52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks

Ancestors # 26 and 27

Joannes Du Four (1791-1856)

Francisca Bernarda Caurvels (1794-1862)

Joannes Du Four was born in Sint-Jan-in-Eremo, Oost Vlaanderen, Belgium in July 1791. He was baptized in the Catholic Church there on 16 July 1791ⁱ, the son of Judocus and Helena (Van Schoonacker) Du Four. He died on 10 February 1856ⁱⁱ. He married Francisca Bernarda Caurvels about 1814 since their first child was born between 1814 and 1816. Francisca was the daughter of Petrus Joannes and Anna Maria (Van De Velde) Caurvels. She was baptized on 15 May 1794ⁱⁱⁱ in Sint Laureins, Oost Vlaanderen, Belgium and died in Sint-Jan-in-Eremo on 27 December 1862^iv.

Names in Flanders can be either in Latin, Dutch or French depending upon the time frame and who was recording the event. Names in Catholic Church records are always given in Latin at least in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. When Napoleon conquered Flanders, the official language became French so names were given in French in civil records from 1796 to 1815. So Joannes is the Latin form of John. The Dutch form is usually Jan and the French would be Jean.

This can cause some confusion. I have noted that as we approach the twentieth century, many names were Anglicized. Therefore, my grandmother's brother Carolus (Latin) or Karel (Dutch) began to be written as Charles in the early 1900's.

Both Joannes and Francisca were described in official documents as a workman or a work woman. This was the term used to describe a general laborer. Joannes may have worked in agriculture for one of his more well-to-do neighbors or he might have worked in one of the construction trades maintaining roads or dikes. Another common occupation in this period was as weaver. Generally the women would spin the thread and the men would weave the cloth. Weaving was a cottage industry and provided some necessary cash for many people. Belgium was particularly known for producing exquisite lace during this period. The coming of the industrial age and machine powered looms destroyed this industry and by the end of the nineteenth century, jobs were scarce in Flanders. This led to a large migration of Flemish people to the United States and Canada from about 1880 to 1910.^v

Children of Joannes and Francisca Bernarda (Carvels) Du Four all born in Sint-Jan-in-Eremo:

1. Franciscus Du Four, b. abt. 1815.
2. Pieter Bernard Du Four, b.30 Aug 1821 and d. 25 Dec 1824.
3. Maria Theresia Du Four, b 1824 and d. 12 Mar 1827.
4. Jacobus Bernardus Du Four, b. 26 Feb 1827.
5. Virginia Du Four, b. 25 Mar 1830 and d. 28 Mar 1867.
6. Peter Bernard Du Four, b. 6 Apr 1833.
7. Rosalie Francisca Du Four, b. 25 Nov 1835 and d. 29 Apr 1900 in Kaprijke, Oost Vlaanderen, Belgium, m. on 11 Oct 1876 to Ivo Van De Veire, b. 30 Apr 1837 in Kaprijke and d. there 21 Jan 1900.

iSint-Jan-Baptist (Sint-Jan-in-Eremo, Oost Vlaanderen, Belgium), Dopen, huwelijken, overlijdens, Register Sint-Jan-in-Eremo, baptism of Joannes Du Four, 1794, p. 1, item 1, FHL film #4458840, digital images, FamilySearch.org (http://www.familysearch.org : accessed 23 Feb 2018)

ii“Registers van de Burgerlijke Stand, 1796-1870”, index and images, FamilySearch.org (http://www.familysearch.org : accessed 13 Sep 2014), 1856, p. 3, item 7, death of Joannes Du Four, film #4189376, citing Gerechtshof te Gent records.

iiiSint Laurentius (Sint-Laureins, Oost Vlaanderen, Belgium), Dopen, huwelijken, overlijdens, Register Sint-Laureins, baptism of Francisca Bernarda Caurvels, p. 2249, item 4, film #4459046, digital images, FamilySearch.org (http://www.familysearch.org : accessed 9 Jul 2018).

iv“Registers van de Burgerlijke Stand, 1796-1870”, index and images,Sint-Jan-in-Eremo Deaths 1862, item 29, death of Francisca Caurvels, film #4189376.

vGoethals, Jozef J. and Karel Denys, CICM, Searching for Flemish (Belgian) Ancestors (Baltimore, MD:Clearfield Publishing, 2007), p. 13-14.

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks

Ancestor # 26

Francisca Eecke (1793-1853)

Francisca Eecke, or Heecke, was born in Kaprijke, Oost Vlaanderen, Belgium on 7 February 1793 and died there on 17 February 1853¹. She was the daughter of Joseph and Maria (Tierlinck) Eecke. She was baptized in Kaprijke on 15 February 1793². Francisca never married her long term partner, Jan Francis Van De Veire. Together they had nine children over a period of nineteen years. Jan Francis Van De Veire was born in Oosteeklo, Oost Vlaanderen, Belgium about 4 Sep 1795 (his baptismal date) and died in Kaprijke on 18 Feb 1870.

