Notes:

NOTE 1./ In a Class of its Own : The AVRO Arrow

(Chapter 12 of The Fight for Canada: Four Centuries of
Resistance to American Expansionism, by David Orchard.)

Canada's ongoing struggle for its own economy was graphically demonstrated by
an episode in the aerospace industry. It involved an airplane, a jet interceptor, that could fly twice the speed of sound and was called the Arrow.

Until 1940, Canada had looked to Britain for its military supplies. With the declaration of war in 1939, Britain urgently needed a source of supply herself. C.D. Howe, an American­born engineer and businessman, was made minister of munitions and supply in the King government and given the job of organizing Canada's war industry. He recruited one thousand businessmen ­ "Howe's boys" ­ from across the country, set up twenty­eight Crown corporations and achieved dramatic results. Canada's gross national product ­ the total value of goods and services produced by the nation ­ jumped astoundingly, from $5 billion in 1939 to $12 billion in 1943, and Canada climbed to fourth among the Allies in industrial production. By the end of 1944, Canadian shipyards had turned out almost 600 ships; some 45 aircraft companies, running 24 hours a day and employing 80,000 workers, had produced 16,000 aircraft. Declared Howe: " Never again will there be any doubt that Canada can manufacture anything that can be manufactured elsewhere." 1

Sir Roy Dobson of Hawker­Siddeley Aircraft, developer of 180 aircraft projects in England, came to Canada and was impressed by what he found. "It opened my eyes, I'll tell you," he said. "If these so­and­so's can do this during a war, what can't they do after. One thing this country would need is an aircraft industry of its own: design and development, not just assembling somebody else's stuff." Later he explained:

"I saw a great country full of natural resources, all kinds of metals, all kinds of minerals and oil, all kinds of capacity for growing wheat and other kinds of food, and yet it seemed to me... lacking in the finer engineering developments... in things like aircraft, aircraft engines and so on. And I couldn't imagine... a nation with this sort of potential carrying on without demanding ­ not just asking, or thinking about it, but demanding ­ its own aircraft, its own aircraft industry, its own engine industry and indeed a lot of other industries too... So I said, 'All right. That's my field. I'm going to have a go at it." 2

By 1945, the Royal Canadian Air force was the third largest in the world in terms of men and equipment. Robert Leckie, chief of air staff, had for years had fought for an independent Canadian air force, with aircraft designed in Canada and built to suit Canadian needs. At the close of the war, Roy Dobson and C.D. Howe struck a deal, and A.V. Roe (AVRO) Canada was set up in the Victory Aircraft plant outside of Toronto "to give Canada," as Dobson told the press, "a basic industry which, in our opinion, she badly needs. Canada will become the aircraft production center of the British Empire within ten years."3 Hamilton native Fred Smye, aircraft production director at Victory, became the first employee and a driving force behind AVRO future success.

March 17, 1949, saw the test run of the first Canadian jet engine, the AVRO Chinook. In August, the AVRO Jetliner, the first North American commercial jet aircraft and second in the world, made its maiden flight, fourteen days after the British Comet had lifted briefly a few feet off the ground in England. In April 1950, eight years before the first American commercial jet airplane took flight, the AVRO Jetliner carried the world's first jet airmail, from Toronto to New York, where its crew was welcomed with a ticker tape parade through the streets of Manhattan. The trip was made in half the flight time of a conventional airplane.

AVRO then designed and produced the Orenda jet engine, named after the god of the Iroquois. Developed by a small group of about forty young Canadian engineers, the Orenda was one of the most successful turbojet engines ever built. By 1954, more than one thousand had been delivered to the Canadian air force.

