The Missing Pieces
Challenges and Questions....
I have been able to find a good deal of family information on the Internet (see the links page), but this source has its limitations. The indexes and records have all been transcribed by a truly dedicated group of people who are often limited to recording a "best guess" at names in particular. Some of the early census takers had abysmal handwriting. I found additional information by searching for common misspellings (and some less common) for Brownbridge and other family names. Perhaps the most bizarre misspelling I encountered was 'Tauney Chelia' for Fanny Chellew. This may explain why some of the following information is missing.
....William (1814 - 1877)
We don't know much about the first Canadian William's history and to make matters more complicated, William Brownbridge was a very common name in Yorkshire in the 1800s. So there are lots of unanswered questions: Who were the first William's parents? Peter and Elizabeth or a William and Jane? Was he from Masham, Yorkshire in England? When and why did he come to Canada? Aunt Margaret used to say that the family stories indicated that he was a "remittance man".
The first records of a William Brownbridge in the Elizabethtown area appear in 1840 and census records indicate all the children were born in Canada. When did he and Elizabeth marry? Where are they buried? Perhaps in Gosford cemetery or Sandy Hill in North Augusta, but there are no headstones or records for them there.
....two other daughters: Ganimede and Florence
Two names kept showing up when I was doing searches for Brownbridge in Canada in the mid 1800s. I've been able to verify that Ganimede was a daughter of William and Elizabeth (from the 1861 census). In 1871 she was living with her older sister, Josephine Wickwire and in 1872 she married a John Henry Brundage. After that there are no records. They may have had a daughter named Joshibellmot(now that's an old-fashioned name) who shows up on the 1881 census. What happened to them?
Florence was most likely the last child born to William and Elizabeth (abt 1865) and it appears she was raised by her aunt, Ann Keeler, who was Elizabeth's sister, probably because Elizabeth was in failing health. If I am right in my assumptions, she shows up twice on the 1881 census. Once as Florance Keeler (sic) living with Ann and Ephraim Keeler and also as Florance Kidd (sic) living with (possibly visiting to help out) her widowed sister, Victoria Kidd.
....William (the 2nd) (1864 - after 1938)
The marriage record for William and Laura Kerr indicates the he was a widower. His first wife was named Lizzie and she died in 1900. I have not found a marriage document for them. I did find more information on this William through a newspaper article about a murder! He was married a third time to Jennie Brennan Kenville whose daughter was murdered in 1938. I have not found a death record for him, but it appears he was still alive in 1938. Where and when did he die?
The family farm was owned by Brownbridges until the 1950s (possibly even into the 1970s). What happened to his son, William E "Carmen"? Did Carmen marry and have children? Who is the Robert on the land records?
....The other William
The Rosetown cemetery records list two William Brownbridges. One is William Lanson (spelled 'Lansing' in their records) and the other is William L. This other William is buried in the oldest part of the cemetery (2-4-W1) with no marker. Who is he?
*****Solved***** (from Rosetown Eagle newspaper): This is the first child of William Lanson and Emily, born Sept 9 1913 and died Sept 21 1913. The news item says he was named William Wallace Brownbridge.
....Richard (1847 - 1928)
Where and when did he die? Richard's wife, Christy (Christianne), died in 1916. She is buried in the Rosetown cemetery and has a large headstone, but there is no headstone or cemetery record for Richard. So where is he buried?
*****Solved***** (from Rosetown Eagle newspaper obituary link ): Richard died on Dec. 22 1928 and was buried in the Rosetown cemetery, most likely beside Christina in the family plot. For some reason his name was not engraved on the large headstone...probably because of a lack of funds in the Great Depression.