Francisca was a peasant woman. Like many of the women of her era, she probably was a spinster. Spinster here does not mean unmarried woman but instead a person who spins fibers into thread. The other likely career open to her would be servant to wealthier neighbors. Because she is a peasant and a woman, we have very few records for her. I feel lucky that we have Catholic Church records and civil registrations that tell us when she was born and when she died.

Francisca and her partner Francis Van De Veire had nine children together over a period of 19 years. Life was not easy in the first half of the nineteenth century. Disease was ever present and there were no antibiotics. Of their nine children, 4 died before the age of 6. They lost one daughter at 18 and a son at 23. Three of their sons survived them.

Children of Jan Francis Van De Veire and Francisca Eecke, all born in Kaprijke:

1. Joris Francis Van De Veire, b. 26 Jul 1818, d. 30 Jun 1842.
2. Karel Francis, b. 5 Feb 1821 and d. 18 Aug 1826.
3. Leonard Bernard, b. 7 Sep 1823. Nothing else is known about him.
4. Sebastian, b. 29 Jan 1825, d. after 1900, m. Trezia Angelina Vonke, b. 1815 in the Philippines, on 19 Nov 1862 in Schoondijke, Netherlands.
5. Paulina, b. 18 Nov 1828 and d. 23 Dec 1846.
6. Sophia, b. 10 Mar 1831 and d. 1 Dec 1836.
7. Seraphina, b. 8 Oct 1832 and d. 3 Oct 1834.
8. Bruno, b. 15 Nov 1834 and d. 3 May 1838.
9. Ivo, b 30 Apr 1837, d. 21 Jan 1900, m. on 11 Oct 1876 in Sint-Jan-in-Eremo, Oost Vlaanderen, Belgium, Rosalia Francisca Du Four, b. 25 Nov 1835 in Sint-Jan-in-Eremo and d. 29 Apr 1900 in Kaprijke.

1 “Registers van de Burgerlijke Stand, 1796-1870”, death of Francisca Eecke, 18 Feb 1870, No. 13,index and images, FamilySearch.org (http://www.fasmilysearch.org : accessed 15 Sep 2014), FHL film # 784,188

2 “Catholic Church of Kaprijke, Oost Vlaanderen, Belgium, Kerkelijke Registers, 1680-1796”, Baptism of Francisca Eecke, p. 23; FamilySearch.org (http://familysearch.org : accessed 26 Mar 2018), FHL film # 4,454,551.

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks

Ancestor # 24

Jan Francis Van De Veire (1795-1870)

Jan Francis Van De Veire was born in Oosteeklo, Oost Vlaanderen, Belgium about 4 September 1795 (baptismal date)¹ and died in Kaprijke, Oost Vlaanderen, Belgium on 18 February 1870². He was the son of Joris Francis and Maria Petronella (Bultinck) Van De Veire. Jan Francis, who was known as “Francis” never married but had a long term relationship with Francisca Eecke (or Heecke). Together they had nine children over a period of nineteen years. Francisca Eecke was born 7 February 1793 in Kaprijke and died there on 17 February 1853.

Francis was a workman; someone who worked at whatever job was available. Many of these jobs were in agriculture. Life in the mid nineteenth century was hard. There was no modern medicine. Of their nine children, 4 died before the age of 6. They lost one daughter at 18 and a son at 23. Three of their sons survived them.

Francis appears in the population registers kept by the municipality of Kaprijke. Starting in 1847, each municipality in Belgium was required to keep a tally of all inhabitants by domicile. Each resident of the home was listed along with their age or birth date. As new residents moved in, they were added with their date of arrival and where they came from. When someone left, the register was updated to reflect the date of departure and where he was going. Births and deaths were also recorded in these books. A new book was started every 10 years. FamilySearchhas.org has digitized and placed online theses registers for Kaprijke starting in 1857.

I have located Francis in 1857³ (age 60) living with his son Ivo, age 19. They are both listed as workmen. In the book starting in 1867⁴, Francis is there and his death is noted in 1870.

Children of Jan Francis Van De Veire and Francisca Eecke, all born in Kaprijke:

1. Joris Francis₄ Van De Veire, b. 26 Jul 1818, d. 30 Jun 1842.
2. Karel Francis, b. 5 Feb 1821 and d. 18 Aug 1826.
3. Leonard Bernard, 7 Sep 1823. Nothing else is known about him.
4. Sebastian, b. 29 Jan 1825, d. after 1900, m. Trezia Angelina Vonke, b. 1815 in the Philippines on 19 Nov 1862 in Schoondijke, Netherlands.
5. Paulina, b. 18 Nov 1828 and d. 23 Dec 1846.
6. Sophia, b. 10 Mar 1831 and d. 1 Dec 1836.
7. Seraphina, b. 8 Oct 1832 and d. 3 Oct 1834.
8. Bruno, b. 15 Nov 1834 and d. 3 May 1838.
9. Ivo, b 30 Apr 1837, d. 21 Jan 1900, m. on 11 Oct 1876 in Sint-Jan-in-Eremo, Oost Vlaanderen, Belgium, Rosalia Francisca Du Four, b. 25 Nov 1835 in Sint-Jan-in-Eremo and d. 29 Apr 1900 in Kaprijke.

