Notes:

NOTE 1./ Letter from Marguerite Harriet Moloney, to Bob Millie, 7-27-02.

" Grandma EE Jacobs used to tell us the story about when she went to join Grandpa at his post in India at the turn of the century. A coolie was taking her in a rickshaw, to join Grandpa. When it grew dark, the coolie refused to go further. Grandma had Granpa's corn cob pipe in her knitting bag. She held the bowl in her hand, put the stem against his ribs and told the coolie to keep on going, or she would shoot him! He went on to their destination in a hurry! "

NOTE 2./ Histoical Note: The Year Was 1873

The year was 1873 and much of the world was entering into a long period of economic depression. The beginning of the Long Depression is typically marked by the crash of the Vienna stock market, which sent ripples across Europe and eventually the United States with the fall of Jay Cooke & Company. The Cooke investment bank was heavily invested in the overbuilt railroad system which was beginning to fail. With the fall of this prominent company, a financial panic ensued and the New York Stock Exchange had to close for ten days. Railroads, factories, banks, and businesses had to close their doors resulting in skyrocketing unemployment rates. The Long Depression would last into the 1890s.

There were other smaller scale disasters in 1873. The British SS Atlantic out of Liverpool (with a stop at Queenstown) hit a submerged rock en route to New York and was wrecked in heavy seas off Nova Scotia. It is estimated that 545 of the 952 passengers perished.

In Baltimore, Maryland, a fire began in the factory of Joseph Thomas and Sons and spread over ten acres of the city. Photos of the fire and aftermath can be found online at the Maryland Historical Society.

A cholera epidemic swept through Birmingham, Alabama. Below is an interesting excerpt from a report from Mortimer H. Jordan, who was secretary of the Jefferson County Medical Society of Birmingham, Alabama, at the time of the epidemic (found on the website of the Reynolds Historical Library at the University of Alabama at Birmingham).

The treatment adopted was the opium and mercurial. When the stomach seemed so inactive that nothing made any impression upon it, an emetic of mustard, salt, ginger, and pepper, suspended in hot water, in many cases produced a warm glow over the surface of the body in a few moments. . . . Diuretics produced no good results. No condition in life, sex, or age escaped. The sucking babe and those of extreme age suffered alike from its ravages.

Before closing this paper, justice demands that we should briefly allude to the heroic and self sacrificing conduct, during this epidemic, of that unfortunate class who are known as 'women of the town.' These poor creatures, though outcasts from society, anathematized by the church, despised by women and maltreated by men, when the pestilence swept over the city, came forth from their homes to nurse the sick and close the eyes of the dead. It was passing strange that they would receive no pay, expected no thanks; they only went where their presence was needed, and never remained longer than they could do good. While we abhor the degradation of these unfortunates, their magnanimous behavior during these fearful days has drawn forth our sympathy and gratitude.

Further north and west, Jesse James and the James- Younger gang robbed a Rock Island train near Adair, Iowa. This first train robbery netted the gang more than $2,300, but was most likely a disappointment for the gang. They were expecting a $100,000 gold shipment, but that shipment had been switched to another train at the last moment.

North of the border in Canada, the Dominion Parliament had more lawful goals in mind when it established the North-West Mounted Police, the predecessor of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. Canada was growing and in 1873 Prince Edward Island joined the federation as Canada's smallest province.

In music, the song Home on the Range was born (Daniel Kelly & Brewster M. Higley). The tune went on to become the state song of Kansas and is known around the world.

NOTE 3./ 1891 London City, Middlesex, Ontario census,
Name: Elizabeth A Jacobs
Gender: Female
Marital Status: Married
Age: 43
Birth Year: abt 1848
Birthplace: England
Relation to Head of House: Mother
Religion: Church of England
French Canadian: No
Father's Birth Place: Ireland
Mother's Birth Place: Ireland
Province: Ontario
District Number: 89
District: London City
Subdistrict: Ward 4
Archive Roll #: T-6352

Household Members: Name Age
John T Jacobs 23
Elizabeth A Jacobs 43
Annie Jacobs 22
Mary Jacobs 20
Jane Jacobs 18
Lily Jacobs 14

NOTE 4./ The Fourth National Census, 1901

The first census of the young nation of Canada was taken in 1871, four years after four colonies became Canada. Manitoba and British Columbia joined Canada in 1870 and 1871 and therefore missed being included in the census. By 1901, the year of the fourth census, there were seven provinces, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba, and British Columbia, and the Territories, a vast area that included what became Saskatchewan, Alberta, the Yukon, and Northwest Territories.

