Mary Johnston Brown Vance’s children: John, Robert, William and Margaret

After Thomas Brown’s death in 1848, Mary remarried to Thomas Vance.  Here is a little more about each of the children of this couple.

Mary and Thomas Vance appear in the 1861 and Mary in 1871 census with the children. See the post, on this blog, dated April 4, 2015 titled: Thomas Brown and Mary Johnston of Hastings Co., Ontario, Their Descendants for more information.

In the 1871 Canadian Census there is a Thomas Vance listed with Mary and the other children who is 24 years old and a Merchant.  There is also a Philip Vance 26 years old married to Matilda who is 23 years old below them on the page.  I am not sure who these two individuals are but maybe from a previous marriage of Thomas Vance, Sr.? Mary and Thomas Vance married in 1851 and he was 31 years old.  It is interesting these children do not appear in the 1861 census. So this is a bit of a tangle of information that will need to be further studied.

1871 Vance Family

I will proceed with the idea that Thomas Vance and Mary Johnston Brown Vance had the following children together.

1. John Vance born 14 November, 1853.  He married on 22 December, 1874 in Rawdon to Catherine Montgomery. She was born about 14 March 1856 in Rawdon.

John and Catherine’s marriage is recorded in the Ontario marriages and also in the records of the Anglican Diocese of Ontario at Kingston.  You can see there is a little problem with his parents?  It should read Thomas Vance not Thomas Brown?

John Vance, Bp, Rawdon, age 21, born about 1853, father Thomas Brown, Mother Mary Brown, Spouse Catherine Montgomery, age 18, born about 1856 in Rawdon, father James Montgomery and mother Jane. Residence Stirling. Bachelor, Harness marker, She is single. Witness: Maggie Montgomery, Saml Bird, Stirling. 22 Dec. 1874 Rawdon, Groom C of E, Bride Presbyterian, Married by Rev. J. [Hallinwall]

Source:  John Vance & Catherine Montgomery, 22 Dec. 1874, Rawdon, Hastings Co., Ontario, Ontario Marriages, pg. 43 #003633. 

They are still living in Rawdon Twp. in the 1891 with the following children: James age 12, Clarence age 4 and Jennie  (hard to read) a daughter age one.

John and Catherine Vance migrated to Manitoba by 1901.  James is still with them and he was born 5 October 1878 in Ontario. Clarence was born 18 May 1887 in Rawdon.  Jennie was born 26 February 1890 per the census.

By 1906 James has gone off on his own, but Clarence and Jennie remain at home, the family of Robert and Catherine Vance are living in Brandon, Manitoba.

By the 1921 census John is alone and widowed living with his son James Vance who is also widowed.  They are living in Elton Twp., Manitoba.

John Vance and Catherine Montgomery Vance are buried in the Chater Cemetery in Chater, Brandon, Manitoba along with one of their daughters Jennie who died 29 February 1920.  There are tombstone photos at the Canadian Genweb Cemetery Project online.

Here is a link for exploring Manitoba. Brandon and Chater are just west of Winnipeg in the southern area of the province.

http://www.comeexplorecanada.com/manitoba/

2.  Robert Vance born about 1855 and he married on 23 March 1881 in Huntington Twp., Hastings Co. to Mary Blakely born about 1860 in Huntington Twp., Hastings Co., Ontario.

Hastings County Vital Records have a Robert Vance marrying a Mary Blakly:

Robert Vance, bp Roden, age 25, born 1856, Father Thomas Vance, mother Mary Vance, Spouse Mary Blakly, age 21, born about 1860 in Huntington, father Henry Blakly, mother Christina Blakly. Witnesses John G. Waad and William Vance. bridegroom C of E, bride Presbyterian, married by David Wirhart.

Source:  Hastings Co. Vital Records, #004357, pg. 745, No. 2.

They had the following children:  William Vance, Philip Vance, Jessie Vance, Annie Vance, Christina Vance, Charles Vance and Mary Vance.

He is also in the 1881 census and Mary his mother is with him.

Line 6, 194, 196, Vance, Robert, M, 25, C. of England, Irish, farmer, M. Vance, Mary, F, 18, English, C of England, Irish, M. Vance, Mary, F, 65, [ ] C of England, Irish, W; Vance, Wm, M, 19, English, C of England, Irish.

Source:  1881 Canadian Census, Huntington Twp., Hastings North, Hastings Co., Ontario, Dist, #122, Sub. D #A, Div. 2, page. 41.

In 1891 the family was living in: Robert Vance age 35, Mary Vance age 23, Philip Vance age 8, Jessie Vance age 6, Christiana Vance age 3 and Mary J. Vance 4/12. They are living in Rawdon, Hastings North.  They are on line 1 of the census.  All are Church of England.  Mary’s states her father was born in Ontario and her mother was born in Scotland.  Robert lists his parents as Irish.

In the 1911 Canadian census Robert and Mary Vance are living in Rawdon Twp., Hastings Co., Ontario with their children:  Christina born August 1893, Mary J. born March of 1890 and Annie born November 1891 and Charles born May 1894.

By 1921 Robert and Mary Vance have moved to Stirling and are by themselves. He is 62 and she is listed as 59, both are Ch of England. They are living on Edward Street.

Robert died February 9, 1926 and Mary Vance died June 17, 1862. They are buried in the Stirling Cemetery in Hastings County, Ontario along with their daughter Mary J. Vance who died August 22, 1913.  See Find A Grave for their memorial and tombstone.

3.  William Vance born about 1857 and died 16 July 1930 in Chatham, Kent Co., Ontario.

William Vance married a Mary Ann Johnston on 23, November 1881 in Huntingdon, Hastings Co., Ontario.  This Mary’s relationship to William’s mother is unknown at this time.

William Vance, 22 yrs, Huntingdon, born Rawdon, Bachelor, Farmer, Parents Thomas and Mary Vance, Spouse Mary Ann Johnston, age 20, born and residing Huntingdon, father William and Jane Johnston, witnesses John Heagle, Emma Brown of Rawdon.  Marriage in Huntingdon Nov. 23, 1881. Groom Ch of Eng., Bride Methodist, by Robert Walker, L. 

Source:  Ontario Canada Marriages 1801-1928, William Vance & Mary Ann Johnston, Nov. 28, 1881, Huntingdon Twp., Hastings Co., Ontario, Schedule B Marriages, page 601, #004177.

William and Mary Vance migrated to Bothwell Twp., Chatham, Kent Co., Ontario by the 1891 Canadian Census.  He is living there with his wife and their daughter Ida who is about a month old.

They are also there in Bothwell Twp. in 1901 with Ida born 17 March, 1891, Maggie born 19 January, 1892, and another daughter Bessie born 14 February, 1896.

In 1911 William Vance is with his daughters Maggie B. and Bessie [T.] in Bothwell Twp., Kent Co., Ontario.

Ida married William H. McDonald a carpenter, Baptist residing in Wallaceburg. His father was Donald J. McDonald a farmer and mother was Mary E. [Sheen]. Ida Pearl Vance a domestic and spinster was Methodist and living in Tupperville. Her father was William Vance a farmer and mother was Mary Johnson.  The marriage took place 28th September, 1910 in Wallaceburg, Kent Co., Ontario. The witnesses were a Frank Crow and Alberta Robert’s.  A Wm. L. Robert’s was the minister.

In 1921 William Vance is living with his daughter Ida and her family in Chatham Twp., Kent Co., Ontario.  W.H. MacDonald is head , farmer age 32, Ida his wife, R.H.V. his son 9 years old, and Margaret J. daughter 8 years old. They are listed as Baptists.  Ida is Irish, W. H. is Scottish but born in Ontario.

Mary died about 1921 and William Vance died on the 16th of July, 1930.  I do not have their burial location at this time.

At the following link is a nice 1885 Kent County map that shows Bothwell and Tupperville in Kent County, Ontario:

http://www.ourgenealogy.ca/Canada/Ontario/KentCounty.html

4.  Margaret J. Vance was born about November 1859 and died 26 Dec. 1930 in Ivanhoe, Hastings Co., Ontario. She is buried in the White Lake Cemetery in Ivanhoe.

