1871/1881 Census

[miked86]

Hi All,

I hope someone might be able to help. My 3xgreat grandma was born in Halifax, NS around 1857-1864.

She moved to England around 1878 and I have plenty of information on her from this period but I want to find more about her life in Canada including info on her parents.

I can't seem to find record of her in any census but I know she lived on Agricola Street in Halifax at time of marriage in 1875.

I will try and manually search but I have no idea which enumeration district Agricola Street comes under.


The info I have so far is she was born Mary Shea and married Joseph France on 2 Oct 1875 in Halifax. Her parents are listed as Thomas (a barber) and Mary. Her age is given as 22 given birth year around 1855.

In the 1881 & 1891 UK census she her year of birth is given as 1859.
In 1901 her year of birth is given as 1860 and 1862 according to 1911 census.

She then remarried in 1919 with her age recorded as 56 giving birth year as 1863 at this point her father is listed as deceased but occupation is farmer.

Can anyone suggest any way of looking up a record of her birth ie baptism for around these times as I'm not very clued up on records available in Canada.


Thanks and regards,
Michael

[JDC]

Hi Mike,

If you know where she was born, you may want to check the parish records and newspaper notices in that area.

JDC

[miked86]

Many thanks. She was from Halifax. Do you know if these are searchable online as I live in uk?

[Lisa in California]

Perhaps it's a coincidence, but living on Agricola in 1875 was
Francis Joseph J, policeman, h 93 Agricola
Also living at that address were
Lorenzo Francis, carriage painter
Welton Francis, machinist
http://www.rootschat.com/links/0inq/

Could his surname have been Francis?

[miked86]

Hi Lisa,

Thanks for that.

I've just checked 1871 & 1881 census for Joseph J Francis and he appears on both so I'd guess its not him. JJ Francis is from England so maybe my ancestor lived with him as he became a policeman after leaving the army and I'd guess would have lived at a barracks while in the army.

I've been able to narrow down which ward I believe Agricola Street is in though no so many thanks for your help.

Kind regards,
Michael Davies

[valeriec]

You can check for information on bmd's at
www.novascotiagenealogy.com
The marriage of Mary Shea and Joseph France is listed and he is a Sgt in a battalion in Halifax.

You can also view the 1881 and 1891 census at
www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/databases/index-e.html

the 1901 and 1911 census is available at
http://automatedgenealogy.com

There are several Shea's listed and I think I found Thomas and Mary in 1881 but not later. In 1881, he is 68 and she is 60. They are Roman Catholic and of Irish descent.

There is a Mary Shea in the 1911 census age 80/81 that could be a possible.

Records are not complete for the time period you are searching and it may be very hard to find a birth for Mary at this site but if she was Catholic, you may be able to find something for a baptism. I haven't found any other siblings for her but if they were older, birth records won't be available. At the site that I gave above for bmd's, I would put in last name Shea, under the county put in Halifax and search all the early records to see if you can find someone with parents Thomas and Mary. You may find something under the marriage section. The site will give you the list of years that are available, you will note that several years are missing.

I will look for some more sites that may help you.

[miked86]

Hi Valerie,

Thanks for info. I've searched the records for possible brothers on the site already and come up with nothing. Mary moved to England around 1878 so any appearance on the Canadian census at a later date is no match.

Thanks for the message.

Regards,
Michael

[J.J.]

Valerie means the MOTHER Mary
Although not in Ward five, if both alive in 1881 then that would be the only Mary with a Thomas in 1881
http://www.familysearch.org/Eng/Search/Census/household_record.asp?HOUSEHOLD_CODE=1881CN_108384
There is this one who says married but not with wife, bon 1841...http://www.familysearch.org/Eng/Search/Census/household_record.asp?HOUSEHOLD_CODE=1881CN_107073
No barber listed 1870 http://www.ourroots.ca/e/page.aspx?id=279554

[valeriec]

The Mary that I referred to was a possible match for her mother.

I think the Mary that I found in 1911 is the widow of a John or Patrck Shea and not Thomas.

It does appear that quite a few Shea's appear in the poor house records.

The couple that I found in 1881 has Thomas occupation as labourer and they were living in Ward 4, District 9, city of Halifax and it doesn't give a street.

You can access McAlpine's and Hutchesons City Directories for Halifax through the site at Collection Canada or try and internet search for Canadian Directories - Who Was Where.

McAlpines directory 1881 Halifax
has
Shea, Thomas - custom Boot and Shoemaker, 53 Barrington St., Home - Argyle St
Shea, Thomas - night watchman, 5 Lower Water St
Shea, Thomas - labourer, h. 199 Albermarle St
Shea, Thomas - tinsmith, h. Richmond St

When you go to the census info, almost all of the Shea's are RC and originate from irish origins. The library in Halifax may be able to give you info on how to find the most likely RC church in this area of Halifax. All of these streets are in the same area of Halifax, close to the harbour.

It is entirely possible that they moved accomodations often. There isn't any census information readly available before 1881 so looking through all the bmd's for a connection to Thomas and Mary may be the only way to find any info on your Mary Shea's siblings.