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!

Olive Tree Genealogy Responds

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.

Third,  did you note they are Presbyterian? That will be helpful to you in hunting for church and burial records.

Fourth, I am not convinced that George has the middle initial of "J". From the image it is difficult to tell if that is a "J" or "Jr" for Junior. Keep an open mind and try to find more proof that he has a middle name starting with "J" or that he is the son of a man named George. 

CLUES FROM THE CENSUS IMAGE

I've mentioned some of the clues above but here is a list of clues you can work on from facts in that one census record 

1. Search Presbyterian church records for baptisms, marriages and even deaths and burials. 

 2. Look for Agnes and George marrying in Ontario, I'd guess sometime around 1897-1901.

3. Look for Agnes as a single woman in the 1881 and 1891 Ontario census records. Remember she says she came from USA to Canada in 1881. 

4. Look for George and Agnes in 1911 and 1921 Ontario Census. (Hint: Look for them in Saskatchewan records too... try their 1906 and 1916 census)

MORE RESEARCH TIPS

Find the family in every census record possible. Compile a list of all their children then search for births and marriages of each child. Sometimes you will gather more clues and facts from a sibling's records that you are unable to find from your direct ancestor. For example birth registrations will usually give the mother's maiden name.

Once you have Agnes' maiden name, and hopefully her parents' names from a marriage record, search for her in the American census records before 1881 (1880 would be a good one!) This should give you the state she was born in.

Search for George's birth registration (search 1875 plus/minus 2 years to be safe) and then start looking for him in the 1881 and 1891 census of Ontario. (Hint: George was born in Turnbury, Huron County....)

You can find census records on Ancestry.com,  Ancestry.ca or FamilySearch. 

Genealogy Tip: 1842 Canadian Census Returns

Genealogy Tip: Census records for Canada were taken in 1842. Enumerators visited 17 census districts, divided into sub-districts. These units were made up of cities, towns, parishes, villages and townships. Not all returns survived. The returns for eight districts and 51 sub-districts have been preserved and are accessible at Library and Archives Canada.

1842 Census Headings Columns 1-51

HOWEVER not all pre 1851 census are online! Library and Archives Canada has the census of 1842 for Upper Canada (Ontario) online BUT their database only includes the census returns held by Library and Archives Canada.

The Archives of Ontario holds the census returns that still exist for other places; however, they are not digitized, not available online and not included in LAC's database. So you would have to consult Archives of Ontario if your folks don't show up in the online LAC database

When using LAC online searchable 1842 census, be aware that the 1842 Census for Canada West consists of 2 pages:

• Columns 1 to 51 appear on the first page.
• Columns 51 to 89 appear on the second page.

The first page is on the digitized image link to an entry in the database for an individual.  If you want to view the second page, increase by one the last digit of the url address of an image that appears in the navigation box of your browser.

Resolving Genealogy Discrepancies in Locations

Rory asked for clarification on a location:

I am reseaching a William Hanley. According to his obituary:

 " Mr. Hanley was born on May 4th 1857 at Buffalo Wellington County Ontario son of the late Richard and Elizabeth Hanley."

 The only village I can scare up is Buffalo Heights but that is in Peel Co. Any assistance is greatly appreciated.

Rory,

I think rather than try to figure out what was meant by "Buffalo" you might be further ahead to search for the family in the 1851 census. Find out where they were living, then check 1861.

The census records for Canada are available on Ancestry.com

I did a little bit of research and found the following which looks like a good fit for your family:

1861 Census Ellice Twp, Perth Co. Ontario
Richard Hanley, 31, farmer born Ireland
Elizabeth, 20, born Upper Canada
William, 3 born UC
Michael, 2 born UC
Ellen, 1 born UC

The marriage record for Michael provides his mother's name as Lizzie Tracey. "Michigan, Marriages, 1868-1925," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/N3NG-F72 )

The marriage of Ellen is found in 1878 Ellen Hanley, 19, born Stratford, living Peel Twp, daughter of Richard Hanley and Elizabeth Tracey married Jacob Wentz. Witness William Tracey of Peel Twp.

There is information on William found in the Boissevain and Morton Regional Library

Men of the Halifax Provisional Battalion crossing a stream
near Swift Current, Saskatchewan, 1885
https://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/

Title: Hanley, William fonds. . Pages: One folder textual. . Abstract: Biographical information. Notes: Title based on content of fonds.