1 “Catholic Church of Oosteeklo, Oost Vlaanderen, Belgium, Kerkelijke Registers, 1680-1796”, Baptism of Jan Francis Van De Veire, p. 36; FamilySearch.org (http://familysearch.org : accessed 26 Mar 2018), FHL film # 290,055.

2 “Registers van de Burgerlijke Stand, 1796-1870”, death of Jan Francis Van De Veire, 18 Feb 1870, No. 13,index and images, FamilySearch.org (http://www.fasmilysearch.org : accessed 15 Sep 2014), FHL film # 784,188.

3 “Bevolkingsregisters, 1847-1910”, Francis Van De Veire, Kaprijke (1857-1866), Book 3, p. 148 , FamilySearch.org (http://familysearch.org : accessed 16 Jun 2018), FHL film # 1,783,927, image #660.

4 “Bevolkingsregisters, 1847-1910”, Francis Van De Veire, Kaprijke (1867-1880), Book 3, p. 596 , FamilySearch.org (http://familysearch.org : accessed 16 Jun 2018), FHL film # 1,783,928, image #412.

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks

Ancestor # 23

Charity Winegard (1833-1909)

Charity Winegard was born in Mar 1833 in New York, probably Sharon, Schoharie, New York but possibly Westerlo, Albany, New York and died in St. Thomas, Pembina, North Dakota in 1909. She is the daughter of John and Anna Maria (Barkley) Winegard. She married in 1854 as his second wife, Reuben Elijah Van Camp who was born in Van Camp Mills, Dundas, Ontario, Canada on 7 May 1826 and died on 17 Apr 1888 in St. Thomas, Pembina, North Dakota.

The Winegards were descended from an old Dutch family. Originally the name was spelled Wyngaart or Wyngaard in the early New York records. In the early 1800’s Charity’s grandfather and 2 of his brothers began using the Anglicized version of this name and records after 1800 are usually found under Winegard.

Like most people born in the early 1800’s, Charity’s age and therefore her birth year varies depending upon the record selected. However, it is fairly consistent calculating to either 1833 or 1834. I have chosen 1833 since this is the year given on the 1900 US Census¹. Also the location of her birth varies between Canada and the United States. It is listed as Canada in the 1851 and 1861 Canadian censuses but US in 1871 and 1881 censuses. This is significant since every other person in the household was born in Canada for both years. Since someone made the effort to report a different birth location for Charity, this makes it more likely that it is true. It would be nice to find a baptismal record for her.

Charity was probably the 3^rd of 8 children. There is a 7 year gap between Charity and her older sister Margaret and the 1830 census for John Winegard² lists both a son and a daughter under age 5; this son probably died young. The family lived for several years in the Albany and Schoharie County areas of New York. They moved to Ontario sometime between 1841 when her sister, Mary J., was born and 1845 when her brother, Matthias, was born. Anna Maria’s parents had already settled in Mountain Township and John’s brother, Peter, was living in Williamsburg, another township in Dundas County.

Charity, age 18, is enumerated with her parents in the 1851 census³. When Charity married Reuben in 1854, he had 4 children ranging in age from 1 to 8. She helped to raise these children and the 5 that she and Reuben had together. All of her children were born in Mountain⁴ where the family lived until moving to Oxford, Grenville County⁵ before 1871. They then moved to Montague, Lanark County by 1881⁶. In April 1882 they moved to Pembina County, North Dakota eventually settling in St. Thomas⁷. After Reuben’s death in 1888, she made her home with her son Fred. She is buried in the St. Thomas City Cemetery⁸ with her husband.

Children of Reuben Elijah and Charity (Winegard) Van Camp, all born in Mountain:

i. Catherine Maria Van Camp. b. 24 Sep 1856, d. 8 Jun 1929 in Spokane, Spokane, Washington, m. 16 Jan 1877 in Merrickville, Grenville, Ontario, Abraham Wynne, b. 16 Oct 1849 in Montague, Lanark, Ontario, d., 1 Oct 1928 in St. Thomas.

ii. Jennet Elliott Van Camp. b. 6 Dec 1857, d. 1936 in St. Thomas, m. 20 Nov 1877 in Montague, William Francis Perrin, b. 8 Nov 1855 in Mountain, d. 26 Apr 1926 in St. Thomas.

iii. Frederick Van Camp. b. 31 Mar 1860, d. 13 Apr 1932 in St. Thomas, m. 18 Jan 1899 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Elizabeth Catherine Milligan, b. Jul 1866 in Canada, d. 1934 in St. Thomas.

vi. Alva Van Camp, b. 11 Mar 1862, d. 1905 in St. Thomas, m. Mary Graham Darling in North Dakota, b. 12 May 1858 in Burgoyne, Bruce, Ontario, d. 31 Mar 1937 in Stockton, San Joaqin, California

v. Ira Van Camp, b. 22 Feb 1865, d. 26 Oct 1932 in St. Thomas. Ira served as a Sgt. In the Quarter Master Corp during the Spanish-American War.

