My Family Tree

Mary Eleanor Dyment was not in the PEI Baptismal Index, as a child or after her marriage. There was, however, a Mary Elener, age 13 (b. 1868) in the household of Humphrey and Nancy Dyment in the 1881 census. She was described as being from Northam in the news item about her marriage, and her obituary stated she was the daughter of Humphrey Dyment. She was buried with her parents.

Mary Eleanor married John Archibald Barlow on September 4 1885, at the age of 17, with John A. McDougald and her sister Elizabeth A. Dyment as witnesses. "At the home of the bride's father on the 10 inst. by Rev. D. G. McDonald Mr. John A. Barlow of Wellington to Miss Mary E. Dyment of Northam." Daily Examiner 1 September 1885 page 3.

Nellie and Archie had two sons, William Spurgeon and Henry J. Williams, the latter named after her sister Elizabeth's husband. "Williams" has continued to be used as a name in the Dyment family.

Nellie died 26 May 1890, and was buried United Church Cemetery, Bideford, P.E.I: inscription Mary E. Dyment, beloved wife of Archibald Barlow, died at age 23. This inscription was on the Humphrey Dyment/Nancy McDougald gravestone. The local paper carried her death notice "At Wellington, on the 26th ult, Mrs. John A. Barlow, beloved daughter of Humphrey Dyment, Northam. In full assurance of faith." ( Daily Examiner, June 1, 1890, death of Mrs. John Barlow - from the Master Name Index).

Okay, this is a long shot - but what if Mary Eleanor was Mary Elizabeth McDougall, the missing daughter of Sarah Dyment and James McDougall? There is a slight difference in age, but it would account for the missing baptism record. If Sarah's daughter was alive at the time of her death, I can't see Nancy and Humphrey not taking her in!
On the other hand, Humphrey became a Baptist sometime after 1861, so he may have decided not to have his youngest daughter baptized.