James Ovens, died 1883, Ontario

[eileenwilson]

The Freeholder Records for Ulster which date from the late 1700s to about 1830s show only a few Ovens families and these are all listed on the same page in 1796:


https://apps.proni.gov.uk/freeholders/DetailedSearchResultsImage.aspx?VolumeNo=18&PageNo=127&LineNum=8

Freeholders were men who either owned their land outright or who held it in a lease for the duration of their life, or the lives of other people named in the lease. Freeholders' records list freeholders who were entitled to vote and those who did vote at elections. Those allowed to vote:

1727-1793 - only Protestants with a freehold of at least 40 shillings a year could vote
1793-1829 - Protestants and Catholics with 40 shilling freeholds were allowed to vote
1829 onwards - the rate was increased to 10 pounds for everyone, stripping 40 shilling freeholders of their right to vote increasing the influence of landlords by effectively confining membership to the propertied and affluent classes

It is interesting that I'm not seeing any after 1800 indicating they had moved on or that their holdings were small.

A good site for the Ovens suname in Inishmacsaint:

https://www.johngrenham.com/c_parish/c_parish_main.php?CountyMap=&civilparishid=963&surname=Ovens&county=Fermanagh&civilparish=Inishmacsaint

[Lisa in California]

Hey Lisa, I live about 45 minutes from the Prince Edward County Archives, if you need me go have a look in their collections.

Thank you very much for your kind offer of help!  I think at this moment that I will research a bit more to see what I can find out about James, and about Margret Ovens who married William Limebeer (this is the couple who my Ontario contact and I were trying to match with my John Ovens).  If you lived closer to the archives then I would jump at the chance. 

When hubby retires for the night, I will take a look at your 2:22 posting.  Apologies for not looking now, I can’t concentrate unless all is quiet here. 

PS We found my John’s possible parents and siblings in one of the Inishmacsaint websites.  As mentioned in another posting, a Jennie Stinson was living with John and his family in an Ontario census.  I don’t know who she was; I tried researching her a few years ago but didn’t get very far.  It’s possibly coincidental that in the website there is a record of William Ovens and Elizabeth Stinson - could this lady be Jennie’s relative - I don’t know.  Thank you again!  Apologies for rambling.

[Lisa in California]

The Freeholder Records for Ulster which date from the late 1700s to about 1830s show only a few Ovens families and these are all listed on the same page in 1796:

https://apps.proni.gov.uk/freeholders/DetailedSearchResultsImage.aspx?VolumeNo=18&PageNo=127&LineNum=8

Thank you for providing the link.  I don’t believe that I’ve seen it before, or, at least I didn’t retain the material.

Included in the list was
1796  Wm Ovens, abode place - Drumavel(?). Devonish Parish(?)

I looked at another Anc*try tree, this time at “N’s” tree.  “N” states James Ovens’ parents were William Ovens and Anne Drinnan.
A source in the tree
Griffith’s Valuation Ireland, 1848-1864. (A number of years after 1796, but…)
William Ovens, Drumanure, Devenish, Fermanagh
  Could Drumanure actually be Drumavel?   
“N” states William was born in Tulnagoan.  I will check a map for their locations.

Upper Inishmacsaint baptisms include
 Year and Date       Father                 Mother                 Child               Residence
1803   Sept 11    Ovens, Wm.     Stinson, Elizabeth      Alexr.               Corcloon
1806   Dec 28     Ovens, Wm.     Drinnan, Anne           James.             Tonegmevin
1807   May 03     Ovens, Wm.     Stinson, Elizabeth     Anne                 Corcloon
1810   May 27     Ovens, Wm.     Davis, Mary              Mary (illegit.)     (Blank)
1811   Jun 23      Ovens, Wm.     Ovens, Elizth.           John                 Corclune
https://www.igp-web.com/IGPArchives/ire/fermanagh/churches/1803-1814-up-inismacsaintbap.html

My John’s date of birth varies.  In 1850, he was born c1814.  In other documents, he stated he was born c1809. (1881 census - born c1811.)  I don’t believe I know his birth month.  Anyway, I will keep researching James Ovens and his possible parents, William Ovens and Anne Drinnan.  Of course, I will also try to contact “M”.