Note: Other trees have 2 additional daughters listed for Reuben and Charity – Sarah and Zelma. I have never found any concrete evidence for these children so I have not included them in my family tree. Sarah appears in a transcription of Methodist baptisms with a birth date of 11 Mar 1862. This is Alva’s birthday. There is no mention of a baptism for Alva in these records. If he had been a twin, he should have been baptized at the same time as his sister. I personally think that Sarah was the transcriber’s best guess for the name of the infant being baptized and was really Alva.

1 1900 U. S. census, Pembina County, North Dakota, population schedule, St. Thomas, Enumeration District (E.D.)119, sheet 11A, page 202 (stamped), dwelling 179, family 183, Fred Van Camp; digital image, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 4 Jan 2016), citing National Archives and Records Administration microfilm T623, roll 1230.

2 1830 U. S. census, Albany County, New York, population schedule, Westerlo, page 484, line 2, John Winegard; digital image, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 27 Dec 2016), citing National Archives and Records Administration microfilm M19, roll 84.

3 1851 census of Canada East, Canada West, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, Dundas County, Canada West, Mountain, district 5, sub-district 36, page 17, line 24, John Winegard; digital image, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 23 Nov 2015), citing Library and Archives Canada microfilm, roll C_11717.

4 1861 census of census of Canada East, Canada West, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, Dundas County, Ontario, Mountain, page 35, Reuben Van Camp; digital image, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 14 Dec 2015), citing Library and Archives Canada, roll C-1014.

5 1871 census of Canada, Ontario, district 7, sub-district E, page 3, family 11, Reuben Van Camp; digital image, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 26 Dec 2016), citing Library and Archives Canada, roll C-10005.

6 1881 census of Canada, Ontario, district 111, sub-district F, page 17, family 81, Reuben Van Camp; digital image, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 26 Dec 2016), citing Library and Archives Canada, roll C_13233.

7 Methodism in Drayton, North Dakota, 1878-1978, (Drayton, ND, 1978). p. 227.

8 Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com : accessed 1 Jun 2018), Charity Weingard Van Camp, Memorial # 68127777, citing St. Thomas City Cemetery, St, Thomas, Pembina, North Dakota.

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks

Ancestor # 22

Reuben Elijah Van Camp (1826-1888)

Reuben Elijah Van Camp was born on 7 May 1826 in Van Camp Mills, a small settlement in Mountain Township, Dundas Ontario, Canada and died in St. Thomas, Pembina, North Dakota on 17 April 1888. He is buried in the St. Thomas City Cemetery with his wife Charity. He is the son of Elijah and Catherine (Brouse) Van Camp. He married (1) Nancy Mill in Mountain on 24 Aug 1845. She was born 6 Mar 1827 in Mountain and died there 1 Sep 1853. This was one month after the birth of her fourth child so it is likely that she died of complications of this pregnancy probably a bacterial infection. He married (2) Charity Winegard in 1854 in Mountain. She was born in Sharon, Schoharie, New York in March 1833 and died in St. Thomas in 1909.

Reuben was a farmer like his father and his grandfather before him. In the 1851 census he appears with his wife Nancy and 3 children¹. In the agricultural schedule that same year², he is listed in Concession 3, lot 8 in Mountain Township with 20 acres of land. Of these 20 acres, 14 are woodland and 6 are pasture. From the woodlands, Reuben recovered 35 pounds of maple sugar. His property must have looked gorgeous in the fall. He produced hay from his pasture land and raised sheep. We know he had sheep because he reported producing 24 pounds of wool, 13 yards of fulled cloth and 3 yards of flannel.

One of the benefits of genealogy is that it allows you to explore topics you otherwise would never consider. Since I am a child of the 20^th century, I have no idea what fulled cloth is. I also wonder what the definition of flannel was in 1850. According to Wikipedia, fulling is a process used in the processing of wool cloth. It is also known as walking or tucking probably because it was originally done with human feet. Since medieval times this process has been done with water power which drove hammers against the wool in what was known as a fulling mill. The purpose of fulling is to get the oils and dirt out and to make the cloth fuller which increases its waterproof qualities. Fulling is an ancient process. The earliest known references to fulling date to Greece in the 5^th century B.C³.

Flannel⁴ is a more advanced process in preparing wool cloth for use in making fabrics. It is made from carded wool. Carded wool cloth⁵ is combed to get out the snarls and tangles and to make a soft cloth. Flannel was made from this carded wool and produced a very soft cloth that was used for bedding and nightgowns. Flannel cloth is believed to have originated in Wales in the late 17^th century.

Reuben is still in Mountain in the 1861 census⁶ but now he is married to Charity and he has 7 children. In 1871 the family has moved westward into Oxford, Grenville County⁷ and in 1881 into Montague, Lanark County⁸. He continues to be listed as a farmer. In 1882 he moved his family again and followed his kinsmen and neighbors to Pembina County, North Dakota⁹.

DNA: I have one match to a descendant of Alva and Mary (Darling) Van Camp. I have other DNA matches to Van Camps but our common ancestor is further back. I will note these matches when I do the appropriate ancestor sketch.

