Search for content in message boards

Identification of 5 Neglected Children ?

Identification of 5 Neglected Children ?

Posted: 13 Aug 2009 12:13PM GMT
Classification: Query
The Stratford Daily Herald, July 13, 1917 has an article about 5 children who are found abandoned by their mother and made wards of Children's Aid Society. The children's ages ranged from 1 to 9. I have reason to believe the youngest was my grandmother and I am looking for anyone who has heard this story and might know the names of any of these children or their mother. I believe at the time that the children were found abandoned the mother may have been a resident of the House of Refuge in Stratford.

Re: Identification of 5 Neglected Children ?

Posted: 14 Aug 2009 10:00AM GMT
Classification: Query
Your grandmother's birth registration and her marriage registration should have her parent's names on it.

Births are only released to 1909 but if you can prove you are related they will give it to you for a price of course.
Google the address for Ontario Vital Stats in Thunder Bay.

Re: Identification of 5 Neglected Children ?

Posted: 26 Nov 2013 12:34AM GMT
Classification: Query
Update!! My Grandmother was born September 28th 1915. I found the birth record at the Ontario archives. Even though they had stamped adopted over it and written in her adopted name I could still read some of it. I belive her mothers maiden name is Clara Armstrong and that at the time of my Grandmothers birth her name was Clara McLeod. She was not married to the father. His name is listed as Fred Pynkie but I have since determined it is really Fred Peonkie. If anyone has info on any of these persons it would be great. It is possible that Mary Kathleen McLeod born in Goderich Ontario in 1912 is also a daughter of Clara, her father being Duncan McLeod.

Re: Identification of 5 Neglected Children ?

Posted: 26 Nov 2013 4:19AM GMT
Classification: Query
Mary Kathleen McLeod's birth rego states that her parents, Clara Armstrong and Duncan McLeod were married in Port Huron Michigan 27 Aug 1911.
Duncan is a blacksmith.

From Ancestry.ca I found these births with mother Clara Armstrong in the Bruce and Huron areas.

Mary Mirian McIlwain, b 22 June 1910, d/o Samuel McIlwain & Clara Armstrong, parents married 12 Jul 1906 at Arthur.
Also says she was married before to a Charles Letson.

James Alfred McIlwain, b 5 Nov 1911, no father given, mother Clara Armstrong,
Sam McIlwain died 30 Jan 1909.
Clara's previous marriages: H Hyslop and Sam McIlwain [married Seaforth 1900. Don't know which one the 1900 refers to]].
Actually Sam died 30 Jan 1910 according to his death rego. Also says he was a widower and I never did find a marriage for he and Clara.

Harvey Edward Sutton, b 9 Aug 1909, parents are not married, maiden name of mother Clara Armstrong.
If not married give full name of mother: Mrs Clara Letson, housekeeper for Sam McIlwain.
Illegitimate child.

And Mary Kathleen's birth rego.

Marriages found on Ancestry.ca

Jas Hyslop, 38, b Scotland, living Goderich, labourer s/o Robt Hyslop & Mary Anderson married Selina C Armstrong, 22, b Dundalk, living Seaforth, d/o John Armstrong & Mary Corin/Cown.
9 Oct 1907 Huron.

1901 census has a Clara Armstrong, b 1881, Seaforth census as domestic in a hotel run by/owned by James Weir.

There are several Sam McIlwain's on 1901 census in Seaforth area.

Re: Identification of 5 Neglected Children ?

Posted: 26 Nov 2013 5:13PM GMT
Classification: Query
Thanks so much. There are a lot of good leads to chase here. According to the info the Perth Childrens aid was willing to give to my father, my great grandmother was born in 1882 or 1883. She had a son prior to her fist marriage and she was first married at age 16. The marriage turned out to be not valid as the person marrying them was not ordained to do so. She was then remarried. They did not say if it was the same person but from the tone of the info I expect not. It says she had 2 children by that husband but that husband died. She then married again but it turned out that husband was a bigamist and that man was not in the picture when my grandmother was born and he was not the father of my grandmother. My great grandmother had 8 children in total and only 5 survived. My grandmother was the 7th child.

I will chase down these leads and see if any of them fit. The reason I think there is a McLeod in the picture is that it appears from my grandmothers birth registration that the maiden name is Clara Armstrong and the witness is Mrs Clara Mcleod. Usually the witness at the birth is actually the mother or the father.

Re: Identification of 5 Neglected Children ?

Posted: 26 Jun 2015 6:04AM GMT
Classification: Query
Hi,

Harvey Edward Sutton somehow became Harvey Samuel McLlwain. He was born in Wingham to a Clara Armstrong and was placed in the Perth Children's Aid around 1917 along with his brother and sisters and was soon after placed in the Beatties home just east of Seaforth. We believed his birthday was Sept 09 but it obviously was Aug 09. I am guessing that she let on it was Samuel's son (if he wasn't the father)and thus referred to him as Harvey Samuel McIlwain. I have not figured out where the Sutton name comes from unless really was his father. I don't believe he knew his sisters but he did know his brother but everyone knew him as George. Perhaps the family that took him called him George??? His brother was placed with the Lamberts in Wroxeter and he assumed their last name though never officially adopted. He he had a "sister" that contacted him that married a Zehr and lived around Milverton or Millbank area but wasn't sure it was actually his sister.

If you find anything further please feel free to share it thanks!
Kevin
per page

Find a board about a specific topic