Category: Andrew

2018 Genealogy Research Recap

12/14/2018

(Graphic designed by Freepik)

Christmas is almost here (yet again), and as usual I reflect on what progress I have made in my genealogy research over the past year. This is not always an easy task; I really should keep a better research log! But I do have a ton of emails to fall back on as well as my digital genealogy trees and my DNA research accounts and notes to review.

At the start of 2018 I resurrected my enthusiasm for blogging, and decided to at least start on another 52 week challenge to write one family history story each week. It involved gathering information I already knew about individuals or groups of deceased relatives (in both Terry's and my trees), doing further research to fill in some of the gaps, and writing it in a way that is hopefully more interesting for living relative who are not genealogists. I did pour a lot of effort into this for the first 4 months, producing 17 blog articles (to the exclusion of almost everything else). See these 2018 posts which involve the surnames BOORMAN, HENSON, RICHARDSON, ANDREW, COMPTON, SEELEY, and JOHNSTON.

The topics covered in this year's blog postings:

The discovery of the local grave of Terry's Aunt and Uncle Audrey and Don KING, and many other BOORMAN relatives in the Royal Oak Cemetery (2 postings).
Terry's grandfather Harry E BOORMAN served in Vancouver BC during WWII as head of the 68th Battery, Canadian Field Artillery, which focused on recruitment and training.
Used the England Tithe Survey records to explore BOORMAN land usage in Kent in the 1800s.
Amelia Alice BOORMAN Terry's maiden great-aunt, was an early school teacher in the Victoria BC public school system specializing in needlework for girls.
Used Vancouver BC Fire Insurance plot maps to learn more about the locations of Terry's JOHNSTON and KERFOOT families (the Irish side), but mysteries remain.
Explored the life and descendants of Terry's relative Louisa (BOORMAN) Seeley because descendants are DNA matches.
Reviewed the 1790 will of William BOORMAN.
Life of Ernest Frederick COMPTON who immigrated to New Zealand and Australia.
Reviewed the life of Eliza Pring COMPTON, my great-great-grandmother.
My ANDREW Aunt Eleanor JONES hand-crafted a stain glass sun catcher for my mother
Celebrating my ANDREW mother's 100th Valentines birthday with cards and photos (2 postings).
Explored one branch of my early maternal RICHARDSON roots in Sussex England.
I finally found my father Claude HENSON in the 1921 Canada census. Reviewed his life, including photos of family and his WWII kit bag and hat.
"Strawberry" HENSON had a unique nickname and a huge family in Arkansas.
My memories and photos of our ANDREW family reunion in 1959.

But it seems it's either feast or famine with my blogging, as the year is now ending with only one additional posting that summarizes my 32 third-great-grandparents. Starting in May I needed to devote more time to my volunteer work with our local Victoria Genealogical Society where I am now a Director, which encompasses my continuing duties as their Webmaster and co-organizer for their DNA Special Interest Group. There were other VGS projects that needed attention, some still ongoing. So even my own research took a back burner for a while, except when I got welcome emails for others that drew me back into my research for brief periods. Thanks to those who contact me or add comments to my blog posts. Always welcome.

My website is gradually growing, with a new Grigg and Cornish page added this week. And I added more photos to my Andrew page. But the main growth is in the blog (in spite of not doing the full 52 postings this year). My "tree" reports have not been updated this year (based on the information I am editing all year in my family tree software), so that is something to focus on early in the new year.

On the DNA research front, I am trying to encourage close relatives to test, as it makes it much easier to identify what the connections are with other matches, and it broadens the number of new relatives you can find. So I was very happy when my maternal first cousin Mary recently decided to test at AncestryDNA (where I tested a year ago). Her results are now in, and she is one of my top two matches at that company. So now I am on a mission to review and contact all our shared matches, most of whom are 4th to distant cousins. I am currently corresponding with some newly found ANDREW and COMPTON cousins, and this gives me great pleasure:) My list of contacts is happily growing. Last year my maternal cousin Lorelei (also a cousin of Mary) tested Family Tree DNA (where I originally tested late in 2015), so this provides a 3rd set of results from the same grandparents on my mother's side. I also have a first cousin Sherrill on my father's side who has tested. Thank you all! Terry' sister has also tested, as well as our older son. It's fascinating to compare both the variances and similarities between related matches, and through their results get access to even more new cousins.

Family history is my passion and I consider it my personal treasure hunt. That's because each of our families is important and very special, and learning their stories truly does help you better understand your roots. So here's wishing all of you and your special families a wonderful Christmas, and happy and healthy times in 2019.

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Claudia's 32 Third Great Grandparents

8/28/2018

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A challenge has been made to identify all 32 of our third-great-grandparents (3GGPs).  Pass it on!

That’s a lot of names to find!  As we push our pedigree chart of direct ancestors back to earlier times, the number of our grandparents doubles with each generation: 2 parents, 4 grandparents, 8 great-grandparents, then 16 great-greats (2GGPs), and 32 great-great-great-grandparents (3GGPs), etc. 16 are on our father’s side (ancestral numbers 32 to 47), and 16 on our mother’s side (ancestral numbers 48 to 63).

After many years of family research I now know at least a bit about most of them, although there are still gaps and uncertainties. And one of my maternal couples is duplicated due to intermarriage (making them my ancestors in 2 different positions in my pedigree). My 32 ancestors in this generation were  born in the late 1700s or early 1800s, when record coverage is more limited. It’s one of the reasons why most of us have gaps in our trees in these earlier generations, or at least some uncertainties due to a limited amount of substantiating records.

Summarized below are my 3GGP ancestor names that I already know, divided into 4 groups associated with each of my 4 grandparents. This list will come in handy for my DNA research when trying to identify possible common ancestors for my DNA matches who are estimated to be my 4th cousins.

CLAUDIA'S 32 GREAT-GREAT-GREAT-GRANDPARENTS (3GGPs)

HENSON LINE 3GGPs
(Paternal Grandfather)

32 - William H "Billy" HENSON
1803 Wilkes NC - 1887 Washington AR
33 - Lavina OSBURN
1805 Knox KY - 1895 Washington AR
34 - Reuben FRALEY
1783 Russell VA - >1870
35 - Mary Polly FLANNERY (FLANARY)
1792 VA - <1840
36 - William ORRICK
1783 NC - c1859 Pike AR
37 - Celia Ola STRICKLAND
1787 NC - 1862 Pike AR
38 - Benjamin DYER
1798 Wilkes NC - 1835 Crawford AR
39 - Martha Patsy POGUE
1806 NC - 1882 Crawford AR

HUNT LINE 3GGPs
(Paternal Grandmother)

40 - John Thomas? HUNT
1798 NC - 1884 Crittenden KY
41 - Elizabeth ALLEN
1795 VA - 1865 Lawrence MO
42 - Joseph POLAND
1817 TN - 1879 Caroll AR
43 - America CALENDER
? ? - 1855 KY
44 - William CROW
c1790 VA or OH - 1853 Warren IL
45 - Catherine SNOOK
1791 USA - 1889 Knox IL
46 - ? PATTERSON <unknown>
? NC - ? ?
47 - Margaret ? <unknown>
1788 SC - ? ?