Government officials planning censuses increased the number of questions every time; for example, there were twelve columns to be completed on the form in 1891 and thirty-one in 1901. All the additional information is a benefit to genealogists, although I wish two columns from 1891 had been retained--the ones asking for the birthplaces of the individual's father and mother. Their absence is partially compensated for by the addition of questions about origin, nationality, and date of immigration. Also useful for genealogy is the addition of columns for date and place of birth, as well as another for the exact date of birth. The 1901 census also seeks information about the work or employment of each person and how much they earned.

Beginning with the name of each person enumerated, this is the list of columns:

Name of each person in household 31 March 1901
Sex
Colour
Relationship to head of household
Single, married, widowed, or divorced
Month and date of birth
Year of birth
Age at last birthday
Country or place of birth (If Canada, include province and add "r" or "u" for rural or urban.)
Year of immigration
Year of naturalization
Racial or tribal origin
Racial or tribal origin
Nationality
Religion
Profession, occupation, or trade
Living on own means
Employer, Employee, or Working on Own Account
Working at a trade in factory or in home
Months employed at trade in factory
Months employed at trade in home
Months employed in other occupation than trade in factory or home
Earnings from occupation or trade
Months at school in the year
Can read
Can write
Can speak English
Can speak French
Mother tongue
Infirmities

It is of significant interest to read the point on the 1901 form about using "r" and "u" to indicate whether the Canadian birthplace was rural or urban.

Elizabeth married George JACOBS on 05 Feb 1867 in London, Ontario, Canada. George (son of John JACOBS and Mary Ann VICKERS) was born on 28 Apr 1841 in Sunbury, (Hanworth), Middlesex County, England (near Hampton Court Palace); died on 09 Jan 1929 in London, Ontario, Canada; was buried in Woodland Cemetery, London, Ontario, Canada. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. John David JACOBS was born on 21 Nov 1867 in London, Ontario; died on 18 Nov 1943 in London, Middlesex, Ontario; was buried on 20 Nov 1943 in London, Ontario, Woodland P, 344 - NE.
2. Annie Eleanor JACOBS was born on 13 Mar 1869 in St. Johns, New Brunswick, Canada; died on 02 Jun 1943 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada; was buried in Woodland, London (Section P,R) Middlesex London MX-152-6.
3. Mary Lydia JACOBS was born on 20 Oct 1870 in Colchester, Essex, England; died in 1952 in London, Ontario, Canada.
4. Jane Elizabeth JACOBS was born on 01 Aug 1872 in Winchester, Hants, England; died on 04 Jan 1947 in London, Ontario, Canada; was buried in Saint Peter's Roman Catholic Cemetery, London, Ontario..
5. Lilly JACOBS was born on 22 Aug 1878 in Fermoy, Ireland; died on 22 Feb 1903 in London, Ontario, Canada; was buried in Woodland, London (Section P,R) Middlesex London MX-152-6.

Notes:

NOTE 1./ 1851 Caradoc Twp , Middlesex Census: from the Ontario Gen Web Project at
<>

DIV PG LN HS SURNAME FIRST SEX AGE MAR RESIDENCE BIRTH RELIGION OCCUPATION REMARKS
1 11 43 85 Erskine David M 47 M R 2 Lot 21 Ireland CofEngland Farmer
1 11 44 85 Erskine Ann J. (Anne) F 26 M Ireland CofEngland
1 11 45 85 Erskine Mary Janis F 5 S England CofEngland
1 11 46 85 Erskine Elizabeth Elenor F 4 S England CofEngland
1 11 47 85 Erskine David Mordon (Morson) M 2 S Canada CofEngland
1 11 48 85 Erskine Benjamin M 1 S Canada CofEngland
1 11 49 85 Erskine John M 36 S DelawRe Ireland CofEngland Weaver

An closer investigation of the actual 1851 census image provides that David had 6 family members in his household, and they all lived in a Log house. They seemed to have faired just about as well as their neighbours, 3 others of whom resided in the same type of dwelling, while there was one frame house, one brick house and one frame shanty according to the enumerator. RAM

NOTE 2./ ERSKINE 1861 census district 243; @ca.on.middlesex.london_township
Surname Given Age
ERSKINE David 56
ERSKINE Ann 34
ERSKINE David 11
ERSKINE Mary 4
ERSKINE Elizabeth 13
ERSKINE Jane 2
ERSKINE Robert 7
ERSKINE William 1
source: OGS London-Middlesex Branch publication #222 1861 Census Middlesex - London Township: Surnames A-L

NOTE 3./ 1871 London, Middlesex, Ontario census

Name Birth Year Birth Place Home in 1871
David Erskine abt 1803 Ireland London, Middlesex East, Ontario
Anne Erskine abt 1826 Ireland London, Middlesex East, Ontario
David Erskine abt 1851 Ontario London, Middlesex East, Ontario
Robert Erskine abt 1855 Ontario London, Middlesex East, Ontario
Mary Erskine abt 1858 Ontario London, Middlesex East, Ontario
Jane Erskine abt 1859 Ontario London, Middlesex East, Ontario
Harry Erskine abt 1864 Ontario London, Middlesex East, Ontario

NOTE 4./ Nissouri Township <>
Believed to have been named for an Indian word meaning "gurgling waters". Split into West Nissouri (Middlesex County) & East Nissouri (Oxford County) in 1851

NOTE 5./ The Canadian County Didital Atlas Project: Full record for Erskine, David <>

Last Name Erskine
First Name David
Nativity Canada
Business Carpenter; Builder
Year Settled 1877
Post Office London
Township London
County Middlesex
Atlas Date 1878
Concession: I
Lot: 7

NOTE 6./ Historical Note: The Year Was 1818

The year was 1818 and the Convention of 1818decided the northern boundary of the United States and the southern boundary of Canada as being the 49th parallel, between the Lake of the Woods in Minnesota and the Rocky Mountains. The land west of the Rockies was under joint control of the U.S. and Britain. That boundary was settled in 1846 with the Oregon Treaty.

South of 49th parallel, Illinois was admitted as the twenty-first state. Initially the northern boundary was set just below the southern end of Lake Michigan, but at a population of around 36,000, Illinois was short of the necessary 60,000 minimum required for statehood. Illinois Congressional delegate, Nathaniel Pope, suggested that it would make better sense to move the boundary northward to include the City of Chicago and the area upon which the I & M Canal would be built, connecting the Great Lakes with the Mississippi River, and from there the Gulf of Mexico.

In the South, the First Seminole War resulted from the escalation of conflicts between the Seminoles and settlers who were moving into Seminole territory. The Seminoles provided a sanctuary for escaped slaves and this provided additional fuel for the fire. Andrew Jackson pursued the Seminoles into Florida, which was then under Spanish control. His victory led to the accession of Florida to the U.S. the following year.

In the Ohio River Valley, an epidemic of what was commonly called "milk sick" broke out and in October it claimed Abraham Lincoln's mother, Nancy Hanks Lincoln. At the time, the illness was attributed to many things, but only a few suspected the real culprit. It wasn't until the early 1900s that it was determined that milk from cows that had eaten snakeroot caused the illness. By then it had claimed many other victims, the majority of them infants.

In literature, a young Mary Shelley's most famous book-- Frankenstein--was published. 1818 also marked the first time the Christmas hymn Silent Night was sung in the small Austrian village of Oberndorf.

David married Anne J. MORRISON on 13 Nov 1845 in Portadown, Seagoe, County Armagh, Ireland. Anne (daughter of Benjamin MORRISON and Mary A. UNKNOWN) was born on 23 Mar 1828 in Portadown, Parish of Dumcree, Armagh, Ireland; died on 05 Jan 1883 in London, Ontario, Canada; was buried on 07 Jan 1883 in Woodland Cemetery, London, MX-152-6. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

NOTE 1./ e-mail from Dana Erskine 10-28-2003 re Woodland cemetery inquiry

Hi Dana,
As I mentioned earlier, we do not keep records regarding how each person is related. However, I was able to piece some information together from the stone. It appears the dates you have are correct, but the pieces of the puzzle are not put together correctly. David died February 29, 1880 and was buried in the cemetery of St. Pauls Cathedral March 2, 1880. Once Woodland opened, everyone in the old cemetery was transferred here. He was moved here with two other family members in May of 1883. The stone says his wife was Anne, who died January 5, 1883.
As far as Mary, I have three listed. Mary A. Morrison, who died April 1, 1857, was the wife of Benjamin Morrison.
# 2 Mary Erskine, died May of 1856, was only a child of about 9.
# 3, Mary Erskine died August of 1875 at 18. The way the records are worded, I believe she was never married.

