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Research in Other Countries => Canada => Topic started by: Patricia Greber on Sunday 16 April 17 21:52 BST (UK)
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I have a record in 1872 that a John Russell was a Corporal with the 78th Fusiliers in Quebec City. He had a daughter born there in 1872 and he was listed as such. In 1880 his wife Bridget Reddy dies and she is listed as a widow. I have been unable to locate a death record for John and I was wondering if anyone knows of resources for searching the 78 Fusiliers?
Thank you
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There are publications such as Hart' Army list etc. I would recommend you post your request in the General - Army Forces board.
John Russell is found on the 1871 Canada census and is 17, born in England and listed as soldat, soldier.
http://data2.collectionscanada.ca/1871/jpg/4395489_00057.jpg
Looks like he may have been promoted to corporal later in 1871 or 1872.
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I am thinking this John Russell might be a bit young to have been made a Corporal, married, and had a child by 1872? And so perhaps not the correct John Russell?
Also, it looks like his daughter was born in 1869.
Anyway, food for thought.
PB
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This might just add to the confusion, but as soldiers did move around, and the child Margaret was having a conditional baptism, I took a look outside of Quebec.
In the 1871 Census, for Halifax, Nova Scotia, there are many soldier's wives on the same page, one of which was:
Bridget Russell, age 27, born Quebec, Catholic, Irish, married, soldier's wife
Margaret Russell, age 2, born Nova Scotia, Catholic, Irish
Robert Russell, age 2 months (July birth), born Nova Scotia, Catholic, Irish
With them was another soldier's wife named Lilley Ellet, age 23.
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It appears they were in Quebec by 1872 as there is a baptism for an illegitimate boy named William on 22 May 1872 in the Saint Patrick parish records who had "Bridget Ready wife of John Russell" and Mary Ready as sponsors. This William was born on 14 May 1872 to unknown parents.
Jacquie
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The entry in the Saint Patrick parish records indicate Bridget was 26 when she died on 6 Jan 1880 but I'm wondering if that is wrong.
The British Nationals Armed Forces Births 1761-2005 index at Find My Past has a Robert Ready Russell born between 1870-1872 in Canada which does match with that census entry. You can order a copy of the registration from the GRO using the overseas births option. I believe the only other information you would need to order it would be that it is in the GRO Army Chaplains Birth Indices (1796 to 1880) on page 613.
Jacquie
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Jacquie, do you have a site other than Anc. for the Drouin collection?
I was trying to look at St Patrick for John and Bridget's marriage, but Anc has a big gap with 1867 to 1872 missing (for St Patrick), but you mentioned the William unknown baptism in May 1872. I would love to know if there is a better site, as other gaps in these records have stymied me before in my own tree (for areas other than St Patrick).
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The St Pat's records are working for me. There is no apparent marriage entry in the indexes for 1866 through 1869. One would need to go page by page through the records in case an entry was missed when the indexes were produced. Or they married elsewhere......but they just don't seem to be indexed anywhere else, either.
PB
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From a website titled British Regiments in Halifax by dates...
The 78th is listed as being there 1869-1871. This would tie in nicely with the 1871 census for Bridget found by bbart.
http://www.johncordes.ca/genealogy2/regiments/britishregiments_halifax.html
PB
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Thanks for checking PB. I rechecked, and still when I navigate to Montreal - St.Patrick, there is no option to chose 1867 through 1872.
However, on a happier note, I did find the following:
In a November 29 issue 1870 Banffshire newspaper, there is an article on the 78th in Halifax having a rifle competition at Bedford Camp, Halifax. One of the higher scores was Private John Russell!
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Ah, but it isn't Montreal St Patrick? It's Quebec City St Patrick so is this perhaps where your problem lies, bbart?
Great find about the news article. Ties in nicely, again.
pB
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::) You are absolutely right, PB. I must be getting senile.
That article stated Bedford camp, and from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/78th_(Highlanders)_Regiment_of_Foot take a look at this paragraph:
The regiment embarked for Gibraltar in 1865 and then sailed on, in the troopship HMS Crocodile, to Halifax in Nova Scotia in 1867. Each summer, men from the regiment camped at Bedford to practice musketry at the military range. On their departure in 1871, a farewell ball was hosted by the Grandmaster of the Masonic Lodge of Nova Scotia, Alexander Keith. The regiment, together with 17 young local women who had married soldiers, embarked for Ireland in the troopship HMS Orontes in November 1871.
Maybe John didn't actually die in Nova Scotia causing Bridget's return to Quebec; perhaps she didn't want to leave for Ireland?
