Person:Isabella McLean (1)

Name and Relationships

Name: Isabella McLean. She was called Bella on her 1877 marriage registration and in the 1841 Scotland census. Her last name is incorrectly spelled Maclean on her birth registration.

Parents: John McLean and Isabella Gilchrist. Source is Isabella's birth registration in Old Parish Registers, Family Search Microfiche film #1041080 for Portnahaven. Bella's 1877 marriage registration just lists her parents as John McLean and Isabella McLean.

Siblings: Barbara McLean (married Mitchell), Margaret McLean (Wright), Flora McLean (Robinson), Isobel McLean (Smith), Mary McLean (McNiven), Samuel McLean (died young) and Duncan McLean. Source is Mary M Irwin Memoirs, unpublished.

Personal History

1833 - Birth: Isabella McLean was born on August 20, 1833 in Portnahaven, Isle of Islay, Argyll, Scotland. She was christened a year later on September 6, 1834 in Portnahaven. Source is her birth registration in Old Parish Registers for Portnahaven Parish provided by Dusty Docs Family Search Scotland Births and Baptisms 1564-1950 Film #1041080 (no image). NOTE: In this document, her father's name was incorrectly spelled Maclean and she was also listed as Maclean. http://www.dustydocs.com/link/151/41079/156109/baptisms-1723-1874-marriages-1722-1875-familysearch.html https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XTJW-HN5. The 1841 Scotland census listed her birth as 1836. The 1871 census inferred her birth was 1843. Her 1877 marriage registration inferred she was born in 1851. Her marriage registration also lists her as being born in Islay.

1841 - Census: On June 6, 1841, Bella 5, was living with her parents, John McLean 36 and Isabella McLean 24?? and siblings Barbara 12, Margaret 9 (spelled Margarat in this census), Flora 7, Mary 3 and Samuel 1, in Portweemys (now Port Wemyss) on the Isle of Islay, Scotland. Source is 1941 Census of Scotland.

1851 - 1851 Canada census records for Oro Township have not survived. Source is Library and Archives Canada.

1861 - SHE IS NOT LISTED IN THE 1861 census. IT IS NOTED THAT 2 FAMILY MEMBERS WERE MISSING AT THE TIME OF THE CENSUS.

1871 - Census: In April 1971, Isabella McLean 28 was living with her father John McLean 70 and her siblings Margaret 32, Duncan 24 and Mary 22 in Oro. Source is 1871 Census of Canada.

1877 - Marriage: On March 12, 1877, Bella McLean 26, spinster, married James Smith 33, Farmer, bachelor, born in Antrim, Ireland, in Oro Township. Both were Presbyterian. Her parents were listed as John and Isabella McLean and his were listed as William and Jane Smith. James's residence was Barrie, Ontario. Her residence was Oro. Witnesses were Thomas Pratt and Margaret Robinson from Oro. Source is Bella's 1877 marriage registration, Oro Township, Simcoe County, Ontario.

1881 - CANNOT LOCATE HER IN THE 1881 CANADA CENSUS

1891 - Census: In 1891, Isabella Smith 45 was living with her husband James Smith 53, Livery Stable Keeper, and adopted son James ? 8 in Penetanguishene, Ontario. Source is 1891 Census of Canada.

1893 - Death of Husband: On September 22, 1893, James Smith 55, died. He was buried in First Presbyterian Cemetery in Penetanguishene, Ontario. Source is a transcript from the grave marker in that cemetery.

1900 - Death and Burial: Isabella Smith 63, died on August 23, 1900. She was also buried in First Presbyterian Cemetery in Penetanguishene, Ontario. Source is a transcript from grave marker in that cemetery.

Grave Marker: