March 2022 Branch Update

Preserving. Educating. Promoting. 

Monthly newsletter, e-TRAILS,  to the Family History Community.

Greetings members and friends of Essex Branch,

March has arrived and along with it the usual unpredictable weather. I wonder if the old saying, “In like a lion, out like a lamb or In like a lamb, out like a lion” will hold true this year. Regardless of how the month will progress, we sure are glad you are staying in touch with us and hopefully doing some family history research of your own. 

We welcome those new to our group the past month and hope you find this communication interesting and helpful. As always, we encourage you to browse our Essex Branch WEBSITE and join our Essex  Branch FACEBOOK GROUP for more resources, guidance and information.

After almost two years of work, we are pleased to offer a searchable database of the Windsor Grove Cemetery Index (497 pages.) This resource has been made available on our Essex Branch website in the “public” section for all researchers to access. On the home page, click on “Resources” then click on “Windsor Grove Cemetery Index” from the drop down. Search the database for surname, given name and date of death. Additional information is available to our members in our Members’ Library OR available for purchase in our Marketplace for $12.00 OR available by single lookups for $5.00 by emailing [email protected]. This is not a full comprehensive listing of every burial so be sure to check the index for your ancestor. We thank Linda Urquhart for all her hard work on this resource!

The interest in the Family Tree Maker (FTM) software is very evident in the genealogical community thus we are introducing a FTM User Group. Whether you are a new FTM user, have been using it for years or are just curious and want to learn more, this user group is for you. This FTM User Group will be bi-monthly, drop-in, live-chat style sessions. The first session, held in January, was very well attended with lots of questions and ideas for the March session. This user group is attendee driven so users of all skill levels are encouraged to attend. You can register to attend all or just one. Open to everyone. 

Do you know a young person who has an interest in history, genealogy, story telling or writing?? Please share this opportunity with them and perhaps plant the seeds of the love of family history.

Margaret spent her childhood and youth living with her parents and brother until her marriage on 16 June 1874 in Chatham to William JAMIESON. William’s residence when they married was in Aberfoyle, Wellington County and he was a teacher. His parents were listed as William and Sarah JAMIESON on the marriage record. Both were also born in Scotland. How William and Margaret met we do not know but it appears that William’s teaching career took the couple, and eventually their three children, to all parts of Ontario. First to Wellington County, then Kent County, then to Lincoln and Niagara Counties and finally to Essex County.

William and Margaret had three children: William B.; Mary Janet; and Arthur E.

William Barclay JAMIESON was born 39 Jun 1875 in Puslinch Township, Wellington, County, Ontario.  He married Mary Ethel COULSON on 20 Sep 1907 in Niagara Falls, Welland County, Ontario. They had three children: Judy; Gail; and William.

Mary Janet JAMIESON was born 9 Apr 1877 in Puslinch Township, Wellington County, Ontario. She married John STUART on 10 Nov 1909 in Windsor, Essex County, Ontario. They settled in Windsor where they had two children: John Jamieson and William Wallace.
John Jamieson STUART was born 25 Jan 1912 in Windsor. He married Margaret Jessie MacPHERSON on 15 Oct 1938 in Toronto. John Jamieson was a Windsor businessman who was credited with establishing and developing the University of Windsor institution.
William Wallace STUART was born 30 Aug 1915. He married Anna Dorothy MALLORY in 1946 in Brockville, Ontario having served with the Essex Scottish in North West Europe with the Canadian Intelligence Corps.

Arthur Edward JAMIESON was born 27 April 1881 in Dresden, Kent County, Ontario. He married Georgina WAINWRIGHT on 11 Sep 1909 in Peterborough, Peterborough County, Ontario. They are living in Windsor in 1921 with no children.  

We were happy to find additional information about this family who left their mark in Essex County as did many families. Mrs. William JAMIESON’s smile might indicate a content life or a sense of pride in her family who after living throughout Ontario ended up in Essex County and became a part of its history.

MARCH 1895
From The Evening Record March 16, 1895 Page 4
 

KINGSVILLE
(Elgin BLACK, Agent)

Mrs. Alfred KING is ill with typhoid fever.
Mrs. John J. MALOTT is considerably better.
John BOWSLAUGH is seriously ill with typhoid fever.
J. WOODWISS was on the jury this week at Sandwich.
Rev. Mr. McDONAGH will preach next Sabbath on St. Patrick.

Mrs. WHITE, Toronto, is visiting her son, Dr. WHITE of this place.
Geo. FOSTER is up and around again among his many friends, after his serious illness.
The W.C.T.U. will give a social at Mrs. DELONG’s residence on Wednesday next.
A paper signed by the leading citizens of town, showing thereon the appreciation and respect to which Miss Lizzie McCLOSKEY of Maidstone is held for the kind treatment she rendered our late beloved townsman, John GILKINSON, during his last minutes on earth, together with a handsome gold ring, will be presented to the estimable lady next week.

