Who are Josephine Mary Scanlon's parents

Date: [unknown] [unknown]
Location: Ontario, Canada
Surnames/tags: Scanlon McCulloch McCullough

Contents 1 The Quest 2 Research Notes 3 Hypothesis 4 Conclusion 5 Sources

The Quest

Searching for the parents of Josephine Mary (Scanlon) McCulloch (abt.1878-1963). Secret Santa request #252 2023, by Neil Richter.

• I would love to find out where my maternal grandmother Josephine Mary Scanlon (Scanlon-1423) came from. Her death certificate says she was born in Ontario in 1878, but I can find no records of her birth there, or who her parents were. I know she lived most of her adult life in Southern Alberta, where she taught in several schools around the Youngstown area. I have seen several census forms showing someone of the same name living in various places, usually with many nuns and listed as a teacher, or sister, but I can't tell if any of those are my grandmother or not. The only census I know refers to her for sure is a 1926 Alberta census that shows her along with my grandfather, and my mother. She seems to have just shown up in Alberta, from nowhere.

Research Notes

• Josephine's last name at birth has no confirming documentation. Is the maiden name certain?
• Search for birth record: All confirmed census records state she and her parents were born in Ontario. Josephine's birth registration has not been found. The date of birth varies between census records.
  • 1916 age 35 = b. 1881^[1] birthplace: Toronto
  • 1921 age 41 = b. 1880^[2]
  • 1926 age 40 = b. 1886^[3]
  • 1931 age 42 = b. 1889^[4] birthplace: Ontario
  • 1963 age 84 at death reported in obituary = 1878-1879^[5]
• Religion differs on these records as well, some may be because her husband was not Catholic.:
  • 1916 Church of England
  • 1921 Meth
  • 1926 not asked
  • 1931 R C
  • 1963 buried in RC Cemetery Find A Grave: Memorial #38518187
  • Birth records in Ontario began registration in 1869. No suitable birth record for Josephine was found. There are others with the same name, Josephine, Mary, or both, but none seem to fit. They either married, or died in Ontario.

• Search for Marriage Record
  • Searched 1913 to 1919 Alberta Vital stats no marriage found for Josephine Mary Scanlon or just Mary or Josephine. No marriage for John Gordon McCulloch. Then cross check with Ancestry. Using Card Catalogue on Ancestry specifically searched All Alberta, Canada, Marriages Index, 1898-1944 entered search parameters, McCul*, Mc Cu*, 1916 +/- 5 years. No concrete possibilities.
    • Mc Cullogh, [no name] - Edmonton 1916 - ref 2273 [no wife named]

• FAN club (Family, Friends, Associates, Neighbours)
  • Husband John Gordon McCulloch, in the 1911 census, b Oct 1885 in Ireland, identified as Scotch, Anglican. Arrived in Canada 1908, Single, Farmer, living in Medicine Hat district, Alberta.^[6]
  • John Gordon McCulloch was in a land grant record on the 25th of June 1909 in Youngstown, Alberta.^[7]
  • Marriage to John Gordon McCulloch has not been found. According to Homestead record documents, he was single in August 1913 when the land transfer was finalized. Homestead Record Page Have thoroughly searched Alberta Vital Statistics for marriages of Scanlon and McCulloch of all possible spellings.
  • Daughter Moira Maxwell (McCulloch) Richter (1919-2003). Born in Alberta. The birth registration may have Josephine's maiden name. Government of Alberta Registry services. Next of kin qualify to order when birth is less than 120 years ago. Documentation of relationship is required.

Miscellaneous Searches

• British Home Children
  • Search of database at Library and Archives Canada for Josephine or Mary Scanl* and Josephine M* last name S* gave no suitable result.
• 1881 and 1891 Census Search Ontario
  • Longshot: Search Ancestry "Josephine no last name born 1880 +/- 5 in Ontario with both parents born Ontario. Looking for similar sounding surnames.
    • Josephine Skelly, b abt 1879, Irish, Catholic, parents Wm & Sharlotte.^[8][9] Online trees have her married to Broadwater and moves to Montana.[Not OURS]
    • Mary Josephine Sullivan, b 18 Oct 1879, daughter of Daniel and Margaret Sullivan in Brant, Bruce East, Ontario.^[10][11] Possibly died unmarried in 1925. Find A Grave: Memorial #125851504
    • Josephine Sullivan, b abt 1877, a d (?adopted daughter) of Patrick Sullivan in Ennismore, Peterborough West, Ontario.^[12] No other records for her. She is not with Patrick Sullivan in 1881.^[13]

• Not to be confused with Josephine Scanlon the Nun: The following records are possibly for one Josephine Scanlon. She lived as a nun. Note last permanent residence in Canada was in London, Ontario, so we should look for convent records there. Nuns were often teachers, and she could have left the order and married later in life, which sort of fits the narrative from 1916 on (except for the nun in 1920 when the profile Josephine was married). Birth place is listed as Halifax, NS.
  • In the 1910 US Federal census Josephine (age 31), Teacher, was a single boarder of L Stanislaus Garesch (Mother Lily Stanislaus Garesche) in St Louis Ward 25, Saint Louis City, Missouri, United States, working as a teacher in a private (Catholic) school.^[14]
  • Border crossing 21 August 1913, destination Sacred Heart Church Convent, Rochester New York. Birth place Halifax, Canada. Last residence London, Ontario.^[15]
  • Border Crossing 21 August 1913. (Another record of above crossing. Transcription error on Ancestry)^[16]
  • It is likely that these Josephine Scanlons are the same person (1910 census / 1913 border crossing / 1920 census) and not the one who moved to Alberta in 1916 and got married by 1919.
  • In the 1920 census Josephine (age 40), Teacher, was the single sister (nun), working as a teacher, in the household / school of Adlaida Smith in Boston Ward 8, Suffolk, Massachusetts.^[17]

Hypothesis

1. Scanlon might not be the Last Name at Birth but the surname of a step-father if her mother was single when Josephine was born or remarried after the death of Josephine father.
2. Josephine Scanlon the nun is the same person, possibly born in Nova Scotia.

Testing Hypothesis #1

• Three widows found in Ontario marriages who married a Scanlon/Scanlan. All were born in Canada and all were RC.
  • Julia (Kelly) Stapleton to Jospeh Scanlon in 1890 Toronto. No daughter found for Julia Stapleton before the marriage.
  • Elizabeth (Delaney) Cavanaugh married John Scanlan in Kingston 1887. No daughter Josephine found.
  • Rose Ann (Caughy) Cassidy married Cornelius Scanlon 1895. No Josephine.
  • Too many single women marrying Scanlon or variations of the name to determine if Josephine may have been born to a single woman.

Testing Hypothesis #2

• If the border crossings and US census are the same person then she was a nun in Boston in 1920 when this Josephine was married with a child in Alberta.

Conclusion

• With no concrete evidence that the maiden name is Scanlon the parents cannot be proved. A suitable marriage has not been found for profile or her husband. Perhaps the birth registration for their daughter would reveal the maiden name. This could be ordered by the party seeking the information at Government of Alberta Registry services. Next of kin qualify to order when birth is less than 120 years ago. Documentation of relationship is required.

