Olive Tree Genealogy Blog: Women's History Month

Showing posts with label Women's History Month. Show all posts

March 8, 2017

Women's History Month: Thank a Suffragette

Sylvia Pankhurst. How many of us know her name? How many of us remember how her actions started the movement to allow women the right to vote.

Suffragettes. They wore purple for loyalty and dignity, white for purity, and green for hope. They marched and organized and suffered for women to be given political equality.

March is Women's History Month and it's a good time for us to say a silent "thank you" to Ms. Pankhurst, her sister Christabell Pankhurst and mother Emmeline, and the other suffragettes who fought for the rights we take for granted.

March 10, 2016

Why is Canada's First Female Pilot being ignored by Canada's Aviation Hall of Fame?

Because March is Women's History Month I wanted to share with my readers the story of strong and courageous women in my life. You will be able to follow along as you wish by choosing the label "Women of Courage" in the right side bar. I encourage my readers to join me in honoring women of courage in your own families.

I want to tell you about my third cousin twice removed, Eileen Vollick (1908-1968) who became the first Canadian woman to obtain a pilot's licence in March 1928. Eileen was related to me in two ways, and was also my 7th cousin twice removed.

"Canada’s first licenced woman pilot was born in Wiarton, Ontario. By the age of 19, she was a textile analyst at the Hamilton Cotton Company and had also won a local beauty contest. She was a spirited girl who had parachuted into Burlington Bay before taking flying lessons. It was 1927. Charles Lindbergh had just flown the Atlantic and Amelia Earhart was beginning to capture the public’s imagination. The diminutive Beach Boulevard resident had already set her sights much higher than anyone could have imagined!

She enrolled in the Flying School owned by Jack V. Elliot at Ghents Crossing on Burlington Bay. The only reservation that her instructor, Len Trip had, was that she was only 5' 1"s and had to use pillows to see out of the cockpit of the ski-equipped Curtiss JN-4 Bi-plane (affectionately known as a "Jenny")

The Comptroller of Civil Aviation issued Eileen a private pilot’s licence #77 on March 13, 1928, the first woman in Canada to qualify as a pilot.

After passing her flight test, she flew in the U.S. and Canada, often demonstrating aerobatic flying which she enjoyed immensely. Shortly afterwards she became Mrs James Hopkin, moved to New York State and raised a family, where she lived until her death in 1968."

A historical plaque in honour of Eileen Vollick, our first licenced woman pilot was unveiled by three members of Eileen’s family, including her husband Mr. James Hopkin. The plaque can be seen at the entrance to the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum at Hamilton Airport.

The First Canadian Chapter had previously (posthumously) awarded Eileen with an Amelia Earhart Medallion in 1975 at the occasion of their 25th Anniversary and East Canada Section Fall Meeting.

Eileen is also featured in the 99s East Canada Collection Display at the Toronto Aerospace Museum in Downsview.

In 2005, a several of us who are related to Eileen campaigned to have her admitted to Canada's Aviation Hall of Fame. We were joined in our efforts by thte Canadian 99s and Wiarton Musuem. Although we presented all our research with supporting documentation our nomination of Eileen was denied as:

"The names for the 2006 inductees have been published on our website (www.cahf.ca) under the "What's New!" heading. My apologises [sic] for not being successful this year with Eileen Vollick's nomination, but it will be reconsidered for next year."

Ten years later, Eileen's name is still not found. Why is this amazing Canadian female being ignored by Canada's Aviation Hall of Fame?

February 29, 2016

Woman of Courage Sarah Elvery Stead

Sarah Elvery Stead 1867

Sarah Elvery has always been an ancestor whose life story brings tears to my eyes. Born in Kent England in 1836, Sarah grew up in a hard-working family. At the age of 20 she married William Stead, a local gardener. William was deaf, having suffered from measles as a 10 year old and losing his hearing as a result.

Children soon followed in rapid succession - Edward, William Jr. and Charles. In 1862 their only daughter, my great-grandmother Sarah, was born. Sadly one year later little 6 year old Edward died. 1866 saw the birth of another son who they named Edward after their deceased first-born son.

William decided the family would emigrate from England to Australia where his brother had been living since 1855. It was 1867, the Civil War was barely over in the United States, and 29 year old Sarah was pregnant with her 6th child.

The voyage on the Light Brigade was a rough one. They encountered many storms and the voyage was much longer than normal. Sarah was nearing her time to deliver her child an they were still at sea. Then tragedy struck. Sarah gave birth to a son who they named Ebenezer but shortly after his birth she was bitten by a flea on a rat, and fell ill with Typhus. When the ship reached Sydney Harbour, they were quarantined and poor Sarah died on board without ever setting foot on land.

Although Sarah did not have to suffer anymore sadness, there was more to come for the family. After she died in June, William took his four children ages two weeks to 8 years old to his brother's. Then in October 5 month old Ebenezer died and was buried in Sydney with his mother. William was left with a very tough decision as to what to do next.

Sarah would no doubt have been heart-broken at what happened next. William took his 5 year old daughter Sarah and 7 year old son Charles back to England, leaving his other two sons behind with his brother. They were later adopted by William's brother, and William himself remarried in England one year later and had more children with his new wife.

He never saw his two sons left behind in Australia again.

February 22, 2016

Woman of Courage Edith Finch

Race Hill Workhouse

Edith Winnifred Finch, my husband's 2nd great grandmother, was born in the Race Hill Workhouse in Sussex England in 1870. She was the third illegitimate child born to Martha Finch, who had lived in the Workhouse for over 10 years. Martha gave no father's name on little Edith's birth registration and it is not known who he was.

Sadly Edith was not as lucky as her two older siblngs who had been taken in by their maternal grandparents. She grew up in the Workhouse and was still there 20 years later. Then Edith was hired to work as a servant for a wealthy family. Not long afterwards, 21 year old Edith had a son. It is believed that she became pregnant by the son of the family she worked for. She and her baby Albert were able to rent a room in a private home.

When Albert was 4 years old Edith's luck seemed to be changing. She met and married Albert Markham in 1895 and a son Frederick and daughter Elsie soon followed. Elsie was born in February 1898 in London England but misfortune struck again. When baby Elsie was 8 months old, her father Albert died and one month later her mother, 28 year old Edith also died. The two boys, ages 2 and 8 years old, were first taken in by relatives but within a few months they were put into orphanages but 9 month old Elsie was taken in by her aunt and uncle.

Edith, through no fault of her own, had a very short and very tragic life. I call her a Woman of Courage for doing her best to make a good life for her children.

February 18, 2016

Woman of Courage Sarah Jane Page

Sarah Jane (Sally) Page Simpson

Sarah Jane (often called Sally) Page was born in May 1840 in the village of Chilham in Kent England. Queen Victoria had just married her first cousin Albert one month prior.

Sometime between 1855 and 1861 her parents separated. Sally and her husband Charles Simpson went to live with her mother and Sally's younger brothers Moses age 11 and Charlie only 6 years old. Her father lived elsewhere in the village with an older son.

Little is known of Sally's early years but her strength and courage were called on in the spring of 1874. At that time her young husband, only 44 years old, became ill and died. Sally, pregnant with their 5th child was left a widow at the age of 37. Her oldest child was only 13.

Sarah with grandson Ernest ca 1885

Less than 2 months after her husband Charles died, Sally gave birth to their son. This child was sickly and died when he was only 1 month old. Sally managed to raise her surviving children on her own by taking in laundry. She never remarried and remained a widow until her death in 1920 - 46 years after Charles died. In her later years she lived with her oldest son, my great-grandfather, and his family. In fact she died in their home with her daughter-in-law at her side.

I admire my 2nd great-grandmother Sarah Jane (Sally) a great deal. Being widowed at 37, losing a child, and working long hours over steaming hot water at a physically demanding job must have been horrendous. She was a petite woman too so the job must have been very difficult. But she raised children who grew up to be decent kind individuals.

February 15, 2016

Woman of Courage Hannah Philpot Golding

Hannah Philpot was my 3rd great-grandmother. She was born in what is called "the most haunted" village in England - Pluckley, Kent.

