Person:Eleanor Smith (51)

Per oral history, possibly her last name was McCornish? And she was born in County Cork, Ireland and came to U.S. by Sail Clipper. Possibly her brother was a farmer in South Carolina. He disowned her when she married a Black man.

Unable to find her death record. There are six Ellen Dunn’s in the Ontario Death Index between 1893 and 1910, but none of them appears to be the correct one.

5/15/01 Consulted Rootsweb Immigrant Ships Transcribers Guild pages for incoming ships manifests into New York, years 1840-1847 for the following ships: 1824 - Brig DeWitt Clinton; 1827 - Ship Franklin; 1830 - Ship Robert Fulton; 1831 - SS Surrey, Brig Montevideo, Ship General Hamilton, Br. Ship Arkwright, Ship Groton, Barque Sterling; 1832 - Ship Cassandra; 1834 - Ship Attica, Francois I ; 1836 - Brig Commanquid; 1837 - Ship Burgandy, Brig Hibernia, ; 1840 - Bark Emilie, Bark Washington, ; 1842 - Brig Stilman, Ship Senator, Brig Sophia, Brig Gen. Harrison, Brig Angenovia, Brig Gazella, Ship Philadelphia, Ship Stephani, Bark Amilia, Brig Calais, Ship Onida, Bark Hull, Maria & Adriana, North America, Ship Adirondack, Brig Ann Louise, Brig Wanderer, Bark Condor, Ship Hibernia, Brig Sea Flower, Schooner Star, Bark Louise, Barque Mahaica, Ship Rhode Island, Ville de Lyon, Ship Outaw, Ketch Comet, Ship St Mark, Ship Chicord, Ship Emma, SS Argo, Ship Emerald, Brig Scotia, Ship Independence, Ship Ontario, Ship Europe, Brig Chillion, Bark Anahuae, Ship Toronto, Sesostris, Barque Anna Laffey, Ship Helena, Ship Lancashire, Ship Rhone, Ville de Napoli, Barque Bertha, Brig Bedrage, Ship Westchester, Ship Westminster, Bark Constitution, Brig Emerald, Bark Lapegraun, Brig Leone, Bark Margaret Paynter, Schooner Don Juan, Brig Jones, Ship Ashburton, Ship Chs. Carrol, Silvie de Grasse, Ship St. Nichlas, Bark J. Emlen, Ship Monument (Jane Smith, 25, b. Ireland, intended to inhabit the United States), Schooner Seminole, Brig Enterprize, Nicholas Biddle, Brig Calais, Brig Stan, Brig Leader, Bark Byron, Brig Gazella; 1843 - Brig Falcon, Ship Huntress, Schooner Richard, Ship Mediator, Ship Oswego, SS Glasgow, Brig Telegraph, Brig John H. Stevens, Ship Liberty, Ship Roscius, Brig Flora, Barque Louisa, Ship Europe, Brig Excel, Bark Caspian, Ship Elard, Ship Cahacoba, Ship Hargrave, Ship Hendrik Hudson, Ship Hendrik Hudson, Bark Sovereign, Ship Ontario, Ship Francis Depau, Ship Isabella, Ship Levant, Ship Massachusetts, Ship Kylon, Bark Ajax, Ship Switzerland, Schooner Catherine, Ship Emily; 1844 - Ship Ashburton, Yorkshire, Ship Zurich; 1845 - Ship Silvanus Jenkins, Ship Oneida; 1846 - Ship Stephen Whitney, Arabian; 1847 - Patrick Henry, Ship Ashburton; No matches, though I did find several Smiths.

1861 - “Blacks in Canada 1861” lists a Dunn family living in Peel Twp, Wellington County, pg 32: James Dunn 53, b. USA, farmer; Nancy Dunn 54, b. USA; James Dunn 16, b. CW; David Dunn 14, b. CW. All were Episcopal Methodist. One other Dunn family living in Chatham, Kent County, pg 36: Augustus C. Dunn 31, b. USA, machinist; Caroline Dunn 31, b. USA, both were Baptist. The only other Dunn listed is in St. Thomas, Elgin County, pg 32, Charles Dunn 15, b. UC, messenger, Baptist, living with 3 other people (1 waiter and 2 servants).

1884 Wellington County, Peel Twp Marriage Records (FHL 1869801), record no. 12502 James Dunn 65, b. Pennsylvania U.S., residence Peel Twp, widower, was a farmer, parents were William & Sarah Dunn, married Ellen Cornish 51, residence Peel Twp, b. Charleston U.S., widow, parents were James and Elizabeth Smith. Witnesses were Joseph and Susana Armstrong of Peel Twp. The bride and groom were both Methodist and the marriage was performed by Rev. Benjamin Stewart, and they were married by License.

- Per Blacks in Canada, 1861, by Barry Noonan, Joseph and Susan Armstrong were black, living in Peel Twp (sh 21), both b. US and were Episcopal Methodist. - From 1881 CAN Census (Ontario, Wellington South, Guelph, Dist 151, sub C, Div 5, pg 11 ... farmilysearch.org), Joseph Armstrong was 62, b. USA, of African descent, a basket maker, religion Wesleyan Methodist. His wife Susanna 46, b. USA, of African descent. Their children, all b. Ontario: Isaac 23, farm laborer; William 20, farm laborer; Marta 11, student. - From 1881 CAN Census (Ontario, Kent, Chatham, Dist 180, sub I, Div 2, pg 147 ... familysearch.org), Benjamin Stewart was 69, b. USA, of African descent, a Minister, religion BM Methodist. His wife Elizabeth 75, b. USA, of African descent, and living with them, Mary E. Stewart 14, b. Ontario, of African descent.

1901 CAN Census (Ontario, Wellington Centre, Peel Twp, ED 124, p 3, ln 43), Albert “Douglas” 55 (b. Ont 12/6/1845), of African descent, rel = Methodist, could read/write/speak English; Mary Ann 49 (b. Ont 6/15/1857, could read/write/speak English; Aubrey 19 (b. Ont 7/3/1881); Ella 18 (b. Ont 8/28/1882); Oscar 17 (b. Ont 1/19/1884); Olive 10 (b. Ont 2/21/1891); Winnie 8 (b. Ont 5/23/1892); Hector 4 (b. Ont 4/26/1896); Ellen Dunn, mother-in-law, 72 (b. United States 1/1/1829), immigrated to Canada in 1839, listed as being of African descent, and widowed, and could not read or write English. Census dated Apr 13-17, 1901.

Per Brian Hutchison, instructor for National Institute of Genealogical Studies course “Irish: Understanding Ireland, History & Source Records,” during the late 17th and 18th centuries, Irish names were discouraged by their English usurpers and MACGOWAN became SMITH.