Children of Reuben Elijah and Nancy (Mill) Van Camp, all born in Mountain:

i. Jane Elizabeth⁹ Van Camp. b. 17 Mar 1846. Nothing further is known about her.

ii. George Edward Van Camp. b. 26 May 1848, d. 21 Nov 1937 in St. Thomas, m. 5 Jan 1871 in Mountain, Sarah Seymour, b 5 May 1847 in Canada and d. 4 Apr 1916 in St. Thomas.

iii. Phoebe Eliza Van Camp. b. 26 Jan 1851, d. 7 Jan 1916 in Merrickville, Grenville, Ontario, m. 20 Nov 1877 Sterling Francis Van Camp, b. 5 Jun 1854 in Mountain, d. 18 Mar 1938 in Merrickville.

iv. Nancy Harriet Van Camp. b. 1 Aug 1853, d. 19 Sep 1894 in Luther, Boone, Iowa, m. abt. 1883 in St. Lawrence County, New York, Nathan Burlingame, b. 1859 in New York, d. 1934 in Iowa.

Children of Reuben Elijah and Charity (Winegard) Van Camp:

v. Catherine Maria Van Camp. b. 24 Sep 1856, d. 8 Jun 1929 in Spokane, Spokane, Washington, m. 16 Jan 1877 in Merrickville, Abraham Wynne, b. 16 Oct 1849 in Montague, Lanark, Ontario, d., 1 Oct 1928 in St. Thomas.

vi. Jennet Elliott Van Camp. b. 6 Dec 1857, d. 1936 in St. Thomas, m. 20 Nov 1877 in Montague, William Francis Perrin, b. 8 Nov 1855 in Mountain, d. 26 Apr 1926 in St. Thomas.

vii. Frederick Van Camp. b. 31 Mar 1860, d. 13 Apr 1932 in St. Thomas, m. 18 Jan 1899 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Elizabeth Catherine Milligan, b. Jul 1866 in Canada, d. 1934 in St. Thomas.

viii Alva Van Camp, b. 11 Mar 1862, d. 1905 in St. Thomas, m. Mary Graham Darling in North Dakota, b. 12 May 1858 in Burgoyne, Bruce, Ontario, d. 31 Mar 1937 in Stockton, San Joaqin, California

ix Ira Van Camp, b. 22 Feb 1865, d. 26 Oct 1932 in St. Thomas. Ira served as a Sgt. In the Quarter Master Corp during the Spanish-American War.

Note: Other trees have 2 additional daughters listed for Reuben and Charity – Sarah and Zelma. I have never found any concrete evidence for these children so I have not included them in my family tree. Sarah appears in a transcription of Methodist baptisms with a birth date of 11 Mar 1862. This is Alva’s birthday. There is no mention of a baptism for Alva in these records. If he had been a twin, he should have been baptized at the same time as his sister. I personally think that Sarah was the transcriber’s best guess for the name of the infant being baptized and was really Alva.

Footnotes:

1 1851 census of Canada East, Canada West, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, Dundas County, Canada West, population Schedule (A), Mountain, district 5, sub-district 36, page 35, line 15, Reuben Van Camp; digital image, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 14 Dec 2015), citing Library and Archives Canada, roll C_11717.

2 1851 census of Canada, population schedule (B), page 114, line 9, Reuben Van Camp.

3 “Fulling”, Wikipedia.com, (https://en.wikipedia.com/wiki/fulling : accessed 18 May 2018)

4 “Flannel”, Wikipedia.com.

5 “Carding”, Wikipedia.com.

6 1861 census of census of Canada East, Canada West, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, Dundas County, Ontario, Mountain, page 35, Reuben Van Camp; digital image, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 14 Dec 2015), citing Library and Archives Canada, roll C-1014.

7 1871 census of Canada, Ontario, district 7, sub-district E, page 3, family 11, Reuben Van Camp; digital image, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 26 Dec 2016), citing Library and Archives Canada, roll C-10005.

8 1881 census of Canada, Ontario, district 111, sub-district F, page 17, family 81, Reuben Van Camp; digital image, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 26 Dec 2016), citing Library and Archives Canada, roll C_13233.

9 Methodism in Drayton, North Dakota, 1878-1978, (Drayton, ND, 1978). p. 227.

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks

Ancestor # 21

Catherine Shannon (1815-1891)

Catherine Shannon was born in Ireland about 1815 and died in Montague, Lanark, Ontario, Canada on 17 Dec 1891. According to some online trees, her parents were John and Elizabeth (?) Shannon. She married Edward Wynne in Beckwith, Lanark, Ontario, Canada on 2 Apr 1838ⁱ. He was born about 1812 in County Kilkenny, Ireland and died in Montague on 9 Jan 1890. He was the son of William and Mary (Benn) Wynne.

By September 1845 the family was settled on lot 5 in the second concession of Montague Township in Lanark County. Here they remained for the rest of their lives raising a family of 14 children and farming. This family was not enumerated in the 1851 census in Montague; returns for part 1 and 2 are missing. The family was enumerated in 1861, 1871, 1881 and 1891ⁱⁱ.

