Notes:

Forneri Frederic Passmore, according to city directories and to his will, which was dated 9 June, 1892, worked as a surveyor's assistant, probably with his father. Later he worked in a bank in Hamilton. He evidently was a shrewd investor, and at the time of his death in 1932, his estate was valued at over $80,000, including about $75,000 in bonds and indentures, and about $6,000 in real estate and mortgages. His real estate consisted of a vacant lot in York Township (lot 49, Plan 959), and three houses in Toronto - at 214 Shaw St., and 85 and 87 Ossington Ave. He left his estate to his brother, Alfred C. Passmore, who was also the executor of the will, with the stipulation that after Alfred's death, the remainder should be divided equally among Alfred's children, once they reached 28 years of age. Other beneficiaries, in case Alfred died without children, were Forneri's Aunt Mary Ann Passmore and his second cousin Thomas Fortescue Downing.

Forneri's probate papers revealed that his 9 June 1892 will was witnessed in Toronto by his aunt Maria Louisa Passmore, and by Emily Perry, who was or had been a servant to members of the Passmore family, notably Forneri's brother Alfred. The probate declaration of Emily Perry (whose married surname had become Short) stated that Forneri was a surveyor's assistant, living in Toronto until 9 June 1892, and that he subsequently moved to Hamilton and ceased being a surveyor's assistant.

At the time of his death, his occupation was listed as "none". His address was listed as 91 Charles St., Hamilton Twp., Wentworth County. He had been living there for 2 years.

Notes:

Frederick's middle name, Fortescue, reflects the fact that his mother's mother was Joanna Fortescue, who was descended from John Fortescue of Shebbear. Shebbear is a parish south of Buckland Brewer, and close to the Parish of Buckland-Filleigh, where a major branch of the Fortescue family owned the Manor of Buckland-Filleigh. The Fortescue family was a noble family, with many illustrious members. The main branch of the Fortescue family is traced back to the birth of Richard le Fort in 1015. He was a commander in the army of William the Conqueror, who saved William's life during the Battle of Hastings in 1066.

Evidently the Downings (who also included the Fortescue name in several succeeding generations) and the Passmores were very anxious to preserve and commemorate their connections to the noble Fortescue family. [Reference: "A History of the Family of Fortescue in all its Branches" http://contentdm.lib.byu.edu/cdm4/document.php?CISOROOT=%2FFH23&CISOPT R=73354&REC=4&CISOBOX=Joanna+Fortescue]. Another reference on the Parish of Buckland Filleigh and the Fortescues who owned its manor from 1472 to 1834 is in the book "Buckland Fileigh - A Continuous Thread", by Jane Taylor.

Frederick Fortescue Passmore's father died when he was only four, and the family suffered financially. Frederick decided that emigration to Canada would be the best course of action, after which he could bring his mother and sisters over as well (which he did, returning to England and bringing them back with him to Canada in 1847). In one of his letters to his family in England, Frederick mentioned that the Passmores possessed about 1200 pounds in capital investments. Frederick supported his mother and sisters for the rest of his life.

After a short career at sea in the Navy, Frederick Fortescue Passmore emigrated alone from England to Canada West on 11 April, 1845, arriving in Quebec late May, 1845. He settled in Toronto, and apprenticed to John G. Howard, a prominent local surveyor, architect and engineer. His voyage to Canada and his first few years in Toronto are chronicled in the letters he wrote home to his mother and sisters in Devon, England between 1845 and 1847. These letters have been preserved in the family, and have been transcribed. Much information about Frederick's successful career as a surveyor is contained in the 1994 Bachelor of Arts thesis at of his great-great granddaughter, Sarah Dewar, at Acadia University, "Labouring for the Whole Hive".

According to the Find A Grave site http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSln=PAS&GSpartial=1&GSbyrel=all&GScntry=10&GSsr=401&GRid=28495524&, a third cousin once removed, Thomas Passmore emigrated from England to Quebec on the same dates as Frederick. Frederick and Thomas perhaps came on the same ship, although Frederick does not mention Thomas in his letters to his family.

Passmore was licensed as a Provincial Land Surveyor (PLS) in 1846. In addition to his important survey work in Toronto and other parts of Ontario, Frederick Passmore did much to advance his profession, helping its transition from an entirely government-run enterprise to an independent self-regulated association of professionals. In 1852 he was appointed Secretary of the Board of Examiners for Surveying in Canada West. In 1879 he was appointed its Chair. During his career, Frederick surveyed in many parts of Ontario, including Toronto and Scarborough, Grantham, Etobicoke, Arthur, Trafalgar, Barton, Burlington Bay, Goderich, Oil Springs, Dover Township, Fort Erie and Dundas. He produced the lines for the Hamilton Incline Railway and for the Toronto City Hall foundation. For 12 years he was Deputy Registrar in the Toronto Registry Office.

"The History of the Royal Grenadiers" contains Frederick's militia career in that regiment in Toronto, starting in 1861, when tension began with the United States during its Civil War, and the "Trent Affair" [when the US Navy stopped and boarded the British mail steamer "Trent", taking prisoner two Confederate politicians it found on board]. Frederick was appointed a lieutenant, and his friend Sandford Fleming a captain 10th Batallion, Volunteer Rifles, later called 10 Batallion, Volunteer Militia (Infantry). The unit's uniform was scarlet. One of the people in the photo of Frederick's 1864 Scarborough survey camp was wearing the uniform of the unit. The Toronto Globe newspaper of 6 Jan. 1862 lists Frederick as being nominated a lieutenant in the Engineers' and Mechanics' Battalion. The militia unit was later re-named the 10th Royal Regiment, Toronto Volunteers, and saw service against the Fenian threat in 1865 and 1866. It is not known whether Frederick was still with the unit at that time.

In his younger days, Frederick was an enthusiastic yachtsman an interest that he passed on to his sons Alfred and Forneri.

