John Alexander Stewart dob 14 AUG 1874 Antrim, Ireland (possibly Balleymoney)

[J.J.]

Please don't anyone look for James' immigration info on the Home children lists the poster has found it already...

kalviewdrive...this is why it is important to add what you have found, several people could & may have tried to find him by now.

[kalviewdrive]

I ask everyone who has done research into my long lost relatives to please forgive my many beginner's faux pas on RootsChat. To cap off all the research I now have information and confirmation on:

John Alexander Stewart,  b. 07 SEPT 1867 Ballymoney, Antrim, Ireland.  05 OCT 1884 arrival Quebec City  "Polynesian".  1891 Census, Changuacousy, Peel, Ont. Farm Labourer.  1901 Census Section Foreman w/railway Lethbridge, Alberta.  1911 Census New Westminster, BC Railway employee.  1916 CEF Enlistment Powell River, BC.  1919 Marriage to Daisy Kathleen Firth Wandsworth, London, England.  1921 Resident w/family South Vancouver, BC Forrester.  15 DEC 1595 death Vancouver, BC.  26 FEB 1960 burial Mountain View Cemetery, Vancouver, BC

Charles Stewart, b 22DEC 1869 Armagh, Ireland.  05 OCT 1884 Arrival Quebec City "Polynesian". 1891 Census Changuacousy, Peel, Ont. Farm Labourer.  On J.A's CEF Enlistment papers 1916 Charles is noted as "Next of  kin" c/o Brampton Post Office, Brampton, Ontario.

James Stewart, b 05 APR 1872 Dervock, Antrim, Ireland.  08APR 1882 arrival Halifax, Nova Scotia "Circassian", final destination Quebec City.  1891 Census Changuacousy, Peel, Ontario Farm labourer.  1911 Census Changuacousy, Peel Ont. Farm Labourer.  31 MAR 1919 Marriage to Hattie Cowan Smith York , Ont.  1921 Census Chinguacousy, Peel, Ont Farmer w/ wife and children.

I have not been able to find CEF WWI documents for either Charles or James Stewart. Charles has been difficult to trace beyond 1891.

Their older sister, Margaret Jane Stewart  b. 13 APR 1865 Ballymoney, Antrim , Ireland.   and I believe: 1st 1/4 1883 Ballymoney, Antrim, Ireland  marriage ( I do not know to whom).

Additionally, the parents of above 4 children:

Charles Stewart (1840-APR 1881) Ireland  Jane Shirlow (Sherlow, Shirley) 1837 - 1875 Ireland.  05 JAN 1865 civil marriage Ballymoney.  From this marriage cert. I have Jane Shirlow's father:

 Robert Shirlow  b 1816 Ireland d. before SEPT 1889 Cambusnethan, Lanarkshire, Scotland. 1881 Census Cambusnethan, Lanarkshire, Scotland labourer.

 Jane's mother: Jane Blake b 1817 Ireland 1881 Census and 1891 Census Camabusnethan, Lanarkshire, Scotland.

Jane's brothers: Alexander Shirlow b. 1845 Ireland.  1881, 1891, 1901Censuses mine employee Cambusnethan, Lanarkshire, Scotland.   

James Shirlow b. abt 1857 Londonderry, Ireland. 1881 Census  Cambusnethan, Lanarkshire, Scotland coal miner.  27 SEPT 1889 Cambusnethan marriage to Elizabeth Flood (b. 1859 Cambusnethan, Scotland).  1891 Census Cambusnethan, coal miner w/wife and child. 1901 Census Cambusnethan    coal miner w/wife and 4 children.

Additionally: Charles Stewart's father: Andrew Stewart b 1812.

And I believe that Andrew Stewart's parents are:  Archibald Stewart(b 1781) and Catherine Loughrey.

Through my nephew's Y-DNA analysis it is confirmed that we are descended from Walter fitz Alan (1106- June 1177) the First High Steward of Scotland. We are members of The Ancient and Royal Stewart Projects at FTDNA  Now all I have to do is fill in the missing information  from the 12th C to the 19th C!

[J.J.]

Just checking...Had you confirmed the death of Charles in Ireland was yours...& if not was it confirmed that these lads in 1881 were not your family...although it says religion Catholic they are in Chinguacousy, Peel  Father Charles born 1840 Ireland, a new young wife transcribed as Siresh, but not sure what it really says...
A John b. 1866 Charles 1870 and a James 1872 all in Ireland http://data2.collectionscanada.gc.ca/e/e328/e008186661.jpg
Not sure how far away this family is, but there is a Margaret Stewart b. 1865 Ireland working for the Coulter family in Chinguacousy, Peel 1881 http://data2.collectionscanada.gc.ca/e/e328/e008186684.jpg

[kalviewdrive]

Thank you so much J.J. I will follow up on what you have stated here. If the Margaret is indeed the sister, it would explain why I couldn't find her in Ireland, just like James.  I'm having difficulty here, as all my notes for  this part of the family are in storage, due to renovations.
I am amazed at the  help that you have given me, J.J., and extremely grateful..

[J.J.]

I had tried to find an institution nearby that placed home children from the sisters of Charity ( from your other thread posted on the Canada Board) and they did send over children, but usually to a Roman Catholic organization... and I didn't find anything else regarding that aspect...
However when I fouind this family which so closely matched yours...and a new wife obviously too young to be the mother of any of the children I wondered if the situation with the sisters might have been here in Canada. What was the religion of the family christenings was it all Presby? However if the new wife was Catholic she might have insisted on a change to R.C.  She'd certainly have had the upper hand with offering to help raise 3 young men...

all spec, mind you, but something to look into...and debunk if it doesn't pan out.

The name of the wife does appear to be Siresh...Does it phonetically fit any Irish forename you can think of I am lost on that one?...To find this marriage could help solve this quickly Serise?
I just found a few Sarash born Ireland so it appears to be used

[kalviewdrive]

Oops, I've just lost what I was answering to your last message!
I truly don't believe that the 1881 Stewart family, showing Catholic , are not mine. John A was an Orangeman. I don't believe at that time that the two religions would be intermarrying, but anything is a possibility. I've never heard that Irish name, but with dialects, et all, we know that what is said is not always what is heard by the census taker!

Thank you again for putting your formidable skills to work on my behalf.

I know that John A and Charles came from a home/orphanage because of what John had said about "the sisters" being so mean.  I see them on the pass.list  arriving with matrons and a whole list of younger children. Ditto for James on his crossing.
I will look further into Margaret on the 1881 Census. I do wish that it showed arrival in Canada, but no!

[aghadowey]

The wife's name seems to be written as Sareah (Sarah?)

"John A was an Orangeman. I don't believe at that time that the two religions would be intermarrying, but anything is a possibility."
Not sure what basis you have for thinking that people of different religions wouldn't have married but it certainly did happen.

[J.J.]

It surely looks like a small s in the image above...but all eyes see things differently
I saw a few Sarash results elsewhere as well, thus figured it was a phonetic thing...

The initial thought was that the children may have been passed into an orphanage from here in Canada....I though it wouldn't hurt to prove it wrong before proceeding. Iif true it does not change their heritage in any way, just their paths

[kalviewdrive]

aghadowey,
what I meant by saying that I doubt they would intermarry based on religion, is the simple fact that Orangemen were so set against Catholicism that they wouldn't intermarry. I'm not sure about my grandfather John Alexander, but I know that my father was bigotted and extremely anti-Catholic. And we sadly see that problem repeated every year in Northern Ireland with the "Marching Season"