1850s and early 1860s emigration to Canada

[lbj]

I have relatives who emigrated from Bristol and N. Ireland to Canada in the mid-1850s until early 1860s.  By 1870 they appear to have moved on to the United States.  I can't find any record of them in Canada w/birth or census or immigration records.  Any ideas where to look? 

I've found records for the English family in Bristol England and afterward in Chicago Illinois, but want to account for their time in Canada.

[KarenM]

Hi lbj

What are there names and any idea what part of Canada?

Karen

[lbj]

James Stephens b. ~1820
Harriott (Harriet) Stephens b. ~1822
Alfred, son b. 1843-44  Bristol (Bedminster) England
Julia, dau b. 1845
Keturah, dau b. 1847
Agnes, dau, b. 1850
Edwin, son b. 1854
Alice, dau b. 1856
Florence, dau b. May 1858 Canada
Frank, son b. 1865
William, son b. 1868

Those are the children I know of from census information.  The last three born in Canada, the others born in Bedminster England.  The birth years are +-1 yr.

The only Canadian record I have found for the family is a marriage record I found 2 yrs ago from the Ontario 1858-1869 Marriage Index for Julia Stephens and William Copeland on 1 Aug 1964.  Place indicated was Ottawa; County: Carlton; microfilm 1030062.  I believe I found the reference on Genealogy.com at an LDS FHC that had a subscription.  It was an extraction, not an original document.

Parent information was given for her - James and Harriet Stephens
Parent information for him:  Wm and Mary Copeland.

Her birthplace:  Bristol, England    Residence:  Ottawa
His     "          :  Ireland                  Residence:  Ottawa

By 1870~ the couple and her family moved to Chicago Illinois, apparently missing the census there, as well as in Canada.  I've never found any other information about the Copeland family, other than a later US census that indicated William was from N. Ireland. 

Thank you for your interest and time on this question.

 

[eillo]

Since you found a record in Ottawa for 1864, have you checked the 1861 census for that area? Also work backwards and check 1851 same area. There's no indexes so you have to order microfilm and do it screen by screen.

See http://allcensusrecords.com/canada/ and then get the film nos you need for Ottawa 1861.

See what James' occupation and religion were on the census, and use that to search for more details -- once you know the religion you can search church records for the last 3 children's births.

If he owned land, you can search land records. See http://olivetreegenealogy.com/can/ont/land.shtml for help with this

For info on Ottawa area churches see http://www.archives.gov.on.ca/english/interloan/crc.htm

[eillo]

I did a bit of checking in the US records -- you seem to have all this but did you realize that with the census info from 1900 on you can find out about naturalization? Those records will give an exact date they crossed from Canada to USA - and a border entry port. It might even give more.

Also, immigration years are given. If you aren't sure what questions are asked on what census, see http://allcensusrecords.com/  There's a good explanation of each census year questions for USA and for Canada

Anyway, in case you haven't seen it, in James Stephens 1900 record he says he immigrated in 1870 (so did dau. Florence) and is Naturalized. Illinois nats can be found at http://naturalizationrecords.com/usa/  Click on Illinois bottom of page, read the intro, then choose ONline records. If you come up empty, go to OFFline records for Illinois and see where to get those records.

Frank Stephens (middle initial "H") also in IL in 1900 says he was b Nov. 1864 in Canada -- that will help you when looking thro church records in Ottawa area. Claims imm. date of 1865 - may or may not be correct. He too is naturalized

Not sure if I found Edwin, the guy I found in IL in 1900 says he was born Sept 1853, imigrated 1859 and is naturalized. But the same guy in 1920 says he imm. in 1865....

Did you check out the Alfred Stephens, age 37 b Eng lviving in Ottawa, Carleton Co. ON in 1880?? Could he be Alfred the son you mention being b 1843/1844? He's got a wife Mary and kids Mable, Edward and Edith.


I hope you can find their nat. records! Oh, almost forgot, since James claims to be a "confectioner" and a "baker" in the census records I saw, you may want to check Ottawa area newspapers for the years he lived there - he may have had a store of some sort.

