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.

Profile: John Williams and Family

This is the profile so far of John Williams and his family. I'm still researching X00298 and his work in various breweries. That will be added in later. But here is the story so far.

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Profile: John Williams & Family

John Williams was born in 1829 in Gloucestershire, England and was baptized on 29 March 1829 [D03738]. He was the fourth and youngest son of Thomas Williams and Sybil Foxwell.

He grew up in Gloucestershire, but moved along with the rest of the family to Liverpool before coming to Canada in 1842 [D05543]. The William family first settled in Invermara, Simcoe County and started a farm there. But shortly they found that farming was not for them and so Thomas Williams relocated the family to Guelph, Wellington County and established the Williams Brewery in Guelph [D05543].

In the 1850s, John worked in Guelph as part of the Williams Brewery [D04689, D04691]. He married his first wife, Charlotte Ann Perry, 15 March 1858 in Orillia, Simcoe County. [D01325].

Charlotte Ann Perry was born around 1839 in what was then known as Upper Canada [D03739, D05338]. She was the daughter of Daniel and Charlotte Perry [D01325]. Prior to her marriage in 1858 she was living in Orillia, Simcoe County [D01325].

John and Charlotte had their first child, a daughter which they named Annie L. Williams, in March of 1860 [D03739, D05338]. She was followed under a year later by their second child, Eliza Sybil Williams born 31 January 1861 [D04645, D05281].

By 1861, the family was living in Brampton, Peel County and John had left the Williams brewery to strike out on his own as a brewer [D03739]. Later that year, the family would face their first tragedy when their first child, Annie L. died at the age of nineteen months [D05338].

John and Charlotte’s third daughter, whom they named Charlotte Ann Williams was born about 1862 [D01131, D03740].

The family would their second tragedy when Charlotte Ann Perry Williams died on 7 July 1862 at the age of 22 years [D05338]. She and their first daughter, Annie L. were buried at St. George’s Cemetery in Guelph, but later relocated to Woodlawn Cemetery [D05338].

By 1871 the family had moved to Owen Sound, Grey County where John was working with a carpenter [D01565]. His widowed mother and younger sister Minnie were living with the family [D01565].

John married Caroline Hatton on 15 August 1877 in Little Current, Algoma County, Ontario [D01544]. Caroline was born in Quebec on 7 July 1835, the daughter of Daniel and Catherine Hatton [D01544, D03756]. Caroline’s parents died young and in her younger years lived in an orphan asylum [D03759].

John’s youngest child Charlotte Ann died on 14 March 1882 at the age of nineteen years [D03740]. She died of dropsy which she had developed three years prior [D03740]. Prior to her death she had been living with her aunt and uncle, Charles and Emily Hewett in Mara, Simcoe County [D04037]. She is buried in Greenwood Cemetery, Owen Sound [D01131].

John himself, died 6 Jan 1889 of heart disease [D03737, D05344]. At the time of his death he was a brewer in Owen Sound. He is buried in Greenwood Cemetery [D01131].

John’s second wife Caroline Hatton Williams died 20 June 1902 due to congestion of the lungs [D03754, D03757]. She was buried 23 June 1902 in Mount Herman Cemetery in Quebec [D03757].

The last member of the family, Eliza Sybil Williams was living with her aunt, Louisa Williams in Owen Sound in 1891 [D00783] but moved in with her aunt and uncle, William Charles Perry and Mary Wright Perry on Normanby Street in Mount Forest, Wellington County [D05281, D05283]. She lived in Mount Forest from 1898 until she died on 5 April 1928 in Mount Forest [D04936, D05296].


Sources
[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). Rec. Date: 30 Sep 2017. Cit. Date: 5 Oct 2017.

[D01131] "Owen Sound Greenwood Cemetery Interments" (typescript, 2005), p. 332. Rec. Date: 6 May 2018. ID: D01131. Cit. Date: 13 May 2018.

[D01325] Ontario, Ontario County Marriage Registers, 1858-1869 37, Williams-Perry, 1858; digital images, FamilySearch.org, FamilySearch (accessed 5 May 2018). Rec. Date: 24 Feb 2018. Cit. Date: 5 May 2018.