NOTE 2./ 1881 Census
Census Place: Ward 6, London, Middlesex, Ontario, Canada : Source: FHL Film 1375906 NAC C-13270 Dist 170 SubDist F Div 1 Page 24 Family 109
Sex Marr Age Origin Birthplace Occ: Religion:
George JACOBS M M 39 English England Policeman Church of England
Elizabeth JACOBS F M 33 English England Church of England
John JACOBS M 13 English O Church of England
Ann JACOBS F 12 English O Church of England
Minnie JACOBS F 10 English England Church of England
Jennie JACOBS F 8 English England Church of England
Lilly JACOBS F 4 Irish Ireland Church of England
Ann ERSTINE F W 53 Irish Ireland Church of England
Jane ERSTINE F 22 Irish O Church of England

NOTE 3./ Ontario Death Registration

Name: Ann Erskine
Death Date: 5 Jan 1883
Death Location: Middlesex
Gender: Female
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1828
Birth Location: Ireland

Notes:

NOTE 1./ RAM Theory:
I have David Erskine b. 1803, a brother John Erskine b. cir 1815 (Verified from August 08, 1850: Note from David Erskines Record Book that " My brother John commenced living with me") and a brother Thomas, b.October 18, 1812. I do not have my resource for Thomas listed, so I am immediately suspicious until I find that connection resource. My point here is that these 2/3 brothers range from 1803 to 1815, which is not a stretch for children born during this time, but the lack of any other siblings in between, is not congruous. It could not be because of the potato famines, because that first occurred cir 1820/1840/1850. What I am saying then is that I believe there would be other children.

Here is my found reference to aforementioned brother Thomas Erskine. This was not connected ideally to our David and Anne, but was provided by an Irish researcher to one of the Thompson researchers:
Public Records Office, Parish Records Office for Seagoe, Ireland, Reference: Mic/1/73, 74, 75
Burials:
David Erskine of Tarson, buried March 20, 1834, aged 78.
Janet Erskine of Tarson, buried 2, February, 1842, aged 66.
Sarah Erskine, buried 7-4-1816, aged 63.

Baptism:
Thomas, baptised18-10-1812. Parents David and Janet Erskine, of Upper Seagoe.

I have used these folks, ie David and Janet as the parents of our David w/o any real connective data. Thomas, brother/son, fell into the fold because of David and Janet. Seagoe looks to be about 10 miles from Portadown as best as I can make of it from an internet map. The strength of the surname Erskine in Scotland, and it's minimal frequency as a stand alone in Ireland, leads me to believe there is a connection Between David and Janet, even if it is not the one I have proposed here. Enlarge the following map link about 5 clicks to see the distance between the Seagoe Hotel and Portadown.
Click here: Seagoe Hotel in Armagh, Northern Ireland, 22 Upper Church Lane, Portadown - Yahoo! Local UK

NOTE 2./ The IreAtlas: Search Output <>
Townland Acres County Barony Civil Parish PLU Province
Tarsan 203 Armagh Oneilland East Seagoe Lurgan Ulster

NOTE 3./ TOWNLANDS: William Blacker's translations of townland names are listed: Tarsan - A place where the river is swum across <>

NOTE 4./ Historical Note: The Year Was 1789

The year was 1789 and in the U.S. a young government was beginning to take shape. In its first nationwide election, the popular Revolutionary War general, George Washington, became the country's first president and was sworn in at the first capitol of the United States, Federal Hall in New York City.

In France, a rebellion was underway and with the storming of the Bastille prison, the French Revolution began. In its reporting on the subject, The Times of London, England had the following to say of the conflict:

The spirit of liberty which so long lay in a state of death, oppressed by the hand of power, received its first spark of returning animation, by the incautious and impolitic assistance afforded to America. The French soldier on his return from that emancipated continent, told a glorious tale to his countrymen--"That the arms of France had given freedome to thirteen United States, and planted the standard of liberty on the battlements of New York and Philadelphia." The idea of such a noble deed became a general object of admiration, the [facets?] of a similar state were eagerly longed for by all ranks of people, and the vox populi had this force of argument--"If France gave freedom to America, why should she not unchain the arbitrary fetters which bind her own people.

Later that year, the Marquis de Lafayette, with the advice of Thomas Jefferson who was at the time the American ambassador to France, drafted the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen. It was adopted by France's National Assembly in August and ratified by Louis XVI in October.

