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My husband's 2G grandparents were John Hunter and Nancy Agnes Anderson. We believe they were both Protestants from Strabane. John was a boot and shoemaker, and was born about 1806. A biography of one of his sons says that John emigrated to Canada in 1821, which suggests to us he must have been with his parents, as he would have been only 15 years old. We presume he must have learned his trade from his father.

John and Nancy married in Quebec in 1826, and later moved to Ontario. Their children include Robert B., Thomas Anderson, William John, Nancy Jane, two named Samuel James, Mary Catherine, Hamilton D., Margaret, Elizabeth Maryann, and Louise Mariah. Three of the sons became Methodist preachers - the headstone where two of them are buried is a big stone bible on a plinth that says "Preach the Word"  (a horrendous piece of Victoriana).

We have had no luck tracing either John or Nancy as to their parentage or sibs, and we do think both of them came to Canada with those parents. Anyone out there with Hunters or Andersons from Strabane?

Mary G.

I think prior generations survived terrible losses because they had no other choice - it was one foot in front of the other. Its not a matter of being more accepting of death or less affected by it, although they certainly would have had their heads around the notion that death at any age was a real possibility. Today, in the west, we're shocked and affronted when anyone under the age of 75 dies.

I look at my family tree, and the number of children's deaths is so startling to modern sensibilities - and multiple deaths within the same family within short time frames common, due to outbreaks of illness - I have several examples where two or three children died within a few weeks. I also have many ancestors who had multiple marriages due to the deaths of their spouses. New world colonists in particular remarried fairly quickly because they NEEDED a new spouse for economic and domestic survival - and doubtless they couldn't afford to be too picky among the limited candidates available within geographic range. I do think they had more practical expectations about what marriage involved, and likely did not expect their spouse to be their soul mate, best friend and favourite leisure companion.

I have no doubt that parents loved their children every bit as much 200 years ago as we do today, and just as destroyed by their loss - but they had less time to indulge in emotional collapse. After all, if you have a half dozen other children and a home and farm to keep going (with no labour saving devices and little in the way of store bought clothing or food etc.)....you'd have to get up and get on with it, or everyone's survival would be at stake.

No wonder so many clung to their religious faith for comfort and hope of a better world beyond this one.

Mary

Not sure if you've checked, but the IGI only has one William Ogilvie with a father's name of John. Its a William Alexander Ogilvie born June 8 1855 in Keith, Banff, Scotland to a John Ogilvie and Elizabeth Whyte.

Children listed for this couple include
   1. ISOBEL OGILVIE  - International Genealogical Index
Gender: Female Christening: 23 SEP 1848 Keith, Banff, Scotland
   2. ELIZABETH OGILVIE - International Genealogical Index
Gender: Female Christening: 04 OCT 1846 Keith, Banff, Scotland
   3. JOHN OGILVIE - International Genealogical Index
Gender: Male Christening: 12 DEC 1852 Keith, Banff, Scotland
   4. WILLIAM ALEXANDER OGILVIE - International Genealogical Index
Gender: Male Birth: 08 JUN 1855 Keith, Banff, Scotland
   5. THOMAS OGILVIE - International Genealogical Index
Gender: Male Birth: 23 JAN 1861 Keith, Banff, Scotland
   6. JAMES OGILVIE - International Genealogical Index
Gender: Male Birth: 28 NOV 1856 Keith, Banff, Scotland
   7. CHARLES GEORGE OGILVIE - International Genealogical Index
Gender: Male Birth: 13 APR 1863 Keith, Banff, Scotland
   8. JESSIE ANN OGILVIE - International Genealogical Index
Gender: Female Christening: 10 SEP 1850 Keith, Banff, Scotland

Further, there is a double marriage listing for this couple - first for April 18 1846 in Keith, Banf and second for April 27 1846,
St. Andrews-Lhanbryd, Moray, Scotland

Not sure if this is your family, but worth a shot!

Mary G.

My husband's family are Bertrams from East Lothian, who came to Canada in a trickle between 1860 and 1900 (9 surviving children from one generation and ultimately their parents eventually ended up in Ontario). Anyone else researching this name?

His 2G grandfather was Hugh Bertram, who was the farm stewart for George Hope's farm, Fenton Barns, near Dirleton. Prior generations were from Whitekirk, Aberlady etc.

Other surnames in the line include Mack, Walker, Lamb, Dudgeon, Johnstone and possibly Murray.

Mary G.