12 for ’26: Margaret Gleeson nee Tierney’s Family in Canadian Census Records

The last three 12 for '26 posts have been about John Gleeson, the husband of Margaret Tierney (1835-1920). These next posts will focus on Margaret and her parents John Tierney and Ann Murray.

Introduction
Margaret was born on 20 April 1835, likely in Goulbourn Township, the daughter of John Tierney and Ann Murray.[1] She was baptized on 18 May 1835 at Notre Dame of Ottawa, with William Hanrahan and Eleonore Murray as sponsors.[2] John Tierney and Ann Murray married on 27 November 1832 also at Notre Dame of Ottawa. They were both of Goulbourn.[3] She was the second child. Her older sister, Elizabeth was baptized on 15 December at Nepean.[4]

John and Ann lived in Nepean until their deaths. John died on 14 December 1891.[5] Ann died on 8 October 1899.[6]

Census Records
John and Ann were enumerated in each of the census records from 1891 down to 1841. I will list them below beginning with the most recent one first. At the end will be a table showing all the census records and the family members noted in each one.

1891. All household members could read and write and were Roman Catholic.

Tierney, James, m, 35, son, Ont, parents born Ireland, farmer, employer, 2 employees
    Ann, f, 70, mar, W[ife], Ireland, parents born Ireland
    Catherine, f, 33, D[aughter], Ont, parents born Ireland
Lowry, Ellen, f, 10, L [??], Ont, parents born Ontario
Foley, Alexander, m, 15, Dom [domestic], Ont, parents born Ontario, servant, employee
Tierney, John, m, 85, mar, Fath[er], Ireland, parents born Ireland, farmer[7]

COMMENT: This census image is of poor quality. This census does give relationships but it is difficult to determine because the people in the household are not listed in typical order. James is the son, while John is the father. Then Ann, who is listed as wife, must be the wife of John. Catherine is likely the daughter (born 1852). That takes care of the people named Tierney. Alexander Foley is listed as a domestic and servant. Ellen Lowry, age 10, is a puzzle. Their daughter, Ellen, married Phillip Lowry in 1873. Their first child, Ellen, was born 28 December 1874 and died the next day. Ellen, the mother, died 14 March 1882. I have not followed this family further to see if Phillip remarried.

1881. Again, all are listed as being Catholic (Irish vs. French).

Tearny, John, m, 77, Ireland, Farmer, mar[ried]
             Ann, f, 65, Ireland, mar[ried]
             James, m, 28, O[ntario], Farmer
             Catharin Mary, f, 24, O[ntario]
             Teressa Mary, f, 22, O[ntario]
Wheeler, Fredrich, m, 8, O[ntario]
Tearny, Ida, f, 9, O[ntario][8]

COMMENT: This census did not give relationships. Three of their children, though not identified as such, are living at home. Their ages are off by 2-3 years, while the parent’s ages are closer. I do not know who Fredrich or Ida are at this time, though Ida could be their granddaughter, daughter of William and Catherine Tierney, who lived in Vancouver. However, Ida was enumerated with her parents and listed as being born in British Columbia.[9]

1871. All are listed as Catholic (Irish). All youngsters born in Ontario.

Tierney, John, m, 66, Ireland, farmer, married
             Ann, f, 55, Ireland, married
             Michael, m, 28, farmer
              Jane, f, 26
              Ellen Mary, f, 22
              James, m, 20, farmer
              Catherine Mary, f, 17
              Theresa Mary, f, 15, school
              Martha Mary, f, 13, school
Dubois, Mary Ann, f, 8, school[10]

COMMENT: This census did not give relationships. John and Ann have aged down by 10 years. More children are in the household: Michael, Jane, and Martha Mary. I am not sure about Mary Ann Dubois. They have a granddaughter named Mary Ann Dubrieulle who was the daughter of Elizabeth Tierney and Charles Dubrieulle, who was born about 1861. Their family moved to Oregon and were enumerated in 1870 census, however, Mary Ann is not enumerated with them.

1861. They were found in Nepean, this time John has a stone house, 1 ½ stories tall. They are all residents of the area and all children were born in Upper Canada (UC).

John Tierney, farmer, Ireland, 56, male, married, resident, 1 family in house
Ann Tierney, Ireland, 47, fem, married
Michael Tierney, laborer, 18, male
Jain [Jane] Tierney, 17, female
M[ary] Ann Tierney, 15, female, school,
E[llen] Mary Tierney, 13, female, school
James Tierney, 11, male, school
C[atherine] Mary Tierney, 9, female, school
T[eresa] Mary Tierney, 7, female, school
Martha Tierney, 4, female[11]

COMMENT: Perhaps the family is doing well, as they are living in a stone house. This census did not give relationships.

1851. The family was found in 1851 living in Nepean in a one- and one-half story log house. All were Roman Catholic and residents. The children were born in Nepean and all listed as “labourers.”

