Person Page - 4027

     Eleanor Jane Cockburn was born on 1 December 1849 at Canada West; per family tree of margaret1701 on ancestry.ca, Sep 3 2024.¹ As of circa 1866,her married name was Wimbles.¹ She married Francis Wimbles, son of John Wimbles and Agnes Johnston, circa 1866 at Canada West; per family tree of margaret1701 on ancestry.ca, Sep 3 2024.¹ Eleanor Jane Cockburn died on 13 September 1911 at Hamilton Twp., Baltimore, Northumberland Co., Ontario, at age 61; per family tree of margaret1701 on ancestry.ca, Sep 3 2024.¹

     Adam Cockburn was born in 1820 at England; per family tree of margaret1701 on ancestry.ca, Sep 3 2024.¹ He married Elizabeth Gillies circa 1840; per family tree of margaret1701 on ancestry.ca, Sep 3 2024.¹ Adam Cockburn died before 1861 at Hamilton Twp., Northumberland Co., Canada West; per family tree of margaret1701 on ancestry.ca, Sep 3 2024.¹

     Elizabeth Gillies was born in 1812 at Scotland; per family tree of margaret1701 on ancestry.ca, Sep 3 2024.¹ She married Adam Cockburn, son of James Cockburn and (?) Sarah Turnbull, circa 1840; per family tree of margaret1701 on ancestry.ca, Sep 3 2024.¹ As of circa 1840,her married name was Cockburn.¹

     James Cockburn was born on 29 March 1787 at Berwickshire, Scotland; per family tree of margaret1701 on ancestry.ca, Sep 3 2024.¹ He married (?) Sarah Turnbull on 6 January 1818 at Wooler, Northumberland Co., England; per family tree of margaret1701 on ancestry.ca, Sep 3 2024.¹ James Cockburn died on 18 July 1832 at Montreal, Quebec, at age 45; per family tree of margaret1701 on ancestry.ca, Sep 3 2024.¹

     (?) Sarah Turnbull was born on 30 August 1797 at Chrinside, Berwick, Scotland; per family tree of margaret1701 on ancestry.ca, Sep 3 2024.¹ She married James Cockburn on 6 January 1818 at Wooler, Northumberland Co., England; per family tree of margaret1701 on ancestry.ca, Sep 3 2024.¹ As of 6 January 1818,her married name was (?) Cockburn.¹ (?) Sarah Turnbull died on 18 January 1867 at Toronto, York Co., Ontario, at age 69; per family tree of margaret1701 on ancestry.ca, Sep 3 2024.¹