In 1823 when Hannah was barely 18 years old she married Edward Golden or Golding and moved to Lenham. In the next 12 years, between 1824 and 1836, Hannah bore 6 children. In 1837 Edward, just 37 years old, died. Hannah was left a young widow with 6 children aged 1 to 13 years old.

To keep her children in food, she became a charwoman. A charwoman was someone who cleaned houses for others. In 1840, three years after her husband's death, Hannah found herself pregnant and she soon gave birth to a baby girl (my 2nd great-grandmother) she named Georgiana. An illegitimate son John followed 3 years after Georgiana. Georgiana's birth certificate does not name her father but when she married, Georgiana stated her father was George Norris. George was an unmarried next-door neighbour.

At some point in 1873 Hannah was committed to the Kent County insane asylum where she died in April 1881. Poor Hannah lived a life of such hardship and loneliness and to spend the last 8 years of her life in a mental institution imparts a cruelty I cannot imagine.

It has always bothered me that George and Hannah never married and I can't help but wonder if she was taken advantage of by George. That is why I call her another Woman of Courage. She lived in that small village of Lenham her entire life, and presumably held her head high throughout what must have been gossip about her scandalous behaviour and having 2 illegitimate children.

February 11, 2016

Woman of Courage: Ada Massey

Ada Massey

Because February is Women's History Month I wanted to share with my readers the story of strong and courageous women in my life. You will be able to follow along as you wish by choosing the label "Women of Courage" in the right side bar. I encourage my readers to join me in honoring women of courage in your own families.

Ada Massey was a young free-spirited woman. Born in the small town of St. Mary's Ontario in the summer of 1887, Ada was the first child born to Thomas & Harriet (Purdue) Massey. Eventually she was joined by 7 younger siblings. Their family was life was not unlike others of the time period.

But Ada was different from other girls and young women her age. From an early age she began occassionally wearing men's clothing. Her behaviour became increasingly eccentric as judged by the mores of the early 1900s. After her father's death in 1912 when Ada was in her early 20's, her mother and brothers took to locking her in her room when she would have an emotional outburst.

During one such time Ada climbed out her bedroom window and hopped on the family sleigh to drive into town. It was a cold winter's day and she had no hat or coat but Ada didn't care.

Ada in mourning for her father in 1912

Eventually her behaviour and her emotional outbursts were too much for her widowed mother to handle and Ada was committed in January 1919 to what was then called the Insane Asylum in London Ontario.

The notes of attending doctors and nurses reveal an anguished young woman, a woman whose wanting to cut her long hair short was judged a sign of insanity as "no decent woman would ever do such a thing."

Ada insisted she wanted to cut her hair as it was far too hot in the summer and she was tired of fussing with it.

Poor Ada was never good at adding or subtracting numbers and when a verbal math test was administered by the doctors, Ada failed miserably. The notation on her chart reads "mentally retarded".

Photo of Ada hangs on our wall

Reading Ada's hospital charts and notes one has to wonder if she were truly slipping into madness or was she just being dramatic so that she had some excitement in her otherwise drab life! She began to claim that she was married and that her husband was buried in the local cemetery. But reading her words made me think it was all a ruse, that she knew very well she was not married to a dead man, for her story kept changing.

Meantime Ada's family sent letters and notes, as did Ada's many friends. Her mother wrote to the doctors asking for word of Ada's progress and expressing how much the family missed her. The doctors' notes back were brief and showed a total lack of caring. Ada was allowed visitors but the trip from St. Mary's to London was not easy so the family had few opportunities for a personal visit.

Eventually Ada refused to eat. She wanted out. She wanted to go home and be with her family and friends. She wanted to go back to her job at the J.D. Moore Cold Storage Plant.

After her continued refusal to eat, force feeding was ordered. We can only imagine the ordeal she went through. Ada continued to refuse solid food.

Less than 2 weeks after being admitted to the Asylum, Ada died. She was only 28 years old. The doctor's note to the family informing them of her death was one simple line of text

Her death certificate notes the cause of death as "Exhaustion" I believe she simply gave up. I believe she was a misunderstood young woman who did not fit into the social norms of the day. And that is why I call her a Woman of Courage.

Ada is buried in the local cemetery in St. Mary's with her brother James. Rest in Peace Ada.

February 8, 2016

Woman of Courage Anna Maria Warner

When my 5th great-grandmother Anna Maria (Mary) Warner was born in Schoharie New York in 1735, she could not have known the hard times she would go through as an adult. Her husband Isaac Van Valkenburg aka Vollick was imprisoned three times during the American Revolution for his Loyalist sympathies. When he was in prison, Mary was solely responsible for their 10 children.

After Isaac was released from prison he joined Butler's Rangers and fled to Canada. Mary continued to aid the British, and in 1779 she and the children were taken from their home at North River, New York by American patriots. Their home was burned, Mary and the children were marched 80 miles north through the forest and left in destitute circumstances to either die or figure out how to get to Canada. Luckily natives found Mary and helped them reach Montreal by July of 1779.

There the family received food rations, lodging and blankets until 1782 when they settled in the Niagara area as impoverished Loyalists. Then came the Hungry Years when crops failed and food was scarce. Hundreds of Loyalists perished. I can not begin to imagine how Mary survived and kept her family alive during these times.

February 5, 2016

Woman of Courage Hannah Blanden

Bastardy Examination 1791

When my 4th great-grandmother Hannah Blanden was 8 years old, her parents were ordered out of their home in from Bury, St. Edmunds Suffolk and sent to Wenhaston Suffolk. The year was 1778 and a Removal Order had been served on Thomas Blandon, Drummer in the Western Battalion Militia and his wife Mary and their children Mary, Elizabeth, Hannah, Thomas and Susannah. The youngest child was only one year old.

Removal orders meant that a family had become a financial burden on the parish they lived in, and could, by law, be ordered back to the parish the head of house had been born in. This was an incredible hardship on an already impoverished family, because often the birth parish was one the individual had never lived in for any length of time.

At the age of 20 Hannah had an illegitimate child and underwent a Bastardy Examination held by her parish in 1791.

Because parishes did not want to be responsible for the care of an illegitimate child, a pregnant woman or one who had just given birth, would be questioned by a midwife or other authority and the name of the child's father recorded. The father would then be ordered to provide financial support, either as a lump sum payment to the parish for the child until he/she reached the age of majority, or as a monthly sum (also payable to the parish for the child's welfare). In many cases the mother too would be ordered to make payments. This ensured that the child did not become a burden on the parish.

Bastardy Examination of Hannah Blandon 6 July 1791. Under Oath Hannah states that on Thursday 14 October 1790 she gave birth to female bastard child at Ephraim Lockwood’s house in Holton Parish, Blything Hundred, Suffolk Co. James King was the father.

Bastardy Order James King & Hannah Blandon 6 July 1791. Justices of Peace Eloazar Davy and Charles Purvis in Parish of Holton, Hundred of Blything, County of Sufoolk hear the case brought by Robert Smith, Guardian of the Poor in Blything. James to pay 1 shilling per week to John Robinson of Southwald or to Treasurer of the Poor, for maintenance of child as long as living in the parish. Hannah to pay 6 pence weekly.

At some point after the birth of their daughter James and Hannah may have married because they had at least two sons - Lewis in 1793 and Thomas in 1796. I have not found a marriage record for them so it is possible they never formalized their union.

What a brave woman I am descended from! To go from poverty, to be uprooted from friends and her home, be a single mom - that's a woman of courage to come through it all.

February 3, 2016

Woman of Courage Martha Finch

My husband's 3rd great grandmother Martha Finch had one heck of a life. By the age of 20 she was in the Race Hill Workhouse in Sussex England. The Workhouse was where debtors were sent if they could not pay their bills. Soon Martha found herself pregnant and her daughter Esther was born. Little Esther was lucky. Her maternal grandparents took her in rather than see her live in the Workhouse. But Martha stayed and within four years she had another child born in the Workhouse - a son John. Little John also went to live with Martha's parents.

Baby Edith, my husband's 2nd great grandmother, was born in the Workhouse in 1870. Martha gave no father's name on little Edith's birth registration. Sadly Edith, not as lucky as her two older sibllngs. She grew up in the Workhouse and was still there 20 years later.

