52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks 2025: Week 12 (HISTORIC EVENT)
1850, at age 30, Martha (nee Wolfenden) Aspden got on a ship with 4 children (Joseph age 6, Rachael age 4, Jonothan age 2, John infant), traveling from Liverpool England going to Canada.
They had a stop at Ellis Island September 18th 1850.
It was this record I found confirming their trip from England to Canada.
We know they traveled via ship to Canada because infant John died at sea somewhere between New York & Montreal.
I haven't found that ship's manifest yet.
I have not found the record for husband John's arrival.
I have found them together in Canada for the 1951 census in Norfolk County, Canada West (Ontario), Canada.
Left buried in England were three babies: Alice, George, and Ann
Martha was pregnant while she traveled by ship from England with her small children.
What a trip that must have been for her.
Traveling alone with small children & pregnant while going to a new country.
The 1951 census also revealed John was an Engineer, and the family belonged to the Methodist Church.
Chris' 3rd great grandparents: John & Martha (nee Wolfenden) Aspden.
John Aspden
Birth 20 AUG 1819 • Brooks Bottoms, Bury, Lancashire, England
Death 7 MAR 1906 • Houghton Township, Norfolk County, Canada
and
Martha Wolfenden
Birth 10 OCT 1819 • Rochdale, Lancashire, England
Death 21 OCT 1888 • Houghton Township, Norfolk County, Canada
and their children:
Alice Aspden
Birth 1 DEC 1840 • Rochdale, Lancashire, England
Death 8 JAN 1845 • England
George Aspden (twin to Joseph)
Birth 22 AUG 1842 • Rochdale, Lancashire, England
Death 22 AUG 1842 • Rochdale, Lancashire, England
Joseph Aspden (twin to George)
Birth 22 AUG 1842 • Rochdale, Lancashire, England
Death OCT 1906 • Brantford, Ontario, Canada
Ann Aspden
Birth 10 FEB 1844 • Rochdale, Lancashire, England
Death 8 JUL 1846 • Brooksbottom, Walmersley, Lancashire, England
Rachael Aspden
Birth 3 JAN 1846 • Rochdale, Lancashire, England
Death 29 JUN 1891 • Waterford, Ontario, Canada
Jonathan Aspden
Birth 20 NOV 1847 • Brooksbottom, Walmersley, Bury, Lancashire, England
Death 26 SEP 1904 • Tay Township, Simcoe County, Ontario, Canada
John Aspden
Birth 13 DEC 1849 • England
Death SEP-OCT 1850 • At Sea (between New York City and Montreal)
Thomas Aspden
Birth 27 JAN 1851 • Norfolk County, Townsend Township, Ontario, Canada
Death 7 OCT 1918 • Burford Tp., Brant Co., Ontario, Canada
Michael Aspden (X2 Great Grandfather)
Birth 8 DEC 1853 • Norfolk Co., Canada West
Death 25 JAN 1905 • Houghton, Norfolk, Ontario, Canada
Sarah Jane (Jennie) Aspden
Birth 10 NOV 1854 • Houghton, Norfolk, Canada West, Canada
Death 3 OCT 1931 • Oakland, Brant, Ontario, Canada
Elsirana (Elsie Rena) Aspden
Birth 15 AUG 1857 • Vienna, Ontario, Canada
Death 12 SEP 1920 • Saginaw, Michigan, U.S.A.
Samuel Carlus Aspden
Birth 21 AUG 1859 • Townsend Township, Canada West
Death 4 APR 1922 • Tillsonburg, Oxford, Ontario, Canada
George M Aspden
Birth 6 AUG 1861 • Canada West, Canada
Death 26 DEC 1932 • Houghton, Norfolk, Canada
Martha Ann Aspden
Birth 16 MAY 1863 • Canada West, Canada
Death 16 JUL 1866 • Canada West, Canada
I don't know what caused this family to leave England for Canada.
I don't know when X3 great grandfather John arrived.
What we do know is without that journey Chris and I would never have met, and our children never born.
A historic event for this family was the arrival in Canada of Chris' 3rd great grandparents!!!
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/
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