Carte De l'ile Montreal, 1700. Travail des sulpiciens. Public domain. Available from Wikimedia Commons.
This map shows the island of Montreal in 1700. The forts in the area became towns and villages.
Showing posts with label Canada. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Canada. Show all posts
Monday, August 1, 2016
Mappy Monday: Map of Montreal, 1700
This map shows the island of Montreal in 1700. The forts in the area became towns and villages.
Friday, July 1, 2016
Canada Day
July 1 is Canada Day. Canada was united after the Constitution Act, 1867 (formerly called British North America Act, 1867) was enacted on 1 July 1867.The holiday was established on 15 May 1879 and was originally called Dominion Day. On 27 October 1982, the name was officially changed to Canada Day. (Source: Canada Day)
Thursday, June 30, 2016
Those Places Thursday: Montreal General Hospital
My 3rd-great-grandfather John Bennet Winters died in Montreal General Hospital on 25 December 1879.
Montreal Daily Witness, 27 December 1879, p. 1
In 1818, fund raising began to establish an English-speaking hospital in Montreal. On 1 May 1819, a small hospital on Craig Street opened. It had room for 24 patients. In 1820, property was purchased on Dorchester and Dominique Streets.The cornerstone of the hospital was laid in 1821. In 1822, Montreal General Hospital opened. It had 72 beds. In 1823, the hospital received its charter. The hospital became affiliated with McGill University in 1832.
On 30 May 1855, Montreal General Hospital moved to a new location on Cedar Avenue.
Source: Montreal General Hospital
Monday, June 27, 2016
Mystery Monday: Parents of Jane Mapplebeck
Jane Mapplebeck, the father of my great-grandmother's stepfather/adoptive father James Mapplebeck and probably the only grandparent that my great-grandmother ever knew, died on 24 August 1909 in Glassboro, Gloucester County, New Jersey.
According to her death certificate, her parents were James Bass and Isabella Bowie. However, there are question marks after both names, so they may not be accurate.
According to the death certificate and the 1871 Census of Canada, Jane was born in Nova Scotia. The death certificate states that her father was born in the United States. Considering the time period and migration pattern, I suspect that he may have been a Loyalist.
Jane's daughter Sarah died in 1920. On Sarah's death certificate, the maiden name of her mother does not look like Bass. I am not sure what it says; the name is difficult to read.
New Jersey. Department of Health. Bureau of Vital Statistics. Death certificate, Sarah A. Mapleback, 1920. New Jersey State Archives.
My 3rd-great-grandfather John Bennet Winters (the father of Catherine Elizabeth Winters, who married James Mapplebeck) was married to Elizabeth Buise, and the "mystery person" in the Winters family Bible, Margaret McGillivray, had a son named Charles Buise (also known as Charles Bews). I have wondered if there is an additional connection between the Buise/Bews family and my family. When I saw Sarah Mapleback's death certificate, I wondered if Jane's maiden name could be Buise or Bews, but I am not sure that is what the death certificate says.
The death certificates of Jane's sons James and George do not name her parents. I have not found a record of her marriage to George Mapplebeck. I have not identified any of Jane's relatives except her three children.
According to her death certificate, her parents were James Bass and Isabella Bowie. However, there are question marks after both names, so they may not be accurate.
New Jersey. Bureau of Vital Statistics. Death certificate, Jane Mapplebeck, 1909. New Jersey State Archives.
According to the death certificate and the 1871 Census of Canada, Jane was born in Nova Scotia. The death certificate states that her father was born in the United States. Considering the time period and migration pattern, I suspect that he may have been a Loyalist.
Jane's daughter Sarah died in 1920. On Sarah's death certificate, the maiden name of her mother does not look like Bass. I am not sure what it says; the name is difficult to read.
Closeup of mother's maiden name
My 3rd-great-grandfather John Bennet Winters (the father of Catherine Elizabeth Winters, who married James Mapplebeck) was married to Elizabeth Buise, and the "mystery person" in the Winters family Bible, Margaret McGillivray, had a son named Charles Buise (also known as Charles Bews). I have wondered if there is an additional connection between the Buise/Bews family and my family. When I saw Sarah Mapleback's death certificate, I wondered if Jane's maiden name could be Buise or Bews, but I am not sure that is what the death certificate says.
The death certificates of Jane's sons James and George do not name her parents. I have not found a record of her marriage to George Mapplebeck. I have not identified any of Jane's relatives except her three children.
Tuesday, March 15, 2016
Tombstone Tuesday: Sarah Mapplebeck
Photo by Mary Ann Missimer-Moore - Find A Grave contributor
Sarah Mappleback was born about 1854 in Ontario, Canada. She was the daughter of George Mapplebeck and his second wife Jane, and the older sister of James Mapplebeck, my great-grandmother's stepfather/adoptive father. She worked as a fur finisher. Sarah, her mother, and her brother George moved to Camden, New Jersey in the 1890s. By 1910, Sarah had moved to Glassboro, Gloucester County, New Jersey. She died on 21 October 1920 and was buried in Manahath Cemetery in Glassboro.
Thursday, January 21, 2016
Flag Day - Québec
On 21 January 1948, the flag of Québec, called the Fleurdelisé, was adopted. It has four fleurs-de-lis (which symbolize purity), a blue field (which symbolizes Heaven), and a white cross. It was first shown at the Parliament Building in Québec City, on the day of its adoption.
On Flag Day, National Societies and Saint-Jean-Baptiste Societies organize activities to promote the Fleurdelisé.
Although I do not have French-Canadian ancestors (as far as I know), some of my ancestors lived in Montreal from the late 1870s to the early 1890s.
References
Flag of Quebec
Programmation
Wednesday, January 20, 2016
Wednesday's Child: Baby Boy Winters
My 3rd-great-grandfather John Bennet Winters died on 25 December 1879 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. At the time of his death, his wife Elizabeth Buise was pregnant. She gave birth to a baby boy on 10 July 1880. Sadly, the child died on 31 July 1880. He was buried in Mount Royal Cemetery in Montreal.
