52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks

 

Ancestor # 19

Elizabeth Grue (1825-1850)

Elizabeth Grue is an unknown entity in my pedigree chart. I know her name only because it is given on her daughter’s marriage registration in 1874[1]. I have estimated her birth year to be about 1825 based upon the birth of her first child in April 1846. However, she could have been born any time between 1820 and 1830. Her birth place is believed to be Quebec since Grue is a French name. The original French spelling of this name could be Giroulx or Groulx and it is often spelled Grew in English. Elizabeth married John Tweed probably about 1845 based on the birth of her son James in 1846 and probably in either Dundas or Grenville County, Ontario. She died sometime after the birth of her youngest child on 1 July 1850 and before the 1851 Canadian census which was taken as of 12 Jan 1852[2]. At this time her husband was listed as widowed.

In order to see if I could find any candidates for her family in the area, I looked for Grues living in Dundas, Stormont, Grenville, Leeds and Lanark Counties. I found several individuals that all seem to be related and children of Lemuel and Rosanna (Rollande) Grue. I found John Grue in the 1^st Grenville Cavalry in 1839[3]. John was living in Edwardsburg in 1851[4] with Moses, 25, and Rollande identified as mother age 60, widowed. All 3 were born in Quebec. In Leeds County in 1851, I located Peter Grue[5], born Canada East, 32, blacksmith. Peter was married to Allis and had 4 children living in the household. I also found Ann Grue[6], 19, living in Augusta, birthplace not given. Ann could have been a daughter of Lemuel and Rosanna who would have been in her mid-forties when Ann was born, Ann could also have been a daughter of John or Lewis or an unidentified Grue family.

In 1861 I located Peter Grue[7], blacksmith age 42, living in Mountain, Dundas, Ontario with his wife Alace and 7 children. In 1871 Peter was back in Leeds County[8]. In 1871 I found Lewis[9], 60, farmer, living in Edwardsburg with wife Margaret and 3 children and also Moses[10], farmer age 45, living with a wife and 6 children.

Posted pedigrees claim that these individuals were all children of Lemuel and Rosanna. This seems to be borne out by the fact that Rollande, mother, was living with John and Moses in 1851. A daughter, Rosanna, married to Francis Scott has also been identified as a member of this family. Francis and Rosanna did name a son Lemuel.

Proposed family for Lemuel and Rosanna (Rollande) Grue:

      Rosanna born 1806

      Lewis born 1807

      John born 1810

      Peter, born 1812

      Elizabeth born 1825 (?)

      Moses born 1827

      Ann born 1833 (?)

Next steps will be to dig into Quebec records and see if we can find out anything about this family before they moved to Ontario. Also I need to dig further into Dundas County church records to see if I can locate a burial record for Elizabeth.

Children of John and Elizabeth (Grue) Tweed, all born in Mountain:

i.                 James² Tweed, b. abt. 1847 and d. Jan. 5, 1924 in Erie, Penna., m. in 1867 Martha _____, b. 1842 in Penna and d. April 23, 1919 in Erie.

ii.               William Sidney Tweed, b. abt 1849 and d. unk.

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[1] "Ontario, Canada, Marriages, 1801-1928", digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com: accessed 23 mar 2016), entry for William Baldwin and Lizzie Tweed, 16 Jul 1874; citing Archives of Ontario; Series: MS932; Reel: 14

[2] 1851 census of Canada East, Canada West, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, Mountain, Dundas County, Canada West, District 5, Sub-district 36, page 57, line 43, John Tweed; digital image, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com: accessed 23 Sep 2014), citing Library and Archives Canada microfilm, roll C_11717.

[3] “Canada, British Army and Canadian Militia Muster Rolls and Pay Lists, 1795-1850”, digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 23 Apr 2018), John Grue entry, Nov 1838, 1^st Troop of Cavalry of the 1^st Grenville Militia, citing The National Archives, Kew, Surrey, England.

