UPPER-CANADA-L Archives

Archiver > UPPER-CANADA > 2001-03 > 0985983891


From: "Lorine McGinnis Schulze" <>
Subject: [UPP-CAN] Re: Johnson/Milne/Quillman/Wallis
Date: Fri, 30 Mar 2001 15:24:51 -0500
In-Reply-To: <B6EA18CD.13F4%jetaylor@interlog.com>




On 30 Mar 2001, at 11:04, Jane E. Taylor wrote:

> I am trying to find the date of death and burial place of my
> greatgreatgrandmother, Rebecca JOHNS(T)ON (nee CROMER).
> She was born in County Kilkenny, Ireland. Her husband,
> William, was in
> the navy or merchant marine (British or U.S). They lived for a
> time in New York City where at least two of their daughters were
> born and baptized. After William's death, sometime between 1850
> - 1871, she moved to Puslinch, Wellington County.

Jane,

Your note to the list doesn't tell us when Rebecca was born,
when you think she might have died, and where you last
found her alive.

Have you traced her movements on the various census
records? You say she went to Puslinch sometime between
1850 and 71. That's a large space of time. Have you found
her on any Puslinch census? Which ones? Who was she
living with or near? A widow would not be likely to move
somewhere unless she had family there.

Was she left a young widow with children? Were her children
grown? Could she have moved to be near one of them?

I would certainly narrow the time frame for her death by
finding her on every census record possible. I would also try
to narrow the location of her death by finding her whereabouts
on the census.

You must also find her children and their whereabouts
because her disappearing from the census doesn't
necessarily mean she died. She may have gone to live with a
married daughter or son in her old age.

A search of the online OCFA 5 revealed over 12 Rebecca
Johns(t)on(e)! Have you eliminated the most likely ones? I
noted a few in Wellington Co and also in Flamborough where
you say she had ties.

You don' t say what religion Rebecca was. That will help to
narrow the burial locations.

Have you searched the Vital Stats indexes for her? Of course
it helps if you can narrow your search by first searching the
census for her last known 'appearance'. An idea of location is
also helpful but not necessary for the VS as you can simply
eliminate each one by slowly going through and finding every
Rebecca Johnstone (and variant spellings) for the time period
18xx to 18xx.

I would make a list (a timeline) showing the exact years you
have found Rebecca and her hubby, where you found them
and what the record is, PLUS any extra details such as age,
children, etc

When you have finished your list, you will easily see where
your gaps are. Basically you want to find out every possible
thing you can about Rebecca. Then start hunting for more,
narrow the time frame for her death, and then sit down and
think about how you can find her in those years. I'm being
somewhat vague only because your email doesn't really give
us an indication of when you might be looking (except for
after 1871!)

If you find her in 1871 census you can check the agricultural
part and see where she is living. If you find her in 1861,
depending on the location (county) you may be able to
consult a separate agricultural section.

How about land records? Did she and William own land? If
they did, the land would most likely pass to her on his death,
and she in turn may have sold it. To find out more about land
records, consult my section of The Olive Tree Genealogy
under Ontario -- Land Records.

Did you check for the surnames of the men who married her
daughters? What about this Quilman in Puslinch? The 1871
census online shows 4 men with that surname (and variant
spellings) in all of Ontario -- and only in Wellington Co
(Puslinch) and Wentworth Co (Flamborough and Beverley)
Those counties just keep coming up! Did she go to live in
Puslinch with her married daughter, Mrs. Quilman

Did you hunt for a will? The Archives of Ontario has indexes
to surrogate and probate court records online, which I have
set up as taglines to this list. If you have not noticed them,
then you can also get there by going to my homepage (The
Olive Tree Genealogy) to my Ontario section, and visiting the
relevant area.

This is only for starters -- there are many more avenues you
could use to try to find her, but first -- narrow the location and
time frame or you'll be a very frustrated researcher!

Remember that elimination of dates and locations is a good
tool. If you can eliminate her living with her children, one by
one, you have learned something. A negative result is also a
beneficial one.

One last item - all the places I mentioned as being online can
be reached from my Olive Tree pages if you dont' know the
URLs

Lorine


Lorine McGinnis Schulze



The Olive Tree Genealogy
http://OliveTreeGenealogy.com/

This thread: