My Family Tree

NO FIRM PROOF THAT HE BELONGS WITH THIS BRANCH.

There were 4 Hugh Ramsays born in Lot 13 area, between 1818-1830. They were:

Hugh Ramsay, said to have been born around 1830 in Lot 13, the son of George Ramsay and Margaret Sullivan. Deed of land from John Ramsay to his son George dated 1836 says Hugh was deprived of sight.

Hugh M. born about 1828, living in Lot 13 in 1881. A widower when he married Mary Ann Penwarran. Possible his first wife was Marion Smith.

Hugh A. born around 1819, lived in Lot 13, was a bachelor when he married Johanna Brooks in 1860. No disability noted on census records, so not likely to be the son of George & Margaret. Called son of Donald in the local history Climbing the Hill.

Hugh, son of Donald and Kitty or Charlotte Anderson baptized 1830. Could be the Hugh who married Marion Smith.

This Hugh Ramay was born about 1819 or 1820, based on his age at death, but he gave 1823 and 1828 on census records. He was born too late for the family of Donald Ramsay and Mary McMillan, and way too early to be the son of Donald Ramsay and Mary Mallard. Donald Ramsay and Kitty (Charlotte?) Anderson had a son named Hugh baptized in 1830, but that seem a big delay for a son born around 1820 - besides being born well before their marriage. However, Hugh is a good fit for the family of Donald and Mary (Cannon) Ramsay. This is where I am placing Hugh for now.

Hugh's two oldest children, however, were John and Margaret, which suggests totally different parents if the couple followed traditional naming practices, and Hugh would fit - just barely - as a son of John Ramsay and Margaret Penman. But John could have been named after Johanna's father. The local history, Climbing the Hill, had few errors. And then, an Ancestry family tree - unsourced - suggested that his parents were Michael and Ann.

However, setting aside the question of his parentage, the rest of Hugh's life has been documented:

His marriage to Johanna Brooks, daughter of John Brooks and Christianna Ramsay, was not in the PEI Marriage Registers, but there was a marriage bond:

Groom's Name Hugh Ramsay
Groom's Residence Lot 13
Groom's Status Bachelor
Bride's Name Johanna Brookes
Bride's Residence Prince Town Road
Bride's Status Spinster
Source RG19/s3/ss5: Marriage bonds, 1860

Claimed to be a bachelor at the time of his marriage, so not likely to be the same Hugh Ramsay who married Marion Smith, who died young.

In the 1861 census, he could be the Hugh Ramsay next to Donald Ramsay in Lot 13. He had a household of two, a married couple, both between the ages of 21-45. In 1861 he had 100 acres, and Donald had 75; on the 1880 map of Lot 13, Hugh Ramsay had 170 acres, on Brown's Creek. This does suggest that some of his land came from Donald Ramsay. He was not on a map dated 1875, but was on one dated 1878, with James Ramsay bordering his property.

Hugh was in Lot 13 in the 1881 census, born 1828. He and Johanna had 6 children: John, 19; Margaret, 17; Sargent, age 15; Sarah, 13; Donald, 10 and Colin, 4.

By 1891, they also had a son Gordon, age 7. Sargent was living next to them. On this census, Hugh said he was born 1823, and that both of his parents were born on the Island. William Birch, widower of Mary (Ramsay) Birch, was living with his son in law and daughter, Thomas and Susan Sullivan, on the next property. Perhaps Mary was Hugh's sister?

Unless there were children who died young, Hugh and Johanna did not follow any traditional naming practices - no daughter named Christy or Christianna.

Hugh was survived by his wife, three sons and two daughters. Two sons, Sargent and William Gordon, had predeceased him.

Date of death from gravestone, at age 98.

In his will, Hugh left almost everything to his wife Johanna, during her lifetime, after which his estate would go to his son Colin. Donald received $1000.00.