Sources

1. ↑ 1916 Census: "1916 Canada Census of Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Alberta," database with images, Ancestry Sharing Link - (Ancestry Record 1556 #760567862 : accessed 23 December 2023), Josephine Scanlan (35), single, School Teacher, at 24, 4, W5, Calgary West, Alberta, Canada. Born in Toronto; citing Year 1916, Census Place Alberta, Calgary West, 03, Roll T-21949, Page 9, Family No 18.
2. ↑ 1921 Census: "1921 Census of Canada," database with images, Ancestry Sharing Link - (Ancestry Record 8991 #6143057 : accessed 23 December 2023), Josevine Mc Cullensh (41), wife, in household of Gordon Mc Cullouch (36) at 98 30, Medicine Hat, Alberta, Canada. Born in Ontario; citing Reference Number RG 31, Folder Number 9, Census Place 9, Medicine Hat, Alberta, Page Number 8, Line Number 11.
3. ↑ 1926 Census: "Canada, Prairie Provinces Census, 1926," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QPRQ-N9JY : 24 September 2020), FamilySearch Image: 3Q9M-C395-G952-Z, Josephine McCulloch (40), wife, in household of John McCulloch (40) in Acadia, Alberta, Canada. Born in Ontario, Canada; citing Canada, Library and Archives of Canada, Ottawa. Page: 3; Digital film/folder number: 105519975; Image number: 680.
4. ↑ 1931 Census: "1931 Census of Canada," database with images, Ancestry Sharing Link - (Ancestry Record 62640 #5644867 : accessed 23 December 2023), Josephine Mary McCulloch (42), wife, Homemaker, in household of John Gordon McCulloch (43) in Acadia, Alberta, Canada. Born in Ontario; citing Library and Archives Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, Seventh Census of Canada, 1931, Folder Number T-27347, Census Place Acadia, Alberta, Canada, Page Number 1.
5. ↑ Obituary: "Canada, Newspapers.com™ Obituary Index, 1800s-current," database, (Ancestry Record 62226 #526076703 : accessed 23 December 2023), Gender Female, Obituary Date 29 Mar 1963, Obituary Place Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, Newspaper Title Edmonton Journal, Birth Date abt 1879, Death Age 84, Name Josephine Mary McCulloch, Residence Place Vancouver, B.C., Death Date Mar 1963; citing Edmonton Journal, Publication Date 29 Mar 1963, Publication Place Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, URL Ancestry Image.
6. ↑ 1911 Census: "1911 Census of Canada," database with images, Ancestry Sharing Link - (Ancestry Record 8947 #2978418 : accessed 24 December 2023), John Gordon McCulloch (25), single, Farmer, head of household in Alberta. Born in Ireland; citing Year 1911, Census Place 58, Medicine Hat, Alberta, Page 22, Family No 514.
7. ↑ Land Grant: "Alberta, Canada, Homestead Records, 1870-1930," database with images, Ancestry Sharing Link - (Ancestry Record 60865 #7564 : accessed 24 December 2023), Range 10, Section 24, Name John Gordon McCulloch, Birth Country Ireland, Homestead Place Alberta, Canada, Meridian 4, File Number 1899568, Coordinates NW, Residence Place Youngstown, Alberta, Canada, Residence Year 1909, Gender Male, Township 30, Application Date 25 Jun 1909; citing Original data Alberta Homestead Records. University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
8. ↑ 1881 Census - Skelly: "1881 and 1891 Census of Canada," database with images, Ancestry Sharing Link - (Ancestry ca Record 1577 #3289082 : accessed 28 December 2023), Josephine Skelly (2) in Ontario. Born in Ontario; citing Year 1881, Census Place Toronto, Peel, Ontario, Roll C_13252, Page 12, Family No 47.
9. ↑ 1891 Census - Skelly: "1891 Census of Canada," database with images, Ancestry Sharing Link - (Ancestry ca Record 1274 #3455667 : accessed 28 December 2023), Josephine Skelly (12), single daughter, in household of William Skelly (55) in Tecumseth, Simcoe South, Ontario, Canada. Born in Ontario; citing Year 1891, Census Place Tecumseth, Simcoe South, Ontario, Canada, Roll T-6369, Family No 174, Page number 40.
