Halcro Line

This is my first foray into researching a Canadian Ancestors. Although I’ve been very successful finding individuals in the US Census Records, I’ve not been as good at finding individuals in the Canadian Census Records. I clearly need to increase my skills researching Canadian Ancestors.

Halcro-Varone Project – Ancestor #4

List of Grandparents

• Grandfather: Andrew James Halcro
• 1^st Great-grandfather: William Francis Halcro

Andrew James Halcro (1876-1925)

Birth

Andrew James Halcro¹ was born on 31 Jul 1876 in Quebec, Canada as the third child of William Francis Halcro⁴ and Harriet Park³. He had three siblings, two older sisters, May⁵ and Harriet, and a younger brother George. It also appears that he had three younger half-siblings, Willie, Bessie, and Alice. I have more research to confirm these relationships. Andrew died on 15 Jul 1925⁶ in Hudson Heights, Vaudreuil-Soulanges, Quebec, Canada. Hudson Heights is an off-island suburb of Montreal.

Mother’s Death – Between 1879 and 1881.

Andrew’s younger brother, George, was born circa 1879. Andrew’s father, Frank (William Francis), was a widower during the 1881 Census, so it appears that Andrew’s mother, Harriet (Park) Halcro, died between 1879 and 1881.

1881 Census

The 1881 Canadian Census found four-year-old Andrew living in Vaudreuil, Quebec, Canada with his father, a widower, and three siblings, Mary, Louisa, and George.  There are other Halcro families on the same page of the Census form.  Immediately before Andrew’s father are Elizabeth (a widow), Ada, and Kate Halcro (ages 68, 25, and 22). Also, on the same page are John H. Halcro and his apparent wife, Sophie and apparent son Isaac (ages 25, 23, and 5/12). Certainly, these households are likely related, but will take further research to determine the relationships to Andrew.

1891 Census

The 1891 Canadian Census finds 14-year-old Andrew living with his father, W. F. Halcro, his stepmother, Annie, his three full siblings, May, Hattie, and George, and his three step-siblings Willie, Bessie, and Alice. The family is living in Como Village, which was incorporated into the town of Hudson in 1969.

1901 & 1911 Censuses

I have been unable to find Andrew James Halcro in the 1901 or 1911 Census records. Actually, I’ve not been successful finding any Halcros in Quebec during either census. As such, I will try researching the 1891 neighbors, looking for grossly misspelled Halcro individuals.

1909-1917

Beginning in 1909, Andrew J. Halcro shows up in the logbooks of a notary having various real estate transactions. It appears that he bought and sold several properties. The notary records do not provide information regarding the properties; however, they do provide information to search for deeds. Doing property searches would be part of another follow-up action.

Children

I have not been successful in finding a marriage record for Andrew and Ralla, but Lawrence’s birth suggests that Andrew and Ralla married in 1916.[i]

Children of Andrew and Ralla Halcro

1921 Census

Andrew’s entry in the 1921 Census is one of the most frustrating entries I’ve ever encountered. What would have been a nice simple entry of Andrew, was overwritten with lots of incorrect data.

19 Ballantyne, Montreal West today. (Image thanks to Google Maps.)

However, the good news is the 1921 Census clearly indicates that Andrew and his family lived at 19 Ballantyne, Montreal West. That house exists today.

He was working on his own account in Real Estate and indicated that his “Racial or Tribal Origan” was Scotch. He was Presbyterian, but his wife and children were Roman Catholic.

Death

Andrew died on 15 July 1925 in Hudson Heights (Now Hudson), Vaudreuil-Soulanges, Quebec, Canada.  He was buried in Saint James Anglican Church Cemetery, Hudson Heights. I was unable to find a memorial for Andrew James Halcro at Find-a-Grave, so I added a memorial for him and requested a photo.