Martha was finally able to leave the Workhouse by 1901 when she managed to obtain a job working as the cook in a private household. She was a woman of courage who suffered due to circumstances of her surroundings and the time period in which she grew up.

Who do you have as a Woman of Courage?

March 8, 2015

Women's History Month: Winnebago Escape Part 3

Continuing with the published story of my mother, aunt and grandmother's adventures in the 1970s:

During the course of the trip they stayed at a great deal of campsites for they were in no particular hurry. They were delighted to find that most of the overnight spots, be they private or government run, were clean and well kept. Rates varied between four and six dollars a night, with the occasional State Park costing as low as a dollar fifty.

Hooked to the rear of the Winnebago, the three widows had seen fit to attach a small economical Envoy Epic. Though they didn’t realize it at the time, this car was never sold in the United States. But did the little Epic give them any trouble? Not on your life. In all they put more than 5000 miles on the car with it never missing a beat. The only problem they had with the arrangement occurred when the arrangement when the Epic hit a bump, throwing the front wheels at an angle. When this occurred, the little car would sway back and forth at an alarming rate scrubbing miles of rubber off the front wheels. However they knew enough to stop the Winnebago, get out and straighten the steering wheel of the Epic and all would be fine again.

But don’t be mislead. They were prepared for emergencies even though their trip was trouble free. Each had coveralls and knew how to handle tools. Though they weren’t about to do an engine teardown by the side of the road, they had taken a course in auto mechanics and knew how to make small repairs, change propane bottles, fix balky stoves and hook the Epic to the rear of the Winnebago.

Indeed the only spot of trouble they had occurred on the streets of New Orleans where a brazen young man had the gaul to pinch Mrs. Ruth Bates, the senior member of the group. Resisting temptation, Mrs. Bates scorned he young man’s amorous advances turning on heel and leaving without saying a word. Delighted with their trip and quietly pleased with their ability to cope with such an adventurre, the threesome have made plans to visit the Maritimes this summer. We trust that their luck holds up and secretly wish that we were able to do the same thing.

Part 3 of 3

March 4, 2015

Women's History Month: Part 2 Winnebago Escape: Three Merry Widows Follow the Sun

Part 2 of Winnebago Escape: Three Merry Widows Follow the Sun (the story of my mother, aunt and Grandmother in 1974 as published in Driving Magazine)

They took just enough money to last them a month, the balance being held in trust by one of the daughters to be mailed in given amounts monthly. By doing it this way, they would be unable to overspend. If they had no more money to buy gasoline for the Winnebago, then that’s where they’d stay until the next month’s cheque arrived in the mail. Naturally hey kept in close touch with the daughter informing her of their whereabouts at all times. In truth, a perfectly logical plan of action.

Last summer was the height of the fuel crisis in the United States and here were these unsuspecting dears trundling across the border in a 20 foot Winnebago with a 413 cubic inch engine that sucks gas at the rate of l0 miles to the gallon of gas if you’re lucky. So what happened? Nothing. Only once were they restricted to a three dollar order which is ridiculous in a vehicle such as the Winnbago – it merely gets out of the gas station so you don’t block traffic. Throughout their trip which lasted six months, three of which were spent in sunny California, the three widows never ran into a gasoline problem.

Joan McGinnis, the youngster of the group who thinks hauling a Winnebago down the freeway is fun commented, “When I do the driving I expect someone else to navigate for me. I like to see some of the scenery and if you drive more than 55 mph you don’t get a chance to see anything.” As luck whould have it, that was the speed limit instituted during the crisis, so it wasn’t as if they were holding up traffic. Joan didn’t drive when it was windy, or when it rained, or on the weekends or when it go dark. In other words they drove for a few hours at a leisurely pace Monday through Thursday leaving the highways to the impatient ones during the weekends.

It would appear that someone up there watched over them for they had no mechanical problems, no flat tires, no emergencies or problems whatsoever . Oh, the odd time they got lost, but again that was no problem as they didn’t even care which road they took. All they knew was that they were heading for California and the sunshine.