I learned about this child when I found the Find A Grave page that had been created for him. When I came across it, I learned that the infant of the late John Winters had died on 31 July 1880 and was buried in Mount Royal Cemetery.
I called Mount Royal Cemetery for more information, and was told that the child was male. No name was recorded, other than the name of his father, John B. Winters. I was told that the child was born on July 10, 1880 and died on 31 July 1880.
This little boy only lived for three weeks. The posthumous child of John Bennet Winters may not even have been given a name. If he had a given name, I have not yet found it. Nevertheless, he will be remembered.
Thursday, July 30, 2015
Thriller Thursday: Charles Buise Embezzles Stake Money and Flees
Shortly before the 1892 wrestling match between D. S. McLeod and Joe Acton, Charles Buise deposited $250 with the Chronicle to secure a bet on McLeod, $1000 against $1100. Washington Marion, a traveling salesman, gave Charles Buise $500 to bet on McLeod, and Buise secured a bet of $600 for him.
Charles Buise was the proprietor of the Hot Scotch saloon on Morton Street in San Francisco. After he collected his winnings, he did not give Washington Marion his share of the money. He sold his saloon to his bartender, and headed to Portland, Oregon, where his wife was working as a song and dance performer. He was captured there several months later and was brought back to San Francisco. He was charged with embezzlement and placed in the San Francisco City Prison, but was released on $3000 bond.
After getting out on bail, Charles Buise left the United States and returned to his home country, Canada. He went to Victoria, British Columbia. The winning wrestler, McLeod, was also from British Columbia; he came from Nanaimo. I wonder if this was coincidental, or if there was some connection. Charles Buise had been born and baptized in Quebec City, and had lived in Montreal before he came to San Francisco (and had allegedly passed a counterfeit bill there in 1887). Although an attempt was made to capture him in British Columbia, he escaped and went to Montreal. When he found out that his wife was cheating on him with actor Waldo Whipple, he tracked them down in Butte, Montana, where he shot them and then shot himself.
San Francisco Chronicle, 22 January 1892
Prior to the match, there was suspicion that the contest would not be a fair one. McLeod won the match.
The Morning Call (San Francisco, CA), 11 March 1892
Charles Buise was the proprietor of the Hot Scotch saloon on Morton Street in San Francisco. After he collected his winnings, he did not give Washington Marion his share of the money. He sold his saloon to his bartender, and headed to Portland, Oregon, where his wife was working as a song and dance performer. He was captured there several months later and was brought back to San Francisco. He was charged with embezzlement and placed in the San Francisco City Prison, but was released on $3000 bond.
The Morning Call (San Francisco, CA), 1 July 1892
After getting out on bail, Charles Buise left the United States and returned to his home country, Canada. He went to Victoria, British Columbia. The winning wrestler, McLeod, was also from British Columbia; he came from Nanaimo. I wonder if this was coincidental, or if there was some connection. Charles Buise had been born and baptized in Quebec City, and had lived in Montreal before he came to San Francisco (and had allegedly passed a counterfeit bill there in 1887). Although an attempt was made to capture him in British Columbia, he escaped and went to Montreal. When he found out that his wife was cheating on him with actor Waldo Whipple, he tracked them down in Butte, Montana, where he shot them and then shot himself.
San Francisco Chronicle, 27 January 1893
Although the above article states that Waldo Whipple also died, he actually survived his injuries.
Charles Buise was probably related to Elizabeth Buise, who married my 3rd-great-grandfather John Bennet Winters. But since his mother Margaret McGillivray's death notice was transcribed in the Winters family Bible and she was not Elizabeth Buise's mother, I wonder if he is also related to me. I have many black sheep in my family. Considering all of Charles Buise's misdeeds, I figure he must be my cousin!
Sunday, July 26, 2015
52 Ancestors: Week 30 "Challenging": Elizabeth Buise
I do not know much about Elizabeth Buise, the last (second as far as I know) wife of my 3rd-great-grandfather John Bennet Winters. John and Elizabeth were married by Robert Campbell on 18 May 1878 at Presbyterian Saint Gabriel in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The church record stated that Elizabeth's parents were George Buise of Montreal and his wife Margaret White, and that they were deceased.
Marriage of John Bennett Winters and Elizabeth Buise, 18 May 1878. Presbyterian Saint Gabriel, Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Ancestry.com. Quebec, Vital and Church Records (Drouin Collection), 1621-1967 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2008.
Original data:
Gabriel Drouin, comp. Drouin Collection. Montreal, Quebec, Canada: Institut Généalogique Drouin.
John died on 25 December 1879. Apparently he and Elizabeth had a child, because "Infant of the late John Winters" is listed on Find A Grave as being buried in Mount Royal Cemetery (the same cemetery as John). The date of death (or burial) was 31 July 1880. I have not yet found any more information about this infant.
I have never found Elizabeth Buise in census records, and I do not know what happened to her. I do not know when she was born, but she must have been of childbearing age when she married John Bennett Winters.
Elizabeth was probably related to Charles Buise (son of Margaret McGillivray, the "mystery woman" in the Winters family Bible) and his father, Charles Buise/Bews. Jane Buise, who was a witness at the wedding of John Bennet Winters and Elizabeth Buise, was probably also a relative. She may be the Jane Buise who was enumerated as a servant in the household of Wales and Minnie Lee in Montreal in the 1881 Census of Canada, and who married William Edgar Jesse Smith on 23 August 1881. (Charles Buise was a witness at the wedding.) Charles Buise (son of Margaret) married Virginie Chebout on 23 February 1874 in Montreal; in the 1881 Census of Canada, she was also enumerated as Jane Buise.
The only George Buise or Bews that I have found is the George Bews who was enumerated in the 1825 Census of Lower Canada in Cap Sante, Hampshire. If he was Elizabeth's father, Margaret White may have been a second wife.
George Bews, Cap Sante, Hampshire, Quebec, Canada. Canada, recensement du Bas-Canada, 1825, database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KHJD-6M4), citing p. 1685 1686, volume 3, MG 31 C1; Library and Archives Canada
microfilm number C-718, Public Archives, Ottawa, Ontario; FHL microfilm
2,443,958.
