X00300: Who is Ann Sipin?

In the 1861 Census of Canada, the Williams family is found living in Guelph. Thomas Williams and his wife Sybil are listed and in the household are their two youngest daughters, Emily and Samina. But there are two others living in the household at the time: Ann Sipin, aged 8 and Maria Hill aged 18.

Maria Hill is clearly not a family member, as she is listed as being a servant and was born in Ireland. But what about Ann Sipin? Is is possible that she might just have been living with the family with no connection, but could she possibly be a clue to a connection?

At the age of 8 in 1861, she would have been born about 1853. She would likely be too young to be another child of Thomas and Sybil Williams. But could she perhaps be a granddaughter? One remote possibility is that she is the daughter of Hester Sophia Williams, who I have not been able to find any trace of after 1841 (see X00291). Perhaps Hester Sophia married a man with the surname of Sipin, and had a child but then the two of them died shortly thereafter, leaving their daughter to be raised by her grandparents.

It's a possibility, but I have not seen the name Ann Sipin show up anywhere else in the records to confirm one way or another.

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Sources:

D01597 1861 census of Canada East, Canada West, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia, Guelph, Guelph, p. 14; RG 31; digital images, Ancestry.ca (accessed 13 May 2018). Rec. Date: 5 Feb 2018. Cit. Date: 13 May 2018.

Profile: Frederick Gabriel Douglas, Mary Ann Coulson and Frances Bulleyment

Profile: Frederick Gabriel Douglas [1855-1916], Mary Ann Coulson [1857-1888] and Frances Bulleyment [1856-1922]

Frederick Gabriel Douglas was born 28 March 1855 in Guelph, Wellington County, Canada West [D00743, D00763, D01354, D01559, D01597, D02738]. He was very likely named after his uncle, Gabriel Williams who had died the year before. He was the third child and first son of John Douglas and Louisa Williams [D00743, D01464]. Although born in Guelph, he was baptized at St. George’s Anglican church in Sydenham (now Owen Sound, Grey County, Ontario) on 6 May 1855 [D02738].

Frederick spent his early years with the family in Guelph and moved to Owen Sound in the 1860s [D01597, D01559]. He began working as a cabinet maker in Owen Sound in the 1870s [D00491, D00743, D01354].

Frederick married Mary Ann Coulson on 13 December 1876 in Owen Sound [D00743]. Mazzie, as Mary Ann was known, was the daughter of hotel-owner John P. Coulson and Susan Venetia Lister [D00743, D05343]. Their first child, Percy John Douglas was born 10 May 1877 [D00491]. Two more sons would follow, Frederick G. Douglas born 29 December 1884 [D05505, D05878], and John Coulson Douglas born 4 September 1887 [D05505, D05666].

Tragically, Mary Ann died on 16 December 1888 of pulmonary phthisis at the age of thirty [D04646, D05343].

Frederick moved to Detroit, Michigan in the 1890s where he continued his career as a cabinet maker [D01464]. He married Frances Bulleyment on 23 June 1893 in Detroit [D01464]. Frances was daughter of William Bulleyment and Caroline Sexton [D05006]. She had previously been married to John Vandrick and they had a child together, Arthur J.B. Vandrick, born in 1883 [D04975].

On 21 May 1916, Fred was working on his boat and scraped his leg on a rough piece of board. The accident let to blood poisoning in the wound [D05345]. At first, the injury was not considered serious, but erysipelas developed soon after. The erysipelas prevented an amputation and it was determined that nothing further could be done. His two brothers, John J. Douglas and Clarence Douglas went to Detroit to see him before he died on 2 June 1916 [D01462, D05345, D05347]. His funeral was held at the home of his brother-in-law, Charles Milford on 5 June 1916 [D05347]. He was buried in Greenwood Cemetery in the family plot [D01131, D05347].

Frances Bulleyment Douglas died 25 August 1922 of mitral insufficiency [D05006]. She was buried 28 August 1922 in Greenwood Cemetery [D01131, D04994].

As for the three sons of Frederick Gabriel Douglas and Mazie Coulson Douglas, Percy Douglas moved to the United States and worked as an engraver [D05308, D05309, D05311]. He married Frances Eleanor Johnson on 23, October 1911 [D05310] and they had three children, Donald Coulson Douglas (1912-2004), Dorothy Mazie Douglas (1914 -1979) and Fern Mary Douglas (1915-?) [D05311]. Percy died on 17 July 1927 at the age of fifty [D04809, D05300].