ANDREW LINE 3GGPs
(Maternal Grandfather)

48 - William ANDREW
c1782 Cornwall/Devon England - 1833 Cornwall
49 - Honour GRIGG
1784 Cornwall - 1861 Cornwall
50 - William HOPGOOD
<unknown, probably bef 1800 Cornwall>
51 - <unknown>

52 - Thomas Compton COMPTON
c1789 Hampshire England - 1850 PEI Canada
53 - Hannah JEFFERY
1790 IofW England - 1871 PEI Canada
54 - James COATES
1790 Suffolk England - 1862 Suffolk England
55 - Sarah ROBINSON
1795 Suffolk England - 1862 Essex England

RICHARDSON LINE 3GGPs
(Maternal Grandmother)

56 - Henry Proctor RICHARDSON
c1789 Sussex England - 1850 Sussex England
57 - Ann PACKHAM
1799 Kent England - 1838 Sussex England
58 - James HARRIS
1799 Gloucester England - 1877 Gloucester
59 - Lucy RANDALL
1797 Oxfordshire England - 1875 Gloucester
60 - William Spencer COMPTON
c1799 ? - 1847 PEI Canada
61 - Harriet Clarissa HASZARD
1798 PEI Canada - 1841 PEI Canada
62 - Thomas Compton COMPTON <same as 52>

63 - Hannah JEFFERY <same as 53>

As you can see, my father's ancestors lived in the USA and moved often, following the frontier where records weren't always kept. My mother's ancestors came from south England and PEI Canada - a small island where I have multiple connections to the COMPTON family. I have a brick wall in my maternal HOPGOOD line and in my paternal PATTERSON line. And there is some uncertainty in some of the other lines as well. More research is always needed!

I have already written stories about some of these ancestors (only 4 so far in this generation), and I have included links above where appropriate. It seems I also have lots more stories still to write!

The next generation back contains 64 direct ancestors (4GGPs). Oh no, that IS intimidating! I have many more gaps in that generation.

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Family Keepsake - Handcrafted Stained Glass Sun Catcher - #8 (52 ancestors)

2/26/2018

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Theme: Heirloom

This heart-shaped stained glass sun catcher was handcrafted by my Aunt Eleanor (ANDREW) Jones at a class she once took, almost certainly in Duncan BC Canada where she lived. Although I don't know what year it was made, I do know that from the start, she intended it to be a birthday present for her oldest sister, my mother Mabel Marion (ANDREW, HENSON) Taylor. She chose a heart because Mom's birthday was on Valentine's Day. The design included leaves and stems and a single flower, probably because Aunt Eleanor loved to garden. So it was a very personalized and appropriate gift, for sure.

After Mom passed away in 2000, I brought this lovely keepsake home with me, and decided it need to be admired rather than stored away in a box. I chose our west-facing dining room window to hang it in, where the afternoon sun could bring its design and colours to life. And it was there every time we looked out the window into our garden. In hindsight, I should have checked the suction cups more often, as one day in 2013 they let go and in the fall, a section of the clear glass was broken. Oh no! I was heartbroken (pun not intended - well, maybe partly intended!) Still beautiful but damaged, I didn't want it to come to further harm. So since then, it's been stored it in a red heart-shaped box to keep it safe. I wish I knew how to repair it, but then again, doing so would remove some of her handiwork which I'm reluctant to do.

I am sad to say that I never confessed to Aunt Eleanor that her beautiful creation had been damaged. She passed away in 2016 without knowing. Yet I still treasure this sun catcher, and her thoughtfulness in creating something so special for my Mom.

A stained glass sun catcher, a gift to my Mom and handcrafted by her sister Eleanor Jones .

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Mabel Marion ANDREW (1918-2000) - Valentine Birthday - #7 (52 ancestors)

2/18/2018

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Theme: Valentine

On Valentine’s Day, I posted a birthday card to my mother, who would have celebrated her 100th birthday on that very day if she was still with us. We always thought it was extra special that she was born on the holiday that celebrated love and devotion, which she certainly gave to us. So we had a double reason to celebrate, and still do. So many happy memories. I now want to continue her story in celebration of her life.

Mabel (ANDREW) HENSON with her two daughters. In honour of her 100th Valentines Day birthday, 14 Feb 2018

Mabel Marion ANDREW, probably in Summerside, PEI

Mabel Marion ANDREW was born 14 Feb 1918 just before the end of WWI on her family farm in North St Eleanors, Prince Edward Island on the east coast of Canada. She was the oldest daughter and second of seven children born to Harry ANDREW and Nell RICHARDSON, and the namesake of her paternal Aunt Mabel MAY who did not have any children. There was work to do on the farm, and all children helped out as soon as they were able. Mom helped care for her younger siblings and was known to work in the fields and garden. But there was also school and church to attend, and many relatives and friends to visit. I grew up on the other side of the country, hearing about the many places and people that occupied my mother’s childhood rural farming community in PEI.

Distances were not large on PEI, but it wasn’t until my teenage years when I looked at a map of PEI (Canada’s smallest province) that I realized the true scale of the place. Prince Edward Island is only 3 miles across from shore to shore in that particular part of Prince County! North St Eleanors is on the north shore and Summerside on the southern shore, but still they are at most 3 miles apart. My perspective underwent a rather abrupt reality check that day. It was literally a “small world”! Now of course Summerside has grown and spread, and the two communities have since amalgamated.

Mom’s generation lived through the post-war recovery years of the 1920s, followed by the stock market crash of 1929 and the depression in the 1930s. While everyone needed food, the price that farmers could get for their crops was often less than the cost of labour to harvest them. My grandfather once told the story of having to abandon a field of turnips because he couldn’t afford to dig them up. It was a very hard time. Then WWII started and in 1941 the family farm was taken over by the government as part of the new air base and training centre for Atlantic Canada, where my grandfather later got work as a boiler man. I don’t think he was too sad to see the farm go.

Barely attaining adulthood by 1939, WWII took away so many of these young men and even women in my mother’s generation while in their prime. Their lives and their families were turned upside down during the six war years, by life altering experiences both at home and abroad. Mom’s life was no exception, as three of her brothers were old enough to enlist including Dean ANDREW who was critically injured while oversees. My Mom had already finished 10 years of school by then, which was as high as grade school went at that time. She moved to Summerside and got a clerical job there in the legal office of a relative Lowell Compton. According to one of her brothers: "She had this job after she left school. She proved very good at it. She had a good mind, and picked up the 'legalese'. It was a Compton firm she worked for." Mom also made new friends, and seemed to enjoy her new freedom and responsibilities. Her best friend during this time was Betty Manderson, known as “Mandy”, who may have been a nurse.

The following photos, many taken by Mom's uncle Fred MAY, give us a glimpse at her earlier years living in Prince Edward Island.

On right: Mabel HENSON holding daughter Claudia
On left: her sister Harriet CLARK and daughter Elaine, in SookeBC

I have already written about Mabel ANDREW's life in the period after WWII, and her decision in 1947 to travel on her own all the way across Canada, leaving her mother, her sister Harriet, and her maternal grandparents behind. Mom’s new life started on the west coast, near the town of Duncan on Vancouver Island, where her father, some of her other siblings, and her aunt and uncle Fred and Mabel May had recently moved. Mom first lived with her parents in a house on Herd Road north of Duncan before the family moved into Duncan, buying a small 2 bedroom house on Garden Street on the east side of the railway tracks.

