52 Ancestors: Crabby Uncle Bill Massey

I'm writing about my Uncle Bill Massey as part of Amy Crow's Challenge: 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks .

 

Bill Massey in WW2

Every family has its characters and one of the characters in my family was my Uncle Bill. Everyone called him Groundy but I don't have a clue how he got the nickname or what it meant. A life-long bachelor, he was one of the crabbiest people I ever met! 

He was my grandfather's brother and was the second oldest of 9 children. I remember Uncle Bill vividly because my grandfather took me to visit him frequently. But I didn't know him well at all because I was very young and he never spoke to me, nor did I speak to him. I just sat and listened. He probably didn't care for children much. And I was only 13 when he died.

What I remember most is the image in my head of him at the kitchen table drinking with my grandfather. Uncle Bill was a heavy drinker and always had a whiskey nearby. His house was almost empty of furniture but he kept it very tidy and clean. I remember sliding in my sock feet on his hardwood living room floor. You could get a good run at it and slide a long way as nothing got in your way. Everything had its place and nothing was ever moved.

His early life is a mystery to me but someone once told me he worked at the St. Mary's Cemetery at some point in his life. I have a vague memory of being told that he once lived in a trailer by a gas station. It seems sad to not know anything more. 

He volunteered in WW2 and I was told that he drove a jeep in Europe as the driver for a film crew. But the one and only time I asked Uncle Bill if he ever got any medals, he scowled and told me it was all a bunch of "BS". So I never asked again. My grandmother told me that the only time Bill talked about his time in WW2 was when he was very drunk. 

While Bill was a life-long bachelor I know that during the war he had a girlfriend. It didn't work out but he must have cared for her very much because he kept her photograph until he died. I now own this photo but I don't know her name.

Uncle Bill was an amateur woodworker and a blanket box that he made is in my house. 

When I was 13 years old, Uncle Bill died of a heart attack while shovelling snow. His death came as a shock to me because he was a family character and as such you figure they will always be around. In some ways he is still with us because he's one of the members of our family whose name comes up most frequently when I'm talking with anyone else in the family. Everyone remembers Uncle Bill.

52 Ancestors: Oscar Massey Accused of Stealing Rifles in 1919

March 1919. Pueblo Chieftan

My cousin 3 times removed was Oscar Massey. He was born in Colorado in 1893. While researching him (because I research all siblings of my direct ancestors) I found some interesting news articles about him being arrested in 1919.

It seems that in March 1919 Oscar and a buddy Grover Roberts were arrested and charged with stealing rifles and pistols from the Sante Fe Railway. Oscar got off eventually but I've never been sure he didn't do it. I think it might have been a case of having friends on the jury and being well-known and liked in the town.

In any case here's his story in newspaper clippings:

 Accused Burglars Attend Courts of Numerous Degrees Prisoners, Charged with Robbing Box Cars Arraigned before Justices (News Article)

Date: 1919-04-05; Paper: Pueblo Chieftain, published as: The Pueblo Chieftain

Jury is Picked to Try Oscar Massey (News Article)

Date: 1919-05-24; Paper: Pueblo Chieftain, published as: The Pueblo Chieftain

Massey Freed of Burglary Charge (News Article)

Date: 1919-05-25; Paper: Pueblo Chieftain, published as: The Pueblo Chieftain

52 Ancestors: Great-Grandmother Myrtle Massey Had a Difficult Life and an Early Death

The Sandercock Family in 1916

I don't remember my Great Grandmother as she died many years before my birth. She was born Myrtle Louisa Sandercock on October 29th 1895 in Middlesex County Ontario. She was the only girl in a family of seven children born to Samuel and Ann Sandercock.

At some point before her marriage to my Great Grandfather John Massey in 1913 the family had moved to St. Marys Ontario. I do not know how John and Myrtle met each other but John's father Thomas worked for the J.D. Moore company who just happened to own the building right next to the hotel that Myrtle worked in so that may have something to do with it.

