Update on X00256 - Thomas Williams born 1827

A few weeks ago I posted about X00256 and the mystery of what happened to Thomas Williams (born 1827, son of Thomas Williams). Since then I have a few updates on this X-File.

First, in search for a death record, I have ruled out two death records that I've found. One of them was for a Thomas Williams who died in 1874 in Osprey Township, Grey County [D03741]. The year of birth was correct (about 1827) but the location didn't make much sense, and the individual's occupation was a marble cutter. Also add on the fact that I've found this Thomas Williams in documents later than 1874 [D01432, D03878, D03880, D05680], I've ruled it out.



I've also ruled out another death record from 1908 [D05655]. While this one was from Simcoe County, the location was still off from Orillia, the parents names don't match John Williams and H Gunnerson vs Thomas Williams and Sybel Foxwell [D00026]), the occupation is farmer, and the date of birth is off (2 Oct 1828 as opposed to the known date of 15 Mar 1827 [D00026]).



I've also ruled out a land ownership record from the County Atlas Project showing a Thomas Williams living in Tecumseh Township in 1880. A number of things do not match, but most importantly, I've found that some Thomas Williams in other records at the same time as our Thomas Williams is in Orillia.

Fortunately, however, there has been some good news. The Orillia Public Library managed to find him in the 1876 voter records, but not the 1887 voter records, which provides more of an argument that he died in 1885.

Plus, they managed to get the transcription for the stone in St. James' Cemetery. It says:

Uncle Tom / Thos Williams / Died / Aug 3 1885 / Aged / 54 years

Now, while the date at death is off (Thomas Would have been about 58 at the time of death) everything else matches. The fact that it was inscribed as "Uncle Tom" implies that he did not have any children of his own and that his nieces and nephews put up the stone, which all fits.

Not a whole lot of definite proof, but it is definitely leaning towards the argument that he died in 1885.

Next steps:
* Likely to check the Orillia Newspapers on microfilm to see if there was anything published around that time * Check possible church records.


Sources:
[D00026] (Minchinhampton, Gloucester, England), "Baptism Record - Thomas Williams 1827," Batch No C049002, Source No 0857041; FHL microfilm. Rec. Date: 8 May 2016.

[D01432] County of Simcoe and Hamilton and North Western Directory and Gazeteer, 1879: 202; digital images, ancestry.ca accessed 7 Feb 2019.

[D03741] Ontario Archives of Ontario, Ontario, Canada Deaths, MS935 Reel 8: 324, 2247,18; digital image, Ancestry.ca, "Ontario, Canada Deaths," Ancestry.ca (9 Mar 2019)

[D03878] County of Simcoe and Hamilton and North Western Directory and Gazeteer, 1884-1886: 111; digital images, ancestry.ca accessed 7 Feb 2019.

[D03880] 1881 census of Canada, Ontario, district 139, sub-district O, Orillia, p. 88, dwelling 386, family 395; RG 31; digital images, Ancestry.ca (accessed 13 Jun 2018).

[D05655] Ontario Archives of Ontario, Ontario, Canada Deaths, MS935 Reel 139: 961, 26669; digital image, Ancestry.ca, "Ontario, Canada Deaths," Ancestry.ca (9 Mar 2019)

[D05680] "County Notes," Northern Advance, 27 Oct 1881, online archives (accessed 24 Feb 2019), p. 1, col. 6.