George Williams [1860-1886] and Elizabeth Ann Stephenson [1868-1946]
George Williams was another son of Isaac Amos Williams and Caroline Seymour Sanders. He was born about 1860 in Guelph, Canada West [D03763, D03788, D05090, D05091, D05095, D05121]. He followed his father’s footsteps and entered the accounting profession [D05095]. He was working as an accountant in Toronto when he married Elizabeth Ann Stephenson on 7 Jan 1885 [D05090].
Elizabeth Ann Stephenson was born 18 March 1868 in Cookstown, Simcoe County daughter of William Stephenson and Ann Willoughby [D05090, D05093, D05098, D05099, D05100, D05101, D05102, D05121].
George Williams only lived for about a year and half after his marriage to Elizabeth, passing away of tuberculosis on 13 June 1886 [D05095] at the age of approximately twenty-six. George and Elizabeth had one child together, George Bertrand Williams who was born on 13 November 1885 in Parkdale [D05094].
After the death of her husband, Elizabeth Ann Stephenson Williams married William Ritter on 26 September 1888 in Toronto [D05093]. She lived to the age of seventy-eight and died on 20 Jun 1946 [D05102, D05121]. She is buried along with her first husband, George Williams in St James Cemetery, Toronto [D05121].
Sources:
[D03763] 1861 census of Canada East, Canada West, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia, Wellington, Guelph, p. 31; RG 31; digital images,Ancestry.ca (accessed 20 May 2018).
[D03788] 1871 census of Canada, Ontario, district 35, sub-district e, Mount Forest, p. 49, dwelling 173, family 173; RG 31; digital images (accessed 20 May 2018).
[D05090] Ontario Archives of Ontario, Ontario, Canada Marriages, Reel 52: 410, 13513, Williams-Stephenson; digital images, Ancestry.ca, "Ontario, Canada Marriages,"(accessed 29 Nov 2018).
[D05091] 1881 census of Canada, Ontario, district 134, sub-district F, Toronto, p. 164, dwelling 681, family 780; RG 31; digital images, Ancestry.ca (accessed 29 Nov 2018).
[D05093] Ontario Archives of Ontario, Ontario, Canada Marriages, Reel 63: 388, 14427, Ritter-Williams; digital images, Ancestry.ca, "Ontario, Canada Marriages,"(accessed 29 Nov 2018).
[D05094] Ontario Archives of Ontario, MS 929, reels 1-245, MS929 Reel 80: 154, 42481, 81; digital image, Ancestry.com, "Ontario, Canada Births," (29 Nov 2018).
[D05095] Ontario Archives of Ontario, Ontario, Canada Deaths, MS935 Reel 46: 608, 22697, 1400; digital image, Ancestry.ca, "Ontario, Canada Deaths," Ancestry.ca (29 Nov 2018).
[D05098] 1891 census of Canada, Ontario, district 119, Toronto, p. 70, family 312; RG 31; digital images, Ancestry.ca, Ancestry (accessed 30 Nov 2018).
[D05099] 1901 census of Canada, Ontario, district 118, sub-district D-3, Toronto, p. 4, dwelling 32, family 36; RG 31; digital images(accessed 30 Nov 2018).
[D05100] 1911 census of Canada, Ontario, district 128, sub-district 98, Toronto, p. 4, dwelling 29, family 34; RG 31; digital images, Ancestry.com (accessed 30 Nov 2018). Cit. ID: D05100
[D05101] 1921 census of Canada, district 113, sub-district 45, Parkdale, p. 12, dwelling 114, family 134; RG 31; digital images, ancestry.com (accessed 30 Nov 2018). Cit. ID: D05101
[D05102] Ontario Archives of Ontario, Ontario, Canada Deaths, 17073, RG 80-08-0-2482; digital image, Ancestry.ca, "Ontario, Canada Deaths," Ancestry.ca (30 Nov 2018).
[D05121] St James Cemetery & Crematorium (Toronto, York, Ontario).