There was unrest in other parts of the world as well. Sweden and Russia were at war, and briefly, Norway had joined the conflict, although a peace treaty was signed in July 1789.

In a smaller, but well-known conflict, the mutiny on the H.M.S. Bounty was also in the year 1789. On April 28, part of the crew of the Bounty, led by Fletcher Christian, mutinied and set Captain William Bligh and eighteen crewmembers adrift. Bligh managed to get the boat some 3,600 miles to Timor. Some of the mutineers were captured and prosecuted--three were hanged, while others, including Fletcher Christian ended up on Pitcairn Island, where some of their descendants live to this day.

In 1789, there was an epidemic of influenza in New England, New York, and Nova Scotia, which resulted in many deaths due to secondary cases of pneumonia. The new president was among those who fell ill. He caught a cold while visiting Boston, and later, was affected more seriously with influenza, which was dubbed Washington Influenza.

David married Janet UNKNOWN. Janet was born in 1776 in Ireland; died on 02 Feb 1842 in Tarsan, Armagh, East Seagoe, Ulster, Ireland; was buried in Seagoe, Armagh, Ulster, Ireland. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Benjamin married Mary A. UNKNOWN. Mary died on 01 Apr 1857 in London, Ontario, Canada; was buried in Woodland, Middlesex, London, Ontario, MX-152-6. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

THE ERSKINE CLAN PAGE: <> created by Robert Erskine

A little history

The first Erskine on record was Henry de Erskine, being witness to a charter by King Alexander II, dated 12 March, 1226. A Sir Robert Erskine was the High Chamberlain of Scotland in 1350, and Sir Thomas Erskine, before 1371, was keeper of Edinburgh Castle and Sheriff of Edinburgh. It was not until around 1438 that an Erskine (Sir Robert Erskine) first became a Lord.

In 1457, the Erskines (by then the Earls of Mar) seem to have fallen out of favour with the crown and had their land and Earldom withdrawn, until 1565, when the Earldom was settled on one of the King's sons (later to be restored).

The most stable period of our history seems to have begun in the early 16th century, when the Erskines, as favoured courtiers, became the custodians of the royal persons (to protect them from being kidnapped by ambitious barons).

This responsibility extended from the care of the children of King James V, by the 5th Lord Erskine, to the care of Mary Queen of Scots as a child (at Stirling Castle), and later to the the care of her year-old son under the 6th lord Erskine (wherein hangs an interesting rumour). In 1571 Lord Erskine became Prince Regent, but he died a year later. The hereditary tradition of royal guardianship continued under the reign of James VI, while at the same time the Erskines held the keepership of Stirling Castle; a hereditary responsibility of the Erskines dating back to the early 14th century, and the custody of Edinburgh Castle.

The 7th Earl, John, born in 1562, was a long time friend of King James VI, and entered public life by seizing Stirling Castle from his uncle Alexander. He was charged with the care of the infant Prince Henry (over whom there was a custody battle with Elizabeth I), and in 1601 was on of the two ambassodors sent to the English Parliament to press the claim of King James to the English crown.

The best known Erskine in history was John (otherwise known as Bobbing John), who became Earl of Mar in 1689, and was charged with carrying out the final Act of Union between the English and Scottish Parliaments (1707). He became Secretary of State, and a member of the Privy Council, managing the affairs of Scotland under most of the reign of Queen Anne, but later became disillusioned by the Union and deprived of his Governership of Stirling Castle by King George I. He then committed himself to the Jacobite cause, securing the landing of King James at Peterhead, but was finally forced into exile in France, where he was Jacobite minister at the French Court. He was known as 'a man of good sense, but bad morals'.

A branch of the Erskines also inherited the Earldom of Buchan, and the Erskines also hold the Earldom of Kellie. The present Chief of the clan is Jamie Erskine, Earl of Mar and Kellie, who lives in Renfrewshire.

There is a story that Mary Queen of Scots' infant died soon after birth and that the future James VI was in fact an infant son of the Earl of Mar (6th Lord Erskine) substituted in place of the dead Prince on the instructions of Queen Mary.
This tradition was supported by the finding, in 1830, of the body of an infant walled up in the royal apartments in Edinburgh Castle, where Mary is said to have given birth to the child.

Portraits of the 2nd Earl of Mar and James VI were said to have shown an uncanny similarity of facial features.