Moses McKane – The Mystery Man!

By James A. McKane – jamckane@gmail.com

After many years of hard work on my family tree, I could not get past James McKane
(1799-1877), my great-great-grandfather, in my ancestry.

At a Christmas family dinner about 1990, I cornered my Uncle Arthur McKane, by

saying, “Uncle Art, I cannot find anything beyond old James – his parents, siblings,
nothing! Do you know any little tidbits that might help me?” He responded with, “Well,
you know, there was a brother, don’t you?” Uncle Art’s story claimed that on the voyage
to Ontario, the family had to change ships in Montreal, Quebec. Old James’ brother,
Moses McKane, supposedly became frustrated at the delay waiting on the second ship.
He went to find work and was “never heard from again!”

Hmmmmmmm! Interesting! Well, I searched every record I could think of on the internet
unsuccessfully. Hoping to obtain a response from someone, I, even, posted Moses, as a
brother to James McKane, on my family tree websites, as well as, notices on various
email lists and forums.

As for when they migrated to Ontario, I can only assume that the Census records are
correct as being 1843. From 1832 to 1937, all migrants were quarantined at Gross Île,
Quebec to prevent disease from entering Canada. Therefore, my McKanes should have
been quarantined there, as well. However, I can find no record of any McKane, by
various spellings, in the Gross Île archives. Therefore, I wonder if they came via the
Hudson River and the Erie Canal through the United States?

Finally, in 1997, I found a Moses McKane in a family tree by Steve Nelson from Ontario!
Success? Maybe? Steve’s information referred me to Bruce County, Ontario with a large
descendancy from Moses McKane’s three daughters. However, there was nothing to
indicate any connection to my James McKane.

In December 1998, we were at our cottage (now our home), near Wiarton, Ontario for a
few days. My wife, Suzanne, wanted to go to Owen Sound shopping, but, I had no
interest in shopping. So, I asked her to drop me at the Owen Sound Library until she was
finished. There, I met a fellow-genealogist familiar with the library who asked what I was
researching. Immediately, she began pulling books of the shelf saying, “You’ll want to
check these ones first!” What a wonderful helper!

I, immediately, began devouring the pile. After three hours of frustration, I came to a
volume Green Meadows and Golden Sands: The History of Amabel Township [Bruce
County, Ontario is on the eastern shore of Lake Huron with a peninsula that separates
Lake Huron from Georgian Bay] 1851-1982. The index showed a reference to Moses
McKane where I found; "James Davidson Jr. was married to Jane McKane, who had
come from Ireland in 1843. With her had come her unmarried sister and her mother,
Mrs. Moses McKane.” In the chapter before this quote was stated; “ near Cheltenham in
a stone house,” which is in Peel County.

I just about jumped out of my skin!! Cheltenham, Peel County! [Peel County is just a few
miles northwest of Toronto, Ontario. The main cities, today, are Mississauga, Brampton
and Caledon.] That is where all my McKanes lived, and some still do!

From there, I began my search for Moses McKane, in Chinguacousy Township, Peel
County, Ontario. Over the course of the next many months and years, I found assessment
and census records showing Moses McKane and family living on Lot 25, Concession 5,
West of Hurontario Street, Chinguacousy Township from 1848 until at least 12 January
1852, when the 1851 Ontario Census was recorded. Yet, in the assessment rolls for 1843,
1845, 1846 and 1847 for Chinguacousy Twp., the property at Lot 25, Concession 5 West
is not listed. This would indicate that it was not occupied yet.

The 1851 Census, Canada West (now known as the Province of Ontario), Chinguacousy
Township, Peel County, shows - Moses McCain, farmer, Ireland, Pres. Free [Presbyterian
Free], age 56, male, married, one-storey log house, one person attending school; Ann
McCain, Ireland, Pres. Free, 46, female, married; Jain McCain, Ireland, Pres. Free, 15,
female; Ann McCain, Ireland, Pres. Free, 13, female; Mary McCain, Ireland, Pres. Free,
6, female.

A land record film shows the Patent [document of ownership issued to the first legal
owner of the property] on this property was issued in 1852 to John Henderson. This
means that the Canada Company still had control of the land when Moses and his family
lived there. Therefore, it is safe to assume that he was attempting to homestead the land
but failed to complete the necessary improvements. Otherwise, he would have had the
Patent in his name. So, somewhere between when the Census was taken on 12 January
1852 and the Patent being issued to John Henderson, the McKane family vacated the
property.

The 1861 Census, Chinguacousy Twp., Peel Co. shows Ann [Nancy] McKane, labourer,
born Ireland, religion 'U-F', age next birthday 50, female, widow, living in a one-storey
log house, one cow, one pig, value of livestock 30, 1 acre of property. The section of
census film showing the location is of very poor quality. Therefore, I was unable to
determine the exact location. However, she lived somewhere near Cheltenham at that
time.

The Mystery

From 1848 to 1852, Moses McKane lived less than a mile from his brother, James (my
gggrandfather)! James McKane lived on Lot 22, Concession 4 WHS, which is only three
lots south on the same road!

Yet, according to my Uncle Art, “He [Moses] was never heard from again???”
Questions

1) Where was Moses McKane between 1843, when they emigrated and 1848, when
he lived near his brother, James.
2) Did Moses McKane, in fact, die in 1852? If so, where is he buried? OR, did he
simply abandon the family? Many times in those days, a woman would call
herself a widow if her husband left her?
3) Who were the parents of Moses and James McKane?
4) Equally as interesting would be…..Why did my side of the family deny any
knowledge of Moses when they lived so close to him?

I would appreciate any assistance on this brick wall!

Please contact: -
James McKane
528 Mallory Beach Rd., R.R.5
Wiarton, Ontario N0H 2T0
Canada
Email: jamckane@gmail.com
Website: http://www.jamesmckane.com

Genealogy is like a jigsaw puzzle –

the only difference –
you can NEVER complete your genealogy!