John Tierny, farmer, b. Ire, 46, male, married
Ann Tierny, farmer, b. Ire, 37, female, married
William Tierny, 15, male, single, attended school
Michael Tierny, 11, male, single, attended school
Elisabeth Tierny, 18, female, single
Margaret Tierny, 16, female, single
Jane Tierney, 9, female, single, attended school
Mary A. Tierny, 7, female, single
Ellen M Tierny, 5, female, single
James Tierny, 2, male, single[12]

COMMENT: The ages are slightly off from the 1861 census. However the 1851 census was really conducted in 1852. Other Tierney families were enumerated nearby, including 75-year-old Dennis with his second wife, Judy. And 40-year-old William, wife Bridget, and six children. Both John and William could be sons of Dennis.[13] This is the only census that Margaret, Elizabeth, and William are named in. By the next census, they would be married with families of their own.

1842. The census of Canada West in the Upper Canada Province shows John living in Nepean of Bathurst District. This census enumerated only the head of household. John Tierney owns property and was a farmer. Two members of household were from Ireland, six were from Canada (British origins). He had been in Canada 18 years. Household make up as follows:

3 males 5 and under [William, Michael, & ??]
2 females 6-13 [Elizabeth & Margaret]
1 married male between 30 and 59 [John]
1 married female between 14 and 44 [Ann]
1 single female between 14 and 44 [??]

Eight members of the family were Roman Catholic. He owned 100 acres, with 35 acres improved. He produced 200 bushels of wheat and 250 of oats.[14]

COMMENT: I can account for two males under 5: William John was born in 1837 and Michael in 1840, though I have no exact date. Perhaps they had another son, who died after this census, or as we have seen in later census records, they often had other family members living with them. The two females 6-13 would be Elizabeth, born 1833 and Margaret, born 1835. The older married male would be John and the older married female would be Ann. The single female between 14 and 44 could be a sister of either John or Ann, a niece, or a servant.

Comparison of Tierney Family in Census in Nepean, Carleton Co, Ontario
Name	1842a	1851b	1861c	1871d	1881e	1891f
John Tierney, b. 1804	x	x	x	x	x	x
Ann Murray, b. 1813	z	x	x	x	x	x
Elizabeth, b. 1833	z	x
Margaret, b. 1835	z	x
William, b. 1837	z	x
Michael, b. 1840	z	x	x	x
Jane, b. 1843		x	x	x
Mary Ann, b. 1845		x	x
Ellen M, b. 1846		x	x	x
James, b. 1850		x	x	x	x	x
Catherine, b. 1852			x	x	x	x
Theresa M, b. 1855			x	x	x
Mary Martha, b. 1857			x	x
z denotes guesses on who might be in the various age ranges. a. Census of Canada West, 1842, Upper Canada, Bathurst District, Nepean sub-district, folio 3, 17th name, John Tierney; imaged, Library and Archives Canada (https://recherche-collection-search.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/Home/Record?app=census&idNumber=47152811&ecopy=004569584_00097 : accessed 16 Jun 2026), citing Library and Archives Canada, MG 31 C1 Census of Upper Canada, 1842, Carleton Co, microfilm C-1344, image no. 004569584_00097. b. Census of 1851, Canada West (Ontario), Carleton Co, Nepean, ED 2, p. 103-104 (stamped) lines 48-50 & p. 105-106 (stamped) lines 1-7, John Tierney household; imaged, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/1061/records/1169314 : accessed 15 Jun 2026), images 103-06 of 154; citing Library and Archives Canada, microfilm C-11716. c. Census Returns for 1861, Canada West, Carleton, Ontario, ED 4, Nepean, p. 67, lines 1-10, John Tierney; imaged, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/1570/records/791831808 : accessed 16 Jun 2026) > Canada West > Carleton > image 490 of 3068; Library and Archives Canada, Ottawa. d. Census of Canada, 1871, Carleton, Ontario, Nepean Township, p. 17-18, family 61, John Tierney; imaged, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/1578/records/1489157 : accessed 16 Jun 2026) > Ontario > Carleton > Nepean > images 127-28 of 301; Library and Archives Canada. e. Census of Canada, 1881, Carleton, Ontario, Nepean Township, p. 5, family 20, John Tearny; imaged, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/1577/records/2627196 : accessed 16 Jun 2026) > Ontario > Carleton > Nepean > image 140 of 165; citing "Census of Canada, 1881." Statistics Canada Fonds, Record Group 31-C-1. LAC microfilm C-13162 to C-13286. Library and Archives Canada, Ottawa. f. Census of Canada, 1891, Carleton, Ontario, Nepean Township, p. 19, family 73, James Tierney; imaged, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/1274/records/3756003 : accessed 16 Jun 2026) > Ontario > Carleton > Nepean > image 10 of 237; roll T-6330, Library and Archives Canada.

Conclusion
The census records from 1842 until 1891 were consistent with names and a little off with ages. The 1842 indicates land ownership and that is the next item on the agenda. There are also some agricultural censuses available for some of the census years to check. Lastly, I will check tax records. These will be saved for the next post.

Not all the children of John and Ann have been carried forward. The baptism records should be searched to clarify their birth years, as many of the early baptism records do not state the birth date, only the baptism date. The marriage church records should also be searched for the older children, before civil marriage records were available.

