Oh Canada, Our Home and Native Land ~ That Only Us Command

 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks 2025: Week 8 (MIGRATION)

When I first started thinking about the prompt migration I immediately thought about birds.

Maybe I was thinking about spring at the time. 

We live on the WEsT COAST, and our winters are very mild with little snow.

For something different this year February was very cold so the little bit of snow we got stayed quite a while.

In looking at the beautiful snowy mountains surrounding us I wondered if Spring would arrive anytime soon. 

Just before the cold snap our tulips & daffodils had emerged, and I was worried they might not survive even though we added a layer of wood chips to protect them.

I love snow and the sun that shined during our cold snap.

It was a welcome change from the soggy mess we usually get in February.

I took this photo last week:

I was struck by how beautiful the mountain looked with the snow, and the symbolism of the Canadian Flag. 

"O Canada!
Our home and native land!
True patriot love in all of us command.
With glowing hearts we see thee rise,
The True North strong and free!
From far and wide,
O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.
God keep our land glorious and free!
O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.
O Canada, we stand on guard for thee." 1

We aren't really known as a patriotic country, but recently pride in all things Canadian has surged.

"Watch the moment singer Chantal Kreviazuk changed a lyric in 'O Canada' as a response to U.S. President Trump's 51st state comments at the 4 Nations final." 2

The lyric she changed was that only us command instead of in all of us command in response to the current political climate between the 2 countries.

"Tensions have risen between the neighbours and longtime allies over the past several weeks as Trump since being inaugurated has suggested multiple times that Canada become the 51st U.S. state, in relation to a trade dispute, and threatened a series of tariffs. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has said that will never happen.

The subject of Canada becoming the 51st state was brought up Thursday during a news conference with David McGuinty, Canada’s Public Safety Minister.

“Sounds like President Trump is worried about the outcome of the hockey game,” McGuinty said. “Canada is a sovereign and independent country. It has been for over 150 years and will remain so. This discussion of 51st state is a non-starter.” " 3

This was the first hockey game I have watched in a very long time. It was an amazing game. The players were well matched. 

Canada winning in overtime definitely felt like more than a hockey game.

Not for a minute have I ever wanted to live anywhere except Canada.

I take pride in being Canadian. 

My roots are pretty shallow on 3 of my family lines.

My maternal grandmother's paternal line has been in Canada since before Canada was Canada. 

Going back to my initial Bird & Spring thoughts about Migration I decided to share 11th great grandmother

Prudence Bird

Birth 1548 • Wherstead, Suffolk, England

Death 22 DEC 1606 • Wherstead, Suffolk, England
11th great grandfather John Merrill

Birth 1545 • Wherstead, Suffolk, England

Death ABT 1609 • Wherstead, Suffolk, England

Their son (10th great grandfather):

Nathaniell Merrill

Birth 1571 • Wherstead, Suffolk, England

Death 1626 • Wherstead, Suffolk, England
10th great grandmother Mary Blacksoll

Birth 1 MAY 1574 • Wherstead, Essex, Suffolk, England

Death 29 APR 1624 • Belstead, Babergh District, Suffolk, England

Their son (9th great grandfather, migrated England to America)

Nathaniel Merrill

Birth 1 MAY 1601 • Wherstead, Babergh District, Suffolk, England

Death 16 MAR 1655 • Newbury, Essex, Massachusetts Bay Colony, British Colonial America 
9th great grandmother Susanna Wilterton

Birth 1610 • Wherstead, Suffolk, England

Death 25 JAN 1672 • Newbury, Essex, Massachusetts Bay, British Colonial America

Their son (8th great grandfather)

John Merrill (Deacon)

Birth 13 FEB 1636 • Lawford, Tendring District, Essex, England

Death 18 JUL 1712 • Hartford, Hartford Co, CT

8th great grandmother Sarah Margaret Watson

Birth 16 FEB 1636 • Newbury, Essex County, Massachusetts, British Colonial America

Death 23 NOV 1687 • Hartford, Hartford, Connecticut Colony, British Colonial America

Their son (7th great grandfather)

John Merrill

Birth 7 APR 1669 • Hartford, Hartford, Colony of Connecticut, British Colonial America

Death 9 MAY 1748 • West Hartford, Hartford, Connecticut, United States
7th great grandmother Sarah Marsh

