Maggie Hedley b. abt 1852 (chapter 8,8 )

Maggie Hedley, born near Harwood Plains in March Township, Carleton County, was the ninth child born to Nicholas Hedley and Jane McBride. A list of family names and birth dates, believed to have been written by Maggie's elder sister, Ann Hedley, lists "family births....Maggie Hedley born 1852," but the 1900 U.S. Census for Cleveland, Ohio {#12}gives Maggie's date of birth as October 1851. The 1851 Census for March Township, Carleton County {#1} lists the family of Nicholas Hedley, 38, and Jane McBride, 33, and their eight children. Four daughters and a son, James (who may have died in infancy) were born in the10 years between censuses. Although the Hedley family has not been found on an 1861 Census, it is assumed that the family moved to Wawanash Township in Huron County about 1860 or earlier (Reflections of West Wawanosh, p.309){#2} and later to the Lucknow area of Kinloss Township (1871 Ont. Census for Kinloss Twp., Bruce Co.) {#3} Their stone house and property in March Twp. was sold in 1855, the year Maggie's grandfather John Hedley died. Maggie would have been age 4 to 8 at the time of the move. Three of her sisters, Martha, Adeline and Susan would have been even younger.

Little is known about the activities of Maggie or her family between the 1851 Ont. Census for March Twp., Carleton Co. and the birth of Alexander, the 13^th surviving child of Jane and Nicholas Hedley, born in 1862 in Wawanosh Township, Huron County. In the years between 1862 and 1870, five of Maggie's older sisters and brothers were married: William in 1863, Ann, Thomas and John Henry in 1866 and Mary Jane in 1867. Nicholas (who was married in 1865) and Edward had moved to Michigan, and Robert had gone to California. Only Susan, Alexander and Pharaoh remained at home with their parents Nicholas and Jane (1871 Ont. Census for Kinloss Twp., Bruce Co.) {#3}. Maggie's younger sister Martha, age 17, had found employment as a "servant" in an Ashfield Twp. household (1871 Ont. Census for Ashfield Twp. Huron Co.) {#4} and it is possible that Adeline, age 15, had also found work locally.

Marriage: About that time (1870) Maggie Hedley, age 19, married John Burns, age 21, born Aug.1849 (1900 U.S. Census for Cleveland). John was the son of Abraham Burns (1800-1873) and Mary Burns (1812-1892) originally of Ireland. The Burns family was living on the north side of the Durham Rd. west of Bervie at the time of both the 1861 and 1871 Kincardine Twp. Censuses. The children of Abraham and Mary Burns were William, James, Abraham Jr., John and Margaret. Parents Abraham and Mary Burns, are buried in Kincardine Cemetery (Kith and Kin of Kinloss, 2003, p.682 and Toil, Tears and Triumph - A History of Kincardine Township, 1990, p. 114).

Maggie and John Burns moved to the United States shortly after their marriage. The 1900 U.S. Census for Cleveland, Ohio {#12} reveals that in 1900 John and Margaret Burns had been married for 30 years, but had been living in the U.S. for only 29 years. Maggie (Margaret) and John Burns settled in Cleveland, Ohio, where John worked as a florist and later as a carpenter. {#5} They had two children(gen.iv) (although the 1900 and 1910 U.S. Censuses for Cleveland noted only one):
{see # 12 - Note of Caution}

1 - Robert J. Burns, born in Ohio about 1871 married Alta F. (-?-) (1880 U.S. Census for Cleveland) {#6}

    2 - Mary Jane Burns was born about 1874 in Lucknow, Ontario. The 1881 Ont. Census for Huron Township,
   Bruce County {#7} shows Mary Ann Burns, seven years old, living in the household of Emily and James J.
         Taylor, ages 30 and 32. {See #8 Notes)

        When she was 25, Mary Jane Burns married Archibald Daniel Campbell, age 24. Daniel, a stone mason,
        was a resident of Ripley, Ont., the fifth child of Christina (Martin) (b.1840) and Duncan Campbell( b.1842)
   {#9). His siblings were John Campbell, Cathrine Campbell, Murdeena Campbell and Christan Campbell
   (1881 Ont. Census for Kincardine, Bruce County){#10}

         If it can be assumed that Archibald (Archie) Daniel Campbell adopted the name "Donald Campbell" and that
         Mary Jane was known as "Mary," it appears that the young couple made their home in Stratford, Ont. (1901
         Ont Census for Stratford, Perth County) {11} Mary and Donald Campbell had at
         least two children (gen.v):

Hedley Nicholas, 38, farmer, b. in Eng., Church of Eng., living in a one-storey stone house and operating
                                                                                         a sawmill worked by water, producing 20,000 feet
                  Jane, wife, 33, born in Ireland, Church of Eng.
                William, 14, labourer, attending school
                  John, 13, labourer, attending school
                  Thomas, 11, labourer, attending school
                  Nicholas, 9, labourer, attending school
                  Robert, 8, labourer, attending school
                  Ann, 7, attending school
                  Edward, 4,
                  Mary J., 1
Judy Grinnen, 19, b. in Ireland, R.C., (not a family member)

{# 3} 1871 Ont. Census for Kinloss Township, Bruce County, South - Div. 1, p.9, # 319 (Concession 9, Lot 8)

Hedley   Nicholas, age 57, born in England, farmer, English origin, Church of Eng.
               Jane, age 51, born in Ireland, Irish origin, Church of Eng.
               Susan, age 11, born in Ont., Irish origin, Church of Eng., attending school
               Alexander, age 9, born in Ont., Irish origin, Church of Eng., attending school
               Farah, age 6, born in Ont., Irish origin, Church of Eng., attending school