[4] 1851 Census of Canada East, Canada West, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, Grenville County, Canada West, population schedule, Edwardsburg, District 12, Sub-district 101, page 163, line 45, John Grew; digital image, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com: accessed 19 Apr 2018), citing Library and Archives Canada microfilm, roll C_11724.

[5] 1851 census of Canada, Leeds County, Bastard, Peter Grue, p. 31, line 16, roll C_11733.

[6] 1851 census of Canada, Grenville County, Augusta, Ann Grue, p. 121, line 49, roll C_11724.

[7] 1861 Census of Canada, Dundas County, Canada West, population schedule, Mountain, page 69, Peter Grue; digital image: Ancestry.com (http:www.ancestry.com: accessed 19 Apr 2018), citing Library and Archives Canada microfilm, roll C-1014.

[8] 1871 Census of Canada, Leeds South, population schedule, Burgess South, District 67, Sub-district I, Division 1, page 54, family 204, Peter Grew; digital image, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com: accessed 22 Apr 2018), citing Library and Archives Canada microfilm, roll C-10002.

[9] 1871 Census of Canada, Grenville County, population schedule, Edwardsburg, District 69, Sub-district C, Division 3, page 48, family 167, Lewis Grue; digital image, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com: accessed 22 Apr 2018), citing Library and Archives Canada microfilm, roll C-10004.

[10] 1871 Census of Canada, Grenville County, Edwardsburg, p. 63, family 219.

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks

Ancestor # 18

John Tweed (1825-1869?)

John Tweed was born in Ireland about 1825, possibly in Antrim County now part of Northern Ireland of unknown parents. He married Elizabeth Grue about 1846, location unknown, born probably in Quebec and died about 1851 in Mountain, Ontario. The date and location of John’s death is unknown.

I know very little about John Tweed. Here is what I do know. In the1851 census[i], John was enumerated in Mountain, Dundas, Canada West (the name for Ontario at this time). He is 25, widowed, a laborer, Presbyterian, born in Ireland and has Thomas and Sarah Tweed and 3 children in his household. Thomas, age 75, born in Ireland, Presbyterian, Sarah, age 65, born in Ireland, Presbyterian, James, age 6, born in Canada, Presbyterian, William, age 4, born in Canada, Presbyterian, and Elizabeth, age 2, born in Canada, Presbyterian make up the household. The enumerator reported that the family was living in a hovel.

By 1861, the family’s living conditions had improved. The enumerator reported that they now lived in a frame house. John, age 36, was a grocery clerk and lived with James , age 14, William, age 12, Elizabeth, age 10, and Sarah, age 74.[ii]

John owned 60 aces in lot 13, 4^th concession in Mountain Township. He sold 30 acres to John Archibald on 5 Mar 1857[iii] and the remaining 30 acres to Joseph Pear on 5 Apr 1862[iv].  Shortly thereafter the family moved across the St. Lawrence River to New York and eventually Erie, PA. In Aug. 1864 James enlisted in the 11^th US Infantry in Watertown, New York and his brother, William, enlisted in the US Army in 1865 in Cleveland, Ohio. This is the last information we have on William but James settled in Erie, PA, married and had a daughter. He lived there until his death in 1924. In 1870[v] he is living in Erie with Martha, his wife and Lizzie, his sister. Lizzie went back to Mountain for a visit and rekindled her acquaintance with William R. Baldwin, fell in love and married there. The fate of John Tweed is still a mystery. I have been unable to find any trace of him in Erie. I think he might have died between 1862 and 1870 since his daughter was living with her brother in 1870.

This is another instance where DNA has been helpful. I tested at Family Tree DNA and convinced 2 close relatives to test also. I matched 2 sisters who have Tweed ancestors in Quebec. My matches were good but not spectacular. My 2 relatives, however, had very close matches with these 2 sisters and assorted other relatives of these ladies indicating a close relationship, possibly a second to fourth cousin. Unfortunately the family genealogist did not know where in Ireland her ancestor originated. As a matter of fact, she was surprised to find her ancestor, William Tweed, stating that he was born in Ireland in the 1851 census since her grandfather insisted he was a Scotsman.