Birth 16 FEB 1673 • Hartford, Colony of Connecticut, British Colonial America

Death 1748 • New Hartford, Hartford, Colony of Connecticut, British Colonial America

Their son (6th great grandfather)

Benjamin Merrill

Birth 1 JUN 1716 • West Hartford, Hartford, Colony of Connecticut, British Colonial America

Death 16 APR 1795 • West Hartford, Hartford, Connecticut, USA

6th great grandmother Mary Webster

Birth 10 DEC 1720 • Hartford, Hartford, Colony of Connecticut, British Colonial America

Death 1762 • Hartford, Hartford, Colony of Connecticut, British Colonial America

Their son (5th great grandfather, migrated America to Canada)

Roger Merrill

Birth 23 AUG 1755 • Hartford County, Colony of Connecticut, British Colonial America

Death APRIL 1851 • Northumberland County, Ontario, Upper Canada

5th great grandmother Chloe Ann Merry

Birth 1773 • New York, British Colonial America

Death 1841 • Percy Township, Ontario, Upper Canada

Their son (4th great grandfather, my 1st Ancestor born in Canada)

Samuel Merrill

Birth 7 FEB 1801 • Northumberland County, Ontario, Upper Canada

Death 13 JAN 1866 • Cramahe Hill, Ontario, Upper Canada

4th great grandmother Phoebe Ann Lothrup

Birth 19 NOV 1807 • New York, USA

Death 18 AUG 1896 • Breckenridge, Wilkin, Minnesota, USA
After the death of her husband Phoebe migrated to the United States to live with son John.

Their daughter (3rd great grandmother)

Artemissa (Artimissia) Merrill

Birth 1 JUN 1842 • Cramahe township, Ontario, Upper Canada

Death 14 NOV 1936 • Cambellford, Northumberland, Ontario, Canada
3rd great grandfather Solomon Bayes

Birth 31 AUG 1845 • Campbellford, Ontario, Upper Canada

Death 16 SEP 1907 • Campbellford Village, Northumberland County, Ontario, Canada

In looking at this family line one different decision, and I wouldn't be claiming Canada as my home.

It turns out my Canadian roots are shallow on all 4 of my lines, but my pride in being Canadian is true north strong & free!!!

Now back to that hockey game - all of Canada cheered

"GOTTA SEE IT: Connor McDavid Wins 4 Nations Face-Off For Canada In Overtime" 4

"When they played “O Canada” for the second time, there were no American fans left in the arena to boo.

Instead, the Canadian team stood at the blue line, arm in arm, player and coach, wearing their championship hats while the maple leaf flag was lowered behind the 4 Nations Face-Off trophy and the national anthem reverberated across the Americans' home ice. The fans who remained, many of them in their red Team Canada jerseys, sang along.

Connor McDavid scored at 8:18 of overtime to give Canada a 3-2 victory over the United States on Thursday night as the North American rivals turned what had been a tune-up for the 2026 Olympics into a geopolitical brawl over anthems and annexation as much as international hockey supremacy." 5

Hockey really is Canada's game. 

“You've got 40 million Canadians sitting at home, and you feel the energy.  Anytime you have the chance to play for our country or get to get the flag on our chest, it's a special, special feeling. It's hockey. That's what we do, right? It brings us together.” ” 6

Our tulips & daffodils survived the unexpected February cold snap.

Tracking the migratory route to PRIDE in Canada!!! 

This is why I search - 

Cause ... 

You can pick your friends, but you can't pick your family you know!

***Any errors are my own. Please send me any updates or corrections via the comments at the bottom of this blog post***

Footnotes:

1  National anthem of Canada. Govrenment of Canada. Retrieved February 19th 2025 from 
https://www.canada.ca/en/canadian-heritage/services/anthem-canada.html

2 Watch the moment Chantal Kreviazuk changes 'O Canada' lyrics to protest Trump. CTV News. YouTube.  Retrieved February 19th 2025 from
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ryo4rWNrWAc

3 Singer of Canadian anthem at 4 Nations Face-Off changes lyric to protest Trump's 51st state remarks. The Associated Press. CTV News. Originally published: February 20th 2025.  Updated February 21st 2025. Retrieved February 21st 2025 from
https://www.ctvnews.ca/sports/article/singer-of-canadian-anthem-at-4-nations-face-off-changes-lyric-to-protest-trumps-51st-state-remarks/