Myrtle with a tray at the hotel in about 1910 - 1913

At her marriage Myrtle was just 18 years old but her life was not going to be easy over the next few years. Myrtle and John had their first child in May of 1914 and over the next 16 years she would have a total of 9 children. But 1914 would also bring the start of the Great War - a war that would see her two oldest brothers killed and her father sent home due to ill health.  Myrtle was particularly close to her brother James who was killed in 1918. I still have a letter James sent to his sister in 1918 that she kept until her death.

Of course there were the usual struggles for Myrtle and John as well. Money was in short supply as it was for many. John always worked but with 9 kids what he made did not go far. I remember my Grandfather telling me how when he was older and had his first job his mom would resort to taking coins from his stash that he kept in a cup in his room. He shared this room with his 8 brothers. He never said anything to her about it as he knew she needed it.

So the Great War of 1914 - 1918 saw the death of her two oldest brothers. The 1920s were a struggle for her, being pregnant and nursing young children most of the time. The 1930s brought the great depression and then to top it all off 1939 saw the start of another war. A war poor Myrtle had to see her own sons take part in. I am sure she could not help think about her own brothers who died in the first war as she watched her own sons go off to the second. 

John and Myrtle about 1942

Myrtle died at the young age of 49 in 1944. My grandmother told me that "Myrtle was doing the washing in the morning. She told her husband Jack that she was not feeling well and went to lie down and never woke up. It was a brain aneurysm"

Her Funeral card reads:

"Entered into rest suddenly at her late residence, Water St. South, St. Marys on Monday October 2, 1944, Myrtle L. Sandercock, beloved wife of John Massey in her 49th year. The funeral: Resting at the above address where funeral service will be held Thursday October 5 at 2p.m. Interment in St. Marys Cemetery"

St. Marys Journal-Argus, October 5, 1944, p.4 - Obituary - Mrs. John Massey

Stricken suddenly on Monday morning in the midst of her daily work, Mrs. John Massey, formerly Myrtle Sandercock, died in her 49th year at her home on Water St. South.  She had been in apparent good health and on Sunday had gone on a walk and on Monday she started her washing as usual.  Around 8:30 she was unable to continue and died about two hours later.
Born near Prospect Hill, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Sam Sandercock who reside in the West Ward, she had lived in Lucan before coming to St. Marys as a little girl.  Here she attended both Public School and Collegiate Institute, and 30 years ago married John Massey who is employed at Maxwell Ltd.  She was a member of St. James Anglican Church and had been among the first members of St. Marys Home and School Association.  She was a faithful worker for Red Cross objectives.Mrs. Massey was the devoted mother of nine children, four sons being in the Services: Charles, in the Army at Debert, N.S.; Pte. Bill  Massey in France; Pte. Cecil Massey in England; John with the R.C.A.F. at Jarvis; and Kenneth at home;  Mrs. C.J. Langford(Marjorie) and Mrs. G.E. McKinnon(Helen), both of St. Marys; and Dorothy and Evelyn at home.She also leaves four brothers: Jack, in the U.S. Army; Harry, overseas; Wilbert of St. Marys and Frank of Detroit; besides four grandchildren: Tommy and Jimmie(twins) of St. Marys and Billy and  Jimmie of Kingston.The funeral service is being conducted this afternoon at her late residence by Rev. M.H. Farr of St. Paulís Anglican Church, Stratford, with interment in St. Marys Cemetery.

52 Ancestors: Richard Boniwell Loses Everyting to his Creditors in 1849

I'm writing about my 4th great-grandpa Richard Rufus Boniwell or Bonewell, as part of Amy Crow's Challenge: 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks

Richard was born in 1809 in Southwold, Suffolk England, the son of Richard Rufus Boniwell. Richard Jr. was well-established in the little community and is written about in James Magg's Diary on Ancestry.com 

Luckily for me, his marriage to Harriet, daughter of James Martin who owned The Red Lion Inn in Southwold, is mentioned in the diary. That gave me his wife's maiden name and her father's name. 

