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Research in Other Countries => Canada => Canada Lookup Request => Topic started by: JAZZ1E on Thursday 21 January 10 10:06 GMT (UK)
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Hi,
I am having trouble finding a birth record for RICHARD ARTHUR SAUNDERS.
I have his death certificate/printout. That states he was born in Victoria, Canada and his father's name was DAVID SAUNDERS (Farmer) and mother's name was MARY SAUNDERS (nee SMITH). He died 27 February 1927 at Opotiki, New Zealand aged 48, occupation Cabinet Maker. He had been in NZ for 26 years at time of his death. So from all that, he was born approximately 1879.
Sorry that is all I have to go by. Any help will be appreciated.
- Jasmine
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Jazzie
I searched the BC Archives site for Saunders born in Victoria, BC but no Richard Arthur Saunders. Here is the website and if you input Surname Saunders and City Victoria it will give you records for that last name. I also checked Vancouver with no luck.
Frank on Thetis
http://search.bcarchives.gov.bc.ca/sn-3931821/gbsearch/Births,Marriages,Deaths
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There is an Arthur Saunders born 4 DEC 1885 in Nanaimo, which is on Victoria Island, located approx. 50 miles north of Victoria, the city.
You might want to check this one. You could get the details searching the website Frank provided and request a lookup, as there are some BC rootschatters that have access to these records.
Linda
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Thanks for the link Frank.
Thanks Linda for the possibility. It is hard to know the areas considered to be Victoria since I am not familiar with Canada at all.
This is a frustrating mystery as I also cannot find them on the 1881 Canada census either
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Jazzie
Victoria is on Vancouver Island, a large Island off the coast of British Columbia, Canada and is the capital of B.C. Nanaimo is called the 'hub' of Vancouver Island (roughly central) approx. 50 miles north of Victoria and was developed after coal was found in the 1850's. Vancouver is the largest city in B.C. on the mainland. We are planning to visit the BC Archives in Victoria within the next month or so for some family records and could check the Arthur Saunders birth for you. All B.C. BMD records are on microfiche and are held in the archives in Victoria. The 1885 birth doesn't quite match but we hand a situation that a relative we thought was born around 1812/15 in Berwickshire was actually born in 1805 so you never know.
Frank
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Oops yes Vancouver Island. Don't know how I managed that, especially when I've visited both. Thanks Frank for the correction.
I have had many relatives go by their second name and age often off. I would suggest asking for a lookup for that one. Would be nice if the parents match for you.
Linda
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Thanks Frank for the offer of look up but I put out another request and another kind RCer had a look and sadly the parents names do not match the parents names.
So back to the drawing board for me. ???
I might try some strange variations on names to see if that helps me?
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HI Jazzie, had a look at the 1911 Canadian Census. There is an Arthur Saunders, age 25, living with his wife Rachel, age 18, in Nanaimo. His occupation is listed but the ink is so blurry I find it impossible to read.
Good Luck.
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Hello Jazzie
Tried something - thought maybe he was named later, so searched without a first name.
There is a male birth in Victoria with birth date 30 DEC 1892. This looks promising. Cancel this as date is quite off.
Reg. #: 1892-09-006175
B.C. Archives Microfilm #: B13810
I've my fingers crossed for you.
BTW Frank there are also some libraries in B.C. that hold the records. Two fellow rootschatters have been so kind as to provide details for me.
Linda
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waiteohman
Linda
Are they on Vancouver Island? Victoria has a decent sized library but would imagine the ones you are talking about would be in Vancouver. Not sure if a non-city resident can get access to Public Library material. We are mid-island so visit Victoria maybe once a month.
Frank
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Frank
The Nanaimo Family History Society has the Vital Events microfilm at its library. Nanaimo might be closer for you if you're on Thetis Island.
The NFHS website is http://www.members.shaw.ca/nfhs/index.htm
The library is open limited hours as it is manned by volunteers but there is a wealth of material in the building which is located near Country Club Mall in Nanaimo.
Susan
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Hello Frank
Vancouver Public & Simon Fraser University have them. I found this information searching the National Library's Union catalogue. You could check with your local library. They may be able to arrange an interlibrary loan, if they don't have them. Or a visit to Nanaimo as Susan suggests.
Linda
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Susano
Susan
My old stomping grounds and we are on Thetis. My mother was a member of the Nanaimo Historical Society but stopped attending when she quit driving. Thanks for the link. The April 17 meeting looks very enticing with the speakers they have scheduled. I see the meeting is at Beban Park, but is the library in/ or near Country Club?
Thanks
Frank
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Is there the only 1 Victoria in Canada? The death cert states "Victoria, Canada". There is no mention of BC, I just assumed???
I also wondered if he was born Saunders but then searching by Richard only on Frank's link did not find a close match.
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Hi Frank
Yes, the NFHS library is on the corner of Norwell Drive and Victoria Avenue, close to Country Club Mall. It's in the same block as the Ukrainian Church and a stone's throw from the old Wellington Pub. It's a tiny building, jam-packed full of materials, a few computers, microfilm readers, printers, etc.
It's open limited hours on T, W, Th and Sat (check the website for the exact hours) but the volunteers who man the library are most helpful. I've never had a problem getting a computer when I've dropped in. It's so convenient being able to search the Vital Events microfilm there....saves a trip to Victoria or Vancouver.
They hold their monthly meetings at Beban and usually draw a pretty fair crowd. There is going to be a Genealogy Fair in April with a guest speaker from London....should be interesting.
If you're in Nanaimo, you might want to drop by the library and take a look around.
Susan
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Hi JAZZ1E
In answer to your question, you may want to check out this website:
http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/index.cfm?PgNm=TCE&Params=A1ARTA0008358
It discusses the occurrences of "Victoria" in place names, municipalities, etc. in Canada.
Susan
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http://www.rootschat.com/links/07xo/
On the 1881 census there is a David and Mary Saunders living in Prince Edward County, Sophiasburg Township, Ontario with a son Richard, born Ontario in 1872. This same couple on the 1871 census are living in Prince Edward County, Hallowell Township with children Sydney and Louise.
Debbie
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The Ontario locator indicates that there was and still is a Victoria in Ameliasburgh Township Prince Edward County
http://www.rootschat.com/links/07xq/
1880 maps for counties in Ontario
http://digital.library.mcgill.ca/countyatlas/SearchMapframes.php
This is a pay site but their database does show references to David Saunders and Richard
http://quinte-kin.com/magrc.htm
Debbie
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Thanks Susan for the info on Victoria - gives me some hope that he may have been born outside BC.
Thanks Debbie for the new finds on a David and Mary Saunders (possible parents of the Richard I am looking for). Looks a little promising tho trying not to get too excited just yet.
I have been trying to find a marriage record of this David and Mary to determine her maiden name to see if its a match. I have been unsuccessful on Ancestry and also a few of the Ontario databases that I have found.
The census for 1871 and 1881 both state they were born in Ontario and since there were both in the Ontario province for those census I assume they also married there. They were married in 1871 with a 2yr old and 10mth old and if she didn't marry till she was at least 15 and before she had children, the marriage must have taken place between 1863 and 1870.
Can anyone help with that? I know its a lot of work just to determine if these people found on the census are a match!