4 GOTTA SEE IT: Connor McDavid Wins 4 Nations Face-Off For Canada In Overtime.  Updated February 21st 2025. SportsNet. Retrieved February 21st 2025 from
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iGPdb7uOfow

5 Trudeau takes swipe at Trump after Canada’s 4 Nations victory over the U.S.. The Associated Press. CTV News. Originally published: February 20th 2025.  Updated February 21st 2025. Retrieved February 21st 2025 from
https://www.ctvnews.ca/sports/article/connor-mcdavid-scores-in-ot-to-give-canada-3-2-win-over-us-in-4-nations-face-off-final/

6 Team Canada delivers win for its country: 'That’s the Canadian way'. Engels, Eric Engels. SportsNet. Originally published February 22nd 2025. Retrieved February 21st 2025 from
https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/team-canada-delivers-win-for-their-country-thats-the-canadian-way/

Sources:

A contribution to the genealogy of the Merrill family in America : being a particular record of the ancestry of Edward Henry Merrill / by his son, Cyrus Strong Merrill. HathiTrust. State Historical Society of Wisconsin. Original from the University of Wisconsin,. Digitized by Google. Retrieved February 20th 2025 from
https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=wu.89061977419&view=1up&seq=1

GOTTA SEE IT: Connor McDavid Wins 4 Nations Face-Off For Canada In Overtime  Updated February 21st 2025. SportsNet. Retrieved February 21st 2025 from
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iGPdb7uOfow

'A madness in the air.' Trump's threats unleash patriotic wave among Canadians. The Canadian Press. CTV News. Originally published: February 5th 2025. Retrieved February 21st 2025 from
https://www.ctvnews.ca/atlantic/article/a-madness-in-the-air-trumps-threats-unleash-patriotic-wave-among-canadians/

National anthem of Canada. Govrenment of Canada. Retrieved February 19th 2025 from 
https://www.canada.ca/en/canadian-heritage/services/anthem-canada.html

Singer of Canadian anthem at 4 Nations Face-Off changes lyric to protest Trump's 51st state remarks. The Associated Press. CTV News. Originally published: February 20th 2025.  Updated February 21st 2025. Retrieved February 21st 2025 from
https://www.ctvnews.ca/sports/article/singer-of-canadian-anthem-at-4-nations-face-off-changes-lyric-to-protest-trumps-51st-state-remarks/

Team Canada delivers win for its country: 'That’s the Canadian way'. Engels, Eric Engels. SportsNet. Originally published February 22nd 2025. Retrieved February 21st 2025 from
https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/team-canada-delivers-win-for-their-country-thats-the-canadian-way/

Trudeau takes swipe at Trump after Canada’s 4 Nations victory over the U.S.. The Associated Press. CTV News. Originally published: February 20th 2025.  Updated February 21st 2025. Retrieved February 21st 2025 from
https://www.ctvnews.ca/sports/article/connor-mcdavid-scores-in-ot-to-give-canada-3-2-win-over-us-in-4-nations-face-off-final/

Watch the moment Chantal Kreviazuk changes 'O Canada' lyrics to protest Trump. CTV News. YouTube.  Retrieved February 19th 2025 from
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ryo4rWNrWAc

Photos:

Personal

Links:

Amy Johnson Crow, 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks Challenge
https://www.amyjohnsoncrow.com/52-ancestors-in-52-weeks/

If you reference or use my blog posts in any way please

include a link to the specific blog and

credit http://somehowrelated.blogspot.com/

My blogs are ©Deborah Buchner, 2014 forward.

All rights reserved.

Please & Thank you!

______________________________________________________________

Passed Down Through the Oldest Direct Male Line ~ Wooden Walking Stick

 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks 2024: Week 8 (HEIRLOOMS)

When thinking about heirlooms the one that comes to mind first is the wooden walking stick my husband received from his grandfather just 6 months before he died.

We aren't sure exactly how old the walking stick is. 

His grandfather remembered that it was already an heirloom when he was a child viewing it at his grandparents house. 

The family tradition is to pass down to the first born male of each generation. Since his father (Ronald Clare Buchner) was already deceased Grandpa Lyle  decided to give it directly to Chris. 