     James Cockburn was born on 13 February 1819 at Berwickshire on Tweed, England; per family tree of margaret1701 on ancestry.ca, Sep 3 2024.¹ He married Isabella Susan Patterson on 14 December 1854 at Canada West; per family tree of margaret1701 on ancestry.ca, Sep 3 2024.¹ James Cockburn died on 14 August 1883 at Cobourg, Northumberland Co., Ontario, at age 64; per family tree of margaret1701 on ancestry.ca, Sep 3 2024.¹ He was buried on 17 August 1883 at St. James Cemetery, Toronto, York Co., Ontario; FindaGrave: Name: James W. Cockburn; Birth: 13 Feb 1819, Berwick-upon-Tweed, Northumberland Unitary Authority, Northumberland, England; Death: 14 Aug 1883 (aged 64), Ottawa, Carleton Co., Ontario, Canada; Burial
St. James Cemetery, Toronto, York Co., Ontario, Canada; Plot: Lots 49-54, Section V; Memorial ID: 58747660; Note: "COCKBURN, JAMES, lawyer, businessman, and politician; b. 13 Feb. 1819 at Berwick upon Tweed, England, son of James Cockburn, a merchant, and Sarah Turnbull; m. 14 Dec. 1854 Isabella Susan Patterson (d. 1862), and they had three children; d. 14 Aug. 1883 at Ottawa, Ont.
James Cockburn's family was of Scottish Presbyterian origin although Cockburn himself was a member of the Church of England by the 1860s. He received his early education at a grammar school in Berwick upon Tweed. In 1832 he came with his family, which seems to have had some financial resources, to Montreal, Lower Canada, where his father died of cholera in the same year. Sarah Cockburn then moved her family to York (Toronto), Upper Canada, and in 1832-33 James continued his education at Upper Canada College.
Cockburn began to study law in 1841 and was admitted to the bar in 1846. He then moved to Cobourg and in July of that year began to practise in partnership with D'Arcy Edward Boulton. Cockburn was also involved in other business activities in Cobourg and the surrounding area. In 1856 he was employing men for the construction of a dam, slide, booms, and piers at Campbellford on the Trent River and he was also the Cobourg agent for the Colonial Life Assurance Company. From 1864 to 1870 he acted as mortgage and land agent for Richard John Cartwright*.
Meanwhile Cockburn's legal practice was declining. In 1863 he had been appointed a qc and the following year was elected a bencher of the Law Society of Upper Canada. By then, however, he was involved in politics and these accolades were probably more political than professional honours; he was not a prominent lawyer. His business affairs also ran into difficulties. In 1864 he tried to borrow money on the security of his Cobourg properties but land values had fallen sharply. By 1866 he was virtually bankrupt and he was never able to restore his financial position. In 1869, admitting that his legal career was in jeopardy, he explained his plight to Cartwright: "I have come to grief and have been made to feel very poor and very penniless. . . . I am trying to work up my professional practice again, but it needs time, and time though it may heal will also kill."
Cockburn was more successful in politics. He served on the Cobourg Town Council in 1855-56 and in 1859. In 1861 he successfully contested Northumberland West against Sidney Smith, postmaster general in the government of George-Étienne Cartier* and John A. Macdonald*. Cockburn was described by Macdonald in 1861 as "a Tory of the old school. In fact, [you] might say he belonged to the old fossil party - a Tory of the old Family Compact . . . ." Promising in the campaign that "If elected my vote shall be given unhesitatingly against [the ministry] on every question involving want of confidence," Cockburn endorsed representation by population and sought unity of political opinion in Canada West in order to accomplish for it "the objectives we frequently desire." Although he voted in favour of the government's militia bill, on which the Cartier-Macdonald ministry was defeated in May 1862, he explained that this support was not an expression of "his confidence" in Macdonald. He endorsed portions of the policy of the new administration formed by John Sandfield Macdonald* and Louis-Victor Sicotte but never committed himself to the Reform ministry. After his election by acclamation in 1863 he emerged as a supporter of John A. Macdonald and remained a Liberal-Conservative for the rest of his career. On 30 March 1864 he was appointed solicitor general in the government of Étienne-Paschal Taché* and John A. Macdonald.
Cockburn was not a distinguished parliamentarian nor was he an important regional politician. He administered his portfolio in a routine manner, and attended to the patronage problems of his constituents. With the instability of union politics, which meant frequent change in cabinets, men such as Cockburn who would otherwise have remained obscure rose to ministerial rank. Cockburn had the good fortune to be in office when the "Great Coalition" was formed in 1864 [see George Brown*] and as a minister of the government became a delegate to the Quebec conference. His contributions to the proceedings and to the subsequent debates on confederation in the Legislative Assembly were negligible. Nevertheless, "an inferior man," as Alexander Mackenzie* privately called him, is remembered as a father of confederation." (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/58747660/coc.)²

     Isabella Susan Patterson was born in 1838 at Halifax, Nova Scotia; per family tree of margaret1701 on ancestry.ca, Sep 3 2024.¹ As of 14 December 1854,her married name was Cockburn.¹ She married James Cockburn, son of James Cockburn and (?) Sarah Turnbull, on 14 December 1854 at Canada West; per family tree of margaret1701 on ancestry.ca, Sep 3 2024.¹ Isabella Susan Patterson died on 29 April 1862 at York Mills, York Co., Canada West; per family tree of margaret1701 on ancestry.ca, Sep 3 2024.¹

     Sarah Isabella Cockburn was born circa 1857 at Canada West; per family tree of margaret1701 on ancestry.ca, Sep 3 2024.¹ She died in 1911; per family tree of margaret1701 on ancestry.ca, Sep 3 2024.¹

     Francis Cockburn was born in 1858 at Canada West; per family tree of margaret1701 on ancestry.ca, Sep 3 2024.¹

     May Cockburn was born in 1859 at Canada West; per family tree of margaret1701 on ancestry.ca, Sep 3 2024.¹

