Good evening,
I wonder if I could ask for help on behalf of a friend of mine researching the Groundwater family from Aberdeen who emigrated to Toronto, York County please in the 1850's.
Alexander Lyell Groundwater married Jane McKenzie in Scotland. They had a son called Edward in 1854 in Scotland. In 1859 Alexander remarried in Canada and can be found on the 1861 census on the same page as his brother Watson, other Groundwaters and a boy called Hugh. The relationship of Hugh is not known.His place of birth is recorded as Ireland.
Despite searching for a burial or a death record for Jane McKenzie Groundwater none can be found in Aberdeen. If Hugh is Jane and Alexanders son was he born on board ship on route to Canada, did Jane die at this time perhaps. Or did she die in Canada.
1856/7 is the approximate date that Alexander left for Canada. I have been unable to find any record of him on ships leaving or arriving. His son Edward is recorded back in Scotland by 1871 as Alexander dies in 1863.
Anyone with knowledge of York County can hopefully advise what burial grounds would have been operational in the late 1850's.
I will also post this on the Scotland board in case Jane died in Scotland and is buried there.
If Jane died during the voyage where would the death be recorded? I have tried the death registers at sea, but nothing can be found.
Any references to this family in either Scotland or Canada would be helpful for me to follow up. I have searched the Ships List website and many other emigration websites, but cannot find anything mentioning Alexander and Jane.
Would love to find out what happened to Jane and who Hugh is
Thank you for your time
Meg
