My Family Tree

Harriett's daughter supplied the information on her death certificate, that the name of her mother's parents were John Ellis and Marion McArthur. Marion's husband was James Ellis, not John. However, if Harriett's date of birth was 14 May 1835, and she belonged to the family of James Ellis then she would have been the daughter of Jane Ramsay Ellis, James' first wife. Since Jane died around 1837, Harriett would have been raised by her step-mother Marion McArthur from the time she was two. Her obituary said her father was James Ellis.

However, unlike all of the other members of her family, there is no baptismal record for her under the name Ellis.

Then there is the name that Harriett used on her marriage record. Harriet herself signed "Harriet Warnell" (or Warwell), and the newspaper announcement said Warwell as well. This makes it unlikely that it was a clerical error. She was a spinster, not a widow, and no previous marriage was found for her.

The newspaper reported: Married On the 13th inst., at St. Eleanor’s, by the Rev. Herbert Read, B.D., Mr. Peter McDougald, Lot 7, to Miss Harriet Warwell, Lot 12. (The Islander – Jan 19, 1855)

Harriet may have been Jane's last daughter, her baptism overlooked with the early death of her mother. She may have been adopted, or she may have been Marion's daughter, born before her marriage to James Ellis. Certainly, in Marion's obituary Harriet is not called a step-daughter. But then, neither is Robert called a step-son, and Agnes Ellis Birch was omitted.

The surname Warnell or Warwell was not found in the PEI Archives databases.

At Harriet's funeral, six sons acted as her pallbearers: Fraser, A.D., John, Willis, Nelson and Bismark.

This is looking VERY likely, given that Harriet gave her date of birth as 14 May 1835 on the 1901 census.

Child's Full Name Herrett Lerwell - natural dau. William Lerwell and Mary Ann McArthur, of New Bideford
Birth Date 14 May 1835
Place of Birth New Bideford
Baptismal Date 12 July 1835
Officiating Clergy A.V.G Wiggins
Father's Name William Lerwell
Mother's Name Mary Ann McArthur
Church Name Church of England
Church Location Richmond
Record Book Number 1
Record Book Page 115