[Lisa in California]

I am still able to view my mum’s DNA results (she passed away a few years ago).  She has a match with “G” who has the following in their tree:
Alexander Stinson, born 7 Nov 1816, Drumanure, Dev, Fermanagh, Northern Ireland
  Only one child listed: Moses Stinson, born c1854, Ireland.
  According to the 1901 census, Moses arrived in Canada in 1872 and settled in Ontario.

In another tree, several children are shown for Alexander Stinson.  It will take a bit of digging (for me) to see if it was just a coincidence that Drumanure was mentioned for Ovens and (so far, unrelated) Stinson folks.  Perhaps Alexander Stinson was Elizabeth Stinson’s nephew or cousin. 

[eileenwilson]

Moses' marriage record in 1885 names his parents as Alex & Jane Stinson, aged 32, a widower, born Ireland, to Deborah Strong, aged 26, b. Wallace Township, daughter of James & Elizabeth Strong; witnesses are James A. Strong, Palmerston, and Mary A. Stinson, Durham.

It's unclear which Durham is referred to here.  There is the town of Durham in Bentinck Township, Grey County, northwest of Palmerston where the couple were married, and there was also a Durham County east of the current city of Toronto.

However, she is likely the Mary Ann Stinson aged 14 in the 1881 Census in Bentinck Township living with her parents, James & Alice, with James born in Ireland and Alice born in Ontario. 

In the 1861 Census, there is a James Stinson, aged 25 in Minto Township, Wellington County. He marries Alice Blackstock in Perth, Ontario in 1863. It names his parents as James & Elizabeth (so not Moses' brother), and James, the groom, was born in Co. Fermanagh, Ireland.

[polarbear]

1st marriage for Moses 03 Aug 1876 in Palmerston
To
Elizabeth Jane Strong who appears to be a sister to his second wife
Parents for Moses are Alex Stinson and Jane McBrien
Parents for Elizabeth are James Strong and Eliza Servis(?)
Witnesses Alex ? and Deborah Strong of Palmerston

PB

[Lisa in California]

Thank you both very, very much.  It is starting to look like my John’s parents could have been from Inishmacsaint Parish - it just seems too coincidental that Ovens and Stinson were both in the same area in Ireland and some eventually settled in Ontario.

My John actually lived in New Jersey (and married Jane Wakefield in 1842); he was a school teacher in 1850.  By the early 1850s (the date is filed in a binder), he was a merchant in Toronto, Ontario, eventually owning a fancy goods shop.  I don’t know the reason for the move - perhaps to follow relatives?

I’ve never found a marriage document for John and Jane.  I was just checking online websites - so far it appears that marriage records were not issued or kept by the state for that decade.  Decades ago (I started researching when I was in college), I ordered and received my great-grandfather’s birth record (Robert was the son of John and Jane); it had limited details.  I don’t believe a church was mentioned.  Perhaps if I can find their church and church marriage document, I might find the name of John’s parents.

As mentioned, John’s possible brother was Alexander.  I wonder if that was a name handed down from the Stinson side.

As mentioned in previous posts about John Ovens (and there are a number of posts!)  , during the late 1960s, my mum and a possible distant Irish relative were certain of the connection between our families.  I found out decades later that while we could still be related, the John they believed to be our John was not the correct man.  This is the reason I want proof - I can’t assume I found John’s parents.

1st marriage for Moses 03 Aug 1876 in Palmerston
To
Elizabeth Jane Strong who appears to be a sister to his second wife
Parents for Moses are Alex Stinson and Jane McBrien
Parents for Elizabeth are James Strong and Eliza Servis(?)
Witnesses Alex ? and Deborah Strong of Palmerston

PB

I ran across the name McBrien either in one of the trees or on an Irish website.  I’ll check it out.

Thank you both immensely.  You’ve been incredibly helpful.  Lisa

[Lisa in California]

I am still able to view my mum’s DNA results (she passed away a few years ago).  She has a match with “G” who has the following in their tree:
Alexander Stinson, born 7 Nov 1816, Drumanure, Dev, Fermanagh, Northern Ireland
  Only one child listed: Moses Stinson, born c1854, Ireland.
  According to the 1901 census, Moses arrived in Canada in 1872 and settled in Ontario…

His wife was recorded as Jane McBrien.

[polarbear]

My thought is better you see something twice than not at all so I was wondering if you have seen this on the familysearch website?

https://www.familysearch.org/search/collection/1675446

PB