AVRO went on to design and build the highest­rated all­weather, long­range fighter in NATO, the CF (Canadian Fighter) 100. The first of hundreds of Orenda­powered aircraft was delivered to the RCAF in October, 1951. By 1958, the Canadian content in the CF 100 was 90 percent, and in its Orenda engines 95 percent. AVRO, following a buy­Canadian policy, established a network of Canadian suppliers and sub­contractors, which created a beehive of development activity in nearly every other Canadian industry. By now, A.V. Roe was the third­largest company in Canada, employing 50,000 people in all divisions and carrying out 70 percent of all research in Canada.

October 4, 1957, saw the official roll­out of the first AVRO Arrow ­ a supersonic jet fighter designed and built in four short years. With the Arrow, AVRO had created a brilliant aviation industry that drew to Canada international specialists at the top of their fields. After the unveiling, Aviation Week reported: "AVRO CF­105 Arrow has given Canada a serious contender for the top military aircraft of the next several years. The large, decidedly advanced delta­wing fighter was rolled out of the Malton plant a few days ago... The Arrow's power, weight and general design leave little doubt of its performance potential."Flight, another international aviation magazine, called the Arrow "the biggest, most powerful, most expensive and potentially the fastest fighter that the world has yet seen." 4

On March 25, 1958, the AVRO Arrow Mark I ­ a "great, sleek, white bird," to one observer ­ lifted gracefully from the runway and was airborne for the first time.5 The most advanced aircraft in the world, it exceeded all expectations. At three­quarter throttle, the Arrow flew at nearly twice the speed of sound ­ faster than the most advanced plane in the Canadian Air Force three decades later, the American F­18.

The world speed record in 1958 was 1404 mph. The first five Arrows, fitted with temporary, less powerful engines, flew at 1320 mph. Into the sixth Arrow was installed the most advanced and the most powerful engine in the world, the brand new Iroquois, Canadian designed and built from scratch. On February 19, 1959, the AVRO Arrow Mark II, fitted with Iroquois engines, was on the tarmac, being prepared for the test flight expected easily to break the world speed record. Behind it, another thirty­one Mark IIs, Iroquois equipped, were ready to roll down the assembly line.

At the sprawling 400­acre AVRO plant just outside Toronto, almost everybody felt good about their work. They saw themselves as contributing to Canada. Absenteeism was low and lateness was rare. The atmosphere was described by one aviation writer as touched by magic: "They were so proud of that airplane, and of the inescapable fact that they were producing something that was the best in the whole bloody world. You could sense it the minute you walked in the place." Joe Morley, the sales and service manager, explained: "We were all possessed with one ideal ­ the Arrow. No one, even in junior management, ever punched a time clock; it would have been as much overtime as straight time." 6 The design and development people were top notch, as were the engineers. The Arrow "was in a class of its own and at least twenty, if not thirty, years ahead of its time in terms of design philosophy, materials, and manufacturing technique!" 7

Yet all was not as well as it seemed. A peculiar thing had happened back in 1950: C.D. Howe had ordered production of the AVRO Jetliner stopped after the first aircraft was completed. One of the outstanding aeronautical achievements of its day, the one and only Jetliner broke records with every flight. Robert Rummell, chief engineer for Trans World Airlines in the United States, described the pioneer plane: "The Jetliner, the first jet transport produced in North America, was an advanced, medium­range, 450 ­mph plane that first flew an amazing eight years before Boeing's 707. This extraordinary achievement is all the more remarkable considering that it was the first product of a new company in a country not dominant in the development or construction of aircraft. The design, developed by A.V. Roe Canada (AVRO), was conspicuously ahead of any competitive transport." 8

Then, one Saturday, early in February 1957, after eight years of flying, the Jetliner came in for a routine check. The following Monday morning, the staff found the craft cut in two. It was sold for scrap. In 1959, Fred Smye, at the time the president and general manager of AVRO Aircraft, said:"It had exceeded every specification and if it had gone ahead would be selling around the world today." 9 A few days after the Jetliner was destroyed, the Saturday Evening Post of February 16, 1957, carried a two­page centerfold advertisement of the new Boeing "Jetliner," the 707, proudly describing it as "America's first Jetliner, the only American jet airliner flying today." 10

