Abernethy from Portsoy to British Columbia

[Josephine]

It looks like she's listed as Jane in 1911 in Vancouver City:

Samuel Abernethy, Married, Head born 1881, age 30
Violet Abernethy, Wife, born Aug 1886, age 24
Ethel Abernethy, Daughter, born Oct 1908, age 2
Jane Abernethy, Mother-in-law, Widowed, born Dec 1841, age 70

It's odd that she has the same surname as her son-in-law.  Could he be her stepson?

Regards,
Josephine

[Josephine]

The B.C. Archives website has a marriage:

Samuel Abernethy +
Violet Ethel Henderson
in Port Moody, B.C.
1 January 1908

There's a death for Samuel Abernethy 17 July 1942 in Vancouver. 

His death & marriage records should list his parents' names.

Regards,
Josephine

[KarenM]

At www.ancestorsonboard.com there is an "Abernethy", Female, age 49, who sailed from Glasgow to Montreal in 1890.

It's pay per view at www.ancestorsonboard, but you can go to
http://www.collectionscanada.ca/archivianet/passenger/001045-100.01-e.php?PHPSESSID=df0803265fbfb99e48617b14c09cd8ca

put in Glasgow as Departure and Montreal as arrived, year 1890.  There seems to be only 7 ships, so not to much searching.

Karen

[paddwadd]

Josephine:
I cannot believe how much work you have done and how much you have found out. I agree with you that somehow being in her 40s when she came to Canada seems rather old, especially at that time. Now, you have started me thinking. If she married late in life it may have been to a widower who had children and it was they, along with their father, who took the name Abernethy. The variance in the age of Elsie (Elsy) was, I believe, quite common in those days as people often gave an approximate age.

[Josephine]

paddwadd,

It was J.J. who reminded me of the BC Archives website; I'd forgotten all about it.   

I just wonder why we can't find Elsy Jane's marriage there.

Karen's suggestion is excellent.  It will take a while but it might be worth it to scroll through the images of those seven ships.

Regards,
Josephine

[paddwadd]

Thank you Karen for that lead.

Could be there is a chance I may find out more through this. All of you are wonderful and have been so helpful. It really is appreciated. I'll let you know what I find

[Josephine]

paddwadd,

I would suggest that you contact these folks re. the listing on the BC Cemetery Finding Aid (per their website):

British Columbia Genealogical Society
     P.O. Box 88054, Lansdowne Mall
     Richmond, British Columbia
     V6X 3T6

     Telephone: 1-604-502-9119
     Email: queryrequest@bcgs.ca
     URL: http://www.bcgs.ca/BC%20Research.htm

Listed in the same cemetery and with the same reference number (BCGS-C-62) are:
Elsie Jane Abernethy
Alexander Abernethy
Margaret T. Abernethy

Perhaps they could tell you what they've got on all three. 

You could also contact the cemetery directly.  It looks like they've got more info:

http://www.city.vancouver.bc.ca/commsvcs/nonmarketoperations/mountainview/burials/index.htm

(See the website for their reference numbers.)

Name & Date of Death

ABERNETHY, Alexander    Feb-29-1944       
ABERNETHY, Catherine Elizabeth    Dec-13-1957       
ABERNETHY, Evelyn Marion    Jan-18-1922       
ABERNETHY, Isobel Jean    Mar-28-1913       
ABERNETHY, James B.    Sep-01-1938       
ABERNETHY, Margaret T.          
ABERNETHY, Margaret T.    Feb-28-1953       
ABERNETHY, Rhona Jane    Mar-27-1951       
ABERNETHY, William C.       Jul-01-1954    

Here's their email:   mountainview.cemetery@vancouver.ca

It's funny that Elsie doesn't show up on their index but Alexander and Margaret T. do.

Regards,
Josephine

[Josephine]

The BC Archives has a marriage for:

Alexander Abernethy +
Margaret T Mcmillan
29 September 1911
in Vancouver

Since they seem to be buried with Elsie Jane, they must be related.  Their marriage record would be interesting because it would list Alexander's parents.

James Barclay Abernethy +
Catherine E Mccuaig
12 December 1906
in Vancouver

It looks like Evelyn Marion and Isobel Jean were children (deaths on the BC Archives site).

There's a death for an Alexander Abernethy who died 29 February 1944 in Vancouver at age 63; this matches up with the cemetery listing.  He would have been born about 1881, which matches up with the Alexander in 1911 with Jane in his household.

Please let us know what you learn!

Regards,
Josephine

[J.J.]

Oh, I stared and stared at that Jane, but the Mother in Law and also
doesn't it say born in Ontario,  and no immigration date, or was I looking at the wrong line?

Re; having children late in life...My mom was born to her mother, when her mom was just over 40...Mom had her last child at 40...& My sister had her child at 42...
  Old mommas make good mammas, too!