She married John George Wood, son of John Wood and Mary, on 14 September 1881 in Hasting Co., Ontario.

John George Wood, 25 years, Huntingdon, Ontario, Bachelor, farmer, parents John & Mary Wood, Spouse Maggie Jane Vance, 21 years born Rawdon, Single, parent Thomas & Mary Vance, Witnesses Wm. Vance and Marg A. Johnston of Huntingdon, Marriage Rawdon Sept 14, 1881, Groom Bible Christian, Bride Bible Christian, Rev. Geo. Dunkley.

Source:  John G. Wood to Maggie J. Vance, 14 September, 1881, Rawdon Twp., Hastings Co., Ontario, Schedule B, page 687, #004228. 

They had about 6 children: Percy, Nellie, Ethel, Arthur, Tillie who died in 1922 and Florence who married an Ernest Bateman of Tweed, Ontario.

After an illness of three months duration, John George Wood passed away at his late residence at Ivanhoe, on Saturday, March 9th. The late Mr. Wood, who was in his 84th year, was born at Ivanhoe and had resided there all his life. He was a son of the late Mr. and Mrs. John Wood. For years, he was engaged in farming and in the community he was held in high regard. In religion he was a member of Beulah United Church and when age and health permitted, he took an active part in the work of the congregation, and held the office of a trustee. He was a man of fine character and to those near to him his death has brought sincere regret. Surviving him are two sons, Mr. P. M. Wood, London, Ont.; three daughters, Mrs. A. Ashley, West Huntingdon; Mrs. F.J. Blackburn, Orillia, Ont. and Mrs. W. E. Bateman of Tweed; one sister, Mrs. Annie Wood of Stirling. His wife, who prior to her marriages was Miss Margaret Vance, passed away nine years ago and a daughter, Tillie Wood died in the year 1922. The funeral took place Monday afternoon from the family residence at Ivanhoe to the United Church at White Lake, where an impressive service was conducted by the Rev. S.A.R. Delve, pastor of the Ivanhoe Circuit. Many friends were present at the service. Interment was made in White Lake Cemetery. The bearers were Messrs. Douglas Blackburn, Jack Blackburn, George Wood, Wilber Bateman, Don Bateman and Geo. Ashley, all of whom are grandsons of the late Mr. Wood.

Source:  John G. Wood, Obituary Notice, March 28, 1940 died March 8, 1940, Tweed Newspaper for March 8, 1940.  Tweed Historical Society, Tweed, Ontario.

The Wood family appears in the 1891 Canadian Census for Huntingdon Twp., Hastings Co., Ontario living with his father.

Line 1, ___/11, 6 Wood, John, M, 81, W, Scotland, parents Scotland, All Methodist, Farmer
Wood, John G., M, 34, M, Son, born Ontario, father Scotland, mother England
Wood, Margaret Jane, F, 31, M, wife of son, born Ontario, father Ireland, mother Ireland
Wood, Percy McCloud, M, 8, grd son, all children born Ontario
Wood, Nellie Maud, F, 6, grd daughter
Wood, Maggie Ethel, F, 4, grd daughter
Wood, John Arthur, M, 2, grd son
Wood, Mary Matilda, F, 7/12, grd dau
Blakly, John, M, 21, Dom, born Ontario, Ch of E, farm labor
Reid Berth Jane, F, 18, Dom, Methodist, dom. servt.

Source:  John G. Wood Family, 1891 Canadian Census, Huntingdon Twp., Hastings Co., Ontario, page 2, Dist#74, SD No. 3, W. B. Tanner. April 7, 1891.

John and Margaret Wood appear in the 1901 Canadian Census for Huntingdon Twp., Hastings Co., Ontario.