In 1849-50, Frederick, civil engineer Sandford A. Fleming (later the originator of standardized time zones) and several others decided to set up an institute to advance the professional concerns of surveyors, engineers and architects. At an initial meeting in February, 1850, only Passmore and Fleming showed up. Sandford Fleming's comment in his diary: ".."a Chuzzlewit affair. Truly a Canadian Institute." Undaunted, they proceeded to form the Canadian Institute, and elected each other, Fleming as Secretary and and Passmore as Chairman. The Institute (later known as the Royal Canadian Institute) has existed since then, promoting science, engineering and architectural endeavours by public lectures and other means. Passmore presented several lectures, such as "Upon the Ameliorating Influences of the Climate of Canada"; geological changes in the earth;

Passmore was a close associate of Sandford Fleming over the years, according to "Sir Sandford Fleming - His Early Diaries 1845-1853", edited by Jean Murray Cole [Natural Heritage Books, Toronto, 2009]. As well as being among the founders of the Canadian Institute, they worked together on surveys and architectural projects, socialized with each other and with other friends (skating, playing chess, dinners, borrowed money and gave each other gifts, went on canoe camping/surveying trips in the Peterborough area etc.) On 24th April 1852, Fleming was in court as a witness for Passmore. He also secured at least one piece of land through Passmore.

In 1859, Frederick married Isabella Rankin. Their marriage produced three children, according to Frederick, and four, according to Isabella. Their marriage was a stormy one, probably not least because of enmity between Isabella and Frederick's widowed mother and his three unmarried sisters.

A set of over 100 notes and letters by Frederick and Isabella and others during the years 1859 - 1871 partially document their turbulent marriage, and are in the City of Toronto Archives ["Frederick F. Passmore Separation papers", File #180984 Series 347], among a larger set of documents which are Frederick's surveying notes. Since the Separation Papers are among Frederick's surveying papers, we can assume that it was he who preserved them. We can only speculate that his purpose was to strengthen his eventual legal case for a marital separation. The adverb "partially" is used, since some of the letters mention events with which both sender and receiver are familiar, and which are therefore only superficially described. Besides letters, there are short notes, many undated, written by Frederick on tiny scraps of paper. They betray what can only be described as an obsessed and vindictive state of mind. The letters from Isabella are very hard to read: her handwriting is hard to decypher; she tends to neglect punctuation, capitalization and paragraph separation; some of the ink is faint; and some of her letters are written in two crossing perpendicular directions on the same page. Accordingly, we get a somewhat sharper view of Frederick's view than of his wife's.

The letters introduce us to others connected to the Passmore's marital drama, including Dr. Alexander Johnson Williamson (ca. 1796-1870), for whom Isabella was a live-in servant before her marriage. Dr. Williamson, in the 1857-1870 period, was apparently a non-practicing medical doctor, who worked as a clerk of correspondence for the Board of Education. From the 1837 Toronto Directory, we learn that Dr. Williamson had been a published poet: one of his books, "Devotional Poems", published in 1840, is accessible on the Internet. One of the letters in the Separation papers file informs us that Isabella had entered his house as a servant at age 12, and that Dr. Williamson undertook to educate her, effectively becoming her guardian.

The letters and notes may be roughly divided into two main phases: 1859-1862, in which Frederick accuses Isabella and Dr. Williamson of "trapping" him into marriage; and 1866-1871, in which Frederick accuses Isabella of infidelity with a young male boarder and tries to effect a legal separation. There is no written material from the 1862-1866 period, within which the couple's second and third children were born, so that must have been a period of relative calm.

From the birth of the Passmore's first child, on 6 April, 1860, we surmise that Isabella was pregnant when she and Frederick married on 4 Aug., 1859. The wedding itself was a small private affair, in Williamson's house, with a clergyman and a couple of witnesses. In an undated note written about 1866, Frederick claimed he "did not dream of such an event [their marriage] taking place until one week before it happened." Williamson, in a letter of 8 April, 1860, reminded Frederick that the couple had been acquainted for about 18 months before the marriage. The marriage turned sour within a few weeks. Williamson upbraided Frederick for publicly insulting Isabella. Frederick complained of Isabella's flirtations with other men and reported hearing rumours of Isabella's previous employment in taverns, during which she was said to have "shared a bed with a negro woman". He accused Isabella and Dr. Williamson of conspiring to trap him into marriage, although he never strongly denied that he was responsible for Isabella's pregnancy. Isabella protested Frederick's treatment, refused to sign over her dowry, and at one point told her husband that she no longer wished to be supported by him. The couple separated soon after the wedding, with Isabella boarding with a Mrs. Sparrow, while awaiting the birth of her child. She wrote many impassioned notes to Frederick, denying the rumours about her past and imploring him for reconciliation and continued support. It is clear from the letters and notes that Frederick's mother and sisters were instrumental in tearing the couple apart.

On 6 April, 1860, Alfred Clarence Passmore was born, 8 months after his parents' wedding. Frederick seemed indifferent to his new son, but became furious when Dr. Williamson placed a birth announcement in the Globe newspaper. Notes and letters between the two men indicated that they almost came to blows. Frederick forbade Isabella to have any further dealings with Williamson. For some part of the next six or seven years, Isabella and young Alfred lived separately, but close, to Frederick and his mother and sisters. Frederick continued to support his wife and son. There was certainly some contact among all the parties involved (except Dr. Williamson), since Frederick and Isabella had two more children, Forneri Frederick on 29 Oct., 1862 and Isabella Mary Eugenie on 14 Nov., 1864. During most of this period, and for several years after, Isabella managed boarding houses that were likely owned or leased by her husband.

Matters came to a head again on 28 April, 1867, when Frederick and Isabella and their three children were living in a boarding house managed by Isabella. Late that evening Frederick tiptoed downstairs to listen to Isabella conversing behind a closed door with a young male boarder named Lowe. Opening the door suddenly, he imagined that Isabella had risen from Lowe's lap and was running across the room. Based on this one incident, Frederick constructed a story of heinous adultery on the part of his wife, in numerous notes to himself. These notes, mostly undated, and written on tiny scraps of paper, are among the archived Separation Papers, There are also letters to and from lawyers representing Frederick and Isabella, as Frederick was apparently attempting to effect a legal separation from his wife, that might cut off his support for her and gain him custody of the children. There are also documents reporting Frederick's assets and income, and receipts for expenses incurred by Isabella.