Part 2 of 3

March 3, 2015

Winnebago Escape:Three Merry Widows Follow the Sun Part 1

This is a copy of the interview with my mother, aunt and grandmother in Driving magazine in 1974. The interview was called Winnebago Escape: Three Merry Widows Follow the Sun.

Because it is Women's History Month I wanted to share with my readers the story of these adventurous women in my life.

It’s the stuff dreams are made of. Sell your house and possessions buy a motor home and spend the rest of your days following the sun. So many of us talk about it, but sadly never get beyond the dreams.But three people set their sights on such a goal and through determination and staying power, succeeded where most fail.

Who are they? Three adventuresome widows. And they’re not young either. Their ages range from 58 to 82. At this stage in life, all too many of us would probably be content to rock our hours away on the front stoop of our home. And in winter we’d probably spend the days complaining about our arthritis, afraid to walk to the local store for fear of slipping on an icy sidewalk. In the meantime the merry widows of this article will be gallivanting around the southern parts of the United States, soaking up all the glorious sunshine.

Joan McGinnis, Lillian Bonar and Ruth Bates made their decision about two years ago. All three had lost their husbands sometime earlier and thought hey had a steady monthly income, none were wealthy – not by a longshot. Nevertheless through careful planning and tight budgeting they felt they could make a go of it in a mobile motor home. Having sold their respective homes and disposed of their furniture, the three purchased a 20 foot Winnebago and moved in. Wisely they decided to live in the unit for a number of months before venturing out onto the highway.

Mother Drives, Lily Cooks

Anyone contemplating a similar move would be wise to follow their example as it’s simply amazing how many things can go wrong at first. Invariably these occur miles from the nearest help putting a damper on the good times. During their period of adjustment they modified a few things in the Winnbago to suit their lifestyles, namely the closets, but for the most part found that few alterations had to be made either to the unit or to their way of life.

The day of their departure, they had made no advance bookings, whatsoever, in fact they hadn’t even mapped out an agenda. Why? Because they didn’t to be burdened by silly schedules. When they became tired hey planned to stop. If they saw a pretty place, they’d simply pull over None of this crashing at breakneck speed simply to comply with an arbitrary schedule.

Part 1 of 3

March 2, 2015

Women's History Month: Who's Your Heroine?

March is Women's History Month so let's talk about the heroines in our family trees. Do you have a female ancestor who inspires you or who achieved success in the face of hardships? Or perhaps one of your ancestors was the first female to do something quite amazing or unheard of in her time.

My Grandmother Ruth Simpson 1894-1985

I have several female ancestors whom I admire. One is my maternal grandmother. Ruth Simpson was born in 1894 in Kent, Ramsgate England. She was a pampered and somewhat sickly child who was called Dolly by her family because she looked like a little china doll. A timid woman, Grandma Ruth was not one to take risks or seek adventure.

But at the age of 19 she left the comfort of her home, left her friends and family, to follow her fiance to Canada. Grandma was terrified of water so this was a very brave and large step for her to take. She was also used to being cared for and pampered but starting a new life in a new land required her to be strong.

Soon after their marriage in Toronto Ontario in 1914, she and her husband moved to Guelph where they began family life. Grandma had two daughters in quick succession and settled down to be a homemaker. After her third daughter was born in 1923, Grandfather bought Grandma a small store so that she would not be bored. Grandma ran the tiny Tobacco Shop for several years then decided she wanted to have fewer headaches than being a female business owner in 1925 gave her. She applied for, and got, a job selling high-fashion women's dresses in a large department store. Sadly her husband (my grandfather) died when Grandma was only 45 years old. She had to survive on her own.

My mother, aunt and Grandmother in the 1970s

That terrified her but she did it. That's what I admire the most - that as frightened as she was, she drew a reserve of strength from somewhere and did what had to be done. It was WW2 and she soon met Sam R., married him and moved to Ajax where she got a job in the Munitions Factory in that town.

When Sam died some 10 years later, Grandma moved back to Guelph and got her old job back in the dress department. And yep, you guessed it - she met and married Fred B. She was 62 years old at the time of her third marriage.