Information taken from W. V. Udall's files (Editor of The Boissevain Recorder) received from Beckoning Hills R Revisited book committee. William Hanley (1854-19 ) was born in Wellington County,Ontario; arrived Brandon 1882. Homesteaded in Saskatchewan on 32-3-2; participated in 1885 Riel Rebellion. Married Lucy Hallady April 19, 1892 at Moosomin, Saskatchewan; took up residence in Boissevain 1895. He was a livestock dealer. Further accruals not expected. Subjects: Riel Rebellion, 1885. Location / Call number: Click on the location field to begin an inter-library loan transaction • Boissevain and Morton Regional - MBOM ;MBOM ;MG14/C192. (-553)

This site might prove helpful to you regarding the Riel Rebellion mention. 

RED RIVER EXPEDITIONARY FORCE 1870-1877

• Appendix II contains the list of 1, 704 men of the RED RIVER EXPEDITIONARY FORCE 1870-1877.
• Appendix III contains the bounty warrants issued as a result of their service in the RED RIVER EXPEDITIONARY FORCE 1870-1877, as well as discharge date and location

1901 Census Boissevain (Village), Brandon, Manitoba
1911 Census Souris, Manitoba
1916 Census Broadway, Boissevain, Manitoba

1891 Canada Census Abbreviations

Recently a member of an online group posed a very interesting question. She asked "Does anyone know what the initials, "s.a." in the religion column stand for on the 1891 Canadian Census?"

S.A. is not found on the official list of abbreviations to be used by the 1891 census takers. So what could it mean?

The general consensus of the group was that S.A. stood for "Salvation Army" Does anyone else have any ideas?

Find Your New Netherland (NY) Ancestors

If you have ancestors who settled in New Netherland (present day New York) in the 17th Century you will want to have a look on Olive Tree Genealogy's New Netherland Section:

• New Netherland History 
• New Netherland Settlers Books
• Ships Passenger Lists to New York 
• 500 voyages to and from New Netherland (New York)
• Cemetery Records (Cemetery, Obits) 
• Census Records 
• Church Records (B, D, M)
• City Directories
• Land & Mortgage Records 
• Military Records
• Wills & Probate Records
• Ancestor Signatory hand marks  
• Translation of words in Church records 
• Understanding Patronymics 
• Dutch Names & Nicknames  
• Glossary of Dutch Words  
• Ancient Dutch Occupations
• Life in 17th Century Amsterdam
• Dutch & English translations for Occupations 
• New Netherland Settlers   
•  

Finding Nancy Longstreet Part 2

Death Registration

I made the decision to gather all census data for Nancy and her husband George Fisher before branching out into marriage records or looking for Abigail Longstreet.

George and Nancy were easily found in 1861, 1871, 1881, and 1891 census records on Ancestry.com, still living in Lincoln County Ontario. In 1861 Nancy is recorded as "Elizabeth" so we should keep this in mind as we search - that this might be her middle name.

In the 1891 Census George is recorded as a widower so we have a timeframe for Nancy's death of between 1881 and 1891.

1861 Lincoln Co.
George 44
Elizabeth 39 <--This could be Nancy's middle name
David 20
George 16
Marian 14
Calvin 14
Alfred 8

1871 Gainsboro, Lincoln Co.
George 54
Nancy 50
Calvin 20
Harmy 18
Murray 16
Abigail 13 <-- the naming of a daughter Abigail makes me think that the Abigail from the 1851 census is even more likely to be a sister to Nancy

1881 Gainsboro, Lincoln Co.
George 64
Nancy E. 59 <---further support for the theory that Nancy's middle name is Ellizabeth
Murray 25
Abigail 23

1891 Gainsboro, Lincoln Co.
George is a widower, age 74, living with his married daughter "Abby" (Abigail) Pew, her husband and children. 

1842 Census of Canada West

I would have liked to search for George and Nancy in the 1842 census (which is a head of household only) but it is not available online for Gainsborough. There is no proof of course that the family wasn't living elsewhere in 1842 but a search of land records in that area could perhaps solve that question.

Niagara Fonds

The Ontario Archives holds microfilmed (but not digitized) Niagara Fonds which consist of the official records of the Niagara District, including Council Minutes, 1842-1853; Assessment and Census Rolls, 1828-1849; Commons School Accounts Ledger; 1842- 1844; Education Register, 1844-1850.