There is also in the file a clipping from the Globe newspaper which reported the arrest of Frederick, in October, 1867, "at the instance of his wife, whom he has frequently mistreated in a variety of ways, occasionally winding up the proceedings by locking her out in the cold." Another Globe article, in October, 1868, reports a court proceeding involving an assault by Frederick on Isabella.

It should be mentioned that in 19th century Canada, divorce was essentially unavailable; the alternative was legal separation, in which the disposition of assets and children was decided, but the parties remained legally married. Child custody could be awarded to the mother, if the child was under 12, the mother was not guilty of adultery, and "if the court saw fit". Otherwise, the father usually gained child custody.

An April 19, 1871 invoice to Frederick from Isabella's lawyer (who was evidently paid by Frederick) detailed the legal preparations and expenses, including drafting of a Deed of Separation, which, it was noted, was not agreed to by Frederick and his lawyer. No record has been found of the actual separation court proceeding, apart from a pencilled note by Frederick on an envelope: "Suit tried Aug. 15 1871. Verdict for McDonald [this was Isabella's lawyer] $2.00. Costs $5.60. Paid Div. Court Aug. 19/71 $7.61." From this we infer that Frederick did not succeed in freeing himself from financially supporting Isabella. The immediate custody of the children is uncertain, but subsequent census and directory entries indicate that they lived with their father, aunts and grandmother for most of the following years.

Another bizarre element in this rather sordid drama is that Isabella had a fourth child, named Blanche Ellen, in or about 1871. She appeared in the 1871 census (which was collected on 2 April, 1871) under the name "Nelly", age 5 [probably meaning 5 months]. Isabella claimed she was Frederick's child; Frederick claimed she was not.

In the 1850 Toronto Directory, Frederick Passmore is listed at 226 Yonge St.
In the 1853 Toronto tax assessment rolls, F.F. Passmore is listed as an architect on King St. W. in St. George's Ward, and Fred'k Passmore is listed as a clerk on Church St. W. in St. James Ward.
In the 1856 Toronto Directory he is listed as architect and surveyor, residing on James St. in Yorkville
1866 Mitchell and Co. Directory of Toronto: Frederick is listed as a civil engineer and provincial land surveyor, at 141 Church St. W.

1861 census listing forToronto St. James Ward District 3:
Maria Passmore, age 63 b. Parkham England, C. of E.
M.L. Passmore, age 38, b. Selby, England, C. of E.
H.F. Passmore, age age 32, b. Maryport, England, C. of E.
M.A. Passmore, age 34, b. Cumberland, England, C. of E.
Fred F. Passmore, land surveyor, age 36, b. England, P.M.
I.H. Passmore, age 28, b. Ireland, P.M.
A.C. Passmore, age 1, b. Canada West, -

1871 census listing forDistrict 47 (Toronto East, St. James ward), Sub-district B, Division page 3:
F.F. Passmore, age 40, religion CE, occupation: Depy. register; Div. 3, P. 40
Alfred Passmore, age 11, going to school
Forneri Passmore, age 7, going to school
Isabella Passmore, age 6
Maria Passmore, age 42, born in England, married (not clear who this is, perhaps a servant, with her family name incorrectly listed)
Note that Frederick's wife Isabella is listed at a different address, as are his mother and sisters.

In the 1870 to 1872 Directories, Frederick is at 196 Church St., while his sisters and mother occupy 222 Church St. In 1872-73, Isabella has moved to 222 Church St. In the 1873-74 Directory, Frederick, his mother and sisters are at 58 Wood St., while Isabella is at 228 Church St. Isabella has apparently left the family, as she is listed in the same directory as the "widow of Frederick". In the 1874 Fisher and Taylor's Toronto Directory, he is listed as a provincial land surveyor at 58 Wood St. in St. James Ward, near the intersection with Church St. He is also listed as Deputy Registrar in the City Registry Office. In the 1881 Canada census, [St. Thomas Ward in Toronto, District 134, sub-district C, division 2, page 31], Frederick is listed as a land surveyor and head of a household consisting of his sons Alfred and Frederick Forneri (listed as a clerk) and a female servant, Jane Drummond. His and his sons' religion is Methodist. He and his sisters are still at 58 Wood St. in 1885, but Isabella is now listed at 91 Wilton Ave. In the 1890 Directory, Frederick is listed as a "clerk" at 47 Alexander St., along with his son Forneri F. Passmore, who is listed as a "surveyer", and his sisters Maria and Mary. Isabella is now listed at 209 Jarvis St.

Frederick Passmore's life is described in the "Commemorative Biographical record of the County of York, Ontario", published in 1907, and available at http://www.ourroots.ca/e/page.aspx?id=78246,1 as follows:

"Frederick F. Passmore C.E. (deceased) was for many years a well-known civil engineer in Toronto, in which city he died in 1892. He was born in Devonshire [sic], England in 1823, son of Frederick [sic] and Maria Passmore.
Mr. Passmore grew to manhood in his native country, and there received both his literary and professional education. When a young man he came to Toronto, and shortly thereafter formed a paartnership with a Mr. Tully, under the firm name of Tully and Passmore, civil engineers and government surveyers. In this, his professional work, continued for a number of years. He then received the appointment to the registry office of the City of Toronto, and served in that capacity until his death.
Mr. Passmore married Miss Isabella Rankin, who belongs to a family long identified with County York, being a daughter of William and Mary (Mahoffey) Rankin, natives of Ireland, who came to Toronto at an early date, settling on Yonge Street, where Mr. Rankin owned a tract of land, and where both he and Mrs. Rankin died. Of their thirteen children, Mrs. Passmore and her sister Mrs. Cunningham, and one brother, Abraham Rankin, are the only survivors.
To Mr. and Mrs. Passmore were born four children: Alfred C., Frederick F., Isobel (deceased) and Blanche Ellen, the last named the wife of Robert McKay, a well-known barrister of Toronto. Mr. Passmore was a member of the Church of England, to the faith of which his widow also adheres".

The above biography was almost certainly written by Frederick's widow Isabella, before she died in 1906, since it has so much detail about her family and about Blanche Ellen (whose paternity was always denied by Frederick and his other children).

