The search to find my Pollock family history quickly led me to Argenteuil County, Quebec. I soon discovered that many Pollock families had settled in this county, and a few in the neighbouring counties of Terrebonne and Deux Montagnes (Two Mountains.) In the end I had identified 13 separate families. With the belief that many of these families might be related in some way I extended my research to include all of these families.
The 1842 census for the township of Gore, also known as the Gore of Chatham, is available and from this I was able to identify four families including my own. The 1851 census is the earliest available for all of Argenteuil County and from this the remaining families were identified. By 1851 there were other Pollock families living in the area but these were sons and daughters of the originals and are documented under the primary family.
Three factors complicated the identification of family units. First, there were two John and Martha Pollock families living next to each other. Earlier researchers had assumed that there was only one family and combined all the children under this one family. Many family trees are out there, online and in print, which perpetuated this error. Second, there are four Pollock families where the wife’s maiden name is given as Pollock. This is not a mistake. All evidence points to that being correct – a Pollock married a Pollock. Third, county and municipality names and boundaries changed over time.
I have placed my family as Family One mainly because that is where I started. At the outset I documented the other 12 only because there were so many identical names. I had to sort them out and assign them to separate families. Then came the thought that many, if not all, could be related in some way, so I extended my research to all families.
Only family units where the head of household’s surname was Pollock have been documented. There are a number of other families where the wife’s maiden name was Pollock. I will document then later.
I would greatly appreciate input and feedback. You can do that via the Contact Me page or by email if you have my address. I’m not putting my email address up for all to see because there are too many spammers out there, but I will give it in my reply to a contact me. As I add or update information I will keep you informed with posts you will see on the Posts page.
Here are the 13 original families.
Family 1: George Pollock and Mary Jane Pollock (my immediate ancestral family) In 1842 they lived on the east half of Lot 16 in the 6th Range of Gore. They we listed as squatters as they did not have title to the land. That was gained only in 1870. Go to this family here.
Family 2: William Pollock and Jane Simon. In 1842 they lived on the west half of Lot 16 in the 6th Range of Gore. They also were listed as squatters.
Family 3: Henry Pollock and Henrietta Watchorn, believed to be his second wife. In 1842 they lived in the township of Gore, lot number unknown, and had moved away by 1851.
Family 4: James Pollock and Nancy (Agnes) Crowe. In 1842 they lived in the township of Gore, lot number unknown, and had moved away by 1851. Gail Pollock Brausen has extensively researched this family.
Family 5: John Pollock and Martha Pollock. In 1851 they lived on Lots 14 and 15 of Cote Ste. Angelique sud-ouest (south west) of the Augmentation of Mille Isles.
Family 6: John Pollock and Martha Ross. In 1851 they lived on Lots 12 and 13 of Cote Ste. Angelique sud-ouest (south west) of the Augmentation of Mille Isles. Elizabeth Pollock has extensively researched this family.
Family 7: Robert Pollock and Martha Pollock. In 1851 they lived on Lot 22 of Cote Ste. Angelique nord-est (north east) of the Augmentation of Mille Isles.
Family 8: James Pollock and Rachel Taylor. In 1851 they lived on Lot 5 of Cote Ste. Angelique sud-ouest (south west) of the Augmentation of Mille Isles.
Family 9: Jeremiah Pollock and Nancy (Agnes) Dempsey. They lived in in the neighbouring county of Terrebonne in the parish of Saint Jerome. Richard Pollock has extensively researched this family.
Family 10: Thomas Pollock and Jane Moore. In 1851 they lived in the parish of St. Jerusalem in an area known locally as Hill Head and also as Thomas’ Gore. Hugh Pollock extensively researched this family.
Family 11: Thomas Pollock and Elizabeth McOuat. In 1851 they lived in the parish of St. Jerusalem next door to Family 10. Thomas of Family 10 was born in Ireland and Thomas of Family 11 was born in Scotland
Family 12: Alexander Pollock and Jane Paul. In 1851 they lived in the parish of St. Jerusalem near Lachute on farmland bordering the North River. Hugh Pollock also extensively researched this family.
Family 13: James Pollock and Rachel Stevens. In 1851 they lived in the parish of St. Jerusalem. Hugh Pollock has extensively researched this family.
Details of all of these families will be published here as time permits. As you can see, I have a lot of work ahead of me!
Gene, the genealogy search dog.