Searching the Eastern Townships of Quebec for one’s non-French ancestors can be a challenge. Quebec is now divided primarily by language but for the two centuries prior the divisions were religious.  Quebecers were either Roman Catholic or non-Catholic.  Before 1926, all registration of vital records was done by the church.  Each Parish of whatever denomination sent a copy of their registers to the local Prothonotary Court where it served as the Civil Registration of baptisms, marriages and burials.

The Non-French (my KERR ancestors for example) would have settled near a migration route, most likely water, then later migrated when roads and railroads began appearing. Many of the non-French settled in the Eastern Townships.  There are several excellent books (Finding your Ancestors in English Quebec by Althea Douglas, for one) and websites featuring Eastern Township resources including those indexed by Marlene Simmons.

I searched through one of the large on line databases (Ancestry) to see what other information I could find on Eastern Townships, Quebec. Unfortunately the list isn’t long and your best bet is still the libraries, genealogical society holdings and other resources.  I have used the History of Compton County mentioned below and found it to be very useful.  Check these out and let me know if you find success.

• Quebec past and present: a history of Quebec, 1608-1876, in two parts

• In memory of John Jackman Foote: proprietor Quebec Morning Chronicle, who died at Quebec April 19th, 1897, aged 65 years

• History of Compton County: and sketches of the eastern townships, district of St. Francis, and Sherbrooke County, supplemented with the records of four hundred

• Eastern Townships and South Western Quebec, Canada Land/Gazetteer Records: 1881

• History of the Eastern Townships, province of Quebec, Dominion of Canada: civil and descriptive

According to a genealogy contact (Leslie Nutbrown)  in Quebec a check of the 1815-1879 birth records in Quebec do not list a Maria BALL.  There is a Sarah Ball born in 1850 in Compton, daughter of Thomas BALL and Mary BRADY.  I subsequently found both of her names “Sarah Maria” listed on the birth record of one of her children.

She married William KERR 11 March 1873 in St. John’s Anglican Church Waterville, Quebec and they had three children, Frederick James b. 1874, Bertha Eliza b. 1874 and Homer William b. 1881.  Homer was my grandfather.

She died young at age 37 on 18 November 1887 leaving behind her husband and three young children, ages 13, 11 and 6.

Young Bertha was sent to live with her Boston BALL relatives and lost touch with the rest of the family. Family stories say she moved west to Idaho (?) after her marriage but this has not been confirmed.

I wish to learn more about the BALL family in Quebec, Ireland and Boston.

If anyone has a connection (no matter how remote) to this family please comment below.

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[This post is part of the Smile for the Camera, 21st Edition Carnival by footnoteMaven at Shades of the Departed]

ALPHONSO CARBEE, farmer, was born in Waterville, March 8, 1843. When seventeen
years of age he went to the Western States, returning in seven years. Since then he has
resided in Compton, Coaticook and Waterville. Mr. Carbee has always followed farming.
For the past five years he has been a member of the municipal council of Waterville He
was married in Compton, January 7, 1873, to Jemima, daughter of the late James Kerr.
No children.

Genealogy connections?  Please contact me.

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Related Links:  History of Eastern Townships, 1869, Part 3

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