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June 16, 2011

Lost Faces: Finding John H. McKim

FINDING JOHN H. McKIM

I started my genealogy research and found John H. McKim in the 1881 census for Londonderry Nova Scotia. He was 14 years and living with his parents William and Margaret McKim.

Sarah C. Willis
My next research find was the 1902 marriage record of John Herbert McKim age 36 born Colchester Nova Scotia to parents William McKim and Margaret Thompson.

John was marrying Sarch C. Willis, 36 born N. Walsingham Norfolk County Ontario to parents Robert Willis Sr. and Mary A. Staley.

The groom John H. McKim gave his residence as Kootenay British Columbia and his occupation as Miner.





  
ETHEL WILLIS

Ethel Willis
I was able to find John McKim and his parents again in the 1871 census for Lower Londonderry, Colchester Nova Scotia but I was more interested in finding out if he and Sarah Willis had any children. And what was the family relationship of the woman in the photo labelled "Ethel Willis"

After a few hours I narrowed the possibilities for "my" Ethel Willis to Molly Ethel Willis born January 1884 to Robert Willis Jr and wife Lucy Atkinson. Little Molly Ethel was recorded as Ethel in the 1901 census for Tilsonburg with her parents Robert and Lucy Willis and grandparents Robert Willis and Margaret Thompson.

If I have the correct Ethel Willis she was Sarah C. McKim nee Willis' niece.


BURIAL RECORDS

There are many census records for the McKim and Willis families. The last items I found were the newspaper obituaries or death notices for both John H. McKim and his wife.

St. Thomas Journal. Feb 14, 1945: p. 6 John Herbert McKim, 79th year. died Feb. 14.  son of william and Margaret, father of  Edwin and Robert McKim


Dutton Advance, Dutton Ontario.
Feb. 15, 1945: Died John H. McKim, Dunwich. 79. son of William and Margaret
June 4, 1953: Died Mrs. John H. McKim, Dunwich. 87. nee Sarah C. Willis

John Herbert McKim and his wife Sarah C. Willis are buried in Fairview Dutton Cemegtery in Dunwich Township Elgin County Ontario.

Their son Edwin McKim is listed as Edmond Willis McKim in the Roll of Honour for Dutton and Dunwich of "Boys Who Paid the Supreme Sacrifice" in WW2.

UNANSWERED QUESTIONS

If anyone knows more about this family and who the other people named in the photos are, I'd like to hear from you. We still have these two identified photographs both taken in Tilsonburg Ontario.


Ann, John & Libbie


Erie & Elmo
More Lost and Found Ancestor photos can be viewed at Lost Faces website.

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