Frederick G Douglas moved to Smugglers' Mines, Telluride, Colorado [D05505]. John Coulson Douglas was only a year old when his mother died. He was raised by his aunt and uncle in Sarawak, Grey County [D05350]. He worked as a gardener and fought in World War 1 [D05505, D05666]. He married Ivy Irene Palter in 1954 and lived until 30 August 1971 [D05666].

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Sources:
[D00491] Ontario Archives of Ontario, MS 929, reels 1-245, MS929; Reel: 27: 431, 6425, 42; digital image, Ancestry.com, "Ontario, Canada Births," (11 Jun 2017).

[D00743] Ontario Archives of Ontario, Ontario, Canada Marriages, MS932; Reel: 26: 369, 12829, Douglas-Coulson; digital images, Ancestry.ca, "Ontario, Canada Marriages,"(accessed 10 Sep 2017).

[D00763] 1891 census of Canada, Ontario, district 68, sub-district Owen Sound Center Ward, Owen Sound, p. 35, family 175; RG 31; digital images, Ancestry.ca,Ancestry (accessed 5 Oct 2017).

[D01131] “Owen Sound Greenwood Cemetery Interments" (typescript, 2005), p. 81.

[D01354] 1881 census of Canada, Ontario, district 134, sub-district G, Toronto, p. 136, dwelling 657, family 713; RG 31; digital images, Ancestry.ca (accessed 30 Sep 2018).

[D01462] Michigan Department of State - Division of Vital Statistics, Michigan, Death Records, 1867-1950, 5329; digital image, Ancestry.ca, "Michigan, Death Records, 1867-1950," Ancestry.ca (30 Sep 2018).

[D01464] Michigan Department of Community Health, Division for Vital Records and Health Statistics, Michigan, Marriage Records, 1867-1952, 2805, Douglas-Bulleyment; digital images, Ancestry.ca, "Michigan, Marriage Records, 1867- 1952," Ancestry.ca (accessed 30 Sep 2018).

[D01559] 1871 census of Canada, Ontario, district 37, sub-district 1-G, Owen Sound, p. 67, dwelling 258, family 262; RG 31; digital images(accessed 6 Sep 2018).

[D01597] 1861 census of Canada East, Canada West, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia, Guelph, Guelph, p. 14; RG 31; digital images,Ancestry.ca (accessed 13 May 2018).

[D02738] St George's Anglican (Owen Sound, Ontario, Canada), "Baptism Record - Frederick Gabriel Douglas," p 8.

[D04809] Michigan Department of State - Division of Vital Statistics, Michigan, Death Records, 1867-1950, 5707, 537; digital image, Ancestry.ca, "Michigan Death Records," Ancestry.ca (20 Jan 2019).

[D04646] Ontario Archives of Ontario, Ontario, Canada Deaths, MS935 Reel 50: 517, 6080, 89; digital image, Ancestry.ca, "Ontario, Canada Deaths," Ancestry.ca (23 Sep 2018).

[D04975] 1901 census of Canada, Ontario, district 65, sub-district D-7, Owen Sound, p. 4, dwelling 47, family 47; RG 31; digital images(accessed 19 Jan 2019).

[D04978] 1910 U.S. census, population schedule, Detroit, enumeration district (ED) 0108, sheet 5B, dwelling 93, family 92; digital images,ancestry.com (accessed 20 Jan 2019); citing National Archives and Records Administration microfilm T624, roll T624_683.

[D04994] Greenwood Cemetery (Owen Sound, Grey, Ontario).

[D05006] Michigan Department of State - Division of Vital Statistics, Michigan, Death Records, 1867-1950, 582, 17762, 8252; digital image, Ancestry.ca, "Michigan Death Records," Ancestry.ca (19 Jan 2019).

[D05300] Riverside Cemetery (Kalamazoo, Michigan).

[D05308] Muskegon, Michigan, City Directory 1924 , 1924:, 585; digital images, ancestry.ca (ancestry.ca : accessed 6 Feb 2019).

[D05309] Muskegon, Michigan City Directory 1926 , 1926 vols., 1926:, 598; digital images, Ancestry.ca (accessed 6 Feb 2019).

[D05310] Cook, Illinois, Illinois, Cook County Marriages, 1871-1920, 579191, Douglas-Misbach, 23 Oct 1911; digital images, Family Search,Family Search (accessed 6 Feb 2019).

[D05311] Cook, Illinois, 3974; digital image, FamilySearch, "Illinois, Cook County Birth Certificates 1871-1922,"FamilySearch (Familysearch.og: 6 Feb 2019).

[D05343] "Deaths," (Owen Sound) The Advertiser, Owen Sound, 20 Dec 1888, p. 1, col. 4. Cit. ID: D05343.