Next time, I will also discuss a bit of history, as the place they lived never changed, but what it was called, did.

---

[1] Washington State Board of Health, Bureau of Vital Statistics, Certificate of Death, no. 174, Margaret Gleeson, 1920, Vancouver, Clark County.

[2] Bytown (Ottawa), Canada West (Ontario), Mission & Parish of Bytown (Cathedral of Notre Dame), Register of marriages, baptism, sepultures, 1825-1836, p. 247, baptism, Margaret Tierney, 1835; imaged, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33S7-9TR9-V37 : accessed 15 Jun 2026), IGN 005077550, image 141 of 617. She was 4 weeks old. The day in May was left off by the priest.

[3] Bytown (Ottawa), Canada West (Ontario), Mission & Parish of Bytown (Cathedral of Notre Dame), Register of marriages, baptism, sepultures, 1825-1836, p. 130, marriage no. 42, John Tierney & Ann Murray, 1832; imaged, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33SQ-GTR9-KXQ : accessed 15 Jun 2026), IGN 005077550, image 76 of 617.

[4] For baptism, see Bytown (Ottawa), Canada West (Ontario), Mission & Parish of Bytown (Cathedral of Notre Dame), Register of marriages, baptism, sepultures, 1825-1836, p. 170, baptism no. 495, Elizabeth Tierney, 1833; imaged, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33S7-9TR9-VJP : accessed 15 Jun 2026), IGN 005077550, image 91 of 617.

[5] Ontario, Canada, Death Register, 1890, p. 517, no. 52, John Tierney Sr., no. 003021; imaged, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q93-C9YJ-236N-8 : accessed 16 Jun 2026), IGN 004173801, image 708 of 1608; citing Record Group 80, Office of the Registrar General, Series RG 80-8, Deaths Registration, Archives of Ontario, Toronto.

[6] Ontario, Canada, Death Register, 1899, p. 631, no. 74, Ann Tierney, no. 006152; imaged, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q93-C9YJ-TQF9-Z : accessed 16 Jun 2026), IGN 004174833, images 777-78 of 1656; citing Record Group 80, Office of the Registrar General, Series RG 80-8, Deaths Registration, Archives of Ontario, Toronto.

[7] Census of Canada, 1891, Carleton, Ontario, Nepean Township, p. 19, family 73, James Tierney; imaged, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/1274/records/3756003 : accessed 16 Jun 2026) > Ontario > Carleton > Nepean > image 10 of 237; roll T-6330, Library and Archives Canada.

[8] Census of Canada, 1881, Carleton, Ontario, Nepean Township, p. 5, family 20, John Tearny; imaged, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/1577/records/2627196 : accessed 16 Jun 2026) > Ontario > Carleton > Nepean > image 140 of 165; citing "Census of Canada, 1881." Statistics Canada Fonds, Record Group 31-C-1. LAC microfilm C-13162 to C-13286. Library and Archives Canada, Ottawa.

[9] Census of Canada, 1881, Victoria, British Columbia, Victoria, p. 17, family 72, William Tierney; imaged, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/1577/images/31229_C_13285-00336 : accessed 16 Jun 2026) > British Columbia > Victoria > Victoria > image 9 of 16; Library and Archives Canada, Ottawa.

[10] Census of Canada, 1871, Carleton, Ontario, Nepean Township, p. 17-18, family 61, John Tierney; imaged, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/1578/records/1489157 : accessed 16 Jun 2026) > Ontario > Carleton > Nepean > images 127-28 of 301.

[11] Census Returns for 1861, Canada West, Carleton, Ontario, ED 4, Nepean, p. 67, lines 1-10, John Tierney; imaged, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/1570/records/791831808 : accessed 16 Jun 2026) > Canada West > Carleton > image 490 of 3068; Library and Archives Canada, Ottawa.

[12] Census of 1851, Canada West (Ontario), Carleton Co, Nepean, ED 2, p. 103-104 (stamped) lines 48-50 & p. 105-106 (stamped) lines 1-7, John Tierney household; imaged, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/1061/records/1169314 : accessed 15 Jun 2026), images 103-06 of 154; citing Library and Archives Canada, microfilm C-11716.

[13] Census of 1851, Canada West (Ontario), Carleton Co, Nepean, ED 2, p. 103-104 (stamped), lines 1-8, William Tierny household, and lines 20-25, Dennis Tierny household; Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/1061/records/1169314 : accessed 15 Jun 2026), images 103-04 of 154; citing Library and Archives Canada, microfilm C-11716.

[14] Census of Canada West, 1842, Upper Canada, Bathurst District, Nepean sub-district, folio 3, 17th name, John Tierney; imaged, Library and Archives Canada (https://recherche-collection-search.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/Home/Record?app=census&idNumber=47152811&ecopy=004569584_00097 : accessed 16 Jun 2026), citing Library and Archives Canada, MG 31 C1 Census of Upper Canada, 1842, Carleton Co, microfilm C-1344, image no. 004569584_00097.

Copyright © 2011-2026 by Lisa S. Gorrell, My Trails into the Past. All Rights Reserved.