At some point she met my father Claude Angus HENSON, a veteran as well as a miner and logger, whose sister Ethel KING lived in the area. In 1952 Claude and Mabel moved to Sooke, west of Victoria, and my sister and I were born in rapid succession. Then in 1954, tragedy struck when Claude was killed in a logging accident, leaving the whole family in shock and devastated.

Mom moved back to Duncan with her babies and once again moved in with her parents; it must have been a tight squeeze in their small house. She found work in the nearby Cowichan Senior Secondary School Office (where I later graduated). In 1959 her Aunt Mabel MAY (nee ANDREW) died, and as her namesake, Mom inherited her 2-bedroom house at 667 Coronation Ave in Duncan. She met John Gilbert TAYLOR, an English bachelor who was part owner of Taylor Bros Logging with his brother Geoffrey TAYLOR. He was known as Gilbert and lived in a boarding house two doors down the street from her house. I know very little of their short courtship except that their first date was square dancing in Mill Bay on the outdoor platform which used to be visible from the highway. Mom finally learned to drive using Gilbert’s large red and white Oldsmobile. And she gave up smoking.

Gilbert TAYLOR and Mabel HENSON arriving at the
Duncan United Church for their wedding, 3 Jun 1960

Mom and Gilbert were married 3 Jun 1960 at the United Church in Duncan. Gilbert moved into Mom’s house and Mom quit her job to became a full time housewife. Under legal guidance and following the convention at that time, they both adopted me and my sister the following year, and legally changed our last name from HENSON to TAYLOR. I was not happy about the name change as I was old enough to know what was happening and I realized I was losing the surname given to me by my birth father. But I had absolutely no say in the matter.

In the summer of 1963, they sold Mom’s house in town and bought a farm 5 miles out of Duncan on the old Cowichan Lake Road, between Tansor and Sahtlam. Gilbert proceeded to log part of the property between the house and the road. This may have been necessary for financial reasons, but it was upsetting to lose most of the beautiful large evergreens, and created an awful eyesore that he made little effort to properly landscape. There were more adjustments needed because of the more isolated location, where we needed to bus to new schools, make new friends and meet new neighbours. And visiting my mother’s relatives was no longer within walking distance. We were on well water and septic tanks, and had to be very frugal with our water use, especially in the summertime.

Mabel TAYLOR and her parents Harry and Nell ANDREW
at Claudia's wedding in Duncan in 1974

In the 1970s, Mom let her girls “fly the coup” at an early age to make their own way in the world, but she continued to be there whenever we needed her. She was there to help me find a place to stay when I moved 40 miles away to Victoria to attend university. In 1974 she was there when I was married in her church in Duncan, although Gilbert refused to give me away or have anything to do with the wedding. She was there to accompany me to Vancouver just after my younger son was born and needed surgery at the BC Children’s Hospital. She traveled down to the US to visit my sister and help out when her boys were young. Just to name a few examples. Mom did not like to drive over the winding Malahat, necessary if she wanted to visit us, and I regret that our visits to Duncan to visit her were not nearly often enough. In spite of keeping busy on the farm, she must have been quite lonely as Gilbert was not very social and they rarely went out to social events.

In the 1990s, Gilbert decided to buy Mom a house without consulting her, and purchased a 2-bedroom bungalow off of Gibbins Road closer to Duncan. I think the idea was to replace the house she already had when he married her. With the farm not sold, he didn’t stay at the new place that often. And then he announced that he was leaving Mom after over 30 years of marriage. He contacted my sister, then living in the US, and told her to come back home to look after Mom, and in 1995 she arrived with her two sons. It was a hard time for everyone. Gilbert subsequently sold the farm, moved out of the area and remarried twice after Mom died. In the end, he refused contact with my sister and I.

Mom returned to her Anglican faith, and was an active member of St Johns Church where she joined the various women’s groups. She helped out at church bazaars and when closing time approached, she was wont to buy some of the remaining knick-knacks, especially those made by children. They usually ended up in our Christmas packages. It was a lesson in charity and in showing appreciation for their creative efforts.

Never one to complain, Mom nevertheless suffered from arthritis, and underwent knee and hip replacement surgeries in later years. She was active with the Arthritis Society as well. After she turned 80 she would admit that she felt tired and seemed to really need that morning cup of coffee to get going. We all wrote it off as age related, but not long after her 82nd birthday in April 2000, she was diagnosed with advanced lung cancer. Like many in her generation, she had smoked for a number of years as a young adult, but quit in 1960. Although she never smoked after that, the cancer developed and spread to the lymph nodes, and she was given 6 months to live. Yet just over 3 weeks later on 20 May 2000, Mom passed away in hospital with us all by her bedside. We strongly believe that she chose that day to leave us, as it was the anniversary of her first husband Claude HENSON’s accidental death back in 1954. It took 46 years, but she was finally together with him again.

Mabel’s obituary was published on page 25 of the Cowichan Valley Citizen, Duncan BC on May 24, 2000:

“TAYLOR, MABEL MARION (nee ANDREW)
Passed away peacefully at Cowichan District Hospital on Saturday May 20, 2000, following a short encounter with lung cancer.
Born February 14, 1918, North St. Eleanors, PEI. Moved to Duncan BC 1947. Predeceased by husband Claude Angus Henson (1954), brother George (1976), father Harry Charles (1985), mother Eleanor Louise (nee Richardson) (1992).
Lovingly remembered by daughters Claudia (Terry) Boorman, Vivian Lucas; grandsons Russell and Colin Boorman, William and Warren Lucas; siblings Dean Andrew, Harriet (Charles) Clark, Alan (Doreen) Andrew, Eleanor (Vernon) Jones, Sydney (Barbara) Andrew; numerous nieces, nephews, relatives and friends.
Service at St. John's Anglican Church, Jubilee Street, Duncan BC, 2pm Friday May 26. Private burial of ashes in St. Mary's Cemetery at later date.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Cowichan Valley Arthritis Society, Canadian Cancer Society or St. John's Anglican Church.”

Mom had arranged to be buried in St Marys Anglican cemetery (the Church has been moved elsewhere, but their cemetery remains on Somenos Road), where her parents are also buried. Claude had been buried just down the road in the Municipal cemetery. But after Mom's memorial service, my sister and I were not yet ready to bury her ashes. Six years later we eventually buried her on the anniversary of Claude’s funeral, in a small private ceremony also attended by a few relatives. All considered, we thought that was the most appropriate time and way to put her to rest.

