Benjamin Galerno 1822-1907

Benjamin Galerno lived in the Comber area of Essex County (Ontario, Canada), most of his adult life. He first apprears in documents in 1857 and is credited in Comber History as being a pioneering member of that community. Certain documents prior to 1857 have not been found or may have been destroyed with time (ie: 1851 census).What I know... from the census documents...1) Benjamin Galerno was born in March of 1822 (asked in 1901 census).

2) He was of French decent.

3) His religion is identified as Wesleyan Methodist from 1871 onwards, and NC (Non-Conformist) in 1861.

4) His birth was in Ontario(Kent) or maybe the USA.

5) His father maybe from France (probably New France, Quebec) and his mother from N.S. (Nova Scotia).

6) He is recorded as able to read and write and speaks English, so there seems to be some formal training.

He has identified his profession as mainly FARMING, although in some records it states COOPER or both. He must have been relatively healthy as he lived to the ripe old age of 85yrs and outlived Elizabeth Woodford, his wife and the other principal player in the family history. His origins are currently not known; but it is probable that the couple married in Kent Co. about 1843 in a Methodist Church. Benjamin is seemingly connected to two other woman however in these two documents;

1) Elizabeth Craig through his daughter Deborah Ann marriage to Sauvé

(*this I kow believe to be an error made by an extended family member who made the death report - Deborah Ann's son-in-law)

2) Elizabeth Strigle through baptismal records of his son Joseph Francis

The questions then become...

Did he enjoy the company of women named Elizabeth?

Did he have children by other women?

Did Elizabeth change her maiden name or are these names confused?

see full comparative table click here.

This is a table condensing the informations