Tracking Robert Lowry: He with no parents

Question

Hello Fellow Wikitreer Folks,

I have been searching for the missing link for a family member, well on 30 years now.  Today, I had a brain wave...(I get those at times).  This is so close to me that sometimes...forest, trees and all that...

I would appreciate someone looking at this document. (1851 Census Image in Lowry-3180 profile)  

My great great grandfather always wrote he was born in Ancaster, Ontario in 1847 (Feb) on his marriage records (2 of those) and Census records.  So then I thought, wait...maybe I should search the Ancaster area for a 4 year old Robert...and see what happens.  I have tried other configurations of searching in Ontario but hadn't thought of that one before and Voila...ONE...little boy named Robert age 4 in all of Ancaster, Ontario!  This document states he was a Gould, and the info is strange...under Eliza Gould - Spinster (we all know that means unmarried) are 4 children (sons and daughters).  two are Goulds and two are Curtis.  What would you make of this?  I have my theory, but like I said, I am too close.  Please have a look and share your ideas with me.  Thanks so much!

Answer 1

Very intriguing, Tanya!  Starting with the hypothesis that little Robert later changed his name to Lowry, my next step would be to track the timelines of the Gould/Curtis family.  The unusual name Libius helps a lot as kind of a marker identifying the family group.  Can you find any of them in 1861?  Do any of them live near Robert Lowry in 1871?  Did Eliza Gould marry a Lowry, and change all the children's names?

Comments

Hello Herbert,

I have covered those avenues, (for sure).  

Robert did change his name to Lowry, (if all the stories are accurate in the family)  I did track the Family's to no avail, except to find that Margaret the 6 year old married a Green who was 30 some years her senior.

I can not find Libius (and mostly that is a male name and in the 1851 Census Libius is "daughter")  In 1861 - no Gould, no Curtis.  I will check for the "living near" but I don't think so.  No Gould married a Lowry that I can find.  All great questions.  What do you think Eliza being a spinster with children means?

I am thinking maybe to try to check school records...hmmm

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There was a Lebbeus Curtis in 1861. That's all I found in Canada looking for Libius.

FamilySearch has that 1851 record indexed as Librus Curtis, although the image clearly shows an 'i.'  It says 'daughter' for Libius, but the 'male' column is checked.  I think I would not put a lot of confidence in the son/daughter entries.  They could be nieces and nephews or orphans taken in out of charity.  Or 'natural' children.  No way to know for sure.  Anyway, the possible link to Robert Lowry was extremely tenuous.  If you pursued it and got nowhere, maybe it's time to file it away.

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Hi Herbert!
Oh no, I will never file this one away.  I can not.
That's the insight I was looking for...niece and nephews or orphans.  I can find the Curtis children with george and jane curtis (laborers) and both boys.  I don ot think they are part of the story, other than trying to sort out the Census enumeration directives.

I can not find Margaret nor Robert Gould.  I am starting to think it is a possibliity due to all the congruent info.  I just need to find out f school records are somewhere...!

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Eliza and the Gould children were born in Canada East (Quebec) according to the 1851 census. There was an Eliza Gould, born in Quebec, who married Henry Shell in Ontario in 1858. Her parents are listed on the marriage record as Joseph and Margaret Lewis. Could Eliza have been a widow living with her brother Joshua Lewis (also born in Quebec) in 1851? This may have nothing to do with your Robert, but here's the source:

"Ontario, County Marriage Registers, 1858-1869," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q2CB-CC1H : 17 March 2018), Henry Shell and Eliza Gould, 24 May 1858; citing Huron, Ontario, Canada, Archives of Ontario, Toronto; FHL microfilm 1,030,058.

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See, I missed that, I am too close!  So yes, because one story is that Robert's mother remarried and her husband was "Mean" so he either left or was farmed out .  the rest of the story is he changed his name to Lowry because of the kindness of James Lowry and he took care of Sarah (McGuire) Lowry Smith until she died.  I wonder if both children ended up being farmed out.  I will search for the Lewis household.  Thanks so much.  Fresh perspectives really help here.

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Hi Tanya.All this is fascinating,as Robert is my Great Grandfather.My Grandfather is Morgan Lowry and my Dad Morgan Leanard Lowry.My Grandmother Cecelia Waring Jackson.My Aunt has always talked about a Green family connection but really had little to go by as her father died when she was around 1 and before my Dad was born.I am so happy I stumbled across this site in the wee hours of the morning chasing rabbits down a different hole.I look forward to more updates and am happy to provide any info I can.My Aunt is 91 so we need to pick her brains as much as possible,although the story does alter from time to time.

All the best

Deborah Lowry

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What?!  Wow!!!  This is amazing and wonderful!  Please mail me from my profile page!   There is an update to this...Robert Lowry(1847) was raised by James Lowry(1807-31 Jan 1856) and his Wife Sarah McGuire relict Lowry Smith (1811-1892).  James was the second youngest of Captain Hamilton Lowry (wife may probbly died in Ireland).  I am in contact with Ella's (13/13) grand-daughter Lenore as well.

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I am looking for your email address.

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......

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did you get my email? I posted it.

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Update to the Gould family: Margaret (b.1846) (I believe married a Green, but have to research that timeline another time.) and Robert (b.1848) Gould's mother Eliza L. Lewis (1825-1875) married Robert Gould (1806-1847).  She married secondly Henry S. Schell (1828-1898).  They moved to Michigan and were found in the 1870 US Census Records. Eliza gave Henry a daughter Almeda "Meda" who married a Rutherford.  So this is NOT our Robert Lowry 1847 (with no parents, darn it.) and the search continues.  Thanks for everyone's thoughts on the