Kingston Trip - Part II: Discoveries

This may be a shock to some of my readers, but I have never physically done research at an archive or a library.  I have called to ask for look-ups and copies and am happy to say most people are very accommodating.  But because of many years of limited mobility and discomfort, it was not feasible for me to "go there", so all my research has been done by computer from the comfort of my easy chair. This past year has been one of marked improvement for me and I decided it's time to get off my butt.

I think the library is all I could handle first time out, so after leaving the beautiful Manor we headed to the Kingston Public Library to do some research. I was looking for specific information, and having contacted the library ahead of time, I knew to go to the Isabel Turner branch. The staff were very helpful, looking for what we needed and anything that could help with my ancestor stories. 

First we looked for the Tweedsmuir History Book for Pittsburgh Township. There was a whole section on "Greystone Manor" with the history since it was built by Colonel MacKenzie in 1817. I knew most of this, because a Kingston historian had replied to a query from my Uncle in 1969, giving him excerpts from this book. 

From little clues here and there, and the fact the Seales came from military roots, I suspected that John Seale came from Ireland to Canada as a soldier, but I could find no written proof. Until now. 

One entry I read about the manor said it had been owned or leased by soldiers for the next 60 years or so after being built. My great-great-grandfather was there for 60 years, 1832-1892

Then in the Index To The Upper Canada Land Books I found this entry:

John Seal (soldier), 28 Sept 1832

There I get three pieces of information in one. John was a soldier and 25 years old when he came to Canada, and now armed with info from this index I can find the original land transaction in the archives.

Looking at other documents in the same book I found that John added sublot 5 to their land in 1842, and there was an assessment for the land in 1891.

We looked through many interesting books about Pittsburgh Township and the village of Barriefield, and it was a great help having my daughter there to help. The next book of importance we found was the Index to Wills Probated, Frontenac County, Ontario, Canada, 1858-1973.  There I found John Seale, probated in 1892. A will is a gold mine! Now knowing where to look I can also obtain a copy of the will.  

One last thing we found was a genealogy book - The Seale Family History 1800-2000. This is about the Seales that settled in Morin Heights, Quebec, a different branch of the family.

I'm on a roll! But four hours research was all I could to at one time.  Now to find the house my grandfather (Pop) grew up in.

My great grandfather was a carpenter and the family lived at 82 Bagot Street, Kingston. This was the first ancestral property I found using Lisa Cooke's webinar on Google Earth. The numbers have all changed since those days, so I looked in the street directory in the 1891 city directory of Kingston: 82 Bagot is on the corner of Miller's Lane (named for my great grandmother's family) and before Raglan Road.

1891 Kingston Directory, pg 15

1908 fire insurance map

Miller's lane is still on Google maps and gps, although it is merely a driveway for the house and does not go through to the other street anymore. 

The current address is 490 Bagot Street.  I can now imagine my great grandparents and my Pop and his brothers posing for this photo in front of this house. 

  

The ground must have been lower then, as there were steps leading up to the veranda, and the window ledge is at George's shoulders.

The whole trip to Kingston - staying at the manor, the discoveries at the library and standing at my grandfather's house - was very emotional for me, after years of researching the family and the properties from afar. I was so happy my daughter wanted to share this experience with me.

Now to get cracking and find the documents that go with those indexes I found. 

Note:  Read Part I here