The Day George Got a Letter From the PM

When it was time to take the Canada Census in 1911, George Mitchell Henderson of Inverness, Quebec was chosen as Commissioner for the district of Megantic. The Commissioner is responsible for each enumerator in his district, who each have a subdistrict. The commissioner is also responsible for giving the enumerators in his district training and handing out supplies they will need to take the census.

Sessional Papers of Canada, Dominion Census 1911

George's son Willis Ernest Henderson was one of the enumerators for the subdistrict of Inverness Township.

The government paid for training and expenses (the sums varied), as well as for doing the job. The commissioners and the enumerators had to take an oath, and were to hold secret all the information they gathered. The rules and payment schedules were set out in the Canada Gazette.  Basically the commissioner gets 1¢ per name recorded in his district, and the enumerator gets 5¢ for every name of a living person and 10¢ for every name of a deceased or disabled person. There is a different rate scale for filling out other schedules and for factories, schools and churches etc. Instead of a horse-for-hire allowance, each enumerator of a township (not cities, towns or villages) is given $3 for 100 names.

Well, it seems that George was getting anxious because his men were not getting paid for the work they did in June.  He wrote a letter to the Prime Minister and received a reply on the 6th of October, 1911.

My dear Henderson,
In answer to your favour of the 4th instant, I have to inform you that the money for the Census which was voted by Parliament, is now exhausted, and you cannot expect to have your account settled for a few weeks yet until a new appropriation has been voted. This is a case where patience is quite in order.
Believe me ever,
Yours very sincerely,
Wilfred Laurier



George Mitchell Henderson was born 24 October 1850
to Wilson Henderson and Susannah Mitchell
George is my 3x great uncle.


Letter Source: Books by Gwen, Megantic Genealogy

The Day John got Arrested in Cheboygan

In Mackinac, Michigan on May 19th, 1874 John Ledingham Mavor married Margaret Zenzon. John was living in Cheboygan and working as a railway engineer foreman. Margaret was living in Mackinac.

In Cheboygan, Michigan John Ledingham Mavor and Julia Duffany, both of Cheboygan, were married on May 20th, 1876 at the Methodist Episcopal Church.

Oh oh.....

Cheboygan Northern Tribune, Saturday July 1, 1876

Thursday afternoon a lady giving her ??(on the fold) Justice Sutton's office, and informed that preservator of the law that her husband, John L. Mavor, was a much-married man. She avers that on the 15th of May, 1875 she was married to the said John at the Island of Mackinaw, and that she had lived with him as his wife. She also averred that on the 20th of May 1876, he had so forgotten his marital vows as to marry one Julia Duffany, which act is in violation of the law. Upon this information Justice Sutton issued a warrant and Deputy Sheriff Mulvaugh arrested the man of plural wives, Thursday night.  He was taken before the court where he was admitted to $500 bail to appear for examination.  He states that if he was married to Maggie he was drunk and didn't know it, or something to that effect.  At any rate his mind seems oblivious to the fact of Maggie being his wife.  It would now seem probable that before he gets through with this matter he will have his memory refreshed.    

(I didn't yet find any more on any of the three after this)

UPDATE: Julia married John Wilson abt 1877 in Michigan. They had a daughter Mary Wilson. Through DNA it is proved the father of Mary is John Ledingham Mavor. 

John Ledingham Mavor - born in Ellon, Scotland
to John Mavor and Elizabeth Ledingham

The Day Bill Took Two Firsts and Four Seconds

When they were in their teens my Dad and my Uncle Bill got interested in gardening, dahlias from their parents and gladiolas from a friendly neighbour who liked to show them the ropes.

Dad had told me that he and his brother Bill entered the Montreal West Flower Shows many years, and usually one or the other (sometimes both) took home a win.

On August 26, 1936 for the floral and vegetable exhibits, Bill took two first prizes and four second prizes.

Since their father was estranged from his side of family, Dad and Bill didn't know that their great uncles and a cousin in Ottawa were avid gardeners. Their great uncle William specialized in roses and won many awards in the Lady Grey Competitions. His beautiful gardens were a delight for all the locals. Their great uncle Henry grew gladiolas. Henry won every year and his bulbs were in such demand he sold them for $2 a box. Henry's son Victor also won many awards for his gladiolus displays.

Charles Wilson Seale was born 10 Jan 1916 in Montreal to Thomas Alexander Seale and Marion Martha Tait. Bill is my uncle and my godfather.

The Day Sarah was Sentenced

At the Totnes Guildhall on Monday 9 April 1855 before S. Huxham (mayor), J. Derry and C. Webber, Esquires - Sarah Crawford, wife of Henry Crawford, of Half Moon Street, was committed on a charge of stealing a log of wood, on the 3rd inst., from an orchard in the occupation of Mr John Willis, butcher.  Sarah was admitted to bail on her husband becoming bond in £20, and two sureties in £10 each.

"On Wednesday 23 May 1855, Sarah Crawford (out on bail) was brought before the court in Totnes. Mr Jerwood was the prosecutor and Mr Cox defended Sarah."

"The prosecutor is a carpenter at Totnes, and had a piece of timber in a garden occupied by his brother, a butcher, in Harper street.  On the evening of the 3rd of April the prosecutor was at the garden gate, and he saw the prisoner (Sarah) and a boy named Mogford two yards inside the gate. He asked Sarah 'What business she had there?' and the prisoner replied she was dodging a person who had stolen something. The prisoner and the boy was standing near a piece of timber, which was worth about 2 shillings. Mogford stated that he was going to the field with his father's donkey and on the road he saw the prisoner, who asked him where he was going? He told her and the prisoner then asked him to come and help her to take up a piece of timber in Mr Willis's garden, and he took up one end and the prisoner the other. They then met Mr Willis, and he asked them what they wanted? The prisoner then said to the boy that if he told the prosecutor what they were about, they would both go to prison. The prisoner stated that she was out looking for her mules, which she kept (at High Street) for hire.

Mr Cox then addressed the jury for the defence, contending that it was a mere case of suspicion; that the boy Mogford was involved in great doubt; and that the man Willis did not see the prisoner with the wood in her hand.

Guilty!!

Sarah was sentenced to ten weeks imprisonment with hard labour."

~Western Times: 19 May 1855, pg 6





Sarah Nichols (born 1824 to Samuel Nichols and Sarah Frost)
- the sister of my 2x Great Grandmother, Elizabeth Nichols.
Sarah Nichols married Henry Robert Crawford, 1846.