Fonds also includes assessment and other records from several lower tier municipalities including Gainsborough. It would be worthwhile to search for the family in these fonds. We might not find clues pointing to Nancy's father but we might find a great deal more information about Nancy, George, and their children. We should never overlook that as we try to flesh out a family line.

Agricultural Census & Land Records

I decided to search in the Agricultural census for 1851 and 1861 next. If I can find George I will learn his exact land location and from there I can search the Abstract Indexes to Deeds to see all records pertaining to that specific property. Often land was sold or given to relatives, so there could be more clues found there. The Agricultural census exists for Lincoln County 1861 but unfortunately George could not be found. This is another clue, and may indicate that George did not own land.

Death Records

I decided to do a quick jump to online death records to find Nancy's death. I knew there would not be much new information since parents' names were not recorded that early. It would be unusual for an exact birth location to be recorded but it is always worthwhile looking.

Nancy's death was found on Ancestry as occurring on 28 January 1890 in Gainsborough. Her place of birth was recorded as Ontario, and her age as 69. Her son Calvin E. Fisher was the informant. So nothing new to use as clues for our next step.

What Next?

Speaking of next steps, it was time for me to decide where to search next. I did want to search for the Abigail Longstreet from the 1851 census and the marriage of George and Nancy but perhaps it was time to branch out to the mention in the original query of "John Longstreet, b New Jersey in 1796 (moved to Ontario)". What would your next steps be?

 

Here are the links to all 5 parts of this series

https://olivetreegenealogy.blogspot.com/2019/04/finding-nancy-longstreet-part-1.html
https://olivetreegenealogy.blogspot.com/2019/04/finding-nancy-longstreet-part-2.html
https://olivetreegenealogy.blogspot.com/2019/04/finding-nancy-longstreet-part-3.html
https://olivetreegenealogy.blogspot.com/2019/04/finding-nancy-longstreet-part-4.html
https://olivetreegenealogy.blogspot.com/2019/04/finding-nancy-longstreet-part-5-end.html 

 

Think Outside the Box When Searching for Ancestors

I've been looking for my husband's great-grandfather Archie DeMeuleaneare in the 1921 Ontario census. As you can imagine, his surname DeMeuleaneare can has been spelled a dizzying variety of ways in records. I've found him as DeMeulenaire, DeMulenare, and yes, even De Millionaire.

To make searching even more challenging, Archie was born in Belgium as Achilles (pronounced AW-she, hence the Anglicization to Archie). So I have to go slowly and methodically, and search with all possible variations of both names. That is where wildcards come in. Wildcards are your friend. I'd be lost without them.

So in searching on Ancestry.com for Archie and his family in 1921 I was feeling pretty confident. I know the "tricks", I use wildcards, I start with a specific search (first name, surname, date of birth +/- 2 years, location of birth, residence). If that doesn't pan out I start eliminating fields. But the standard techniques were not working. I was getting no hits or thousands!

I decided to try searching for his wife. No dice. Okay I thought, I'll try searching for one of his children. Again I came up empty.

This is where genealogists need to think outside the box. Now is the time to try searching on just a first name and location - nothing else. Or a child's first name. Or a spouse. You may have to scroll through a few hundred results but that often does lead to success.

Jumping ahead, I'll share with you that I did eventually find Archie and his family - mistranscribed and indexed under the surname "Tekealeneau"

1921 Census Waterloo Township, Ontario

It is easy to see how the transcriber would have trouble with the surname! And that is why genealogists need to think outside the box when searching for an ancestor. Don't assume the indexing is correct. Don't assume the transcriber understood what they saw on the document.

Be persistent, be methodical, and be creative. You can't go wrong if you follow those three rules. 

Find Ancestors in Free United Kingdom Genealogy

Free UK Genealogy is the parent organization for FreeBMD, FreeReg and FreeCEN. Volunteers make transcriptions of the England and Wales Index of Births, Marriages and Deaths (FreeBMD), historic Parish Registers (FreeReg) and 19th Century Censuses (FreeCEN).

Each of the projects is a significant undertaking and in total, more than ten thousand volunteers have contributed over 350,000,000 records.

The three databases - FreeBMD, FreeReg, and FreeCen are completely free to access online.