Obituary in the Toronto Globe and Mail, Jan. 13 and 14, 1892: "On Sunday, Jan. 10, at 47 Alexander St., Toronto, Ont., Frederick Fortescue Passmore P.L.S., native of Selby, Yorkshire, aged 68 years."

There are several records from the Court of Chancery in the Ontario Archives of lawsuits, mostly about unpaid debts and mortgages by F.F. Passmore on others, or by others on him:
RG22-409 bar code B110117 Passmore vs. Gray 1871
RG22-409 bar code B103546 Passmore vs. Scovell 1877
RG22-409 bar code B111823 Read vs. Passmore 1871

In his will, which was composed and witnessed in 1879 by Provincial land Surveyor, George Layburn, Frederick leaves to "..the woman I was fool enough to marry [Isabella] - the sum of five shillings and no more - being the utmost value of any claim or demand that she has on me - and to the child who is now living with her - or under her care whose name I do not know - and whom to my knowledge I have never seen, the sum of five shillings only and no more - each of such sums to be paid only on the said devisees' own personal application therefor and not otherwise." The remainder of his estate, amounting to $4950, was left to his sister Maria Louisa, in trust for his children Alfred, Forneri and Mary Eugenie (who was deceased at the time of Frederick's death).

It is thus quite clear that Frederick did not acknowledge Blanche Ellen Passmore as his child, and that he assumed she was the result of an extramarital affair by his wife Isabella.

Frederick, his mother Maria, his sisters Harriet, Louisa and Mary Ann, his daughter Bella Mary and his son Forneri Frederick are all buried in the Toronto Necropolis in P-36b (east side).

Frederick married Isabella Henrietta RANKIN on 4 Aug 1859 in Toronto, Ontario. Isabella (daughter of William RANKIN and Mary MAHOFFEY) was born about 1833 in County Antrim, Ireland; died on 14 Aug 1906 in Toronto; was buried in St. James Cemetery, Toronto, Section Eps, 58th grave s. off Parliament. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Frederick and Isabella's marriage record [Ontario County Marriage Registers 1858-1866 Vol. 66] shows A.J. Williams (presumably an incorrect version of Williamson) as the witness, and Rev. Dr. Stinson of the Wesleyan Methodist Church as the officiating minister.

Isabella married Frederick in 1859, Isabella managed boarding houses, which were probably owned or leased by Frederick. From the beginning of their marriage there was strife between Frederick and Isabella, intensified by the influence of Frederick's mother and sisters. A documentary record of the marital discord was kept by Frederick between 1859 and 1871, and is included with his surveying papers in the City of Toronto Archives.

The documents reveal that from the beginning, Frederick claimed that he had been "trapped" into marriage by Isabella and her guardian, Dr. Alexander Williamson. The couple's first child, Alfred Clarence Passmore, was born 8 months after their very quiet wedding. Two more children, Forneri Frederick and Isabella Mary Eugenie, were born in 1862 and 1864, respectively. Domestic discord and Frederick's wish for a legal separation started again on 28 April, 1867, when Frederick claimed that Isabella and a young male boarder named Lowe were guilty of adultery by having a conversation late at night behind a closed door in her boarding house. This event triggered numerous brooding notes by Frederick to himself, as well as letters to and from lawyers in the next four years. A record of an eventual court case in 1871 has not been found, but indications are that a physical separation was effected, that Frederick had to continue supporting Isabella, who continued to manage boarding houses, and that the couple's three children eventually came to live with Frederick and his mother and sisters.

A Toronto Globe article of 18 Oct., 1867 is indicative, and is titled "Domestic Difficulties":
"Another of the 'Lords of Creation', named F.F. Passmore, a resident of Duke Street, was also arrested, at the instance of his wife, whom he has frequently mistreated in a variety of ways, occasionally winding up the proceedings by locking her out in the cold".
A year later, on 22 Oct., 1868, another Globe article, titled "Wife Abuse", read:
"A respectable looking woman named Mrs. Passmore stepped into the box, and stated that her husband, who was present in court, was in the habit of ill-treating her, and had on the previous day kicked her in the presence of several of the boarders, whom she keeps for a livelihood. Mr. Grant, the husband's lawyer, proceeded to interrogate the witness in a very rude and irrelevant manner, when the magistrate stopped him and asked the witness if she would swear that she was in "bodily fear" of her spouse, to which she replied in the affirmative.
The Magistrate - Very well then, Mr. Passmore will have to find sureties to keep the peace for twelve months."

During much of the marriage, Isabella and Frederick lived separately, but usually only a few blocks apart. Their children lived sometimes with their mother, sometimes with their father and his sisters, and sometimes with both parents when they were together. In the 1871 census. Isabella's occupation is listed as "boarding house", and she was listed as head of household, born in Ireland, Presbyterian. The only other member of her family listed in the 1871 census [Toronto East (47) ,St. James Ward Sub-district B, Division 4, page 38] was Nelly Passmore, age 5, born in Ontario. Other members of the household were: William and Catherine Bailey (35, married) and their son William, 15; James and Charlotte Swinburne (40 and 25, married); Gamble Geddes (22, single); Eliza Hayes (19, single); and Mabel White (24, single).

Thus by 1871, Isabella had separated from Frederick. She was listed in the Fisher and Taylor's 1874 Toronto Directory as the "widow of Frederick", and living at 228 Church St. W. , while he was listed as living at 58 Wood St.

In the 1881 census [Toronto, St. James Ward, District 134, sub-district E, division 1, page 19, household number 112], Isabella, age 40, Irish origin, member of Church of England, and head of household, living with Nellie Passmore, age 12, who was born in Ontario, but whose ethnic origin is Irish. There are also two domestic servants and one lodger listed in her household. She is listed as a widow, with no employment, even though her husband Frederick is known to be still alive.