William Tweed named his eldest son James, his second son after his wife’s father and his third son William John. My ancestor, John Tweed, named his first son James and his second son William Sidney. The names selected by both families indicate a relationship. Neither man named any son Thomas which makes me think that Thomas and Sarah who lived with John in Mountain were not his parents. I need to find a Northern Irish researcher to look at Presbyterian church records in Antrim to see what we can learn.

Children of John and Elizabeth (Grue) Tweed, all born in Mountain:

i.                 James² Tweed, b. abt. 1847 and d. Jan. 5, 1924 in Erie, Penna., m. in 1867 Martha _____, b. 1842 in Penna and d. April 23, 1919 in Erie.

ii.               William Sidney Tweed, b. abt 1849 and d. unk.

iii.              Catherine Elizabeth Tweed, b. July 1, 1850 and d. Feb. 7, 1929 in Galva, Iowa, m. William Reuben Baldwin, b. Jan. 9, 1848 in Inkerman, Ontario and d. May 16, 1911 in St. Thomas, N. Dak., son of Daniel and Ellen (Wilson) Baldwin, on July 16, 1874 in South Gower, Ontario, Canada.

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[i] 1851 census of Canada East, Canada West, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, Mountain, Dundas County, Canada West, District 5, Sub-district 36, page 57, line 43, John Tweed; digital image, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com: accessed 23 Sep 2014), citing Library and Archives Canada microfilm, roll C_11717.

[ii] 1861 Census of Canada, Mountain, Dundas, Ontario, District 7, page 51, Line 43, John Tweed; digital image, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com: accessed 23 Sep 2014), citing Library and Archives Canada microfilm, roll C-1014.

[iii] “Dundas, Ontario, Deed Books 1847-1901”, Mountain Township Book A: p. 48, Memorial # 539, deed and mortgage, 5 Mar 1857; FamilySearch Library, Salt Lake City; FHL microfilm 201,635, accessed 14 Jun 2017.

[iv] “Dundas, Ontario, Deed Books 1847-1901”, Mountain Township Book C, Memorial # 1107, FHL film # 201,602, accessed 14 Jun 2017.

[v] 1870 U.S. census, Erie, Pennsylvania, population schedule, Erie, p. 17 (stamped), dwelling 246, family 261, James Tweed; digital images,: Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com accessed 23 Jan 2017); citing National Archives and Records Administration microfilm M593, roll 1340.

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks

Ancestor # 17

Ellen Wilson (1808-1891)

Ellen Wilson was born in Fermanagh County, Ireland about 1808 and died in Mountain, Dundas County, Ontario[i] on 16 Feb 1891. She is buried with her husband there in the Van Camp United Church Cemetery. She married Daniel Baldwin on 3 January 1833[ii] in the Methodist Church in Mountain. Daniel Baldwin was born on 20 Mar 1804 in Dundas County and died there on 4 Apr 1886.

Nothing is known about Ellen’s parentage. If I were to take an educated guess, I would say that her father was John and her mother was Rachel. Her eldest daughter was named Rachel and this name is rare in the Baldwin family so it is likely to come from the Wilson side. Her other two daughters were named after her husband’s two sisters. Her older son was given the name, John Wilson Baldwin. Her father-in-law was also named John but the addition of Wilson as a middle name leads me to speculate that her father was also named John.

Ellen has several names in the various records I have looked at. She apparently preferred Ellen. This is the name her son gave on his marriage registration and was recorded on 2 census returns. This is also the way her husband referred to her in his will. ‘She was called Eleanor by the minister who married her, and Elinor and Helena on 2 other census returns.

Family records state that Ellen was born near Enniskillen, Fermanagh, Ireland and immigrated when she was 12. The ocean voyage took about 12 weeks from Ireland to Canada and once they arrived, they settled on lot 5, 7^th concession in Edwardsburg Township, Grenville County, Upper Canada. Grenville County lies immediately to the west of Dundas County. Since Mountain Township is on the western edge of Dundas and Edwardsburg on the eastern edge of Grenville, these two townships share a common boundary.