After Fred died Grandma moved in with her two eldest daughters. After a few years in an apartment they sold all their possessions and started traveling around N. America in a Winnebago. She and my mother and aunt were written up in two driving/touring magazines where they were featured as "The Merry Widows" who took a Mechanics Course and did their own repairs as well as driving all over N. America and into Mexico.

My Grandmother Ruth is my heroine. Who is yours?

March 15, 2014

52 Ancestors: Another Strong Female Ancestor Fanny Higginson born 1769

Brig Joseph Charles 1831 Passenger List

I'm writing about my 4th great grandmother Frances (Fanny) Holford Higginson as part of Amy Crow's Challenge: 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks and also as part of Women's History Month Challenge.

Fanny was born in Lower Peover, Cheshire England in 1769 to John Holford and Ann Harrison. The village of Lower Peover was in existence as early as the middle of the 13th century and it appears that Fanny's family may have lived there for many generations. Shortly before her 18th birthday, young Fanny married Thomas HIgginson who was also from the village.

Thomas and Fanny had a large family of 8 children born between 1788 and 1802. Sometime after the birth of their youngest child John in 1802 and before 1831, her husband Thomas died.

By 1823 Fanny's daughter Betty Bell was living with her husband and children in Nether Peover and I suspect Fanny Higginson may have been living with them. The family was stil there in 1831 when they left for America. [Source: England, Cheshire Land Tax Assessments, 1778-1832 on FamilySearch]

1831. Brig Joseph Charles. Fanny Higginson & daughter Elizabeth Bell & family

The last record of Fanny is on December 3, 1831 when the Brig Charles Joseph arrived in New York from England. She is on the passenger list as "Frances Higginson, carpenter's wife" and is listed as 65 years old. Traveling with Fanny were her daughter Betty (Higginson) Bell, my 3rd great-grandmother, and Betty's children Ann, Phoebe, 12 year old Mary (my 2nd great grandmother), Peter and Joseph. [Source: Ancestry.com]

The group was on its way to Betty's husband Peter Bell who had settled in New York some time earlier. I often think about Fanny, a 65 year old widow leaving her home and many of her children to come to a new land. In 1831 it would have been rough.

I don't know what happened to Fanny. Peter Bell and his wife and children left New York to settle in what was then the wilderness of Wellington County Ontario. In fact they were among the very first settlers of a new community called Arkell.

"Peter Bell, a native of Chesshire Eng, left his native land in 1832 and after spending 6 years in New York State, came to Puslinch in 1838 with two sons, Peter and Joseph and one daughter, Mary."

[Source: County of Wellington, Township of Puslinch by W. MacKenzie, published in the Guelph Weekly Mercury and Advertiser 7 March 1907: Early Settlers of Puslinch]

UCLP 1839 for Peter Bell

It's interesting to note how pioneer memories can hit on some truths but get many facts wrong. Peter Bell's land petition submitted in 1839 stated that he left England for New York where he bought a farm in Sullivan County.

He lived there for 3 years then left for Puslinch Township Wellington County with his wife and 3 children. His brother-in-law John Higginson and one daughter Phoebe with her husband John Petty were already in the new settlement of Arkell and Peter requested that he be allowed land near them. [Source: UCLP Microfilm:C-1633, Volume 63, Bundle B-21, Petition 153]

Since his mother-in-law Fanny is not mentioned in Peter's 1839 petition I suspect she may have died but whether she died in New York or in Arkell is not known.

I admire Fanny greatly for the difficult journey she took as a 65 year old woman in 1831.

March 11, 2014

Women's History Month: Famous 5 Henrietta Muir Edwards

Oliver & Henrietta Muir Edwards & children

Henrietta Muir Edwards (1849-1931) was one of the group of 5 women known as the Famous Five. The Famous Five were responsible for forcing Canada to recognize women under the law as "persons" in 1929.

Henrietta Muir Edwards was active in prison reform and dedicated to helping impoverished working women as early as 1875. She also helped establish the National Council of Women in 1890 and much of her focus was on the legal status of women in Canada.

She was born Henrietta Louise Muir in Montreal to William Muir and Jane Johnston. The 1871 census finds 21 year old Henrietta living in Montreal Quebec with her father William age 50 born Scotland, mother Jane age 40 born Quebec, her siblings Amelia 22, Eva 18, Ida 16, William Jr. 13, Ernest 7 and her grandfather George Johnston 82.

