The Abernathy Family of Storrington Township, Ontario

by David A. Wyatt
Copyright ©2001-2021 David A. Wyatt
Email: David_Wyatt@umanitoba.ca

I am researching the ancestry and descendants of James Abernathy and his wife Nancy "Agness" McBride, who emigrated from Ireland to Storrington Township, Frontenac County, Ontario, Canada in the early 19th Century. Towns in Storrington township include Battersea. Several spellings of the family surname have been seen including Abernathy, Abernethy, Abernathew, Abernathe, Abernath, and Abernatha.

James Abernathy	Nancy "Agness" McBride
born about 1796 in Ireland died 05 September 1875 at (or more likely near) Kingston, Ontario Burial: Sandhill Cemetery - Battersea, Frontenac, Ontario, Canada	born about 1796 in Ireland married, probably before 1819 and probably in Ireland died 03 November 1873 at (or more likely near) Kingston, Ontario Burial: Sandhill Cemetery - Battersea, Frontenac, Ontario, Canada
--- 1871 census

James Abernathy and Nancy "Agness" McBride raised a family of about seven children:

1. Robert Abernathy,
   • born about 1819 in United States of America
   • married (1) before 1844, to Margaret Heuston (born about 1821 in Ireland, and died [date unknown])
   • Residence: 1851, Lot 19, Concession 10 - Storrington Twp., Frontenac, Ontario, Canada
   • married (2) March 20, 1876 in Kingston, Frontenac, Ontario, Canada, to Annie McKelvey (born about 1841 in Ontario, and died [date unknown]; daughter of James McKelvey and Margaret ?, widow of Mr. Robinson)
   • died July 05, 1900 in Battersea, Frontenac, Ontario of a stroke
   • Burial: Sandhill Cemetery - Battersea, Frontenac, Ontario, Canada
   • 1871 census, 1881 census
   • Children of Robert Abernathy and Margaret Heuston are:
     1. Elisa Abernathy, born about 1844 in Ireland(?); died [date unknown].
     2. Nancy Abernathy, born about 1849 in Ontario; died Bet. 1883 - 1891 in Ontario; married June 18, 1868 in Kingston, Ontario, to William Clark. 1881 census
        Children: Robert Clark (1869-1909 married Laura Augusta Wyatt); Jessie Clark (1871-1910 married James Robert Wyatt); Winnifred Clark(c1874-?); William Edwin Clark (c1879-? married Fanny Margaret Lusk); Ann Ellen "Nancy" Clark (1882-? married Manfred Alexander McGuffin);
     3. John Abernathy, born January 1852 in Battersea, Frontenac, Ontario, Canada; died May 30, 1883 in Ryde Twp., Muskoka, Ontario, Canada; married May 01, 1876 in Ryde Twp., Muskoka, Ontario, Canada, to Ann Brooks. 1881 census. (After John's death in 1883 Ann married secondly Henry Smith. 1901 census)
        Children: Effie Jane Abernathy (1876-1967 married James Freeman Plewis, 1901 census); Christina Abernathy (1878-1899 married William Sanford Plewis, 1901 census); Robert J. Abernathy (1880-1882); Elsie Amy Abernethy (1882-1905 married James Samuel McCord); John Upton Abernathy (1884-infant?);
     4. Matilda Abernathy, born about 1854 in Ontario; died [date unknown].
     5. Margaret Abernathy, born about 1857 in Storrington Twp., Frontenac, Ontario, Canada; died [date unknown]. Married August 21, 1879 at Kingston, Ontario to Estie Burns Campbell
     6. Ellen Abernathy, born 1860 in Ontario; died March 26, 1896 in Kingston, Frontenac, Ontario, Canada. married before 1883, to William Henry Potter (1849-1920). 1901 census
        Child: Grace Potter (1883-1957 married Thomas Yellowley);