A carpenter by trade, Richard was the owner of The White Swan Inn and in 1841 he was living at Cliff's End with his wife Harriet Martin and 4 young children. A prominent man in the small community, he was elected a Councillor of Southwold in 1845. Then his luck changed.

1849 finds Richard bankrupt. A notice appeared in the Ipswich Journal dated February 1849 for an auction of all his posessions in order to pay his creditors - carpentry equipment, tools, household effects and so on. You name it, he lost it. There were 4 feather beds and all bedding listed in the effects to be auctioned for his creditors. He and his wife were given 3 months to gather all their possessions together for the auctioneers. 

Then in October yet another blow struck Richard. His inn, The White Swan, was repossessed and sold to pay his creditors. 

1851 finds Richard and his family living in much poorer conditions in the town of Southwold itself. I have to wonder how Harriet coped!   

In the end Richard and Harriet had 8 children, the last born in 1856. In 1886 Richard died. 

52 Ancestors: Edith & Martha Finch - Life in the Workhouse in England

Amy Johnson Crow has a new challenge for geneabloggers called Challenge: 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks. Amy challenges genealogists to write about one ancestor once a week. 

A few weeks ago I wrote about my ancestor Elsie Phyllis Markham and the hard life she had, orphaned at 9 months old, pregnant in 1917 at 19...... Today I want to talk about her mother Edith FINCH and grandmother Martha FINCH and their lives in the Workhouse.

Elsie's mother Edith Finch died in November 1898 in London England at the age of 28. Her husband Albert Markham had died just one month before Edith. They had both fallen victim to Typhoid Fever. Three young children were left behind - Albert, Frederick and Elsie (9 months old)




Brighton Workhouse


Edith's life had not been without difficulties. She was born in 1870 in the Brighton Workhouse in London England to Martha Finch, an unmarried inmate of the Workhouse. No father's name was given on little Edith's birth registration but at her marriage to Albert Markham in 1895 she gave her father's name as Lionel and his occupation as Commercial Traveller. I've never been able to find out if this is true. 

Edith Finch - Albert Markham Marriage 1895

1871 Census

The census of 1871 finds Martha, age 32, listed as a pauper in the Cuckfield Union Workhouse with her 6 month old "pauper child" Edith. Martha has work outside the Workhouse as a cook in a family home. 

Race Hill Workhouse and Brighton Industrial School

1881 Census

In 1881 the family is still in dire financial circumstances. 43 year old Martha is living in the Race Hill Workhouse with another illegitimate daughter Esther age 23 and Esther's illegitimate son Arthur 1 1/2 years old. Edith is not with the family at this time. She may be the Edith Finch age 12 in the Brighton Industrial School in Sussex but the birth location for this Edith is not consistent with the actual birth location of my ancestor. However I believe the birth location is simply an error and that this is my great-great grandmother. 

The Brighton Workhouse (also known as Race Hill Workhouse) sent pauper children to the new Warren Farm (aka Brighton Industrial School) in 1862 and it seems almost certain that Edith was sent there from Race Hill where her mother is found in 1881. [Source: http://www.workhouses.org.uk/Brighton/ ]

The lives of Martha and her daughters in the Workhouse and the Industrial School would not have been easy. People ended up in the Workhouse if they were too poor to support themselves, or if their family would not help them during difficult times. Often unmarried pregnant women were forced to enter the workhouse because their families disowned them.

Workhouse inmates were forced to do hard physical labour to help offset the cost of providing them with lodging and meagre food rations. For the most part, the inmates worked 12  hours of each day. Meals were simple with breakfast consisting usually of tea and bread or tea and gruel (a watery oatmeal). Lunch was their main meal of the day and it was usually a watery soup with bread, or a thin stew made of tough mutton or beef with a few carrots and potatoes. Their last meal of the day was tea with bread and butter. [Source: http://www.workhouses.org.uk/life/food.shtml]

1891 Census

1891 finds Edith Finch still living in the Workhouse but working as a housemaid. She too has an illegitimate son named Albert, age 5 months. It is not known who Albert's father was but he too was born in the St. Pancras Workhouse. Edith's mother Martha appears to have finally left the Workhouse after 30 or more years. Martha entered the Workhouse sometime before 1861 when she is found working as a dairymaid but with an illegitimate daughter born in the Workhouse. I suspect it may have been the birth of her daughter that forced Martha into the Workhouse. 