At the time of her memorial service, the outpouring of love for Mom was extremely heartwarming, and the church was packed to overflowing. One of my cousins shared the following testimonial about Mom, which speaks to both her character and her lasting legacy:

"Aunt Mabel was such a constant in our early lives, partly because of Dad’s powerful affection for her and partly because of his work with Gilbert and his brother. At any rate, because we saw her so often, especially out in the country, I have more of a “sense” of Aunt Mabel than specific recollections. Whenever we arrived, Aunt Mabel was hard at work. But, like Granny, she always had something to offer those of us who dropped in – juice or milk for the kids, tea for the grownups, and usually some cake or cookies. She always made sure we were warm enough and sat us down by the fire or heater – I guess what I think of is that sense of safety and comfort, with grown-ups talking in another room. I do remember going haying at Aunt Mabel’s when we were slightly older: she did up all or most of the food that day, and we had so much fun getting hay stuck in our hair and cutting our fingers. As with all of Dad’s sisters, food was a very important element of get-togethers, and provided the glue that kept the family in touch with one another.

I know that Dad loved Aunt Mabel very much. He was a close friend of Claude’s and I think, after his death, Aunt Mabel’s welfare was often a subject of concern for him. It pained him that she had to work so hard on the farm. I find that Dad’s love for Mabel and Eleanor (and theirs for him) has shaped my own feelings of tenderness for those two. And, like you, I was often struck by how smart Mabel was and how interested in the world – especially when I called to visit in later years."

Another cousin shared a story by her Dad about Mom and her inexperience with controlling horses. It seems that Mom was not a natural rider. I think the horses must have sensed her lack of resolve and knew she wouldn't hurt them, so they took advantage!

It's always revealing to learn other people's memories or impressions of a person we both know. These comments about my Mom were very touching, and I heartily agree. Yet I often saw the other side of Mom that liked to keep in the background and not "force" her opinions, wishes or thoughts on others, even though she did have some strong opinions. She also had a wonderful sense of humour. She was such a caring person, and always seemed to put others first. It was not her way to "rock the boat" and she was rarely outwardly assertive. Mom had her share of insecurities (don't we all?), often second guessing what would be best to do or say or act. I know she carried a lot of guilt around with her about some of the decisions she had made at various times in her life, perceiving they had caused others harm. But she kept the details about the hard times to herself. Although I felt that she was being overly hard on herself, it's difficult to see things from her perspective without more details. I so wanted to reassure her that she really was a wonderful person, but didn't really know how to make her believe it. She WAS smart but I remember her being self-depreciating about that too. We once talked about the final grades she got in school at the end grade 10. If memory serves me, she said she graduated in all but 1 subject. Her best subject was math (perhaps 80%?), but she didn't quite make it in history (perhaps 48 or 49%?) (dear knows where my notes on that little story are so I can't check the details). She obviously regretted that failure. I look on the positive side and celebrate her successes and her strengths and her caring nature.

As mentioned above, food was always at the centre of hospitality for the Andrew women. And I remember those haying "parties" too, when many gathered to help with the work, so needed to be fed (a farmer's wife's duty!) One year was particularly hot when I helped out in the field, stacking, loading and unloading bails of hay. Hard work for sure. Other years I helped Mom in the kitchen and delivered rounds of food and drink to the fields or barn. During the rest of the year we had a herd of polled Hereford cattle to care for. I remember one year after calving season I helped with the paperwork to register the new arrivals, and my Mom was very grateful for my efforts. I enjoyed doing it because I got to dream up appropriate official names for the calves, based in part on their official pedigree. Perhaps that was the first sign of my budding interest in our family’s genealogy!

In 2013 I created a photo book titled “ANDREW, RICHARDSON, COMPTON - Ancestry of Mabel Marion ANDREW HENSON TAYLOR 1918-2000“. It's an overview of the family, with limited text linking the photos and the people together. If interested, you can view all the pages of this book on the Shutterfly website via a link in a previous post: “A Picture Book About My Mother and Her Ancestors”.

Mabel TAYLOR with her mother Nell ANDREW, daughter Claudia and 2 grandsons. 4 generations in 1990.

Mom, we love and miss you and thank you for all your love and your gentle heart. You will forever be my special Valentine. Rest in peace.

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Happy Birthday, Dear Mom

2/14/2018

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Wishing today that my Mom, Mabel Marion (ANDREW) HENSON TAYLOR,
was still with us on what would have been her 100th birthday this Valentine's Day.

We miss you, Mom! Here's a birthday card for you,
with love from your two daughters and four grandsons.

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ANDREW Cousins At My First Family Reunion - #2 (52 ancestors)

1/13/2018

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Theme: Favorite Photo

Harry & Nell ANDREW with 14 of their grandchildren, 1959, Duncan, BC, Canada

This picture, taken in the summer of 1959, is important because it truly represents FAMILY to me. It captures a precious moment at an important event in my childhood, when I was surrounded by cousins at a reunion of my mother Mabel ANDREW’s immediate family. This photo was taken by my Uncle Charlie CLARK (husband of my mother’s sister Harriet ANDREW) in their large back yard in Duncan, BC, Canada. It shows a somewhat disorderly group, featuring my maternal grandparents Harry Charles ANDREW and Eleanor Louise "Nell" RICHARDSON with many of their grandchildren. It must have been hard trying to corral this large group of young children for the photo!

Uncle Charlie told me in later years that, not only did he take this picture (I forget the exact details of the make and model of the camera which he clearly remembered), but he also developed the film himself and made a limited number of copies for family. A man of many talents! I doubt that the negative has survived, but thankfully some of the copies have.

This event was the first organized reunion of my mother’s ANDREW family that I attended. It was also their first full reunion that I know of since the end of WWII when parts of this family moved their base camp from the Prince Edward Island (PEI) on the east coast of Canada to Vancouver Island (BC) on the west coast. Mom’s brother George ANDREW settled in Ontario, and another brother Alan ANDREW re-enlisted in the Air Force, so was stationed in a number of locations. But in 1959, the other siblings were all living in Duncan, BC, close at hand for the reunion.

Growing up, I learned that I was one of 21 grandchildren on my mother’s side, all born between 1946 and 1964. We were the offspring (natural and adopted) of Harry and Nell ANDREW’s 7 children. So my sister and I had 19 maternal cousins, and I am so proud of that! In this photo I see only 12 of these grandchildren, with 2 others hidden. In 1959, 5 cousins had not been born yet, one was a toddler and probably napping, and the last one missed the photo. I’m the one wearing glasses, sitting cross-legged right in front.

This reunion was also memorable because it was the first time I had met my Ontario cousins. George had 4 girls and the youngest one is only 4 months older that me. So I remember being very excited to meet them. Three of these new cousins are in the above photo, and I don’t know why the 4th one was missed. Perhaps she wasn’t feeling well, or was camera shy.

There were other photos taken that day, and in the days surrounding the reunion, that expand and enhance the story told by this photo. I can't help but include 4 of them:

My grandparents Harry and Nell ANDREW in front of their house on Garden Street in Duncan BC where I lived with them for at least 4 years of my early childhood. In this photo they are likely waiting for a ride to the reunion, only a short distance away. I never knew them to have their own car.
Harry & Nell ANDREW with their 7 children, organized in order of birth: George, Mabel, Dean, Harriet, Alan, Eleanor and Syd. It was to be a very rare event for all 7 to be together. I’m not even sure if they every did again, as George ANDREW died of cancer in 1976. As of 2017, they have sadly all passed.
This is the whole reunion group: Harry & Nell, their 7 children with 5 spouses, and 16 grandchildren. I count 30 people plus Charlie who took the photo.
A group photo in front of a huge tree was likely taken in Goldstream Park just north of Victoria. Charlie and Harriet CLARK and 4 children took a road trip with the visiting George & June ANDREW & 4 girls from Ontario, and Alan and Bobby ANDREW. Charlie CLARK took the photo. Missing from the photo is George ANDREW.

