John Russell, 78 Fusilier in Quebec

[Patricia Greber]

I have a record in 1872 that a John Russell was a Corporal with the 78th Fusiliers in Quebec City. He had a daughter born there in 1872 and he was listed as such. In 1880 his wife Bridget Reddy dies and she is listed as a widow. I have been unable to locate a death record for John and I was wondering if anyone knows of resources for searching the 78 Fusiliers?
Thank you

[waiteohman]

There are publications such as Hart' Army list etc. I would recommend you post your request in the General - Army Forces board.

John Russell is found on the 1871 Canada census and is 17, born in England and listed as soldat, soldier.
http://data2.collectionscanada.ca/1871/jpg/4395489_00057.jpg
Looks like he may have been promoted to corporal later in 1871 or 1872.

[polarbear]

I am thinking this John Russell might be a bit young to have been made a Corporal, married, and had a child by 1872? And so perhaps not the correct John Russell?

Also, it looks like his daughter was born in 1869.

Anyway, food for thought.

PB

[bbart]

This might just add to the confusion, but as soldiers did move around, and the child Margaret was having a conditional baptism, I took a look outside of Quebec.

In the 1871 Census, for Halifax, Nova Scotia, there are many soldier's wives on the same page, one of which was:
Bridget Russell, age 27, born Quebec, Catholic, Irish, married, soldier's wife
Margaret Russell, age 2, born Nova Scotia, Catholic, Irish
Robert Russell, age 2 months (July birth), born Nova Scotia, Catholic, Irish

With them was another soldier's wife named Lilley Ellet, age 23.

[Jacquie in Canada]

It appears they were in Quebec by 1872 as there is a baptism for an illegitimate boy named William on 22 May 1872 in the Saint Patrick parish records who had "Bridget Ready wife of John Russell" and Mary Ready as sponsors. This William was born on 14 May 1872 to unknown parents.

Jacquie

[Jacquie in Canada]

The entry in the Saint Patrick parish records indicate Bridget was 26 when she died on 6 Jan 1880 but I'm wondering if that is wrong.

The British Nationals Armed Forces Births 1761-2005 index at Find My Past has a Robert Ready Russell born between 1870-1872 in Canada which does match with that census entry. You can order a copy of the registration from the GRO using the overseas births option. I believe the only other information you would need to order it would be that it is in the GRO Army Chaplains Birth Indices (1796 to 1880) on page 613.

Jacquie

[bbart]

Jacquie, do you have a site other than Anc. for the Drouin collection?
I was trying to look at St Patrick for John and Bridget's marriage, but Anc has a big gap with 1867 to 1872 missing (for St Patrick), but you mentioned the William unknown baptism in May 1872.  I would love to know if there is a better site, as other gaps in these records have stymied me before in my own tree (for areas other than St Patrick).

[polarbear]

The St Pat's records are working for me. There is no apparent marriage entry in the indexes for 1866 through 1869. One would need to go page by page through the records in case an entry was missed when the indexes were produced. Or they married elsewhere......but they just don't seem to be indexed anywhere else, either.

PB

[polarbear]

From a website titled British Regiments in Halifax by dates...

The 78th is listed as being there 1869-1871. This would tie in nicely with the 1871 census for Bridget found by bbart.

http://www.johncordes.ca/genealogy2/regiments/britishregiments_halifax.html

PB