Really not Queries so much as "Other"... giving information in case someone can use it? Will answer questions if desired.
My father, Philip Sydney Ilsley, was the younger brother of James Lorimer Ilsley, both born in Nova Scotia, Canada. Philip married Vesta (maiden name unknown to me), two children (my half sisters) Dorothy and Betty. Dorothy married Alan Tarr of Winnipeg. Betty married twice and twice widowed.
Philip then wed Mildred. No children. Then he married Irene Mary Kelliher, my mother, and had me.
Philip came to the United States during the construction of the Holland Tunnel in New York, which he observed. It was using pneumatically sprayed concrete in the construction, (called guniting) and some years later, Philip applied that technique in the construction of swimming pools, and Paddock Pools, based in Los Angeles, was the result in the late '30s. He has been called the Father of the Swimming Pool Industry in the United States and abroad as he is the first to have applied guniting in the construction of swimming pools.
Philip stated the family emigrated from England in the mid-18th century and "threw Evangeline out of Acadia" (a wry sense of humor). Unfortunately I have no knowledge of the intervening generations until my father's, but they apparently issued a line that remained in Nova Scotia resulting in us.
Lorimer became Minister of Finance for Canada, then acting Prime Minister during WW II when MacMillan was stranded in England on a trip to consult with Churchill and Ministers regarding Canada's role in support of England during that war. Lorimer, after the war, became Chief Justice of the Nova Scotia Supreme Court (if that is the correct term... I was born and raised in the United States). I never met him nor his offspring.
I believe my paternal grandfather was named Randall Ilsley and married a Scottish lady with maiden name Caldwell. I was born late in my parent's lives and never met them.
This branch of the Ilsley family then traces back to the 1750s; prior to that, I have no knowledge except that we originated in England.
One other thing. My father disclaimed any relation to aristocracy. He said we were "yeoman farmers" dating to before William the Conquerer... and I am thinking we possibly occupied Hild's Lea in Berks. :)
I discovered that my son, Ari Philip Shenkman posted here 5 years ago! He is the family devotee of our origins. This is an amazing site. I just happened on it tonight.
I have a profile link if it would be helpful for geneological purposes:
http://kis.homestead.com/ShannonProfile.htmlHope this aspect of Ilsleys helps others and would like to hear from family if this stuff sounds familiar.. :)