I can't remember the site for the list of Ontario newspapers that are available in those years but i know there's a link at the Ontario Genealogy Research section of Olive Tree. http://olivetreegenealogy.com/can/ont/   Choose Ontario Newspapers on this page

[lbj]

To Eillo:  Thank you so very much for all the time and effort you have put into this search for my GGG-grandfather's family.  I am going to SLC, Utah at the end of the month and will try to see the films for the Ottawa census records.  I appreciate the research tips.  I'm totally new to Canadian research.

Re the US records.  I have checked them and was unable to find more than the year of naturalization--no info as to port of entry and specific date.  I plan to research further on the nat. records in Illinois.  I will follow the leads you gave me.

I am running into different dates of naturalization for family members in different census years (not just in this family line).  There appears to be a lot of error there.  I have checked the 1870 US census for Frank and Edwin (and all Stephens) in Illinois.  I don't find them.  I can't figure out why the boys would emigrate at such young ages while the parents are still in Canada until 1870.  Their married sister Julia didn't emigrate to Illinois until 1870 either. 

Unfortunately I don't know the mother Harriet Stephens' maiden name to see if she had family there she might have sent the children on to live with.  It just seems unlikely as the entire family was living together in 1880. 

How did you find Alfred Stephens in Ottawa in 1880?  I believe it very well may be their son.  Please let me know your source.  I would like to get a copy of the record for my research files.  Once again, I can't thank you enough for all you have done.  I really appreciate all the information.  Have a great day.

[eillo]

Re the US records.  I have checked them and was unable to find more than the year of naturalization--no info as to port of entry and specific date. 

The port of entry plus other details will only be found in the actual Naturalization Records - First papers, petition, etc. Before 1906, the declaration of intent generally contains more genealogically useful information than the petition. Petitions before 1906 usually show only a name, former allegiance, and date of naturalization. The declaration may include the alien's exact date of immigration into the United States. After 1906 it's the opposite. btw I took a quick look at   http://naturalizationrecords.com/usa/il_offlinedb.shtml and Cook Co.IL has been indexed for naturalization records 1840-1950

I am running into different dates of naturalization for family members in different census years (not just in this family line).  There appears to be a lot of error there.  I can't figure out why the boys would emigrate at such young ages while the parents are still in Canada until 1870.  Their married sister Julia didn't emigrate to Illinois until 1870 either. 

The year of nat and of imm is one of the most MISremembered of all - so you can't trust the census info to be accurate on that. But it is likely close. Remember that the boys were little when they immigrated and it's very probable that they simply didn't know the exact year. They probably just 'guestimated' when asked. (Frank thinks "oh i remember I was little, I was just a baby I think,... so maybe 1865") In reality Frank may have been 5 or 6 years old, making it later. Or as you suggested  maybe they were sent on ahead...

How did you find Alfred Stephens in Ottawa in 1880? 

http://www.familysearch.org/  the online 1881 (sorry, not 1880) census for Canada.

[lbj]

Thanks.  I just checked out the Family Search.org site for the 1881 census and found the info.  That had lots of info to start other searches from.  I now know more specific info as to where in Ottawa to search for other family members in earlier Canada records.  Thanks so much.  I'll check out the naturalization records too.  You've been very helpful.

[eillo]

hi again

You probably have this already but just in case...

I think there's a good chance this is your Harriet's death

Name of Deceased Date City Age Sex Vol. Page Certificate No. County
STEPHENS, HARRIET B  05/06/1891 CHICAGO  69 YR U   00016071 COOK 

You can order the full cert at http://www.cyberdriveillinois.com/departments/archives/deathcopy.html

and this fits nicely for your James

STEPHENS, JAMES  04/24/1905 CHICAGO  85 YR U   00016785 COOK

Also suspect this might be your Frank's marriage

STEPHENS, FRANK H                    CORBETT, ELLA                        02/22/1888    /     00124271 COOK               

You can get a copy of the cert by going to http://www.cyberdriveillinois.com/departments/archives/marrcopy.html

and here is the Edwin I found in the census records
STEPHENS, EDWIN H                    LALANDE, EFFIE D                     12/08/1880    /     00050355 COOK

Good luck