Genealogy of Theodorah Lovell & William Meikle, Montreal & Lachute Quebec, and Wolford Ontario

ROBERT LOVELL and JANE BEAZLEY

Our great-grandfather, John Lovell Meikle stated in the 1891 census that his mother had been born in England, so I assumed this fact was cast in stone. However our uncle George Dobie insisted we were related to the Lovells of Montreal so I thought I would give them a whirl – it's a lot easier researching Montreal than England, at least here in Canada.

This is the only case where I've had to hire professional researchers. It wasn't a lack of information that was the problem, but TOO MUCH!

There were several Lovell families in Montreal in the early 1800's, including the well-known printers and publishers. Since the Lovell publishing company specialized in city directories, voters' lists, etc., any searches on the internet produce thousands of hits, almost all dealing with books "published by John Lovell, Montreal".

Luckily, the Encyclopedia of Canadian Biography (see the on-line biography of John Lovell the publisher) says his parents were Robert Lovell and Jane Beasly, and that he was the eldest of many siblings. Only one of his brother's names is mentioned in this biography, but also mentioned is the name of a brother-in-law and business partner, John Gibson. (Also see a short autobiography writen by John Lovell in 1892).

At the Quebec Archives a researcher found the baptismal record for our great-grandfather John Lovell Meikle (QNA film #128.55, folio 23). The witnesses to the baptism were John Meikle and John Lovell. The same researcher also found an index to Protestant baptisms in Montreal, listing Theodora Lovell (among many other Lovells), baptized in 1822, and in a marriage index, the marriage of Theodorah Lovell to William Meikle in 1847. So I sent to the Quebec Archives for copies of the original records – parents of Theodorah were given as "Robert Lovell of Montreal, Farmer, and of Jane Beasly his wife". Witnesses were William Ball, Theodorah Miller, and Flora Lovell. Witnesses at her marriage were John Gibson (bingo!), Robert Lovell and John Lovell.

Then another researcher found Theodorah's last will and testament as well as her death notice in the Montreal Gazette (Nov. 7, 1849, page 3). She did not die in Lachute as I had supposed, but in Wolford, Ontario, probably in Burritt's Rapids. I hadn't known that she and William Meikle had moved to Wolford that early – I had supposed he had moved there after her death.

So now I will try to find her grave as well as find out if her will was filed in the land registry office in Wolford Twp. I have no idea why it was in the Quebec Archives, but I'm sure it will become clear in time.

May 11, 2026: And now another break-through – on familysearch.org, in a full text search of the collection "Ireland, Properties, from 1610 to 1975", I found an astounding 1848 land deed which I've put on this website, detailing how several members of the Lovell family of Montreal, plus their spouses, renewed a lease on land they owned in Kilbrogan, County Cork, Ireland. The land was divided in several parts or "moiteys" for the purpose of collecting rent. The document names each person, their spouse, and where they lived. Surnames include Beazley, Caverhill, Gibson, Meikle, Wiseman. Glancing at other records in the same collection makes me think that the rent-payers are also related to the Lovells by marriage a generation or more previously – surnames are Bull, Clear, Roberts. More to be written on this!

Just to remind you, here is the Dobie connection:
- Robert Lovell & Jane Beazley
  - William Meikle & Theodorah Lovell
    - John Lovell Meikle & Jean (Jennie) Milne
      - Joshua Coatsworth Dobie & Dora Lovell Meikle