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You may be correct about her not wanting to go to Ireland. Actually, I believe they were in Montreal and Quebec City bx 1867 and 1869?
https://www.regimental.com/history/to-canada-and-halifax.html#heading-to-a-cold-frontier
I was looking at Quebec City St Pat's b/c that was where Margaret was baptized and where Bridget's family seems to have been centered.
Also, if it was OP's Bridget who was in Nova Scotia, I would have expected to see a similar baptism for young Robert so I wonder if he was perhaps deceased. It would be interesting to see what the Robert Ready Russell birth cert says about his parents.
PB
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Some good finds on his regiment.
The John Russell on the 1871 census was recorded as born in England. The age on the census could be off, would need his birth record or a marriage saying possibly a minor. This John is living in Quebec City where there is a garrison in 1871. The Saint Patrick Parish that Bridget Russell m.s. Ready was a sponsor was in Quebec City and the baptism was on May 22, 1872. The article mentioned they were camped in N.S. in the summers for musket practice. I’ve looked for a marriage and births on the Nova Scotia vital statistics site for births for Robert & Margaret Russell in N.S. and didn’t find any. I would suggest a look at the Acadia birth records on Ancestry for a Robert or Margaret’s birth to find the name of the father. I don’t subscribe to Ancestry.
From the National Archives Canada site it also confirms the 1871 wrapping up of military service in Canada.
The British government stationed British Army regiments in Canada for its defense from the close of the Seven Years' War (1763) until 1871. Generally, these forces were garrisoned in fortifications such as those found in Quebec, Kingston and Halifax and could be augmented from time to time by reinforcements from Britain in response to war scares, rebellion and war itself. As well, a permanent fleet base was maintained in Halifax for the Royal Navy.
In the late 1860s, the British government decided that as colonial governments were now responsible for governing their own territory, they should also be responsible for their own defense.
By 1871, all British garrisons had been removed, either returning to Britain or sent to duty in other Imperial outposts. Their places were taken by a new Canadian Permanent Force, at first composed of only two batteries of artillery, and later expanded to include other elements such as cavalry and infantry. These were to be supplemented by militia units in emergencies.
http://bit.ly/2rF36jv
I didn’t see an 1871 census for a Bridget Ready in Quebec. The N.S. one is a possibility for Bridget Russell if she is m.s. Ready and seems older with children born in NS. If not I was wondering if Ready may be Rodey. Literacy was a problem. Something to consider. Would need to find the marriage record.
Bridgitt Rodey Ireland 17 servant
http://data2.collectionscanada.ca/1871/jpg/4395452_00521.jpg
John Russell’s marriage was most likely at the Quebec garrison. On ancestry, there are marriages indexed for Garnison de Quebec (registres) 1797-1826, should be Garrison de Quebec. I would look for where the garrison marriage records are for 1871 timeframe as if age 17 is correct. We don’t find a marriage in Saint Patrick in 1871 or 1872 and the other record for Bridget found by Jacquie had her in Quebec on May 22, 1872.
If the Garrison records were sent back to England, the British arhives has foreign birth, marriage and death registers (RG 32-RG 36) and download records are available on The Genealogist and Ancestry websites or can be browsed at The National Archives series (or class) and piece number or description. I don’t subscribe to Ancestry. If you do, these are the files I would suggest you search of browse:
UK Foreign and Overseas Registers of British Subjects, 1628-1969
RG34. Miscellaneous Foreign Marriges 1826-1921:
Piece 1: … Marriages 1826-1870
Piece 2: … Marriages 1871-1896
I would check for a birth of John Ready Russell in the Acadia records or possibly here:
RG32: Miscellaneous Foreign Returns
Piece 1: … Returns 1831-1870
and if John died in Canada before his wife (a widow in 1880) you could check for a death here for him:
UK Foreign and Overseas Registers of British Subjects, 1628-1969
RG 35: Miscellaneous Foreign Deaths, 1830-1921
Pieces 20 - 21
A corporal is basically the next step from a private. It isn’t of the status of an officer, so I could see a corporal of a young age.
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Hart's Annual Army List, Militia List, and Imperial Yeomanry Lists do include notes of deaths. There may be other lists those watching that board are aware of. Have you made an Army Board request?
If he died in service, the Army chaplain should register the death. Someone may already have checked. If not, could someone please search this on Ancestry and let us know if it does or does not have him recorded?:
<quote>UK Foreign and Overseas Registers of British Subjects, 1628-1969
RG 35: Miscellaneous Foreign Deaths, 1830-1921
Pieces 20 – 21</quote>
Bridget is from Quebec City area, and would be about 25. If a marriage done by an army chaplain and registered in a Garrison register could give some details on John.