I have inherited my great grandfather Wynne’s Bible. The inscription in the front reads, “Mr. Abraham Wynne’s Bible. Presented to him by his affectionate mother, March 17, 1876, Montague.” I am not sure but I believe this was written by Catherine. When I first got the Bible, I did not even know the name of this “affectionate mother”. I now know her name but still do not know much about her family. But DNA has produced some tantalizing leads.

My first step when I got the hint that Catherine’s parents were John and Elizabeth Shannon was to see what Shannons lived in the Lanark area in 1851. There were no Shannons recorded in Lanark County in the 1851 census. This is not surprising since several portions of this census are missing. I did find a John Shannon, 78, born in Ireland in the 1861 censusⁱⁱⁱ. He was living with Elizabeth, 79 and born in Ireland and John Shannon, 34 and born in Ireland. They are living on lot 26 in the 12 Concession in Drummond Township according to the agricultural schedule. An entry in the land record index says a John Shannon purchased the SW ½ of lot 26 from the crown on 5 Jun 1852^iv. On 3 Mar 1863 John Shannon transferred his interest in this land^v to his son, Alexander Shannon, with the stipulation that Alexander would allow his parents to live on the farm freely for their natural life and would keep his father in tobacco.

Alexander Shannon married Jane Conboy on 22 Sep 1862 in Beckwith, Lanark, Ontario^vi. His parents are listed as John and Elizabeth Shannon and his residence as Drummond. In the 1861 census of Canada he was living either next door to or with George and Jane Dowdall^vii. Jane Dowdall’s tombstone in St. John’s Anglican Cemetery in Innisville, Lanark, Ontario gives her maiden name as Shannon. Jane named her eldest daughter Elizabeth and her eldest son John. She also named a son Alexander, perhaps after her brother.

Another possible child for John and Elizabeth Shannon surfaced in my DNA results. On Ancestry I have 2 matches who have an Elizabeth Shannon married to John Dowdall in their trees; I match descendants of 2 different children. Elizabeth also was born in Ireland and died in Beckwith. Her husband, John Dowdall, is a brother of George Dowdall. Her marriage record^viii states she is a resident of Drummond and one of the witnesses was John Shannon. She named one of her daughters Catherine, perhaps after her sister.

I have assembled a possible family for Catherine Shannon as follows:

John (b. ca. 1783) and Elizabeth (b. ca. 1782) Shannon

Catherine, born about 1816

Elizabeth, born about 1818

Jane, born 1823

John, born about 1826

Alexander born about 1827

Children of Edward and Catherine (Shannon) Wynne, all born in Ontario, Canada probably in or near Montague:

1. Mary Jane³.Wynne, b. abt. 1838. Nothing else is known about her.
2. Elizabeth Wynne, b. 11 Jun 1839 in Merrickville, Grenville, Ontario, d. 31 Jul 1929 in Toronto, Ontario. She never married and was a housekeeper.
3. Wesley Wynne, b. abt. 1843. Nothing else is known about him.
4. Margaret Evaline Wynne, born 17 Feb 1845 and d. 10 Jun 1922 in North Bay, Nipissing, Ontario, m. John Atkin Thorpe on 5 Oct 1871 in Montague. He was born 11 Jun 1843, County Wexford, Ireland and d. 10 Jul 1912 in North Bay.
5. Sarah Wynne, born 2 Sep 1847, d. after 1920, m. Charles Thorpe 16 Sep 1876 in Carelton County, Ontario. Charles was born 16 Oct 1846 in Ireland and d. after 1920.
6. Abraham Wynne, born 16 Oct 1849 and d. 1 Oct 1928 in St. Thomas, Pembina, North Dakota, m. 16 Jan 1877 in Merrickville, Catherine Maria Van Camp, b. 24 Sep 1856 in Mountain, Dundas, Ontario and d. 8 Jun 1929 in Spokane, Spokane, Washington.
7. Edward Wynne, b. abt. 1851. Nothing else is known about him.
8. Catherine Wynne, b. abt 1852 and d. unk. She married on 31 Dec 1873 in Bruce County, Ontario, Lachlan Boyd, b. abt. 1847 in Ontario.
9. Jane Wynne, b. 27 Feb 1852 and d. 7 Feb 1925 in North Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. She married William Wilson, b. 1 Mar 1853 in Aberdeen, Scotland and d. 30 Sep 1926 in North Vancouver.
10. William Nathan Wynne, b. 13 Apr 1853 and d. 3 Jul 1918 in Breckinridge, Wilkin, Minnesota. He married on 9 Jan 1878 in Walkerton, Bruce, Ontario Janet McDougall, b. 16 Dec 1858 in Harriston, Wellington, Ontario and d. 14 Apr 1916 in Grafton, Walsh, North Dakota.
11. Hezekiah Howard Wynne, b. 29 Sep 1854. Nothing else is known about him.
12. Albert H. Wynne, b. 20 Apr 1857, d. 2 Mar 1914 in Carleton Place, Lanark, Ontario. He married 14 Feb 1899 in Carelton Place, Mary Ellen Dowdall, b. 17 Sep 1864 in Lanark County and d. 2 Dec 1949.
13. Alice Helena Wynne, b. 11 Mar 1862 and d. abt 1940, m. 28 Dec 1898 William Henry Dowdall, b. 12 Jul 1859 in Lanark County and d. 1947.
14. Frederick Wynne, b. 26 May 1865. Nothing else is known about him.