[D05345] ”Deaths,"(Owen Sound) Owen Sound Sun, 2 Jun 1916, p. 5, col. 4.

[D05347] “Deaths," (Owen Sound) Owen Sound Times, 6 Jun 1916, p. 5, col. 5.

[D05350] 1901 census of Canada, Ontario, district 65, sub-district E-3, Sarawak, p. 2, dwelling 17, family 17; RG 31; digital images(accessed 19 May 2019). Rec. Date: 4 Mar 2017. Cit. Date: 19 May 2019.

[D05505] ”Deaths," (Owen Sound) Owen Sound Times, 9 Jun 1916, p. 1, col. 2.

[D05666] "John C. Douglas dies in hospital," Grey County Surname Collection , 30 Aug 1971; digital images(accessed 9 Mar 2019).

[D05878] Ontario Archives of Ontario, MS 929, reels 1-245, MS929 Series 70: 249, 11651, 3; digital image, Ancestry.com, "Ontario, Canada Births," (10 Mar 2019).

Analysis: Birth info Winnifred Henrietta Victoria Wright Douglas

Details/Background:

Different dates of birth have been found for Winnifred Henrietta Victoria Wright (Douglas) ranging from 1864 to 1865. No records earlier than 1871 (i.e. baptism record or news articles) have been found.

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Analysis:

Ref	Desc	Birth Date Given	Notes
D06232	1871 Census	Abt. 1864	Age 6 in 1871
D06233	1881 Census	Abt. 1864	Age 16 in 1871
D02623	Marriage Record	Abt. 1864	Age 20 on 26 Aug 1884
D00764	1891 Census	Abt. 1864	Age 26 in 1891
D00307	1901 Census	11 November 1865
D00334	1911 Census	11 November 1864
D04728	1921 Census	Abt. 1864	Age 56 in 1921
D05634	Death Registration	11 November 1864
D04954	Gravestone	1865
D01131	Burial Records	Abt. 1864	Age 82 on 23 July 1947

Only three of the sources [D00307, D00334 and D005634] give a calendar date and all three give the date of November 11th. So, it is safe to assume that November 11th is the calendar date and that she was born either November 11, 1864 or November 11, 1865.

So, if we assume that her birthday was in November and most of the censuses were taken in the middle of the year, most of the records support a birth year of 1864; the only exceptions being the 1901 census and the gravestone which suggest a birth year of 1865.

The 1901 census record is difficult to read, however, and there were a lot of cases where the 1901 census was off by a hear. And the gravestone was carved after her death. So, I would conclude that those two records are outliers.

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Conclusion:

The most likely conclusion is a date of birth of 11 November 1864.

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Sources:

D00307 1901 census of Canada, Ontario, district 65, sub-district D-8, Owen Sound, p. 11, dwelling 89, family 100; RG 31; digital images(accessed 11 Mar 2017). Rec. Date: 4 Mar 2017. Cit. Date: 11 Mar 2017.

D00334 1911 census of Canada, Ontario, district 73, sub-district 48, Owen Sound, p. 8, dwelling 68, family 83; RG 31; digital images, Ancestry.com (accessed 25 Mar 2017). Rec. Date: 18 Mar 2017. Cit. Date: 25 Mar 2017.

D00764 1891 census of Canada, Ontario, district 68, sub-district Owen Sound Center Ward, Owen Sound, p. 36, family 181; RG 31; digital images, Ancestry.ca, Ancestry (accessed 5 Oct 2017). Rec. Date: 30 Sep 2017. Cit. Date: 5 Oct 2017.

D01131 "Owen Sound Greenwood Cemetery Interments" (typescript, 2005), p. 81. Rec. Date: 6 May 2018. ID: D01131. Cit. Date: 1 Dec 2018.

D02623 Ontario Archives of Ontario, Ontario, Canada Marriages, MS932; Reel: 47: 494, 8179, Douglas-Wright; digital images, Ancestry.ca, "Ontario, Canada Marriages,"(accessed 30 Sep 2018). Rec. Date: 9 Sep 2017. Cit. Date: 30 Sep 2018.

D04728 1921 census of Canada, district 83, sub-district 45, Owen Sound, p. 1, dwelling 13, family 14; RG 31; digital images, ancestry.com (accessed 17 Oct 2018). Rec. Date: 1 Apr 2017. Cit. Date: 17 Oct 2018.

D04954 Greenwood Cemetery (Owen Sound, Grey, Ontario), G-S9-1. Rec. Date: 1 Dec 2018. ID: D04954. Cit. Date: 1 Dec 2018.