In the 1891 census Martha Finch lists herself as a widow even though there is no evidence that she ever married. She is working as a cook in a family home and no doubt had to say she was widowed since she had at least 3 illegitimate children. A proper Victorian family would not have allowed her to be part of their family life if she were not considered "respectable". It appears she may have been a live-in cook which was probably her only opportunity to escape the Workhouse life. 

As for Martha's 3 children, her son John (born 1863) was taken in by Martha's parents and appears to have lived with them his entire life. As to why they took in John but not Martha's daughters, I can't say. However there was contact between Martha and her parents as in 1871 12 year Esther Finch is staying with her grandparents and brother John. 

Esther Finch had yet a second illegitimate child, Ruth, born circa 1887 in the Workhouse but in 1900 Esther married a widower named William John Arrow. William had been left with 5 young children when his wife died in London in 1898, possibly from the same illness that took Esther's sister Edith and brother-in-law Albert Markham.

Timeline:

It's a confusing family to follow, full of misfortunate and sad circumstances. Because of this I created a timeline summary to help me in my research.

1838: Martha Finch, my 3rd great-grandmother, is born to Charles Finch and Keziah Harding. Charles is a bricklayer. Martha is one of 10 children. 

1861: Martha Finch is a dairymaid but living in the Workhouse. Her illegitimate daughter Esther is born that year.

1863: Martha Finch has an illegitimate son John born in Brighton Sussex OR is he the son of her younger sister Anna? 

1871:

• Martha is a pauper in the Cuckfield Union Workhouse with her illegitimate 6 month old daughter Edith Finch, my 2nd great grandmother. 
• John Finch and Esther Finch, Martha's two children, are living with grandparents George and Keziah

1881: 

• Martha Finch is an inmate in the Race Hill Workhouse with her daughter Esther and Esther's illegitimate son Arthur, age 1 1/2 
• Edith Finch is 12 years old and an inmate in the Brighton Industrial School which is part of Race Hill Workhouse.
• John Finch is living with his grandparents George & Keziah Finch

1891: 

• Martha Finch is employed as a cook in a family home. She doesn't appear to be living in the Workhouse
• Edith Finch is in the Pancras Workhouse. She has an illegitimate son Albert born in the Workhouse 5 months previously.
• Esther Finch is in the Race Hill Workhouse with her 4 year old illegitimate daughter Ruth.
• John Finch is  living "on his own means" at Hollycombe Stable in Sussex
• Arthur Finch, Martha's grandson, is living with a nurse in Brighton Sussex

1894: A John Finch born 1863 dies in Brighton Sussex. I do not have proof this is the grand son of George and Keziah but I do not find John in 1901 or 1911 census records.

1895: Edith Finch marries Albert Markham

1898: Edith Finch and her husband Albert Markham die of Typhoid Fever leaving 3 young children orphaned, including my great grandmother, 9 month old Elsie Markham

1900: Esther Finch marries John William Arrow, widower with 5 children

1901: 

• 62 year old Martha is a servant in Portsmouth Hampshire England
• John Finch - not found
• Arthur Finch is on board a ship of the Royal Navy as a musician
• Esther (Finch) Arrow is with her husband and daughter Ruth Finch in Brighton Sussex 

1909: Esther (Finch) Arrow dies

1911:

• Arthur Finch is living in Portsmouth, Hampshire England. He is a musician in the Royal Marine Artillery Barracks And Infirmary
• Ruth Finch is a maid in the house of Fanny Masters in Sussex England
• John Finch - not found

52 Ancestors: Poor Elsie, Orphaned at 9 Months and Pregnant at 19

Elsie age 15 in 1913
on her way to Canada

Amy Johnson Crow has a new challenge for geneabloggers called Challenge: 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks. Amy challenges genealogists to write about one ancestor once a week. 