Now, on the morning of February 20, 1959, at 9.30, Prime Minister John Diefenbaker was in the House of Commons to deliver a statement on "one facet of the national defence" of Canada. "The government of Canada," he went on, "has carefully examined and re­examined the probable need for the Arrow aircraft and Iroquois engine known as the CF­105... The conclusion arrived at is that the development of the [Arrow] aircraft and Iroquois engine should be terminated now." 11

The shocked employees heard the news first from a reporter. A telegram from Ottawa ordered AVRO to "cease and desist as of receipt of this telex on all government contracts and acknowledge that you are so proceeding." And over the public address system, 14,528 employees were told their services would no longer be needed. They were laid off immediately. Ordered by Raymond O'Hurley, minister of defence production, to "cut up the Arrow and destroy... all material associated with it," Smye refused. O'Hurley replied: "If you don't do it, we'll send the army in to do it." 12 Teams of men with cutting torches came into the factories and cut the completed Arrows into scrap. The blow torches didn't stop until the "obscene destruction of millions of dollars worth of finished and almost­finished planes, of tools, jigs, fixtures and masses of expensive production and test equipment" was complete.13 Some of the employees who had built the aircraft were seen to "stand and cry as grown men seldom cry" as they watched the torches "melt down and cut to pieces the magnificent airplanes which they had spent seven years of their lives designing, creating and building."14 Operating manuals, blue­prints, records, drawings and thick volumes of specifications data were collected and destroyed.

The mutilated scraps of the most advanced engine and airplane in the world were delivered under tight security to a Toronto scrap yard, along with the tools that produced them. Afterwards, a government official said tersely, referring to the Arrow: " Forget it! It never existed. Get that into your heads."15

Some 650 major sub­contracts were cancelled. The Arrow's demise affected the livelihood of nearly 100,000 Canadians and the fate of dozens of industries. Some historians, commentators and government members, using wildly distorted figures, have cited high production costs as one reason for the Arrow's cancellation. The total spent on the Iroquois engine and development of the Arrow, including the finished aircraft, was approximately $300 million. Another $200 million would have been required to complete them after which each Arrow would have cost the government $3.7 million, roughly the price of a contemporary, less sophisticated U.S. plane. And the money, technology, jobs and talent would have remained in Canada. (The Financial Post estimated that at least 65 percent of the total cost of the Arrow programme came back directly to the government in taxes.) The Arrow, in the words of Edith Kay Shaw, an aviation­engineering technologist who worked on the AVRO Jetliner, the CF­100 and the Arrow, "represented one of the greatest bargains in aircraft ever offered," to say nothing of the tens of thousands of jobs created and dozens of domestic spin­off industries in everything from plastic to design.16

Why was the Arrow cancelled? The official reason given by the government was that the missile age had dawned and manned jet fighter aircraft, including the Arrow, had become obsolete. Accordingly, the new American missile system, called the Bomarc missile system, was to be purchased, and because Canada could not afford both the Arrow and the Bomarc, the Arrow had to go. Behind­the­scenes pressure from the United States for Canada to buy the Bomarc ­ a system that was untried, unproven and would eventually prove useless ­ was direct and effective. In a meeting between the Canadian defence minister, George Pearkes, and the U.S. secretary of state for defence, Neil McElroy, the Canadian government asked what would happen if Canada refused to buy the Bomarc. The Canadians were told that "the consequence would be... the emplacement of at least one more Bomarc Squadron in the U.S., south of the Great Lakes."17 Because the Bomarc had a limited range of 250 miles, this would mean, in the advent of war against incoming Soviet missiles from the north, the certainty of nuclear holocaust above Canada's most densely populated regions. Consequently, the Canadian government decided to purchase the Bomarc, put them further north in Canada, and terminate the Arrow.