i “Ontario District Marriage Registers, 1801-1858”, database with images, FamilySearch.org, (http://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q2C1-2LH1 : 17 March 2018), Edwd Winn and Catherine Shannon, 2 Apr 1838; citing Bathurst, Lanark, Ontario, Canada, Archives of Ontario, Toronto: FHL microfilm 1,030,051.

ii 1861 Census of Canada, Lanark County, Canada West, population Schedule, Montague, District 9, page 13, line 23, Edward Wynne; digital image, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com: accessed 1 Jan 2016), citing Library and Archives Canada microfilm, roll C-1042-1043.

1871 Census of Canada, Lanark South, Ontario, population schedule, Montague, District 79, Sub-district a, Division 1, page 94, family 314, Edward Wynn; digital image, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com: accessed 1 Jan 2016), citing Library and Archives Canada microfilm, roll C-10017.

1881 Census of Canada, Lanark South, Ontario, population schedule, Montague, District 111, Sub-district J, Division 1, page 21, family 101, Edward Wynne: digital image, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com: accessed 1 Jan 2016), citing Library and Archives Canada microfilm, roll C_13233.

        1891 Census of Canada, Lanark, Ontario, population schedule, Montague, District 84, Sub-district G, page 21, family 95, Catherine Wynne; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com: accessed 26 Dec 2016), citing Library and Archives Canada microfilm, roll T-6349.

iii 1861 Census of Canada, Drummond, p. 36, John Shannon, Jr.

iv “Ontario Archives land record Index (ca. 1780-ca. 1920)”, Family History Library, microfiche, accessed 12 Jun 2017: entry for John Shannon, film #6330467; citing Archives of Ontario records.

v “Lanark, Ontario, Deed Books, 1800-1959”, digital images, FamilySearch.org (http://www.familysearch.org: accessed 13 May 2018), Transfer John Shannon to Alexander Shannon, book 2D, memorial 269, FHL film #200720.

vi “Ontario, Canada Marriages”, digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 31 Jul 2017); marriage of Alexander Shannon and Jane Conboy, citing Archives of Ontario, Series MS248, Reel 9.

vii 1861 Census of Canada, Beckwith, Alexander Shannon, p. 44.

viii “Ontario, Canada Marriages”, John Dowdall and Elizabeth Shannon, reel 1.

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks

Ancestor # 20

Edward Wynne (1812-1890)

Edward Wynne was born in County Kilkenny, Ireland probably near or at Castlecomer about 1812 and died in Montague, Lanark, Ontario, Canada on 9 Jan 1890. According to family stories, he was the son of William and Mary (Benn) Wynne, although I have no proof for this. He married Catherine Shannon in Beckwith, Lanark, Ontario, Canada on 2 Apr 1838¹. She was born about 1815 in Ireland and died in Montague on 17 Dec 1891. She was the daughter of John and Elizabeth (?) Shannon.

Edward’s actual birth date is not known. In the 1861 census² his age was given as 47 (birth year 1814), in 1871³ as 60 (birth year 1811) and 1881⁴ as 68 (birth year 1813). His tombstone⁵ gives his age at death as 78 making 1812 his birth year. So I have chosen to use 1812 as a good estimate.

The story in the Wynne family says William and Mary Wynne and their children left Ireland in 1818 sailing out of Sligo on the ship Ashionic and settled in Lanark County. Following the Napoleonic War and the Battle of Waterloo, prices for grain and other agricultural products dropped drastically; there were no great armies to feed any more. Land owners were losing money and many of them switched to raising livestock, notably sheep, instead of grain. They cancelled leases forcing many to leave the land and consider other means of supporting their families. This happened throughout the British Isles not just in Ireland⁶.

When the Wynne family arrived in Lanark County, they were on the frontier. Smiths Falls is on the Rideau River and was settled shortly after the American Revolution by Loyalists. Montague Township was surveyed in 1797⁷ and the surveyor took a census of the inhabitants. At that time 8 men were enumerated.

The early life of this family remains a mystery. The first record that Edward created was his marriage in 1838. On 20 Sep 1845 he recorded a land grant from the British crown in Montague Township, specifically 100 acres in lot 5 of the second concession⁸. Edward paid £60 for this land. It is likely that he had settled here and been farming it for several years before applying for his grant. He would remain on this land for the rest of his life.

This family was not enumerated in the 1851 census in Montague; returns for part 1 and 2 are missing. The family was enumerated in 1861:

Edward, born Ire., Church of England, 47, farmer, married

Catherine, born Ire., 45, married

Mary, born Can., 22; Elizabeth, 20; Wesley, 18, laborer; Jane, 17; Margaret, 16; Sarah, 14, in school; Abraham, 11, in school; Edward, 10, in school; Catherine, 9, in school; William N., 8, in school; Hezekiah, 6, in school; Albert, 4

Edward and his family were enumerated in 1871 and 1881 in the same location. Two more children were born in the 1860s for a total of 14 children.

