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Martha Wright … who ran off (1878)

Martha Wright … who ran off (1878)

Posted: 26 Apr 2015 4:36PM GMT
Classification: Query
Surnames: WRIGHT HUMPHRYS
I have a BIG mystery/possible Victorian soap opera on my hands. My 2x great-grandmother was a Martha Wright, possibly born in Peterborough, but definitely lived there. She was born between 1860 and 1862. She was of English descent, and her father (according to family lore) was a wealthy landowner.

She ran off with a much older Irish man, John Humphrys. The family story is that she was consequently disowned. Census records and birth registrations find her using the names Ettie Armstrong and Margaret Robinson. They married in Gravenhurst in 1878, and then lived there for approximately 30 years before moving westward.

The family bible says she was from Peterborough and John was from Bobcaygeon. Apparently, he worked in the lumber industry.

A second cousin and I have been pursuing leads on this family for months now, and I've been working on it nearly 2 years. Everything we find leads us to more questions.

Would anyone know anything about the WRIGHT family (or Humphrys for that matter)?

Re: Martha Wright … who ran off (1878)

Posted: 27 Apr 2015 5:08AM GMT
Classification: Query
6856-78 - John HUMPHREY, 26, lumberer, Keen, Gravenhurst, s/o Thomas & Annie, married Margaret ROBINSON, 18, Monaghan, Peterborough, d/o William & Ettie, witn: Enos LANGFORD & Mary BROWNBIDGE, both of Gravenhurst, 23 March 1878 at Gravenhurst .

What do you think of that development? There's where the name Ettie came from.

Keene [no longer exists] was in Asphodel Tsp, Peterborough County.
Keene [exists] Otonabee Tsp Peterborough County.
They are likely the same place and the township boundaries changed.

1861 census Durham County
HUMPHRY
Thomas, cooper, Ireland, 41
Ann Jane, Ireland, 30
John, Canada West, 16, b 1845
Samuel, 14, b 1847
Sarah Jane, 12, 1849
Elizabeth, 1850, 11
Jemima, 6, 1855
Mary, 2, 1859

1871 census Verulam Victoria South
HUMPHREY
Ann, 43
John, 24
Samuel, 22
Sarah,20
Elizabeth, 19
Jemima, 14
Mary, 12
Thomas, 10
Albert, 7
Ellen, 3

1881 census Gravenhurst Thomas, Albert and Annie [12] are living with brother John.
Ellen/Ann is not with them on 1891 census.


Only Martha Wright in Victoria County on 1871 census is a William Wright, b Ireland, aged 48, farmer, wife Mary, 37, b Ireland and a pile of children.
Martha J is 7.
There is another Martha Wright, aged 12, father Robert 43, b US, mother Margaret 42 b Ont and five siblings. They are living in Hamilton Northumberland West.
.

BIrth declaration of Eva Doris Humphrey gives parents as John Humphrey, timber scaler and Martha Wright.
1891 census Gravenhurst, Martha is listed as Ethel, aged 30, b Ont, parents b England.
John 39; Ethel 30; Zela 12; Tempest 6; Adrian 4; Eva 1; Thomas 28 and Albert 26 Humphreys both brothers.
John's age may be 59 on 1891 census.
1881 census he is 26.
Occupation is lumber scaler.

1901 gives her birth date as 23 Feb 1862. John is a lot older on this census 5 Nov 1838, aged 62. John is a scaler.

I see she is Margaret Robinson on Gilbert Adrian's birth, 1 June 1887, father John Geo Humphreys. If you got his death rego it should give his parents on it. DIed 21 Jul 1905 at Gravenhurst. Registration # is 018693. John Humphrey was informant.
Maybe Margaret Robinson isn't Martha/Ettie.
Maybe Ettie Armstrong isn't Martha altho it is closer than Margaret Robinson.
On her death rego she is listed as Martha Wright Humphrys died 15 April 1915.
Her death registration should list her parents on it.


