Trying to find more on an ancestor with the last name Lee or Leigh

[skdgr]

Hey all,

I'm hoping to get some help with a wall I've ran up against! trying to find more information about my ancestor, Sarah Lee (or Leigh). She was born in Ireland in 1795 and died in Dereham Centre, Oxford, Ontario, Canada on January 5th, 1872. Her son's name was John Gardiner. He was born about 1818 in ireland and died in Simcoe, Ontario, Canada on May 23rd, 1883.

...And that's all I know! Any help would be greatly appreciated. I'd love to know more about where in Ireland she was from, her spouse if she had one, and any of her other family.

Thanks for any help in advance (:

[Wexflyer]

You know the son's name, and mother name - but not the father's/husband's ?
What records make you think she was his mother?
What was their religion?
Is Lee a maiden name, or a possible name on remarriage?

[heywood]

Welcome to Rootschat.
Do you have records which show their relationship?
Here is 1871 census with the Gardiners and Sarah Lee.
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M4QG-QM5

This is a link for Sarah Leigh to Find a Grave but no other details than 5th January 1872 - Ingersoll  Rural Cemetery
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:ZT9M-L6N2

This is a link to Find a grave for Sarah Mitchell  - same date
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:4KVD-SSMM

There is a photo of the gravestone - she is named as wife of Alex Gardiner; in her 78th year.
On the gravestone are the names of ‘their daughters’ :
Sarah M Brodie 1860 - 1939
Elizabeth E Garbutt 1862 - 1954

These would seem to be the daughters of John Gardiner and his wife Elizabeth as 1871 census.

Does this fits with your research to date?

[skdgr]

You know the son's name, and mother name - but not the father's/husband's ?
What records make you think she was his mother?
What was their religion?
Is Lee a maiden name, or a possible name on remarriage?

Correct! I found her grave, and otherwise Sarah has been recorded on an 1871 census. Widowed, she lived in Dereham, Oxford, Ontario, Canada with John and his wife and kids. She's listed as a part of the Church of England. Anything is possible with the last name! I have no idea there.

Someone else had entered into the tree I'm working with as his mother, but in the census they both have the same religion, shared a household, the ages make sense and she was the only elderly person listed, and they were the only ones to come directly from Ireland. John was born in Ireland, then later came to Canada. She also couldn't write. Of course there's room for uncertainty, but if I can figure out more about her, then I'll maybe learn exactly what was going on.

[skdgr]

Welcome to Rootschat.
Do you have records which show their relationship?
Here is 1871 census with the Gardiners and Sarah Lee.
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M4QG-QM5

This is a link for Sarah Leigh to Find a Grave but no other details than 5th January 1872 - Ingersoll  Rural Cemetery
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:ZT9M-L6N2

This is a link to Find a grave for Sarah Mitchell  - same date
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:4KVD-SSMM

There is a photo of the gravestone - she is named as wife of Alex Gardiner; in her 78th year.
On the gravestone are the names of ‘their daughters’ :
Sarah M Brodie 1860 - 1939
Elizabeth E Garbutt 1862 - 1954

These would seem to be the daughters of John Gardiner and his wife Elizabeth as 1871 census.

Does this fits with your research to date?

Wow, this is fascinating!! I have the census that lists Sarah Lee and the grave for Sarah Leigh, but the one for Sarah Mitchell Gardiner is new to me. It fits far better.

The last names for thw two other women are correct, although you are right that they seem to be two of her granddaughters instead? (The screenshot shows the list of John and Elizabeth's children). Thank you so much for this!! I have some more research to do, now!

[Wexflyer]

Wow, this is fascinating!! I have the census that lists Sarah Lee and the grave for Sarah Leigh, but the one for Sarah Mitchell Gardiner is new to me. It fits far better.

You said you "had the grave for Sarah Lee", but now there is another grave for a Sarah Mitchell Gardiner which "fits far better".

So now there are TWO graves for a Sarah, with same DOD, in same graveyard??

I somehow find that a bit improbable.