Over the years, according to Toronto Directories, Isabella lives at:
1874: 228 Church St. (Mrs. Isabella Passmore, widow)
1881: 63 1/2 Mutual St. ("Mrs. Passmore"). Also at same address: Wm. Darlington, roofer
1884 and 1885: 91 Wilton Ave. ("Mrs. Mary Rankin" at 91 Wilton in 1883)
1890: 209 Jarvis St.
1891:238 Jarvis St.
1895: 226 Sherbourne St.
1900: 51 Carlton St (Isabella and Blanch (sic) are also shown at this address in "Foster's Blue Book or Ladies' Directory of Toronto", for 1900
1905 and 1906: 561 Church St. (perhaps should be 650 Church St.?)
In some of these she is listed as "widow of Frederick Passmore".

In the 1891 census of St. James Ward, in Toronto, Isabella Passmore is listed as age 54, married, head of household, Church of England, born in Ireland, and living with Blanche Passmore (listed as her daughter), two domestics and one lodger. Blanche Passmore is listed as aged 21, being born in Ontario (thus about 1870). Blanche's father's birthplace was England and her mother's birthplace was Ireland.

In the 1901 census [Toronto Centre, Ward 3, sub-district A-27, page 16], Isabella is listed as "Is Passmore", widow, born 1833, age 67, living with her daughter, B McKay, born March 25, 1874, her daughter's husband R McKay, born 1868, and 5 boarders (4 females, 1 male).

A later confirmation of daughter Blanche comes from a record of a marriage of Blanche C. Passmore with Robert McKay, a lawyer, on 17th July, 1900 in Toronto. Blanche's parents are listed as Frederick F. Passmore and Isabel (sic) Rankin Passmore. Her birth year is listed as about 1872, and her birthplace Toronto.

After her death on Aug. 14, 1906, the Globe and Mail obituary is as follows: "On Tuesday the 14th August, 1906, at the residence of her daughter Mrs. Robert McKay, 650 Church St., Toronto, Isabella Henrietta Passmore, widow of the late F.F. Passmore. Funeral (private) on Thursday, Aug. 16 at 4 PM."

In the death certificate of Frederick Forneri Passmore (son of Frederick Fortescue Passmore and Isabella), Isabella is listed as Isabella Cunningham, born in Ontario. The informant was A.C. Passmore, Frederick and Isabella's other son and Frederick Forneri's brother. It should be noted that Isabella's sister Mary (born about 1837, same parents' names listed) had married George Cunningham on 12 September 1861.

Isabella's will, written in 1904, and witnessed by Lillie Coates and Nellie Browse, left an estate of $190 to her daughter Blanche Ellen, who was also the executrix.

Isabella is buried in St. James Cemetery, Toronto (58th grave south in Section Eps, off Parliament St). Cemetery records show that her grave authorized by her son-in-law Robert McKay Jr. and the site owner was her daughter Blanche. Her buial information shows that she was living at 650 Church Street, and that she died of appendicitis. It also records her birthplace as County Antrim in Ireland. Her gravestone reads:
MOTHER
IN LOVING MEMORY OF ISABEL RANKIN
WIDOW OF F.F. PASSMORE
DIED AUGUST 14 1906
AT REST

Ther is a nearby gave marker for a James Passmore and his family. James died in 1905, and other members of the family died as late as 1960.

Notes:

Peter Passmore [excerpts from notes compliled by Lola Falconer]:

Peter Passmore was a customs officer in Plymouth in 1814 and in Liverpool in 1818; there is a leather case with the inscription "Mr. Passmore, Customs, Liverpool, 1818. The 1822-23 Piggot's Directory of Devon and the 1823-24 "London and Provincial New Commercial Directory" listed him as a Customs landing waiter at the Custom House quay in Bideford, Devon. He was listed as "principle [sic] officer, Ousegate, in the Custom House in Baines Directory and Gazetteer Directory for Selby, Yorkshire, in 1822 [http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/eng/YKS/WRY/Selby/Selby22Dry.html]. Although Selby is inland, it is situated on the River Ouse, and was an important trading and shipbuilding port.

Peter was also listed as "collector and surveyor of the port, Quay", in the Pigot & Co. Directory for Maryport, Cumberland of 1828-29. Maryport is on the northwest coast of England, on the Solway Firth, near the Scottish border. There was a short article about him in the "Liverpool Mercury" newspaper of 15 April, 1825: "The great inconvenience which the masters of vessels at Maryport have hitherto laboured under, that of having to travel to Workington for the purpose of clearing out their vessels, for either Ireland or coastwise, has just been removed. Mr. Passmore, having been appointed principal-coast officer at Maryport, a power so far as clearing of vessels, similar to that enjoyed by the officers at Workington, is vested in him",

The National Archives in London has Customs records back through several centuries. A search of some of them [CUST 18, CUST 19/5, CUST 28/78, CUST 39/46,175,182, CUST 66/16-19, CUST 69/80, CUST 83/82-86] turned up no records of Peter Passmore.

There are interesting stories told by his grandson, A.C. Passmore - of articles being smuggled from France and other places. There was a shipment of walnuts, each of which was found to contain a fine white kid glove, made in France.

Peter was married to Maria Downing in Chester in 1819. The bishop's transcript of the marriage describes Peter as a gentleman, of the Parish of Bideford, in Devon, and Maria as a spinster of this (i.e. St. John the Baptist, Chester) Parish. There is a copy of a rather long and sentimental poem from Peter to Maria from Plymouth in 1814, 5 years before they were married. Its title is "My own Character Addressed (owing illness) to a Lady", and ends with "And if ever sincerity glow'd in my Breast,
'Tis now when I swear xxx xxxxx x x x xxxxxx".

Our family has their silver Sheffield tea service, serving spoons and tea spoons, which have the initialed monogram "P.M.P" - Peter and Maria Passmore. We also have a Crown Derby tea and coffee service, which may or may not have belonged to them. There is a set of plates and tea cups without handles, which must date further back. When his daughter Mary Ann, was asked in later years where the saucers were, she said "there were no saucers in those days". There is also some old pewter, including a teapot with the data (or some designation) 1790,and the signature Tyler Sheffield.

The children of Peter and Maria, who survived to adulthood, were Maria Louisa (b. 1822, Selby), Frederick Fortescue (b. 1824, Selby), Mary Ann (b. 1826, Maryport) and Harriet Fortescue (b. 1828, Maryport, shortly after Peter died). There is also a 24 May, 1820 baptismal record, in Bideford, Devon, of a Frederick Fortescue Passmore, born to Peter Passmore, Officer of the Customs (no mother's name is given). This first-born Frederick Fortescue died in 1822 in Selby, Yorkshire, two years before his brother was born and given the same name.