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Uncle Sydney William ANDREW (1929 - 2017) - Rest in Peace

6/10/2017

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Sydney William ANDREW, 3 May 1929 - 25 May 2017

On the afternoon of June 1, 2017, I drove up island to Duncan BC to attend the Celebration of Life for my Uncle Syd, my mother's youngest brother and the last of the seven siblings to pass away. I had received a phone call from my Aunt Barb late on the morning of Thursday, May 25. At first I thought she was phoning to finalize the details of our planned visit on Friday, but instead was told that Syd had passed away in his sleep during the night. This news was bitter sweet. I am grateful that his death was peaceful and that I had recently had a nice chat with Uncle Syd by phone on his 88th birthday earlier in May. But I am also so very, very sad that he is now gone.

Uncle Syd's death was not totally unexpected. After the death of his sister Eleanor JONES last year, he had suffered a stroke and his recovery in hospital was delayed by a fall, then pneumonia, followed by surgery to rectify a blocked artery. After he was finally allowed to come home, walking with the aid of a cane, he never seemed to regain his previous energy. Gradually losing his mobility and his will, it would soon have been necessary to enter a care home, something Uncle Syd did NOT want to do. So he was ready to go.

Sydney ANDREW (front row centre) in 1960 with some of his fellow
Duncan volunteer firefighters, including brothers-in-law
Charlie Clark (front row left) and Vern Jones (back row, 3rd from left)

Syd's well-attended service on June 1 was held at the Duncan City Fire Department, one of his favorite places to be, we were told, where he shared good times with his friends and fellow fire fighters. During his time with the volunteer fire department, Syd rose to the rank of captain. He also had family ties there as his brother Dean Andrew had also served, and two brothers-in-law had both held the position of chief: Charlie Clark and Vern Jones. A large complement of present day firemen attended the service in full uniform to honour Syd's life and contributions; the current deputy chief acted as MC. It was indeed heartwarming to hear the stories and memories of Syd from him and other firemen, some of whom had also apprenticed as a mechanic and/or worked for Syd when he owned his garage and Home service station. Syd was a hard worker himself and expected the same from his workers, yet treated them well and with loyalty.

Some relatives and a neighbor also took the podium to share their memories of Syd. Some common themes emerged. He was a dedicated family man to his wife and two children, and then to his grandchildren and recent great-grandchildren. Most were in attendance. He loved to play cribbage, and shared that love with his grandchildren and others. He loved to play golf, but although he is credited with 2 "holes in one", he was not a good golfer. He could be counted on to lend a helping hand. As a long time resident of Baker Drive, he was an honorary "grandpa" to neighborhood children, always taking time to talk with them and even share an apple with them from his plentiful crop.

Photos of Syd and his family adorned the room and attracted a lot of attention. One of the three composite posters focused just on his great-grandchildren. There were also a few old pictures from his youth, including one with his maternal grandfather and namesake Sydney RICHARDSON. I hadn't seen many of them before, and were wonderful reminders of his long life well lived.

Syd was born 3 May 1929, the son of Harry Charles ANDREW and Eleanor Louise "Nell" RICHARDSON. His obituary was published in the Cowichan Valley Citizen on 26 May 2016:

Sydney William ANDREW 1929-2017
Passed peacefully at home, on Thursday, May 25, 2017 after suffering a stroke one year ago. He is survived by his wife Barb, son Bill (Sherry), daughter Jody (Pierre Meunier), grandchildren Kevin, Richard, Nicole, Travis and Jace, five lovely great grandchildren, as well as many nieces & nephews. Syd was the youngest of seven children. He is predeceased by his parents Harry & ‘Nel’ Andrew and his six siblings: George, Mabel, Dean, Harriet, Al and Eleanor. He was born in St. Eleanor’s, Prince Edward Island and moved with his family to Vancouver Island. Syd was a mechanic by trade and operated Andrew’s Service Station for many years before going to work at the Crofton Pulp Mill until he retired. He also was a volunteer firefighter with the Duncan Fire Department for many years and always enjoyed the camaraderie of his fellow firemen. Another interest was golf, though a terrible golfer, he enjoyed his time at the Cowichan Golf Course. A short service will be held at the Duncan Fire Hall, 468 Duncan Street, on Thursday, June 1st 2017 at 2pm followed by refreshments. FIRST MEMORIAL FUNERAL SERVICES Duncan, B.C. 250-748-2134 Condolences may be shared online at www.firstmemorialfuneral.com

We'll miss you, Uncle Syd.

Uncle Syd ANDREW with Mabel ANDREW, his oldest sister and my mother,
taken sometime around 1950, probably in Cowichan Bay, BC

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Rest in Peace, Aunt Eleanor (ANDREW) JONES

5/23/2016

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Eleanor Isabel JONES (nee ANDREW) (1927 - 2016)

On Tuesday 8 March 2016, my mother's youngest sister Eleanor JONES unexpectedly but peacefully slipped away while in the hospital for some tests. She was one month shy of her 89th birthday. Even in death, she was independent. As was her nature, she didn't complain and didn't want to inconvenience anyone. She just quietly went to sleep.

Eleanor Isabel ANDREW was born on 11 Apr 1927 on the family farm in North St Eleanors, Prince Edward Island near Summerside, the youngest daughter of Harry Charles ANDREW and Eleanor Louise "Nell" RICHARDSON. After their farm was sold during WWII to become part of the new air base, many in her family decided to make a new life on the west coast. Over a period of several years (1945-1953), most travelled across Canada to Vancouver Island, settling in the Duncan area in the Cowichan Valley. On Dec 17, 1945, Eleanor and her brother Alan ANDREW traveled mainly by train from PEI and arrived in Vancouver BC on Christmas Day. Their last stop was on Vancouver Island where they reunited with at least their brother Dean ANDREW. Others would soon follow.

Eleanor met her husband Vernon G JONES at a dance, and they were married on 12 Nov 1949 in Duncan BC. They remained there for the rest of their lives, raising three caring sons in a loving home, remodeling and maintaining their house and garden on Beech Avenue.

A celebration of life was held on 30 Apr 2016 in Duncan. Almost all of Eleanor's immediate family attended, along with other relatives, friends, and neighbors. There was no shortage of stories about this very special woman. Some in attendance were brave enough to stand in front of the microphone so everyone could hear their thoughts and memories. My sister was among them and I was grateful that she shared memories for both of us. It was a real gift to hear all these stories about different aspects of Eleanor's life, and to meet those who shared these experiences with her. Of course there was also time to offer more private condolences during the reception, with hugs all around.

I have many fond memories of my visits with Aunt Eleanor, especially in more recent years, sometimes at restaurant lunches and at larger family gatherings which she often hosted. Quiet but strong-willed, with a ready laugh and wonderful sense of humour, she was always a joy to be with.

