William Lilly spouse search

[Gravesave]

I am new this forum so if I am messing up a thread, please forgive me and advise.

My challenge is to find Mary Ann Lilly's maiden name

William Lilly, b abt 1791 came to York Co,Canada West in 1832 (now Toronto).  No ship records exist for that year. 

I know he lived in Drumconready, Maghera, Derry (he is listed on 1831 census) and that he brought sons Alexander and Robert plus 5 daughters and his wife.

His wife died in 1845 and was listed on the family records as UNKNOWN but I have found a daughters marriage certificate and a sons death certificate that list her as Mary Ann Dickson and Mary Ann McKane respectively.

Is there any way to determine which name is right?  If marriage records exist for Maghera, their first child (Elizabeth) was born 1810 so marriage would have been close to that year given William born 1791.

Any snippets of info or help would be most welcome.  Thanks in advance

[aghadowey]

You'll need to have an idea of what religion the family were in Ireland. Lots of links to various indexes and records for Londonderry church records here- however, remember that many churches will not have pre 1850s records:
http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,540153.0.html

[Gravesave]

Hi
They were protestant (I hope that's not too general).  Thanks for the links. I will check them out. I know 1832 is not a good year for online info! LOL!

Thanks again

[aghadowey]

You'll need to know if the family were Church of Ireland, Presbyterian, etc. in order to find church records (if they exist).

[Gravesave]

There is no way of knowing for sure beyond 'protestant'. Their listed religion is all over the map on the Canada Census..episcopal, methodist, Church of Ireland so I look at at everything because it's all very confusing! I am having a blast with the links you sent.  Thanks again.   

[scotmum]

If I am reading correctly, you are suggesting a son's death certificate states the mother as Mary Ann McKane, albeit you do not mention the son's forename.

A  search on familysearch returns a death entry for Alexander Lilly (born March 1824,  Ireland, died 10 Oct 1911, Beeton, Canada) and notes the mother's maiden name as Dickson. I assume this therefore means both sons have their mother listed as Dickson, or was Alexander's death the one you meant anyhow?:

"I have found a daughters marriage certificate and a sons death certificate that list her as Mary Ann Dickson and Mary Ann McKane respectively."

Some other folks who might be worth checking further:

Another familysearch result suggests there was a later couple in the Drumconready area where the wife was a McKane......Robert Lilly and Anne McKane, who had at least one child in the 1870s.

Also, familysearch has a marriage and some births noted (accuracy of which is uncertain as records appear to be submitted) under Kilcronaghan (an adjoining parish in County Londonderry), suggesting an 1822 marriage of a William Lilly to a Mary Anne McKean, and  births thereafter also noting the McKean surname for the mother, amongst these an Alexander christened March 1823. And in the same parish, a female Lilly seems to have married a McKean or McKane in 1834.

[Gravesave]

Sorry, I was brain dead from searching and I flipped siblings.

The Alexander Lilly you found is the correct son - he lists his mother as Mary Ann Dickson.  However, his sister Nancy Lilly remarried Aug 16 1893 (Widow of Hogeland) to Murdoch McLennan in Kincardine Tp Ontario and she lists her mother as Mary Ann McKane.

Their sister Elizabeth b 1810 married Jul 11 1834 in Toronto to Robert Mitchell (I have seen marriage register)
and their brother Robert was born Maghera 1821 so the 1822 is most likely a relative. (His brother Henry(?) remained in Drumconready. 

If I could find Robert's death certificate it should help but nada.  He died in a rock accident Apr 27 1869, Beeton (Tecumseth) Ontario.  I could not fnd anything at the archives.    If you are able to take a stab it would be most appreciated. 

[scotmum]

Not familiar with Canadian death records, but does William's not exist and give any details of his wife/s?

Is this his burial ref:

William LILLY,   Beeton United, Simcoe, Tecumseth   SM-TE-3621

and same ref for a

Robert LILLY,   Beeton United, Simcoe, Tecumseth,   SM-TE-3621

and

Mary Lilly, Beeton United, Simcoe,   Tecumseth                   SM-TE-3621
Mary (Atkinson) Lilly, Beeton United, Simcoe, Tecumseth   SM-TE-3621
 
plus a ref one digit difference and different cemetery

Mary Ann Lilly   Alliston Union (Section F)   Simcoe   Tecumseth   SM-T-3620

I see too that one of Elizabeth Ann Mitchell (nee Lilly)'s grandchildren (son's child) has the middle name Dixon (Dixon is often another version of Dickson). Did Elizabeth also note her mum as being a Dickson? And another grandchild (daughter's child) has McKean middle name!

[Gravesave]

Hi
Yes, the names at the top are mine and I know them all!   

The Mary Ann Lilly in Alliston was unknown to may and a possible hit since her daughter married a man from there.  So I drove up to the cemetery yesterday and spent hours trying to find the grave. Nada!  No Section markers were evident and a walk thru yielded squat.  I will dig deeper on that one. 

Thanks again.