DNA Matches

I have a few matches. Hopefully more will be forthcoming. They are:

2 second cousins

2 4^th cousins who descend from Edward’s siblings, 1 through Ann Wynne who married William James and 1 through John Wynne who married Isabella Poole

1 4^th cousin who has a hidden tree and did not respond to my inquiry. However, she matches these 2 4^th cousins as well so it is likely she descends from this line.

Children of Edward and Catherine (Shannon) Wynne, all born in Ontario, Canada probably in or near Montague:

1. Mary Jane.Wynne, b. abt. 1838. Nothing else is known about her.
2. Elizabeth Wynne, b. 11 Jun 1839 in Merrickville, Grenville, Ontario, d. 31 Jul 1929 in Toronto, Ontario. She never married and was a housekeeper.
3. Wesley Wynne, b. abt. 1843. Nothing else is known about him.
4. Margaret Evaline Wynne, born 17 Feb 1845 and d. 10 Jun 1922 in North Bay, Nipissing, Ontario, m. John Atkin Thorpe on 5 Oct 1871 in Montague. He was born 11 Jun 1843, County Wexford, Ireland and d. 10 Jul 1912 in North Bay.
5. Sarah Wynne, born 2 Sep 1847, d. after 1920, m. Charles Thorpe 16 Sep 1876 in Carelton County, Ontario. Charles was born 16 Oct 1846 in Ireland and d. after 1920.
6. Abraham Wynne, born 16 Oct 1849 and d. 1 Oct 1928 in St. Thomas, Pembina, North Dakota, m. 16 Jan 1877 in Merrickville, Catherine Maria Van Camp, b. 24 Sep 1856 in Mountain, Dundas, Ontario and d. 8 Jun 1929 in Spokane, Spokane, Washington.
7. Edward Wynne, b. abt. 1851. Nothing else is known about him.
8. Catherine Wynne, b. abt 1852 and d. unk. She married on 31 Dec 1873 in Bruce County, Ontario, Lachlan Boyd, b. abt. 1847 in Ontario.
9. Jane Wynne, b. 27 Feb 1852 and d. 7 Feb 1925 in North Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. She married William Wilson, b. 1 Mar 1853 in Aberdeen, Scotland and d. 30 Sep 1926 in North Vancouver.
10. William Nathan Wynne, b. 13 Apr 1853 and d. 3 Jul 1918 in Breckinridge, Wilkin, Minnesota. He married on 9 Jan 1878 in Walkerton, Bruce, Ontario Janet McDougall, b. 16 Dec 1858 in Harriston, Wellington, Ontario and d. 14 Apr 1916 in Grafton, Walsh, North Dakota.
11. Hezekiah Howard Wynne, b. 29 Sep 1854. Nothing else is known about him.
12. Albert H. Wynne, b. 20 Apr 1857, d. 2 Mar 1914 in Carleton Place, Lanark, Ontario. He married 14 Feb 1899 in Carelton Place, Mary Ellen Dowdall, b. 17 Sep 1864 in Lanark County and d. 2 Dec 1949.
13. Alice Helena Wynne, b. 11 Mar 1862 and d. abt 1940, m. 28 Dec 1898 William Henry Dowdall, b. 12 Jul 1859 in Lanark County and d. 1947.
14. Frederick Wynne, b. 26 May 1865. Nothing else is known about him.

1 “Ontario District Marriage Registers, 1801-1858”, database with images, FamilySearch.org, (http://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q2C1-2LH1 : 17 March 2018), Edwd Winn and Catherine Shannon, 2 Apr 1838; citing Bathurst, Lanark, Ontario, Canada, Archives of Ontario, Toronto: FHL microfilm 1,030,051.

2 1861 Census of Canada, Lanark County, Canada West, population Schedule, Montague, District 9, page 13, line 23, Edward Wynne; digital image, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com: accessed 1 Jan 2016), citing Library and Archives Canada microfilm, roll C-1042-1043.

3 1871 Census of Canada, Lanark South, Ontario, population schedule, Montague, District 79, Sub-district a, Division 1, page 94, family 314, Edward Wynn; digital image, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com: accessed 1 Jan 2016), citing Library and Archives Canada microfilm, roll C-10017.

4 1881 Census of Canada, Lanark South, Ontario, population schedule, Montague, District 111, Sub-district J, Division 1, page 21, family 101, Edward Wynne: digital image, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com: accessed 1 Jan 2016), citing Library and Archives Canada microfilm, roll C_13233.

5 Find a Grave, database and images (http://www.findagrave.com : accessed 6 May 2018), Find a Grave Memorial No. 101333437, citing Union Cemetery, Merrickville, Leeds and Grenville, Ontario, Canada; Maintained by Patricia Casjens (contributor 46532323).

6 McGill, Jean S., A Pioneer History of the County of Lanark (T, H, Best Printing Co. Ltd, 1968), p. 4-5.

7 McGill, p. 1.

8 Land Records of Lanark County, 1802-1921, Montague Township (v. 2E), 1875-1878; FHL microfilm 200,710; Memorial No. 1128, Crown to Edward Wynne.