William Nelson Brown

[MJP]

Hi Mike,

It seems that the WNB who appears in the 1881 census in Ancaster, Ontario was also there in 1871.  Here is a database that indexes the heads of household only for that census http://www.collectionscanada.ca/02/020108_e.html
To search for him, the district you want is Wentworth South.  His middle initial has been transcribed as V, but all other details fit with the guy in 1881. 
If you want to see this entire record you could order the film through inter-library loan. 

Martha

[MJP]

Hi again,

William N., Jane and son Thomas Brown of Ancaster are all buried in Saint Andrews Presbyterian cemetery in Ancaster.  See the tombstone transcriptions here http://www.interment.net/data/canada/ontario/wentworth/ancast/andrew/andrew_al.htm

Based on Jane's age at death, it seems her age of 37 in the 1881 census is incorrect - should be more like 57 (probably a mis-transcription). 

You mentioned that you knew WNB had a son James born in Ireland.  Was this from his first wife?  Because it seems that all of the children listed with the family in 1881 are Jane's children. 

As JJ already pointed out, Jane's maiden name is not Bleeks or Devlin.  It is given as McDonald in son Bamber's marriage record.  Find it here http://homepages.rootsweb.com/~maryc/thisisit.htm by typing [William Nelson Brown] in the little search box on the left.

Martha

[J.J.]

Ahhh...so I suppose we are "barking up the wrong family tree" as I call it...
the age of Jane seems to throw a wrench into it....unless she was an ultra
good fibber all her life! My Gran lied about 11 years!!!! But this gal was with
an older fella, so that wouldn't likely be....
    J.J. ( sorry about that)

[MJP]

Didn't mean to imply an oversight on your part JJ!  I was just drawing attention to the fact that the maiden name was different than what Mike was expecting.  It could still be the right family, since there are other details match - I guess it would depend on how much credence Mike puts in his other source that gave him the Bleeks/Devlin name and whether or not he knows if the children were from the first or second wife...

Martha

[J.J.]

Hi, Martha...
Well, I suppose that Bleeks could have been a first marriage name
for Jane, also...and that she reverted to her original maiden name
when asked...? I just took a look at the listings for Jane bleeks on the
I.G.I. and there is a "Mrs. Jane Bleeks":b. About 1825 Arboe, Tyrone, Ire.
ahhh...more speculation...!! A real mystery for you to solve, Mike! Haha...
Perhaps there would be more info on the marriage or death documents to
help solve this....hope so!!!
 J.J.

[MikeW]

Hi -
  Late last night I checked Rootschat, and was overwhelmed by such an enthusiastic and generous response : why didn't I try this before ?!   I wonder....if I put ALL my dead-ends on a rootschat posting, I could have the whole shebang solved in no time !    Seriously, thanks for all the input.  WNB was not a top priority  -  more of a niggling puzzle that's been lurking  among the "must-do"s, as  family history is very much an after-work/spare-time pursuit, and I'm only a rank amateur, both at FH and computer-use !
 I found the  old, handwritten list with WNB's "Jane" (copied for me by someone at the Mormon library, some years ago) : the 'Bleeks/Devlin reference was NOT on a marriage list, but as a  birth.....12/7/1832  -- the only Jane that would fit in with the ages of WNB's second family :
   Susan, 1852
   Emily,   1856
   James, 1858.....
which would lead neatly on to the details given here the other night  -  Thomas, 1860
             Annie,      1863
             Bamber,   1866

so, the maiden name MCDonald is quite a possibility, and MJP's guess at 57 instead of 37 would be totally credible.

Just to add to the "fun" : WNB's first son, John(1836)  married and had a son in 1873, and named him........   yes, WNB !
 Continuing to sort this lot out.
Thanks again, to everybody.  Will be in touch.

                                       Mike W.
   

[MJP]

Glad we could be of assistance Mike!  Hope you solve the mystery...

Martha

[J.J.]

Here's that 1871!
William V.   59
Jane McD  42 ...from the "Island of Corfew" 

Now you will need to sort this mess out! First 6 say born Ireland...
Guess 1st. son might be using middle name... 
Nelson 20
Elezebeth 15
Amelia 14
James12
Thomas 10
Nancie A.  8
Bamber(?) 6 Ont

http://www.ogs.on.ca/ogspi/7/o022e100.htm

[J.J.]

William & Jane in 1891, with Bamber still at home, he's a shoemaker...http://www.ogs.on.ca/ogspi/9/o049b120.htm

Still with his mother in 1901
http://www.automatedgenealogy.com/census/DisplayPagePanb.jsp?id=30739&highlight=6

Now his mother is with him...in 1911
http://www.automatedgenealogy.com/census11/Test9.jsp?id=32317&framed=true