Elsie Phyllis Markham was my great-grandmother. She was born in London England in 1898 to parents Albert Markham and Edith Finch. At the age of 9 months Elsie was orphaned when her parents died within a month of each other. 

Elsie's mother Edith was an illegitimate child born in the St. Pancras Workhouse. There does not seem to have been much contact with Edith's mother Martha Finch who had a total of 3 illegitimate children born to her while she was in the Workhouse. 

Elsie and my Grandpa Bert 1918

Baby Elsie and her two year old brother Frederick Markham were lucky enough to be taken in by an Aunt and Uncle but her 8 year old brother Albert Finch was sent to an orphanage. Several months after being taken in, the uncle refused to pay for the children's upkeep any longer.  Little Frederick was sent to a different orphanage than Albert, and Elsie was adopted by an older couple. 

Albert, who himself was an illegitimate child born in the St. Pancras Workhouse to his mother Edith Finch, was 8 year old when he entered Barnardo's Homes and at the age of 11 was sent as a Home Child to Canada. Letters exchanged between Albert and Barnardo's reveal that he was not treated well and ran away several times from his life of servitude and beatings. Eventually Albert was placed in the home of Roy and Mary Skinner of St. Mary's Ontario and there he found a happy life where he was treated as a son.

Frederick Markham

Albert was determined to reunite the family and began saving his money as a young teen so that he could bring Frederick and Elsie to Canada to join him. In September 1913, 23 year old Albert sent for 15 year old Elsie and she joined him in St. Mary's Ontario. 

His younger brother Frederick was an inmate of Miller's Orphan House in London until March 1914. He was18 when his older brother Albert paid for his passage to Canada. Sadly Frederick enlisted in the CEF (Canadian Expeditionary Force) during WW1 and was killed overseas. 

Elsie, poor Elsie, got pregnant in August 1917. She was just 19 years old and alone in the world except for her brother Albert. One month later she married Bristol Holden but recent DNA tests have revealed that Bristol was not the baby's father. 

Elsie and brother Albert

That was a surprise but confirmed what my grandmother Luella always told me - that Elsie was "fooling around with the hired man Cooper and that is Bert's father, not Bristol Holden." We have narrowed the possible candidates to two men in the Cooper family. We do not judge Elsie harshly. She was young, alone and pregnant in 1917. What was she to do? Her options were limited! 

We do not know whether she told Bristol the truth before marrying him or whether she kept her secret and let him think he was Bert's father. It really doesn't matter because by all accounts they had a happy marriage. 

52 Ancestors: Thomas Montgomery Taken Prisoner War of 1812

Amy Johnson Crow has a new challenge for geneabloggers called Challenge: 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks. Amy challenges genealogists to write about one ancestor once a week.

One of my ancestors had a spot of tough luck during the War of 1812. Thomas Montgomery and his wife Mary Johnston with sons William, Thomas, Johnston, James,Frederick,and John and possibly Ann left Warrenpoint Ireland around 1810 in An American vessel headed for the United States to join their son Robert in New York State. They were apprehended by a British Man of War off the coast of Newfoundland and taken prisoners. They were kept in Newfoundland for a period of time before being sent on the Quebec†City. After the end of the war in 1814 they went on to† Toronto leaving William in Quebec. Johnston had already singed up with General Caldwell and fought in Upper Canada.Thomas Jr, stayed in Toronto and built Montgomery, Inn. The rest later went on the Bennington New York.

