Tuesday, December 28, 2010

Tombstone Tuesday - Hipwell - Tromley

This monument caught my eye in Greenwood Cemetery, Owen Sound because of the beautiful figure of the angel.

HIPWELL
In loving memory of
Norval Eldred Hipwell
1907-1958
Beloved husband of
Clara Louise Tromley
1904-1995

Norval E. Hipwell was in the shipbuilding related business in Owen Sound. He was born in Manitoba in 1907 and appears in the 1911 census in Portage la Prairie, Manitoba and in the 1916 census Neepawa, Manitoba. His parents were Ernest and Mary Catherine E. Hipwell.

Clara Louise Tromley was born in Parry  Sound District of Ontario in 1904. Her parents were Fred Tromley and Edith Stinton. In the 1911 census, the family is in the Dauphin District of Manitoba.

Some of their family information is found on a Rootsweb WorldConnect Tree

Tuesday, September 14, 2010

Tombstone Tuesday - Rev. Peter Scott and wife Jeanie Wallace

Sometimes my client research takes me to Bruce County cemeteries. In the spring, I visited Port Elgin Cemetery where my attention was caught by this monument because of the details provided.


In loving memory of
Rev. Peter Scott
died Jan. 19, 1908 aged 77 years
Native of Selkirkshire
Scotland & for 28 years
pastor of Hibbert Congregation

Perth County

Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth

His wife Jeanie R. Wallace 1842-1931


For possible descendants or relations of this couple , the details on the monument provide some good information to start the search into the lives of Peter and Jeanie.

Here is what I learned about the couple in addition to what is stated on the stone from some quick research on Ancestry.ca.

Rev. Peter Scott - He died in Paisley, Bruce County, Ontario [1]. The informant was John Scott. There is no indication of a relationship to the deceased.

Peter Scott, a resident of Perth County and minister of the Gospel married Jeanie Wallace, a resident of Southampton, Ontario on 24 June 1880 in Southampton. Peter was the son of John and Beatrice Scott. Jeanie was the son of John and Janet Wallace. [2]

Question not answered is how did Peter and Jeanie meet? There is a Wallace family enumerated on the same page as the Scott household in Saugeen Township, Bruce County, Ontario. The Peter Scott is a carpenter in 1861 and in 1871 a student. Had he gone into preparing for the ministry? His age is in line with the Peter who is later living in  Hibbert Township . The Scott household has John Wallace but the  wife is Lydia. There is a daughter whose name looks more like Jessie than Jeanie, but could it be her? There is a good chance these are the correct families as other Peter Scotts found in 1861 and in 1871 aren't as good a match.

In 1881, Peter and Jeanie are living in Hibbert, Perth County. Peter is a Presbyterian minister. By 1891, the census shows the addition of a daughter Janet, aged 7 to the family. The 1901 census has Peter aged 70, Jeanie aged 59 and Janet aged 17. It gives Peter's year of immigration as 1860.If this is correct, he should appear on the 1861 census.

After Peter's death in 1908, Jeanie and daughter Janet, aged 27, are found in the 1911 census living at 23 Albert Street, Paisley. At the time of Peter's death, he was living on Albert Street in Paisley.

Jeanie died 19 February 1931 in Paisley, Ontario. Because the death registration that is available is more recent than Peter's, more information is provided. The informant of her death is Jno. Scott, nephew. [3]

Civil registration sources
[1] Peter Scott Ontario death registration #097326 (21 January 1908); digital image, Ancestry.ca (http://www.ancestry.ca ; accessed 13 September 2010), citing microfilm MS 935 Reel 134 Archives of Ontario, Toronto.

[2] Peter Scott - Jeanie Wallace Ontario marriage registration #001566 (24 June 1880); digital image, Ancestry.ca (http://www.ancestry.ca ; accessed 13 September 2010), citing microfilm MS 932 Reel 32, Archives of Ontario, Toronto.

[3] Jeanie Scott Ontario death registration #0019631 (19 February 1931); digital image, Ancestry.ca (http://www.ancestry.ca ; accessed 13 September 2010), citing microfilm MS 935 Reel 411.

Thursday, August 26, 2010

Greenwood Cemetery aka People's Cemetery

Over at the Graveyard Rabbit Online Journal, an article I wrote about Owen Sound's cemetery is now online.

The featured names were Lethbridge and McAllister. This study shows how a variety of sources can provide different information and that only using one source concerning  death leads to incomplete information. To gain a better understanding of who everyone was, non-death related sources are also needed.

The deed to the grave plot only tells who bought the plot and its location. The receipt shows how much Robert Lethbridge, Jr. paid for it.

A visit to the cemetery ground found the stones but not all the names were inscribed on the stones as was discovered when looking at the cemetery's online database. One name inscribed on the stone was not located in the database as Ontario's privacy laws prohibited its inclusion.

Census and vital records helped with determining relationships.

Not viewed were newspaper death notices/obituaries or the microfilm of the various cards in the Greenwood Cemetery files.

Tuesday, August 17, 2010

Greenwood Cemetery Owen Sound - Chapel

photo take November 1. 2008

Mayor Mathew R. Duncan laid the cornerstone for the chapel in 1905. A year later, it was used for the first funeral. Until the mausoleum was constructed in 1930, the chapel was used during bad weather for the committal service and for storage during the winter. There were no burials in the winter. Inside there is a trap door in the middle of the building. It could be raised and the coffins placed on storage racks below until the spring.

From 1930 to the 1990s, this building was used as the cemetery office. It was to this building on  a cold March morning in 1990 that my mother, brother and I went to purchase three plots after my dad died. One plot was for my dad; one was later used for my mom and one will be for me.

Information on the chapel is from the historic plaque that stands beside this building.

Tuesday, August 10, 2010

Tombstone Tuesday - Girdler and Bluhm

During a recent walk in Greenwood Cemetery, Owen Sound, I found this monument. The sketches on the stone reflect their interest. They obviously enjoyed hitting the road on travels. Look at the sketch in the centre. It is a collage of grain, dice and musical notes. The flowers are reflecting on to the stone.

Shirley was the big girl next door when I was little and living on the east side of town.

Tuesday, July 13, 2010

Tombstone Tuesday - Richard Ayearst (Lord of Bothamsall)

Among the monuments in the Markdale Cemetery is one that stands out because it is not what one might expect to find in a small town cemetery.



Is this sculpture a work of Bobbie Carlyle known as the Self Made Man? The self made man is carving himself - his character and his future, out of stone.


Who is Richard Ayearst - Lord of Bathamsall?  [March 4 2011 update. The name of the village is Bothamsall. Information provided by his widow.]

He was born in 1950 and died in 1997.

The first line of the poem is cited on different websites as the words of Alan Ashley-Pitt, but I have not discovered who he is. [Update: October 25, 2020 -- It appears that he worked for a card company but this was his nom de plume of Phil Wernig.]

"The man who follows the crowd will usually get no further than the crowd. The man who walks alone is likely to find himself in places no one has." It appears to be from a work called "On Creativity". [Update: -- October 26, 2020 -- can no longer find the poem.]

Update: September 18, 2010, I received an email from a reader with this information on the name:

 I know that the Ayearst's originally came from England into Canada, settling in the Toronto area. My Great Grandfather was William Albert Ayearst, my Grandfather was William Thomas Boyd Ayearst. William T.B. Ayearst had 2 brothers, John A. & Francis. There is a plaque on the west wall of the Nave at Canterbury Cathedral:  William Ayearst D.D., died May 9th, 1765 aged 81.
The family name began as Ayerst (possibly Aherst) in Kent and an "a" was inserted centuries ago. A book was compiled by Morley Ayearst, 1973, East Hampton, New York on the family history. Most of the U.S. Ayearst's are interred at Michigan Memorial Park Cemetery, Flat Rock, Mich.

Tuesday, June 29, 2010

Baby Mary Hutton

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Mary
dau. of
James & Janet
Hutton
Died Oct 27. 1889
Aged 1 mo. 6 ds

Buried in Walkerton Cemetery, Bruce County, Ontario

Mary was born 11 September 1889 according to her birth registration. Her death registration was not found on Ancestry. Her parents were James Hutton and Janet Kinmond.  Her birth was registered two days before the date of death shown on her tombstone.

The Graveyard Rabbit of Grey noticed this tombstone when visiting in the Walkerton Cemetery.

Mary Hutton, Ontario birth registration #002714 (25 October 1889); digitial image, Ancestry.ca citing Archives of Ontario, microfilm  MS 929 Reel 92

Tuesday, May 11, 2010

Cenotaph - IOOF

This tall cenotaph caught my eye one day while walking in Greenwood Cemetery, Owen Sound. I went closer to see the names inscribed on the plaque.

Several names caught my eye as two were men who I had been researching for several years.

If you look at the photo of the whole monument. Click on the photo to enlarge it. There are three rings.  These are the symbols for the Independent Order of Oddfellows: Friendship, Love and Truth. The IOOF and the Rebekas erected this monument after the First World War.

Until, I was looking at the support material for one of the oral histories at the Owen Sound & North Grey Union Public Library, I didn't know anything more about it. In 1977, Richard Neath was interviewed and one of the key subjects he talked about was the IOOF.

The support material was entitled "Lest We Forget". I haven't listened to the interview to know if the monument was talked about. After the end of the war, IOOF Lodges 180 and 441 formed a special committee to make recommendations for a suitable memorial.

Here I quote the article

. . . a square tapering monument, built with native field stone was decided upon. Volunteer help headed by Bro. Geo. Darby, P.G. dug the excavation for the case and other members spent afternoons and evenings gathering rocks and field stones which were hauled to the site on a truck donated by Bro. R. A. Breckenridge. Bro. C. H. Thompson was able to secure cement and the necessary aggregate for a nominal sum, to pour the base, which would require approximately 24 cubic yards of concrete. This was all done by members of the order and resulted in a lot of sore muscles and some blisters as machinery for mixing concrete in those days has long been outdated. The building of the monument was placed in [the] hands of a local stone mason by the name of Mr. Wm. Malcolm, who was without a doubt a master craftsman, especially with field stone. A recess was left on the West side of the monument to place a suitable bronze tablet on which the names of the members of the order who gave their lives during world war one was cast. [1]

Unfortunately, no date of dedication is given.

R. H. Neath, P. G., P.D. D. G. M., "Lest we Forget" in the supporting material for an oral interview conducted on March 15, 1977 for the Owen Sound Public Library conducted by Carol Anne Holder.

Saturday, April 10, 2010

Greenwood Cemetery Owen Sound Plan

Near the mausoleum, you will find the plan for Greenwood Cemetery. Originally, the areas were called mainly by names that described the location. For example - West Extension. That area now is called Spruce Haven. The cemetery has a database of burials on its website that includes up to 1979.
For each entry there is a code to tell the location the person's name, age at death, title, date of death and date of burial. All very useful information.

The listings only go up to 1979 because of Privacy Laws in Ontario. If you are looking for a more recent burial you will have to contact the cemetery office.

Tuesday, April 6, 2010

Tombstone Tuesday - Brackenborough (2)

This is a follow-up of a previous Tombstone Tuesday on the Brackenborough Family. As a result of that posting, I was able to connect two people researching this surname and provide some information.

When I took the photo last fall, I forgot to look at the other side of the stone.  I am posting it here with a photo of the other side showing the area where the stone is located. Last Friday, I took advantage of the warm spring day to go walking in the cemetery.


To live in the hearts of those we leave behind
is not to die

BRACKENBOROUGH

1921   Edwin Frederick (Bud) 1967

Mary Emma Buchanan

WARBUTON

1925 Ron Warbuton 1997

Husband of Gwen Brackenborough

Tuesday, March 30, 2010

Tombstone Tuesday - Mary Alice Linley


In Memory of Mary Alice Linley
dau of

It looks like Feb 2 1883 
6 yrs 5 mo 23 days
Maxwell - St. Mary's Anglican Church Cemetery

I have found her birth registration, but not her death registration. Her name was entered as Mary Ellis Lindley 8 August  1876. She was the daughter of Edward Lindley and Sarah Jane Connor.

Mary Ellis Lindley Ontario birth registration #007349 (5 November 1876); digital image, Ancestry.ca (http://www.ancestry.ca ; accessed 30 March 2010), citing microfilm MS 929 Reel 23, Archives of Ontario, Toronto.

Tuesday, March 9, 2010

Tombstone Tuesday - Old Durham Road Pioneer Cemetery



Photos of Tombstones can be seen on the Genweb Cemetery Project site.

The four headstones were found in 1990.

The book Broken Shackles provides some background on this cemetery. The stones were of graves of  early Black settlers to the area.



Above collage and photos by Janet Iles
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Tuesday, February 16, 2010

Tombstone Tuesday - Trethewey






This posting continues the series on the Trethewey famly monument in Greenwood Cemetery Owen Sound.

Laura J. Trethewey
wife of William S. Middlebro
1879-1907

William H Trethewey
Dece 21, 1872 - Mar 14, 1900

This side of the momument remembers Laura and William, children of John Trethewey and Catherine Coad.

Laura died 21 April 1907 in Owen Sound. [1] She and her husband William Sora Middlebro, a lawyer, had married 2 September 1903. [2] Less than four years later she dies of cancer. In attendance were Doctors T. H. Middlebro, C.M. Lang and O.L. Danard. [1]

Laura Jane's brother William died 14 March 1900 of pneumonia and endocarditis. [3]

Laura's husband is buried with his second wife Pearl Irene Ryan in another part of the cemetery.

[1] Laura Jane Middlebro Ontario death registration #012206 (22 April 1907), digital image; Ancestry.ca (http://www.ancestry.ca ; accessed 13 February 2010), citing microfilm Ms 935 Reel 130, Archives of Ontario, Toronto

[2] Laura J Trethewey - William S. Middlebro Ontario marriage registration #08783 (2 September 1903), digital image; Ancestry.ca (http://www.ancestry.ca ; accessed 13 February 2010), citing microfilm MS 932 Reel 110, Archives of Ontario, Toronto.

[3] William Trethewey Ontario death registration #010655 (16 March 1900), digital image; Ancestry.ca (http://www.ancestry.ca ; accessed 13 February 2010), citing microfilm Ms 935 Reel 96, Archives of Ontario, Toronto



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Tuesday, February 2, 2010

Tombstone Tuesday - Trethewey - Wark - Tilt

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Mamie H.
Trethewey
wife of
T. Herbert Wark
1875-1906
Maude Tilt
1888-1953


Mamie was Mary Ellen Trethewey daugther of John Trethewey and  Catherine Coad. She married Thomas Herbert Wark 28 September 1898. [1] Mary was born in Silver Islet (near Thunder Bay) on 13 January 1875. [2] Mamie died 23 February 1906 in Owen Sound and is buried at Greenwood Cemetery in Owen Sound. [3]

I am not sure who is Maude Tilt.

[1] Mary  Trethewey - Thomas  Wark Ontario marriage registration #006321 (28 September 1898); digital image, Ancestry.ca (http://www.ancestry.ca ; accessed 1 February 2010), citing microfilm MS 932 Reel 95, Archives of Ontario, Toronto

[2] Mary Ellen Trethewey Ontario birth registration #029582 (August 1877); digital image, Ancestry.ca (http://www.ancestry.ca ; accessed 1 February 2010), citing microfilm MS 929 Reel 30, Archives of Ontario, Toronto

[3] Mamie Wark Ontario death registration #011513 (24 February 1906); digital image, Ancestry.ca (http://www.ancestry.ca : accessed 1 February 2010), citing microfilm MS 935 Reel 125, Archives of Ontario, Toronto

Thursday, January 28, 2010

The Last Ride

 

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The History Hare has written about the Horse Drawn Hearse "The Last Ride" in the most recent issue of the Graveyard Rabbit Online Journal Above is an example of an old fashioned horse drawn hearse during the City of Owen Sound 150th Parade in August 2007.

Tuesday, January 26, 2010

Tombstone Tuesday - Trethewey and Coad



Capt. John Trethewey
died Dec 25th 1916 in his 77th year
his wife
Catherine Coad
died Dec 12th 1927 in her 82nd year
Richard James Trethewey
born Mar 11 1869 died Nov. 6 1942

Captain John Trethewey died in Toronto but was returned to Greenwood Cemetery, Owen Sound for burial. He was born in England, the son of Richard Threthewey. No mother is listed in the death registration. [1]

According to his obituary that appeared in Toronto World 27 December 1916, Capt. John was a retired mining engineer. He had lived in Toronto for the last 10 years of his life. [2] John had married Catherine Coad on 24 March 1864 at Christ Church Cathedral in Montreal (Anglican) [3]. While he lived in Owen Sound, he was President of the Grey and Bruce Trust Company. [4]

Catherine died 12 December 1927 in Wiarton, Ontario. She was born in Land's End England, the daughter of William Coad and Catherine Thomas. Her son, R. J. Trethewey of London, Ontario was the informant.[5]

[1] John Trethewey, Ontario death registration #007519 (26 December 1916); digital image, Ancestry.ca (http://ancestry.ca ; accessed 26 January 2010), citing microfilm MS 935 Reel 318, Archives of Ontario, Toronto

[2]"Captain John Trethewey is called by death" Toronto World, 27 December 1916, p. 7; digital image, Google News ; accessed 26 January 2010)

[3] John Trethewey - Catherine Coad, marriage, Drouin collection, Ancestry.ca (http://ancestry.ca ; accessed 26 January 2010)

[4] "Grey and Bruce Trust Company" Women's Institutes of Grey County, Annan Branch, digital image; Grey Roots (http://www.greyroots.com ; accessed 26 January 2010).

