Well, I told you I would talk about my current Thompson findings but something came up. Yesterday, I said I had received a letter from my cousin, Doris. Well, she goaded me into researching the two Freere boys in my great-grandparents' wedding photo from 1910. I just can't give up a good lead... A little background information: Pictured, according to my late great Aunt Reta, are two home boys that belonged to my great great grandfather, James Edward Mudford. In the 1911 Census of Canada (South Walsingham Township, Norfolk County, Ontario), they are listed as sons of J. Edward and his second wife (the strange one looking off to the right), Jane Ellen Robertson. In the 1916 Western Canada Census (Maple Creek, Saskatchewan), only Walter is found with my great-grandfather's brother, Austin William, and family. There, he is first listed as a servant, then it is stroked out and listed as a cousin.
So, a mystery like this is just asking for some sleuthing. It was quite easy to find their births. The Feere name is still around in that part of the country - both my cousin and Mom remember Feere's living in Port Rowan, Ontario.
I located both birth records, which had their birth years and months exactly as in the 1911 census. It turns out they were the sons of George Henry and Ellen Elizabeth (Crandall) Feere. Their mother died in 1906, and the father married (his third wife). I suspect that the two were either a burden to the family (there were quite a few children from the two previous marriages and more to come) or were not wanted by the new wife. How they came to live with the Mudford's is still a mystery. By that time, only Pearl (pictured between them) were living at home (Austin, Ada and Ruth were in Saskatchewan going to normal school) and great great grandfather probably needed help on the large farm located north of Port Rowan one concession south of Highway 24. The boys were young, but it was better than paying for farm hands. And Mudford's are quite the skin flints!
So, here I am, with the pedigree of the Feere boys figured out but no clear idea of how they ended up with Edward and Jane (Robertson) Mudford. I hope there's some help out there!
2 comments:
Ella Elizabeth (Crandall) Feere had a sister, Bertha, who was married to Charles Edwin Mudford. I haven't found a marriage registration yet, but his CEF registration in 1915 give his next of kin as his wife Bertha, in Vittoria. I have not found a death for Bertha, but Charles had a second wife, Flossie Bell Watts, who was actually born a Smith, her father being James George Smith, who was my great grandfather's brother. Perhaps it is the Ella & Bertha Crandall connection that caused the Feere children to end up with the Mudfords....
Charles and Bertha were married 5 Jan 1920 in Simcoe. As an aside, there is a book written about the trials and tribualtions of their children given up for adoption. It's written by Bonnie Virage - The Stovepipe.
Ella Elizabeth and Flossie Bertha's mother, Margaret (Maggie), were sisters.
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