From  "History of Wyoming County" 

"James MONTGOMERY was born near Petico, County Donegal, Ireland, in 1800. In 1824 he married Betsey PAGE of Herkimer County, NY, who died in 1879. He has served as overseer of the poor. His father, Thomas MONTGOMERY, was born near Enneskillen, Ireland, about 1769, and married Miss Mary Johnson of his native place. In 1812 the family took passage on an American vessel bound for New York, at Warring's Point, [Warren's Point, Co. Down?] in the north of Ireland. After a voyage of four weeks the vessel reached the coast of Newfoundland, where it was taken in charge by a British man-of-war, and all on board were made prisoners of war and taken to St. Johns, where they were detained four weeks 

Upon their release the MONTGOMERY's were obliged to make their way to Quebec, British subjects not being allowed to land on American soil during the continuance of the war; and until 1816 they remained in Canada, but came to New York State in the latter year, locating in Westmoreland, Oneida County, and removing from there to Bennington, Wyoming County two years later, when Mr. MONTGOMERY purchased one hundred and twenty five acres of lot 9, section 8, where he died in 1830, at the age of seventy three, and his wife in 1831, aged seventy one."

Thomas and Mary are buried in  Summit View Cemetery, Town of Bennington, Wyoming Co., New York

"Mary MONTGOMERY, d. 01/25/1831, Age 71y, Wife of Thomas MONTGOMERY and a native of Ireland

'Happy soul thy days are ended,  All thy mourning days below,  Go by angel guards attended,  To the sight of Jesus go"

Thomas MONTGOMERY, d. 03/10/1830, Age 73y, A native of Ireland, emigrated in 1812 'Although I sleep in dust, Beneath this silent clod, Ere long I hope to rise and smile,  And see my saviours God"

52 Ancestors: Sam Sandercock and His WW1 Tragedy

Amy Johnson Crow has a new challenge for geneabloggers called Challenge: 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks. Amy challenges genealogists to write about one ancestor once a week. I'm having fun with this and I hope you are too!

The Sandercott Family 1916

One of my ancestors was Sam Sandercock aka Sandercott. Sam was born in Cornwall England in 1870 and came to Ontario Canada in 1887 on board the ship Parisian. Eventually he married Ann Jackson and they had 7 children - 6 sons and 1 daughter (my great grandmother).

Sam was a proud patriotic Englishman and when WW 1 started in 1914 he was all for it. He could not join the military in 1914 as men his age were not really wanted. The Military only wanted young fit men in 1914 but as the war dragged on and casualties mounted they were forced to start taking older and far less fit men. So Sam enlisted in 1916 even though he was 46 years old and not in the best of health. His two eldest sons, Cecil and Bill, were now of military service age, also enlisted and the 3 went off to war.

Sadly Bill was killed in August 1917 in France. He was just 19 years old. His brother Cecil was right beside Bill when he was killed, and Cecil's postcard to his parents is chilling in its brevity:

Just a few lines, hoping you are well. I guess you will have heard the news of my brother's death before this letter reaches you. Bill and I went out on a working party on the night of August 23rd. We were both together working when a shell lit in the trench. Bill was killed. I got a slight wound in the knee. I was lucky i was not killed too. 

Almost exactly one year later in August 1918 Cecil Sandercock was also killed during some heavy fighting near Boiry France. He was just 20 years old.

Sam himself never made it into the trenches. The damp cold conditions in England got the best of his health. He was invalided with asthma in 1916 and sent home to Canada in April 1917 as medically unfit. Such a sad tale for 3 family members to go off to war and only one returned. 

52 Ancestors: Jonathan Butler, A Black Man from Pennsylvania

Upper Canada Land Petition
Jonathan Butler
envelope

Amy Johnson Crow has a new challenge for geneabloggers called Challenge: 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks. Amy challenges genealogists to write about one ancestor once a week. I'm having fun with this and I hope you are too!

Since February is Black History Month I've decided to talk about my black ancestor, Jonathan Butler. It's been a challenging search for Jonathan. Here is what Lorine McGinnis Schulze of Olive Tree Genealogy blog and I have been able to discover:

ca 1808 Jonathan arrives in Upper Canada (present day Ontario), possibly coming directly from Pennsylvania (as per his land petition) Whether he came as an adult or a child with parents is not known.