     George Cockburn was born circa 1842 at Berwickshire, Scotland; per family tree of margaret1701 on ancestry.ca, Sep 3 2024.¹

     Adam John Wimbles was born on 12 January 1867 at Hamilton Twp., Northumberland Co., Canada West; per family tree of margaret1701 on ancestyr.ca, Sep 3 2024.¹ He married Catherine Alice Malone on 8 November 1893 at Toronto, York Co., Ontario; per family tree of margaret1701 on ancestyr.ca, Sep 3 2024.¹ Adam John Wimbles lived on 18 September 1914 at Baltimore, Northumberland Co., Ontario; Informant for Death Reg'n. of his father Francis Wimples.² He died on 15 October 1930 at Toronto, York Co., Ontario, at age 63; per family tree of margaret1701 on ancestyr.ca, Sep 3 2024.¹

     Catherine Alice Malone was born on 9 November 1856 at Canada West; per family tree of margaret1701 on ancestyr.ca, Sep 3 2024.¹ As of 8 November 1893,her married name was Wimbles.¹ She married Adam John Wimbles, son of Francis Wimbles and Eleanor Jane Cockburn, on 8 November 1893 at Toronto, York Co., Ontario; per family tree of margaret1701 on ancestyr.ca, Sep 3 2024.¹ Catherine Alice Malone died on 3 September 1926 at Toronto, York Co., Ontario, at age 69; per family tree of margaret1701 on ancestyr.ca, Sep 3 2024.¹

     John Wimbles was born in 1869 at Cramahe Twp., Northumberland Co., Ontario; Date 1869 & location Ont. per 1871 Census.¹ He appeared on the census of April 1871 at Cramahe Twp., Northumberland East Co., Ontario; Age 2 at 1871 Census: see John T. Wimbles.¹

     Eleanor Ellen Elliott was born in 1830 at Upper Canada; Date 1830 & location Cda. per 1851 Census. per family tree of margaret1701 on ancestry.ca, Sep 3 2024.^1,2 As of 1849,her married name was Bush.¹ She married James H. Bush, son of Robert Bush and Hannah Brooks, in 1849 at Canada West; per family tree of margaret1701 on ancestry.ca, Sep 3 2024.¹ Eleanor Ellen Elliott appeared on the census of 1852 at Percy Twp., Northumberland Co., Canada West; Age 21 at 1851 Census: see James Bush.² She died before 1871 at Ontario; per family tree of margaret1701 on ancestry.ca, Sep 3 2024.¹

     Eliza J. Bush was born in 1849 at Percy Twp., Northumberland Co., Canada West; Date 1849 & location Cda. per 1851 Census.¹ She appeared on the census of 1852 at Percy Twp., Northumberland Co., Canada West; Age 2 at 1851 Census: see James Bush.¹

     Elizabeth Bush was born in 1849 at Canada West; per family tree of Emma Cain on ancestry.ca, Sep 3 2024.¹

     Alice Ann Bush was born on 26 March 1853 at Warkworth, Northumberland Co., Canada West; per family tree of Emma Cain on ancestry.ca, Sep 3 2024.¹ She died on 16 April 1927 at Syracuse, Onondaga Co., New York, U.S.A., at age 74; per family tree of Emma Cain on ancestry.ca, Sep 3 2024.¹

     Ellen Bush was born in 1856 at Percy Twp., Northumberland Co., Canada West; per family tree of Emma Cain on ancestry.ca, Sep 3 2024.¹

     Robert Bush was born in 1859 at Canada West; per family tree of Emma Cain on ancestry.ca, Sep 3 2024.¹

     William Bush was born in 1866 at Percy Twp., Northumberland Co., Canada West; per family tree of Emma Cain on ancestry.ca, Sep 3 2024.¹

     Annie ? was born circa 1837. As of circa 1854,her married name was Rouse. She married Richard Bernard Rouse, son of Sylvester Rouse and Sarah Ann Milligan, circa 1854 at Northumberland Co., Canada West; This may not have been a legitimate marriage, but the structure of this family is reflected in Sarah Ann Sill's death registration, which shows her parents to be Richard and Annie Rouse. Need to find more about this, but, considering his death and the times, more may not be available. (Dan Buchanan, Sep 4 2024.)