The tradition of passing down to the oldest male leaves us guessing it may have originally belonged to the family of X2 great grandma:
Anna Barbara (Barbara) Walser
BIRTH 13 APR 1860 • Teufen, Appensell, Switzerland
DEATH 1950 • Norfolk County, Ontario, Canada

On the Buchner line great grandpa Ernie (father of Lyle) was not the oldest son - he was the oldest son via the 2nd marriage:
Mark Rearely Buchner
BIRTH 24 FEB 1838 • Woodhouse Twp., Norfolk County, Ontario, Canada
DEATH 12 JUN 1931 • Norfolk County, Ontario, Canada

At the time of his death he had 3 sons older than Ernie whose mother was Mark's 1st wife:
Sarah Ann Louks
BIRTH 15 DEC 1842 • Walsingham Twp. Norfolk County, Ontario, Canada
DEATH 1 JAN 1878 • Houghton Twp, Norfolk County, Ontario, Canada

X2 great grandma Barbara immigrated to Canada from Switzerland not too long before marrying Mark. It would seem strange that she would bring a wooden walking stick with her on that journey, but we don't know too much about her parents/family so that might have been what happened.

There could be some truth to the family lore that the walking stick belonged to X5 great grandpa:
Jacob Buchner Sargeant, UEL
BIRTH 31 MAY 1763 • Hardwick Township, Sussex County, New Jersey , USA
DEATH 11 AUG 1841 • Woodhouse, Norfolk County, Ontario, Canada

For that to be true the gifting of the walking stick to Ernie bypassed the direct firstborn male which may have happened if the widow Barbara chose her oldest vs Mark's oldest. 

Regardless of which side it was handed down through it was already at the home of X2 great grandparents Mark & Barbara (nee Walser) Buchner when grandpa Lyle was a child (born in 1926).

Maybe once we find someone to date the walking stick we will have a better understanding of it's origins. 

Grandpa Lyle advised against putting the walking stick in a display case due to the wood needing to breath. 

On the same trip the BUCHNER framed image in the photo was gifted to Chris from the cousin who created it. 

Each letter is a picture of an artifact from the farm Lyle grew up on or the Massey Ferguson dealership Lyle made his life's work. 

The framed picture made a perfect hanger for the walking stick using fishing wire for minimal visual distraction, and matches perfectly on this red wall in our livingroom. 

Cherishing the treasures passed down!!! 

This is why I search - 

Cause ... 

You can pick your friends, but you can't pick your family you know!

***Any errors are my own. Please send me any updates or corrections via the comments at the bottom of this blog post***

Photos:

Personal

Links:

Amy Johnson Crow, 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks Challenge
https://www.amyjohnsoncrow.com/52-ancestors-in-52-weeks/

If you reference or use my blog posts in any way please

include a link to the specific blog and

credit http://somehowrelated.blogspot.com/

My blogs are ©Deborah Buchner, 2014 forward.

All rights reserved.

Please & Thank you!

______________________________________________________________

It's Raining Relatives ~ But the Brick Wall Still Stands

 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks 2023: Week 8 (I CAN IDENTIFY)

This month I have been busy connecting with relatives via the RootsTech Relative Finder. 

At the beginning of the month I had a few hundred matches. On February 12th that number jumped to 1,154 relatives. 

They are sorted in order of closeness.

My closest relatives are three 5th cousin X1 removed. 

One is in California & one in Virginia via my mother's maternal line.

One is my father's maternal line in England.

My most intriguing relative is via my mother's paternal line - My 7th cousin X2 removed lines in Vanuatu - a country in the pacific ocean made up of islands that I had never heard of before clicking that connection. 

RootsTech Relative Finder is very similar to ThruLines on Ancestry. It depends on the accuracy of open sourced trees.

The difference between them lies with the Family Search Tree that is sourcing RootsTech Family Finder.

I attended RootsTech 2022 due to the ease of attending virtually. 

That year I hadn't worked on our Bramble Bush on FamilySearch so my Relative Finders was a bit disappointing even with 11034 matches because they were all on my mother's maternal line which is a well researched line. 

My goal at the end of RootsTech 2022 was to connect our lines to the main tree so that 2023 would provide better matching results.

I also joined the Are We Related RootsTech Facebook Page. In this group my relatives range from 9th cousin X2 removed to 15th cousin. 

By adding a link to your profile others in the Facebook group can click it, and discover if they are related & exactly how. 

This week I discovered I get a message every time someone clicks to see if they are related that tells me if they are related. 

In looking at the shared matches I can identify all but my father's paternal line. 

My mother's paternal line doesn't go back as far as I would like. This is the line I expect to find the most assistance with via open source trees.

In my quick looking this week I discovered a potential crossover with my mother's paternal line & my father's maternal line. This is the first time I have had to be cautious working on my side of the Bramble Bush. It's a common occurrence on my husband's side of our Bramble Bush. 

The tool at RootsTech Relative Finder lets you filter by relative. Of the 1154 relatives 39 are via my dad. None are via his paternal line - my brick wall. I know this because the same 39 relatives appear when I filter by my paternal grandmother (his mother). 

Last year's planning for this event didn't do anything for our brick wall. Then again RootsTech doesn't officially start until March 2nd so there is still time for more matches to appear. 

RootsTech Relative Finder 2023 will end on March 31st, and then I will have a whole year to work on the Brick Walls to make 2024 more productive.

I have future plans to attend RootsTech in Salt Lake City in the future, but for now attending virtually is an amazing opportunity.

When you find a windfall of relatives, but your brick wall still stands!!! 

This is why I search - 

Cause ... 

You can pick your friends, but you can't pick your family you know!

***Any errors are my own. Please send me any updates or corrections via the comments at the bottom of this blog post***

Sources:

RootsTech 2023 by Family Search 
https://www.familysearch.org/rootstech/event/rt2023

Links:

Amy Johnson Crow, 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks Challenge
https://www.amyjohnsoncrow.com/52-ancestors-in-52-weeks/

If you reference or use my blog posts in any way please

include a link to the specific blog and

credit http://somehowrelated.blogspot.com/

My blogs are ©Deborah Buchner, 2014 forward.

All rights reserved.

Please & Thank you!

______________________________________________________________

Courting & Dating ~ What Is the Difference

Courting - an old fashioned term from a time with old fashioned values.

My X2 great grandparents were married in 1870. 

In July it will have been 152 years since their marriage took place.

I don't think I would have really paid too much attention to Great Great Grandma Isabella & Great Great Grandpa Thomas' wedding & courting had the visual above not arrived in my inbox from Family Search this week.

With this week's prompt COURTING it got me to thinking about how different their experience in the 1860s was to mine in the 1990s.

What exactly would courting have looked like more than 150 years ago in  a small fishing community on the east coast of Scotland?

First we need to consider how courting and dating differ.

Difference Between website summarizes:

"Courtship is about getting to know each other and developing a deep relationship before getting married whereas dating is mostly physical with no strings attached and no emotional intimacy."  1

The definition at the site (linked in sources below) clearly comes from a Christian perspective. Given the time and location we are researching the Christian perspective would be an appropriate lens to view through. 

They were both 21 years old. Census records show they grew up within a 5 minute walk of each other. Both of their fathers were fisherman. It is very likely they knew each other from childhood. It's very likely their families were in the same social circle. 

My husband and I were 25 years old when we met. We grew up very far from each other. Our families did not know each other. We met in a bar where we partnered in a tricycle race. He was an out-of-town construction worker staying at the hotel. I was a small town girl.
                            ***(Cue: Journey's Just A Small Town Girl)***

Our experiences were VERY VERY different. 

Lets go back to the definition. 

It would seem they were courting, and we were dating.

BUT wait --- they were married in July of 1870, and their first child born in November of 1870. 

Hmmm.... a child born 17 weeks after their marriage?

What a scandal that must have been in their small fishing community in 1870.

My husband and I were married 7 months AFTER our first child was born. We had been living common-law for 2 years, and had been receiving medical treatment for infertility. There was no scandal in our small community in southern British Columbia, Canada 120 years later.

Their first child was born in November. Our first child was born in November. Conception in February. 

Their marriage in July. Isabella would have been about 5 months pregnant. Was she showing? Was their shame? The marriage records North Berwick as the location. It doesn't list if they were married in the home church of either of them.  Did their families belong to the local church? There is no religion recorded on the census records of either family.

At our marriage - our 7 month old son was the ring bearer with the rings tied into his shoe laces. 

