Taking Up the Canada's 150th Genealogy Challenge

Yesterday was Canada Day, and a very special Canada Day at that – the 150th anniversary of Confederation, the creation of the Dominion of Canada from the former British colonies of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Canada (comprising Quebec and Ontario). Patricia Greber of the My Genealogy Life blog celebrated with a Canada's 150th Genealogy Challenge, asking bloggers to "List all your ancestors that were living in Canada in 1867, the dates they arrived (can be approximate) and where they first settled."

So, albeit a day late, I'm going to answer this challenge for the three-quarters of my maternal lines that are Canadian. (My paternal lines are solidly English, Scots, and German.) My maternal grandmother's father descended from French-Canadian stock who first arrived in Quebec in the late 17th century, while my maternal grandfather immigrated to the U.S. from Prince Edward Island; his PEI forbears came from Scotland (Outer Hebrides) and Ireland.¹

All except my 3x great-grandfather Michael Murphy were born in Quebec or Prince Edward Island, so for them there are no "arrival dates" or locations "where first settled". Instead I have listed their probable locations in 1867. (Michael Murphy arrived from Ireland ca 1820 and first settled in Georgetown, PEI.)

Ancestor	Relationship	Probable residence in 1867
*Louis Rabideau (1850-aft 1913)	2x great-grandfather	Saint-Paul-de-Chester, PQ
*Celina Cloutier (ca 1850-1881)	2x great-grandmother	unknown
Louis Robidas (1832-1921)	3x great-grandfather	Saint-Paul-de-Chester, PQ
Marie Deshaies-St. Cyr (1829-1895)	3x great-grandmother	Saint-Paul-de-Chester, PQ
Divine Louise Girardeau( 1790-1875)	4x great-grandmother	prob Stoke or St. Camille, PQ
**Jean-Baptiste Deshaies-St. Cyr (1806-unk)	4x great-grandfather	possibly Nicolet, PQ
**Victoire Lemire (1811-unk)	4x great-grandmother	possibly Nicolet, PQ
Dominic Murphy (1854-1914)	great-grandfather	Georgetown, PEI
Rose Ann McIntyre (1862-1937)	great-grandmother	Lot 19, PEI
William Murphy (1830-1909)	2x great-grandfather	Georgetown, PEI
Flora Ann McDonald (1832-1911)	2x great-grandmother	Georgetown, PEI
Neil McIntyre (1814-aft 1881)	2x great-grandfather	Lot 19, PEI
Mary Ann McLellan (1817-1896)	2x great-grandmother	Lot 19, PEI
**Michael Murphy (ca 1800-aft 1861)	3x great-grandfather	Lot 41, PEI
**Magdelen Morison (ca 1800-aft 1861)	3x great-grandmother	Lot 41, PEI

* Louis and Celina married in 1869, probably in New Hampshire, but I believe they were still in Quebec in 1867.
** These ancestors may well have been alive in 1867, but so far I haven't located any death records for them.

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SOURCES

1. PEI didn't actually join the Dominion until 1873, but since it is informally known as the "Cradle of Confederation" for hosting the 1864 Charlottetown Conference where the initial steps toward Confederation were taken, I'm going to stretch the bounds of the challenge a bit to include my PEI lines.

Ahnentafel of William George Murphy

Turning to my mother's side of the family, here is the Ahnentafel and pedigree chart for my maternal grandfather, William George Murphy.

Pedigree of William George Murphy (click on the image for a larger view)

1 William George MURPHY. He was born in Hebron, PEI, on 20 May 1886. Died on 15 Oct 1946 in VA Hospital, Togus, ME; he was 60. He was buried in Mt. Hope Cemetery, Lewiston, ME. Occupation: House painter.

He married Glenna Marie RABIDEAU on 21 Oct 1922 in Littleton, NH.

2 Dominic MURPHY. He was born in prob Vernon River, PEI, on 23 Dec 1854. Died on 29 Aug 1914 in Hebron, PEI; he was 59. He was buried in St. Mary's Church Cemetery, Brae, PEI, on 31 Aug 1914. Occupation: Farmer and sawyer.

He married Rose Ann McINTYRE on 15 Oct 1883 in St. Anthony's Church, Bloomfield, PEI.

3 Rose Ann McINTYRE. She was born in prob New Annan, PEI, on 18 Jun 1862. Died on 15 Feb 1937 in Berlin, Coos, NH; she was 74. She was buried in Gorham, Coos, NH. Cause of death: congestive heart failure.

4 William MURPHY. He was born in prob Georgetown, PEI, on 15 May 1830. Died on 10 Feb 1909 in Newburyport, MA; he was 78. He was buried in St. Mary's Cemetery, Newburyport, MA, on 12 Feb 1909. Occupation: Sawyer and carpenter.

He married Flora Ann McDONALD ca 1853 in prob Vernon River, PEI.

5 Flora Ann McDONALD. She was born in poss Charlottetown, PEI, on 2 May 1832. Died on 22 Feb 1911 in Lowell, MA; she was 78. She was buried in St. Mary's Cemetery, Newburyport, MA, on 24 Feb 1911.

6 Neil McINTYRE. He was born in Barbera West (Lot 19), PEI, on 24 Apr 1814. Died ca 1881-1896 in prob Lot 8, PEI; he was 66. Occupation: Farmer.

He married Mary Ann McLELLAN in 1840 in St. Mary's Church, Indian River, PEI.

7 Mary Ann McLELLAN. She was born in prob Indian River, PEI, on 20 Sep 1817. Died on 26 Apr 1896 in Hebron, PEI; she was 78. She was buried in St. Mary's Church Cemetery, Brae, PEI, on 28 Apr 1896.

8 Michael MURPHY. He was born in Ireland ca 1796-1801. Died ca 1861-1881 in PEI; he was 65. Occupation: Sawyer.

He married Magdalen MORISON ca 1825 in prob PEI.

9 Magdalen MORISON. She was born in PEI ca 1796-1801. Died ca 1861-1881 in PEI; she was 65.

10 William McDONALD. He was born in PEI.

He married Flora WILSON.

11 Flora WILSON. She was born in Scotland.

12 Angus McINTYRE. He was born ca 1785-90.

He married Anne GILLIS ca 1805-10.

13 Anne GILLIS.

14 Alexander McLELLAN. He was born in Glaich Liath, South Uist, Inverness, Scotland, in 1786. Died on 22 Mar 1867 in PEI; he was 81.

He married Sarah McCORMICK ca 1804-08 in prob Indian River, PEI.

15 Sarah McCORMICK.

24 Angus McINTYRE.

28 John McLELLAN. He was born in South Uist, Scotland, ca 1745.

He married Catherine McPHEE.

29 Catherine McPHEE. She was born in East Uist, Scotland.

Index

GILLIS
    Anne    13
McCORMICK
    Sarah    15
McDONALD
    Flora Ann (1832 - 1911)    5
    William    10
McINTYRE
    Angus    24
    Angus (ca1785 - )    12
    Neil (1814 - ca1881)    6
    Rose Ann (1862 - 1937)    3
McLELLAN
    Alexander (1786 - 1867)    14
    John (?1745 - )    28
    Mary Ann (1817 - 1896)    7
McPHEE
    Catherine    29
MORISON
    Magdalen (ca1796 - ca1861)    9
MURPHY
    Dominic (1854 - 1914)    2
    Michael (ca1796 - ca1861)    8
    William (1830 - 1909)    4
    William George (1886 - 1946)    1
RABIDEAU
    Glenna Marie (1899 - 1968)    spouse of 1
WILSON
    Flora    11