Aunt Eleanor LOVED seafood!

Adding to her memorial gathering, Eleanor's granddaughter and her friend prepared a very moving slideshow of special family photos through the years, some of which I had never seen before. There was also a table filled with photos and documents, including her 1949 marriage certificate (showing the signature of my mother Mabel ANDREW as one of the witnesses), and her shorthand qualification cards. Uncle Syd, Eleanor's younger brother who attended, told me that Eleanor had learned shorthand and then worked for the Fox Breeders Association while still in PEI - a glimpse at another unknown part of Aunt Eleanor's life.

There was also a picture on display of Aunt Eleanor taken on board a cruise ship during a crab eating contest. She loved seafood! Although it looked like the huge mound of crab in front of her was for her sole consumption (no seafood pun intended), I was told that she had help from two others at her table. In spite of being outnumbered by those at other tables, Eleanor's hearty appetite and enthusiasm helped her table secure second place. Way to go!

We were also treated to a musical interlude by Eleanor's niece Lorelei, who chose to honour Aunt Eleanor by singing "Keep On the Sunny Side". This song was first popularized by the Carter Family in 1928, the year after Eleanor was born. Lorelei was accompanied by her partner Guy on guitar, and many joined in on the chorus. She explained that "I thought this song was fitting because Aunt Eleanor, while being sensitive to others' feelings and not a stranger to life's challenges and troubles, had the ability to keep such a positive outlook. I think her cheerfulness was one of her many gifts." Well said, Lorelei, and well sung:)

Aunt Eleanor's ashes were also in attendance at the celebration of her life, ensconced in a beautifully decorated wooden marquetry box, hand crafted by her niece Elaine for this purpose. So she was very well "dressed" for the occasion.

The following day on 1 May 2016, Eleanor's ashes were buried with her husband Vern in the Mountain View Cemetery on Somenos Road outside of Duncan. Never forgotten.

A touching obituary written by her family was published on 6 Apr 2016 in the Cowichan Valley Citizen, page 25:

Jones, Eleanor Tuesday, 08 Mar 2016
It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Eleanor Jones after a brief stay at Cowichan District Hospital, one month short of her 89th birthday.

Eleanor was predeceased by her husband Vernon in 2000 as well as her parents and 5 siblings. She is survived by her three sons Kerry (Cindy), Daryl (Cindy), and Michael (Gillian); her eight grandchildren Christopher, Candace, Sarah, Paul (Jennifer), Pamela (Matt), Evan, Graeme, and Colin; two great-grandchildren Connor and Aubrey; one brother Sid Andrew (Barb); sister-in-law Elaine Jones (Tom Browne); and numerous nieces and nephews.

Eleanor was the second youngest of seven children born in North St. Eleanors, P.E.I. to Eleanor (Nell) and Harry Andrew. She was a strong, independent and positive person, who gardened with great skill and was very resourceful in maintaining her home of 60 plus years. She bought a much wanted truck at 77 years old, loved her computer, and was always interested in the latest technology. Eleanor loved family gatherings, seafood dinners, and going out for lunch. She was well-liked by all who met her and much loved by her family, who were not expecting to lose her so suddenly. Mom will be sadly missed.

The family would like to thank Dr. Nadine Robertson, Beth (CDH), Kelly (Home Care) for all their help, and the Duncan Fire Department, which was a big part of Eleanor and Vernon’s life.

A celebration of her life will be held in the near future. [held 30 Apr 2016]
Online condolences may be made at www.hwwallacecbc.com

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Harriet Washbourne COMPTON (1849-1923) - #51 (52 Ancestors)

12/22/2015

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Theme: Nice | Images: Click on many to enlarge

Harriet Washbourne ANDREW (nee COMPTON), PEI Canada

My mother Mabel Marion ANDREW was only five when her paternal grandmother Harriet Washbourne ANDREW nee COMPTON died in 1923 at the age of 74. It would have been nice if my Mom had been granted even a few more years to enjoy her Granny Andrew. My grandfather Harry Charles ANDREW was the youngest of Harriet’s nine children, born when Harriet was forty, so she was almost 69 when my mother was born. It’s also sad that Harriet died before she could meet four of her twenty-nine grandchildren, and that she outlived her youngest daughter Sadie who died in 1906 at the age of twenty.

Harriet Washbourne COMPTON was the oldest of eleven children born to Albert “Harry” COMPTON and Mary Robinson COATES on 8 May 1849 in St Eleanors, Prince Edward Island (PEI), Canada. She was four months old when she was baptized on 9 Jul 1949 in St Johns Anglican Church, St Eleanors. Her grandfather Thomas Compton COMPTON emigrated as a teen in 1803 from Hampshire England to PEI with his father Harry Childeroy COMPTON. Harriet's middle name WASHBOURNE (multiple spellings found) has been traced to her maternal grandmother Sarah ROBINSON whose older sister Harriet ROBINSON (born 1790) married a Henry WASHBOURN in Norfolk England, but didn’t have any children. So Mary decided to carry on this name through her own daughter - a bit of a twist on a family tradition, I think.

Harriet grew up to be a tiny woman with a round face and apple cheeks, quite the contrast to her tall, long-faced husband William ANDREW, a first generation Islander whom she married on 27 Oct 1870 in St Johns Anglican Church, St Eleanors. She was 21. Harriet's daughter Delores (Dot) looked the most like her. I have no first hand accounts of Harriet’s personality but I must assume that she was a loving and “nice” person, judging by her descendants! Fortunately some photos of her have survived, and in general I sense a quiet, kind nature. The exception is earliest photo where she looks rather severe and tense, perhaps because she is trying to keep still for the photo and follow tradition by not smiling. Could this formal portrait have been taken as early as her marriage in 1870? The other photos were taken when she was much older, some not long before her death.

Grave of William and Harriet ANDREW and their daughter Sadie,
St Johns Anglican Cemetery, St Eleanors, PEI

William and Harriet operated their family farm of about 200 acres in St Eleanors PEI on land once owned by her great-grandfather Harry Childeroy COMPTON (see my posting on William ANDREW for more details of their homestead). There was always work to do: tending the garden, crops and animals, as well as raising, feeding and clothing their nine children: Alice, Albert, Delores, Horace, Isa, Fanny, Mabel, Sadie and Harry. Everyone had to pitch in to help with the chores as they grew old enough. Their children were born there between 1871 and 1889; many went by their middle names. One photo shows Harriet sitting on a couch, busily mending a blanket. No idle hands allowed! They were thrifty, took care of what they owned, and made items last as long as possible.

Harriet's youngest living daughter Mabel Hetty ANDREW graduated as a nurse in Charlottetown in 1918, and likely worked for a short time afterwards in that city. But her father William ANDREW’s health was failing and she may have returned to St Eleanors to care for him before his death on 19 Jul 1920. Certainly by 1921 Mabel was living with her widowed mother Harriet in St Eleanors next to her brother Harry and family (I think that Harriet and Mabel had their own apartment sectioned off in what had become Harry ANDREW’s home). Harriet only lived another two years, dying in 1923. Five of her ten younger siblings had died before her.

