The suggested topic for Week 3 is 'Longevity' - leaving it up to each participant to interpret it at their will. So I decided to define it in several manners:
Age at death:
In checking the age at time of death of just my direct ancestors, only going back as far as my great-great grandparents, most lived into their 70s or 80s. Given the time period many of them lived in, I find it remarkable. Even the women, despite numerous pregnancies, managed to survive for many decades.
As all were farmers, I guess something can be said about living off the land is a healthy lifestyle.
My father, William John "Jack" Allen died of pancreatis at the relatively young age of 67. He lived most of his adult life living in urban areas and not on a farm. However, my mother, Eveleen (nee Schell) is still relatively healthy at the age of 88 and has lived in the same areas.
Marriage:
Obviously records would not show how happy my ancestors marriages were, and divorce was not as acceptable in society then as it is now. Whether those contributed to the longevity of some of the marriages, many of my ancestors were married for a number of years before one of the partners died.
William Daisley Allen and Mary Jane Woodland, my father's grandparents, celebrated their 60th Wedding Anniversary by having a large family reunion.
The 'Just Married' sign was recycled for other family anniversary celebrations. The '60' was altered to '50' for the family celebrations of the golden anniversaries of:
1) Henry "Harry" Woodland Allen & Gertrude Georgina Cooper (my father's parents) in October 1970
2) Frederick Gordon McWhinnie & Dora Mae Allen (my father's sister) in March 1997
3) Albert "Ab" James Allen (my father's brother) & Helen Maloney in Octobeer 1997
I do not remember the sign being used when other siblings of my father celebrated their Golden Wedding Anniversaries:
March 1996: Charles George William Scott & Alice Evelyn Allen
December 2000: Garnet Woodland Allen & Margery Lillian McBride
February 2001: Roy Nelson Penfold & Isobel Edith Allen
December 2006: Thomas W. Lowden & Mary Anne Allen
Harry & Gertie Allen had ten children that survived infancy. Of those then, six celebrated Golden Anniversaries with their spouse. My parents' celebrated their 40th Wedding Anniversary in 1989 before my father died the following year.
On my mother's side of the family, her parents' (George Schell & Martha Jane Irene Bates) celebrated their 40th Wedding Anniversary in 1967, but my grandfather died 3 years before they would have celebrated their 50th. Her maternal grandparents (Thomas Edward Bates & Elsie Pearl Mumberson) also celebrated their 40th anniversary in 1945. The Schell family was able to celebrate the Golden Anniversary in September 2007 of my mother's brother Harold George "Bud" Schell & Marjorie Gertrude Desjardine.
Presence in Canada
My ancestors emigrated to Canada more than a century ago. The latest arrivals were my paternal grandmother (Gertrude Georgina Cooper) with her parents and siblings in August 1902.
Robert Allen, the paternal grandfather of my grandfather (Henry "Harry" Woodland Allen) arrived in Canada with his parents (William Allen & Margaret Buchanan) and siblings in 1831; Robert's wife Mary Ann Widdis was born in Upper Canada, although her parents (James Widdis & Jane Thompson) were both born in Ireland. Harry's other grandparents, Joshua Woodland & Catherine Craig were both born in Ireland but were married in York (now Toronto) in 1849.
My maternal grandfather, George Schell, is a descendant of Johann Christian Schell who settled the Mohawk Valley area of New York in 1749. Johann Christian married Maria Elizabeth Petrie who was a daughter of Johan Jost Petrie II & Cordelia Demuth, one of the Palantine families. The four sons of Johann Christian & Maria Elizabeth eventually migrated to Canada around 1800.
Alexander Ross & Mary Parker, the parents of Mary Jane Ross (George's paternal grandmother) were born in Scotland and Ireland but were married in Canada. George's maternal grandfather, George Deadman immigrated to Canada sometime between 1841 and 1852. George Deadman married Rebecca Gauley who was born in Canada in 1853. Her father, Andrew Gauley had been born in Ireland and her mother, Mary Crosby, in Scotland.
The immigrant ancestors of my maternal grandmother, Martha Jane Irene Bates were:
- William Bates (about 1846) as a toddler with his parents (father, Thomas Edward Bates died enroute).
- Moses Benagh Sr. (before 1861)
- James Mumberson (about 1857)
- Thomas Shanklin Boden (before 1852)
- Abraham Van Horn (1800)
- John Frederick Hedrick (1794)
In other words, my family tree has longevity in Canada - most lines predating the creation of the Dominion of Canada.
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