D05634 Ontario Archives of Ontario, Ontario, Canada Deaths, MS935 Reels 1-694: 23610; digital image, Ancestry.ca, "Ontario, Canada Deaths," Ancestry.ca (14 Apr 2019). Rec. Date: 3 Sep 2017. Cit. Date: 14 Apr 2019.

D06232 1871 census of Canada, Ontario, district 54, sub-district 02, Hamilton, p. 24, dwelling 77, family 79; RG 31; digital images(accessed 12 May 2019). Rec. Date: 4 Mar 2017. Cit. Date: 12 May 2019.

D06233 1881 census of Canada, Ontario, district 124, sub-district C-3, Hamilton, p. 44, dwelling 196, family 202; RG 31; digital images, Ancestry.ca (accessed 12 May 2019). Rec. Date: 17 Feb 2018. Cit. Date: 12 May 2019

Analysis: Birth Info for Clarence Williams Douglas

Details/Background:

Different dates of birth have been found for Clarence Williams Douglas ranging from 1864 to 1867. No records earlier than 1871 (i.e. baptism record or news articles) have been found.

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Analysis:

Ref	Desc	Birth Date Given	Notes
D01559	1871 Census	Abt. 1865	Age 6 in 1871
D01354	1881 Census	Abt. 1864	Age 17 in 1881
D00838	Marriage Record	Abt. 1865	Age 22 on 27 Dec 1887
D00769	1891 Census	Abt. 1865	Age 26 in 1891
D00329	1911 Census	Feb 1865
D00348	1921 Census	Abt. 1868	Age 53 in 1921
D01951	Death Registration	9 Feb 1867	Recorded 1923
D04954	Gravestone	1865
D01131	Burial Records	Abt. 1867	Age 56 on 22 Dec 1923

Most of the records imply a year of birth of 1865. There are a couple of census records (1881 and 1921) that are outliers. The death registration and burial records both suggest a birth year of 1867, but those likely could have used the same source for their information.

Also, since his next oldest sibling was born in 1860, a birth year of 1865 would be more likely than 1867.

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Conclusion:

Based on the evidence found, the most likely date of birth for Clarence Williams Douglas is 9 February 1865.

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Sources:

D00329 1911 census of Canada, Ontario, district 73, sub-district 57, Owen Sound, p. 3, dwelling 36, family 36; RG 31; digital images, Ancestry.com (accessed 25 Mar 2017). Rec. Date: 18 Mar 2017. Cit. Date: 25 Mar 2017.

D00348 1921 census of Canada, district 83, sub-district 46, Owen Sound, p. 9, dwelling 98, family 100; RG 31; digital images, ancestry.com (accessed 31 Mar 2019). Rec. Date: 1 Apr 2017. Cit. Date: 31 Mar 2019.

D00769 1891 census of Canada, Ontario, district 68, sub-district Owen Sound West Ward, Owen Sound, p. 8, family 39; RG 31; digital images, Ancestry.ca, Ancestry (accessed 13 Oct 2017). Rec. Date: 30 Sep 2017. Cit. Date: 13 Oct 2017.

D00838 Ontario Archives of Ontario, Ontario, Canada Marriages, MS932; Reel: 63, 14388, Douglas-Leach; digital images, Ancestry.ca, "Ontario, Canada Marriages,"(accessed 16 Dec 2017). Rec. Date: 9 Sep 2017. Cit. Date: 16 Dec 2017.

D01131 "Owen Sound Greenwood Cemetery Interments" (typescript, 2005), p. 81. Rec. Date: 6 May 2018. ID: D01131. Cit. Date: 30 Sep 2018.

D01354 1881 census of Canada, Ontario, district 134, sub-district G, Toronto, p. 136, dwelling 657, family 713; RG 31; digital images, Ancestry.ca (accessed 30 Sep 2018). Rec. Date: 17 Feb 2018. Cit. Date: 30 Sep 2018.

D01559 1871 census of Canada, Ontario, district 37, sub-district 1-G, Owen Sound, p. 67, dwelling 258, family 262; RG 31; digital images (accessed 6 Sep 2018). Rec. Date: 4 Mar 2017. Cit. Date: 6 Sep 2018.

D01951 Ontario Archives of Ontario, Ontario, Canada Deaths, MS935; Reel: 301: 429, 15709, 14; digital image, Ancestry.ca, "Ontario, Canada Deaths," Ancestry.ca (16 Mar 2019). Rec. Date: 3 Sep 2017. Cit. Date: 16 Mar 2019.

D04954 Greenwood Cemetery (Owen Sound, Grey, Ontario), G-S9-1. Rec. Date: 1 Dec 2018. Cit. Date: 1 Dec 2018.