[D01544] Ontario Archives of Ontario, Ontario, Canada Marriages, MS932 Reel 23: 30, 1049, Williams-Hatton; digital images, Ancestry.ca, "Ontario, Canada Marriages,"(accessed 12 May 2018). Rec. Date: 9 Sep 2017. Cit. Date: 12 May 2018.

[D01565] 1871 census of Canada, Ontario, district 37, sub-district 01-g, Owen Sound, p. 28, dwelling 105, family 109; RG 31; digital images (accessed 5 May 2018). Rec. Date: 4 Mar 2017. Cit. Date: 5 May 2018.

[D03737] Ontario Archives of Ontario, Ontario, Canada Deaths, MS935 Reel 54: 395, 5588, 1; digital image, Ancestry.ca, "Ontario, Canada Deaths," Ancestry.ca (6 May 2018). Rec. Date: 3 Sep 2017. Cit. Date: 6 May 2018.

[D03738] (Chipping Sodbury, Gloucestershire, England), Gloucestershire, England, Church of England Baptisms 1813-1913, "Baptism Record - John Williams," P300 IN 1/3; digital images, Ancestry.ca, Ancestry.ca (accessed 13 May 2018). Rec. Date: 13 May 2018.

[D03739] 1861 census of Canada East, Canada West, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia, Peel, sub-district Brampton, Brampton, p. 15; RG 31; digital images, Ancestry.ca (accessed 13 May 2018). Rec. Date: 5 Feb 2018. Cit. Date: 13 May 2018.

[D03740] Ontario Archives of Ontario, Ontario, Canada Deaths, MS935 Reel 33: 412, 21417, 286; digital image, Ancestry.ca, "Ontario, Canada Deaths," Ancestry.ca (13 May 2018). Rec. Date: 3 Sep 2017. Cit. Date: 13 May 2018.

[D03754] ancestry.ca, "Quebec, Canada, Vital and Church Records (Drouin Collection)," database and images, ancestry.ca (accessed 31 Jan 2019); Burial: Anglican St. Matthew's Church. Rec. Date: 31 Jan 2019. Cit. Date: 31 Jan 2019.

[D03756] 1901 census of Canada, Ontario, district 44, sub-district L3-1, Howland, p. 9, dwelling 74, family 75; RG 31; digital images (accessed 26 May 2018). Rec. Date: 4 Mar 2017. Cit. Date: 26 May 2018.

[D03757] Gouvernement du Québec database, Détails Mount Hermon Cemetery ( accessed 31 Jan 2019), 8525. Rec. Date: 31 Jan 2019. Cit. Date: 31 Jan 2019.

[D03759] 1851 census of Canada East, Canada West, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia, Ontario, Quebec City, p. 123. Rec. Date: 9 Apr 2018. Cit. Date: 26 May 2018.

[D04036] Ontario Archives of Ontario, Ontario, Canada Deaths, MS935; Reel: 365: 171, 36719; digital image, Ancestry.ca, "Ontario, Canada Deaths," Ancestry.ca (23 Jun 2018). Rec. Date: 3 Sep 2017. Cit. Date: 23 Jun 2018.

[D04037] 1881 census of Canada, Ontario, district 133, sub-district 2, Mara, p. 17, dwelling 72, family 72; RG 31; digital images, Ancestry.ca (accessed 23 Jun 2018). Rec. Date: 17 Feb 2018. Cit. Date: 23 Jun 2018.

[D04645] Mount Forest Cemetery (Mount Forest, Grey, Ontario), Amber Section Row 10 Lot 82. Rec. Date: 29 Dec 2018. ID: D04645. Cit. Date: 29 Dec 2018.

[D04689] Wellington, Ontario, Canada, 1853 Tax Book, 1853. Rec. Date: 31 Jan 2019. Cit. Date: 31 Jan 2019.

[D04691] Wellington, Ontario, Canada, 1855 Tax Book, entry for 246, 1855. Rec. Date: 31 Jan 2019. Cit. Date: 31 Jan 2019.