On TheShipsList, I found a transcribed passenger list from a ship that sailed from Quebec City at 8:00 PM on 30 May 1834 and arrived in Montreal at 4:00 PM on 31 May 1834. Passengers 371 and 372 were named Buise and White. Perhaps they were Elizabeth's parents George Buise and Margaret White. Since they were not listed on the same line, perhaps they had not yet married; maybe they left for Montreal together and married there.
Screen shot, 1834 Arrivals: Canada - 8th trip up, Quebec to Montreal, May 30th 1834, left at 8 PM and arrived at 4 PM, May 31st. TheShipsList. http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/passengerlists/1834/cmay30.shtml
I would like to learn more about Elizabeth Buise for two reasons. One reason is that she was married to my 3rd-great-grandfather. The other reason is that I would like to figure out the connection between her and Charles Buise, son of Margaret McGillivray. Because Margaret's death notice was transcribed in the Winters family Bible, I think that she may be a relative, and perhaps that connection is what brought John Bennet Winters, his daughter Catherine Elizabeth Winters, and his son-in-law James Graham to Montreal. I do not know much about the family of Anna "Ann" Walker, my 3rd-great-grandmother and the previous wife of John Bennet Winters, and I know even less about my 2nd-great-grandfather James Graham. James Graham is my biggest brick wall, and would also have been an appropriate choice for this week's 52 Ancestors theme, but I have already written about him and have not learned anything more about him since I wrote that post. Margaret McGillivray may have been related to Ann Walker or James Graham.
John died on 25 December 1879. Apparently he and Elizabeth had a child, because "Infant of the late John Winters" is listed on Find A Grave as being buried in Mount Royal Cemetery (the same cemetery as John). The date of death (or burial) was 31 July 1880. I have not yet found any more information about this infant.
I have never found Elizabeth Buise in census records, and I do not know what happened to her. I do not know when she was born, but she must have been of childbearing age when she married John Bennett Winters.
Elizabeth was probably related to Charles Buise (son of Margaret McGillivray, the "mystery woman" in the Winters family Bible) and his father, Charles Buise/Bews. Jane Buise, who was a witness at the wedding of John Bennet Winters and Elizabeth Buise, was probably also a relative. She may be the Jane Buise who was enumerated as a servant in the household of Wales and Minnie Lee in Montreal in the 1881 Census of Canada, and who married William Edgar Jesse Smith on 23 August 1881. (Charles Buise was a witness at the wedding.) Charles Buise (son of Margaret) married Virginie Chebout on 23 February 1874 in Montreal; in the 1881 Census of Canada, she was also enumerated as Jane Buise.
The only George Buise or Bews that I have found is the George Bews who was enumerated in the 1825 Census of Lower Canada in Cap Sante, Hampshire. If he was Elizabeth's father, Margaret White may have been a second wife.
On TheShipsList, I found a transcribed passenger list from a ship that sailed from Quebec City at 8:00 PM on 30 May 1834 and arrived in Montreal at 4:00 PM on 31 May 1834. Passengers 371 and 372 were named Buise and White. Perhaps they were Elizabeth's parents George Buise and Margaret White. Since they were not listed on the same line, perhaps they had not yet married; maybe they left for Montreal together and married there.
I would like to learn more about Elizabeth Buise for two reasons. One reason is that she was married to my 3rd-great-grandfather. The other reason is that I would like to figure out the connection between her and Charles Buise, son of Margaret McGillivray. Because Margaret's death notice was transcribed in the Winters family Bible, I think that she may be a relative, and perhaps that connection is what brought John Bennet Winters, his daughter Catherine Elizabeth Winters, and his son-in-law James Graham to Montreal. I do not know much about the family of Anna "Ann" Walker, my 3rd-great-grandmother and the previous wife of John Bennet Winters, and I know even less about my 2nd-great-grandfather James Graham. James Graham is my biggest brick wall, and would also have been an appropriate choice for this week's 52 Ancestors theme, but I have already written about him and have not learned anything more about him since I wrote that post. Margaret McGillivray may have been related to Ann Walker or James Graham.
Sunday, July 5, 2015
Church Record Sunday: Baptism of Charles Bews
Charles Bews (also known as Charles Buise) was born on 21 May 1847. He was the son of Charles Bews and Margaret McGillivray. On 22 November 1847, he was baptized at St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church in Quebec City by John Cook. Charles' father was not present at the ceremony.
Wednesday, July 1, 2015
Canada Day
July 1 is Canada Day, the anniversary of the Constitution Act, 1867 (formerly called the British North America Act), which united New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and the United Province of Canada) into a single country, Canada. The day was originally called Dominion Day. It was renamed Canada Day after the Parliament of the United Kingdom enacted the Canada Act in 1982, which made Canada completely independent.
Wednesday, June 17, 2015
Wednesday's Child: George M. Mapplebeck
The second child of William Mapplebeck (the half-brother of James Mapplebeck) and his first wife Anna Maria Marriott was born in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada on 23 February 1876. According to the birth registration, the child was named George Markham Mapplebeck.
George Markham Mapplebeck birth registration. Registered 6 March 1876. County of Wentworth. City of Hamilton. Ancestry.com. Ontario, Canada Births, 1869-1913 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2010.Original data: Archives of Ontario. Registrations of Births and Stillbirths – 1869-1913. MS 929, reel 26. Toronto, Ontario, Canada: Archives of Ontario.
George died of bronchitis two months later, on 25 April 1876. According to his death registration, his middle name was Martin.
George Martin Maplebeck death registration. Registered 26 April 1876. County of Wentworth. City of Hamilton. Ancestry.com. Ontario, Canada, Deaths, 1869-1938 and Deaths Overseas, 1939-1947 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2010.Original data: Archives of Ontario. Registrations of Deaths, 1869-1938. MS 935, reel 14. Archives of Ontario, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
George died of bronchitis two months later, on 25 April 1876. According to his death registration, his middle name was Martin.
