Help requested finding mysterious 19th century Canadian cousins

[CelticAnnie]

Cosmac/Debbie

Uh-oh, I've just sort-of screwed up and thoroughly embarrassed myself on here (again)! 

Really should make sure I've done my researches more thoroughly before opening my mouth on here! Because I'd completely forgotten I already knew that Thomas came to Canada -- that's evidenced by the fact that he married Elizabeth Bywater in Toronto in 1846!  Doh!  But it's still very interesting to know they'd a daughter born in Grand Rapids MI -- I wonder what on earth took her parents down there?! (Sorry -- rhetorical question! I don't imagine anyone on here could answer that!)

I don't want to bother you kind folk on here further with 'the siblings' -- although I'm extremely grateful for your kind offer.  Now I've upgraded my (previously UK) subscription on Ancestry to worldwide, it shouldn't be difficult to investigate whether there are any Canadian records relating to any of the other ones. (Moreover, it'll be a good learning experience for me!).  It's really more the case that I just hadn't yet gotten that far -- there really just aren't enough hours in the day (especially given the speed with which my tree's growing!).   

Thanks again for your much-appreciated help.

I will, of course, report back on the possible Andrew Mackay burial link as soon as I hear back from the cemetary.

Kind regards.

CELTIC ANNIE   

[St Bernard]

Information on Lillian of Grand Rapids is helpful but she may have lied about her age (as did mum, see below)

In the 1880 US census in Grand Rapids, Michigan we have:

Elizabeth Mackay, a widow allegedly 48 which is unlikely if she married in 1846, born in England and her children who had a scottish father - Charles b1862 in Canada, Lillian b1865 in Michigan, Rosa b1868 in Michigan, John B b1870 in Michigan, and Annie Loring b1859 in Canada with her son Ocie b1878 in Michigan.

No sign of this family in the 1870 US census or the 1861 Canada census - checked both Mackay and McKay.

Family must have moved in first part of 1860s from Canada to US. Thomas dead by 1880 but probably alive in 1870 when his son was born.

Jan

[St Bernard]

Here's another titbit.

On April 11 1901 Bailey Mackay age 30, son of Thom. Mackay and Eliz. Bywater married Hannah Ball age 25 in Grand Rapids, Michigan. She was the daughter of Chas. Ball and Jane Vandenburg and was born in Grand Haven which is in Michigan. The 1910 US census has Hannah McKay, born in 1876 in Michigan, a widow living in Grand Rapids with her mother Jane Boll. In the 1920 census Hannah McKay is living with her mother Jane Ball in Grand Rapids.

Given that Thomas and Elizabeth were still producing kids in 1870/71 some 25 years after they were married, I hate to think how many children they had.

Jan

[St Bernard]

And finally............................

John B McKay b1871 Detroit (Bailey born there as well) married the 18 years old Lulu Bushing on April 9 1891 in Grand Rapids. John B's parents are Thomas McKay and Elizabeth Bywater.

Could John B be Bailey? No sign of Lulu and John B in census data.

Jan

[St Bernard]

A little curiosity from the Michigan marriage records: On 20/08/1884 in Grand Rapids, Nellie M McKay married Ocie Loring. She was born in Detroit in 1865. No names of parents in this record. Did Annie die and was replaced by her sister or did Nellie marry her sister's brother-in-law? Or is Nellie in fact Lillian who according to the 1880 census was born in 1865? It is Lillian Loring daughter of Thomas Mackay and Elizabeth Bywater who remarried in 1907.

Jan

[CelticAnnie]

Many, many thanks to Jan for all this excellent extra Thomas & Elizabeth descendant info.  Jan, you continue to inspire me with your inventiveness and skill at digging things out!

Well, so much for my confident assertion that "I can do it all", in relation to the question of whether any of Thomas' siblings emigrated -- I have come up with precisely nothing further on any of this bunch, either in Canada or in Scotland! So I thought I would swallow my pride and come back on here to request further help!

This is what I know:

Parents are Lachlan Mackay b1792 in Inverness-shire, married Margaret Davies (unknown d.o.b.) on 17th November 1812.  Places and dates of death unknown.  Lachlan served with 42nd of Foot Black Watch; and he was still in Scotland in 1855/56, on half pay from 1st (Royal) Regiment of Foot.  Nothing known beyond that; but probably unlikely that they ever emigrated (although you never know!)

 I have dates of birth for all of Thomas's siblings -- they were all helpfully born in the same place (Petty, Inverness, Scotland).  But (apart from for one, on whom much is known) I have nothing else.

Here they are:

LACHLAN b 30th April 1827.
JOHN b 17th October 1820
ANN b 6th December 1816
SOPHIA b 17th April 1825

The other sibling about whom a lot is already known is HUNTLEY BRODIE MACKAY (including his two marriages and children).  He DID emigrate to Canada -- 1901 Canadian Census suggests this was around 1840.  He was, in fact, the father of Margaret Mackay.

If anyone can dig up anything further on Lachlan, John, Ann or Sophia -- well, that would be just wonderful!

Jan has also very helpfully pointed out to me that the cousins, James and Andrew, may not have been first cousins of Margaret Mackay but could easily have been of the next generation on (particularly given the age difference).

Unfortunately, the Mount Royal burial has turned out not to be the right Andrew -- this one was 81 years old at time of death; and, if it had been 'my' Andrew, he would only have been 23!

Many thanks for reading this.

CELTIC ANNIE