There is a letter, dated 18 Oct., 1821 from a Mr. R. Wilson in the Customs House, Bideford, to Peter Passmore, Principal Coast Officer, Selby, Yorkshire. It contains several topics:
(1) Repairs needed for Peter's house, which had been rented to a Dr. Chanter.
(2) Matters concerning the property that Peter's father had leased from Mr. Kekewich - probably part of the Manor of Broad Parkham. It appears that the Manor is about to change owners - from a Risdon to a Turner. Most lessees will be served Notices of Ejectment. He has not had success in collecting rents from tenants Mr. Camp and Mrs. Short. It may be that Peter Passmore is a steward of all or part of the estate, and that Mr. Wilson is acting as his bailiff in Peter's absence.
(3) A report of local Customs activities. (The letter is "On the Service of Customs", so perhaps this bit was inserted to justify having the postage paid by the government.)
(4) Local news, including a recent storm and maritime disaster.
The letter ends with a statement of Peter's account: salary of 20 pounds plus Mrs. Chanter's rent of 5 pounds, less a small amount deducted for received post.

Obituary in "Liverpool Mercury", 20 June, 1828:
"On Monday, the 9th instant, Mr. Passmore, Collector of Customs, in his 45th year".
This obituary was found on the British Newspaper Archive Internet site. Other newspapers that might have more information: "Whitehaven News", "Cumberland Pacquet".

Peter married Maria DOWNING on 19 Apr 1819 in Chester, Cheshire, England (St. John the Baptist Parish). Maria (daughter of Thomas DOWNING and Joanna FORTESCUE) was born on 1 May 1791 in Parkham, Devonshire, England; died on 29 Apr 1873 in Toronto, Ontario; was buried in Toronto Necropolis and Crematorium P36b. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Following her husband's 1828 death, Maria and her children moved back to Devon. Maria inherited the rents, interest, dividends and annual produce from her father's West Goldworthy property in Parkham. The 1842 tithe map of Parkham Parish shows Maria Passmore leasing properties called Whitefields Broad Parkham and Short's Cottage from Mr. Samuel Kekewich Trehawke Esq. She sub-rented the properties to tenant farmers, Thomas Lemon and John Lang, respectively.

Two mortgage indentures [B127/4/33/7&8] in the North Devon Record Office show Maria lending a total of 230 pounds in the form of a mortgage, to James Chappell for properties he was occupying in Northam Parish and Appledore. The first mortgage document was in 1844 and the second was in July, 1845, and also involved other people: two Prusts, a Norrice, a Pyke, and Richard Buse. Worries about complications in these mortgage transactions were mentioned in the May and June, 1845 letters from the ship and Canada to Maria from her son Frederick .

The letters of Maria's son Frederick to her and her daughters in 1845 were addressed to Plymouth, Devon. In the 1841 census, Maria and her four children were living on Providence Row in the Parish of Bideford, Devon. All four children were shown as being born outside of Devon. Under "profession, trade, employment or independent means", Maria was listed as "independent".

In the 1866 Mitchell and Co. Toronto Directory, Maria is listed as the widow of Peter Passmore, and occupying a house at 222 Church Street.

In the 1871 census [Toronto St. James Ward, District 47, Sub-district B, Division 4, page 40] she is listed as age 74, born in England, Church of England, head of household, and living with her daughters Maria Louisa, age 45, Mary Ann, age 35, and Harriet, age 35.

Death certificate information: age about 82 years. Died of paralysis and old age.

Maria's will and codicil,made in 1871, leaves the bulk of her estate to her son Frederic and all his children, however precluding any of said children are "other than dutiful, obedient and respectful to my said son (of which conduct he is to be the sole judge)". The will specifically excludes Frederic's present wife [Isabella] or any of her relatives from appointment to or rearrangement of administration of the will if her son resigns from that responsibility. If Frederic dies intestate, or without having appointed a new trustee during the childrens' minority, then Maria's daughters are named as the childrens' trustees, with the hope that the children will be obedient and respectful towards them.

The property left to Frederic in trust for the benefit of his children:
-Money on deposit at Canada Permanent Building and Savings Society
- Lot #1 on north side of Sydenham st. in the Village of Yorkville, York County, with dwelling houses and appurtenances thereto belonging which said property was conveyed to Maria by General Warren johnston by deed dated Oct. 9, 1861.
-Lots #37 and #38 fronting on Edinburgh St. and Merion St. according to the subdivision of Lots 5 and 6 of Division "A" now in the Town of Guelph in Wellington County, which lots were conveyed to Maria by William haskins by deed dated Dec. 20, 1860.
- Lot #276 in first concession northeast of the Toronto and Sydenham road in the Township of Melancthon in Grey County, which property was conveyed to Maria by way of mortgage by Edward Harrison by indenture dated Jan. 21, 1860.
-West half of Lot #11 in fifth concession in Tay Township, Simcoe County.
-West half of Lot #11 in seventh concession in Tay Township, Simcoe County, conveyed to Maria by way of mortgage by William Johston Evans and his wife on June 1, 1869.
- Peter's gold watch chain and seals and his masonic medals.
- A gold ring presented to Maria by her brother-in-law the late John Roberts.

Property left to Maria's daughters, Maria Louisa, Mary Anne and Harriet:
- Household furniture, books, pictures, plate, jewellery, china, bed and table linen
- Inasmuch as Mary Anne never had a conveyance of certain property a part of which is situated on Lot #11 Section G of the Military Reserve in the City of Toronto, it was Maria's desire that Mary Anne will bring such property into the General Fund and thereafter participate in equal shares with her sisters and brother. Should she be unwilling to comply with this request, then the Executor [Frederic] has power to take the conveyance of such real and personal property into his consideration and by a true appraisement of the value thereof by some competent person, so distribute the remainder of Maria's property as in his judgement shall be considered four equal shares.
- It was Maria's desire that her son should have his fourth share from the personal estate only, and should not have any claim on the landed property or house property.