Wednesday, June 3, 2015
Wednesday's Child: William John Mapplebeck
William John Mapplebeck was born on 16 March 1883 in Hamilton, Wentworth, Ontario, Canada. He died of convulsions two days later, on 18 March 1883. He was the son of William Mapplebeck (the half-brother of James Mapplebeck) and Isabella Marion Stevenson, and the younger brother of Isabella Baird Mapplebeck, last week's "Wednesday's Child."
Wednesday, May 27, 2015
Wednesday's Child: Isabella Baird Mapplebeck
Isabella Baird Mapplebeck was born on 22 March 1880 in Hamilton, Wentworth, Ontario, Canada. She was the daughter of William Mapplebeck (the half-brother of James Mapplebeck) and Isabella Marion Stevenson. She died of diptheria on 16 April 1888 in Hamilton, Wentworth, Ontario, Canada.
Saturday, April 11, 2015
52 Ancestors: Week 15 "How Do You Spell That?": James Mapplebeck
James Mapplebeck, the second husband of my great-great-grandmother Catherine Elizabeth Winters and the adoptive father of his stepchildren (my great-grandmother Kathleen Graham and her brother Garfield), had an uncommon surname. At times that has been advantageous. For example, it would have been much more difficult to find the newspaper articles about my great-grandmother and the father of her oldest child (whose name had been previously been unknown to me) if she had been using her birth surname instead of her adoptive surname. However, sometimes finding members of this family can be challenging, because the surname has been spelled many different ways in records. The first part of the name is pronounced "Maple." (I learned this from my family, and it explains why I have often found the name spelled with only one p in records.)
The Mapplebeck family came from Rawcliffe, Yorkshire, England. The name is usually spelled Mapplebeck in British records. Some examples from FamilySearch include the indexed baptismal record of James' father George Mapplebeck, the indexed marriage record of George Mapplebeck and his first wife Mary Stephenson, and the indexed baptismal record of George and Mary's son William Mapplebeck (James' half-brother). But in Canada and the United States, I have found many different spellings. In the 1851 Census of Canada, George, Mary, and William were enumerated in York County, Canada West (Ontario) with the surname Maplebeck. In the 1861 agricultural census of Canada, George was enumerated in Minto Township, Wellington, Canada West with the surname Mappelbeck. James may have been born in Minto Township. According to his death certificate, he was born on 29 December 1858. George purchased land in Minto Township in the mid-1850s.
In 1871, the Mapplebeck family lived in Hamilton, Wentworth, Ontario, Canada. The 1871 Census of Canada enumeration is the first one that I have located for James. The family surname is spelled Mapplebeck in the census record. When James' father George died on 15 May 1878, his surname was spelled Maplebeck.
In the early 1880s, James, his brother George, and his mother Jane moved to Montreal, Quebec, Canada. James and his brother worked as glassblowers. In the 1883 Lovell's Montreal Directory, all three family members appear in the alphabetical directory with the surname Mappleback, and in the street directory with the surname Mapplebeck. James married my great-great-grandmother Catherine Elizabeth Winters on 20 November 1885. His surname was spelled Mapplebeck in the record from St. Mary's Church in Hochelaga. He became a father to Elizabeth's two children Kathleen and Garfield, from her marriage to James Graham. They used his surname until they were adults. (Kathleen took the surname Walker after the birth of her first child, and used her married name, Boe, after her marriage to John Boe. Garfield returned to his birth surname, Graham, when he was in his mid-20s.)
In the 1891 Census of Canada, James' surname was written as MapleBack. In FamilySearch's and Ancestry.com's index to the 1891 Census of Canada, his name appears as Back James Mapleback. The Mapplebeck family moved to Alton, Madison County, Illinois, where James worked as a glassblower for the Illinois Glass Company. His mother Jane, sister Sarah, and brother George moved to Camden, New Jersey. His half-brother William Mapplebeck lived with his wife and children in Hamilton, Ontario.
By 1898, James had moved to San Francisco, California, where he worked as a glassblower for San Francisco & Pacific Glass Works. His surname was spelled Mappelbach in the 1898 and 1899 San Francisco city directories. His wife and her children remained in Alton, Illinois.
By 1900, James had moved to Martinez, Contra Costa County, California. His surname was spelled Mapplebeck in the 1900 United States Census. He lived in a household headed by a man named N. P. Ohaver. He and J. J. Barfield, age 15, were both listed as "Partner." He was listed as a glassblower.
In 1910, James lived in Alabama, Sacramento County, California. He worked as a teamster in a vineyard. In the 1910 United States Census, his surname was spelled Mapplibeck.
In 1914, James Mapplebeck was listed in the Index to Precinct Register, Yuba County, California. He was listed in the Far West District, He lived in Wheatland, was a farmer, and was a Republican.
I have not been able to locate James in the 1920 or 1930 United States censuses. His death certificate suggests (based on length of residence in California, 47 years) that he continuously lived in California after he arrived in the late 1890s. Perhaps his surname is badly misspelled in the census records.
In 1934, James Mapplebeck was on the list of registered voters in Sacramento County, California. He was a laborer in Sacramento, and was a Republican.
In 1936, James Mapplebeck was listed in the Sacramento city directory as a resident of Home for Aged. In the 1940 United States census, James was listed as a resident of Home for the Aged in San Joaquin, Sacramento County, California. He was enumerated with the surname Maplepeck.
James died of bronchial pneumonia in Sacramento County Hospital on 7 September 1946. He was buried in Sacramento County Cemetery.
So many spellings!
Lovell's Montreal Directory, For 1883-1884, Containing an Alphabetical Directory of the Citizens, Street Directory, an Advertisers Classified Business Directory, and a Miscellaneous Directory, to which is added Directories of Coteau St. Louis, Coteau St. Pierre, Cote des Neiges, Cote St. Antoine, Cote St. Luc, Cote St. Paul, Cote Visitation, Hochelaga, Lachine, Laprairie, Long Point, Longueuil, Mount Royal Avenue, Mount Royal Vale, Notre Dame de Grace, Outremont, St. Jean Baptiste Village, St. Lambert, St. Louis of Mile End, Town of St, Cunegonde, Town of St. Henry, Verdun, and Village of St. Gabriel. Corrected to June 16th, 1883. Montreal: John Lovell & Son. Available from Ancestry.com. Canada, City and Area Directories, 1819-1906 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2013.
St. Mary's Church, Hochelaga, Quebec,
Canada. Marriage of James Mapplebeck and Elizabeth Winters, 20 November
1885. Drouin Collection. Montreal, Quebec, Canada: Institut Généalogique
Drouin. Available from Ancestry.com. Quebec, Vital and Church Records (Drouin Collection), 1621-1967 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2008.
1891 Census of Canada, Ste Marie Ward, Montréal Centre, Quebec, district 172, page 1, family 5. Available from Ancestry.com. 1891 Census of Canada [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2008.
J. P. Hodge and Sons' Directory of the City of Alton, North Alton and Upper Alton, 1895-1896. Alton, IL: J. P. Hodge & Sons. Available from Ancestry.com. U.S. City Directories, 1821-1989 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011.
Crocker-Langley San Francisco Directory for Year Commencing May 1898. San Francisco: H. S. Crocker Company, 1898. Available from Ancestry.com. U.S. City Directories, 1821-1989 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011.
1910 United States census, Alabama, Sacramento County, California, population schedule, enumeration district 87, supervisor's district 2, sheet no. 5A. Available from Ancestry.com. 1910 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2006.
Index to Precinct Register, Yuba County [California], 1914. General Election November 3. Page 16. Available from Ancestry.com. California, Voter Registrations, 1900-1968 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2008.
1940 United States census, San Joaquin, Sacramento County, California, population schedule, Home for the Aged, sheet no. 2B. Available from Ancestry.com. 1940 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2012.
The Mapplebeck family came from Rawcliffe, Yorkshire, England. The name is usually spelled Mapplebeck in British records. Some examples from FamilySearch include the indexed baptismal record of James' father George Mapplebeck, the indexed marriage record of George Mapplebeck and his first wife Mary Stephenson, and the indexed baptismal record of George and Mary's son William Mapplebeck (James' half-brother). But in Canada and the United States, I have found many different spellings. In the 1851 Census of Canada, George, Mary, and William were enumerated in York County, Canada West (Ontario) with the surname Maplebeck. In the 1861 agricultural census of Canada, George was enumerated in Minto Township, Wellington, Canada West with the surname Mappelbeck. James may have been born in Minto Township. According to his death certificate, he was born on 29 December 1858. George purchased land in Minto Township in the mid-1850s.
In 1871, the Mapplebeck family lived in Hamilton, Wentworth, Ontario, Canada. The 1871 Census of Canada enumeration is the first one that I have located for James. The family surname is spelled Mapplebeck in the census record. When James' father George died on 15 May 1878, his surname was spelled Maplebeck.
In the early 1880s, James, his brother George, and his mother Jane moved to Montreal, Quebec, Canada. James and his brother worked as glassblowers. In the 1883 Lovell's Montreal Directory, all three family members appear in the alphabetical directory with the surname Mappleback, and in the street directory with the surname Mapplebeck. James married my great-great-grandmother Catherine Elizabeth Winters on 20 November 1885. His surname was spelled Mapplebeck in the record from St. Mary's Church in Hochelaga. He became a father to Elizabeth's two children Kathleen and Garfield, from her marriage to James Graham. They used his surname until they were adults. (Kathleen took the surname Walker after the birth of her first child, and used her married name, Boe, after her marriage to John Boe. Garfield returned to his birth surname, Graham, when he was in his mid-20s.)
In the 1891 Census of Canada, James' surname was written as MapleBack. In FamilySearch's and Ancestry.com's index to the 1891 Census of Canada, his name appears as Back James Mapleback. The Mapplebeck family moved to Alton, Madison County, Illinois, where James worked as a glassblower for the Illinois Glass Company. His mother Jane, sister Sarah, and brother George moved to Camden, New Jersey. His half-brother William Mapplebeck lived with his wife and children in Hamilton, Ontario.
By 1898, James had moved to San Francisco, California, where he worked as a glassblower for San Francisco & Pacific Glass Works. His surname was spelled Mappelbach in the 1898 and 1899 San Francisco city directories. His wife and her children remained in Alton, Illinois.
By 1900, James had moved to Martinez, Contra Costa County, California. His surname was spelled Mapplebeck in the 1900 United States Census. He lived in a household headed by a man named N. P. Ohaver. He and J. J. Barfield, age 15, were both listed as "Partner." He was listed as a glassblower.
In 1910, James lived in Alabama, Sacramento County, California. He worked as a teamster in a vineyard. In the 1910 United States Census, his surname was spelled Mapplibeck.
In 1914, James Mapplebeck was listed in the Index to Precinct Register, Yuba County, California. He was listed in the Far West District, He lived in Wheatland, was a farmer, and was a Republican.
I have not been able to locate James in the 1920 or 1930 United States censuses. His death certificate suggests (based on length of residence in California, 47 years) that he continuously lived in California after he arrived in the late 1890s. Perhaps his surname is badly misspelled in the census records.
In 1934, James Mapplebeck was on the list of registered voters in Sacramento County, California. He was a laborer in Sacramento, and was a Republican.
In 1936, James Mapplebeck was listed in the Sacramento city directory as a resident of Home for Aged. In the 1940 United States census, James was listed as a resident of Home for the Aged in San Joaquin, Sacramento County, California. He was enumerated with the surname Maplepeck.
James died of bronchial pneumonia in Sacramento County Hospital on 7 September 1946. He was buried in Sacramento County Cemetery.
So many spellings!
Sunday, March 15, 2015
52 Ancestors: Week 11 "Luck of the Irish": Ann (Unknown) Walker
None of my Irish ancestors seem to have been particularly lucky; they experienced many difficulties throughout their lives. But I got lucky when I finally learned more about my 3rd-great-grandmother Anna "Ann" Walker and discovered her mother Ann.
When the 1855 New York State Census became available online, I was able to locate the Walker family. They moved from Seneca, Ontario County, New York to Buffalo, Erie County, New York that year, and were enumerated twice. That was definitely a lucky find! The Buffalo enumeration states that the family had lived in Buffalo for 1/12 of a year.
1855 New York State Census, Seneca, Ontario County, population schedule, enumeration district 1, page 20. Available from FamilySearch.
1855 New York State Census, Buffalo, Erie County, population schedule, enumeration district 8, page 50. Available from FamilySearch.
According to the census records, Ann was born about 1811 or 1812 in Ireland. There were four children in her household: her son James, born about 1837 in Ireland; her daughter Ann (my 3rd-great-grandmother), born about 1842 or 1843 in Ireland (according to the Winters family Bible, she was born on 28 February 1842); and twins William and Dora (born about 1851 and 1852).
Since there was a ten-year age gap between my 3rd-great-grandmother and the twins, I wonder if there were children that died. Another possibility is that Ann's husband, who had apparently died by 1855, may have left for North America before the rest of his family.
There is one big discrepancy between the two census records. According to the Seneca enumeration, William and Dora were born in Ontario County, New York, and the family had resided in Seneca for 9 years. According to the Buffalo enumeration, William and Dora were born in Canada.
In 1860, Ann was still living in Buffalo with her children James, William, and Dora. My 3rd-great-grandmother Ann had married in 1859 and was living nearby in Tonawanda with her husband, John Bennet Winters.
1860 United States census, 9th Ward, Buffalo, Erie County, New York, population schedule, page 635. Available from Ancestry.com. 1860 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2009. Images reproduced by FamilySearch.
Ann's son James is the only member of the household who is listed with an occupation, so he was probably supporting the family. The twins are listed as being born in Canada. I suspect that they were born in Canada, since I cannot locate the family in the 1850 United States census. Perhaps the enumerator in Seneca was told that the twins were born in Ontario and he misunderstood, since Seneca is in Ontario County. 9 years may have been the length of time that the family lived in North America. I have not located the family in the 1851 Census of Canada either, but that census was actually taken in 1852, and perhaps the family left for New York shortly before the census was taken.
Ann probably left Ireland with her family during or shortly after the Great Famine. She may have lost several children. She was likely widowed (unless she and her husband separated, or she was never married). Her husband may have died after the family arrived in North America, or he could have died while she was pregnant, either in Ireland or on the way over on the ship.
I have not been able to locate Ann or her children James, William, and Dora after 1860. Her daughter Ann was in Chicago by 1866, and died in 1872.
When the 1855 New York State Census became available online, I was able to locate the Walker family. They moved from Seneca, Ontario County, New York to Buffalo, Erie County, New York that year, and were enumerated twice. That was definitely a lucky find! The Buffalo enumeration states that the family had lived in Buffalo for 1/12 of a year.
According to the census records, Ann was born about 1811 or 1812 in Ireland. There were four children in her household: her son James, born about 1837 in Ireland; her daughter Ann (my 3rd-great-grandmother), born about 1842 or 1843 in Ireland (according to the Winters family Bible, she was born on 28 February 1842); and twins William and Dora (born about 1851 and 1852).
Since there was a ten-year age gap between my 3rd-great-grandmother and the twins, I wonder if there were children that died. Another possibility is that Ann's husband, who had apparently died by 1855, may have left for North America before the rest of his family.
There is one big discrepancy between the two census records. According to the Seneca enumeration, William and Dora were born in Ontario County, New York, and the family had resided in Seneca for 9 years. According to the Buffalo enumeration, William and Dora were born in Canada.
In 1860, Ann was still living in Buffalo with her children James, William, and Dora. My 3rd-great-grandmother Ann had married in 1859 and was living nearby in Tonawanda with her husband, John Bennet Winters.
Ann's son James is the only member of the household who is listed with an occupation, so he was probably supporting the family. The twins are listed as being born in Canada. I suspect that they were born in Canada, since I cannot locate the family in the 1850 United States census. Perhaps the enumerator in Seneca was told that the twins were born in Ontario and he misunderstood, since Seneca is in Ontario County. 9 years may have been the length of time that the family lived in North America. I have not located the family in the 1851 Census of Canada either, but that census was actually taken in 1852, and perhaps the family left for New York shortly before the census was taken.
Ann probably left Ireland with her family during or shortly after the Great Famine. She may have lost several children. She was likely widowed (unless she and her husband separated, or she was never married). Her husband may have died after the family arrived in North America, or he could have died while she was pregnant, either in Ireland or on the way over on the ship.
I have not been able to locate Ann or her children James, William, and Dora after 1860. Her daughter Ann was in Chicago by 1866, and died in 1872.
Sunday, February 15, 2015
Black Sheep Sunday: Counterfeit Money
Charles Buise was the son of Margaret McGillivray, the "mystery person" in the Winters family Bible. On 28 February 1887, he and Thomas Power were brought before magistrate Dugas in Montreal, Quebec, Canada and remanded for eight days. Thomas Power had passed a counterfeit $10 bill, and claimed to have received it from Charles Buise. Buise denied giving the counterfeit bill to Power, but since he was charged with embezzlement five years later, I think there is a good chance that he gave Power the bill.
Quebec Daily Telegraph, 1 March 1887
Sunday, December 14, 2014
52 Ancestors: #50 Halvor Eriksen Otterholt
My 3rd-great-grandfather Halvor Eriksen Otterholt was born on 28 June 1821 in Bø, Telemark, Norway, and was baptized on 1 July 1821. He was the son of Erik Halvorsen Sønstebø (also known as Erik Halvorsen Brenne) and Aaste Kittilsdatter. Erik was the sister of Kari Halvorsdatter Sønstebø; both are my 4th-great-grandparents through different lines of descent.
On 17 July 1845 in Bø. Halvor married Guro Hansdatter Askilt. They had seven children in Norway: Erik, born 25 April 1846; Hans, born 5 August 1847; Kittel or Kjetil (later known as Charles), born 11 September 1850; Torkel, born 6 September 1852; my 2nd-great-grandmother Aaste, born 3 February 1854; Anne, born 25 February 1858; and Kari, born 7 September 1861.
In 1865, Halvor and his family lived on the Otterholdt (or Otterholt) farm in Bø. He was listed as a Gaardbrgr og Selveier (farmer or owner, freeholder).
In 1867, Halvor and his family immigrated to the United States. In Boe (Bø) and Halvorson-Otterholt: Shared Roots in Telemark (compiled by Melvin and Alpha M. (Boe) Brodshaug, 1984; published by Arlene (Boe) Christensen and Marjorie (Boe) Bergee; printed by Anundsen Publishing Co., Decorah, Iowa), there is a quote from a letter written to Leland Otterholt by Aaste Lie: "The Otterholts were a prosperous people. Halvor loved the horses and bet on them but lost. Being proud, he decided to emigrate to America with his family." Although there may have been other reasons for the family's emigration, I suspect that there is at least a grain of truth to that statement. The family left Norway from Skien, Telemark on the Rjukan, and they arrived in Quebec, Canada on 30 May 1867.
Halvor and his family settled in Canisteo, Dodge County, Minnesota. About 1868, Halvor and Guro's last child, Johanna, was born. The family was enumerated in Canisteo in the 1870 United States census. Halvor was a farmer. His real estate had a value of $800, and his personal estate had a value of $340. In the United States, he was usually known as Halvor Erickson. Some of his children used the surname Halvorson, and some used the surname Otterholt.
By 1875, the family had moved to Swenoda, Swift County, Minnesota. In 1880, they lived in West Bank, Swift County, Minnesota. Halvor became a citizen of the United States on 18 May 1880.
Halvor applied for a land patent through the Homestead Act of 1862, for 80 acres of land located in the south half, northwest quarter, section 32 of Township 120 North of Range No. 41 west of the Principal Meridian, Swift County, Minnesota. He had settled on the land in June 1873 and built a house and a stable, and dug a well. His patent was issued on 25 July 1882. His son-in-law Jorgen Jorgensen Boe (my 2nd-great-grandfather) received his certificate the same day, for nearby land. Halvor later applied for an additional land patent, for 80 acres of land located in the east half, northeast quarter, section 31 of Township 120 North of Range No. 41 west of the Principal Meridian, Swift County, Minnesota. His patent was issued on 1 April 1892.
Halvor died on 14 January 1898. He was buried in Big Bend Lutheran Church Cemetery in Milan, Chippewa County, Minnesota.
Telemark county, Bø, Parish register (official) nr. 6 (1815-1831), Birth and baptism records 1821, page 100-101. http://www.arkivverket.no/URN:NBN:no-a1450-kb20051011061114.jpg
Telemark county, Bø, Parish register (official) nr. 7 (1831-1848), Marriage records 1845, page 289. http://www.arkivverket.no/URN:NBN:no-a1450-kb20051011050327.jpg
Telemark county, Bø, Parish register (official) nr. 9 (1862-1879), Migration records 1868, page 382. http://www.arkivverket.no/URN:NBN:no-a1450-kb20051011051208.jpg
Passenger list, Rjukan, 1867. Passenger Lists, 1865–1935. Microfilm Publications T-479 to T-520, T-4689 to T-4874, T-14700 to T-14939, C-4511 to C-4542. Library and Archives Canada, n.d. RG 76-C. Department of Employment and Immigration fonds. Library and Archives Canada Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. Available from Ancestry.com. Canadian Passenger Lists, 1865-1935 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2010.
Halvor Erikson naturalization, 18 May 1880. Swift County District Court, State of Minnesota. From Halvor Eriksen land entry case file no. 4485, 1882.
Halvor Eriksen, Swift County, Minnesota. Certificate no. 4485. United States Bureau of Land Management, 25 July 1882.
On 17 July 1845 in Bø. Halvor married Guro Hansdatter Askilt. They had seven children in Norway: Erik, born 25 April 1846; Hans, born 5 August 1847; Kittel or Kjetil (later known as Charles), born 11 September 1850; Torkel, born 6 September 1852; my 2nd-great-grandmother Aaste, born 3 February 1854; Anne, born 25 February 1858; and Kari, born 7 September 1861.
In 1865, Halvor and his family lived on the Otterholdt (or Otterholt) farm in Bø. He was listed as a Gaardbrgr og Selveier (farmer or owner, freeholder).
In 1867, Halvor and his family immigrated to the United States. In Boe (Bø) and Halvorson-Otterholt: Shared Roots in Telemark (compiled by Melvin and Alpha M. (Boe) Brodshaug, 1984; published by Arlene (Boe) Christensen and Marjorie (Boe) Bergee; printed by Anundsen Publishing Co., Decorah, Iowa), there is a quote from a letter written to Leland Otterholt by Aaste Lie: "The Otterholts were a prosperous people. Halvor loved the horses and bet on them but lost. Being proud, he decided to emigrate to America with his family." Although there may have been other reasons for the family's emigration, I suspect that there is at least a grain of truth to that statement. The family left Norway from Skien, Telemark on the Rjukan, and they arrived in Quebec, Canada on 30 May 1867.
Halvor and his family settled in Canisteo, Dodge County, Minnesota. About 1868, Halvor and Guro's last child, Johanna, was born. The family was enumerated in Canisteo in the 1870 United States census. Halvor was a farmer. His real estate had a value of $800, and his personal estate had a value of $340. In the United States, he was usually known as Halvor Erickson. Some of his children used the surname Halvorson, and some used the surname Otterholt.
By 1875, the family had moved to Swenoda, Swift County, Minnesota. In 1880, they lived in West Bank, Swift County, Minnesota. Halvor became a citizen of the United States on 18 May 1880.
Halvor applied for a land patent through the Homestead Act of 1862, for 80 acres of land located in the south half, northwest quarter, section 32 of Township 120 North of Range No. 41 west of the Principal Meridian, Swift County, Minnesota. He had settled on the land in June 1873 and built a house and a stable, and dug a well. His patent was issued on 25 July 1882. His son-in-law Jorgen Jorgensen Boe (my 2nd-great-grandfather) received his certificate the same day, for nearby land. Halvor later applied for an additional land patent, for 80 acres of land located in the east half, northeast quarter, section 31 of Township 120 North of Range No. 41 west of the Principal Meridian, Swift County, Minnesota. His patent was issued on 1 April 1892.
Halvor died on 14 January 1898. He was buried in Big Bend Lutheran Church Cemetery in Milan, Chippewa County, Minnesota.
Halvor Eriksen, Swift County, Minnesota. Certificate no. 4485. United States Bureau of Land Management, 25 July 1882.
Monday, December 8, 2014
Mystery Monday: Why Did James Mapplebeck Go to California?
In 1895, James Mapplebeck was living in Alton, Madison County, Illinois. He had left Montreal, Quebec, Canada around 1891-1892, after the 1891 Census of Canada.
J. P. Hodge and Sons' Directory of the City of Alton, North Alton and Upper Alton, 1895-1896. Alton, IL: J. P. Hodge & Sons. Available from Ancestry.com. U.S. City Directories, 1821-1989 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011.
By 1898, he was living in San Francisco, California. He was still at the same address in 1899.
Crocker-Langley San Francisco Directory for Year Commencing May 1898. San Francisco: H. S. Crocker Company, 1898. Available from Ancestry.com. U.S. City Directories, 1821-1989 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011.
Crocker-Langley San Francisco Directory for Year Commencing May 1899. San Francisco: H. S. Crocker Company, 1898. Available from Ancestry.com. U.S. City Directories, 1821-1989 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011.
His wife (my great-great-grandmother Catherine Elizabeth Winters) and her two children, whom he had raised as his own since they were young, did not go with him. They were still living in Alton, Illinois in 1899.
W. H. McCoy's Alton City Directory, Including the Towns of Upper Alton, North Alton, and East Alton, 1899-1900. Keokuk, Iowa: W. H. McCoy. Available from Ancestry.com. U.S. City Directories, 1821-1989 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011.
Why did James Mapplebeck go to California? His mother Jane, brother George, and sister Sarah had also left Montreal; they had gone to New Jersey. His half-brother William Mapplebeck had been living in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada (where James had lived until after the death of their father), but by 1899 he had moved to Detroit, Michigan. His uncle John Mapplebeck was living in Hamilton, Ontario. The only person I know of who had any connection to James Mapplebeck who had spent time living in San Francisco was Charles Buise. He was probably a relative of Elizabeth Buise, the last wife of John Bennet Winters (the father of Catherine Elizabeth Winters). Charles may also have been related to Catherine Elizabeth Winters or her children, because the death notice of his mother Margaret McGillivray was transcribed in the Winters family Bible. However, Charles Buise died in 1893.
A possible explanation for his move is the Klondike Gold Rush. George Carmack and his brother-in-law Snookum Jim Mason discovered gold at Bonanza Creek (then called Rabbit Creek) on 16 August 1896. On 15 July 1897 in San Francisco and 17 July 1897 in Seattle, prospectors returned from the Klondike with large amounts of gold, and the Klondike stampede began. Approximately 100,000 people attempted to reach the goldfields.
Excelcior (the first steamer to carry passengers to the Klondike after news of the discovery of gold) leaving San Francisco for the Klondike, July 28, 1897. Photo by Sam C. Partridge [Public domain]. Available from University Libraries, University of Washington and Wikimedia Commons.
To reach the Klondike, prospectors traveled from Seattle or San Francisco to Alaska, and then to the Yukon.
Map showing routes from San Francisco to Alaska and the Klondike. George Davidson. San Francisco: Alaska Exploration Company, 1898. Available from David Rumsey Map Collection.
Prospectors came from all over the United States and from other countries. The Alton Evening Telegraph included information on traveling to the Klondike.
Perhaps James Mapplebeck traveled to the Klondike, returned to San Francisco, and chose to stay in California. (He never returned to his family.) Or maybe he went to San Francisco with the intention of traveling to the Klondike, but ended up staying there. I hope to find additional information that may confirm this theory.
By 1898, he was living in San Francisco, California. He was still at the same address in 1899.
His wife (my great-great-grandmother Catherine Elizabeth Winters) and her two children, whom he had raised as his own since they were young, did not go with him. They were still living in Alton, Illinois in 1899.
Why did James Mapplebeck go to California? His mother Jane, brother George, and sister Sarah had also left Montreal; they had gone to New Jersey. His half-brother William Mapplebeck had been living in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada (where James had lived until after the death of their father), but by 1899 he had moved to Detroit, Michigan. His uncle John Mapplebeck was living in Hamilton, Ontario. The only person I know of who had any connection to James Mapplebeck who had spent time living in San Francisco was Charles Buise. He was probably a relative of Elizabeth Buise, the last wife of John Bennet Winters (the father of Catherine Elizabeth Winters). Charles may also have been related to Catherine Elizabeth Winters or her children, because the death notice of his mother Margaret McGillivray was transcribed in the Winters family Bible. However, Charles Buise died in 1893.
A possible explanation for his move is the Klondike Gold Rush. George Carmack and his brother-in-law Snookum Jim Mason discovered gold at Bonanza Creek (then called Rabbit Creek) on 16 August 1896. On 15 July 1897 in San Francisco and 17 July 1897 in Seattle, prospectors returned from the Klondike with large amounts of gold, and the Klondike stampede began. Approximately 100,000 people attempted to reach the goldfields.
To reach the Klondike, prospectors traveled from Seattle or San Francisco to Alaska, and then to the Yukon.
Prospectors came from all over the United States and from other countries. The Alton Evening Telegraph included information on traveling to the Klondike.
Alton Evening Telegraph, 15 March 1898
Alton Evening Telegraph, 22 March 1898
Perhaps James Mapplebeck traveled to the Klondike, returned to San Francisco, and chose to stay in California. (He never returned to his family.) Or maybe he went to San Francisco with the intention of traveling to the Klondike, but ended up staying there. I hope to find additional information that may confirm this theory.
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