There are records of the family found in the online Quebec, Vital and Church Records (Drouin Collection), 1621-1967 on Ancestry.com

Marriage Henrietta Muir - Oliver Edwards

The marriage of William Muir and Jane Johnston is recorded in Montreal in 1844. The marriage of Jane Johnston's parents George Johnston and Jane Thomson occurred in Montreal in 1817 and Henrietta Muir's marriage to Dr. Oliver Cromwell Edwards is found recorded in 1876, also in Montreal.

In 1883, Henrietta Muir Edwards moved with her husband and three children to Saskatchewan. A brief biography of Henrietta can be found at Canada Online

The Glenbow Archives holds many artifacts such as letters and diaries of Henrietta. One example of the collection is this diary:

Diaries. -- Fall 1867. -- Consists of diaries kept during her "Grand Tour" of Europe, during which she visited Glasgow, London, Paris, Rome, Venice, and Florence, accompanied by her father and/or Uncle James. -- Volume 1 can be viewed online

Credits:
Photo of Edwards family courtesy Sandra Smith
Marriage Record found online on Ancestry.com

March 8, 2014

Six Generations of Strong Females on International Women's Day

Today is International Women's Day and to celebrate I am sharing a collage of 6 generations of my direct maternal line. It is wonderful to have photos of our direct female lineage back to my great-great grandmother Sarah born in 1836.

Starting from the left we have Sarah Stead, my great-great grandmother. Next is Sarah's daughter Sarah Simpson, my great grandmother. Then we have Sarah Simpson's daughter Ruth Fuller, my grandmother. Then comes Ruth's daughter Joan, my mother. Then me and then my daughter Judy. Then our direct maternal line is done as my daughter had sons but no daughters.

My maternal DNA has been tested and shows that I am Haplogroup J2a1a1b . My DNA shows my origins as Irish, British, French, German, Scandinavian, Northern European, East Asian and Native American.

Have you tested your MtDNA? It's interesting and fun to do that!

March 6, 2014

52 Ancestors: Anna Kuhn Bellinger, Naughty Girl!

My 8th great-grandmother Anna Kuhn was born in Germany about 1659. I'm writing about Anna as part of Amy Crow's Challenge: 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks and also as part of Women's History Month Challenge.

In 1674, at the age of 15, she was married to Jorg Bruning at Huttengesas, Germany. Jorg Bruning was a much older man, and the marriage was a most unhappy one for poor Anna.

While living at Huttengesas with her husband, she fell in love with Nicholaus Bellinger, son of Hans Bellinger. She ran away with Nicholaus and had a son, my 7th great-grandfather Marcus Bellinger, in 1682. Nicholaus Bellinger and Anna Maria finally received church permission to marry, and were wed on 25 November 1685.

It was considered such scandalous behaviour to run off with another man while married to someone else and have an illegitimate child that the minister in the church entered this in the church books:

"Nicolaus Bellinger and Anna, daughter of Hans Kuhn, were married 25 November 1685 as per the order of the noble government. She had md. some years ago Jorg Bruning at Huttengesab, but she was not compatible with him, so Bruning went from her and she from him. She went away with this Nicolaus Bellinger and had an illegitimate child - a little son, so that the aforementioned Jorg Bruning has contracted another marriage.

After all this however, the above mentioned Bellinger has remained as a stranger. She sent a request to the honourable government to let them stay in the country, and this finally has been permitted by the aforementioned honourable government which ordered me to marry them with prior published penitence and to avoid further trouble and also to legitimize the rearing of this blameless child"

In 1710 the Bellinger family joined with other Palatine refugees coming to New York. There were 3 000 Palatines on 10 ships that sailed for New York and approximately 470 died on the voyage or shortly after their arrival. I've always felt sorry for poor Anna married at 15 to someone she didn't love. I really can't blame her for running away to find happiness. But she suffered greatly, as did all the Palatines. First persecuted in their own country because of their religion and then treated as indentured servants by the British.

Another strong female ancestor for me!