     Nelson "Herbert" Sills was born on 23 June 1858 at Sidney Twp., Hastings Co., Canada West; Date 1855 per FindaGrave. Date Jun 23 1846? & location Ont. rual per 1901 Census. Date 1857 & location Ont. per 1881 Census. Date 1859 & location Ont. per 1871 Census. Date 1858 & location Cda. per 1861 Census.^1,2,4,5,3 He appeared on the census of April 1861 at Sidney Twp., Hastings Co., Canada West; Age 3 at 1861 Census: see Samuel Sills.¹ He appeared on the census of April 1871 at Sidney Twp., Hastings West Co., Ontario; Age 12 at 1871 Census: see Samuel Sills.² He married Sarah Anne Rouse, daughter of Richard Bernard Rouse and Annie ?, circa 1875 at Ontario; per 1881 Census.⁴ Nelson "Herbert" Sills appeared on the census of April 1881 at Sidney Twp., Hastings West Co., Ontario; Age 24 at 1881 Census: Sills, Herbert, 24, b. Ont., Ger., EM, stone mason, married; Sarah, 24, b. Ont., Ger., EM, married (1881 Census: Sidney Twp., Hastings West Co., dist. 121, sub-dist. a-1, pg. 4, line 6 - ancestry.ca)
Note: The page is faint, so I took this info from the text version.⁴ He lived in 1885 at Conc 1 Lot 35, Sidney Twp., Hastings Co., Ontario; "Sills, Herbert, Belleville, f 1 35" Canada, City and Area Directories, 1885, Hastings Co., Belleville, pg. 75 of 290, ancestry.ca.)⁶ He appeared on the census of 26 April 1901 at Sidney Twp., Hastings West Co., Ontario; Age ?? at 1901 Census: Sills, Herbert, ??, b. Ont. r. Jun 23 1846?, Ger., Meth., brick layer, married; Sarah, 44, b. Ont. r. Oct 5 1856, Ger., Bapt., married; Albert C., 19?, b. Ont. r. Dec 7 1881, Ger., Meth., Meth., son; Frank W., 14, b. Ont. r. Jul 21 1886, son (1901 Census: Sidney Twp., Hastings West Co., dist. 72, sub-dist. B-4, pg. 13, line 23 - ancestry.ca.)³ He died on 3 July 1908 at Sidney Twp., Hastings Co., Ontario, at age 50; Death Reg'n.#013492: Name: Herbert W. Sills; Date: Jul 3 1908; Age: 51y; Res.: Sidney Twp; Occ.: mason; Status: married; Parents: - & - ; Cause: carcinoma of liver, 6m; Inf. & Phys.: Dr. W. J. Gibson, Belleville; Reg'd.: Jul 3 1908; Reg'r.: A.M. Chapman, Sidney Twp., Hastings Co. (Ontario Death Registration, #013492-1908, ancestry.ca)
Date Jul 3 1908 & location Hastings Co. per FindaGrave.^5,7 He was buried on 5 July 1908 at Belleville Cemetery, Belleville, Hastings Co., Ontario; FindaGrave: Name: Herbert Nelson Sills; Birth: 1855; Death: 3 Jul 1908 (aged 52–53), Hastings County, Ontario, Canada; Burial: Belleville Cemetery, Belleville, Hastings County, Ontario, Canada; Memorial ID: 195234933 (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/195234933/herbert_nelson_sills.)⁵

     Addison R. Sills was born in 1860 at Sidney Twp., Hastings Co., Canada West; Date 1860 & location Ont. per 1871 Census. Date 1860 & location Cda. per 1861 Census.^1,2 He appeared on the census of April 1861 at Sidney Twp., Hastings Co., Canada West; Age 1 at 1861 Census: see Samuel Sills.¹ He appeared on the census of April 1871 at Sidney Twp., Hastings West Co., Ontario; Age 11 at 1871 Census: see Samuel Sills.²