If you are searching your UK ancestors, you might want to give these sites a try.

War of 1812 Incorporated Militia in Upper Canada Census

The War of 1812 took place from June 18, 1812 to February 16, 1815 between Great Britain and America.

Credit: Library and Archives Canada, Acc. No. 1937-31-1

The Canadian Incorporated Militia was led by many commanders including  Captain James Kerby (Coy No 1) and Captain Daniel Washburn (Coy No 4). Below is a census substitute for these two companies and their families in 1812 and 1814

March 15, 1814.  List of Men’s Families in Capt. Kirby’s (Kerby) Company of Incorporated Militia

NAMES Azarial Lundy John Reilly Joseph Millard John Brown Richard Hinton

WIVES 1 1 1 1 1

CHILDREN 6 5 1 1 1

15 March 1814. Nominal Return of Women and Children belonging to Capt. Washburn’s Company

WIVES' NAMES Margaret B--- Elizabeth Solomon Susannah Lashue? Patty Burke? Hannah – Nancy Sweet? Mary Fin-- Mary Hoffman Mary Good— Charlotte Napew/Nappan? Nancy Bou— Nancy Reese

CHILDREN'S NAMES James, Stephen? James?, Susannah, Hannah, Thomas, Elizabeth, Charles? James, ?, Mary, ?, ? Katy, John, Mary, ? Henry? Elizabeth None None Susannah James, ?, William, ?, Henry? 4 names, can’t read them ?, ?, Mary John, Peter, William, Jane?, ?

1812 List of Men in Cpt Washburn’s Co.
George Huffman
Freeman Napew/Nappan

Search the War of 1812 database at Library and Archives Canada but note that there are no service files for the Canadian militia. Library and Archives Canada (LAC) holds a vast collection of records about the Canadian men and women who were involved in the War of 1812. Their names can be found on muster rolls, pay lists, claims, certificates of service, land grants, and medal registers. Many of these documents are only available in the original format and have not been microfilmed or digitized.

Search the Free UK Census Records

Announcement from FreeCen:

FreeCEN offers a free-to-search online database of the 19th century UK censuses. Transcribed entirely by volunteers, we have more than 32 million individuals available on our website that anyone can search without having to create an account. The new ‘FreeCEN2’ website (https://freecen2.freecen.org.uk) will launch on Monday 31st July 2017 with all of the records that the current website holds, but with a fresh new look and feel in-line with Free UK Genealogy and FreeREG. 

FreeCEN, FreeREG and FreeBMD are projects by Free UK Genealogy, a registered charity that promotes free access to historical records. FreeREG underwent this process in 2015, and FreeBMD is due to begin its renewal later this year.  

1919 Letter from Canada Surfaces in Old Trunk in Australia

An old trunk in Australia held a small treasure - a letter written November 15, 1919 in Vulcan Alberta Canada. Victoria Collier wrote the letter on stationary of the Vulcan Supply Co. and addressed it to a Miss Scholz. 

The letterhead provides 3 names in its business header, one being G. C. Collier. In the first paragraph the writer talks about welcoming the boys home [back from the war] and adds "Geoff has his four brothers home now. One was killed and one sent to Siberia."

The letter gives a fascinating peek into post-war times in the small town. It also provides terrific clues to the families, providing tiny entries such as these:

"My sister Mabel is well and talks of coming out to see me..."

"Aunt Julia in England... is 85 next birthday..."

A genealogist can't let those clues go, can they? You guessed it, I had to investigate to see if I could turn up anything more on the families!

In 1911 the Collier family was living in Medicine Hat, Alberta. They are recorded as:

• Goffrey, 22, harness maker born England
• Violet, 21
• Walter, brother, 20, salesman for stoves, born England

The 1916 census for Alberta reveals that Guthrie [sic] Collier, 27, his wife Violet, 26 and two sons Russell (4) and Albert (10 months) were living in Lethbridge Alberta. Guthrie was born in England and shows his immigration year as 1907. Violet was born in Tasmania and gives her immigration year as 1910.[Ancestry.com ]

By 1921 the family was living in Bow River Alberta and were listed as:

• Joseph [sic], 33 born England, harness maker, owns his own shop, immigrated 1907
• Violet, 31 born Tasmania, immigrated 1911
• Russell, 9, born Alberta
• Albert, 5, born Alberta
• Ruby, 3, born Alberta 

