AINLAY

The name Ainlay probably means "landowner" - ain meaning "own" and lay meaning "land." According to William Liard Ainlay of Toronto, writing in the 1950s, "the original Ainlay came to England from Normandy at the time of the Norman Conquest, about 1066."

The AINLAY Genealogy and "A History of the AINLAY Family," compiled and written by Margaret McNickle Ainlay and John Albert Ainlay in 1954, indicate the existence of three branches of this English clan in North America who spell their name "AINLAY." The "A" Ainlays are descended from John Ainlay (b. February 10, 1778, Yorkshire, ENG), who was one of the early pioneers in Canada, arriving in Port Hope, Ontario, in 1819. Information about the "A" Ainlays has been posted online by Chuck Haley, and can be accessed at Family Tree Maker.

According to John Albert Ainlay's introduction to the family history, "It is believed that (B) Henry Ainlay and (C) Richard Ainlay were possibly nephews of (A) John Ainlay." He later expands upon his conclusion in a discussion of the roots of the "B" Ainlays, writing: "Because of the fact that the Henry Ainlay family lived at the same time and in the same area of Canada as the 'A' John Ainlay family, and they spelled their name with an ay, it is very likely that they are a branch of the family, and that 'B' Henry was probably a nephew of John."

John was already 37 years old when Henry was born. It is unlikely that they made the passage to North America together, as no records have been found of Henry's parents ever arriving in Canada. Details of the exact relationship between these Ainlay forefathers can probably be found only in England. Nonetheless, the growth of Henry Ainlay's family was documented in the original AINLAY Genealogy, thanks to assistance from Albert "Alex" Ernest Ainlay (1895-1964), whose comments illuminate many of the entries which follow here.

It is a pleasure to be able to present this branch of the Ainlay family tree online, with annotation and relevant hyperlinks, for those interested in Ainlays and their ties to other families, notably Swartzendruber, Herd, and Van Blarcom.

Jane Coates Ainlay was born in 1819 and died on August 19, 1894, the mother of seven children with her husband Henry in Ontario, Canada. No information has survived regarding the eldest Ainlay girl, Alice, but it is known that two of the five daughters married: Sarah Ann to John Clarke on April 17, 1872, and Mary to William Dyer at some time prior to 1888. Son Alfred (d.December 17, 1893) lived his entire life in Canada unwed. His sisters Elizabeth (d. October 25, 1948) and Margaret (d. November 28, 1929) never married. They lived together in Millbrook, New Jersey, for a time, then later moved to Vancouver, British Columbia, where they died and are buried. Only son Joseph was able to carry on the Henry Ainlay family name.

In the 1950s, Albert "Alex" Ernest Ainlay recalled, "The earliest knowledge I have of my grandfather (Joseph) placed him at or near Spence, Ontario. The family (at some time) moved to Malone, New York. Grandfather married Emma Porterfield (b. April 4, 1849, Burke, NY) and they had two sons: my father, William Henry Ainlay, and my uncle, Ernest Ainlay. Then Grandfather went into the cold storage business as a stationary engineer at Jersey City, New Jersey. Exploding ammonia tanks caused his death."

Albert "Alex" Ernest Ainlay stated for the 1954 family record, "My father (William Henry) became a United States citizen and married Elizabeth Bogert of Paterson, New Jersey. My parents had three children: Martha married William Hill, and they live in Wortendyke and have one married daughter; Alice, who married James Van Blarcom, lives in Ridgewood, New Jersey, and they have three sons, all married. I married Ruth Swartzendruber, and we now live in Denver and have a son, Tom E. Ainlay."

Alex's mother, Elizabeth, died before the turn of the century and never had a chance to know her five grandchildren. William Henry remarried three years later, to Mame Bush. The Ainlay children were raised by their stepmother in Bergen County, New Jersey, where their father spent the greater part of his life as a community leader. According to the 1954 documents, William Henry Ainlay "died at the age of seventy of a heart attack while attending a meeting of the Fire Department at the Fire House. He was one of four men instrumental in the establishment of the borough and was elected to the borough council in 1922. He was president of the council several times and had been chairman of the finance and road committee for eighteen years... He was the district clerk of the school board, which position he held for twelve years. For fourteen years he served as secretary for the fire department, but was given a leave of absence for a year. He had resumed his duties the year of his death. He was also the first chief of the Fire Department, being elected to the office when the department was established in 1924. He served as district fire warden for sixteen years and was employed as an inspector by the Department of Weights and Measures of Bergan County. He resided with his daughter Martha."

The crowning achievement of William Henry's long career in public service came in November 1940 at age 70. The Wyckoff News, dated Thursday, November 7, announced that William H. Ainlay "was elected mayor of the borough of Franklin Lakes, over his opponent, A.W. Ramsey, Tuesday, by 54 votes. Ainlay will be the second mayor to serve the Borough in the 18 years of its existance (sic). He will replace Mayor William V. Pulis." His mayoral term was quite short, but it is obvious that William Henry's impact on the Franklin Lakes community was large and lasting. Not all of Joseph Ainlay's lineage would remain in the United States, however.

Albert "Alex" Ernest Ainlay related in the early 1950s that his father's brother Ernest had "moved back to Toronto, married Jane Hartley of Peterboro and they had two sons, Ernest and John. Ernest is an Executive in the National Trust Company of Toronto, and John owns a garage in Niagra Falls, Ontario."

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