Eliza McConkey(1815 - 1897)

I know very little of my Irish, 5th great-grandmother, Eliza McConkey.

She married Matthew Ruttan in Cape Vincent, NY on January 28th, 1845.  I found mention of it in William D Reid's Marriage Notices of Ontario, which is a compendium of newspaper notices from 1813-1854.  According to Reid, he found their marriage notice in the Toronto Herald for 27 Feb 1845, but I've yet to track down a copy of the excerpt myself, so I'll have to trust his research for now.  The excerpt reads, "At Cape Vincent, on 28th ult.(=preceding month), Matthew Ruttan, Adolphustown, Captain, First Lenox Militia, to Eliza, youngest daughter of Baron McConkey, of Mount Venus, Ireland."

I'm still looking for their marriage record or any notice in the local newspapers, as well as Eliza's birth information.   I'm curious about Eliza's father; is he a baron? Or is his first name Baron?

Eliza shows up in the Canada Censuses with Matthew and her four children, Margaret Elizabeth Victoria (1845), Joseph Albert (1846), Bertal(1851), and Amanda Jane(1855).

The Ruttans live in Adolphustown, where Matthew's family were some of the first British settlers to the area.

1851 Census of Canada, Adolphustown

1861 Census of Canada, Adolphustown

As you can see in the 1871 Census of Ernesttown, Ontario, Eliza and Matthew are living with their grandson Frederick Mitchell, son of their daughter Margaret Elizabeth Victoria, and Dr. Archibald Mitchell. 

1871 Census of Canada, Fredericksburgh South

Matthew died in sometime between the 1871 Census and the 1881 Census of Canada.  Here, Eliza is listed as a widow, living near her son Joseph Albert Ruttan in Gosfield, Essex County, Ontario.

1881 Census of Canada, Gosfield Township

And finally, her death is listed in the Ernesttown Death Records on Sept 26, 1897.  She died of old age at 82 years old!  I've yet to find where she was buried.

Lennox and Addington, Ontario Deaths, 1897

Now, what I did find were lots of McConkeys in the census, living with or near to the Ruttans.

For example, in the 1851 census, right below the Ruttans, is Mary Ann McConkey, a dressmaker, and James and John McConkey, all Irish.  And again, in the 1871 census, John McConkey, Maggie, and Catherine, age 83.  If they are related, perhaps siblings, then Catherine could be their mother.  Matthew Ruttan's brother Jacob marries a Mary Ann McConkey in 1855.  Perhaps she is the same Mary Ann in the 1851 census, living with Matthew and Eliza!  It's not uncommon at that time for siblings to marry into the same family, especially in such a small community on the frontier.  Back to the research!