How complete are the records?

[andarah]

My gg grandmother livedin Glasgow, but every census (incl 1911) says she was born in Canada.  My grandmother is very adament she was born in Australia.

She married in Glasgow in Dec 1880 at the age of 18.  Her mother was deceased and her father was not.

I have searched and searched, but I cannot find a birth or a census with her in Canada.  Since she was english speaking and Catholic, I don't think she was in Quebec - I think the Catholic were French and the protestant were English.  I don't think there were any Catholic English churches???

No matter, I cannot find her in Quebec.  I also cannot find her in New Brunswick, Nova Scotia or Ontario.  I have not really looked in Newfoundland, but the records there are difficult to search and spotty, at best.  Maybe she was in BC?  That's awfully early for BC.

I cannot find her on any passenger lists - lists to Britain start in 1878 and she may have already been there.  There are too many possibilities for me to search for her father's death on SP (if he even went to Scotland???)

So, how complete are the records in Canada in that time period?  All of my Canadian research has been in Quebec so far, so I have no idea what I am dealing with.

[polarbear]

There are lots of English speaking Catholics in Quebec although they are far outnumbered by the French.

Could you give us a name? And her parents names? Might her father have been a soldier? A second or third pair of eyes might help with another look?

Polarbear

[andarah]

Their names are confusing, which is adding to the problem.

Her name was either Mary Ann McGuiness or Mary Ann Broadley/Bradley (born abt 1862).

Her parents were John/James McGuiness and Mary Broadley.

Her father was alive Dec 1880 and deceased by Feb 1899.  I don't know his age.  Her mother died before Dec 1880.

I have a poor law application saying her father's name was John and her marriage and death cert say James.  I have various certs with her maiden name listed as McGuiness, Broadley or Bradley.  Her marriage cert listed McGuiness.

I am beginning to wonder if she was illegitimate and used her father's name.

I would love another set of eyes!

[jorose]

More info on this thread: http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,430826.0.html

Her father was alive Dec 1880 and deceased by Feb 1899

Or at least she listed him as alive at her marriage and deceased on the poor law records in 1899.   Given the circumstances, question everything. Who witnessed the marriage?

It certainly sounds like she might have been illegitimate-- it would explain the switching between surnames.
There is, interestingly, a marriage in Glasgow (shown on https://www.familysearch.org/ , although with little detail) in 1872, between James McGuiness and Margaret Broadley. Have you checked that one out?

[polarbear]

Does it say where she was b. in Canada in the 1911 Scotland Census?

Haven't had any luck finding Mary Ann in the Canadian records, I'm afraid. Two variants I came across were McGinnis and McInnes and explored them as well.

Polarbear

[amazon510]

Hi,

You can probably rule out Newfoundland, as it was a separate colony/country until 1949. 

Don't forget to check Prince Edward Island!  You never know - it's a small place but lots of Scots settled there. 

Also check Manitoba - the Red River valley was first settled in 1812, by a group of Scots.  I also wouldn't totally rule out Britsh Columbia, there was a mid-19th century gold rush.

Jennifer.

[andarah]

Thanks for the ideas!  I have also looked at Magennis, Maginis, McGinis, McGines, etc.

I have done a lot of research in Newfoundland, and even though it was separate, there are many US censuses saying `Canada English' and it includes Newfoundland - even in the 1800s. 

I haven't done any research in PEI or Manitoba - where would I find records in the mid 1800s?

[amazon510]

Hi,

I really don't know much about doing research in Canada outside Newfoundland - perhaps someone else can offer suggestions.  You might also find some good links in the Canada Resources group. 

Thinking though about your ancestor, I think if I were you I'd start out in Manitoba.  Do you have any idea of when she returned to Glasgow?  Reason being, the 1860s were a time of great upheaval in the Red River settlement - the Hudson's Bay Company pulled out, and the Canadian government moved in, triggering a rebellion in 1869.  Maybe your gggGrandfather worked with HBC and left when they did, or perhaps he got tangled up somehow with the rebellion and left as a result?  That might explain why she thought she was born in Australia - maybe that's what her family told her because they didn't want anyone to know they had been living in Red River. 

The Metis were Roman Catholic, so that might give you the RC link.  Or maybe your ggg-grandmother was Metis and your ggg-grandfather was Scots.  Perhaps she was his "country wife" and they were never officially married, or married after they came to Scotland if the record found by jorose is actually your relatives. 

Try Googling "Red River Rebellion" and see if it fits with any of the things you already know.  There is also a website dedicated to Red River genealogy, perhaps they can help you doing research in this very early (for Canada) timeframe.

 http://www.genealogywise.com/group/redriversettlementrupertslandcanada

Jennifer.