Wildcards are Your Friend!
Elmira's Death
Using Ancestry.com
*lm*ra allows for variant spellings of Almira, Almyra and Elmira, Elmyra
Ste*en* allows for variations in the surname such as Stephens, Stephen, Stevens and Steven
And there she was. Almira died 12 Mar 1872 of consumption which she had for 9 months. The informant was William Stephens of Anderdon, so we know it is the right person. I'm already suspecting that little Annie may also have died of the same disease as it was very contagious. But back to Almira. She is listed as having died at age 23 years and 7 months and was born in Malden Township Essex.
Clues: We can look for Almira in the 1861 and 1851 census for Malden Township. But I want to hunt for Elmira's marriage to William first.
Elmira's Marriage to William James Stephens
When I found Elmira's death record, Ancestry.com
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Suggested Records for Almira |
But here is what the transcription showed: William James Shepherd [sic] age 25 born England s/o John and Bridget, Willliam living Anderdon married Almira Lane, age 23 d/o Levi and Patience, living Colchester. They married 10 Nov. 1868 in Amherstburg Township in Essex
To learn more about Elmira you can look at the 1851 and 1861 census for Almira Lane in Malden Township.
Little Annie's Death?
I may have found little Annie's death. She is recorded in Ancestry.com
To be absolutely sure this is the correct individual we could hunt for her birth registration under Ann or Sarah or even Almeda. You do need to verify that this is not a different child and a diffferent William Stephens
Summary
So what have we learned from these records?
William was in Ontario at least by November 1868 when he married Elmira/Almyra Lane in Essex County.
Elmira died in March 1872.
William & Elmira had one daughter known who was born in 1870 probably in April and who died in October 1873.
William remarried in 1875. At both of his marriages he gave his parents' names as John and Bridget.
William was a farmer and thus a search of land records is warranted. Finding out when/if he purchased land in Essex Co. will provide a better timeline for immigration
Continued in Part 3
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