Ferris/Kidney in Proton Township

[krellia]

I am looking for information on Thomas Ferris (1811-1872) and Elizabeth ("Eliza") Kidney (1826-1885).

Some online family trees suggest that he had an earlier marriage to Eliza Jane PERMAN. However, I have not been able to locate a marriage record for Elizabeth or Eliza to confirm if Thomas was a bachelor or widow.

Thomas first appears in the 1851 census in Wellesley, Waterloo County, and records suggest that he was born in Ireland. His wife, Jane, 30, could represent Eliza Jane Perman, but I have not been able to determine this through the children's later marriage/death records.

By 1861 Thomas and Elizabeth, 33, are living in Nassagaweya and by 1871, Proton Township. Online family trees suggest that Thomas died on 11 Nov 1872 in Proton, but I have not located his death/burial information.

Elizabeth (nee Kidney) last appears on the 1881 census in Proton. Online family trees suggest she died on 3 Dec 1885, but I have not been able to locate her death/burial records.

Was Thomas married twice? Or do Elizabeth, Eliza and Jane represent the same person?

[robo196]

found this on lds search
https://familysearch.org/search/record/results?count=20&query=%2Bgivenname%3Aeliza~%20%2Bsurname%3Akidney~%20%2Bspouse_givenname%3Athomas~%20%2Bspouse_surname%3Aferris~

[eileenwilson]

The eldest child in the 1851 census (actually taken in early 1852) is Joseph, aged 11 (at next birthday), so born about 1840, when Elizabeth would have been only 15 years of age.  It would have been highly unusual for girls that young to be married in Ireland, and given that Jane is noted as aged 30 in 1851 and Elizabeth aged 33 in 1861, they are very likely two different individuals.  The name Ferris is likely Northern Ireland, but hard to know without additional information.

The 1871 census has the family in Halton County with the oldest children aged 16 and 13, and then a ten-year span to the younger children, aged 4, 3 and 1.  This also suggests a second marriage for Thomas.