Within two months of the Arrow's cancellation, Canadians were told that fighter aircraft to intercept Soviet bombers were still necessary after all. Ten months later, General Lawrence Kuter of the United States, Commander­in­chief of the North American Air Defence agreement (NORAD), requested that Canada equip itself with supersonic fighters such as the American F­101B. In 1961, Canada purchased sixty­six of these dated aircraft ­ in no way comparable to the Arrow ­ from the United States. Two decades later Canada would spend roughly $5 billion ($30 million per plane) purchasing the American F­18A, an aircraft still inferior to the Arrow.

As for the Bomarc missile system, admitted by the Americans themselves to be entirely for the the defence of the American Strategic Air Command and not for Canada, it turned out to be an expensive dud which became obsolete before it was installed.
A significant but little known fact is that the Arrow was the only aircraft in the world capable of downing the new, top secret U­2 spy plane developed by the CIA, which in the late 1950s was overflying countries around the globe. The U­2 flew at an altitude of 70,000 feet, unreachable by any existing interceptor but well within the Arrow's range. In 1960, Defence Minister Pearkes admitted the U­2 was overflying Canada and that without interceptor aircraft, Canada was powerless to police its own skies against such an intruder.

Judith Robinson of the Toronto Telegram, February 10, 1959, wrote that Canada's role from the point of view of U.S. defence planners was to "provide for the defence of the United States three things: a narrow margin of time, distant early warning signals, and rocket bases. Just those three things. Manned supersonic fighters based in Canada have no place in U.S. defence plans."18

The New York Times carried a report, stating "Canada has had the dubious privilege of being first in learning the economic and political implications of U.S. domination in weapons... the result is... no real defence... a disappearing Canadian Air Force and aircraft industry; and a fearfully ill­equipped Army. Why? Because... [Canada has] conformed to U.S. concepts, doctrines and weapons."19

In 1717, the manufacturing of beaver hats was begun in Montreal. Four finished hats were turned out every day. Then came the order directly from the King of France to kill the industry. There was to be no competition from the colony for French hat makers. Colonies "are established solely for the utility of the country that forms them," Louis XIV said.20 Two and a half centuries later, instead of from Versailles, the pressure came from Washington.

The AVRO Jetliner was destroyed to allow the Americans to introduce their Boeing Jetliner, eight years after the Canadian Jetliner had first flown. Just as the Mark II was about to fly, and in all likelihood bring the world's speed record to Canada, thirty­seven supersonic aircraft were scrapped. To make sure no new aircraft would rise from the cuttings of the blow torches, a free­trade agreement in defence supplies, the Canada­U.S. Defence Production Sharing Agreement of 1959, was signed. That agreement integrated the defence industries of the two countries. Canada agreed to rely on the United States for defense technology, and has never again tried to be self­reliant in the aerospace and defense industries. Instead of producing its own aircraft, Canadian industry was reoriented to produce parts for U.S. contractors. In 1958, within three months of the Arrow's cancellation, Canada joined NORAD, which integrated the air defence of the two countries under a "joint" command head quartered in Colorado. In the future, Defence Minister Pearkes said, the United States would supply jet interceptors defence if Canada should require it. The operation of these two agreements ensured that Canada would never again create and produce high­tech aircraft. The very country that has invaded Canada repeatedly, and has been by far its most dangerous and sustained threat over the centuries, now "looks after" Canada's defence.

Canada went on to spend billions of dollars on civilian and military aircraft from American firms, aircraft less suited to its needs and climate. The "Canadian" defence industry today consists mainly of subsidiaries of American corporations. These subsidiary firms are encouraged to station scouts in the United States to catch word of pending U.S. contracts. They can then make a bid to produce U.S. weapons.