Monday, November 30, 2020
Monday, November 23, 2020
X00116 John J. Douglas and Janet Kennedy Marriage Record
I have been trying to locate a marriage record for John James Douglas [1860-1938] and Janet Highet Kennedy [1866-1898].
I know when the marriage occurred and where, thanks to this news article from the Owen Sound Advertiser dated 23 December 1886:
Transcription: Married: In the Methodist Church, Tara, on the 16th December, by the Rev. R. W. Williams, John J. Douglas, Jeweler, to Janet H. Kennedy, daughter of Dr. Kennedy, all of Owen Sound. [D05698]
So, I know that it occurred in Tara, Bruce County on 16 December 1886. But I haven't been able to find it in the Ontario Marriage Registrations, seaching under the names of both the bride and the groom. I have even gone through all of the marriages registered on that date and still haven't found it. So, I'm going to conclude that this was one of the marriage registrations that was not registered - as marriage registrations were not required in Ontario at the time. There may be church records out there for this marriage, but as far as the search for the registration, I'm going to consider this one case closed.
Sources:
[D05698] (Owen Sound) The Advertiser, Owen Sound, 23 December 1886, p. 2, col. 4. Rec. Date: 8 Feb 2019.
I know when the marriage occurred and where, thanks to this news article from the Owen Sound Advertiser dated 23 December 1886:
Transcription: Married: In the Methodist Church, Tara, on the 16th December, by the Rev. R. W. Williams, John J. Douglas, Jeweler, to Janet H. Kennedy, daughter of Dr. Kennedy, all of Owen Sound. [D05698]
So, I know that it occurred in Tara, Bruce County on 16 December 1886. But I haven't been able to find it in the Ontario Marriage Registrations, seaching under the names of both the bride and the groom. I have even gone through all of the marriages registered on that date and still haven't found it. So, I'm going to conclude that this was one of the marriage registrations that was not registered - as marriage registrations were not required in Ontario at the time. There may be church records out there for this marriage, but as far as the search for the registration, I'm going to consider this one case closed.
Sources:
[D05698] (Owen Sound) The Advertiser, Owen Sound, 23 December 1886, p. 2, col. 4. Rec. Date: 8 Feb 2019.
Monday, November 16, 2020
X00281: What Happened to Edwin & Maude Williams after 1921?
Last week I posted the profiles of Edwin Lawerence Williams [1869-?] and Maude Alfreda Williams [1869-?] based on what I have found so far. Unfortunately, I have no information on what happened to them past the 1921 census. As of 1921 they were both living in Toronto at 58 Elmer Avenue.
I have not been able to find them in the death registrations for Ontario, or any cemetery records for them using a number of sources including Find A Grave and the Toronto Trust Cemeteries Database.
Some sources still to try:
Any other suggestions or information are welcome!
I have not been able to find them in the death registrations for Ontario, or any cemetery records for them using a number of sources including Find A Grave and the Toronto Trust Cemeteries Database.
Some sources still to try:
- The 1931 census (when it becomes available)
- Local newspapers
- Directories
- Voters lists
- The 1940 National Registration
Any other suggestions or information are welcome!
Monday, November 9, 2020
Profile: Edwin Lawrence Williams [1869-?] and Maude Alfreda Eastman [1869-?]
Edwin Lawrence Williams [1869-?] and Maude Alfreda Eastman [1869-?]
Edwin Lawrence Williams was born in Mount Forest, Wellington, Ontario in June 1869 [D03788, D03789, D05223, D05224, D05225, D05226]. He was the youngest child of Isaac Williams and Caroline Seymour Sanders.
Edwin moved around with the family from Mount Forest to Port Perry and then eventually to Lindsay, Victoria County [D03789]. At the age of twelve, Edwin assisted his father’s bookkeeping work [D03789] but later learned the trade of a jeweller. He first worked in Brighton, Northumberland [D05223, D05224] but later found work in a watch factory in Toronto [D05225, D05226].