Harriet and William ANDREW are buried together in the St Johns Anglican Cemetery. A memorial plaque in their honour was later mounted inside the church by their growing family, unveiled by the youngest of their twenty-nine grand children in 1938. At last count, they had sixty-eight great children (although there may be some I don't yet know about), and many younger descendants. Although Harriet and her husband lived their whole lives on Prince Edward Island, I don't believe that any of her descendants still live there.

I have posted additional information on my ANDREW and COMPTON families elsewhere on this website.

"52 Ancestors" is a reference to the "52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks" challenge I am participating in.
Reference the No Story Too Small blog by genealogist Amy Johnson Crow for more details.
It is giving me the much needed incentive to write and publish my family stories.

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Major Frederick Farrer MAY (1883-1951) - #45 (52 Ancestors)

11/12/2015

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Theme: Veteran | Images: Click on many to enlarge
Updated: 16 Nov 2015 - added photo and posting with 1st Depot Battalion, NB, 1918

Shortly after I started this blog in 2012, I wrote of my “Remembrance Day Thoughts” about my uncles Dean ANDREW, George ANDREW and Alan ANDREW and their cousin Ben ANDREW (all WWII veterans) and about the sacrifices of war in general. I’ve also written about my great-uncle Albert Edward ANDREW who earned a Military Cross for his bravery in WWI, and Terry’s father William Irvine BOORMAN who served in the Canadian Navy during WWII.

Major Frederick Farrar MAY
Canadian 26th New Brunswick Battalion, WWI

On this Remembrance Day I’d like to honor the life and military service of my Great Uncle Major Frederick Farrar MAY who married my grandfather’s sister Hetty Mabel ANDREW in St Johns Anglican Church, St Eleanors, Prince Edward Island on 21 Jul 1921. He was a banker and an army man as well as a veteran of WWI.

Fred was the only child of Robert MAY Jr. and Henrietta Farrer STEWART. There is some confusion about the year of his birth. His baptism record says he was born 18 Oct 1883 in Charlottetown PEI, but was baptized 16 Dec 1880 (3 years earlier). His parents were married in 1879, so either year could be true, but Fred’s military records confirm his birth in 1883. When Fred was less than six months old, his father died in Apr 1884 at the age of 32. According to a brief biographical note published in the Charlottetown Guardian in 1934, his father Robert MAY Jr. was born in St Malo, Brittany, France where Fred’s grandfather Robert May Sr. served as the British Vice Consul. Robert Sr retired to St Helier Channel Islands then emigrating to PEI sometime before his son Robert’s marriage in 1879. Fred descends from a proud and distinguished line.

Fred’s mother Henrietta was dealt a double blow when her father died the same year as her husband. She was left to raise her young son alone; she never remarried. Her STEWART ancestors were originally from Scotland via London who became well-to-do land owners in PEI. Henrietta was born in Charlottetown in 1848.

Fred F May and his buggy. Aug 1921. Home from their honeymoon.

Fred was sent to military school at quite a young age; I think he had quite a strict upbringing and was certainly not used to children, having no siblings and perhaps not much opportunity for unstructured play at home or at school. After his mother died late in 1920, Fred married Mabel ANDREW the following summer. They were both 38 years of age. They built a house near Mabel's ANDREW and COMPTON relatives in St Eleanors PEI. At times Fred was overwhelmed amid the noise and social dynamics of this large family. They were a boisterous bunch.

Mabel wanted a family of her own, but tragically their only child was stillborn. Fred’s in-laws made him feel more than welcome, resulting in his peace being continually interrupted with visits from his many ANDREW nieces and nephews and other relatives. There were family picnics, gatherings and outings to contend with, as well as at least one family trip to Nova Scotia to visit Mabel’s oldest brother. Fred was often enlisted to chauffeur visiting relatives in his horse and buggy or sleigh, and later his automobile. And we can be grateful that he had an interest in photography. As the first one with a camera, he was counted on to capture family events on film.

My Aunt Harriet (ANDREW) CLARK once told me a wonderful story about her Uncle Fred MAY. He liked to dress up his nephews and even his wife in his army uniform. She said he was scared of kids and didn’t know how to act with them. Harriet used to visit them a lot and help out with baking, dusting and looking at photo albums to avoid dusting! At first, she was intimidated by her Uncle Fred until she discovered his weak point: shortbread. One day he came into the kitchen to sneak some of the shortbread she was making and whispered in her ear "Don’t tell your aunt!" Harriet realized he was just like a big kid, and was better after that.

Captain Fred MAY is second from the right, shown with his fellow officers of the 26th Battalion before leaving New Brunswick for England.
26th Battn. Officers, 4/15. (Left to Right) :
Capt. A.O. Dawson, Capt. Alex McMillan, Major A.E.G. McKenzie, Lt. E. Alban Sturdee, Lt. Col. J.L.McAerty, O.C. Capt. (Rev.) E.B. Hooper, Capt. W.R. Brown (Adjutant), Capt. F.F. May, and Lt. Gordon M. Johnston.
(From Fred MAY’s photo albums, in his own handwriting.)

Fred had a distinguished military career. Back in 1906, Fred was appointed as an Officer in the Active Militia of the Dominion of Canada to the 62nd Regiment of the St. John Fusiliers on Sept. 14, 1906, starting rank: Lieutenant. By 1911 he and his mother were living in a boarding house on Union Street in St John, New Brunswick where he was stationed. In Aug 1914 Canada committed to fighting in WWI and Fred enlisted in St John on 2 Nov 1914 as an existing officer. He was awarded the rank of Captain with the newly-formed Canadian 26th New Brunswick Battalion, known as the "Fighting 26th". The 26th New Brunswick Battalion was one of the first twelve battalions of the Second Canadian Division. According to his attestation papers, Fred declared himself to be a banker with 17 previous years of military experience: 5 years in the Charlottetown Engineers, 2 years in the 4th C.A. and 10 years in the 62nd Regiment. So his military involvement must date back to about 1897 when he was only 14.

The 26th Battalion website says that their original battalion of 1250 left for the battlefront in France on 13 Jun 2015 and fought in many major battles. Included is a fairly detailed overview of this battalion’s movements and engagements published originally on newsprint. The battalion sailed for Britain aboard the Caledonia steamship and trained in Kent England where they were reviewed by the King of England on 2 Sep 1915 at Beachborough Park near the camp grounds. Camp was broken Sep 13, and they crossed from Folkestone, landing at Boulogne Sep 14. They took a train from Pont-aux-Birque to Wisernes then marched to Renescure then to Bailleuil, 5 miles back from firing line. The 26th Battalion first located at Kemmel-Vierstadt near Poperinghe and Ypres in Belgium, on the right hand side of this spur in the German line. They began fighting in trenches Sep 21 2015.

Fred’s portrait is included at least three times on the 26th Battalion’s website. One caption reads:

Captain F.F. May who was wounded in the early months of the unit’s occupancy of the front line, when a high explosive shell demolished a dug-out in which he was seated. He is now Deputy Chief Recruiting Officer for New Brunswick and hope to return to the front with the new army.

