How many people with the names of Richard and Mary White could there possibly be in Southern Ontario in the 1800s? The answer--more than you can imagine!
I'm continuing to research Doug's family history. I started on Doug's Mom's side--whose maiden name was White--because there was a great deal of information already done by family members. My grateful thanks to Doug's Aunt and her family for not only keeping us all connected, but for the many hours of work they've done on the White family history. At the 2007 reunion on the farm near Gull Lake, Saskatchewan, the attendees updated their family information so we have recent lists available.
One of my goals was to go back in time. The White side of the family was well documented back to Doug's Great Grandparents--both Willliam White and Caroline Killaby White were born in Canada. My goal was to get the ancestors out of Canada and back to Europe so I continued going back in time, using the information kindly shared with me from the White family descendants as well as using sites such as Ancestry.com, www.canadianheadstones.com and others.
We knew that there were two generations of Richard and Mary Whites who should be buried in Ontario. I've summarized some of what I've confirmed and found in the paragraphs below.
Doug's Great-Great-Great Grandparents--Richard White (1772-1866) and Mary Teskey White (1777-1842)--came to Canada from Limerick County, Ireland. Mary's parents were Christopher Teskey (1752-1837) and Sarah Ann Bowen Teskey (1761-1846). I have more dates and information about the Teskey family if anyone reading this is interested. Some of that information will also be included in my second book--due out in late fall 2016.
Back to Richard and Mary--the ones I've figured out, I think! Richard and Mary were married February 10, 1801, in the Parish Church in Rathkeale, Ireland. Rathkeale is 30 kilometers/18 miles south of the city of Limerick.
There is a Richard White listed on an immigration form as head of household who arrived at L'Assomption, Quebec, Canada, in 1825. L'Assomption is near Montreal. He was enumerated in the 1831 Census for Lacolle, Le Haut-Richelieu, which is 111 km/69 miles from L'Assomption. Family records indicated they lived at Lacolle so that is probably the correct Richard White.
The family later lived in Cannington--part of the original Brock Township in Southern Ontario. Richard and Mary Teskey White are buried in St. John Cemetery, South of Sunderland Road. For a photo of their tombstone, please see https://www.canadianheadstones.com/on/view.php?id=510759
So far, so good. Now comes the confusing part. Richard and Mary had a son--Richard--who married a woman named--you guessed it, Mary. There are more than one Richard and Mary White born approximately the same years who happened to die in about the same years as well--very inconvenient of them for those of us trying to do family research. Unfortunately, more than one family also named their sons, William. I thought I could confirm the next generation and work backwards, but William was also a common name.
So, I'm unsure of one generation of Richard and Mary--the Second, let's call them. If anyone reading this can help, please contact me.
Now, I'm starting on the Cathro side of the family. A relative of Doug's--her grandfather and Doug's grandfather were brothers--contacted me through this website and has kindly offered to share the genealogy work she's done. She lives in Dundee, Scotland, which is where the Cathro family came from to Canada in 1926. She has also offered to help with information on Doug's Grandma Cathro's side--her family name was Taylor. Thank goodness for extended relatives who contact me through my website--I'd love to hear from more of you, if anyone out there is related on any branches of the family tree. Even if you're not related, but you can give me some hints on further tracing elusive ancestors, please write me a comment. It's very lonely with this one-sided conversation on my musings.
Doing family research is like completing a 1,000-piece puzzle with several missing pieces. It's never-ending, but immensely interesting. If anyone is thinking about a project which is never finished, try doing family history.
Happy New Year everyone. May 2016 bring you health, happiness, and many clues about your ancestors!
I'm continuing to research Doug's family history. I started on Doug's Mom's side--whose maiden name was White--because there was a great deal of information already done by family members. My grateful thanks to Doug's Aunt and her family for not only keeping us all connected, but for the many hours of work they've done on the White family history. At the 2007 reunion on the farm near Gull Lake, Saskatchewan, the attendees updated their family information so we have recent lists available.
One of my goals was to go back in time. The White side of the family was well documented back to Doug's Great Grandparents--both Willliam White and Caroline Killaby White were born in Canada. My goal was to get the ancestors out of Canada and back to Europe so I continued going back in time, using the information kindly shared with me from the White family descendants as well as using sites such as Ancestry.com, www.canadianheadstones.com and others.
We knew that there were two generations of Richard and Mary Whites who should be buried in Ontario. I've summarized some of what I've confirmed and found in the paragraphs below.
Doug's Great-Great-Great Grandparents--Richard White (1772-1866) and Mary Teskey White (1777-1842)--came to Canada from Limerick County, Ireland. Mary's parents were Christopher Teskey (1752-1837) and Sarah Ann Bowen Teskey (1761-1846). I have more dates and information about the Teskey family if anyone reading this is interested. Some of that information will also be included in my second book--due out in late fall 2016.
Back to Richard and Mary--the ones I've figured out, I think! Richard and Mary were married February 10, 1801, in the Parish Church in Rathkeale, Ireland. Rathkeale is 30 kilometers/18 miles south of the city of Limerick.
There is a Richard White listed on an immigration form as head of household who arrived at L'Assomption, Quebec, Canada, in 1825. L'Assomption is near Montreal. He was enumerated in the 1831 Census for Lacolle, Le Haut-Richelieu, which is 111 km/69 miles from L'Assomption. Family records indicated they lived at Lacolle so that is probably the correct Richard White.
The family later lived in Cannington--part of the original Brock Township in Southern Ontario. Richard and Mary Teskey White are buried in St. John Cemetery, South of Sunderland Road. For a photo of their tombstone, please see https://www.canadianheadstones.com/on/view.php?id=510759
So far, so good. Now comes the confusing part. Richard and Mary had a son--Richard--who married a woman named--you guessed it, Mary. There are more than one Richard and Mary White born approximately the same years who happened to die in about the same years as well--very inconvenient of them for those of us trying to do family research. Unfortunately, more than one family also named their sons, William. I thought I could confirm the next generation and work backwards, but William was also a common name.
So, I'm unsure of one generation of Richard and Mary--the Second, let's call them. If anyone reading this can help, please contact me.
Now, I'm starting on the Cathro side of the family. A relative of Doug's--her grandfather and Doug's grandfather were brothers--contacted me through this website and has kindly offered to share the genealogy work she's done. She lives in Dundee, Scotland, which is where the Cathro family came from to Canada in 1926. She has also offered to help with information on Doug's Grandma Cathro's side--her family name was Taylor. Thank goodness for extended relatives who contact me through my website--I'd love to hear from more of you, if anyone out there is related on any branches of the family tree. Even if you're not related, but you can give me some hints on further tracing elusive ancestors, please write me a comment. It's very lonely with this one-sided conversation on my musings.
Doing family research is like completing a 1,000-piece puzzle with several missing pieces. It's never-ending, but immensely interesting. If anyone is thinking about a project which is never finished, try doing family history.
Happy New Year everyone. May 2016 bring you health, happiness, and many clues about your ancestors!
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