The Browns in Canada

When did Donald and Ann Brown, the parents of Donald Brown (1840-1918), come to Canada? The Isle of Islay website has a helpful page that describes the various waves of emigration from Islay. According to this page, “Many of the Islay emigrants came to Ontario, where surveyors were busy mapping the townships into organized concessions and then rectangular lots to accommodate the new settlers. … [In the 1830s] Islay emigrants made their way to Eldon and Fenelon townships near Lindsay….” Both of these townships are in Victoria County and border on Mariposa Township, where Ann Brown was living with her sons in 1861.

Since Donald and Ann’s oldest son Neil was born in Canada, they probably arrived before 1837. A brig called the Stirling Castle sailed from Islay in 1834. It left Greenock, Scotland, on June 10, and arrived in Quebec on August 8. It was carrying 358 passengers. The next year the brig Hector left Islay on July 17 with 49 passengers. It arrived in Quebec on August 24. It is possible that the Browns were passengers on one of these two ships. As far as I know, no passenger lists for these voyages have survived.

Unfortunately, the 1851 Canadian census records for Mariposa Township, Victoria County, are lost. The 1851 records for Eldon Township list Peter Brown, 76, and Effie Brown, 60, and their children Duncan, 25, Effie, 21, Neal, 15, and Peter, 13. The birthplace of Neil and Peter is listed as Ontario and they are said to be living in Mariposa. (Could they actually be Donald and Ann's children? One wonders.) According to the Kilarrow parish records in Islay, the Peter and Effie Brown listed there had children named Duncan and Effie, who were born in 1825 and 1830. Thus it appears that this is the same family and that they moved to Victoria County sometime after 1830. Was Peter an uncle of the Donald Brown who married Ann Brown? Was he Ann Brown’s father? It is not possible to be sure. An online genealogy lists Peter and Effie Brown as Ann Brown’s parents, but I have not been able to track down the source of that information. A picture of Peter and Effie’s son Duncan can be seen here.

The document summarizing information from the Brown family Bible says that the parents of Donald Brown (1840-1918) were Donald and Anna and that they had two older sons, Neil and Peter. It says that Donald was 21 years old when he married in 1861.

In the 1861 census there is a listing for an Ann Brown, age 46, who is a member of the Free Church of Scotland. She is a widow and has two sons living with her who were born in Ontario. They are Neil, 24, and Daniel, 21. No son named Donald is listed. This makes me wonder if the census taker wrote down “Daniel” when he should have written down “Donald”, since Donald was 21 in 1861. Ann and her sons are living in a log house. An example of this type of house can be seen here. (Note that the Donald Brown referred to on the page is not one of our ancestors, although he may be a relative.)

1861 Canadian census

A couple named Peter Brown, 90, and Emma Brown, 68, are listed right after Ann and her family on the 1861 census sheet. They too are living in a log house. Their ages only roughly correspond to the ages of Peter and Effie listed in the 1851 census, but it is possible that they are the same couple. “Emma” could be a mistake for “Euphemia”, which was often shortened to “Effie.”  In the 1861 census, under the names of Peter and Emma, Flora Brown, 42, is listed. The Islay records say that Peter and Effie Brown had a daughter Flora who was born in October of 1816. So Flora's actual age early in 1861 would be 44. But since people in the 1800s were not always sure of their birth dates, it seems at least possible that Peter and Emma are the same as Peter and Effie listed in the 1851 census and that Flora and Ann are their daughters.

What can we learn about Neil and Peter, the brothers of Donald Brown (1840-1918)? 

The Canadian censuses of 1871, 1881 and 1891 list a couple named Neil and Ann Brown, who are Presbyterians and are living in Mariposa Township. Their recorded ages indicate that Neil was born in 1836 or 1837, while Ann was born in 1842. So Neil is the right age to have been the brother of Donald. Five sons were born to Neil and Ann: Donald, John, Peter, Archibald and William. Occupations listed for Neil are "teamster," "labourer," and "farmer."

The census of 1861 shows a Peter Brown, age 23, who was born in Ontario and is listed as being a merchant. He is living by himself in Mariposa Township. (So this explains why he is not listed as living with Ann in the 1861 census.) He is a member of the Church of Scotland and apparently is living in a store built of stone. Ontario marriage records tell us that Peter Brown, 31, married Jemima Jane Kennedy, 30, on January 5, 1871, at Whitchurch, York, Ontario. Peter Brown’s parents are listed as Donald Brown and Ann Brown. In 1871 census, Peter and Jemima are living in Mariposa Township. The census says they’ve been married within the last year, but strangely says the month was October. Ann Brown, age 55, is a widow and is living with them. Peter and Jemima are members of the Wesleyan Methodist Church, while Ann is listed as being Presbyterian. Peter’s occupation is listed as “merchant.” It seems almost certain that this Peter is the older brother of Donald Brown (1840-1918) and that Ann is Donald’s mother. (The summary from the Brown family Bible says that Donald also  was a merchant and a Methodist. So in his occupation and denomination he was like his brother Peter.)

According to the 1881 census, Peter Brown, 42, and Jemima Brown, 41, are living in Whitchurch, North York, Ontario. Apparently Ann, Peter’s mother, is no longer living with them. Peter’s occupation is listed as “gentleman.” In the censuses of 1891 and 1901 Peter and Jemima are listed as living in Toronto. They are still Methodists. In the 1901 census Peter's occupation is listed as “Merchant R.” I assume the “R” stands for “Retired.” Peter’s birth date is given as July 13, 1839. Jemima’s is March 31, 1840. The 1901 census also has a column for “mother tongue.” Peter’s mother tongue is “Gaelic”, which indicates that his parents Donald and Ann spoke Gaelic in the home.

On the “Find a Grave” website, there is a page for Peter Brown which includes a picture of a memorial in the Newmarket Cemetery (here). The large stone has the name “BROWN” on it. Underneath the following names are listed: “Peter Brown, born 1839-died 1912,” “Jemima J., his wife, born 1840-died 1927,” “Mary Kennedy, born 1802-died 1887,” (Mary was Jemima’s mother), “Ann Brown, 1890” Ann must be the mother of Neil, Peter and Donald. Evidently Peter, and perhaps Ann herself, did not know Ann’s date of birth.