LEAMINGTON
(Angus STEWART, Agent)

Miss Charlotte FOSTER, who has been visiting relatives in Kingsville and vicinity during the past four weeks, returned home.
The Methodists have withdrawn their week night special service at present, which Evangelist BROWN is holding special services in the Baptist church.
The many friends of Mrs. J. S. ROBINSON will be sorry to hear of her severe illness at Troy, Ohio, where Mr. and Mrs. ROBINSON have been spending the winter with their daughter, Mrs. KNIGHT.
Rev. Mr. BROWN and Rev. D. A. DAUGHARTY attended Collegiate University at Hamilton, N. Y., and met, for the first time in over thirty-five years at the special services Wednesday evening in the Baptist church.

From The Evening Record March 18, 1895 Page 2
HARROW
(G. MUNGER, Agent)

B. KLIE is clerking in T. R. FLOOD’s store now.
Miss Ella BEST visited at Oxley a few days this week.
Mrs. W. G. WRIGHT was in Windsor and Detroit on Saturday last.
The Rev. Wm. GODWIN of Walkerville was the guests of Mr. and Mrs. S. WILTON on Sunday.
Frank SINASAC and his new wife have taken up housekeeping in the residence lately occupied by Henry HERDMAN.
Alonzo BRUSH and family have moved out to his farm on the 1^st concession. Lon has got tired of town life and is going to rusticate for a while.
Messrs BRUSH & McLEAN have the stone about all on the ground for the foundation of their new flour mill. The mill is to be in complete running order by August 1^st next.
Dr. CAMPAU purposes remodeling his residence, and adding to it in size and convenience. He will enlarge his offices, as he finds them too contracted for his largely increasing practice.
The choir of the Methodist church assisted by other local talent purpose giving a song service on the evening of the 27^th inst. The proceeds are for the aid of the choir music fund.
The Rev P. J. WYELLE, who has been in charge of the Presbyterian church, here for some time, will leave about the 1^st of April. The Rev. Mr. NATRESS of Amherstburg is supplying the church for the summer.
The Rev. Wm. GODWIN of Walkeville occupied the pulpit of Methodist church on Sunday last at both services. He also preached at Oxley in the afternoon. The Rev. AYEARST took Mr. GODWIN’s work at Walkerville.
Mr. and Mrs. MANNING who lost all their household goods in the late fire, have begun housekeeping again, having taken possession of the rooms over Mr. M’s new store in the Drummond block. Mr. PASTORIUS, our enterprising furniture dealer, fitted out the rooms in first class style.

IRISH TENACITY
Tom CREAN – Famous Explorer and the Connection to Essex County
   By: Janet Vanderiviere

On the extreme southwest coast of Ireland, hidden by mountains and dotted with beautiful beaches and inhospitable bogs, lies the rugged Dingle Peninsula in County Kerry – a place where rebels and anti-monarchists once sought refuge from the British army. Not even the military would take on such an impassible passage through this part of Ireland. This is the birthplace of my great-great-grandmother Mary CREAN who immigrated to Canada after her mother died during the Irish potato famine (1845-1852). Mary lived up to the tenacity of her adventurous, gutsy people – she was the mother of nine who, at the age of seventeen and fresh off the boat from Ireland, began working as a nurse to those with cholera in the Peterborough, Ontario area. She married fellow Irish immigrant John HARPER on January 7, 1858 and a few years later, moved south to establish roots in Essex County. But this story is not about Mary’s life. It is the adventures of her famous cousin Tom CREAN.
 
Tom was born in Annascaul, County Kerry, Ireland on the (unconfirmed date) of February 16, 1877 to parents Patrick CREAN and Catherine COURTNEY. An adventurous soul, he was a family man, animal lover, dedicated career man, and true humanitarian. Tom served as a seaman with the British Royal Navy (1893-1920) but was better known for several Antarctic explorations with Captain Robert F. SCOTT aboard the ship Discovery and Sir Ernest SHACKLETON aboard The Endurance. In 1901, when Tom’s naval ship, the Ringarooma, was coincidentally docked at Lyttleton Harbour to assist Robert Falcon SCOTT’s Discovery, the timely desertion of one of SCOTT’s men became the opportunity of a lifetime for young Tom to join the crew and the arduous expedition to the South Pole. 
 

Of Tom’s three trips to the Arctic, he is most remembered for the infamous Terra Nova Expedition (1911-1913) which was led by SCOTT. It was during this journey that Tom trekked alone for over eighteen hours across the Arctic ice in sub-zero temperatures with no shelter or food to seek help for his injured, stranded shipmates. For this he was awarded the Albert Medal of Bravery.

During his trip with Sir Ernest SHACKLETON aboard The Endurance as a 2^nd officer, the ship became impacted in ice and sank, leaving the crew adrift for many weeks. Tom led a rescue crew over 800 miles aboard their tiny lifeboat to seek help. 
 
Upon retirement in 1920, Tom opened the South Pole Inn in his home village and filled it with memories of his remarkable career. He died on July 27, 1938 due to an infection after surgery the week prior and quietly buried with his family in Ballynacourty, Corkaguiney, Kerry, Ireland. His legacy is a statue which proudly sits in Annascaul as a reminder of the character, bravery and tenacity of the people who inhabit Kerry.

We hope the luck of the Irish is with you this month and you have success in your family history research. 

From the Ontario Ancestors – Essex County Branch Operating Team
Pat Clancy                     Cindy Robichaud
Michele Watson              David Hutchinson
Linda Urquhart               Tammy Richards
David Thompson
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