This record was the first I found online more than twenty years ago when I finally connected Edward Billing from Cornwall who is buried in the St. Thomas Cemetery with my Billings family. There weren’t many records online back then, and I had to scroll original records until I came across this one. It shows Edward Billings 50, wife Ellen Billings 49, son Albert Billings 14, daughter Eva Billings 6, and Harriett Anderson 14.
I have not been able to trace or figure the identity of the mysterious Harriett. I can pursue this much easier now with all the transcribed census records available, so I hope to solve the mystery some day. I would also love to find out what happened to Eva, but haven’t been able to ascertain her whereabouts after this census.
Elgin East District, Ontario Canada 1871 census: St Thomas City
Name Edwd Billings
Gender Male
Marital Status Married
Widowed M
Origin English
Age 50
Birth Date 1821
Birth Place England
Residence Place St Thomas, Elgin East, Ontario
District Number 06
Subdistrict b
Religion Church Of England
Occupation Laborer
Family Number 355
Household Members (Name) Age
Edwd Billings 50
Ellen Billings 49
Albert Billings 14
Eva Billings 6
Harriett Anderson 14
Elgin East District, Ontario Canada 1861 census: St Thomas City
A few years later, I found Edward ten years earlier and this gave me a glimpse of Ellen’s history. Her first husband was John Lodge (1812-1846) and they had four children: John (1841-1856), George William (1842-1909), Ellen (died as a baby in 1843), and Charlotte (1845-1903).
The 1861 census shows Edward with Ellen, her two living children, and the two sons they had together, Albert (age 5) and James (age 2). James would die at age 6, and they would have Eva in 1865.
Elgin East District, Ontario Canada 1901 census: St Thomas City
The Billings family in 1901: Albert, Emma, Carrie, Gladys, and William (my grandfather). My grandfather always thought he was born in 1894, until he applied for his birth certificate and found it said 1893. The census here says 1894.
Billings, Albert
Birth Date: Jun 22 1858 Birth Place: Ontario
Census Year: 1901 Location: St. Thomas
Film #: T-6465 Division #: 10
Page #: 3 Entry #: 23
Family #: 34 Immigration: –
Relationship to Head of Household: head
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Billings, Emma
Birth Date: Apr 26 1858 Birth Place: Ontario
Census Year: 1901 Location: St. Thomas
Film #: T-6465 Division #: 10
Page #: 3 Entry #: 24
Family #: 34 Immigration: –
Relationship to Head of Household: wife
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Billings, Carrie
Birth Date: Jun 31 1882 Birth Place: Ontario
Census Year: 1901 Location: St. Thomas
Film #: T-6465 Division #: 10
Page #: 3 Entry #: 25
Family #: 34 Immigration: –
Relationship to Head of Household: daughter
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Billings, Gladdis
Birth Date: Aug 21 1889 Birth Place: Ontario
Census Year: 1901 Location: St. Thomas
Film #: T-6465 Division #: 10
Page #: 3 Entry #: 26
Family #: 34 Immigration: –
Relationship to Head of Household: daughter
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Billings, William
Birth Date: Oct 24 1894 Birth Place: Ontario
Census Year: 1901 Location: St. Thomas
Film #: T-6465 Division #: 10
Page #: 3 Entry #: 27
Family #: 34 Immigration: –
Relationship to Head of Household: son