[5] Catherine Tretheway Ontario death registration #009402 (13 December 1927), digital image; Ancestry.ca (http://www.ancestry.ca ; accessed 26 January 2010), citing microfilm MS 935 Reel 346, Archives of Ontario, Toronto.

This is not my family. Future postings will continue with more Trethewey monuments.




Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Tombstone Tuesday - Gunn and Bebee



This tombstone is from Greenwood Cemetery Owen Sound

GUNN                                                                   BEBEE
Catherine Gunn                                                       Milton E. Bebee
1831-1893                                                              1853-1927
wife of Angus Gunn                                                Mary C H Gunn
1829 - 1901                                                            1865-1930

As with all research, what seems like it would be a straight search for information turns out to be slightly more complicated.

Catherine's death registration was found quickly on Ancestry. It gives her name as Catherine Angus Gunn. She was born in Scotland and was a farmer's wife.  The informant for her death was the Rev'd Alexander McLennan of Hoath Head. She died in Sydenham Township, Grey County 27 October 1893. [1]

In 1891 according to the census, Catherine, Angus and daughter Mary are living in Sydenham Township.

In 1901, Angus is shown in the census with his daughter Mary (listed as Minnie) and her husband Milton Bebee in Owen Sound.

Angus, according to his tombstone and the Greenwood Cemetery online database his year of death is 1906. The database gives the date of death as 13 August 1906 with the burial the following day. Despite trying many different searches, I did not find the death registration for Angus.

 Milton Bebee was a harness manufacturer in Owen Sound. He died 25 February 1927 in Owen Sound.  [2] Almost three years later, his wife Mary died on 9 January 1930 [3]

To confirm the connection between the Gunn family and Bebee family, I searched for a marriage registration for Milton and Mary. I found two registrations for them, two years apart with two different dates and places of marriages. Their ages increased appropriately by two years. Milton's parents didn't have common first names and in both registrations they are the same.His father was Steadman and his mother Tryphosa.

The first took place in Toronto on 5 July 1892. [4] The second took place 17 January 1894 in Sydenham Township. [5]  Each had different witnesses. As with all research, you end up with questions. Why were their two marriage registrations?

This is not my family.

[1] Catherine Gunn Ontario death registration #005973 (31 October 1893); digital image, Ancestry.ca (http://www.ancestry.ca ; accessed 19 January 2010), citing microfilm MS 935 Reel 67, Archives of Toronto, Ontario

[2] Milton Bebee Ontario death registration #015046 (26 February 1927); digital image, Ancestry.ca (http://www.ancestry.ca ; accessed 19 January 2010), citing microfilm MS 935 Reel 347, Archives of Toronto, Ontario

[3] Mary Christina Ellen Bebee Ontario death registration #017205 (15 January 1930; digital image, Ancestry.ca (http://www.ancestry.ca ; accessed 19 January 2010), citing microfilm MS 935 Reel 389, Archives of Ontario, Toronto.

[4] Mary Helen Christina Gunn - Milton Every Beebe Ontario marriage registration #014701 (5 July 1892); digital image, Ancestry.ca (http://www.ancestry.ca ; accessed 19 January 2010), citing microfilm MS 932 Reel 77, Archives of Ontario, Toronto

[5] Mary Christina Gunn - Milton E Bebee Ontario marriage registration #004253 (17 January 1894); digital image, Ancestry.ca (http://www.ancestry.ca ; accessed 19 Januayr 2010), citing microfilm MS 932 Reel 81, Archives of Ontario, Toronto

Tuesday, January 5, 2010

May (Iles) Litherland - Tombstone Tuesday



LITHERLAND

Edith May Iles
1904-1967
wife of
Jack Litherland


May was my dad's oldest sister. She was born in Small Heath, Birmingham England on 28 May 1904. The following year, the family moved to Grey County, Ontario. In 1929, she married Jack Litherland. I am not sure what year they moved to England but she did return to Canada. In her latter years, she lived with her mother who predeceased her by only a month. May died 17 June 1967. She is buried in Greenwood Cemetery, Owen Sound.