Killegar - Smith - Cullen

[Wexflyer]

Toronto property tax records for William show him as age 69 for both 1932-33 and for 1937-38 years!! I'm beginning to wonder if he might have been deliberately evasive about his age and place of birth if he was born illegitimately and/or didn't have a good relationship with his mother.

I have an appointment at Toronto Archives on Monday to wade through employment records from the Toronto Transit Commission which are now public documents.

I have also inquired with Ontario Archives to see if there is a probate record or will for him.

You are overthinking this. Not unusual. I'm not a day over 25 myself....

[billcs]

Toronto property tax records for William show him as age 69 for both 1932-33 and for 1937-38 years!! I'm beginning to wonder if he might have been deliberately evasive about his age and place of birth if he was born illegitimately and/or didn't have a good relationship with his mother.

I have an appointment at Toronto Archives on Monday to wade through employment records from the Toronto Transit Commission which are now public documents.

I have also inquired with Ontario Archives to see if there is a probate record or will for him.

You are overthinking this. Not unusual. I'm not a day over 25 myself....

It's his birth date I'm seeking. That will determine if any of the dates that have been identified so far are in fact correct. It has to be in some records somewhere! I'm just tenacious

[Wexflyer]

It's his birth date I'm seeking. That will determine if any of the dates that have been identified so far are in fact correct. It has to be in some records somewhere! I'm just tenacious

You are making another assumption here.

That he knew his birthdate.

It was not unusual simply not to know. 

[billcs]

It's his birth date I'm seeking. That will determine if any of the dates that have been identified so far are in fact correct. It has to be in some records somewhere! I'm just tenacious

You are making another assumption here.

That he knew his birthdate.

It was not unusual simply not to know.

Noted. But it's important for me to exhaust the possibilities. My GG is a brick wall for knowing more about his family and my genealogical search will end with him otherwise.

[billcs]

I found this possibility a few years ago but never pursued it because I didn't think William was from Dublin. But now that I see the document again it looks like it could be in the running again. Perhaps he was born/baptized in Leixlip, Dublin but grew up in Derry?

Just bumping this find from page 5 which we didn't pursue further, from County Kildare. Attached is the baptism record from February 1862 which I obtained from Roots Ireland a few years ago, it's a bit hard to read. Parents are named Michael and Margaret Smith but Margaret's maiden name is not stated (unless of course it too was Smith). It of course doesn't match William's travel record indicating Greenlough, County Derry as his birthplace.

[aghadowey]

Here's the original page-
https://registers.nli.ie/registers/vtls000633434#page/74/mode/1up

[aghadowey]

Same R.C. Parish but in Maynooth register-
Edward Smith born 2 Aug.1864, parents- Michael Smith & Margaret Leitch
https://registers.nli.ie/registers/vtls000633436#page/29/mode/1up
Birth registration for same Edward Smyth gives mother's maiden name as Leech-
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/birth_returns/births_1864/03606/2330386.pdf

A daughter- Elizabeth Smith born 22 Feb.1868
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/birth_returns/births_1868/03454/2268470.pdf

Another daughter- Catherine born 9 Dec.1870
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/birth_returns/births_1870/03324/2218457.pdf

Michael Smyth died 1885 Maynooth, informant son Edward-
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/deaths_returns/deaths_1885/06278/4798870.pdf

You could follow up more on this family but I'm doubtful it is the one you are looking for.

[billcs]

Same R.C. Parish but in Maynooth register-
Edward Smith born 2 Aug.1864, parents- Michael Smith & Margaret Leitch
https://registers.nli.ie/registers/vtls000633436#page/29/mode/1up
Birth registration for same Edward Smyth gives mother's maiden name as Leech-
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/birth_returns/births_1864/03606/2330386.pdf

A daughter- Elizabeth Smith born 22 Feb.1868
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/birth_returns/births_1868/03454/2268470.pdf

Another daughter- Catherine born 9 Dec.1870
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/birth_returns/births_1870/03324/2218457.pdf

Michael Smyth died 1885 Maynooth, informant son Edward-
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/deaths_returns/deaths_1885/06278/4798870.pdf

You could follow up more on this family but I'm doubtful it is the one you are looking for.

Thanks for the additional investigation. It's funny that this has been the only William with parents Michael and Margaret Smith that I've been able to find. You are probably right.

[billcs]

Sadly, no luck with my research of employment records for William at Toronto Archives. What I could view was only up to 1930, and I don't know when he started with the TTC. Records 1931-1934 are technically public (after 90 years) but are not yet ready for viewing, so perhaps I will try again in two years' time. The archivist had sent me a photo of workers on the ferry boats, but my father wasn't able to identify his grandfather in the photo (which was mainly of younger men).