Ambiguous Evidence - Charles Arbuckle & Jemima Robertson

Here's another situation where I nearly messed up a family.

courtesy of Jody MacKeil

If we look at the tombstone, it shows that Charles was born in 1860; however, the various censuses place his YOB at 1863/64/65 with our favorite birthday source in the absence of birth registrations- the 1901 census - putting his DOB at 5 Apr 1863.  His death registration shows his YOB at 1863 and his obit is 1862 - I went with 1863 despite the stone.

Now let's look at the obit....

Eastern Chronicle, Thurs, 23 Nov 1944
Merigomish - On Thursday, November 9th, Mr.Charles Henry Arbuckle passed away at his home at Ponds.  Mr. Arbuckle had been ailing for some time.  He was born, April 4th, 1862.  He married Miss Mary Robinson, formerly from Prince Edward Island who predeceased him in November 1900.  He leaves to mourn three daughters, Mrs. Charles W Mason, Ponds, Merigomish; Mrs. Florence Turner, Ponds, Merigomish; Mrs. Georgie Gratto, Cambridge, Mass; and two sons, Irving Arbuckle, Egerton and Edison at home.  Also surviving are 24 grandchildren and 7 great grandchildren.  Mr. Arbuckle was the possessor of a most friendly nature, a good neighbour and beloved by all who knew him.  The very large funeral and profusion of flowers were a tribute to the esteem in which he was held.  The service was conducted by his pastor, F.G. MacDonald.  Favorite selections of the deceased were tendered, "The Lord's My Shepherd" and "What A Friend We Have In Jesus" and "Abide With Me". The pall bearers were: Messers. Cecil MacKay, Chandler Murray, Charles F.Arbuckle, Otto Christenson, C.W. Mason and Harry Murdock.  Interment was at Murray Point cemetery.

What's misleading is that his wife is listed as Mary Robinson but according to the marriage entry, he married his cousin Jemima Robertson, the daughter of James Robertson & Catherine Arbuckle.  

And then the "daughter" Georgie Gratto -  I could not find any proof for this girl until....at one point I had thought they had taken in his Aunt Jennie's granddaughter Georgie?!

Until I found the obit for their daughter Florence Turner (nee Arbuckle) 

Chronicle Herald, 18 Apr 1995
TURNER, Florence Charlotte (Flo) - 95, The Ponds, Merigomish, Pictou Co., died April 17, 1995, in Aberdeen Hospital, New Glasgow. Born at The Ponds, she was a daughter of the late Charles and Jemima (Robertson) Arbuckle.  She was a homemaker; an adherent of St. Paul's Presbyterian Church, Merigomish and was very active until the last couple years. She was the last surviving member of her immediate family.  Surviving are daughters, Lorna MacPhee, Stellarton; Sylvia (Mrs. John Mason), Merigomish; Martha Turner, at home; son, Harold, Ardness; 14 grandchildren; 16 great-grandchildren; several nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by her husband, Harry; daughters, Rena, Laura; son, James; sister, Bessie Mason; brothers, Edison, Irving; half-sister, Georgie.  Visitation 2-4, 7-9 p.m. today in P&K MacDonald Funeral Home, New Glasgow. Funeral 2 p.m. Wednesday in St. Paul's Presbyterian Church, Merigomish, Rev. Alex MacDonald and Mrs. Jessie Johnson officiating. Burial in Murrays Point Cemetery. Donations to Murrays Point Cemetery or St. Paul's Presbyterian Church building fund.

Half-sister!!  No wonder I couldn't find anything.  Based on the records I found, Georgie was the daughter a George Robertson &  Jemima Robertson, born in PEI - 0y! Gratto/Robertson marriage, she later remarried and it too lists the parents. 

It gets more confusing because a travel manifest indicates that her mother as Jemima McKay??