Person:Daniel French (12)

CHRISTENING:.. 12 Oct 1824 IOW Methodist Circuit [St Helens]. IOW Record Office

CENSUS: 1841 Madron District 3, Cornwall. None of this household were born in Cornwall....... Jane Wellspring 45 Widow of Coast Guard..........Jane Wellspring 25 School Mistress.........Mary Wellspring 23 ..........Elizabeth Wellspring 21 Shoe and bootmaker.......Henry Wellspring 19 Shoe maker apprentice........Susanne Wellspring 17 Shoe Binder.......Gabriel Wellspring 16 Shoemaker apprentice......Thomas Wellspring 13 Shoemaker apprentice..........David Wellspring 10......Caroline Wellspring 3..........Daniel Franch 16 Shoemaker apprentice

CENSUS: 1851 St. Helens, I.O.W. Daniel French (born St. Helens) appears as a lodger, occupation shoemaker, in household headed by Elizabeth Dyer (born in Brading), occupation school mistress. Only other member of household is Fanny Willis (born in Brading), occupation servant. She is listed as niece of Elizabeth Dyer.

Census 1851 Hampshire St. Helens

Elizabeth Dyer age 49 widowed School mistress Born Brading Fanny Willis age 20 niece Servant Born Brading Daniel French age 26 lodger Born St. Helens

MARRIAGE: Elizabeth Dyer (Fanny's aunt) and John Willis (Fanny's brother) are listed as witnesses to marriage of Daniel French and Fanny Willis on 15 Sept 1851 at St. Helens - apparently shortly after the census enumeration.

IMMIGRATION: Emigrated to Canada after 16 Aug 1854 (birth of Louis Daniel in England) and before 1857 (Louisa French born in Canada abt 1856 as per 1870 census, Loda, Illinois)

DEATH: After 1858 .and before 1861. The 1870 census for Loda, Iroquois county, Illinois, shows that Fanny French is married to William Simmons. Household includes: Ellen French born in Canada abt 1859; Arthur Simmons born in Canada 1864. Fanny French appears on the 1861 census in Cartwright, Durham county, Ontario, Canada with her children - but Daniel is not listed (presumably deceased)

Genealogical research by Sher Leetooze searched all known gravestones in Cartwright. No stone for Daniel. Nor is he on the burial list for the old Nestleton cemetery (hen it was Salem Chapel) and neither he nor any member of his family purchased a burial plot in the township....."It can therefore be assumed that, since his death at such an early age was likely a sudden unexpected death, the family was totally unprepared and did not have funds for a plot. In such cases, and there were always such case, the deceased would be buried in that area of the cemetery set aside for charity, and are commonly referred to as 'Potter's Field'. Lists were never kept of this area of Salem/Nestleton Cemetery and may explain why his name does not appear in the old records..." (Correspondence from Sher Leetooze 7/2/2007) ------------------------------------------

1. ↑ Congregational Chapel, Isle of Wight, Southampton, England. Marriage certificate: Daniel French and Fanny Willis. (General Register Office, London).
2. ↑ Consolidated Parish Registr Index in Isle of Wight Record Office, Newport, IOW.