[D05281] 1911 census of Canada, Ontario, district 133, sub-district 40, Mount Forest, p. 3, dwelling 31, family 31; RG 31; digital images, Ancestry.com (accessed 6 Jan 2019). Rec. Date: 18 Mar 2017. Cit. Date: 6 Jan 2019.

[D05283] 1901 census of Canada, Ontario, district 125, sub-district J-2, Mount Forest, p. 3, dwelling 29, family 29; RG 31; digital images (accessed 6 Jan 2019). Rec. Date: 4 Mar 2017. Cit. Date: 6 Jan 2019.

[D05296] "Register," Mount Forest Confederate, 12 April 1928, p. 8, col. 2; digital images(accessed 6 Jan 2019). Rec. Date: 6 Jan 2019. Cit. Date: 6 Jan 2019.

[D05338] "Woodland Memorial Park Cemetery Transcriptions" (typescript. Rec. Date: 7 Feb 2019. Cit. Date: 7 Feb 2019.

[D05344] "Deaths," (Owen Sound) Owen Sound Times, 10 Jan 1889, p. 4, col. 4. Rec. Date: 14 Jun 2017. Cit. Date: 8 Feb 2019.

Update on X00287 Samina Foxwell Williams

I had posted previously about X00287: What happened to Samina Foxwell Williams. Evidently she married a Joseph McInnis at some time in the 1870s and died in Walnut, Pottawattamie County, Iowa in November of 1878. Since then, I've been trying to find either some indication of a marriage record, a death record or anything about Joseph McInnis.

According to one historical site that has biographies of Iowa pioneers, there was a Joseph McGinnis who lived in Pottawattamie County. But the bio says that he married a Roxanna Bridges in May of 1878 and it does not mention a prior marriage, so it is not likely the same person.

I did some searching on Newspaperarchive.com but didn't find any clues there.

I contacted the Pottawattamie Genealogical Society. They weren't able to find any marriage or death records, but did find a Joseph McInnis aged 40 born in Ireland and a widower in the 1880 census living in Brighton, Cass County, which is close to Pottawattamie County.



I then found a Joseph McGinnis living in Illinois in the 1870 census working as a farm labourer.



If it is the same person as in the 1880 census, it would mean that he got married and his wife died between 1870 and 1880, which would fit. It's a possibility, but definitely needs more investigation.

Next actions:
* Look more in depth into the census records
* Continue to check records from Iowa (and other locations)
* Check other newspaper sources

Analysis: Is the John Williams in the Guelph City Directory 1873 [D05546] the John Williams born 1829?

Question: Is the John Williams in the Guelph City Directory 1873 [D05546] the John Williams born 1829?



Details/Background: There is a John Williams on page 120 of a Guelph City Directory from 1873 [D05546]. He is listed as a carpenter and living on Northumberland near Glasgow. The question is, is he the same John Williams born in 1829, the son of Thomas Williams and Sybil Foxwell?

Analysis:
Argument(s) for:
• The Williams family in general, and John Williams in particular have a prior connection to the city of Guelph
• In the 1871 census, his occupation is listed as carpenter as well [D01565]

Argument(s) against:
• In the 1871 census he is living in Owen Sound [D01565], although he shows up later on living in Little Current, Algoma [D01544] so he did move around a lot at the time.
• In most other sources other than the 1871 census he is listed as being a brewer.

Conclusion: There is not enough evidence either way at this time to rule for or against the John Williams in the Guelph City Directory being the same one.

Sources:
[D01544] Ontario Archives of Ontario, Ontario, Canada Marriages, MS932 Reel 23: 30, 1049, Williams-Hatton; digital images, Ancestry.ca, "Ontario, Canada Marriages,"(accessed 12 May 2018). Rec. Date: 9 Sep 2017. Cit. Date: 12 May 2018.

[D01565] 1871 census of Canada, Ontario, district 37, sub-district 01-g, Owen Sound, p. 28, dwelling 105, family 109; RG 31; digital images(accessed 5 May 2018). Rec. Date: 4 Mar 2017. Cit. Date: 5 May 2018.