The family version of this story says that Fred May was injured in WWI when he was buried alive by a shell at Ypres and was dug out by his men. So exactly where and when was Fred wounded? I have now "unearthed" some of the details. While the 26th Battalion was still in the area surrounding Ypres, their Company A was involved in a brief but important offensive on 13 Oct 2015 which they called the “Crater Fight”. A further mention is made of Fred on the above website:

Capt. F.F. May, a reliable officer of C company soon after the crater fight was seriously wounded by a shell explosion. He is only now fully recovering from the effects of the wounds, and it is expected that he will take an imporant appointment in the new army.

From this I assumed that Fred was injured near Ypres sometime in the latter half of October 2015, only about a month after arriving at the Western Front. Then I located the war diaries of the 26th Battalion and found two additional notes about Fred:

27 Oct 1915, K & L Trenches:
“Major E.E.G. McKenzie, Capt. F. F. May and Lieut. F. E. Lockhart with 50 men from the Battn. attend an inspection by His Majesty the King at the village of Loere [?] His Majesty was accompanied by his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales.” ...
1 Nov 1915, Scherpenberg:
“Very rainy. Battn attended baths at Westontre [sic]. Capt. F. F. May wounded.”

Major Frederick Farrer MAY, commanding officer of "A" Company,
1st Depot Battalion, New Brunswick Regiment

Although I was very grateful to learn the exact date of Fred's injuries, these entries brought up additional questions (of course!). It doesn't say exactly how Fred was wounded, although that was explained in published story of the 26th Battalion (as above). While the rest of the battalion was assigned to the "K & L Trenches" on Oct 27, Fred was lucky enough to represent the 26th Batallion to the King of England. What an honor! Then just five days later when the Battalion was assigned to their billets in Sherpenberg (quite a distance away the other side of Antwerp according to recent maps), and enjoying the baths in Westouter (close to Ypres and Poperinge), Fred seems to have been on duty in the trenches. Surely he would not have been wounded in the baths! So Fred's assignments seem to have been at odds with his battalion in general. From the surrounding entries in the war diary, they had been getting heavy rains for weeks, the weather had turned cold, and the trenches were flooding and collapsing and in need of constant attention. So the shell explosion that wounded Fred must surely have also buried him in wet, cold, heavy mud. What a terrifying experience that must have been.

Once Fred was fit to travel, he would have been transported back to Canada, and likely continued his convalescence at the hospital in Charlottetown PEI. The family thinks this may be where he met his future bride Mabel ANDREW, who was a nurse in training there at that time. Once recovered, Fred returned to New Brunswick where he continued to serve in his new army postings. He probably made frequent trips over to PEI. I don’t believe he saw any further action overseas. From family photos we know that in 1918 Fred was the Commanding Officer of Company "A", 1st Depot Battalion, New Brunswick. This battalion was formed on 15 Apr 1918 to provide reinforcements for the 26th Battalion and other reserves, and at least some of their training was held at Camp Sussex.

At some point Fred’s mother returned to Charlottetown and then became ill. She passed away after the war on 14 Dec 1920, and Fred arranged a private funeral for her two days later, with burial at St Peters Cemetery in Charlottetown. On the same day as her funeral, another notice was published in the Personals section of The Charlottetown Guardian:

HOME AGAIN - Major F.F. May has returned to Charlottetown, and we understand that he intends to reside here in future. Major May went overseas with the original 26th N.B. Battalion.

Fred MAY and his horse Tom in PEI

Fred must have been a man with a new mission. He formally announced his engagement to Mabel ANDREW on 2 Feb 1921. Five months after that he was married and living in St Eleanors PEI. Fred and Mabel went to Quebec for their honeymoon. They built a new house, which burned down before they had moved in, so they built it again. They endured further heartache when their child was stillborn. Fred maintained his military connections through involvement in the Canadian Legion. In 1928 he delivered a speech to its Charlottetown branch about "his recollections of the 26th Battalion outlin[ing] its adventures from the time the first detachment left Prince Edward Island until the fighting was done.” And again in 1931 he addressed the Summerside branch. In 1932 there was a veteran’s reunion held at Mt Stewart PEI, and Major F.F. May was appointed Chairman for the coming year. In 1936 he talked in Kensington about the self sacrifice of veterans and the need to strive for self control as an example to the younger generations. He was promoting temperance. Fred was a very active speaker during the 1930s and still a military man at heart.

The Second World War brought further changes to his life. Nearby farms in North St Eleanors were taken over to build an air base (including the farm of his brother-in-law Harry ANDREW). Nephews and many young men from the area went off to fight for our country and freedom. It must have been so hard to go through the strife of war yet again, even from the sidelines.

Grave of Fred and Mabel MAY, Duncan BC Canada

After the war, when his brother-in-law Harry ANDREW (my grandfather) and part of his family decided to move across Canada to the west coast for a new start, Fred and Mabel decided to move with them. In about 1946 they bought a little 2-bedroom house on Coronation Avenue in Duncan BC on Vancouver Island. But they didn’t have too many years left to enjoy their new home. On 21 Jul 1951 and after only five years in BC, Fred died at home from a heart attack. He was 67 years old. Mabel died seven years later on 8 Dec 1958 from a stroke while fighting cancer. She was 75. They are buried together in St Mary’s Cemetery just outside of Duncan BC.

Fred left a wonderful legacy in the form of photo albums, some of which are now in my care. While he usually gave vague captions such as "The Missus" for family photos, he was much more diligent about giving detailed information for a fair number of military photos. Many are now quite faded with age, so I am in the process of scanning them all. I am hoping to create a separate military page on this website to display and share these wonderful images of Fred's military life.

REFERENCES and FURTHER READING

MAY, FREDERICK FARRER - Soldiers of the First World War - Library and Archives Canada site
The 26th Battalion, New Brunswick - St John Free Public Library site
26th Battalion - Canadian Expeditionary Force Study Group site
War Diaries of the 26th Battalion - Canada at War site
WWI Battles - First World War site
Ypres Salient, Poperinge - Great War site
Canada and WWI - Veterans Affairs Canada site
1st Depot Battalion, New Brunswick Regiment - guide to resources, Collections Canada site

I have posted additional information on my ANDREW families elsewhere on this website.
Further military photos from Fred MAY's albums can be found on our military page.

"52 Ancestors" is a reference to the "52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks" challenge I am participating in.
Reference the No Story Too Small blog by genealogist Amy Johnson Crow for more details.
It is giving me the much needed incentive to write and publish my family stories.

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2018 Genealogy Research Recap

Claudia's 32 Third Great Grandparents

Family Keepsake - Handcrafted Stained Glass Sun Catcher - #8 (52 ancestors)

Mabel Marion ANDREW (1918-2000) - Valentine Birthday - #7 (52 ancestors)

Happy Birthday, Dear Mom

ANDREW Cousins At My First Family Reunion - #2 (52 ancestors)

Uncle Sydney William ANDREW (1929 - 2017) - Rest in Peace

Rest in Peace, Aunt Eleanor (ANDREW) JONES

Harriet Washbourne COMPTON (1849-1923) - #51 (52 Ancestors)

Major Frederick Farrer MAY (1883-1951) - #45 (52 Ancestors)

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