July 5, 2009 - Gustavus Anderson Definitely Lived in London, Ontario - Part 2

Good Afternoon,

The data and documentation is coming at me quicker than I can absorb it. And having to jump across the Canadian American border from Buffalo, New York to London, Ontario, and back, my gathering of new information can appear somewhat hectic.


View Larger Map

I've stumbled across the following since early this morning:

1. 1871 Canada Census. See this morning's early posting, Andersons in Ontario - 1871
   
2. 1881 Canada Census.
3. 1886 Death Registration for great-great grandfather Gustavus Anderson.
4. 1861 Canada Census.
5. Ontario Voting Lists - 1877 through and including 1886

1881 Canada Census (coded ON002)

Originating from the Library and Archives Canada, in Ottawa, Ontario, the reporting of the 1881 Canada Census enumerates that the Anderson family in London had reduced in size. Great-grandfather Gustavus is not listed on the 1881 Census but we know that he is living with his wife, your great-grandmother Elnora Elizabeth (née Taylor) and their children in Buffalo at Walnut Street. Your grandaunt Amelia Grace Anderson had just been born on the 26th of March when the 1881 Canada Census was begun on the 4th of April.

Great-grandaunt Elizabeth is also not listed with her family in the 1881 Canada Census. I have discovered a possibility of her whereabouts on the same Census, working for a Blizard family who are two houses away from your great-great-grandparents' home. All the information matches the Elizabeth Anderson of the 1871 Canada Census except that 1881 Elizabeth is listed at only 23 years old. Based on the age listing from the 1871 Census she should be enumerated at about 33 years in the 1881. Otherwise as everything else matches, this could be an extreme coincidence, except for the age difference. I will be investigating this further.

Another note is that great-grandaunt Caledonia is not present in the 1881 household... And a great-grandaunt Carrie has appeared. She, great-grandaunt Carrie was never listed on the 1871 Census. In 1871, Caledonia was entered at 17 years old. If she had been entered to the 1881 Census her age should be about 27 years. But great-grandaunt Carrie is entered at 26 years in 1881. They could be twins... or Caledonia and Carrie are one and the same person. Aren't there twins in your ancestral lines? The Turners?

1886 Death Registration for Great-great-grandfather Gustavus Anderson (coded DON003)

Via Ancestry.com and from the Archives of Ontario, Registrations of Deaths, 1869-1934, I was able to discover an actual registration entry possibly listing the death of great-great-grandfather Gustavus Anderson. The actual date, 29 April 1886 is not included in the entry but the date of registration is 4 May 1886. The points of matching are his name, Gustavus Anderson; his occupation, Farmer; and location, London Township, County of Middlesex, Ontario. As the registration date is only five days from the date recorded of his actual death, it is highly possible that this Registration refers to Gustavus Anderson, Sr.

I will be investigating the two other items; the 1861 Canada Census and the Ontario Voting Lists and provide you my thoughts shortly. For your information and interest the 1861 Census appears to be specifically agricultural and of farming in nature. The Ontario Voting lists also seem to be poll lists of landowners and I have been able to extract the name of Gustavus Anderson on 10 subsequent years from 1877 through and including 1886.

As I mentioned to you before, the snowball effect is just beginning...

Enjoy,

Jim