Some Descendants of Robert Lovell and Jane Beazley

Robert Lovell, b. in Bandon, Cork, Ireland, occupation Farmer. He married Jane Beazley, married in Bandon, Cork, Ireland.
They had 10 children – I've only listed four here.
1. John Lovell, b. 4 Aug 1810 in Harbor Hill near Bandon, Cork, Ireland, d. 1 Jul 1893 in Montreal, Que. He married Sarah Kurczyn, married 20 Sep 1849 in Montreal, Que.; St. George Anglican. See John Lovell's on-line biography in the Encyclopedia of Canadian Biography. Also see a short autobiography writen by John Lovell in 1892.
  1. Robert Kurczyn Lovell. He married Anastasia Dunn of Stanbridge, Quebec.
  2. John Wurtele Lovell. He married Carrie Crook in Rouse's Point, New York, United States
  3. Edward Lovell. He married Cornelia Prest in Brooklyn, New York, United States
  4. Mary Lovell. She married Dr. Malcom Baker in Dunham, Quebec, Canada
  5. George Lovell. Died in childhood.
  6. Francis Fulford Lovell. He married Julia Colt in Niagara Falls, New York, United States
  7. Charles William Lovell. He married Hattie Standage in Rouse's Point, New York, United States
  8. Emily Balch Lovell. She married Dr. Fred Finley.
  9. Jane Victoria Lovell. She married William Foster.
  10. Joseph Beasley Lovell. He married Charlotte Fetherston.
2. Sarah Lovell. She married John Gibson, married 20 Dec 1836 in Montreal, Que.; Christ Church Cathedral.
3. Theodorah (Dora) Lovell, b. 25 Oct 1822 in Montreal, Que., baptized 4 Nov 1822 in Montreal, Que.; Christ Church Cathedral, (see witness 1, 2, 3) d. 31 Oct 1849 in Wolford, ON. The name "Theodorah" appears in John Lovell Meikle's baptismal record. However it is spelled "Theodora" in her own baptismal record.
  She married William Meikle, married 30 Sep 1847 in Montreal, Que., (see witness 4, 5, 6) b. 6-Nov-1824 in Glasgow, Scotland, (son of John Meikle II and Jane Greenshields) baptized 6-Dec-1824 in Glasgow, Scotland, d. 20-Jun-1896 in Lachute, Que., occupation Postmaster, gen. merchant, occupation 1881 Conveyancer. William: Born at No 7 Charlotte Street, Glasgow, according to entry on back of parents' marriage certificate. Age given as 49 in the 1881 census, making birth year 1832.
  1. John Lovell Meikle, b. 12 Aug 1848 in Lachute, Que., baptized 9 Sep 1848 in Lachute, Que., (see witness 7, 8) d. 26-Aug-1925 in Port Arthur, Ont., buried 28-Aug-1925 in Port Arthur, Ont.; Riverside Cemetery, occupation 1853 - 1871 Merchant, postmaster, occupation 1881 Clerk. Possibly lived in Vancouver (see clipping, Tues. April 14/64, Dobie book). Meikle family Bible gives birth date as Aug. 11, 1848. Read the obituary of John Lovell Meikle published in the Port Arthur News Chronicle, Thursday, August 27, 1925, Page 1. Also, see a photo of this Meikle family taken about 1890.
    He married Jeanne (Jennie) Milne, married 28-Aug-1873 in Meaford, Ont., b. 20 Feb 1854 in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, (daughter of Alexander Milne and Isabella Inglis) d. 8-Dec-1934 in Port Arthur, Ont., buried 10-Dec-1934 in Port Arthur, Ont.; Riverside Cemetery, baptized 2 Apr 1854 in Speymouth, Morayshire, Scotland.
    Jeanne: There are several different ages stated for her – age given as 24 in the 1881 census (New Hamburg) making birth year 1857; age given as 32 in the 1891 census (Port Arthur) making birth year 1859. In addition, list of birth dates on scrap of ribbon found in Dorothy Fraser's documents (Oct. 1996) includes an entry: "Jennie 1 Dec. 1858". However, her death card gives her age as 80, making 1854 the correct birth year, and her birth date stated on the 1901 census is 20 Feb. 1854.
    1. James Milne Meikle, b. 9-Jul-1876 in Meaford, Ont., d. cir 1884.
    2. Dora Lovell Meikle, b. 22-Aug-1880 in New Hamburg, Ont., d. 27-Mar-1963 in Port Arthur, Ont., buried 30-Mar-1963 in Port Arthur, Ont.; Riverside Cemetery.
      She married Joshua Coatsworth Dobie, married 27-Jun-1905 in Port Arthur, Ont., b. 5-Oct-1870 in Wellington Mines, Ont., (son of William Currie Dobie and Sarah Dorothy Coatsworth) d. 6-May-1943 in Toronto, Ont., buried 10-May-1943 in Port Arthur, Ont.; Riverside Cemetery, occupation Gen. Merchant.
      - See the listing for this DOBIE line.
    3. Russell Meikle, b. 8-Jul-1885 in Port Arthur, Ont., d. 9-Aug-1961 in Toronto, Ont., buried 12-Aug-1961 in Port Arthur, Ont., occupation Govt. of Ont. civil servt.
      Marriage witnesses: Lora L. Thompson, Montreal; Ellen Jane Elliott, Prescott. M. by A.E. Rummells (?). Russell lived at 310 Rushton Rd., Toronto, at time of his death (death notice).
      He married Helen Rhea Whitney, married 31-May-1911 in Prescott, Ont., b. 31-Oct-1889 in Prescott, Ont., (daughter of James Henry Whitney and Annah Mary Lane) d. about 1991 in Montreal, Que.
      - See 1972 letter from Helen Rhea (Whitney) Meikle to Duncan Meikle.
      1. Baby boy Meikle, b. 28-Aug-1918 in Port Arthur, Ont., d. 28-Aug-1918 in Port Arthur, Ont.
      2. John James Meikle, b. 28-Jul-1919 in Port Arthur, Ont., d. cir 1989 in Victoria, B.C. Married with three children, unknown number of grand-children.
      3. Annah-Jean Whitney Meikle, (details excluded). She married Louis William Henry Beaton.
4. Joseph Horton Lovell, b. 16 Mar 1826 in Montreal, Que., baptized 26 Mar 1828 in Montreal, Que.

See a temporary test page for the Bandon Local History Society.