also follow the instructions found at Obtaining Copies of the 1871 Ontario Census

At AllCensusRecords.com you will find all the links there that I am giving you here (plus more). So go, and bookmark the site for future research.

Agricultural Census Returns

When you are getting all these census records, be sure you check the agricultural census return if there is one for the year you are searching. It has very important clues and information that will guide you to further records later. Besides it's just plain interesting to find how many bee hives or milk cows your ancestor had!

Tax & Assessment Records

There are many early tax and assessment records for Ontario. Some have been lost so you have to check your location to see if any have survived for it. There are also the 1842 and 1848 census records which are often overlooked. AllCensusRecords.com has links and information on some of these earlier records for Ontario. You may be in luck because an 1842 Assessment for Hullet Twp in Huron County exists and is online.

Reading Introductions to Records

I can't stress enough how important it is to read the introduction to any set of records, offline or online. When you read the intro you will find out exactly what is available (perhaps there is more to the record than you think!), how to order copies or obtain more detail, when and where the record was taken (for example the 1851 Canada census was not taken until 1852 - that's an important detail to note!) and more. Some sites call it a HELP file, others call it an INTRODUCTION. My advice is to read them before you start searching.

I hope this has helped. Once you have found all the census records available for your ancestors, then I'd turn to other records - births, deaths and so on.

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.