Brick Wall help in Perth County, Ontario around mid-1800s

[shawd]

I suspect there's nothing online to help me break this brick wall, but it is driving me crazy.  I want to eventually get over to the Stratford-Perth Archives and see what they have, but they are only ever open while I am at work at it is a couple hours drive from me.  Perhaps there's stuff I'm missing because I'm not an experienced detective?

I have family stories written down by the granddaughter of the following man, which give the following information:

James Campbell:

• believed to be born in Ireland, about 1823
• Married Mary Kincaid, but I cannot for the life of me find any record of when these two married or even when they came from Ireland ... not sure if they married here or there or exactly when.  They do appear on a census together in Canada in 1851 with Mary's family (her parents were Robert Kincaid and Elizabeth Kincaid, and Mary had a younger sister named Elizabeth), and with their 2 year old son, John Campbell.  In this census, Mary has James last name (Campbell).
• They had six children:

• John Andrew (my ancestor) b 1849 in Perth County, Ontario
• Joseph presumably born 1851
• James born 1853
• Alexander born 156
• Lyla presumably born 1857
• Elizabeth born 1859

• Daughter Lyla supposedly fell in a well and drowned ... I can find NO record of her death, birth, on census, etc.  It's possible she was born and died between census years and was never recorded there, but I hoped to find birth and death certificates and/or newspaper stories.
• Son Joseph supposedly went to the Klondike in search of gold and was never heard from again.
   Can find no record of him.
• Son James was supposedly bandy-legged.
• James was supposedly an alcoholic (how would I even confirm this?) and Mary allegedly abandoned the children, so they were raised by her parents, the Kincaids.
• When he was 18, the eldest son, John, moved to Algoma District in Ontario.  He brought his remaining living siblings with him after their grandmother died (James, Alex, and Elizabeth).
• I cannot find birth or death records for James Campbell or any of the Kincaids.  I have tried various spellings of last names - no luck.

Beyond that point, I am good.  I have plenty of information to establish John in Northern Ontario, and even information there about his surviving siblings.  But I am lost when it comes to James, Mary, Lyla and Joseph.

Any suggestions?[/list]

[eileenwilson]

These pre-date civil registration in Ontario which began in 1869, so you won't find birth, marriage or death records for them.

1851 Census (actually taken in early 1852, ages given are as of next birthday) finds them in Wellesley Township, Waterloo County -- they don't move to Perth until later.  There is also a Martha Kincade living next door, aged 23, likely married to James Kincade, aged 21 -- probably a brother to Mary.

The whole family is Church of England -- the Anglican archives may be able to find older church records for you.

1861 Census has the family noted as Camble in Wallace, Perth County -- James, aged 38; Mary, aged 31; John, aged 11, Gophes(? - Joseph), aged 9; James, aged 7; Elxandre, aged 5, and Elizabeth, aged 2.   At this time, they profess faith as Wesleyan Methodists.

Robert & Elizabeth Kinkead (sic) are also in Wallace Township in 1861; aged 64 and 51 respectively.  No other children are listed with them.

By 1871, Robert is deceased and Elizabeth is in Howick Township, Huron County, with John Campbell, aged 20; Joseph Campbell, aged 18; James Campbell, aged 14; and Elizabeth, aged 16.

Elizabeth Kincade died in Howick Township on 26 May 1877, aged 72 years; born Ireland; informant was the doctor of Fordwich, Huron Co.

[RunKitty]

Ontario Cemetery Finding Aid shows a Mary Campbell and Robert Kincaid in the St. Paul's Anglican Cemetery, Shipley, Wallace Township, Perth County. 

Photo of stone
http://geneofun.on.ca/names/photo/1700878

Robert Kincaid 1809-1863
Mary Campbell 1831-1865

There is also an Eliza Fleming listed on the stone.

RK

[shawd]

Awesome, this is all super helpful!!  I will use this and attempt to track down through church records and the archives of more local areas to where they lived.

[DonM]

Don't forget to hit the Perth County OGS they have a lot of information including many of the church records going back to the 1850's.  The Stratford-Perth County Archives also maintains an extensive collection of material as well.

Don

[shawd]

Thank you Don!  I will check them out!