Very different experiences.

In the years that I have been doing genealogy research I have discovered that in the past many first born children were not born 10 or more months after the wedding. 

I wonder if the past really was that different than the present. 

Now back to Isabella & Thomas. 

They were married till death did they part when Thomas died on February 22nd 1919 at the age of 70.

Today is the 103rd anniversary of my Great Great Grandpa Thomas' death. 

Isabella died July 29th 1943 at the age of 95. She did not remarry. 

They had 8 children. 

Mary Thomson
BIRTH 28 NOV 1870 • North Berwick, East Lothian, Scotland
DEATH 16 DEC 1973 • Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland

Isabella (Bella) Thomson
BIRTH 6 JUN 1872 • North Berwick, Haddingtonshire, Scotland
DEATH 5 MAY 1950 • Deaconess Hospital, Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland

Henry Thomson
BIRTH 19 JAN 1874 • North Berwick, East Lothian, Scotland
DEATH 8 AUG 1971 • Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland

Agnes Thomson
BIRTH 07 MAR 1876 • Graham's Close, North Berwick, East Lothian, Scotland
DEATH 30 JUL 1956 • 205 Berea Street, Pretoria, Eastern Cape, South Africa

Thomas Thomson (my great grandfather)
BIRTH 10 MAY 1880 • North Berwick, East Lothian, Scotland
DEATH 19 NOV 1940 • Kananaskis, Alberta, Canada

James Devlin Glass Thomson
BIRTH 26 SEP 1883 • North Berwick, East Lothian, Scotland
DEATH 31 AUG 1966 • Raumati Beach, Kapiti Coast, Wellington, New Zealand

Laura Edward Thomson
BIRTH 14 FEB 1887 • Someville's Court, North Berwick, East Lothian, Scotland
DEATH Unknown

Richard Alexander Thomson
BIRTH 12 JUL 1892 • Tynemouth, Northumberland, England
DEATH Unknown

Realizing the past may have been more similar to the present than you ever realized!

This is why I search - 

Cause ... 

You can pick your friends, but you can't pick your family you know!

***Any errors are my own. Please send me any updates or corrections via the comments at the bottom of this blog post***

Photo:

A Match Made in 1870, Celebrate the marriage of your ancestors. Thomas Thomson & Isabella Glass. Family Search. Retrieved February 23rd 2022 from personal Family Search account.

Footnotes:

1. Difference Between Courting and Dating. Difference Between.   Retrieved February 23rd 2022 from  
http://www.differencebetween.net/language/words-language/difference-between-courting-and-dating/

Links:

Amy Johnson Crow, 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks Challenge
https://www.amyjohnsoncrow.com/

If you reference or use my blog posts in any way please

include a link to the specific blog and

credit http://somehowrelated.blogspot.com/

My blogs are ©Deborah Buchner, 2014 forward.

All rights reserved.

Please & Thank you!

______________________________________________________________

Catherine Cameron Power ~ Seeking the Source of Power

  52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks 2021: Week 8 (POWER)

This is my 3rd year with the 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks Challenge. The first year I focused almost entirely on my side of the Bramble Bush. The second year I followed a plan to alternate fairly on all sides of the Bramble Bush. This year I decided to wing it. So far all of the 2021 blogs have been about my husband's side of the Bramble Bush.  This week is no different.

My husband's great grandmother on his mother's maternal line was:
Catherine Cameron Power 
BIRTH 5 JUL 1888 • Tain, Rosshire, Scotland
DEATH 5 MAY 1978 • Simcoe, Norfolk Co., Ontario, Canada

I have been unable to find much about great grandmother Catherine Power before her 1911 arrival in Canada.

She married widower:
Thircul Murney Aspden
BIRTH 4 APR 1883 • Houghton Tp, Norfolk, Ontario, Canada
DEATH 25 APR 1963 • Courtland, Norfolk, Ontario, Canada

Who had one child:
Doris Elizabeth (Dottie) Aspden
BIRTH 26 AUG 1908 • Simcoe, Norfolk, Ontario, Canada
DEATH 6 JAN 1998 • Simcoe, Norfolk, Ontario, Canada

With his first wife:
Tenneta May (Nettie) Yeager
BIRTH 25 MAR 1892 • Woodhouse Tp., Norfolk Co., Ontario, Canada
DEATH 24 DEC 1908 • Woodhouse Tp., Norfolk, Ontario, Canada

Thircul & Catherine had 7 children.
My husband's maternal grandmother was their 5th.

