Meme: Immigrant Ancestor John Greenlees

Thomas Ridout survey of 1821

There is a lot of discussion about immigration in America right now. Tempers have flared, and different groups hold various strong opinions. There is also Brexit, where immigration was a large focus of the recent vote which resulted in the U.K. leaving the E.U.

I've been following this for several months and it occurs to me that those of us in Canada, America, and Australia have immigrant ancestors. Have you researched yours? Do you know who they were, why they came to your country and when? Do you know how they fared once settled in their new land? Were they welcomed? Were they shunned? Was their discrimination based on their religion or ethnic origin? These are all questions that are important, and interesting to discover. With that in mind, I'm the dedicating Saturdays (as many as needed) as the day to join me in discussing your immigrant ancestors.

You will be able to read any you are interested in by using the keyword Immigrant Ancestors. I'm going to share each week what I know of my immigrant ancestors to North America (whether that is USA or Canada)

John Greenlees, my great-great-great-grandfather, was born somewhere in Ireland circa 1791. In 1814 he married Elizabeth Johnston in Galloon Parish, Clogher Diocese, County Fermanagh. He was noted as living in the Parish of Aghalurcher at that time, so it is very possible that is where he was born. 

Sometime between 1819 and 1826 John, Elizabeth and their three eldest children left Ireland for the wilderness of Upper Canada (present day Ontario). We do not know what drove them to leave their home and no ship passenger list has been found to give a more precise year of arrival in their new land. But in November 1826 John put an ad in the local paper about a lost heifer he found on his property. He states that the heifer was seen in August "last" which may indicate 1825. 

In the 1842 census for Nelson, John and family are noted as having lived in "the Province" 21 years so I can narrow his arrival year to circa 1821. Halton County, where John and family settled, was not even opened for settlement until 1816. So we can imagine how wild and rough it would have been. Forests would have covered almost all the land. John would have had to quickly build a log home for his family and his young children ages 2 to 6. He would have needed to clear land to plant crops so the family could survive the winter. Winters can be rough in Canada! 

John and Elizabeth had 4 more children born to them in Upper Canada, and they lived long and fruitful lives. They are both buried in Lowville Cemetery and their tombstone reads:

In memory of John Greenleese who died Nov. 5, 1868 Aged 75 years also Elizabeth wife of above Died Apr. 6, 1872 Aged 84 years & 8 mo's both natives of Ireland.
A few short years of evil past
We reach the happy shore
Where death divided friends at last
Shall meet to part no more. 

 

 

No. 9 of My Top 10 Genealogy Mysteries: John Greenlees

A Facebook friend recently posted her top 10 Genealogy Mysteries.  They aren't brick walls because there is probably an answer somewhere, just waiting to be found.

I thought this was a great idea and I am following suit with my Top 10 Genealogy Mysteries. Of course any help or suggestions for further research are welcome. You can read my other Genealogy Mysteries at Top 10 Genealogy Mysteries

Here is my Number 9 of 10 Genealogy Mysteries:  

John Greenlees born ca 1781-1791 Fermanagh Ireland married Elizabeth Johnston on 01 September 1814 in Galloon Parish, Clogher Diocese, County Fermanagh 

PROVEN FACTS RE JOHN GREENLEES

1814: His marriage to Elizabeth Johnston (whose surname is known from the marriages of their children) is found in FERMANAGH, Galloon Register, Marriages 1798-1830 on Sept. 1, 1814.
 
1814: At their marriage he is listed as being "of the parish of Aghalurcher" Elizabeth is recorded as "of Drumy. [sic]" I have never been able to find out what parish "Drumy." refers to.
 
ca 1815: son George born Ireland (no birth or baptism records for any of John and Elizabeth's children have been found)
 
ca 1815-1816: son Thomas born Ireland
 
ca 1819: daughter Jane born Ireland. Shortly thereafter the family arrived in Canada (as per John's 1826 land petition. No ships' passenger list found)
 
ca 1821: daughter Margaret born Canada
 
1825: daughter Catherine and son John (twins?) born Ontario
 
1826: John filed a land petition stating he arrived in Ontario in 1819 and has a family of a wife and 6 children.
 
1826: he placed an ad in an Ontario Canada newspaper stating a stray heifer had been found on his property in Nelson Township, Halton County Ontario.

ca 1827: son James born Ontario 

1830: He appears on the 1830 census for Nelson Twp. Gore District. He is the head  of a family of 9 consisting of himself, 4 sons under the age of 16, his wife, and 3 daughters under the age of 16.
 
1833: John filed a second land petition
 
1842: He is on the 1842 census Nelson Twp. Gore District. He is a farmer, and there are 9 people total with 5 people natives of Ireland, 4 people natives of Canada. The census shows that the 5 people not natives of the country have been in the province 21 years which does not quite match up with his earlier land petition


1858: Tremaine Map of Halton County shows John on Concession 1 Lot 10
 
1861: Census for Nelson Twp, Halton County has 70 year old John and his wife
 
1862: April 1 John's will is written
 
1868: Lowville Cemetery stone:  In memory of John Greenleese who died Nov. 5, 1868 Aged 75 years also Elizabeth wife of above Died Apr. 6, 1872 Aged 84 years & 8 mo's both natives of Ireland.  

FACTS THAT MAY BE MY JOHN GREENLEES BUT NOT PROVEN
 
On 7 May 1805 a John Greenlees age 23 born Fermanagh Ireland joined the54th Foot Soldiers 

There are Greenlees families in Aghalurcher in 1833. Could they be related to my John?

There is a Thomas Greenlees in Aghalurcher in 1788. He could be my John's father. John named his second son "Thomas".  

THE MYSTERY

Who were John's parents? Where and when was he born? Is this my John in 1805 military record above?