The Lethbridge Herald of July 04, 1940 - Page 8 reveals that Godfrey's mother was visiting the family. I found evidence that she died in 1943 and is buried in Lethbridge Alberta

Searching in U.K. records found Godfrey as a young man in 1901 with his family in Dorset. His parents were William, born Buckland Newton, Dorset, and Emily Collier born
Piddletrenthide, Dorset. Their children were Charles E. 16, Harry J. 14, Godfrey C. 12, Walter G. 10, Horace A. 7, Sydney L 4 and William W. 2 [Ancestry.com ]

British Army WWI Service Records, 1914-1920

According to online ships passenger lists on Ancestry.com , 19 year old Godfrey arrived in Canada on
25 Mar 1908 on board the Empress of Ireland

Godfrey's brother Horace enlisted in the British Army in WW1 and was killed 13 October 1914. He was a Lance Corporal in the Dorsetshire Regiment.

Further research found Violet and Geoff's graves in Vulcan Cemetery, Vulcan Alberta.

Violet Nora Collier
1890-1962

Godfrey Cyril Collier
1889-1965

Finding Violet's middle name on her grave marker allowed me to find her and her sister Mabel (mentioned in Violet's letter) and their parents. Violet was born in 1890 in Frankford Tasmania to Alfred Boucher Welch and Albertina Bugg. Her sisters Mabel Dora were born in 1884 and Florence Kate in 1886. [http://portal.archives.tas.gov.au/menu.aspx?detail=1&type=P&id=302555]

Violet's father Alfred Welch was from Surrey England. He and Albertina applied for land in Tasmania in 1882.  The record states that Alfred was 21 and Albertina was 25 and they had recently arrived on the SS. Garanne or Garonne [Tasmania, Australia, Land Applications and Warrants, 1868-1887] The Garonne arrived in Sydney from London England on 10 November 1882.

20 year old Violet arrived in British Columbia Canada from Sydney Australia on 21 September 1910 on board the Marama. [Canadian Passenger Lists, 1865-1935]
 
Read Newly found First World War-era letter from Alberta woman a window through time to early 20th century for the complete story. You can also download the entire letter in .PDF format

It's Here! 1921 Canadian Census ONLINE

It's here! The 1921 Canadian Census is now on Ancestry.com and Ancestry.ca

No name index but you can search by location. 


 I'm off to find my mom and dad and grandparents in Guelph Ontario. Wish me luck!








Credits: "Man Showing Thumb Up Gesture" by stockimages on FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Censuses of Canada West and Canada East, 1842 now available online

Sample page 1842 Census Canada West

Great news from LAC (Library and Archives Canada) about new census records online. No, it's not the much anticipated 1921 census of Canada but it's still good news.

Library and Archives Canada is pleased to announce that Canadians can now access the Census of Canada West, 1842 as well as the Census of Canada East, 1842 online. In 1841, Upper Canada was renamed Canada West, and Lower Canada became Canada East. These two jurisdictions are now known as the provinces of Ontario and Quebec.

Each census is partly nominal and contains the names of heads of family, their occupation and the number of residents for each family.

Users can search these new databases by the names of heads of family, as well as by geographical information such as district and sub-district names.

I had a search of the Canada West Census and wanted to share with readers that it does not include all of what is now Ontario. Many of the districts are not online, so if you search and don't find your ancestor, it does not necessarily mean he wasn't in Canada West, he may have been living in a district that is not there.  You can see the list of Districts covered at Districts and Sub-districts: 1842 Census (Canada West) and Districts and Sub-districts: 1842 Census (Canada East)

Enumerators visited 17 census districts, divided into sub-districts. These units were made up of cities, towns, parishes, villages and townships. Not all returns have survived. The returns for eight districts and 51 sub-districts have been preserved and are searchable online.

LAC announces New Version of 1891 Canadian Census, Indexed and with Images

1891 Census Fanny McGinnis & Daughter Delia

Library and Archives Canada (LAC) announced a few days ago that they have scanned and indexed the 1891 Canadian census. It is online and is freely searchable at Library and Archives Canada: 1891 Census

Granted this census has been available online for some time now on Ancestry.com but that requires payment. LAC's is free. And the image quality is outstanding. But what I like best is the detailed explanation of all the markings on a typical 1891 census page.