Edwin married Maude Alfreda Eastman on 7 Jan 1891 in Toronto [D05223]. Maude was the daughter of Benjamin Eastman and Sarah Alfreda. She was born in February of 1869 in Minden, Haliburton County [D05223, D05224, D06663, D06664] and grew up there [D06663, D06664].
Edwin and Maude continued to live in Toronto after they were married, residing at 58 Elmer Ave [D05226].
Sources
[D03788] 1871 census of Canada, Ontario, district 35, sub-district e, Mount Forest, p. 49, dwelling 173, family 173; RG 31; digital images(accessed 20 May 2018).
[D03789] 1881 census of Canada, Ontario, district 129, sub-district B-2, Lindsay, Victoria, p. 99, dwelling 458, family 469; RG 31; digital images, Ancestry.ca (accessed 20 May 2018).
[D05223] Ontario Archives of Ontario, Ontario, Canada Marriages, Reel 73: 322, 14007, Williams-Eastman; digital images, Ancestry.ca, "Ontario, Canada Marriages,"(accessed 22 Dec 2018).
[D05224] 1891 census of Canada, Ontario, district 98, sub-district 1, Brighton, p. 17, family 86; RG 31; digital images, Ancestry.ca, Ancestry (accessed 22 Dec 2018).
[D05225] 1911 census of Canada, Ontario, district 125, sub-district 33, Toronto, p. 12, dwelling 119, family 135; RG 31; digital images, Ancestry.com (accessed 22 Dec 2018).
[D05226] 1921 census of Canada, district 142, sub-district 33, Toronto, p. 13, dwelling 64, family 82; RG 31; digital images, ancestry.com (accessed 22 Dec 2018).
[D06663] 1871 census of Canada, Ontario, district 53, sub-district G, Minden Hills, p. 3, dwelling 7, family 7; RG 31; digital images(accessed 25 Jan 2020).
[D06664] 1881 census of Canada, Ontario, district 125, sub-district P, Minden, p. 2, dwelling 7, family 7; RG 31; digital images, Ancestry.ca (accessed 25 Jan 2020).
Edwin Lawrence Williams was born in Mount Forest, Wellington, Ontario in June 1869 [D03788, D03789, D05223, D05224, D05225, D05226]. He was the youngest child of Isaac Williams and Caroline Seymour Sanders.
Edwin moved around with the family from Mount Forest to Port Perry and then eventually to Lindsay, Victoria County [D03789]. At the age of twelve, Edwin assisted his father’s bookkeeping work [D03789] but later learned the trade of a jeweller. He first worked in Brighton, Northumberland [D05223, D05224] but later found work in a watch factory in Toronto [D05225, D05226].
Edwin married Maude Alfreda Eastman on 7 Jan 1891 in Toronto [D05223]. Maude was the daughter of Benjamin Eastman and Sarah Alfreda. She was born in February of 1869 in Minden, Haliburton County [D05223, D05224, D06663, D06664] and grew up there [D06663, D06664].
Edwin and Maude continued to live in Toronto after they were married, residing at 58 Elmer Ave [D05226].
Sources
[D03788] 1871 census of Canada, Ontario, district 35, sub-district e, Mount Forest, p. 49, dwelling 173, family 173; RG 31; digital images(accessed 20 May 2018).
[D03789] 1881 census of Canada, Ontario, district 129, sub-district B-2, Lindsay, Victoria, p. 99, dwelling 458, family 469; RG 31; digital images, Ancestry.ca (accessed 20 May 2018).
[D05223] Ontario Archives of Ontario, Ontario, Canada Marriages, Reel 73: 322, 14007, Williams-Eastman; digital images, Ancestry.ca, "Ontario, Canada Marriages,"(accessed 22 Dec 2018).
[D05224] 1891 census of Canada, Ontario, district 98, sub-district 1, Brighton, p. 17, family 86; RG 31; digital images, Ancestry.ca, Ancestry (accessed 22 Dec 2018).