Line 32, 31, 31, Wood, John, M, Head, M, 16 Sept 1856, 44, all Scotch, all born Ontario, Canadian, Methodist, Farmer
Wood, Margaret F, wife, M, 6 Nov. 1859, 41
Wood, Percy M, M, Son,S, 26, Sept 1882, 18
Wood, Nellie, M, F, daughter, S, 2 Sep 1884, 16
Wood, Maggie, E, F, daughter, S, 18 Jan, 1887, 14
Wood, John A, M, Son, S, 6 March 1889, 12
Wood, Mary, M, F, daughter, S, 25, Nov. 1890, 10,
Wood, Florence, F, daughter, S, 15 Oct. 1892, 8
Siocet, James H, M, Dom, S, S, 20 May 1879, 21, English

Source:  John Wood Family, 1901 Canadian Census, Huntingdon, Hastings Co., Ontario, page 3, Dist # 71, SD F, Polling #3, April 15, 1901, Erastus Geary.

In the 1921 Canadian Census for Huntingdon Twp., Hastings Co., Ontario John Wood is with his wife Maggie Vance Wood, his daughters Nellie and Lillie.

John Wood and Margaret J. Vance Wood are buried in the White Lake Cemetery in Ivanhoe, Hastings County, Ontario.  Margaret is buried under her maiden name of Vance.

I have given summaries of some of the census rather than a detailed account.  If you would be interest in copies of these documents just leave a comment at the bottom of this post.

Conclusion:  This is my stopping point in the research of the family of my 2nd great great uncle Thomas Brown and his wife Mary Johnston. Thomas is the brother of George Brown who is of my family line.  In this post I have done a little on the history of Mary’s second family of Vance.

Once again, I emphasize that there is more research to be done regarding the children and making sure the information is correct. What I have presented in the past posts is a little mix of my own research on the Thomas Brown family and others like my cousins who have gone before. They have been very generous with their research.

Thomas Brown and Mary Johnston of Hastings County, Ontario, Their descendants…

Thomas Brown came from Ireland, probably with his father William, and at least three brothers in about June of 1830.  It is said they came from County Longford and went through Montreal.  While visiting that old and amazing city in 2014, I tried to figure out where they would have come in and unfortunately they have not preserved their buildings that took  the immigrants.  I did learn that they could come to Quebec City or Montreal but once in Montreal they would have to go through the locks to go on the Ottawa River or locks to go further up the St. Lawrence, remember it flows northeast.  There are diaries or books about the early travels of the immigrants in Canada and they are fascinating.

It was written that there were eleven children born of the marriage of William to Elsie/Alice.  So far we, my cousins and myself, have identified only four brothers:

• George Brown (my line) 1801-1891
• Thomas Brown 1810 to 1848
• Philip Brown 1817 to 1895
• Henry Brown 1820 to 1899

There were two other potential siblings being researched.  A Catherine Bird whose maiden name was Gregg and a Jeremiah Brown.  They have been eliminated.  So that leaves us with the four brothers listed above.

What happened to the remaining seven children is unknown at this time. I have started to learn Irish research but it is slow going.  In the Commemorative Biographical Record of the County Lambton, Ontario history book, which I have shared in past posts, Henry indicated that they were all deceased by the time he made his statements for the book.  He died in 1899 and the book was published in 1906.

Unfortunately, the 1851 Canadian census there is no coverage for Rawdon Twp. so it makes it difficult to find Thomas and Mary Brown in early years and anyone else who lived there.  There is coverage for Belleville and a few other areas of Hastings in this census.

Some stones St. Thomas Anglican Church, Belleville

Thomas Brown remained in Hastings County, settling in Rawdon Township. He married Mary Johnston on 14 January 1841 in Belleville.  Mary was born about 1820 in Ireland. So far I have not been able to figure out who Mary’s parents are. A John Johnston and Thele Ward were witnesses at her wedding. A John Johnston is in the 1861 Rawdon Census at age 56 and married to Annis. I have seen Mary’s surname name spelled “Johnston vs. Johnson” in Hastings County.

I shared a little bit about Thomas and Mary Brown in my post on this blog dated 22 August, 2014 “The Children of William Brown and Alice/Elsie: Thomas Brown.”

