52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks: Week 43 (TRANSPORTATION)
Plains, trains, and automobiles
This week I'm focusing on my husband's grandfather who was a pilot licensed in 1937.
Clifton Alexander Lee
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| Clifton's ground school flight manuals, early 1930s |
John Franklin Lee
BIRTH 28 MAY 1883 • Northfield Centre, Brant Co., Ontario, Canada
DEATH 12 MAY 1952 • Burford Township, 1654289, Ontario, Canada
and
Martha J Isabel (Mattie) Smith
BIRTH 24 NOV 1873 • Ontario, Canada
DEATH 5 SEP 1902 • Brant, Ontario, Canada
John Franklin Lee married his 2nd wife
May Florence (Florence) Farrell
BIRTH 24 NOV 1882 • Ontario
DEATH 27 SEP 1973
I can not find the record for John & Florence's marriage. The 1911 census records them as married, and residing with 11 year old Clifton as the only child. The 1921 census has 19 year old Clifton as the only child living with John and Florence. Clifton was an only child.
Clifton Alexander Lee was married twice. With his first wife, Velma Shepherd, he had three children (John, Jim, and Eleanor). With his second wife, Eva Aspden, he had two children (Pegi and Mary).
My husband's grandparents:
Clifton Alexander Lee
BIRTH 20 MAY 1902 • Northfield Centre, Brant Co., Ontario, Canada
DEATH 9 SEP 1979 • Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada
and
Eva Alice Aspden
BIRTH 4 SEP 1922 • Simcoe, Norfolk Co., Ontario, Canada
DEATH 23 AUG 2008 • Penticton, British Columbia, Canada
Clifton and his wife Eva are buried in Lakeview Memorial Garden Cemetery in Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada.
Clifton was a pilot whose two sons (John & Jim) were also pilots, and daughter Eleanor aspired to be a pilot. One of the two female flying students was my husband's grandmother, Eva Aspden, and soon to be 2nd wife to Clifton.
The article below is from the Brantford Expositor, published on April 27th 1946.
"CHILDREN FOLLOW FATHERS TAKING TO AIR IN COURTLAND
CANADA's 'FLYINGEST' COMMUNITY"
CANADA's 'FLYINGEST' COMMUNITY"
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| Closer-up of these two photos and captions below |
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| Eva Aspden on the left (my husband's grandmother |
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| 2nd from left Clifton's son John 2nd from right is Clifton's son Jim 3rd from right is Eva Aspden (soon to be Clifton's 2nd wife) 5th from left is Clifton Lee |
Caption "All ages are bitten by the flying bug in the village. Two Courtland fathers have children who are fellow flying students. Left to right are Nancy House, John Lee, Jack Simmons, Marie Herron, C.A. Lee, father of John and James: Mary Troyer, Lloyd E. House, Nancy's father, Eva Aspden, James Lee, and John Troyer"
Almost half the class at the Brant-Norfolk flying club were connected to Clifton!
Clifton gave up flying after he was badly injured in an accident. The family tells me that Clifton was able to keep a tractor upright while one of his sons made an escape. In doing so he tore the muscles in his chest causing a heart condition. After recovering he retired to raise his and Eva's children while Eva went to work to support the family.
My husband remembers his grandfather always making him feel safe. He also remembers that his grandpa had the biggest hands, and always smelled like peppermint.
Week 43 of the 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks challenge has me reflecting on how I went from being in an uncommitted relationship with my blog to publishing every week. This week my husband learned that his grandmother was working on getting her pilot's license. He never knew that his grandmother ever flew a plane. He now understands that his grandmother was way cooler before she became a mother and grandmother.
A shout-out to Genealogist Amy Johnson Crow for this fantastic opportunity. You will find a link to her website below.
Keeping the stories alive!
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***
Related Previous Blogs:
Somehow Related Blog Spot,
Irish Twins ~ Hand-In-Hand
https://somehowrelated.blogspot.com/2019/08/irish-twins-hand-in-hand.html
Somehow Related Blog Spot,
Snake Hips - Swayze
https://somehowrelated.blogspot.com/2019/03/snake-hips-swayze-at-courthouse.html
Footnote:
1 Ontario, Canada, Deaths and Deaths Overseas, 1869-1947 for Mattie Lee, 005429, Brant, registered October 18th 1902, Retrieved October 25th 2019 from Ancestry.ca
Sources:
Peripartum Cardiomyopathy (PPCM), American Heart Association, Retrieved October 25th 2019 from
https://www.heart.org/en/health-topics/cardiomyopathy/what-is-cardiomyopathy-in-adults/peripartum-cardiomyopathy-ppcm
Village of Courtland has gone flying mad, The Brantford Expositor, published April 27th 1946.
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!
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