COMPLETED (THANKYOU!): Robert and Colin MacLean

[Jacquie in Canada]

I haven't been able to find Duncan on the 1911 Canada census but he is on the 1920 US census in Everett, Snohomish County, Washington. His surname was misspelled McLain on the census. He was listed as being a lodger in the household, age 36, born Scotland, immigrated in 1913 and having applied for citizenship. His parents are listed as having been born in Scotland and his occupation was brakeman for the railway.

Curiously the passenger list I mentioned from Aug 1927 is a Canadian document even though they arrived in New York and it has Duncan and Margaret listed. I just looked at the passenger list in the New York database and Margaret is listed alone.

I don't know if this is him but there is a death in Manhattan County, New York for a Duncan McLean on 16 Sep 1927 (certificate 21238). He was 43. If you want to order a copy of the certificate to see if he is your Duncan, here's a link:
http://www.nyc.gov/html/records/html/vitalrecords/death.shtml

[KatieKazoo]

Jacquie and susano

You are brilliant .  I wouldn't have a clue where to start looking in Canadian records. 

Jacquie - There was a little confusion over which ones had emigrated so looks like the family got one right and one wrong. (Although no sign of a mink farm - maybe that really is a figment of the imagination!!)

I would say Duncan is definitely correct - Rankin is a family name so less room for error.

Robert is a more common name of course but the dates match up so it's probably right.

susano - If you don't mind looking up those registrations for me, that would be really kind of you and I would be very grateful.

Thankyou both - you're brill! KK

[susano]

Hi

I was able to do your look-ups today so if you would like to send me your email address via pm I can email the transcriptions to you.

Thanks.

Susan

[KatieKazoo]

Susan and Jacquie

Thankyou so much. I've just looked at the docs you sent privately and am really pleased.    I'll repay your kindness and do my bit for other Rootschatters whenever I am able.

KK

[Kim Maddin]

Hello, It's 2018 and I have stumbled upon this thread via Ancestry.ca. Robert McLean was my great-grandfather, and I am so pleased to read so much about him! I realize the thread is old but in the event someone checks it, I wanted to confirm that Bob did indeed run a mink farm in the Ladysmith area of BC on Vancouver Island (the unincorporated district area is actually called "Saltair"). It is my understanding that he took over running the farm after my grandmother Margaret "Jean" McLean (Robert's daughter) was widowed. It was originally her husband's idea to start a mink farm (husband was James Arthur Maddin) but he was struck by a tree while working as a logger in the bush and died leaving their three children aged 5 and under. Bob looked after his daughter and three grandchildren and ran the mink farm for some time, with the assistance of his young grandchildren. My father was in charge of preparing the mink food using a grinder at the age of 7-8, and my uncle was the one who put the cyanide in the cages at the age of 6! Bob was also an excellent curler and I think he won the Canadian Championships around 1914. He moved from Winnipeg with his wife to live in a small cabin in Ladysmith, beside his daughter, and lived there until the age of about 91. If KatieKazoo would like to contact me, I would be interested in your relation to him. I didn't know anything about his family or place of origin, would be nice to fill in the gaps. From what I can see, all the information that people in the thread uncovered is true, at least with family names, etc. Real detective work there, I am super impressed. And thankful for the information. Regards, Kim Maddin