Andrew John Ross (Ross) Aspden
BIRTH 25 MAR 1914 • Norfolk, Ontario, Canada
DEATH 11 MAY 1991 • Courtland, Norfolk, Ontario, Canada

Thomas Grant (Tom) Aspden, SGT
BIRTH 17 MAR 1916 • Woodhouse Twp., Norfolk, Ontario, Canada
DEATH 30 AUG 1993 • Eden, Elgin, Ontario, Canada

Margaret Jane (Marg) Aspden
BIRTH 20 JUL 1918 • Haldimand County, Ontario, Canada
DEATH 11 MAY 1997 • Simcoe, Norfolk, Ontario, Canada

Clara Rebekah (Cy) (pronounced Kai) Aspden
BIRTH 22 JUL 1920 • Haldimand County, Ontario, Canada
DEATH 27 NOV 1991 • Port Rowan, Norfolk, Ontario, Canada

Eva Alice Aspden
BIRTH 4 SEP 1922 • Simcoe, Norfolk Co., Ontario, Canada
DEATH 23 AUG 2008 • Penticton, British Columbia, Canada

Catherine Cameron (Kate) Aspden
BIRTH 27 JUL 1924 • Woodhouse Twp., Norfolk, Ontario, Canada
DEATH 28 JUL 2003 • Simcoe, Norfolk, Ontario, Canada

Thircul Murney (Murney) Aspden
BIRTH 25 NOV 1926
DEATH 1 MAR 2011 • Tillsonburg, Oxford Co., Ontario, Canada

Catherine departed Glasgow, Scotland on August 19th 1911 traveling on Allan Shiplines, Grampian. When I first found the record it appeared as though she was traveling alone, and I wondered how it was that she decided to go to Canada.  

Canadian Passenger Arrival List

It was only when I found the outgoing record that things got clearer. 

UK, Outward Passenger List

It appears as though Catherine came to Canada as a domestic.
She was part of the Buchanans Party.
She traveled in the ship's steerage accommodations. 
She arrived on August 26th 1911. 
She was headed to Toronto, Ontario, Canada according to the ship's manifest.
How she met widowed Thircul is not a part of the story I have heard. 

Catherine's usual residence on the marriage registration below is Simcoe.
Some of the passengers she traveled with were headed to Simcoe - she may have too.
Thircul's first marriage & first child's birth happened in Simcoe.

How they met we don't know, but they were married July 1st 1912.

Thuircul & Catherine (nee Power) Aspden Marriage Registration

Thircul Murney & Catherine Cameron (nee Power) Aspden

I have been unable to find any records of Catherine before she was on the ship heading to Canada. I haven't found any information about the Buchanans Party. The only record I have found of her parent's names are from her marriage registration.

While searching for more information about Catherine's arrival as a domestic in Canada I found a full digital copy of Marilyn Barber's Immigrant Domestic Servants in Canada which I have included a link in the sources below. It is a very enlightening read for anyone with an immigrant ancestor who arrived as a domestic. There is also a section the British Home Children. It will interest folks who like learning about the people who formed Canada, and their way of life. 

If you have details or hints to assist please add them in the comments section below or email me. I would love to connect!

February 23rd 2021 ***Edited to update how Thircul and Catherine met: 

"Grandma travelled from Scotland with her friend Maggie Christie. She went to work on a farm. One day she was singing in the kitchen & Grandpa happened by and heard her. He said right then he was going to marry that girl with the beautiful voice. That’s how the story goes. I just found an old letter from Aunty Gladys" Source: my husband's aunt

Mary Christie seems to have been known as Maggie
- this record backs the letter details!

When the story is backed by records!!!

Trying to knock down brick walls! 

Cause ... 





You can pick your friends, but you can't pick your family you know!












***Any errors are my own. Please send me any updates or corrections via the comments at the bottom of this blog post***

Sources:

Barber, Marilyn, Immigrant Domestic Servants in Canada, Canada's Ethnic Groups, Department of History, Carelton University,  Canadian Historical Association, Ottawa, 1991 Retrieved February 21st  2021 from
https://cha-shc.ca/_uploads/5c374ddbea8a9.pdf

Links:

Amy Johnson Crow, 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks Challenge
https://www.amyjohnsoncrow.com/

If you reference or use my blog posts in any way please

include a link to the specific blog and

credit http://somehowrelated.blogspot.com/

My blogs are ©Deborah Buchner, 2014 forward.