[D05546] Guelph City Directory 1873, 1873: 120; digital images, Ancestry.ca accessed 24 Feb 2019. Rec. Date: 24 Feb 2019. Cit. Date: 24 Feb 2019.

X00298 Research John Williams history as a brewer

Much like the others in the Williams family, John Williams (born 1829) worked as a brewer. He first learned the craft while working as part of his father's brewery in Guelph. But he appears to have branched out on his own later on.

In the 1861 census, his occupation was listed as a brewer [D03739] living in Brampton, Peel.



In his death registration, his occupation was listed as a brewer in Owen Sound [D03737].



But more recently, I've discovered that a John Williams opened a brewery in Flesherton, Grey County in 1864 [D05727], although it's not certain whether or not this is the same John Williams. The 1865-66 directory of Grey County does not mention a brewery in Flesherton or a John Williams living there, so if there was a brewery established in 1864, it was short-lived.



So, there's definitely some more research that needs to be done here to fill in the details.

Next Steps:
* Check with the Brampton Public Library for research on Brampton breweries
* Check Brampton directories from the 1860s
* Check Owen Sound resources from the mid-to-late 1880s
* Check for Grey County/Flesherton directories for the early 1860s


Sources
[D03737] Ontario Archives of Ontario, Ontario, Canada Deaths, MS935 Reel 54: 395, 5588, 1; digital image, Ancestry.ca, "Ontario, Canada Deaths," Ancestry.ca (6 May 2018). Rec. Date: 3 Sep 2017. Cit. Date: 6 May 2018.

[D03739] 1861 census of Canada East, Canada West, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia, Peel, sub-district Brampton, Brampton, p. 15; RG 31; digital images, Ancestry.ca (accessed 13 May 2018). Rec. Date: 5 Feb 2018. Cit. Date: 13 May 2018.

[D05727] Cotton, Larry D., Whiskey and Wickedness Volume V - Wellington and Grey Counties, Ontario. Self-published, 2017.

Conflicting Baptism Information for Caroline Seymour Sanders

So, it would appear that there are two baptism records for Caroline Seymour Sanders (wife of Isaac Amos Williams).

First there is D04436


Child's Name: Caroline Seymour
Parents: John Arnold & Fanny Sanders
Baptism date: 15 Mar 1826
Birth date: Not given
Location: Bathwick, Somerset, England



Then, there is D03874


Child's Name: Caroline Seymour
Parents: John Arnold & Fanny Sanders
Baptism date: 28 Aug 1831
Birth date: 13 Sep 1825
Location: Bathwick, Somerset, England


You will note that other family members were baptized at the same time.

I can see two possibilities: either she was baptized twice, once on her own and once with other children in the family, or these baptisms are for two different individuals.

Looking into the possibility of them being from two different individuals, given the common names, common parents names and locations, it would seem to be a very unlikely coincidence that there would be two Caroline Seymours born to two sets of parents with the same name in the same location around the same time. They could both be daughters of the same parents, only one died at a younger age. But it is the later baptism that gives a birth date that occurred before the first baptism date. So that doesn't look like it could be the case.

Therefore, the most likely conclusion is that there were two baptisms: one initially as an individual and one with other members of the family.

X00056 Clarence Douglas in 1921 Census Solved!!

For the longest time, I wasn't able to find Clarence W. Douglas in the 1921 census, I did come across the following person in the 1921 census:



While the name and the age (53) matches, there are a number of things that do not. For one thing the relationship to head of Roomer/servant is a discrepancy. But the biggest one is that he is listed as being from Ireland, of Irish background and immigrated to Canada in 1884, where we know that he is actually of Scottish background and was born in Canada.

On the other hand, the address of the place he was living at was 845 2nd Avenue East, which was the address of the Paterson House where he and George Marron would have been the co-owners in 1921. Sure enough, George Marron and his family are also listed as living there at the time. Owen Sound street directories from show Clarence Douglas living at that same address in 1917 and 1922, which leads me to conclude that this Clarence Douglas in 1921 is the correct one, and the information about his ethnic background was giving incorrectly by someone who did not know him all that well.