March 1816. Jonathan is found in Etobicoke (just west of the city of Toronto), possibly leasing land from Col. Samuel Smith (as per Character Certificate). Jonathan was almost probably at least 21 years of age at this time, thus a very rough estimate of his year of birth would be 1795 or earlier.

March 1819. Jonathan is a farmer with 50 acres in Toronto Township (as per his land petition). Toronto Township has the Etobicoke River on its eastern boundary. I believe this is possibly land he leased from Col. Smith.

April 1819. Jonathan is granted 100 acres of land in the Wilberforce Settlement (black settlement area) in Oro Township. (as per Land books) It does not appear he actually settled there (as per Gary French)

ca 1822-1838. 2 sons and 3 daughters are born in this time period. Names are not known (as per Assessment records)

1824. A son Allen is born in Toronto Township to Jonathan and wife Elizabeth Jenkins or Ginkins (as per 1851 adult baptism in Waterloo)

ca 1829 A son Harry aka Henry is born, location unknown

1832. A son George is born in Toronto Township. 

1834, 1837, 1838, 1839, 1840: Jonathan is found with 100 acres in Woolwich Township, Gore District which was part of the Queen's Bush settlement area for blacks. He lives "west of the Grand River" and may be on Lot 88 (as per Assessment Records)

Miscellaneous Details

We find no trace of Jonathan after 1840. It is not known when his wife Elizabeth died and the only record of her is the mention in the 1851 baptism of their son Allen. 

52 Ancestors: Frederick Purdue, Chaser of Slave Vessels, Friend of Thomas Edison?

Frederick Purdue in 1921

Frederick Purdue (1827-1921) was my 3rd great-grandfather. According to his obituary and some family stories he was quite a colourful character. I've tried to confirm the stories told in his obit but so far no luck. The Bluecoat School has no record of him being a student and I have not been able to find out anything about his sailing days or his adventures during the Fenian Raids. 

Were the stories true? I don't know but I hope so! What an exciting ancestor to have if the stories are true. 

His obituary reads

An interesting personality passed away on Monday evening at the advanced age of 94 years, at his home 94 Seaton St., in the person of Frederick Purdue, who in his early days, had a somewhat adventurous career on the sea. The deceased gentleman, who was born at Andover in the County of Hants England,  in the year 1826, and received his education at the famous Bluecoat School, the pupils of which until quite recently wore a uniform consisting of a long blue coat reaching almost to the ankles, yellow stockings, and buckled shoes. No matter what the weather, they never wore headgear of any kind. On September 23 1845 Mr. Purdue registered in London as a mariner, and spent a portion of his life at sea in chasing slave vessels.

He came to Canada about 65 years ago, located in Prescott, where he married Margaret Cowan. He was subsequently transferred by the G.T.R. [Grand Trunk Railway], in whose employ he was, to Montreal, and afterwards to St. Mary's Ontario, where most of his family were born. He served with the Railway Company for a period of 52 years, being Relieving Agent at several G.T.R. stations in Canada and also across the border. He was quite active during the Fenian Raid, and could tell many interesting incidents connected with his career.

Another cool story about Frederick is that he worked with Thomas Edison at the Stratford Junction Railway Station in St. Marys Ontario. As most people know Thomas Edison was the inventor of many things including the phonograph, the motion picture camera, and a long-lasting, practical electric light bulb. I know from historical records that Frederick did work at the Stratford Junction Station at around the same time as Thomas Edison. And Frederick himself claimed to know Edison.  However as to what relationship they may have had who can tell.

When I was a child I had the opportunity to speak on several occasions with someone who had first hand knowledge of Frederick. And while it was not said in so many words I got the distinct impression that old Frederick was perhaps a bit of a character. One story that stands out in my mind is how every morning Frederick would walk from his house the short distance to a local park in order to do his exercises in full public view. This may not sound strange today but in the late 1800s or early 1900s this was a rather odd thing for a man to do.  So who knows was Frederick just an old guy who was good at telling tales. Or was he a man who had a long and interesting life. Perhaps more research will tell.