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From: "Joan Gerhard" <>
Subject: [ONTARIO] Suggestions Please
Date: Mon, 14 Mar 2011 17:02:20 -0400


Hi Everyone,

I am on a mission. My second oldest brother will be 80 years old next month and his middle name is Moffat. So...I thought it would be great if I could do a booklet, chart, etc. on our Moffat ancestors. A great idea except I don't have absolute proof that the George Moffat who was born to a John Moffat and Jane Tarl(e)ton in Dean, Cumberland, England is the same George Moffat from whom we are descended. I have lots of 'coincidences' but no absolute proof.

Now my English 'cousins' think I have the right person from their family but they really didn't know much about George other than that he was 'missing'. He was born/christened March 13, 1836 so, of course, he was listed on the 1841 census with his parents. He was 15 years old and working as a hired lad within walking distance of his parents when the 1851 UK census was taken. That is the last time their George appeared on the radar screen in England.

The George from whom I am descended was married on 07 December 1859, age 23, birthplace England, and parents were John and Jane Moffat. John Moffat and Jane Tarl(e)ton the people that I think were his parents were married on that exact date in 1833. A coincidence?

I found George and Eliza on the 1861 census and they were enumerated in District 2, Binbrook. They had a 1 year old female in their household and she was enumerated as M. A. Moffat. I expect that the baby was George and Eliza's infant daughter but I don't know that for certain. If she was their daughter, she died in infancy. The following year they had a son named John James. George's father was John and Eliza's was James.

IF my George was descended from the people I think were his parents, he was the second child and oldest son. His parents had a total of thirteen children! One of them, a daughter Eleanor, who would have been three years younger than George had a daughter in February 1863 and she called her Eliza. Another coincidence?

George obviously used both MOFFAT and MOFFATT and it looked like they were interchangeable. His age fluctuated with the census and he shaved a couple of years off his age when he remarried in 1890. However, he married a much younger woman so perhaps that was the reason. When he died in July 1897 he was said to be 60 but if he was the George I think he was he would have been 61 years and four months.

Does anyone have any suggestions about how I can fill in the gap between 1851 and 1859? Where else can I go for help or what else can I check?

This guy has been driving me crazy! I'm certain I have walked the same lanes in England. I'm sure I have been in the same church and cemetery where he and his parents would have worshiped. My 'cousins' and I have enjoyed meals and stories but...I don't have proof. When is enough ENOUGH?

Thanks for any help!
Joan



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