February 11, 2003:
Hi,
 
I am a descendant of Stephen Orr and Maria Bone (or Bowen).  I am wondering if you 
can point me in the direction of their roots, and names of all of the children.  
I trace Stephen Orr to Wyman Orr to Weldon Orr to Kristine Priems (Orr) to me.
 
Also,  can you give me directions to the St. Andrews' graveyard in Aylwin?
 
Thanks,
 
Geoff Priems
gpriems@hotmail.com
 February 12, 2003:
Al;
 
Here is the E-Mail that I sent to Geoff Priems a couple of days ago concerning Stephen Orr, originally from March and Huntley Townships:
 
Hi Geoff;
 
I assume that you are referring to the following Cemetery Stone inscription located in the St. Andrews Church Cemetery in Aylwin, Quebec:
 
            In Loving memory of

            Stephen Orr

            Died 18 Mar, 1823, Aged 84 Yrs

            His Wife

            Maria Bone

            Died 12 Oct 1924, Aged 75 Yrs

            Their Son William

            Died 20 Jan, 1892, Aged 21 Yrs.

 

The surname for Maria inscribed on the stone is "Bone"

 

Here is what I presently have on the "Orr" family as far as Census information is concerned. I do have a complete Family file, not too much on the Orrs but a lot on the Wilson family that Mary and Catherine (sisters to Stephen) Orr married into. You will notice that in the 1901 Census, Stephen Orr indicates that he was born in Quebec, this is incorrect, from two separate sources (one being the 1851 Census, and the other is a book called "History of the Ottawa Valley" by J.L. Gourlay in 1896, in which he indicates that Stephen Orr was originally from March Township),  he was actually born in March Township, Carleton County, Ontario (Upper Canada), anyway here is the Census information:

 

Census 1851: Carleton County, March Township, NAC: Microfilm Reel No. C-1176

James ORR, Farmer, Born: Ireland, Church of Scotland, Age 40 (b. abt 1811)

Ann ORR (nee: Moore), Born: Ireland, Church of Scotland, Age 34 (b. abt 1817)

Eliza ORR, Born: Huntley (UC), Church of Scotland, Age 18 (b. abt 1833)

Charlotte ORR, Born: Huntley (UC), Church of Scotland, Age 14 (b. abt 1837)

Joseph ORR, Labourer, Born: Huntley (UC), Church of Scotland, Age 12 (b. abt 1839)

Mary ORR, Born: March (UC), Church of Scotland, Age 10 (b. abt 1841) NOTE: Mary Orr 

married Samuel Wilson in 1868. See 1881 and 1901 Census below.

Catherine ORR, Born: March (UC), Church of Scotland, Age 8 (b. abt 1843) NOTE: Catherine

Orr married Hance Wilson (brother to Samuel Wilson that married Catherine’s sister Mary Orr) 

and the family moved to Nortonville, Spring Lake Township, Michigan in 1875/1876.

Stephen ORR, Born: March (UC), Church of Scotland, Age 6 (b. abt 1845)

Margaret ORR, Born: March (UC), Church of Scotland, Age 4 (b. abt 1847)

William ORR, Born: March (UC), Church of Scotland, Age 3 (b. abt 1848)

John ORR, Born: March (UC), Church of Scotland, Age 1 (b. abt 1850)

 

NOTE: UC is Upper Canada, Huntley and March Townships in Carleton County, Ontario.
 

Census 1871: Carleton County, March Township, 

James ORR, Farmer, Born: Ireland, Church of Scotland, Age 62 (b. abt 1809)

Ann ORR (nee: Moore), Born: Ireland, Church of Scotland, Age 60 (b. abt 1811)

Margaret ORR, Born: Ontario, Church of Scotland, Age 18 (b. abt 1853)

John ORR, Farmer, Born: Ontario, Church of Scotland, Age 16 (b. abt 1855)

James ORR, Blacksmith, Ontario, Church of Scotland, Age 14 (b. abt 1857)

Thomas ORR, Farmer, Born: Ontario, Church of Scotland, Age 12 (b. abt 1859)

 

Census 1871: Carleton County, March Township,

 Joseph ORR, Farmer, Born: Ontario, Church of Scotland, Age 32 (b. abt 1839) This is Joseph the 

son of James Orr, listed in the 1851 Census.

Isabella ORR, Born: Ontario, Church of Scotland, Age 23 (b. abt 1848)

William ORR, Born: Ontario, Church of Scotland, Age 1 b. abt 1870)

 

 

CENSUS: 1881 Denholm, Ottawa, Quebec, Canada.

SOURCE: NAC C-13225, District 97, SubDist PP, Page 3, Family 11.

 

Samuel WILLSON, Male, Married, Age 36, Origin Irish, Born Quebec, Occ; Farmer, Presbyterian.