All rights reserved.

Please & Thank you!

________________________________________________________________

 

The Land of Prosperity ~ Prince Harry

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks: 2020 Week 8 (PROSPERITY)


I have always thought of prosperity as wealth. 
To be prosperous one must have a lot of money. 

I was surprised when I looked up the definition of prosperity to discover
Mirriam -Webster online dictionary defines it as:
"the condition of being successful or thriving" 1

Which nicely explains how my ancestors all chose Canada to be their new home. Canada has always been known as the land of prosperity. When my husband and I travel we always meet locals who tell us how much they would love to visit or move to Canada.


When Prince Harry announced he was moving his family to Canada I was briefly surprised, but immediately realized it made total sense. In England he will always be viewed as a royal family member. His family will be haunted by the media. They will be featured with bold headlines depicting stories that may or may not be true. 


There is no family without some conflict. Imagine standing at the grocery store line up with your toddler acting up, and seeing your family drama shouting from all the magazines and papers right there. 


Harry will never be King. 


British Columbia is a perfect spot for Harry, Meghan & Archie to call home. We are known as relaxed with a healthy lifestyle. British Columbia is beautiful.


Why are we talking about Prince Harry's move to British Columbia?  


I am the 11th cousin of Diana. 


That makes Harry the 12th cousin to my children. 


Now that he is practically in our backyard we have a complication.


My oldest son got engaged this year. 

It will be a small wedding with an exclusive guest list. I had previously told my son that he didn't have to invite anyone out of obligation. 


Then Harry announced his move to Canada. 


There is nothing more irritating that having to invite the royal relative. It's an obligation really.

Thankfully the wedding plans are not yet finalized. 

It's not too late to adjust the plans and budget. 

Were they planning to invite children?  If not - the drama of excluding Archie!!!  

What about security?  

Will the Canadian government cover the cost since the wedding is likely happening in the nations' capital?  

If not - is that an expense the groom's family normally covers?  

Will Canadian dignataries feel slighted if Harry is invited, and they aren't since it will be down the street from their offices and temporary homes?  

We haven't even started taking about Meghan Markle's social circle. 

I see the groom's parents alcohol budget exploding?  

Will we need to sell our house, and the neighbour's too?  

I see a GO FUND ME page in our future!

12th Cousins

When the obligation of family becomes just too much!







This is why I search - 



Cause ... 





You can pick your friends, but you can't pick your family you know!
















***Any errors are my own. Please send me any updates or corrections via the comments at the bottom of this blog post***





Footnotes:

1 Prosperity, definition, Miririam-Webster Dictionary, retrieved February 21st 2020 from
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prosperity



Sources:

Photo, Prince Harry, Retrieved February 21st 2020 from
https://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=https%3A%2F%2Fupload.wikimedia.org%2Fwikipedia%2Fcommons%2Fc%2Fcc%2FPrince_Harry_speaks_during_the_opening_ceremonies_of_the_2017_Invictus_Games_%252837232242166%2529.jpg&imgrefurl=https%3A%2F%2Fcommons.wikimedia.org%2Fwiki%2FFile%3APrince_Harry_speaks_during_the_opening_ceremonies_of_the_2017_Invictus_Games_(37232242166).jpg&tbnid=CyTlpePGn2CTJM&vet=12ahUKEwiYltSxh-PnAhXDCTQIHfFzAl4QMygBegUIARCJAg..i&docid=E4Aer0FiSlkHFM&w=4264&h=2843&q=prince%20harry&hl=en&ved=2ahUKEwiYltSxh-PnAhXDCTQIHfFzAl4QMygBegUIARCJAg


Links:

Amy Johnson Crow, 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks Challenge
https://www.amyjohnsoncrow.com/

If you reference or use my blog posts in any way please

include a link to the specific blog and

credit http://somehowrelated.blogspot.com/

My blogs are ©Deborah Buchner, 2014 forward.

All rights reserved.

Please & Thank you!

___________________________________________________________