Re: Martha Wright … who ran off (1878)

Posted: 27 Apr 2015 5:27PM GMT
Classification: Query
Edited: 27 Apr 2015 6:19PM GMT
Note - on Tempest's birth register - both the following names are given for her mother -
Name: Tempest Lena Humphrys
Date of Birth: 3 Aug 1884
Gender: Female
Birth Place: Muskoka, Muskoka, Ontario, Canada
Father's name: John George Humphrys, Lumberman
Mother's name: Martha Wright (Margaret Ella Robinson)

Late register done in Oct. 1928 in Moose Jaw, SK & attested to by her older sister, Tempest Elena Humphry -
Name: Eva Doris Humphreys
Date of Birth: 12 Jan 1891
Gender: Female
Birth Place: Gravenhust, Muskoka, Ontario, Canada
Father's name: John Humphreys, Timber Scaler
Mother's name: Martha Wright

Death Index -
John George Humphres
24 Dec 1912 Saskatchewan, Canada

Source: Henderson's Moose Jaw Alphabetical Directory for 1912 (A-S only).
Volume/Page: 267
Name: Mrs. Martha Humphrys, Doris Humphrys, Tempest Humphrys
Event: Living
Year: 1912
Place: Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan
Province: Saskatchewan

Saskatchewan Death Index - Registration Number: 883
Last Name: HUMPHRYS
First Name: MARTHA WRIGHT
Sex: F
Death Date (yyyy/mm/dd): 1915 / 4 / 17

1940 Voter's List, Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan:
437 Third Avenue -
Humphrys, Miss Doris, operator
Humphrys, Miss Tempest
House, Curtis K., bookkeeper

http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~skmjbsgs/Cemeteries/Moose%...
Moose Jaw City Cemetery -
MJ New Block 32 Lot 1 Grave 4 Headstone N HUMPHRYS Eva Doris 20 Mar 1967 76 yr burial 23 Mar 1967
MJ New 32 1 Grave 3 N HUMPHRYS Margaret Wright 17 Apr 1915 52 yr moved from other section- 23 Oct 1915
MJ New 32 1 Grave 2 N HUMPHRYS Tempest Elena 10 Jan 1952 67 yr 12 Jan 1952

Satch & Cheryl

Posted: 28 Apr 2015 3:32AM GMT
Classification: Query
Thank you SO much. Some of this info, I had, but some of it is new. Your help has been tremendous. I really appreciate the time you must have spent putting your findings together!

We do know that John died in Port Arthur in July 1913. I have a notice, from the day after, in the Port Arthur paper looking for his family. Then, I have another, from the Fort William paper, the next day saying that family had been located. I got both of these over the weekend from the TB Library. I spoke to a funeral director who had never heard of the "funeral room" where John was taken. It was an interesting conversation. I also phoned the hospital to which he was taken and need to phone a particular lady back tomorrow - she was out. No one else could tell me if there would even be records from 1913.

One of the many things that has been so confusing about these two (my 2x great grandparents) is John's age variations. I could see a few years, but some of the years are downright outrageous. The romantic part of me wants them to have run off, when Martha was disowned, and be avoiding being located. By the way, the family bible says she is Martha Wright, and my now deceased uncle (and the only relative left who could tell me anything) insisted she was MW, too.

Again, many thanks!

Re: Martha WRIGHT, John HUMPHRIES

Posted: 28 Apr 2015 6:20AM GMT
Classification: Query
Surnames: WRIGHT, HUMPHRIES
Hi, John died in Port Arthur in July 1913.
a funeral director who had never heard of the "funeral room" where John was taken

The Full Registration of Death / Long Form Death Certificate - from Govt Vital Statistics dept
will show Date and place of death - Name and address - date of birth - Names of Parents including maiden name of the mother - if known to the informant - Name of spouse - etc
Name and Address of Funeral Home / Undertaker - Name and Address of Funeral Home.

It is possible that Current Funeral Homes / Directors may not be aware of Funeral Homes / rooms from the time frame. There may be sale - or take over of Funeral Home - perhaps many times - records should be archived - either with the funeral home - or perhaps City or Provincial Archive. Cause of death - may or may not be shown on the Registration of Death - there may be a Physicians cause of death - or something similar -

Re: Satch & Cheryl

Posted: 28 Apr 2015 11:46AM GMT
Classification: Query
I now see John's death register for July 17, 1913. Ancestry has this under John Pumphrey.

Re: Martha WRIGHT, John HUMPHRIES

Posted: 29 Apr 2015 4:12PM GMT
Classification: Query
Thank you very much. I'll continue to pursue that registration. I started yesterday, but I couldn't figure out the next step and the gov't website kept looping me back where I started. I emailed and explained that, but the link they sent me put me right back to where I started lol.

We do know the cause of death, so that step is covered :)

Thanks again.

Re: Satch & Cheryl

Posted: 29 Apr 2015 4:14PM GMT
Classification: Query
Thank you, again!

Yes, this poor family's last name has been spelled so many different ways, and enumerated incorrectly. Humprep, Humphrys, Humphrey(s), and I'm sure that there are more. It makes it really really hard to find people.
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