Further Actions / Follow-up

• Continue research using American Ancestors, My Heritage, Canadian Library & Archives, and Newspaper resources.
• Research Elizabeth (a widow), Ada, and Kate Halcro (ages 68, 25, and 22) from the 1881 Census & determine if there is a relationship to Andrew.
• Research John H. Halcro and his apparent wife, Sophie, and apparent son Isaac (ages 25, 23, and 5/12) from the 1881 Census and determine if there is a relationship to Andrew.
• Do a Neighbor search for 1891 neighbors of Andrew in the 1901 Census.
• Do a Neighbor search for 1901 neighbors of Andrew in the 1911 Census. In 1911, Andrew is known to live in the Montreal area and worked as real estate agent.
• Research the marriage of Andrew and Ralla.
• Confirm the birth date and place for all of Andrew’s children.
• Follow-up with Find-a-Grave for Andrew James Halcro.
• Research property records for Andrew James Halcro from 1909 through 1917.

————–  Disclaimer  ————–

Sources

Canada Census, 1881

Canada Census, 1881, Library & Archives of Canada, Frank A Halcro – Vaudreuil, Vaudreuil, Quebec. Item Number: 5775195. Accessed 28 Aug 2020. https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MVJH-9TV.

Canada Census, 1891

Canada Census, 1891, Library & Archives of Canada, W. F. Halcro. Accessed 28 Aug 2020. https://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/census/1891/Pages/item.aspx?itemid=4682139.

Canada Census, 1921

Canada Census, 1921, Library & Archives of Canada, Andrew Halcro – Wife, Rala, & three children. Montreal West, Family 101, Page 10. https://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/census/1921/Pages/item.aspx?itemid=8230623.

Portland Press Herald, Portland, Maine (online archive)

Obit – Lawrence A. Halcro, 81. Portland Press Herald (Maine) 14 October 1998, obit for LAWRENCE A. HALCRO WORKED IN CONSTRUCTION, GenealogyBank.com.  Accessed 27 August 2020).

Quebec, Canada, Notarial Records, 1637-1935

Quebec, Canada, Notarial Records, 1637-1935 (Montréal, Quebec, Canada, ), Ancestry.com, Andrew J Halcro – 1909-01-26 – Sale . Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec; Montréal, Quebec, Canada; Collection: Fonds Cour Supérieure. District judiciaire de Montréal. Cote CN601. Gre. https://search.ancestry.com/collections/61062/records/1206988137.

Quebec, Canada, Notarial Records, 1637-1935 (Montréal, Quebec, Canada, ), Ancestry.com, Andrew J Halcro – 1911-01-24 – Obligation . Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec; Montréal, Quebec, Canada; Collection: Fonds Cour Supérieure. District judiciaire de Montréal. Cote CN601. Gre. https://search.ancestry.com/collections/61062/records/6681802/.

Quebec, Canada, Notarial Records, 1637-1935 (Montréal, Quebec, Canada, ), Ancestry.com, Andrew J Halcro – 1911-03-28 – Acquittance. Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec; Montréal, Quebec, Canada; Collection: Fonds Cour Supérieure. District judiciaire de Montréal. Cote CN601. Gre. https://search.ancestry.com/collections/61062/records/6681966.

Quebec, Canada, Notarial Records, 1637-1935 (Montréal, Quebec, Canada, ), Ancestry.com, Andrew J Halcro – 1913-04-22 – Discharge . Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec; Montréal, Quebec, Canada; Collection: Fonds Cour Supérieure. District judiciaire de Montréal. Cote CN601. Greffes de notaires, 1648-1967.; District: Montréal; Title: Legault, Alphonse-Alexandre (1890-1916) – Accessed 28 Aug 2020. . https://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?db=QuebecNotarial&indiv=try&h=6333725&indivrecord=1.

Endnotes

[i] Lawrence was born on 20 August 1917. Presuming that Frank and Harriet were married before Lawrence was conceived, Frank and Harriet were probably married before November 1916.

[ii] This date suggests that Mary Rella Halcro (possibly Rella I Halcro) was born about five months after Andrew’s death.