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Note: I have come across a number of records pertaining to Jessie, and in almost all of them, her name is listed as Jessie or Jessy. In two of the records however, her name is listed as Janet. The first was the marriage record for her son Alexander and his wife Anna McKenzie. The second was the death certificate I found for her in Chicago. In the death certificate for her son Alexander, her name is listed as Chessie. The difference in names had me confused, but Norma MacLeod provided an explanation that seems to clear it up. She reports that Jessie probably had an original Gaelic name, and that Jessie or Janet are probably the English equivalents of that name. She said that during the 19th century, the names on official documents like the census records, had to be recorded in English. They apparently tended to use English names, which sounded in some way to the Gaelic names. Norma said that the Gaelic "equivalent" for Jessie was Seasaidh or Seasag , and that in English it was often recorded as Janet (which was Seonaid in Gaelic). She stated that Jessie wasn't exactly like a nickname, as I had thought, but she did say that Janet was more likely to have been used in official records. As for the Chessie reference, Norma said that there is no letter "J" in the Gaelic alphabet. Consequently, the "J" in Jessie was sometimes pronounced as "ch" as in the word "choose." From her death certificate, I know that Jessie Nicholson was born on December 14, 1822, in the Isle of Skye, Inverness-Shire, Scotland. That document also listed her father was A. Nicholson and her mother's maiden name was Ann Ferguson. I know from the 1841 census record that the name of her father was Angus. I believe that Jessie married her husband Archibald McLeod in the early 1840's, and most likely in the Parish of Portree. Norma MacLeod was unable to find any record of their marriage, but I do believe she is listed with her parents in the 1841 census in the Portree area. I also know that Jessie and Archibald came to Canada in August of 1849, reportedly landing in Montreal. I believe that her mother Ann probably came to Canada with them, and I think it is likely at least several of Jessie's siblings also. I believe that her father had died in Scotland before this. Jessie and Archibald's two oldest children were born in Portree. On the voyage to Canada, Jessie and Archibald's third child Alexandria was born. She listed he place of birth on subsequent records as the Atlantic Ocean. I know that Jessie and Archibald came rather directly to West Ashfield Township, Huron County, Ontario, and that they lived there at least until Archibald died in 1894. They are listed on the censuses there for 1851, 1861, 1871, 1881 and 1891. After Archibald died, Jessie apparently went to live with her sons Malcolm and Angus in the area of Chicago, Illinois, USA. On the 1900 census, Jessie is listed in the household of Malcolm in Chicago. On the 1910 census, she is listed in the household of Angus in Hammond City, Indiana, which is a suburb of Chicago. From the "History of West Ashfield" book, it was reported that for apparently a number of years, Jessie returned to Huron County, Ontario, to spend her summers there. I know that Jessie was living in Chicago, when she died there on March 4, 1911. She was taken back to the South Kinloss Cemetery in Lucknow, Ontario, and buried there next to her husband.- Rick Waggener ============== From Parish: Portree; ED: 6; Page: 7; Line: 500; Year: 1841. (ancestry.com) Jessie is listed in the household of her parents. Name: Jesse Nicolson Age: 15 Estimated Birth Year: abt 1826 Gender: Female Where born: Inverness, Scotland Civil parish: Portree County: Inverness Address: Village Of Portree Parish Number: 114 (Norma MacLeod sent me a transcription of this household in this census in Portree, and she listed Jessie as John. Given the gender listed here and the other information I have, I am assuming that this is Jessie and that there was no son named John.- Rick Waggener) ============== From the 1851 Canadian Census of Ashfield Township, Huron County, Ontario, film 1125/ reel 17 of 60, page 27. Jessy is listed in the household of her husband: Jessy McLeod; born- Scotland, religion- Presbyterian, age at next b-day- 31, female, married ============== From the 1861 Canadian Census of West Ashfield Township, Huron County, Ontario, page 51, film #2202/ C-1035. Jessie is listed in the household of her husband: Jessy McLoud; born- Scotland, religion- C of E, age- 39, female ============== From the 1871 Canadian Census of Ashfield Township, Division 2, North Huron County, Ontario, pages 36-37, family # 121, microfilm roll #9930. Jessy is listed in the household of her husband: McLeod, Jessy; female, age- 48, born- Scotland, religion- C. Presbyterian, origin- Scotch, married ============== From the 1881 Census of Canada; Ashfield Township, Huron North County, Ontario, Canada; District 175, page 24, family #113; Jelsy is listed in the household of her husband: - Jessie McLeod; female, married, age- 58, origin- Scottish, born- Scotland, religion- Presbyterian (Also in the household is Jessie's 84 year old widowed mother, Ann.