In that post I covered his marriage to Mary at the Saint Thomas Anglican Church, his death and burial in Saint Thomas in Belleville and the sad condition of that cemetery.  See Find A Grave for more information about this cemetery.

After the death of Thomas Brown, Mary remarried to Thomas Vance on 21 January 1851 at the Saint Thomas Anglican Church and had several more children with this man.

Here are the descendants of Mary Johnston.  I have broken it down between Mary’s first marriage to Thomas Brown and then the second marriage to Thomas Vance.

As always please double check these findings, working with the surname of Brown can be very confusing and difficult so please do check the information given.

St. Thomas Church, in back, notice tombstones on wall, Belleville

First Marriage of Mary Johnston to Thomas Brown: 

Thomas and Mary (Johnston) Brown had the following children. Here is a summary and what will follow are more in depth posts about each of these children.

1.  Henry Brown was born 6 November 1841 in Belleville, Hastings Co., Ontario.  Source:  Anglican Diocese of Ontario, Kingston, Ontario, St. Thomas Anglican Church registers #1098 Brown, Henry, 6 Nov. 1841. 

Henry married Catherine Mary Clark about 1863. She was born 25 May 1839 in England. They had the following children: Emma, John, Francis, Emily, Mary Matilda, Edith, William Chapman, Arthur V., Maud Mabel and Lulu.

2. Elizabeth Brown was born 6 July 1843 in Stirling, Rawdon Twp., Hastings Co., Ontario, she was baptized 14 Feb. 1844 at Saint Thomas Anglican Church. She married Thomas Bateman who was born 18 June 1837 in County Cork, Ireland. They married on 3 November 1864 in Toronto, York Co., Ontario.  Elizabeth and Thomas had eleven children. They migrated to Illinois.

3.  Philip Brown was born 6th July 1845 in Rawdon, was baptized 3 February 1846 in the St. Thomas Anglican Church. He died in 1929.  He married on 24 December, 1869 in Rawdon Twp. to Elizabeth Matilda Patterson b. 1847 to Robert Patterson and Elizabeth.  She died in 1924. Both Philip & Elizabeth are buried in the Stirling Cemetery in Stirling, Hastings Co., Ontario.  I have posted their tombstone to Find A Grave.

Philip and Elizabeth had the following children: Thomas Patterson Brown, Elizabeth Artilla Brown, Henry McKenzie Brown and Margaret M. Brown.  Philip submitted a Heir Devise appeal regarding his father Thomas’ land and I will share in a future post.

4. Thomas Brown was born 12 October, 1846 in Rawdon and was baptized 28 January, 1847 at the Saint Thomas Anglican Church in Belleville.  This man has been mixed up with another Thomas H. Brown who was a son of brother Phillip Brown. This Thomas Brown married  Sarah S. Archer in 1874 and they moved to Colbourne, Northumberland Co., Ontario.

The second marriage of Mary Johnston Brown: 

After Thomas’ death in 1848, Mary remarried to Thomas Vance on 21 January 1851 in Belleville at the Saint Thomas Anglican Church.  He was born about 1820 in Ireland.

Thomas Vance died 29 August 1861 in Rawdon, Hasting Co., Ontario.

Please note that there are two deaths recorded in the Anglican Diocese of Ontario records for Thomas Vance. One Thomas Vance was 46 years old and died 29 August 1861 while the other was 85 years old and died 6 July 1865.  There is a Thomas Vance buried in the Thomasburg Cemetery per the Ontario Cemetery Finding Aid but there are no gravestones online for me to verify if it is him.  So we need to remain open about this death date.

Mary died 30 April 1886 in Rawdon and is probably buried in the Marmora Cemetery although I have not yet verified that fact. Together Thomas and Mary Vance had the following children based on the 1861 Canadian Census, see below.

Here is a summary of their children. In a future post I will go into more depth on these children of Mary’s second family.

1. John Vance born 14 November, 1853.  He married on 22 December 1874 in Rawdon to Catherine Montgomery, who was born 14 March, 1856 in Rawdon. John headed to Manitoba and he and Catherine are buried there.  Catherine and John had three children.