Mary WILLSON, Female, Married, Age 37, Origin Irish, Born Quebec, Presbyterian.

Hanriett WILLSON, Female, Age 11, Origin Irish, Born Quebec, Presbyterian.

Albert C. WILLSON, Male, Age 10, Origin Irish, Born Quebec, Presbyterian.

Polly B. WILLSON, Female, Age 7, Origin Irish, Born Quebec, Presbyterian.

Martha WILLSON, Female, Age 4, Origin Irish, Born Quebec, Presbyterian.

Levina WILLSON, Female, Age 3, Origin Irish, Born Quebec, Presbyterian.

Marjuerite WILLSON, Female, Age less than 1, Born Apr 4/12, Origin Irish, Born Quebec, Presbyterian.

 

NOTE: Mary Wilson (nee ORR) was actually born in Huntley Township, Carleton County, Ontario, and not in Quebec.

 

CENSUS 1901: Quebec, District No. 200 Wright, SubDist X, Polling SubDiv N2, Township Denholm, Page 2

Family 7:

WILSON Samuel, Male, Head, Married, Age 57, Born 9 Jan 1844 Quebec, Origin Irish, Farmer, Methodist

WILSON Mary, Female, Wife, Married, Age 59, Born 2 May 1842 Ontario, Origin Irish, Methodist

WILSON Albert E., Male, Son, Widower, Age 30, Born 3 Aug 1870 Quebec, Origin Irish, Methodist

WILSON Martha A., Female, Daughter, Single, Age 25, Born 10 Dec 1875 Quebec, Origin Irish, Methodist

WILSON Lavina E., Female, Daughter, Single, Age 23, Born 22 Feb 1878 Quebec, Origin Irish, Methodist

WILSON Walter, Male, Son, Single, Age 18, Born 27 Jan 1883 Quebec, Origin Irish, Methodist

Brunette Samuel, Male, Grandson, Single, Age 6, Born 20 Mar 1895 Quebec, Origin French, Methodist

 

  

NOTE: I could not find Stephen Orr or his family in the 1881 Census, anywhere in Canada, perhaps he moved 

to the USA for a short period of time then back to Canada.

 

 Census: 1901: Quebec, Wright County, District 200, Aylwin Township, SubDist: C

Source: NAC RG31, Microfilm Reel No. T-6549, Page 3

Family 29:

ORR Stephen, Male, Head, Married, Born: 1 Jun 1841 Quebec, Age 59, Origin Irish, Presbyterian, Farmer

ORR Maria, Female, Wife, Married, Born: 2 Oct 1848 Quebec, Age 52, Origin Irish, Presbyterian

ORR Ruggles R., Male, Son, Single, Born: 2 Dec 1869 Quebec, Age 31, Origin Irish, Presbyterian

ORR Edith, Female, Daughter, Single, Born: 6 Feb 1875 Quebec, Age 26, Origin Irish, Presbyterian

ORR Phyllis, Female, Daughter, Single, Born: 21 Dec 1886, Quebec, Age 15, Origin Irish, Presbyterian

ORR Wyman, Male, Son, Single, Born: 11 Apr 1885, Quebec, Age 16, Origin Irish, Presbyterian

ORR Allen P., Male, Son, Single, Born: 2 Jun 1887, Quebec, Age 13, Origin Irish, Presbyterian

ORR Olive J., Female, Daughter, Single, Born: 26 Mar 1889, Quebec, Age 12, Origin Irish, Presbyterian

 

NOTE: We know from the St. Andrews Cemetery, Aylwin, that another son was born to this couple:

ORR William, Male, Son, Born: 1871 Quebec, Died: 20 Jan 1892

 

By the way I found Maria Bone listed in the 1861 Census for Aylwin, she was listed as 12 years old, and living with a McAffee family, further up on the same census page, is what appears to be her father (right age), listed as Robert Bone, Farmer, Born Ireland, Age 40, no family members listed with Robert, and on the next line above him is, Joseph Orr (brother of Stephen Orr), by himself, age looks like 20. My great-grandfather Richard Armstrong and his family are listed directly below Robert Bone, and below my great-grandfather's family is the infamous John Draper (my great-grandfather Richard married his daughter Elizabeth Draper). 
 

Hope that the above information helps you out a little bit, and the St. Andrews Presbyterian (now United) Church Cemetery, is located in a little village, called Aylwin, about 5 kilometres north of the town of Kazabazua, Quebec. It is located on the right hand side of the road, and you should be able to see the white church building from the road, you have to turn off the main road onto a side road, and it will take you to the Church, I am sure that if you questioned anyone in Kazabazua as to the location, most people would know the location. Note the differences in ages between the 1851 and 1871 Census, some differ as much as 7 years, so do not trust the ages given in the earlier census'.

 

Take Care: Ken Armstrong