by Audrey Henderson, 2012

It appears there are 2 females of the same name – Susannah McKinley – who lived in the area of Valcartier, at the same time, in the eighteen hundreds.

One Susannah McKinley married William Henderson, I will refer to as her as Susannah-1.

The other Susannah McKinly married William McPherson and I will refer to her as Susannah-2.

Birth

Susannah-1 was born in Lower Canada as per the Census records and to Andrew McKinley and Sarah McCune. Her baptism certificate states: “Susannah, daughter of Andrew McKinley, labourer, late of the Parish of Lochgelly (Loughgilly) County of Armagh Ireland and of Sarah his wife (formerly Sarah McCune) was born on the fourth of May and privately baptized on the first of June in the year of Our Lord, onethousand eight hundred and twenty-nine by me, Minister of the Chapel of the Holy Trinity at Quebec.”

Susannah-2 was born in Ireland, as per the Census records (1861, 1871, 1881).

Marriage

As per the Census records (1861, 1871, 1881, 1891, 1901) Susannah-1, born in Lower Canada, married William Henderson.

William Henderson (1828-1899) and Susannah McKinley’s marriage certificate reads: “William Henderson of the Settlement of St Catherine in the County of Portneuf, District of Quebec, farmer was married by licence to Susannah McKinley of the Pine River Valcartier on the fifteenth day of April anno domini one thousand eight hundred and fifty seven.”

As per the Census records (1861, 1871, 1881) Susannah-2 , born in Ireland, married William McPherson.

William McPherson and Susannah McKinly’s marriage certificate reads: “William McPherson, farmer, Valcartier, and Susannah McKinly, spinster, both above majority were married by licence on the eighth day of August in the year of Our Lord one thousand eight hundred and fifty five.”

William Henderson

William Henderson (1828-1899) was the son of John Henderson (1791-1864) and Elizabeth Brown (1797-1873) of Fermanagh, Ireland. John and Elizabeth’s first two sons Robert (1820-1891) and John (1821-1894) were born in Ireland. By 1824, son George (1824-1856) was born in the St. Patrick Settlement, Jacques Cartier, according to his birth certificate. Other children born in Lower Canada to John Henderson and Elizabeth Brown:

Jane: 1826-1875

William: 1828-1899

James: 1830-1898

Noble: 1832-1904

Elizabeth: 1834-1885

Thomas: 1837-1901

Ann: 1839-1895

Margaret: 1846-1849

All the Lower Canada born children’s birth certificates refer to residence of parents at: Settlement St. Patrick, Parish of St Catherine, Seigneury of Fossambault , Portneuf ( or some derivative thereof).

Both John Henderson and Elizabeth Brown are buried at Christ Church Cemetery in Valcartier.

Children of William Henderson and Susannah-1 McKinley– naming tradition

Susannah-1 and William Henderson had the following children, all born in Valcartier area:

Sarah: 1858 – 1939

Elizabeth: 1859 – 1879 – see Mary Ann McKinley and Adam Mather (below)

Jane: 1861

Andrew: 1863-1942

John: 1865-1929

Mary Ann: 1867

Susan: 1870 – 1907

Adam: 1872 –

Agnes Watt: 1875 – 1909

The first two born daughters, Sarah and Elizabeth, were named after their respective grandmothers, and the first two born sons, Andrew and John, were named after their respective grandfathers.

William McPherson

William McPherson and Susannah-2 McKinly, both born in Ireland, married at Valcartier, had the following children:

Samuel: born Lower Canada

William: born Lower Canada

Susan: born Lower Canada Lelita: born Lower Canada

John: born Lower Canada

Andrew: born Lower Canada

Jane: born Lower Canada

Children of Andrew McKinley and Sarah McCune

Susannah: (Susannah-1): 1829-1907

Moses: 1832-1910

Mary Ann: 1834-1918 – see below

David: 1837-1931

Henry: 1839-1924

Sarah: 1848-1929

Mary Ann McKinley/Adam Mather/Elizabeth Henderson

Mary Ann McKinley (1834-1918), daughter of Andrew McKinley and Sarah McCune, and sister to Susannah-1, married Adam Mather (1834-1892). Mary Ann and Adam’s tombstone rests at St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church Cemetery. On the side of their tombstone is an inscription for Elizabeth Henderson(1859-1879) which reads: “Also Elizabeth Henderson died August 26 1879, aged 19 years 9 months”. Elizabeth Henderson is the daughter of Susannah-1 McKinley and William Henderson.

William Henderson and Susannah-1 McKinley departure from Valcartier

After the marriage of William Henderson and Susannah-1 McKinley, they took up farming at Concession 1, lot 1 near the village of Valcartier not far from Susannah’s parents, Andrew and Sarah McKinley.

In the late 1870’s William and Susannah-1 left their farm and took up residence in St. Roch (Quebec City) where William was a labourer with the Grand Trunk Railway. Eventually, their sons, Andrew Henderson (1863-1942), John (1865-1927) and Adam (1872-) all worked for the railway.

William followed the rail line and by 1890 he and his family were residents of Wakefield, Quebec (Census 1891).

By 1899 William and Susannah-1 were living with their son Andrew (1863-1942) and his family. William died at his son’s home at 180 Alma Street in Hull and is buried in St. James Anglican Cemetery in Hull. Susannah-1 died on February 15, 1907 and is buried in St. James Cemetery