10. ↑ 1881 Census - Sullivan: "1881 Census of Canada," database, (Ancestry ca Record 1577 #555928 : accessed 28 December 2023), Mary Jos Sullivan (1) in Ontario. Born in Ontario; citing Year 1881, Census Place Brant, Bruce South, Ontario, Roll C_13275, Page 99, Family No 422.
11. ↑ 1891 Census - Sullivan: "1891 Census of Canada," database with images, Ancestry Sharing Link - (Ancestry ca Record 1274 #40183 : accessed 28 December 2023), Mary Josephine Sullivan (11), single daughter, in household of Danat Sullivan (50) in Brant, Bruce East, Ontario, Canada. Born in Ontario; citing Year 1891, Census Place Brant, Bruce East, Ontario, Canada, Roll T-6327, Family No 165, Page number 42.
12. ↑ 1891 Census - Sullivan2: "1891 Census of Canada," database with images, Ancestry Sharing Link - (Ancestry ca Record 1274 #2907288 : accessed 28 December 2023), Josephine Sullivan (14), single a d, in household of Patrick Sullivan (44) in Ennismore, Peterborough West, Ontario, Canada. Born in Ontario; citing Year 1891, Census Place Ennismore, Peterborough West, Ontario, Canada, Roll T-6363, Family No 124, Page number 26.
13. ↑ 1881 Census - Patrick Sullivan: "1881 Census of Canada," database with images, Ancestry Sharing Link - (Ancestry ca Record 1577 #2975675 : accessed 28 December 2023), Patrick Sullivan (35), Farmer, in Ontario. Born in Ontario; citing Year 1881, Census Place Ennismore, Peterborough West, Ontario, Roll C_13241, Page 15, Family No 60.
14. ↑ 1910 Census: "1910 United States Federal Census," Year: 1910; Census Place: St Louis Ward 25, Saint Louis City, Missouri; Roll: T624_822; Page: 13b; Enumeration District: 0400; FHL microfilm: 1374835; Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 7884 #15078752 (accessed 24 December 2023). Josephine Scanlon (31), single boarder, Teacher, in household of L Stanislaus Garesch (53) in St Louis Ward 25, Saint Louis City, Missouri, USA. Born in Canada.
15. ↑ Border Crossing: "U.S., Border Crossings from Canada to U.S., 1895-1960," database with images, Ancestry Sharing Link - (Ancestry Record 1075 #483350 : accessed 24 December 2023), Port of Arrival Niagara Falls, New York, USA, Gender Female, Arrival Age 34, Record Type Arrival, Birth Date abt 1879, Birth Place Canada, Arrival Date 21 Aug 1913, Race English, Name Josephine Scanlan, Residence Place Canada; citing The National Archives in Washington, DC, Washington, DC, USA, Manifests of Passengers Arriving At St. Albans, Vt, District Through Canadian Pacific and Atlantic Ports, 1895-1954, NAI 4492490, Record Group Records of the Immigration and Naturalization Service, 1787 - 2004, Record Group Number 85, Series Number M1464, Roll Number 226, Line Number 25.
16. ↑ Border Crossing : "U.S., Border Crossings from Canada to U.S., 1895-1960," The National Archives in Washington, DC; Washington, DC, USA; Manifests of Alien Arrivals At Buffalo, Lewiston, Niagara Falls, and Rochester, New York, 1902-1954; NAI: 4527447; Record Group: Records of the Immigration and Naturalization Service, 1787 - 2004; Record Group Number: 85; Series Number: M1480; Roll Number: 140; Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 1075 #5446415 (accessed 24 December 2023). Port of Arrival: Niagara Falls, New York, USA; Gender: Female; Record Type: Arrival; Birth Date: abt 1879; Birth Place: Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada; Arrival Date: 21 Aug 1913; Race: English; Name: Josephine Scanlon; Arrival Age: 34.
17. ↑ 1920 Census: "1920 United States Federal Census," Year: 1920; Census Place: Boston Ward 8, Suffolk, Massachusetts; Roll: T625_742; Page: 3A; Enumeration District: 233; Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 6061 #44873785 (accessed 24 December 2023). Josephine Scanlan (40), single sister, Teacher, in household of Adlaida Smith (62) in Boston Ward 8, Suffolk, Massachusetts. Born in Canada.