Here's an example to show you what I mean - I've found all my family in Ontario in the 1891 census years ago. Some I found the old-fashioned way, by scrolling through screen after screen of microfilmed records (unindexed). Some I found on the Ancestry.com website.

But after reading LAC's explanation of columns on the 1891 census page, I realized that for all my experience researching, I'd overlooked a very nice bit of information about each head of household.  On the LAC page, near the bottom is a small tidbit of abbreviations used on the 1891 census. The one I never knew before was this one:

Residential dwellings were described using letters and numbers such as “S2/6” for a stone house, two stories, six rooms or “W ½” for a wooden house, one story, two rooms.

I'd see these obscure markings but had no idea what they meant. I read them in my mind as a letter followed by a fraction (W 1/2 for example) Think of all the cool and interesting extra details I'd missed - namely the kind of house an ancestor lived in (wooden vs stone, the number of stories) and how many rooms were in the home.

My readers probably know me well enough to realize I spent a happy half day looking up 1891 census records for my ancestors again! I found that my 2nd great-grandmother Fanny McGinnis who was living on her own at the age of 60 (which I already knew) lived in a wooden one-storey house with four rooms. Her widowed daughter lived next door with her four young children in a wooden one-storey home with five rooms.  That kind of detail may seem inconsequential but to me it adds more to the shadowy picture I have built in my mind of Fanny and her life. I'm trying to imagine the rooms - how big or small they were and what was in each.

1891 Census Alex McGinnis & Family

My next happy but rather surprising find was when I re-examined my great grandfather Alex McGinnis's 1891 census report. He was Fanny's son and in 1891 was married with four young children. He lived in a wooden home with only 3 rooms! I cannot imagine that. I suppose there was a kitchen, living-room and one bedroom. So where on earth did the children sleep?

I'm having trouble wrapping my head around that. It was around this time that Alex and his wife Harriet separated and now I'm wondering if crowded living conditions and perhaps poverty were a factor in that separation.

You can search the 1891 census online. I plan on looking for more ancestors this afternoon.

Ancestry.com FREE Access to 1930 Census This Weekend

Take a glimpse into the lives of your family 82 years ago by searching the 1930 U.S. Census for FREE this weekend on Ancestry.com. Free access runs from February 16-20 ending at midnight ET

Find out details, such as:

* Household names, including brothers and sisters or children
* Marriage details, including years and birthplaces that can lead to a birth or marriage certificate
* Information about occupations, military service, citizenship and more

Don't miss this great chance to find your ancestors in 1930.

Using an Obit to Find Other Records For an Ancestor

Recently I found an obituary in a Wisconsin newspaper for my son's great-grandfather Michael Niland. I didn't know too much about Michael before reading his obit, only that he was born in Ireland circa 1846, arrived in America circa 1870 and was married twice.  I had his wives' names and the names of seven children.

Michael's obituary was one of those finds that we all dream of - providing me with his County of origin in Ireland, his first wife's death (she was my son's great-grandmother), his year of immigration and confirming the names of five of his children.  Those were the genealogical facts. But the obituary also included some descriptive text about Michael himself - his character and some interesting tidbits of information.

We have to remember that an obituary is only as accurate as the knowledge of the person who wrote it.  It's unlikely that Michael wrote his own obit so the newspaper account is suspect unless we can find evidence to support it. That's where the fun starts!

Michael died October 15, 1924 in Wauzeka Wisconsin. According to his obit he came from Co. Rosecommon Ireland in 1870 and married Mary Brennon in 1871. Perhaps I can find him in the 1871 census or on a passenger list. That's my first step so off I go to Ancestry.com

The first hit was for Michael in the US Naturalization Records indexes on Ancestry.com . The index doesn't tell me much that is new, but it does provide information I need to send for his Naturalization records. He was born 23 June 1846 in Ireland,  66 years old, living in Wauzeka, applied at the courts in Prairie du Chien, Crawford Co. Wisconsin on 20 May 1913. His certificate number is F-23. I'll use that information to hunt or send for his papers.