The will specifically states that her son's present wife [Isabella] shall have no right, claim or interest by any law of succesion or inheritance of any of the above property.

The will goes on to say that at the time of creation of the will, Maria is planning to have a house erected on a lot on the south side of William St. purchased on May 30, 1870, and to which is added lots #7 and #9 on the west side of Bellaire St. This house is intended to be a "homestead" for her daughters, and it may also be a home for her son and his three children (but not his present wife).

Our family has a book published in 1696, "Mystery of the Skill of Physic Made Easy", by Nicholas Culpepper. It is inscribed in several places with "Mrs. Passmore, Maryport, Cumberland, A.D. 1820" and "Maria passmore her book 1832". Other signatures in the book include James Fortescue, Joanna Downing, Joanna Fortescue, Henry Downing and James Downing.

Notes:

The death record of William's son John and the burial record of his daughter Isabella stated that they were born in Antrim, Ireland. From this we may infer that the family came from that county.

There are two listings of a William Rankin in the 1828 Tithe Applotment Book in Antrim [PRONI ref. FIN/5/A/134 - in Dunluce Parish, one in Park townland, and the other in Ballyhome townland. A Hugh Rankin and a Thomas Rankin are also listed in Park townland. These tithe applotment records list no Mahaffeys. Dunluce Parish contains the spectacular ruins of Dunluce Castle situated on a rocky promentory overlooking the Atlantic Ocean.

The 1796 flaxgrowers bounty list includes: a Hugh Rankin in Ballyrashean Parish, 2 James Rankins in Dunluce Parish, a Thomas Rankin in Ballyrashean Parish and a William Rankin in Derrykeighan Parish.

1824-1827 Vestry minutes of the Church of Ireland parish of Dunluce, held in PRONI [MIC/1/90//1] mention a Hugh Rankin as a church warden. The following Rankin baptisms are also mentioned:
Jan. 16, 1814: John, son of James Rankin of Lisales, Billy.
July 7, 1817: Hugh, son of William Rankin of Park Mountain.
July 25, 1822: James, son of William Rankin of Ballyhome.

The 1901 census listing for William's son Abraham states that the family immigrated to Canada in 1842.

According to the biography of Frederic Fortescue Passmore in "Commemorative Biographical Record of the County of York, Ontario: containing biographical sketches of ..", J.H. Beers, Toronto, 1907:

".. Mr. Passmore married Miss Isabella Rankin, who belongs to a family long identified with County York, being a daughter of William and Mary (Mahoffey) Rankin, natives of Ireland, who came to Toronto at an early date, settling on Yonge Street, where Mr. Rankin owned a tract of land, and where both he and Mrs. Rankin died. Of their thirteen children, Mrs. Passmore and her sister Mrs. Cunningham, and one brother, Abraham Rankin, are the only survivors....".

A copy of William Rankin's will, dated Mar. 8, 1848, is among the personal papers of his son-in-law, Frederick Fortecue Passmore. He requested that his possessions and his farm, at Lot 10, Concession 1, in Whitchurch Twp., be sold to pay his debts and funeral expenses. The will lists his wife and his 11 children - William, Robert, James, John, Samuel, Margaret, Isabella, Daniel, George, Mary Ellen and Andrew.

In census and marriage records, many Rankins, probably from several families, were listed in Vaughan, Whitchurch and Markham Townships in York County in the mid-1800s. Among the marriages, with Rankin parents listed as William and Mary were:
John Rankin, b ~ 1824 in Ireland, m. Elizabeth Hope Nov. 26, 1879
Harriet Rankin, b. ~1846 in Canada m. James Cochrane, Aug. 1, 1868
Mary Jane Rankin, b. ~1842 in Ireland m. James Kelly, Jul 18, 1866
Samuel Rankin, b. 1830 in Ireland m. Ellen Sleightholm, Sep 25, 1861
Isabella H. Rankin b. 1833 in Ireland m. Frederick Fortescue Passmore, Aug. 4, 1859

Other Rankin marriages, for which parents were not listed included:
Elizabeth Rankin m. Daniel McPherson Feb. 13, 1834 witnesses: James Rankin and Esther Rankin
James Rankin m. Mary Sweetman Oct 21, 1836
Margaret Rankin m. James Stewart Dec 22, 1846 (1891 census shows her as b. ~1826 in Ireland)

The 1861 census for Whitchurch, York County (which includes upper Yonge Street), includes a Mary Rankin, age 60, widowed, born in Ireland, and living with her daughter Mary, age 22.

William married Mary MAHOFFEY. Mary was born about 1801 in Ireland; died on 11 Aug 1883 in Whitchurch, York Co., Ontario. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

The maiden name of Isabella's mother comes from the article on Frederick F. Passmore in "Commemorative Biographical record of the County of York, Ontario", 1907. In Isabella's marriage record, her mother's surname is given as McKay.

There is a Mary Rankin listed in the 1853 Toronto tax assessment rolls - owning a 1 3/4 acre property on Queen St. West (west of Denison's Ave.) in St. Patrick's Ward.

The book "Inhabitants of York County, Ontario, 1850", by N.K. Crowder, lists Mrs. Rankin occupying Lot 70 Concession 1 in Whitchurch Township.

The 1861 census for Whitchurch, York County (which includes upper Yonge Street), includes a Mary Rankin, age 60, widowed, born in Ireland, and living with her daughter Mary, age 22.

In the York North 1871 census for the Whitchurch sub-district, there is a Mary Rankin listed, age 70 (b. ~1801), of Irish ethnic origin, Scotch Presbyterian religion. This is the same district as that of her daughter Mary and son-in-law George Cunningham.

The 1881 census for the Whitchurch sub-district of York North shows Mary Rankin, age 82, widow, Presbyterian, born in Ireland.

