Seeking Joseph - Canadian Census Records 1851 1861 and 1871

I am so excited about my latest finds, thanks to the 1851, 1861 and 1871 Canadian Census records on Ancestry.com.   I am finally developing a picture about Joseph’s early years with his parents and siblings.

New Information:

1851 CENSUS - Nelson, in the County of Halton, pages 56-58, Line 33-44

Line	Name	Place of Birth	Age at next birthday	Estimated Year of Birth
33	R W Roberts	U States	55	(est.  1797)
34	Mahetable Roberts	Canada	49	(est. 1803)
35	Lucy Roberts	U States	31	(est. 1821)
36	Wm	U States	28	(est. 1824)
37	Henry Roberts	U States	26	(est. 1826)
40	Daniel	Canada	22	(est. 1830)
38	Helen Roberts	Canada	18	(est. 1834)
39	May (or Mary?) Ann	Canada	17	(est. 1835)
44	Hiram	Canada	12	(est. 1840)
41	Sarah	Canada	11	(est. 1841)
42	Hannah	Canada	8	(est. 1844)
43	Joseph	Canada	5	(est. 1847)

1861 CENSUS – Township of Nelson, County of Halton, Canada West (Ontario), Line 44-49

Line	Name	Place of Birth	Age at next birthday	Estimated Year of Birth
44	Roswell  W Roberts	U States	63	(est. 1799)
45	Mahetable Roberts	W Canada	54	(est. 1808)
46	Helen Roberts	Canada	22	(est. 1840)
47	Hiram	Canada	20	(est. 1842)
48	Han(n)ah	Canada	17	(est. 1845)
49	Joseph	Canada	14	(est. 1848)

1871 CENSUS – Township of Nelson, County of Halton, Ontario, Page 62, Line 12-15

Line	Name	Place of Birth	Age	Estimated Year of Birth
12	Roberts, Rowsell	U States	72	(est.  1799)
13	Roberts, Mahatable	Ontario	65	(est. 1806)
14	Roberts, Hiram	Ontario	27	(est. 1844)
15	Roberts, Hellen	Ontario	30	(est. 1841)

Questions and Analysis:

According to these three census records and the death certificates I have for both Joseph and Hiram, I have developed the following hypothesis about the family of Rowsell and Mahatable (Miller) Roberts:

Joseph Roberts was the youngest of at least ten children.  His father was Rowsell William Roberts and his mother was Mahatable Miller.  The first three children – Lucy, William and Henry Roberts were born in the United States.  The other seven children – Daniel, Helen, Mary Ann, Hiram, Sarah, Hannah and Joseph were born in Canada.  The family belonged to either the “Church of Ireland” or the “Presbyterian” faith.  Rowsell Roberts was a shoemaker and farmer.

I believe the names of the parents as I have them are relatively accurate based on several different resources.  Their dates and places of birth vary slightly.  Rowell appears to have been born between 1797 and 1799 in Massachusetts (both Hiram and Joseph’s death certificates seem to indicate the same location).  Mahatable appears to have been born between 1803 and 1808 in either Canada West (Ontario), Pennsylvania or Holland. 

Based on the estimated year of Lucy’s birth (1821), and the age Mahatable would have been at the time (approx 18 years old),  I would estimate that they were married sometime around 1820.  The first three children were born in the United States, so I believe they were likely married in the United States as well.  It is also possible they were married in Canada were Mahatable Miller and her family may have been in 1820.  It appears that both parents died prior to 1881, as I have been unable to locate them in the 1881 census.  I have no information currently as to where they may be buried.  However, since the family had lived in Nelson Township, Halton County, Ontario, Canada for well over 30 years (possibly 50 years), I expect I will find them buried in Halton County.

Based on the estimated year of birth of Daniel (1830), it appears that the family may have immigrated from the United States to Canada (possibly directly to Halton County) about 1829.  I am not sure if I know all the children’s names yet.  It is also possible that there may have been a couple children who died young, based on gaps of 3 or 4 years between the children.  There is a possible gap between Henry and Daniel, Daniel and Helen, and Mary Ann and Hiram.

I am also curious if Joseph older brother Henry married Mariam Ramsey and is the father of Martha Anna Roberts and Elizabeth E Roberts, both of whom are buried at Rock Falls Cemetery with Hiram and Joseph (and Cecelia).

Below is the Family Group Sheets I have put together so far on this family.

NEXT STEPS:

More information needs to be gathered for each of the siblings of Joseph (birth, marriage and death). 

I need to locate death records for Rowsell and Mahatable.

I’d like to find the birth records (if possible) or obituaries for the three oldest children (Lucy, William and Henry).  This would help me know where to focus my US research for marriage as well as the parents of both Rowsell and Mahatable (Miller) Roberts.

Meanwhile, thanks for stopping by.

Love & Aloha,

~Cuzn Amy

Seeking Joseph - What I currently know

Joseph Roberts

1846-1911

Joseph Roberts was born to Russell W Roberts and his wife Maheltable Fuller on July 9, 1846 in Nelson township, Halton county, Ontario, Canada.  He married Cecelia Gillem about 1868, but I do not know where (I am assuming Canada, so that is where I will start my hunt).

http://www.archives.gov.on.ca/english/on-line-exhibits/maps/maps/bhalton.jpg

Joseph and Cecelia were the parents of seven children:  William H Roberts, Robert James Robert, Charles Fredrick Roberts, George H Roberts, Elizabeth L. Roberts, Sarah L. Roberts and Alfred "Alf" C Roberts (my great grandfather).

Joseph, Cecelia and I believe their first six children immigrated from Canada to Harbor Beach about 1878 and their youngest child, Alfred was born in Harbor Beach.  I've been told that Joseph worked for the Coast Guard (though I have nothing to verify this information currently).  And Joseph loved to play the fiddle, and because he was left handed he learned to play a right handed one upside down.

Joseph passed away April 28, 1911 in Harbor Beach, Huron county, Michigan, USA due to pneumonia caused by a case of the measles, and his wife Cecelia had predeceased him by about seven months, having died September 22, 1910 from myocardial degeneration.  Both are buried at the Rock Falls Cemetery just outside of Harbor Beach.

Courtesy of Find-A-Grave website
Photo uploaded by Scott Buschlen 2004

Now that I know what I know ... I can start to fill in the blanks of those items I don't know. 

1) I'd like to find a record of Joseph and Cecelia's marriage in Canada.  I will check Ancestry.com to start with, and then move to the Canadian Archives.
2) I need to find some pictures of Joseph and Ceclia.  I will check with my mother and see if she has any she can scan and send to me, and then maybe get the email addresses of any family members that might be able to help me as well.
3) I need to find pictures of any of their children.  I know I have at least one picture of Alfred (my great grandfather), but I'm sure someone should have more somewhere.   I will see if anyone else on Ancestry.com has uploaded a tree with Joseph and Cecelia as common ancestors.
4) And I need to inventory the media that I do have already, so that I don't duplicate work I've done over the last couple years.  And I need to document my research and source going forward, since I am not real sure what I have already found.  I believe I recently found both Joseph and Cecelia's death certificates on the Seeking Michigan website, and I believe I have at least the 1900 and 1910 Federal Census.

As you can see, I've got some work to do ... so best get to it.

Thanks for stopping by. :o) Until next time.

Love & Aloha,
Cuzn Amy