Canada research help requested Early 1800s

+1 vote
137 views
My ancestor Samuel Taylor, for whom I have only one source, the 1860 US Census, is supposed to have been born in New Jersey in 1779.  His wife, Sarah (Sally) possibly Brown was born in Vermont (not that she's in the birth index).  Most of their children were born in Canada.  

I've searched through birth records for these children without success.  Although I have exact birth dates for most, provided by our family tree, I only have a birth location that's more detailed than "Canada" for one--my ancestor Marie Taylor, born on August 14, 1817.  According to one census record, she was born in Kingston, Upper Canada.  

Presumably they weren't Catholic since I can't find them readily.  Where should I look for more information on their births and residence in Canada?  What's the logical next step?  

They're so confusing that I call the free space page I set up for them "Taylor Confusion."  Any advice would be welcome.
WikiTree profile: Space:Taylor_Confusion
in Genealogy Help by J. Crook G2G6 Pilot (229k points)

For the children, you seem to be looking in Ontario, which was called Upper Canada or Canada West before Canada was formed in 1867.  Here is the provincial archives: http://www.archives.gov.on.ca/en/tracing/the_records.aspx , and the regional genealogical society, which might have helpful information: https://ogs.on.ca/

Doug included link to the National Archives in his response, which has the Canadian Census information and other sources that I always find useful.

For example I see a Joseph Taylor born in 1804, a blacksmith in Barton in the 1842 and 1851 Census.  It appears to me that somenoe resembling William Henry and his wife Catherine may live next door (in the Henry Taylor household listed immediately above Joseph's family in the 51 Census)  This could be the Joseph and William Henry you're looking for, or a coincidence that resulted in the 1804 date for conflated information.  

I had a puzzle like this with the Wright family: every Charles seemed to marry an Ann, whether or not they were my ancestors.  I was able to piece the puzzle together a little better by researching the wives and children that appeared on the census.   

Happy sleuthing!

Thanks for the advice.

2 Answers

+1 vote
This time period can be difficult. Have you searched Library and Archives Canada (bac-lac.gc.ca)? What about the unindexed records for Upper Canada at FamilySearch? Sometimes you have to read through some of those old books line by line.
by Doug McCallum G2G6 Pilot (534k points)
Thanks for your reply.  I am roughly 95% proficient at researching the U.S. state where I live and about 5% proficient at even attempting to research any of my lines that originated in Canada, of which there are three.  One is French-Canadian, so it's already been pretty well researched.  Another is a distinctive surname--Wurts--so it isn't impossible to search either.  I suppose it's a combination of my ignorance about a logical research procedure to follow combined with that odiously common name--Taylor--that stymies me.
+1 vote

The Ontario Project has a resource list that you might find helpful.

by Laurie Cruthers G2G6 Pilot (166k points)
Thanks.

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