[D05225] 1911 census of Canada, Ontario, district 125, sub-district 33, Toronto, p. 12, dwelling 119, family 135; RG 31; digital images, Ancestry.com (accessed 22 Dec 2018).
[D05226] 1921 census of Canada, district 142, sub-district 33, Toronto, p. 13, dwelling 64, family 82; RG 31; digital images, ancestry.com (accessed 22 Dec 2018).
[D06663] 1871 census of Canada, Ontario, district 53, sub-district G, Minden Hills, p. 3, dwelling 7, family 7; RG 31; digital images(accessed 25 Jan 2020).
[D06664] 1881 census of Canada, Ontario, district 125, sub-district P, Minden, p. 2, dwelling 7, family 7; RG 31; digital images, Ancestry.ca (accessed 25 Jan 2020).
Monday, July 6, 2020
Analysis: Emerson Claude Smith Date of Birth
Analysis: Emerson Claude Smith's Date of Birth
Emerson Claude Smith's profile can be found here. The details below describe the analysis for how I determined his date of birth from conflicting information.
Details/Background:
There are conflicting dates of birth given for Emerson Claude Smith’s date of birth.
Most sources concur with a date of 13th October 1881, although one source suggests 14th October 1881, one 23rd November 1881 and still another 1883.
Analysis:
The two big outliers are the 1891 census [D04734] which puts his birthdate at about 1883 and the 1917 Flesherton Advance article [D04805] which gives his birthdate as 23 November 1881. All other sources are consistent with a birthdate of October 1881.
The newspaper article was written in 1917 and newspapers are notorious for reporting incorrect details, so I’m going to rule that out as incorrect. Census records are also notorious for errors and so I’m going to rule that one out as incorrectly reported information.
So, the remaining sources all point to 1881 as the year of birth, and most of them October as the month. All the sources that give dates suggest 13 October 1881, except for the birth registration [D04797], which suggests 14 October 1881 as the date. The service record information [D04799] is derived from the same source as the attestation papers [D04798] and therefore would not be an independent source.
This would suggest that either the birth registration has the correct date of birth, but Emerson grew up thinking that his date of birth was the 13th or that the birth registration information was recorded incorrectly.
Normally, the birth registration information would be the one that I would rely on more because it was given the closest to the actual event, but in this case it seems like there is more information to support a date of birth of 13th October 1881.
Conclusion:
The most likely date of birth for Emerson Claude Smith is 13th October 1881.
Sources:
[D04351] Flesherton Cemetery (Flesherton, Grey, Ontario). Rec. Date: 9 Oct 2018. ID: D04351. Cit. Date: 9 Oct 2018.
[D04734] 1891 census of Canada, Ontario, district 69, sub-district 3, Artemesia, p. 43, family 209; RG 31; digital images, Ancestry.ca, Ancestry (accessed 15 Oct 2018). Rec. Date: 30 Sep 2017. Cit. Date: 15 Oct 2018.
[D04735] 1901 census of Canada, Ontario, district 66, sub-district A-5, Artemesia, p. 14, dwelling 126, family 126; RG 31; digital images(accessed 15 Oct 2018). Rec. Date: 4 Mar 2017. Cit. Date: 15 Oct 2018.
[D04736] 1911 census of Canada, Ontario, district 72, sub-district 4, Eugenia, p. 7, dwelling 70, family 70; RG 31; digital images, Ancestry.com (accessed 20 Oct 2018). Rec. Date: 18 Mar 2017. Cit. Date: 20 Oct 2018.
[D04797] Ontario Archives of Ontario, MS 929, reels 1-245, MS929; Reel: 48: 8357, 26; digital image, Ancestry.com, "Ontario, Canada Births," (25 Oct 2018). Rec. Date: 21 Apr 2017. Cit. Date: 25 Oct 2018.
[D04798] Canada, "WWI CEF Attestation Papers, 1914-1918," Attestation Papers: Emerson Claude Smith; digital images, Ancestry.ca(accessed 11 Nov 2018). Rec. Date: 11 Nov 2018. Cit. Date: 11 Nov 2018.
