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