2. Edmund Abernathy, born about 1821; died [date unknown]. (perhaps died as a child?)
3. James Abernathy,
   • born 1827 in Ontario;
   • married, to Elizabeth Johnston (born 1834 in Ireland, and died September 01, 1900 in Kingston, Ontario).
   • died June 14, 1895 in Kingston, Frontenac, Ontario, Canada.
   • Burial: Cataraqui Cemetery - Kingston, Frontenac, Ontario, Canada
   • Children of James Abernathy and Elizabeth Johnston are:
     1. William Abernethy, born July 20, 1858 in Ontario; died October 11, 1934 in Ontario. Married July 04, 1883 in Kingston, Frontenac, Ontario, Canada, to Jessie Taylor (1859-1930). 1901 census
        Children: Robert James Abernethy (1884-1946); Archibald John Abernethy (1886-1955); Ralph Valleua Abernethy (1887-1953); Alfred Taylor Abernethy (1888-?);
     2. Agnes Abernethy, born 1861; died 1930 Toronto.
     3. Mary Ann Abernethy, born 1863; died 1931 Toronto.
     4. Archie Abernethy, born 1866; died [date unknown].
     5. John Abernethy, born 1868; died 1927 Toronto.
     6. Sarah Elizabeth Abernethy, born 1869; died 1945 Toronto.
     7. Alfred James Abernethy, born 1871; died 1926 Kingston, married Annie Elizabeth Davis. 1901 census
        Children: Flora Edna Abernethy (1893-1975); Bessie MacFarlane Abernethy (1894-1959); David MacKeachern Abernethy (1896-1924); Dr. Archibald James Abernethy (1899-1932);
     8. Martha Abernethy, born 1873; died 1938 Toronto.
     9. Franklin Edmund Abernethy, born 1875; died 1930 Toronto. Stage actor performing under the name Edmund Abbey.
4. John Abernethy,
   • born about 1829 in Ontario;
   • married about 1856, to Margaret Jane McConnell (born 1832 in USA, died February 07, 1910 in Wainwright, Alberta)
   • died November 06, 1882 in Somerville Twp., Victoria County, Ontario, Canada.
   • Burial: Norland, Victoria, Ontario, Canada
   • 1881 census, 1901 census
   • Children of John Abernethy and Margaret McConnell are:
     1. Hugh McConnell Abernethy, born November 16, 1857 in Gananoque, Leeds, Ontario, Canada; died May 29, 1941 in Wainwright, Wainwright, Alberta, Canada. Married January 02, 1890 in Lindsay, Ontario, Canada, to Martha Jessie Houston (1867-1920). 1901 census
        Children: Irene Margaret Abernethy (1890-1922 married John Joseph Byron); John Clifford Abernethy (1892-1893); Lyle Clifton Abernethy (1893-1959; Elsie Edith Abernethy (1895-1916); Earle Meredith McConnell Abernethy (1896-1964 married Laura Gladys Hardman); Jocelyn Louise Abernethy (1898-1960 married Charles John Abernethy); and Helen Keitha Agnes Abernethy (1905-2003 married George Archibald Smith).
     2. Eliza Jane Abernathy, born November 01, 1859 in Sudbury, Cochrane, Ontario, Canada; died February 03, 1948 in Wainwright, Wainwright, Alberta, Canada. Married about January 08, 1884 in Lindsay, Ontario, Canada, to Thomas Warren Cooper. 1901 census
        Children: Bertha Cooper (1885-1906); Agnes Isabelle Cooper (1887-1924 married (1) George Albert Gunn, married (2) Frederick Lyman Gunn); Stanley John Philip Cooper (1888-1972 married Mary "Molly" Reid); Kathryn Eveline Cooper (1890-1978 married George Reid); Mabel Cooper (1894-1961 married Roy Fisk Carl); Mary Josephine Cooper (1896-1971 married Clifford McCaig);
     3. Ellsworth Abernethy, born November 16, 1862 in Kingston, Frontenac, Ontario, Canada; died July 19, 1932 in Consort, Special Area No. 4, Alberta, Canada. Married, to Harriet Edith Embury. 1901 census
