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Hi

I am very new to this - starting my tree only yesterday. I wanted to make a start on my paternal grandmother's family as she was a bit of an enigma herself - we discovered after her death in 1995 that her marriage to my grandfather was in fact her second. Since then we've been trying to discover this man's identity and until this evening we were in the dark.

After find out her last known address through immigration records/passenger lists, I managed to find a note in the Welland Public Library in Ontario relating to their marriage. She married a William Earl Ward. Now I only have the name - no details that help me track him any further such as dob or parents names. I've emailed the library to see if they can help but was wondering if there was any other way of seeing that record or the certificate info ?

I also know that William must have died between April 1933 (when the record is dated in the library) and 1935 when my gran returned to Scotland and married my grandad.

I did find a record of a William Earl Ward who died in Welland 3 months later but without parents details I can't be sure it's him.

My grandmother's name was Margaret Lilian McMeeking - born 4th Feb 1906 in Ayr Scotland. She emigrated to Canada in 1924. Her last known address in Canada was Division Street, Welland.

Would appreciate any help tracking down William Ward's death info and more of their marriage info. Being so new to this, there is probably plenty of places I haven't even thought to look so apologies if this is something I could have easily done !

Thanks
Andrea

Yes her marriage certificate to my grandad has her listed as a widow.

And it has both her name of Margaret.L.Ward and her maiden name of McMeekin on the certificate.

?? Married wife was the informat and listed as Mrs Earl Ward. Will send you a copy

Name: William Earl Ward
Death Date: 29 Jul 1933
Death County or District: Welland
Age: 34
Gender: Male
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1899
Birth Location: Welland, Ontario
Father: Moses Ward
Mother: Elizabeth Isabelle Mcguire

Andrea - was her father's name Peter?

I found this:


Canadian Passenger Lists, 1865-1935

Name: Margaret Lillian McMeekin
Gender: Female
Age: 23
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1906
Birth Country: Scotland
Date of Arrival: 3 Aug 1929
Vessel: Letitia
Port of Arrival: Montreal, Quebec
Port of Departure: Glasgow, Scotland
Roll: T-14757

She was a lab technician.

Her immigration record states she's previously lived in Canada from 12/08/1924 to 14/06/1929 at 14 Duke Street, Hamilton, Ontario. That is the address she was returning to, where her father Peter lived.

Relative in Scotland was her aunt Mrs Catherine Bennie at 27 Blackness Road, Linlithgow.

EDIT - have amended incorrect dates.

Yes her father's name was Peter . He was in Canada with his second wife Marion and second daughter Agnes.

Thanks K - that is the death info I thought may be him but as I have no other information yet other than his name I wasn't 100% sure. Big coincidence I reckon if it isn't .

This looks like his birth

Name: William Earle Ward
Date of Birth: 31 Jul 1899
Gender: Male
Birth County or District: Welland
Father's Name: J M Ward
Mother's name: Isabel Mcguire
Archive Name: Archives of Ontario
Archive Series: MS929
Archive Reel: 148

Thank you for looking into this - I have literally just had contact from someone who is directly related to William.

K - thanks for that - it seems from the information I have just received that it is indeed the same William that you have posted about.

I really appreciate you guys searching.

One thing I still haven't found though is Peter McMeekin's death certificate - Margaret's father. His last known address was also Division Street Welland.

Sorry I can't see a death in Canada. Have you checked Scotlands People just in case he returned? Edit - If you have access to Ancestry a person with the same family tree has a beautiful photograph of his wife Margaret

According to my dad he never returned to the UK and he only met his grandfather once on one occasion he came over to the UK for a visit (I can't even find a record of his either)

I am guessing there are some records that just won't be found for one reason or another. I noticed a few people who have Peter in their tree also do not have his date of death listed.

But thanks for looking :)

Ontario B/M records are closed for (I think) 97/82 y. Death records are not closed, but no index is published for 70y.

In Ontario, civil registration dates from July 1, 1869. The Archives of Ontario holds records of births from 1869 to 1914, marriages from 1869 to 1929, and deaths from 1869 to 1939. Incomplete marriage registers prior to 1869 are also available.

Digitizations are available on Ancestry (free for Canada Day - freebies end 5am 3/7/2012 UK time).

For Canadian censuses, use links on:
http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/genealogy/022-911.009-e.html

Here's 1901/11 from AG:

1901 Census of Canada Page Information
District: ON WELLAND (#123)
Subdistrict: Welland (Town/Ville) M-3 Page 3
Details: Schedule 1 Microfilm T-6503
39 29 Ward J M M Head M Aug 4 1859 42
40 29 Ward Elisabeth I F Wife M May 25 1870 30
41 29 Frank Jas H M step son S Jan 19 1895 6
42 29 Ward W E M Son S Jul 21 1899 1

http://data2.collectionscanada.gc.ca/1901/z/z003/z000112878.pdf

Sched 2 http://data2.collectionscanada.gc.ca/1901/z/z003/z000112873.pdf
[P3 L39 addy=West Main St N, Welland]


1911 Census of Canada
Home / 1911 / Ontario / Welland / 53 Welland / page 13
42 155 Ward Jediah M Head M Sep 1861 50
43 155 Ward Elizabeth F Wife M Aug 1871 40
44 155 Ward Earl M Son S Jul 1899 12
45 155 Ward Rena F Daughter S Nov 1901 10
46 155 Ward Isabell F Daughter S May 1908 3
47 155 Ward May F Daughter S Dec 1907 4

http://data2.collectionscanada.gc.ca/1911/pdf/e002034741.pdf


Holy Cross Cemetery
50 Woodlawn Road
Welland
Ontario Canada
Postal Code: L3C 3J5