[D04799] Canada, "Emerson Claude Smith WW1 Military Service Record"; digital images, Library and Archives Canada(accessed 27 Dec 2018). Rec. Date: 27 Dec 2018. ID: D04799. Cit. Date: 27 Dec 2018.
[D04804] Petit-Vimy British Cemetery ( Vimy, Departement du Pas-de-Calais, Nord-Pas-de-Calais, France, Vimy, France), Plot c.9. Rec. Date: 25 Oct 2018. ID: D04804. Cit. Date: 25 Oct 2018.
[D04805] "Claude Emerson Smith," Flesherton Advance, 16 Aug 1917, p. 1, col. 2; digital images(accessed 2 Nov 2018), Grey Highlands Newspapers. Rec. Date: 2 Nov 2018. Cit. Date: 2 Nov 2018.
Emerson Claude Smith's profile can be found here. The details below describe the analysis for how I determined his date of birth from conflicting information.
Details/Background:
There are conflicting dates of birth given for Emerson Claude Smith’s date of birth.
Most sources concur with a date of 13th October 1881, although one source suggests 14th October 1881, one 23rd November 1881 and still another 1883.
Analysis:
| Reference | Description | Date of Birth Given | Notes |
| D04797 | Birth Registration | 14 October 1881 | |
| D04734 | 1891 Census | ca 1883 | Age 8 in 1891 |
| D04735 | 1901 Census | 13 October 1881 | |
| D04736 | 1911 Census | October 1881 | |
| D04798 | WW1 Attestation Papers | 13 October 1881 | |
| D04799 | WW1 Service Record | 13 October 1881 | |
| D04804 | Gravestone | ca 1881 | Age 36 in 1917 |
| D04351 | Family gravestone | ca 1881 | Age 36 in 1917 |
| D04805 | Newspaper Article, 1917 | 23 November 1881 |
The two big outliers are the 1891 census [D04734] which puts his birthdate at about 1883 and the 1917 Flesherton Advance article [D04805] which gives his birthdate as 23 November 1881. All other sources are consistent with a birthdate of October 1881.
The newspaper article was written in 1917 and newspapers are notorious for reporting incorrect details, so I’m going to rule that out as incorrect. Census records are also notorious for errors and so I’m going to rule that one out as incorrectly reported information.
So, the remaining sources all point to 1881 as the year of birth, and most of them October as the month. All the sources that give dates suggest 13 October 1881, except for the birth registration [D04797], which suggests 14 October 1881 as the date. The service record information [D04799] is derived from the same source as the attestation papers [D04798] and therefore would not be an independent source.
This would suggest that either the birth registration has the correct date of birth, but Emerson grew up thinking that his date of birth was the 13th or that the birth registration information was recorded incorrectly.
Normally, the birth registration information would be the one that I would rely on more because it was given the closest to the actual event, but in this case it seems like there is more information to support a date of birth of 13th October 1881.
Conclusion:
The most likely date of birth for Emerson Claude Smith is 13th October 1881.
Sources:
[D04351] Flesherton Cemetery (Flesherton, Grey, Ontario). Rec. Date: 9 Oct 2018. ID: D04351. Cit. Date: 9 Oct 2018.
[D04734] 1891 census of Canada, Ontario, district 69, sub-district 3, Artemesia, p. 43, family 209; RG 31; digital images, Ancestry.ca, Ancestry (accessed 15 Oct 2018). Rec. Date: 30 Sep 2017. Cit. Date: 15 Oct 2018.
[D04735] 1901 census of Canada, Ontario, district 66, sub-district A-5, Artemesia, p. 14, dwelling 126, family 126; RG 31; digital images(accessed 15 Oct 2018). Rec. Date: 4 Mar 2017. Cit. Date: 15 Oct 2018.
