In the 1901 census of Nepean, Carleton Co., Ontario, the household of Father John Andrew Sloan includes his nephew Hugh Sloan, age 12, born Quebec (probably Vinton, Pontiac Co.); a housekeeper named Hannah Ludgate, age 46, born New York; and a George Dolan, age 21, born England. George Dolan’s birthdate is listed as 14 January 1880; his racial or tribal origin as Irish; his religion as Roman Catholic; and his year of immigration as 1890. His occupation is that of General Servant, and his relationship to the head of the household (Rev. J.A. Sloan) is that of a domestic.
This is very possibly the George Dolan, age 10, who emigrated from Liverpool to Québec in the spring of 1888, as one of a “Party of 117 Souls from the Catholic Protection Society of Liverpool,” in the charge of a Mrs Lacy.
So, if he was in Canada by 1888, or at least by 1890 (according to the 1901 census), can George Dolan be located in the 1891 Canadian census? It looks like he can be:
The 1891 enumeration of Nepean, Carleton Co., Ontario, includes a Geo. Dolan, age 9, Dom [Domestic], born Eng [England], father born England, mother born England, religion RC, in the household of a Patrick Watters (age 82, born Ireland). George Dolan’s occupation listed here as Servant. You know, 1891 wasn’t so very long ago (the day before yesterday, really, when thinking of the grand sweep of time), and yet this seems like another time and place, and another world, entirely. I have a 9-year old son, and….well, I guess I can’t even imagine.
And in the 1911 census? Well, this begins to look like a Home Child story that did not end well (and many of them did not, of course), though I hope there were some later, and happier, chapters. In the 1911 enumeration of Elizabethtown township, Brockville, Ontario, there is a George Dolan listed as an “inmate” at the asylum at Brockville: place of habitation Ottawa, year of birth 1880, age 30, place of birth England, year of immigration “not known,” racial or tribal origin English, nationality Canadian, religion RC [Roman Catholic], occupation laborer.