     Albert C. Sills was born on 7 December 1881 at Sidney Twp., Hastings Co., Ontario; Date 1881 per FindaGrave. Date Dec 7 1881 & location Ont. rural per 1901 Census.^1,2 He appeared on the census of 26 April 1901 at Sidney Twp., Hastings West Co., Ontario; Age 19 at 1901 Census: see Herbert Sills.² He married Grace H. Macartney circa 1905; per FindaGrave.¹ Albert C. Sills died in 1933 at New York, U.S.A; Date 1933 per FindaGrave.¹ He was buried in 1933 at Creekside Cemetery, Churchville, Monroe Co., New York, U.S.A; FindaGrave: Name: C. Albert Sills; Birth: 1881; Death: 1933 (aged 51–52); Burial: Creekside Cemetery, Churchville, Monroe County, New York, USA; Plot: C, lot 12, grave 1; Memorial ID: 132904212 (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/132904212/c_albert_sills.)¹

     Grace H. Macartney was born in 1882; Date 1882 per FindaGrave.¹ As of circa 1905,her married name was Sills.¹ She married Albert C. Sills, son of Nelson "Herbert" Sills and Sarah Anne Rouse, circa 1905; per FindaGrave.¹ Grace H. Macartney was buried in 1956 at Creekside Cemetery, Churchville, Monroe Co., New York, U.S.A; FindaGrave: Name: Grace H. Macartney Sills; Birth: 1882; Death: 1956 (aged 73–74); Burial: Creekside Cemetery, Churchville, Monroe County, New York, USA; Plot: C, lot 12, grave 2; Memorial ID: 132904213 (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/132904213/grace_h_sills.)¹ She died in 1956 at New York, U.S.A; Date 1956 per FindaGrave.¹

     Frank Wilson Sills was born on 21 July 1886 at Sidney Twp., Hastings Co., Ontario; Date 1886 per FindaGrave. Date 1887 & location Ont. per 1921 Census. Date Jul 21 1886 & location Ont. rural per 1901 Census.^1,2,3 He appeared on the census of 26 April 1901 at Sidney Twp., Hastings West Co., Ontario; Age 14 at 1901 Census: see Herbert Sills.² He appeared on the census of 1921 at Sidney Twp., Hastings West Co., Ontario; Age 34 at 1921 Census: see Sarah Sills (mother.)³ He married Rose Marie Buckley circa 1922 at Ontario; per FindaGrave.¹ Frank Wilson Sills died on 23 July 1965 at Ontario at age 79; Dat eJul 23 1965 per FindaGrave.¹ He was buried on 25 July 1965 at Belleville Cemetery, Belleville, Hastings Co., Ontario; FindaGrave: Name: Frank Wilson Sills; Birth: 1886; Death: 23 Jul 1965 (aged 78–79); Burial: Belleville Cemetery, Belleville, Hastings County, Ontario, Canada; Plot: Section D; Memorial ID: 129608091 (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/129608091/frank_wilson_sills.)¹

     Rose Marie Buckley was born in 1898; Date 1898 per FindaGrave.¹ As of circa 1922,her married name was Sills.¹ She married Frank Wilson Sills, son of Nelson "Herbert" Sills and Sarah Anne Rouse, circa 1922 at Ontario; per FindaGrave.¹ Rose Marie Buckley died on 28 May 1980; Date May 28 1980 per FindaGrave.¹ She was buried on 30 May 1980 at Belleville Cemetery, Belleville, Hastings Co., Ontario; FindaGrave: Name: Rose Marie Buckley Sills; Birth: 1898; Death: 28 May 1980 (aged 81–82); Burial: Belleville Cemetery, Belleville, Hastings County, Ontario, Canada; Memorial ID: 129608099 (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/129608099/rose_marie_sills.)¹

     Adalade G. "Liddie" Kellogg was born in 1850 at Haldimand Twp., Northumberland Co., Canada West; Date 1859 & location Ont. per 1891 Census. Date 1851 & location Ont. per 1871 Census. Date 1850 & location UC per 1861 Census.^1,2,3 She appeared on the census of April 1861 at Haldimand Twp., Northumberland Co., Canada West; Age 11 at 1861 Census: see David Kellogg.¹ She appeared on the census of April 1871 at Haldimand Twp., Northumberland West Co., Ontario; Age 20 at 1871 Census: see David Kellogg.² She appeared on the census of 9 April 1891 at Haldimand Twp., Northumberland West Co., Ontarsio; Age 32 at 1891 Census: see Byron Kellogg.³