- RW) ================ From the 1891 Canadian Census of West Ashfield Township, Huron County (North), Ontario, taken April 21, 1891, family #197, film #2198, reel- T 6345. Jessie is listed in the household of her husband: McLeod, Jessy; female, age- 68, wife, born- Scotland, parents born- Scotland, religion- Presbyterian =============== From the 1900 Federal Census of the City of Chicago, Town of Lake, Cook County, Illinois, Ward 30, district #947, sheet 9B, taken June 6, 1900, household #91, address- 430- 59 Place; from ancestry.com, image 18 of 31. Jessie is listed in the household of her son Malcolm: MacLeod, Jessie; mother, female, born- December 1823, age- 77, widowed, mother of 11 children/ 6 children living, born- Scotland, parents born- Scotland ------------------------------- I managed to track Jessie to Chicago, from the report from the book "A History of West Ashfield." There it was written,"... I think the MacLeod family went to Chicago. Every summer an elderly lady, Jessie (Mrs. Archie MacLeod) and her granddaughter, Margaret, came back from Chicago to spend the summer here. They called her 'Granny'. ..." This doesn't mention a time frame when Jelsy made these trips, or who Margaret is. Jessie's sons Malcolm and Angus had immigrated earlier to the U.S. and both eventually settled in the greater Chicago area. It appears that Angus might have come to the U.S. first, around 1880, but initially settled in North Dakota. Angus apparently came around 1886, and must have settled in Chicago, Illinois. Between 1896 and 1898, Angus and family moved to the City of Hammond, in Lake County, Indiana. This was in the far northwest corner of Indiana and was very close to the household of Malcolm. Jessie is listed in the 1900 U.S. census in the household of Malcolm, and in the 1910 census in the household of Angus. The 1910 census lists that Jessie immigrated to the U.S. in 1895, which would have been just after her husband Archibald died. Angus had a daughter named Margaret, who was born in 1892. I believe that she is the Margaret mentioned as traveling back to Ontario with her grandmother. Malcolm also had a daughter named Margaret, but she was not born until 1907, and probably would have been too young.- RW =============== From the 1910 Federal Census of Hammond City, Lake County, Indiana, district 55, sheet 8b-9a, taken April 21, 1910, household 148, address- 410 Cedar Street; from ancestry.com, image 16-17 of 31. Jelsy is listed in the household of her son Angus: ------ Jessie N.; mother, female, age- 88, widowed, mother of 11 children/ 6 living, born- Scotland/ Gaelic, parents born- Scotland/ Gaelic, immigrated to the U.S. in 1895, occupation- none (As mentioned above, Angus was living very close to the household of his brother Malcolm. According to the cemetery record below, Jessie died later this same year. It is unknown if she died in Indiana, Illinois, or Ontario.-RW) =============== Certificate and Record of Death, Department of Health, City of Chicago, register no. 6155 Full name: Janet MacLeod Sex: Female Color: White Marital status: Widow Birthplace: Scotland Date of Birth: December 14, 1822 Age- 88 years, 2 months, 18 days Died on the 4th of March 1911 at about 11:30 am Last occupation- Retired Place of death: 5027 Madison Ave. How long at place of death: 7 weeks Usual residence: Hammond, Ill. How long resident in city: 7 weeks How long in state: 7 weeks How long in U. S.: 16 years Name of father: A. Nicholson Birthplace of father: Scotland Maiden name of mother: Ann Ferguson Birthplace of mother: Scotland Informant: Malcolm MacLeod Address: 330 W. 54th Place Place of burial: Lucknow, Ontario Date of burial: March 6, 1911 Undertaker: Robt. R. Sloan 2823 Archer Ave. Cause of death: Myocariotis Contributory: Senility Witnessed: March 4, 1911 Signed: W. B. Harpole =============== From the Lucknow Sentinel, from Lucknow, Ontario, dated Thursday March 23, 1911; sent to me by Bill Bennett: Passing of a Pioneer Cumbered with many years beyond the appointed three score and ten, on March 4th, one of Ashfield's oldest residents in the person of Janet (Jessie) Nicholson, wife of the late Archibald MacLeod. She was born in Portree, Isle of Skye, Scotland, in December 1922, where she lived until 1840, when, with her husband, she sought a new home among the forests of Ontario. Four sons and six daughters were born to them, those left to sorrow for her loss being Mrs. Finlayson of Lucknow, Mrs. Hill of Chicago, Angus of Hammond, Malcolm of Chicago, and Harry of Baton Rouge. In all things she was an exemplary wife and mother, kind, thoughtful and lovable beyond expression, devoting her time and strength with unmitigated zeal to her family. Hospitality was one of her outstanding virtues. No matter how many her home sheltered, there was always room for one more. Many a weary traveller blessed her name for the warm welcome, with food and shelter, which he received at her fireside. Her intellect developed to an unusual degree, lost none of its keeness with the passing of years, and remained unimpaired till her death. Being at all times warmly interested in youth, she was a particular favourite among them, and to these she gave unstintingly of her mature wisdom, sharing their pleasures and giving rich measures of sympathy in their sorrows. Those who came to her in trouble, knew the depth and purity of her Christian life. For many years she was a loyal and much loved member of Ashfield Presbyterian Church, as was testified by the large number of friends, who came from there to attend her funeral which was held at the home of her daugher-in-law, Mrs. K. MacLeod, and from there to the family plot in Kinloss cemetery. "That which thou sowest, thou sowest not the body that shall be, but a bare grain, it may chance of wheat, or of some other kind, but God giveth it a body as it pleaseth Him, and to each seed a body of its own." Com. =============== Jessie is buried with her husband Archibald MacLeod, in the South Kinloss Cemetery, in Kinloss Township, Bruce County, Ontario. This is just about a mile north of the town of Lucknow, which is on the border between Huron County and Bruce County. The cemetery is adjacent to the South Kinloss Presbyterian Church, which is reached by taking Havelock Street North out of town, where it runs into South Kinloss Avenue. Jessie and Archibald are buried with their daughter Catherine and their son John. Nearby are the graves of their daughter Alexy Finlayson and her husband Donald. The cemetery record, transcribed by the Bruce County Genealogical Society, lists them in Lots I1 and I2 Con 2. Their headstone reads: ARCHIBALD MACLEOD BORN 1817 - DIED 1894 ------------- JESSIE HIS WIFE BORN 1822 - DIED 1910 NATIVES OF PORTREE ISLE OF SKYE, INVERNESS SHIRE, SCOTLAND UNTIL HE COMES MACLEOD
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