2.  Robert Vance born about 1855 and he married on 23 March 1881 in Huntingdon Twp., Hastings Co. to Mary Blakely born 17 June, 1862 in Huntingdon Twp., Hastings Co., Ontario. He and Mary had six children. They are buried in the Stirling Cemetery in Hastings Co., Ontario.

Robert appears in the 1861, 1871 and 1881 Census. Mary his mother is with him in the 1881 census.

Line 6, 194, 196, Vance, Robert, M, 25, C. of England, Irish, farmer, M. Vance, Mary, F, 18, English, C of England, Irish, M. Vance, Mary, F, 65, [ ] C of England, Irish, W. Vance, Wm, M, 19, English, C of England, Irish.

Source:  1881 Canadian Census, Huntington Twp., Hastings North, Hastings Co., Ontario, Dist, #122, Sub. D #A, Div. 2, page. 41.

3.  William Vance born 30 August, 1857 in Ontario and died 16 July, 1930 in Chatham, Kent Co., Ontario.  William Vance married a Mary Ann Johnston on 23, November, 1881 in Huntingdon, Hastings Co., Ontario. William and Mary headed to Chatham in Kent County and lived out their lives there. They had three daughters.  I do not know if his wife is related to his mother. She might be a cousin.

4.  Margaret J. Vance was born 6 November, 1859 and died 26 December, 1930 in Ivanhoe, Hastings Co., Ontario. She is buried in the White Lake Cemetery in Ivanhoe. She married John George Wood, son of John Wood and Mary, on 14 September 1881 in Hasting Co., Ontario. They had six children.

1861 Canadian Census

All the children both Brown and Vance appear in the 1861 Canadian Census with Mary and Thomas Vance. We see a mixed family.

Line 18 Thomas Vance, farmer, Ireland, C of England, 44, male, M, 1 male
Mary Vance, Ireland, C of England, 40, female, M, 1 female
John Vance, born Canada, C of England, 8, male, S, 1 male
Robert Vance, born Canada, C of England, 6 male, S, 1 male
William Vance, born Canada, C of England, 4 male, S, 1 male
Margret J. Vance, born Canada, C of England, 2, female, S, 1 female

Henry Brown, labourer, born Canada, C of England, 19, male, S, 1 male
Elisabeth Brown born Canada, C of England, 18, female, S, 1 female
Phillip Brown, labourer, born Canada, C of England, 16, male, S, 1 male
Thomas Brown, born Canada, C of England, 14, male, S, 1 male

Source:  1861 Canadian Census, Rawdon Twp., Hastings Co., Canada West. C-1033, pg. 26. 

In the 1871 Canadian Census for Hastings there is a Vance family living in Rawdon with a Mary as head and the next house down is Phillip Brown with Matilda. There is a Thomas Vance born about 1847 in the household, which is before her marriage to Thomas Vance in 1851.  We do not know much about Thomas Vance, Mary’s husband’s family so this young Thomas is probably a nephew?

Line 7, 69, 74, Fance/Vance, Mary, F, 61, born Ireland, Ch of E, All Irish, Widow.
Vance, Thomas, M, 24, born Ontario, Merchant
Vance, John, M, M, 18, born Ontario, farmer
Vance, Robert M, 15, born Ontario
Vance, William M, 13, born Ontario
Vance, Jane F, F, 11, born Ontario

Line 14, 70, 75 Brown, Phillip, M, 26, born Ontario, C of E all, Irish all, Farmer, Married. Brown, Matilda, F, 23, born Ontario, married
Brown, Thomas, M 8/12, born Ontario

Source:  1871 Canadian Census, Rawdon Twp., Hastings Co., Ontario, page 20, 62 North Hastings, No. 2 Div.

In the following pages I will share more information about the children of Thomas and Mary Brown: Henry, Elizabeth, Phillip and Thomas. I will also discuss the Heir Devise application of Phillip Brown their son.  After I have completed these Brown children, I will share more about the Vance children: Thomas (no further info), John, Robert, William and Margaret.