The next find was Michael age 34, his wife Mary and three children in the 1880 census in Marietta, Wisconsin. Here he is listed as a farmer which makes me wonder if there might be land records for him. His wife Mary is age 30 born Ireland so now I have an estimated date of birth for her of 1850. I want to check the image and not just the transcription because neighbours are sometimes relatives. Aha - living with Michael is a Thomas Niland age 36 born Ireland. I'm betting Thomas is a brother but I can't put that in my genealogy program without some proof. But it's a great extra bit of information as now I can look for Thomas as well as Michael in the records.

I wasn't having much luck finding Michael in the 1870 census so there's a good chance he arrived after the census was taken. I didn't spend too much time searching for a ships passenger list but will do that another day. I did find evidence supporting the obituary claim that his first wife (Mary Brennon) died in 1889 although this record gives her date of death as 24 February 1889 which differs from the obit death date of 3 October 1889.  I'll have to do some work to resolve that discrepancy.

Next I plan to find Michael in 1900, 1910 and 1920 Census, plus look for his children in various online records. I'll also hunt for Thomas (in the 1880 census with Michael) and see if I can find his name on a passenger list on Ancestry.com , or in another census record.

Search 1910 Census Free Through Feb. 21/11

Search the enhanced indexes for free through February 21, 2011

The 1910 U.S. Census on Ancestry.com is looking better than ever — just like your chances of finding your parents, grandparents or other relatives in it. Enhancements include:

* Clearer, crisper images

* Improved indexes with two new fields: mother's and father's birthplace

* Millions of alternate names to help you with hard-to-find relatives

* Search 93 million improved records from all 50 states, Washington, D.C. and Puerto Rico, plus U.S. Military and Naval Forces — free through February 21.

1881 Census Images online

The 1881 census of Canada offersinformation about Canada and Canadians.

Through the Library & Archives Canada online database, you can view digitized images of original census returns which list the name, age, country or province of birth, nationality, religion, and occupation of Canada's residents at the time of the 1881 Census.

The database is fully searchable and each "hit" is linked to the image of the actual census page.

Footnote.com Releases Great Depression collection

Lindon, Utah - March 26, 2009 – Footnote.com, the premier history website for original content, announced today the launch of its Great Depression Collection, which provides unique insights into life’s struggles and the financial challenges Americans faced during the 1930s.

The Great Depression Collection includes millions of digitized and indexed documents including historical newspapers. Visitors to Footnote.com can view original pages featuring articles and advertisements that reveal fascinating details about what was happening in Washington, D.C., as well as in mainstream America. Visitors can also read articles about Roosevelt’s New Deal or see how much groceries cost during the time of the Depression.

As part of this collection, Footnote.com is pleased to introduce the first ever Interactive 1930 US Census. Footnote.com has combined innovative technology with the 1930 Census to create an interactive experience allowing members to contribute their own family photos, documents and stories by attaching them to the names on the census.

“On Footnote.com, the 1930 Census is taking on a new role: a gathering place for the American story,” said Russ Wilding, CEO of Footnote.com. “Now all those stories that our parents and grandparents told us about the Depression have a place to come together and be preserved for future generations.”

In addition to contributing to the census documents, members can automatically create Footnote Pages for any individual found in the census. Footnote Pages allow users to create:

Timelines
Photo galleries
Maps
Links to other Footnote Pages

These pages can serve as memorial pages, research pages, or simply a starting place where individual shoeboxes of memories and memorabilia can be uploaded.

Footnote.com has successfully created a social framework around historical documents. Numerous people have already made hundreds of thousands of contributions on the site. “If you had family in America in 1930, you will most likely find them in the census,” continues Wilding. “We encourage all to come to Footnote.com and add your family story and preserve our nation’s heritage.”

To view the Great Depression Collection, including the Interactive 1930 US Census, please visit Footnote.com

Toronto Ontario 1861 Census Transcriptions

The Old Census Scribe has a new blog online called Toronto 1861 The Blog description states:

A progress history of transcribing a big Canadian city census from 1861, including my method and organization, and the social and geographical details of the area at that time.

The Old Census Scribe has been making a transcription of the 1861 censuses of Toronto and York Township over the past few years. With the New Year she has decided to write a blog, outlining her progress and also looking at the people who made up Toronto in the 19th century.

At present, the transcription (not proofread!) is complete for St James's, St David's and St Lawrence's Wards, and for York Township. You can ask for lookups via the "comments" feature on the blog if you leave your e-mail address. The comments are moderated, and lookup requests will not appear on the blog. But she will answer your requests as soon as she can.