Could someone also please search this on Ancestry and let us know if it may have their marriage recorded?:
<quote>UK Foreign and Overseas Registers of British Subjects, 1628-1969
RG34. Miscellaneous Foreign Marriges 1826-1921:
Piece 1: … Marriages 1826-1870
Piece 2: … Marriages 1871-1896</quote>
I suspect you already know Bridget’s parents and if Thomas Ready, father of Bridget is a relation to Lt. Col. C. Ready, this is likely how Bridget meets John Russell. Besides being a good shot, a Lt. Colonel as a relation would certainly help in being promoted.
1861 District Name: Québec
Sub-District Name: Québec (Montcalm)
Thomas Ready 37 Ireland labourer
Mrs. Ready 34 Ireland
Bgt. Ready 15 Lower Canada
Mary? Ready 13 “
James Ready 9 “
Magt Ready 7 “
Ready 5 (female – Susan?) “
Anne Ready 5 “
? Ready 25 servant
? Ready 1
http://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/census/1861/Pages/item.aspx?itemid=2145224
War Services of Retired Lieutenant Colonels
Lt. Colonel Ready landed in the Crimea on 13th Feb. 1855, and commanded the 71st Highlanders at the siege of Sebastopol and expedition to Kertch : he held the rank of Brigadier in the Kertch district during its occupation by the Allies (Medal with Clasp, Knight of the Legion of Honor, and Turkish Medal), page 113
Hart's Annual Army List, Militia List, and Imperial Yeomanry List … 1871
http://bit.ly/2rGfi3E
1856 Lt. Col. C. Ready 71st foot
Bulletins and Other State Intelligence, Part 2
http://bit.ly/2sFJBqm
Berkshire Regiment – …
Lt. Col. Ready to command a battalion 14 Apr. 83
THE NEW ARMY LIST, MILITIA LIST, YEOMANRY CAVALRY LIST, AND INDIAN CIVIL ... / by LIEUTENANT GENERAL H. G. HART, 1883
http://bit.ly/2ruQU0N
Lt. Col. Ready’s wife Ellen Ready born about 1834
Malvern Cemetery
Ready, Ellen Hicks, d. 17 Mar 1912, age: 78y's, w/o Lt. Col. Ready
http://bit.ly/2sqFQDe
1911 Canada census, Village of Lennoxville, QC
Vial Frank head
Vial Elizabeth S. Wife born Quebec May 1874
Ready Ellen mother-in-law 76 born Ontario February 1835
http://bit.ly/2sFsOUr
1901 Canada census, Village of Lennoxville, QC
Ready Ellen lodger 60 widowed born Ont u(rban) 4 Feb 1835 ethnic origin: Irish
http://bit.ly/2ruoNik
1891 Canada census, St. Jean, QC
Ready Ellen widow 50 Q mother born Ireland father born Ireland
Ready Mary 20 Q mother born Ireland father born Quebec
Ready Susan 17 Q “
Ready Henry 14 Q “
Hinks Allas female (this could be Alice Hicks) born Qc father & mother born Quebec
Cotes Etta domestic
http://bit.ly/2rGQVTA
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Wow this really took off and I did not realize all the responses I was receiving.
The Ready family was quite outside the law shall we say in Quebec City. Bridget Ready along with her siblings were arrested multiple times in that place. I wrote about Bridget's sister who is my ancestress
https://mygenealogylife.ca/2016/06/19/arrested-at-age-8-anne-reddys-story/
Anyway Bridget & John Russell's daughter Margaret does show up in the 1881 census as an orphan https://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/census/1881/Pages/item.aspx?itemid=5260907
Bridget Ready's family in the 1861 census are here, not the one posted above.
https://central.bac-lac.gc.ca/.item/?app=Census1861&op=&img&id=4108564_00570
Bridget's parents were Thomas Ready and Margaret Prendergast
On Bridget's daughter's conditional baptism in 1872 her sister Cecilia and her Uncle James Prendergast were witnesses, the father is absent.
It is interesting to me that John may have been in NS and would explain why the daughter was not baptized for 3 years...or would it. I think I may have to go page by page through St Patrick's records and see if they have missed them in the index. I am guessing they would have married about 1865-1869, as Margaret was born in 1869.
I will be exploring the resources you all have been kind enough to provide!
Sincerely,
Patricia
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It appears they were in Quebec by 1872 as there is a baptism for an illegitimate boy named William on 22 May 1872 in the Saint Patrick parish records who had "Bridget Ready wife of John Russell" and Mary Ready as sponsors. This William was born on 14 May 1872 to unknown parents.
Jacquie
FYI this illegitimate William is William Jordan who was a son of Anastasia Ready and her soon-to-be husband William R Jordan who was a soldier with B Battery. Anastasia Ready is Bridget Ready's sister.