Dear Ellen, Not sure exactly what you have, but have found the following: There's quite a bit, so I suggest printing this off & getting a nice cup of tea / coffee, then sitting down to read it at your leisure... Samuel SYMES (a carpenter) - 1841 - On census with parents Matthew (a blacksmith) and Susanna & siblings Robert and Levi at Hursey Common, Burstock (Matthew SYMES married Susanna BARTLET (sic) on 6 April 1815 @ Broadwindsor.) Samuel SYMES married Mary Ann OSLER Mar 1/4 1842 Bridport District GRO Ref: 8 - 71 (Mary Ann was a widow - Mary Ann POWELL married Samuel OSTLER (sic) on 11 July 1829 @ Bridport. Mary Ann & Samuel OSTLER had 2 children: Elizabeth Powell OSTLER baptised 3 November 1829 @ Bridport - Elizabeth P OSTLER infant otp buried on 11 August 1830 @ St Mary, Bridport and Joseph Powell OSTLER baptised on 7 December 1831 @ Bridport (see below). Samuel & Mary are on 1851 census in Bridport (see below). 1861 - 1891 they are at Hursey Common, Burstock. Samuel SYMES retired farmer of Hursey Common House Burstock died on 3 May 1892 (aged 76) - death registered Jun 1/4 1892 Beaminster District GRO Ref: 5a - 214 1892 - Samuel SYMES - Will proven at Blandford on 5 Agust 1892, probate granted to John Greening, Assistant Overseer - Effects £178 / 5 shillings. 1893 - Mary Powel SYMES (aged 84) death registered Jun 1/4 1893 Beaminster GRO Ref: 5a - 231. Matthew SYMES - Birth registered Dec 1/4 1844 Bridport District GRO Ref: 8 - 32 1851 - Matthew (6) on census at West Street, Bridport with parents Samuel (a carpenter - 35) & Mary (41) and siblings Joseph (19 Apprentice Carpenter), John (8) & George (7 mths) - I have checked original page and Joseph is definitely noted as 19 and with his step-father's surname). 1861 - Matthew (16) on census at Hursey Common, Burstock with parents Samuel (Farmer - 44) & Mary A (50) & siblings John (18). George (10) and Mary Ann (9). Matthew SYMES married Anna Maria CREED Mar 1/4 1870 Beaminster District GRO Ref: 5a - 565. 1871 - Matthew (26) on census at Wall Farm, Stoke Abbot with wife Anna Maria (49), Uncle Benjamin GREEN (70) and Aunt Charlotte CREED (55) Anna Maria SYMES - death registered Mar 1/4 1875 Beaminster District (aged 50) GRO Ref: 5a - 348 Anna Maria SYMES (aged 50) was buried on 19 February 1875 @ Stoke Abbott - Place of residence noted in register - Swilliotts Farm (sic) Matthew SYMES married Caroline Elizabeth TALBOTT Sep 1/4 1875 Beaminster GRO Ref: 5a - 651 1881 - Matthew (35) is on census at Swelliotts Farm, Stoke Abbott with wife Caroline Eliza (28), children Caroline A (4) and Florence (1) & Aunt Charlotte GREEN (76) (Swelliotts Farm was next to Wall Farm) Caroline Adelaide SYMES - birth registered Mar 1/4 1877 Beaminster District GRO Ref: 5a - 386 - agrees with age on 1881 census. Florence Beatrice SYMES - birth registered Jun 1/4 1880 Beaminster District GRO Ref: 5a - 401 - agrees with age on 1881 census & your records. There aren't any Rose / Rosa SYMES reistered in 1883 / 1884 in Dorset There is a Rosa Fanny SYMES birth registered Sep 1/4 1881 Bridport District GRO Ref: 5a - 370 - This may be the Rose you know of (there doesn't appear to be a marriage or death registered for her). As Matthew & family were still in Stoke Abbott in 1881, but Rosa may have been born in Canada around 1884, then he must have emigrated between April 1881 and 1884. You may get more info by checking the Canadan immigration records for that period to see exactly when he arrived and who was with him. If you want to buy any birth / marriage / death certs see the GRO website @ www.gro.gov.uk - you will need the GRO references quoted above. If you wish to check them first (which would be a good idea) see FreeBMD @ www.freebmd.org.uk I hope some of the info is new to you and helps fill in the blanks on the English side. Regards Vanessa Dorset ----- Original Message ----- From: "Ellen Amabel Delaney" <elliedd@btinternet.com> To: <DORSET-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Friday, August 13, 2010 9:23 PM Subject: [DOR] matthew symes born 1844 >I am trying to trace more about my great great great uncle Matthew Symes he >was born at Birdport dorset the son of Samuel symes born 1817 and mary ann >powell. He went to canada in the 1880s and as far as i know he died there >in 917. He had two girls Caroline A Symes known as carrie born 1879 stoke >abbot and Florence Beatrice Symes born 9th March 1880 i think there were >more born in canada but they did not survive except perhaps a Rose Symes >born 1884. > > If any one can be of help please contact me thank you