I have done research to determine if there were Wilsons living on lot 5 in the 7^th concession in Edwardsburg in the 1851 census and there were. Newbuck (or Newburgh) Wilson was living there with his wife Sarah Armstrong and their 6 children. But Newbuck Wilson did not arrive in Canada until 1838 and bought his land in 1840 and 1841 from 2 Fraser brothers. So Newbuck was not the Wilson family that Ellen arrived with but he very well may be a relative of hers. Interestingly, his parents are reported to be Robert and Isabella (Blakely) Wilson.

I have had some clues about Ellen’s family from DNA testing. I tested with Family Tree DNA and convinced 2 relatives to test also. One of these relatives matched 2 others with Wilson ancestors from Fermanagh County, Ireland. One relative (B.B.) matched R. Wilson who descends from Thomas and Elizabeth (Blakely) Wilson through their son, Matthew. Matthew settled in Iowa. B.B. also matches descendants of William Toner whose father was Newburgh Wilson (b. 1803 to Robert and Jane (Blakely) Wilson). This Newburgh Wilson was not the Newbuck or Newburgh Wilson who settled in Canada. We have identified 3 Wilson males from Fermanagh County, Ireland who married women named Blakely, I have read that the Blakelys had a large number of daughters.

I also tested at Ancestry DNA and I have searched my matches for possible Wilson matches. I found 2 matches. The first was to the Iowa Wilsons. Thomas and Elizabeth Wilson had 2 sons who immigrated and settled in Iowa, Matthew and Newberry. Newberry, Newburgh, or Newbuck seems to be a family name. I match a descendant from both of these brothers (There was a cousin marriage.). I also match 2 individuals who descend from Andrew Wilson who married Hannah Blakely. Their son, Andrew Gerald Wilson immigrated to Canada and I match 2 of his descendants. All of these matches point to several possible research approaches. I have been thinking of hiring a Northern Irish researcher to help me.

I have selected 1808 as a probable birth year for Ellen based upon her reported age in various documents. Her death certificate states that she was 83 when she died suggesting an 1808 birthdate. This is corroborated by her age of 63 in the 1871 census and 73 in the 1881 census. In the 1851 census taken on 12 Jan 1852 her age at her next birthday was stated as 40 giving her an 1812 birth year. The 61 census gave her age as 51 making her birth year 1810.

Children of Daniel and Ellen (Wilson) Baldwin, all born in Mountain

                 i.          Rachel Mary³ Baldwin b. 11 Feb. 1834, m. abt. 1856, John Wylie and d. 1 Mar 1873 in Mountain of consumption. .

               ii.          Sarah Louisa Baldwin, b. 11 Nov. 1835, m. abt. 1855, Levi Van Camp and d. 16 Jan 1915 in Mountain.

             iii.          John Wilson Baldwin, b. 2 Jul. 1838, m. 20 Feb 1867, Priscilla Adeline Mayhew and d. 23 May 1912 in Woodlands, Selkirk, Manitoba, Canada.

             iv.          Mary Orilla (Polly) Baldwin, b. 5 Nov. 1841, m. 26 Sep. 1858, Henry Levere and d. 19 Jul 1925 in Mountain.

               v.          William Reuben Baldwin, b. 9 Jan. 1848, m. 16 Jul. 1874, Catherine Elizabeth Tweed and d. 16 May 1911 in St. Thomas, Pembina, North Dakota of throat cancer.

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[i] “Ontario, Canada, Deaths 1869-1938, 1943-1944, and Deaths Overseas 1939-1947”, digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com: accessed 23 Dec 2016), Ellen Baldwin death, #015162, citing Archives of Ontario, MS935, Reel 62.

[ii] “Ontario marriages, 1801-1928”, database, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com: accessed 8 Jun 2014), marriage of Daniel Baldwin and Eleanor Wilson, 3 January 1833, Mountain, citing Archives of Ontario, Series MS248, reel 3.