[D04736] 1911 census of Canada, Ontario, district 72, sub-district 4, Eugenia, p. 7, dwelling 70, family 70; RG 31; digital images, Ancestry.com (accessed 20 Oct 2018). Rec. Date: 18 Mar 2017. Cit. Date: 20 Oct 2018.
[D04797] Ontario Archives of Ontario, MS 929, reels 1-245, MS929; Reel: 48: 8357, 26; digital image, Ancestry.com, "Ontario, Canada Births," (25 Oct 2018). Rec. Date: 21 Apr 2017. Cit. Date: 25 Oct 2018.
[D04798] Canada, "WWI CEF Attestation Papers, 1914-1918," Attestation Papers: Emerson Claude Smith; digital images, Ancestry.ca(accessed 11 Nov 2018). Rec. Date: 11 Nov 2018. Cit. Date: 11 Nov 2018.
[D04799] Canada, "Emerson Claude Smith WW1 Military Service Record"; digital images, Library and Archives Canada(accessed 27 Dec 2018). Rec. Date: 27 Dec 2018. ID: D04799. Cit. Date: 27 Dec 2018.
[D04804] Petit-Vimy British Cemetery ( Vimy, Departement du Pas-de-Calais, Nord-Pas-de-Calais, France, Vimy, France), Plot c.9. Rec. Date: 25 Oct 2018. ID: D04804. Cit. Date: 25 Oct 2018.
[D04805] "Claude Emerson Smith," Flesherton Advance, 16 Aug 1917, p. 1, col. 2; digital images(accessed 2 Nov 2018), Grey Highlands Newspapers. Rec. Date: 2 Nov 2018. Cit. Date: 2 Nov 2018.
Monday, March 9, 2020
Who is Lee Ann Bauman - Solved!
A number of years ago I was at Greenwood cemetery and on the Douglas family gravestone I found the name Lee Ann Bauman with no clear connection to anyone else on the stone:
The dates given for her are 1959 - 1967. There is most likely a connection to the Douglas family of Owen Sound, but unfortunately the stone didn't give any further information and the birth and death years are too recent for civil registration. The FindaGrave website did not offer any additional connections either.
Fortunately, I was able to find a newspaper listing for both her birth and death in the Grey County newspapers collection:
So, these two articles not only corroborate her birth and death dates from the stone but also give then names of the parents: Carman and Marjorie Bauman and that her grandparents were Mr. and Mrs. Stewart Douglas and Mr. and Mrs. George Bauman. So there is our connection to the Douglas family. Stewart A. Douglas was one of the sons of Thomas William Douglas (1859-1955), a well-known tailor in Owen Sound and also buried in the same location. I also later found a marriage notice in the paper announcing the marriage of Carman Bauman and Marjorie Douglas.
I have since sent a request to update the connection on FindaGrave.
The dates given for her are 1959 - 1967. There is most likely a connection to the Douglas family of Owen Sound, but unfortunately the stone didn't give any further information and the birth and death years are too recent for civil registration. The FindaGrave website did not offer any additional connections either.
Fortunately, I was able to find a newspaper listing for both her birth and death in the Grey County newspapers collection:
So, these two articles not only corroborate her birth and death dates from the stone but also give then names of the parents: Carman and Marjorie Bauman and that her grandparents were Mr. and Mrs. Stewart Douglas and Mr. and Mrs. George Bauman. So there is our connection to the Douglas family. Stewart A. Douglas was one of the sons of Thomas William Douglas (1859-1955), a well-known tailor in Owen Sound and also buried in the same location. I also later found a marriage notice in the paper announcing the marriage of Carman Bauman and Marjorie Douglas.
I have since sent a request to update the connection on FindaGrave.
Monday, March 2, 2020
X00308 Thomas Williams' brewery in the County of Flint
Another new discovery that I found when I was doing research on the White Bear Hotel. An article from the Liverpool Mercury [D06809] dated 28 May 1841 suggests that Thomas Williams was selling a brewery located in the county of Flint.
This is an interesting discover, because it suggests that he was involved in the brewery business even earlier than when he came to Canada!
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