Burns,     John, 34, b. in Can., Occupation "Flowrist"; father b. in Ire.; mother b. in Eng.
                Maggie, 28, wife, b. in Can., father b. in Ireland (?); mother b. in Ireland
                Robert, 9, son, b. in Ohio, attending school; both parents b. in Canada

Robert J. Burns, head, age 38, born in Ohio
Alta F. Burns, wife, age 33, born in Ohio

Taylor, James J , English origin, age 32, b. in England, farmer, Wesleyan Methodist
Taylor, Emily, Irish origin, age 30, b. in Ontario, W. Methodist
Burns, Mary J., English origin, age 7, b. in Ontario. W. Methodist

Note 2: John Burns’ brother James (1846-1916) and his wife Harriett, who lived in Kinloss Twp. on Lot 15, on the south side of the Durham Road, had a daughter, also named Mary Jane Burns, b. in 1871, three years before the birth of the daughter of John and Maggie Burns. This "Mary Jane Burns," the eldest of the seven children of James and Harriett, married John Stone, according to the family history book Kith and Kin of Kinloss, page 682.

Campbell, Duncan, head, b. June 23, 1842, age 58
Campbell, Christena, wife, b.1840, age 60

{# 10} 1881 Ontario Census for Kincardine, Bruce County (South)
Campbell,    Duncan, M, Scottish origin, age 40, b. in Ont., labourer, Church of Eng.
                     Christina, F, Scottish origin, age 45, b. in Scotland, Church of Eng.
                     John, M, Scottish origin, age 17, b. in Ont., Church of Eng.
                     Cathrine, F, Scottish origin, age 15, b. in Ont., Church of Eng.
                   Murdeena, F, Scottish origin, age 13, b. in Ont., Church of Eng.
                     Christan, F, Scottish origin, age 8, b. in Ont., Church of Eng.
                     Archie, M, Scottish origin, age 5, b. in Ont., Church of Eng.

Campbell, Donald, M, head, b. May 5, 1876, age at last birthday 25
                    Mary, F, wife, b. Sept. 5, 1875, age at last birthday 26
                    G. Earl, M, son, b. Feb. 28, 1899, age at last birthday 2
                    M. Irine, F, daughter, b. Aug. 31, 1900, age last birthday under 1

{# 12} 1900 U.S. Census for Cleveland City, Ward 6, Cuyahoga County, Ohio (June 8, 1900)

Line 21, 134 Warring St., dwelling 168, family 216:

Burns, John, head, b.1849, age 50; m.30 years; b. in Can. (Eng.); fath. b. Ire.; moth. b. Eng.; Year of immigration 1860; Years in the U.S. 29 (Original hand-written census has a stroke through "29", and "40" written above it); Occ. carpenter; Home rented

Burns, Margaret, wife, b. Oct. 1851; age 48; marr. 30 years; mother of 1 child (?), 1 child living; b. in Can.(Eng.); father b. Ire.(?); mother b. Ire.; imm.1860; 29 years in U.S. (The original hand-written census has a stroke through "29" and "40" written above it)

1910 U.S. Census for Cleveland City, Cleveland Twp., Cuyahoga County, Ohio

Apr. 1910 -- lines 9-10 East 31^st St., House number 1552, Dwelling number 79, Visit 99:

Burns, John C., head, age 65 (?); marr. 40 yr.; B. in Can.(Eng.); father b. Ire. (Eng.); mother b. in Eng.(English); immigrated 1858; naturalized citizen; Carpenter; Home rented

Burns, Margaret, wife, age 58; married 40 years; number of children born, 1; living, 1; Born in Can.(Eng.); father b. Can (?) (Eng.); moth. b. Ire. (Eng.); immigrated 1860

A Few Notes of Caution:

Most of the items on the 1900 and 1910 U.S. Censuses for Cleveland, Ohio are consistent with the little that is known of Maggie (Margaret) Hedley and John Burns. There are, however, at least two inconsistent items that give rise to some uncertainty about the accuracy of the preceding account of the lives of Maggie Hedley and John Burns. "Year of immigration 1860" for both Margaret and John on the 1910 census would indicate that Maggie (b.1851) and John (b.1849) immigrated to the U.S. as children. This stated year of immigration (1860) is, however, inconsistent with the original reply to another item on the same census: "Number of years in the U.S. - 29," rather than the 40 years Margaret and John would have lived in the U.S. had they immigrated in 1860. Perhaps this anomaly explains why, on the 1900 census, "years in the U.S.- 29" is stroked out and replaced with "years in the U.S. - 40", the change obviously made by a different pen and, judging from the difference in writing style, probably by someone other than the original census taker. This well-intentioned person, noting the anomaly, probably attempted to remove it by changing "Years in the U.S." rather than "Year of immigration."

However neat this solution may appear, it does not completely vanquish our doubts, for ten years later the 1810 Census repeats the "Year of Immigration" as 1860 for Margaret and 1858 for John. One can imagine several explanations for a perceived error on a census, but when the same "error" is repeated ten years later, on a different census, it is more difficult to explain.

A second problem arises concerning the number of children of Maggie and John Burns. The 1900 and 1910 Censuses note the birth of only one child for Margaret Burns. It would seem that the 1870 announcement of the marriage of Archibald Daniel Campbell and Mary Jane Burns, "daughter of John and Maggie Burns," confirms their parentage of Mary Jane Burns. Similarly, it would seem that the 1880 U.S. Census for Cleveland, listing John Burns, "Maggie" Burns and Robert Burns, "son," age 9, born in Ohio, confirms their parentage of Robert.

It is of course possible that the omission of one of their children’s births could have been the result of a misunderstanding of the question on the 1900 and 1910 censuses, or Maggie and John Burns may have believed that the U.S. Census would not be concerned with a child born, raised and currently living in Canada.