A N. Ireland/ Ontario missing-person mystery.

[karenb]

I have another dead end and vanishing person mystery and would love some assistance.

Anyone up to a little sleuthing ?

I have inherited a magnificent oil painting which is a portrait of an ancestor and probably done in the 1850s or 1860s.  It used to hang in my Grandparent's house and the fellow in the portrait was referred to as "Uncle Daniel".  No one really knew much about him but there were stories that he was the black sheep of the family and had to marry a well off lady as he had gotten her pregnant.  I don't know if this is true or not.

His name was Daniel Bell and was my direct ancestor's older brother.  He was born ca. 1823 in Glenavy, Northern Ireland near Belfast and came to Canada in the early 1840s with his siblings and they settled at Oro, Simcoe near Crown Hill.

His wife was Elizabeth Low (or Lowe) the daughter of John Low of Belfast.  I believe he was a customs inspector or held some high position at the port in Belfast.

I suspect Daniel married Elizabeth in Ireland but can't find a marriage.  Perhaps he just ran away with her but I somehow doubt that as he wasn't a person of money and someone paid good money to have that portrait painted.

It is mentioned in the obituary of a sister that Daniel was among one of the first schoolmasters of Barrie, Ontario.  I actually thought I would be able to find something about him after finding that but nothing so far.

I have also stumbled upon a mention of a Daniel Bell as a member of the Constock company in Barrie 1857 which published an early newpaper.  I don't know if this is the same person but there wouldn't have been many Daniels around at that time.

The only REAL proof of his existence is the 1861 census.

BELL 1861 census @ca.on.374 page 030 line 06
ca.on.simcoe.barrie_town section 2
6 BELL Daniel m 38 married
7 BELL {?} Elizabeth f 30 married
8 BELL John m 8
9 BELL William m 6
10 BELL Daniel m 5 


I can't find any sign of him or his family in any later census and I think he likely died before the 1871 census.

Would anybody possibly be able to find out anything about:
 
1) John Low and family in Belfast
2) Daniel himself
3) What happened to his wife and children?

I somehow find it slightly odd that his portrait ended up with his brother's family considering he had 3 male heirs.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Sincerely,
Karen

[TF13]

hi karen,

there is a marriage of a daniel bell to elizabeth lowe 11-nov-1847
may street presbyterian church
shankill parish
belfast.

is the date too late if you're sure daniel was in canada in the early 40's?

tony

[KarenM]

Hi Karen,

Could Elizabeth have returned to Ireland with the children?

I see you are in Germany, but have you been to the Barrie Public Library?

Karen

[karenb]

Wow, Tony that's great.  Thanks.  I honestly don't know when exactly he came to Canada but seeing when the children listed in the census were born that marriage would fit.

I do know that 12 Bell sibling all came to Canada and from the wording of the one obituary it appears that they didn't all come at the same time.  Catherine (whose obit it is) left Belfast on Easter 1843 with her brother Edward.  There is a mention about Edward building a house in 1845 and being helped by his brother Arthur - "who had also come over in the meantime".  It is quite possible that Daniel came over even later.

Another little mystery - on an unconfirmed online tree - there is an eldest daughter Catherine b. abt. 1841.  In a publication called Kith'n Kin she is however listed as Catherine Lowe, Irish and married to a Drury.  I realize there is a 6 year difference between her birth and the marriage you found but I wonder if that may be the illegitimate child the family stories mentioned?  My Grandpa always joked about a "shot-gun" wedding but you know how exaggerated some family stories are. 

Tony- do you have any access to births or baptisms in Belfast?  Perhaps there may be something for Catherine Lowe which names her mother or parents?

Hi KarenM,

I have no idea.  I have actually found a widow Elizabeth Bell, Irish, in the 1881 census with sons John & William living with a Gamble family at Proton, Grey East.  However the ages of the sons are wrong and the religion is Wesleyan Methodist.  The other Bell cousins were all C of E.

Unfortunately, I haven't been able to get to the Barrie library.  I made it to a cemetery there on my last visit but with an uninterested husband and 2 small children the library just wasn't in.  I hope to get back in 2010 but perhaps I should just e-mail them and see if anyone can help.

thanks,
Karen

[karenb]

Hi again Tony,

I think I just stumbled upon the 1847 marriage you had referred to and although I can't access all the details (pay-per-view) it notes Daniel's father as WILLIAM.

Was he named in the marriage you found?

Daniel's father was a William so that would fit.

Karen

[TF13]

no karen,there was no father listed on the one i looked at but the odds would be its the same one. the pay-per-view site can end up being expensive but there cant be too many daniel bell's getting married in 1847 in belfast .there would be a marriage cert available for the daniel bell married in the presbyterian church,non-catholic civil registration started in 1845,which should give you both fathers names.

why dont you try a post on the antrim board and see what other people can find? i don't know how many visit the common room,too many arguements over here ,so they mightn't have seen this thread.

tony

[karenb]

Thanks Tony,

The pay-per view site also lists Elizabeth's father as John so it's looking good so far.

Will pop over to the Antrim board.

Karen

[KarenM]

Unfortunately, I haven't been able to get to the Barrie library.  I made it to a cemetery there on my last visit but with an uninterested husband and 2 small children the library just wasn't in.  I hope to get back in 2010 but perhaps I should just e-mail them and see if anyone can help.

Ok, well I have to go to the library next week (when all the kids are back in school) so I can see if they have any in him.  Their genealogy room has some great resources.

Karen

[KarenM]

Hi Karen,

Just looking at your some of your Bell's.

Found Arthur Bell, son of William and Sarah born Ireland who married Sophia Drury in 1860 in Oro.  There is also a death for him in 1900, Crown Hill.  Perhaps there is an obit. for him which might have some clues to Daniel 

Karen