Cowan-McAninch connection

Grampa Cowan's (Thomas Cowan) oldest sister Margaret (Maggy, Grett) married Hugh McANINCH in Puslinch, Ontario 27 Feb 1901. According to the record, Hugh was the son of John McAninch and Jennie McPHATTER, and was born ca. 1875, in Puslinch.

Here is the Ancestry index entry for the marriage:

Ontario, Canada Marriages, 1857-1922

Name: Hugh McAninch
Birth Place: Puslinch
Age: 26
Father Name: John McAninch
Mother Name: Jennie McPhatter
Estimated birth year: abt 1875
Spouse Name: Maggie Cowan
Spouse's Age: 21
Spouse Birth Place: Puslinch
Spouse Father Name: Walter S Cowan
Spouse Mother Name : Annie McPherson Cowan
Marriage Date: 27 Feb 1901
Marriage Place: Wellington
Marriage County: Wellington

Image of the marriage record:


Their only child Walter was born (according to the SSDI) 28 Jun 1920, and died 26 Mar 2000. He served in WWII, and according to that record he was not yet a US citizen, and was born in "British North America or Canada or Labrador or Newfoundland."

U.S. World War II Army Enlistment Records, 1938-1946

Name: Walter H McAninch
Birth Year: 1920
Race: White, not yet a citizen (White)
Nativity State or Country: British North America or Canada or Labrador or Newfoundland
State: Washington
County or City: King

Enlistment Date: 19 Apr 1943
Enlistment State: Washington
Enlistment City: Seattle
Branch: No branch assignment
Branch Code: No branch assignment
Grade: Private
Grade Code: Private
Term of Enlistment: Enlistment for the duration of the War or other emergency, plus six months, subject to the discretion of the President or otherwise according to law
Component: Selectees (Enlisted Men)
Source: Civil Life

Education: 4 years of high school
Civil Occupation: Foreman, Warehouse (Warehouseman. )
Marital Status: Single, without dependents
Height: 88
Weight: 145

Source Information: National Archives and Records Administration. U.S. World War II Army Enlistment Records, 1938-1946 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc., 2005. Original data: Electronic Army Serial Number Merged File, 1938-1946 [Archival Database]; World War II Army Enlistment Records; Records of the National Archives and Records Administration, Record Group 64; National Archives at College Park, College Park, MD.

Walter later married, divorced, then married again Myrene CASTOR. He nor his parent Grett & Hugh are found in the 1930 Census, therefore I assume that they emigrated between 1930 and 1943 when Walter joined the US Army.

I'll have to ask Dad if he remembers when they moved to Seattle, and where Walter Mac served in the War.

Moving backwards -- This may be Hugh's family in the 1901 Census of Canada. Jennie would be Jane Ann:

Name: John McAninch
Gender: Male
Marital Status: Married
Age: 53
Birth Date: 3 Aug 1847
Birthplace: Scotland
Relation to Head of House: Head
Spouse's name: Jane Ann
Immigration Year: 1862
Racial or Tribal Origin: Scottish (Scotish)
Nationality: Canadian
Religion: Presbyterian
Occupation: Farmer
Province: Ontario
DISTRICT: Wellington (South/Sud)
District Number: 126
Sub-District: Puslinch
Sub-District Number: F-4
Family Number: 56
Page: 5

Household Members:
Name Age
John McAninch 53
Jane Ann McAninch 47
Neilson Leslie McAninch 21
Jane Ann McAninch 18
John James McAninch 15
Marthew McAninch 11
Charlotte E McAninch 6

Source Information: Ancestry.com. 1901 Census of Canada [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc., 2006. Original data: Library and Archives Canada. Census of Canada, 1901. Ottawa, Canada: Library and Archives Canada. RG31, T-6428 to T-6556.

The image:


If this is the correct family, John was born 3 Aug 1847 in Scotland, came to Canada in 1862, a generation after the Cowan's arrival in 1832. The IGI lists a John McAninch as born 26 SEP 1847 in Campsie, Stirling, Scotland, and lists him as dying 14 DEC 1919. This record (patron submission) has John married to Jane Ann McPhatter, and has their date of marriage as 22 DEC 1874 in Arthur, Wellington County, Ontario. This same submission says that Jane Ann McPhatter was born 9 JUL 1853 in Killean, Puslinch, Wellington County, Ontario, and died 1 NOV 1932, daughter of Matthew McPhatter and Jean OR Jane Ramsay.

The Ontario, Canada Deaths, 1869-1932 reports:

Name: John McAninch
Death Date: Dec 1919
Death Location: Wellington

Gender: Male
Estimated birth year: abt 1847
Birth Location: Campsey,Sct

Source Citation: Roll: MS935_260.

Source Information: Ancestry.com. Ontario, Canada Deaths, 1869-1932 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc., 2005. Original data: Archives of Ontario. Registrations of Deaths - 1869-1932. Toronto, Ontario, Canada: Archives of Ontario. MS935, 455 reels.

Image:


If this is the correct John McAninch, it gives his mother's maiden name as Ann M Colgau (?)! Exciting stuff!


In the 1881 Canadian Census, we see Hugh with the family!:

Name   Marital Status  Gender  Ethnic Origin  Age  Birthplace  Occupation  Religion
 John MCANINCH    M    Male    Irish    31    Scotland    Farmer    Presbyterian 
 Jane Ann MCANINCH    M    Female    Scottish    26    Ontario        Presbyterian 
 Hugh MCANINCH        Male    Irish    5    Ontario        Presbyterian 
 Nelson MCANINCH        Male    Irish    1    Ontario        Presbyterian 
 James MCKEADY        Male    Irish    21    Ireland    Farm Labourer    Church of England 

Source Information:
   Census Place  Peel, Wellington Centre, Ontario
  Family History Library Film   1375895
  NA Film Number   C-13259
  District   152
  Sub-district   E
  Division   4
  Page Number   40
  Household Number   176

This is probably him, then, in the Ontario, Canada Census Index, 1871:

Name: John McAninch
Age: 22
Estimated birth year: abt 1849
Gender: Male
Birth Place: Ireland

Residence District: Wellington North
Residence Location: Peel
Ethnic Origin: Irish
Religion: Canada Presbyterian / C. Presbyterian
Occupation: Farmer
Division: 2
Microfilm Roll: C-9948
Page: 30
Head of Household Comment: This person is listed as a head of household.

Source Information: This index to the 1871 Ontario, Canada Census was created by volunteers from the Ontario Genealogical Society from data supplied by Library and Archives Canada.. Ontario, Canada Census Index, 1871 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc., 2006. Original data: Ontario, Canada. 1871 Canada Census. Ottawa, Canada: Library and Archives Canada. Microfilm. Specific microfilm roll numbers are listed with each record in the index.

And this is probably Jane Ann's family in Ontario, Canada Census Index, 1871:

Name: Mathew McPhatter
Age: 55
Estimated birth year: abt 1816
Gender: Male
Birth Place: Scotland

Residence District: Wellington South
Residence Location: Puslinch
Ethnic Origin: Scottish
Religion: Canada Presbyterian / C. Presbyterian
Occupation: Farmer
Division: 1
Microfilm Roll: C-9945
Page: 44
Head of Household Comment: This person is listed as a head of household.

Source Information: same as above.


More research is needed!