[NJNative]

I found out something yesterday about our family's past that I think only the folks here can appreciate. My grandmother (who died in 1990) was born about 100 years ago in Canada. She was placed in an orphanage and was later adopted by a widow with a grown son.

As an adult, long after she moved to the U.S., she found her birthmother (mainly because they lived in a VERY small area and secrets are hard to keep.) But her birthmother refused, until she died in the late 1960s, to tell her who her birth father was. We have often speculated that it is possible that her adopted BROTHER was actually her birth father. He was the same age as her birthmother and came from a relatively wealthy family, whereas the birthmother came from a poor family. We always thought her adoptive mom might have been rescuing her only granddaughter from an orphanage in the only socially acceptable way possible in that time and place. Why else would a widowed woman in her mid-40s suddenly decide to adopt a little girl?

Anyway, the Canadian government recently released the 1911 Census. So I went looking for information. Lo and behold! There they were! My grandmother's adoptive mom, her beloved brother (who was then 25) and my grandmother. But something was OFF too. According to what we knew my grandmother was born in 1907 or 1908 (she was never sure). On the census, she is listed as 7 years old! She should have been listed as 3 or 4. So that was weird.

I then decided to go back to the 1901 Census to see if my adoptive great-grandmother was widowed at that time. I found her again, but what I found was stunning! In the 1901 Census, five people were living in the home. Two elderly people -- clearly from their names and ages, my adoptive-great grandmother's parents -- my adoptive great-grandmother (who was already widowed at 40), her son (who was then 15) and her DAUGHTER, Aulay, age 7. Apparently, my adoptive great grandmother had had a daughter, who must have died sometime between 1901 and when my grandmother was adopted a few years later.

So this may have been a whole new reason why my adoptive great-grandmother decided to adopt a little girl -- because her biological only daughter had DIED! This is information, that to the best of my knowledge, my own grandmother never knew. I feel like I am in a mystery novel, and plan to keep scouring the cemetary records, etc. to see if I can find out more about my adoptive great-grandmother and about the little girl, Aulay, who must have died young.

Wish me luck as I try to unravel this!

Robin (adoptive mom and adoptive great-granddaughter)

[dmca]

Love your update. when I looked for my ancestors ( Nova Scotia) the most amazing bits of history came up. Isn't digging like this a blast?
The year of the veteran, here in Canada is just about over. If you have a relative that fought in WWI or WWII or Korea contact the Government with ONE ONLY name ( if they passed away) and that page, which is gorgeous will be sent to you free.
Got my great uncles from WWI. Unfortunately Grandfather fought with the Americans so we can't retrieve on for him.
dmca

[NJNative]

Originally Posted by dmca

Love your update. when I looked for my ancestors ( Nova Scotia) the most amazing bits of history came up. Isn't digging like this a blast?
The year of the veteran, here in Canada is just about over. If you have a relative that fought in WWI or WWII or Korea contact the Government with ONE ONLY name ( if they passed away) and that page, which is gorgeous will be sent to you free.
Got my great uncles from WWI. Unfortunately Grandfather fought with the Americans so we can't retrieve on for him.
dmca

Wow. My grandmother was also from Nova Scotia, Cape Breton, Little Bras D'Or. It's still a small place. And I am sure it is chock full of my relatives on the birth side. My birth great-grandmother went on to marry and have four more children. I ma probably distantly related to half the town.

Robin

[dmca]

LOL. Nova Scotia is rife with history. That particular province even has a committee that will help you research.
We have a very good friend from NS . McPherson, one of the most common names there. lol
dmca

[mumofone]

Wow, I know this is an old post, but I am about 20 minutes from Little Bras D'or.

[Crazed]

Hi Robin.
Have you found more info on your grandmother? I would suggest going to rootsweb.com to Nova Scotia board and post a query about her.
Good luck!