| Note | Margaret's year of birth is calculated from her age, 86 years, 11 months, and 7 days, as it appears on her gravestone at Drumbo.
The names of the children of Margaret and Patrick and, initially, their approximate years of birth, are taken from the 1851 and 1861 censuses taken at Blenheim Township, Oxford County. It should be remembered that the question the enumerators were supposed to ask was: What is your age as of your next birthday? Mileage varied as to the answers. It may also have varied as to the way the question was posed. Where gravestones are available, the birth year may be given and of some variance to the approximate age as suggested by the census. It should be kept in mind that because something was carved in stone it is no guarantee that it is accurate. There are occasionally other sources that are of some help, but, here and there, your researcher may be 'winging it'.
By the time of the 1871 census, Patrick is dead and Margaret is in Windham Township of Norfolk County with her children who are still at home. Apparently, the oldest one with her was Purvis, though his name is recorded as Pery. |