Mary Mahoffey Rankin died 11 Aug. 1883. Her probated will was as follows:
"I Mary Rankin of the Township of Whitchurch in the County of York, widow of William Rankin formerly of the same place, farmer, deceased, declare this to be my Last Will and Testament, hereby revoking all former wills and testamentary dispositions by me at any time heretofore made.
I devise and bequeath all of my estate real and personal to my son John Rankin of the Township of Trafalgar in the County of Halton his heirs and assigns, my personal estate consisting of some money and securities and household furniture and clothing, and my real estate of one acre of land with buildings thereon erected situate on the southwest corner of Lot number Ten on the east side of Yonge Street, in the Township of Whitchurch aforesaid upon [?] for the purposes following, namely FIRST to specifically divide my household furniture and clothing into six equal shares of as nearly equal value as possible and give one of each share to each of my six children now named, namely to himself, John Rankin, Margaret Stuart, wife of James Stuart of the Township of King, Isabella Passmore, wife of Fortescue [sic] Passmore of Toronto, Abraham Rankin of Barrie, Mary Ellen Cunningham, wife of George Cunningham of Whitchurch and Andrew Rankin whose residence is now unknown. SECOND, as speedily as possible to convert the remainder of my said estate which shall not consist of money, into money and after payment of my debts and general and testamentary expenses, to divide the balance thereof equally amongst my six children just named.
And I direct that if my son Andrew's residence is not certainly made known or came to the knowledge of my son John within three years after my decease, then that immediately after the expiration of such three years his share shall vest in and become the property of the other five of my said six children named and shall thereafter be divided amongst them by my said son John.
AND for the disposition sale or conversion into money of my real estate I give my said son John as full and absolute power and authority as he would have over the same were he the owner thereof in fee simple absolute without encumbrance
AND appoint my said son John Executor of this my will."
Mary X Rankin
(her mark)
The will was dated 15 Feb., 1876, and was witnessed by Joseph Rankin and William Rankin.

The will does not mention William, Samuel, Daniel, George, Robert or James as children of Mary Rankin. The will does mention Abraham, who was not listed in the earlier will of Mary's husband William.

The probate record shows the estate valued at about $169, of which real estate constituted about $100, and the rest personal goods.

Notes:

Listed as a carpenter in parish registers.

There are indentures which record Peter's lease of dwelling houses from his father Richard, who in turn was leasing them from lords of manors. In 1778 he leased the upper half of a cottage dwelling house and part of a garden in Buckland Brewer from his father. The lease was a "copyhold for lives", meaning that the property could be held by the Pasmore family until the deaths of all three of Richard's wife Jane and of his sons William, John and Peter. Such leases required an up-front sum of money, called a heriot, a yearly rental sum, payable quarterly, and various unspecified duties and produce due to the landlord when asked for.

In 1787 there was a similar lease of a house in Buckland Brewer in the Manor of Bartin to Peter Pasmore from a John Clevland and his wife. The lease is 2239 B-8/71 held in the North Devon Record Office.The other copyhold of lives names in the lease are Richard's wife Jane, his son William and Peter's 3 year old son Peter. The yearly fee is 4 shillings and two fat capons. The lease also obliges Peter to grind his corn at the Tythacott Mill in the parish of Buckland Brewer.

In September 1797 there was another lease for house and land, including outbuildings, orchards, pastures and commons ("Messuage") in Broad Parkham in the Parish of Parkham, but excepting timber and mineral rights, and giving the landlord hunting rights. In this case the lease is from a Mr. Samuel Kekewich, and no copyhold of lives names are mentioned. The indenture indicated that Peter and his family were to act as caretakers and property managers of the estate. [Written transcripts of these indentures were originally made by Lola (Passmore) Falconer.]

Peter's son, Peter, had the following marble memorial shield mounted on the wall of the Church of St. Mary and St. Benedict in Buckland Brewer:
"Sacred to the memory of Peter Passmore
of this parish who died 8th December 1808 aged 57 years
also of
Mary his wife
who died 29th September 1817, aged 70 years.
He was pious and prudent
She discreet and virtuous.
As an affectionate tribute of filial duty
their only son
erects this monument."

Peter married Mary BEST on 22 Jul 1779 in Buckland Brewer, Devon, England. Mary was born about 1747; died on 29 Sep 1817 in Buckland Brewer, Devon, England. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Mary's birth year is obtained from her memorial plaque in the church in Buckland Brewer. There are no parish records of a Best being born in the Hartland Deanary. The only Best marriage recorded in the Hartland Deanary is that of Peter and Mary in Buckland Brewer.

Notes:

Thomas Downing has hitherto been assumed to be born to William Downing and Elizabeth Floyde in Buckland Brewer in 1748 [there was indeed such a birth of a Thomas Downing to William and Elizabeth]. However, Thomas's burial record, in 15 March, 1837, states his age as 84. This means that he was born in 1752 or 1753. There was a Thomas Downing baptized to James Downing and Elizabeth Braund in East Putford (a chapel connected to the Buckland Brewer church) in 1752. James Downing and Elizabeth Braund had been married in Buckland Brewer in 1748.

The 1780 and 1800 Parkham Land Tax records [at http://genuki.cs.ncl.ac.uk/DEV/Parkham/ParkhamLandTax1780.html and at http://genuki.cs.ncl.ac.uk/DEV/Parkham/ParkhamLandTax1800.html], show Mr. Thomas Downing as the proprietor and occupier of West Goldworthy.

Thomas Downing's will, written in 1823, and in the Devon Heritage Centre, Exeter, shows the executors as Thomas's nephews, William Cleverdon and James Vanstone. Thomas's sister, Joanna Cleverdon was to inherit 5 pounds, Ten pounds was a donation to the poor of Parkham Parish. The executors were to hold the leased (from Richard Pine Coffin) dwelling and fields in Parkham in trust for Thomas's wife and sons as follows:
1/4 to son Henry Downing
1/4 to son Charles Downing
1/4 to son James Downing
1/4 to wife Joanna
The rents, interest, dividends and annual produce was bequeathed to Thomas's daughter Maria Passmore.

Thomas married Joanna FORTESCUE on 19 Oct 1780 in Buckland Brewer, Devon, England. Joanna (daughter of George FORTESCUE and Elizabeth NORTHCOTT) was born on 25 Aug 1757 in Buckland Brewer, Devon, England; died on 23 Sep 1813 in Buckland Brewer, Devon, England. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Joanna's burial record states that she was living in Alwington.