        Children: Harvey James Abernethy (1889-1963 married Frances May Downing); Charles John Abernethy (1891-1941 married Jocelyn Louise Abernethy); Nellie Abernethy (1892-?); Ruby Louella Abernethy (1893-? married Oliver Reid); Wilbert Embury Abernethy (1896-1970);
     4. Brice McBride Abernethy, born September 28, 1863 in Kingston, Frontenac, Ontario, Canada; died July 16, 1947 in Wainwright, Wainwright, Alberta, Canada. Married 1890 in Peace River, Alberta, Canada, to Marie Ann "Polly" Perkins. 1901 census (Brice) and 1901 census (Maria & children), 1906 census.
        Children: Neta Abernethy (1893-1908); Ila Abernethy (1898-1903) gravestone; William Robert Brice Abernethy (1900-1976 married (1) Emma Ellenor J. Bartlett, married (2) Marjorie ?);
     5. David John "Jack" Abernethy, born October 10, 1865 in Kingston, Frontenac, Ontario, Canada; died September 15, 1928 in Ponoka, Ponoka, Alberta, Canada. Never married.
     6. Evelena Abernethy, born July 10, 1868 in Kingston, Frontenac, Ontario, Canada; died May 1956 in Kindersley, Saskatchewan, Canada. Married Andrew Miller Houston. 1901 census
        Children: Goldwin Houston (1901-1908); Wilma Houston (1903-1972);
     7. Cyrus James Abernethy, born October 28, 1871 in Kingston, Frontenac, Ontario, Canada; died October 20, 1954 in Wainwright, Wainwright, Alberta, Canada. Never married.
5. William Abernathy,
   • born 1831;
   • died July 15, 1907 in Watervliet, Michigan, USA.
   • married, to Mary Ann Akin (born December 26, 1836 in Antrim, Ireland, and died March 26, 1895 in Watervliet, Michigan, USA; daughter of John Akin and Mary Huston)
   • 1880 census
   • Children of William Abernathy and Mary Akin are:
     1. John Harvey Abernethy, born March 17, 1853; died May 30, 1927 in Covert, Michigan, USA. Married, to Maria Fuller
        Child: John Abernethy
     2. Laura Abernethy, born about 1867; died [date unknown]. Married J. J. Hammel
        Child: Eunice Hammel
     3. James David Abernethy, born March 08, 1862 in Watervliet, Michigan, USA; died April 17, 1897 in Plant City, Florida, USA. Married June 09, 1885 in Benton Harbor, Michigan, USA, to Cynthia Elizabeth Bradford.
        Children: Vera Abernethy; Marie Abernethy; Laura Abernethy; Frances Abernethy (1895-1993)
6. Mary Abernathy,
   • born 1834;
   • died [date unknown].
   • married July 31, 1875 in Sunbury, Frontenac, Ontario, Canada, to Oliver Johnston (born about 1830 in County Cavan, Ireland; died [date unknown]) (There is an Oliver and Mary Johnston matching in ages and birthplaces in the 1881 census in Chatham, Ontario. It has not been established that this is the same couple.)
7. David Abernathy
   • born 1835 in Kingston, Frontenac, Ontario, Canada;
   • married November 03, 1875 in Sunbury, Frontenac, Ontario, Canada, to Cecilia McConnell (born October 24, 1836, and died March 18, 1919; daughter of Hugh McConnell and Agnes Cree)
   • died August 04, 1907.
   • Burial: Sandhill Cemetery - Battersea, Frontenac, Ontario, Canada
   • 1881 census, 1901 census
   • Child of David Abernathy and Cecilia McConnell is:
     1. Elsie A. Abernethy, born 1877; died June 16, 1893.

Much of the data on this web page is the work of Adele Draginda.

Related Web Pages

• Genealogical Research Names Index
• The Clarks of Storrington Township, Ontario
• This Genealogy Database hosted at WorldConnect
• This page is http://home.cc.umanitoba.ca/~wyatt/abernathy-storrington.html