With the cancellation of the Arrow thousands of the highly skilled engineers, designers and aerospace workers, some gathered with great difficulty from all over the world, who for ten years had refused repeated offers from U.S. firms to leave Canada, were thrown out of work and now had little choice. Twenty­six of AVRO's top engineers, including Jim Chamberlin from British Columbia, AVRO 's chief of design, were sent by the Canadian government to NASA, where their skills played a crucial role in landing an American on the moon. Chamberlin was later described by NASA management as "probably one of the most brilliant men ever to work with NASA."21 Highly skilled AVRO 's engineers made their contributions in almost all fields of aviation and technology throughout the Western world, not only with NASA but also with Boeing of Seattle, RCA in Massachusetts, Hawker­Siddeley of England, Fokker of Holland, and the European Space Agency.

With an eight­year lead on the United States in civilian jetliner technology and the AVRO 's Arrow, the Canadian aerospace industry could have taken on the best in the world. It would also have been competition for U.S. corporations. Instead, AVRO 's scrambled for whatever business it could find, at one point landing a contract to produce pots and pans. In 1962, AVRO 's sold what remained of its gutted operations to de Havilland, leaving a wealth of concepts, ideas and designs that, over the next three decades, were used by leading British and American firms. And the myth began to be fostered that Canada did not have the skills, capabilities or resources to build world­class industries on its own.

Polish born Janusz Zurakowski, the decorated fighter pilot who test flew the Arrow, wrote: "Canada, by creating its own industry, could have satisfied most defence requirements ­ but not the American industrialists who wanted the market." He added: "Governments and torches can destroy an aircraft, but they cannot destroy hope, and aspiration... In the hearts of the people, the dream lives on."22

If the Jetliner and Arrow had gone ahead, they, like the CF­100, would have been purchased by other countries. American industrialist Howard Hughes was interested in producing the Jetliner in the United States, and several American companies wished to order the aircraft from AVRO 's. An American company had signed a contract with AVRO 's to produce the Iroquois under license ­ the first contract of its kind signed by the United States with a Canadian company. France had approached AVRO about purchasing 300 Iroquois engines for use in its Mirage jet fighter. Both the United States and Britain were interested in the Arrow because they had nothing comparable.

The technology, the research and the talent, as well as the money since spent on foreign aircraft, both military and commercial, would have remained in Canada. A dynamic aerospace industry would have established itself as one of the major engines driving Canada's economy. Equally significant, Canada would have had the capability to patrol and defend its own borders and airspace against incursion by all intruders. If the Arrow had flown with Iroquois engines, it almost certainly would have broken world records for both speed and altitude. Had the Canadian public seen that happen, cancellation of the Arrow would have been impossible. That is why the blowtorches came in before the Mark IIs could lift off the ground.

The Arrow was not cancelled because it was costly or obsolete or defective. It was, in the words of electronics engineer and Arrow researcher, Palmiro Campagna, "erased from existence, because it was too damn good!"23

NOTES:

(1.) Howe, quoted in Greig Stewart. Shutting Down the National Dream. A.V. Rose and the Tragedy of the AVRO Arrow. (Toronto: McGraw­Hill, Ryerson, 1988), p. 13.
(2) Dobson quoted ibid, p. 29; and in E.K. Shaw, There Never Was an Arrow (Ottawa, Steel Rail Educational Publishing, 1981), p. 32.
(3) Dobson, quoted in Stewart, Shutting Down, p.44.
(4) Aviation Week, October 21, 1957, and Flight, October 25, 1957, quoted in Palmiro Campagna, Storms of Controversy: The Secret Arrow Files Revealed (Toronto, Stoddart, 1992), p. 54.
(5) Shaw, There Never Was, pp. 57­58.
(6) Stewart, Shutting Down, p. 2; and Morley quoted in Stewart, p. 267.
(7) Campagna, Storms, p. 69.
(8) Rummel, quoted in ibid., p. 8.
(9) Smye, quoted in Stewart, Shutting Down, p. 270.
(10) Shaw, There Never Was, p. 40
(11) Diefenbaker, quoted in Campagna, Storms, p. 1.
(12) Stewart, Shutting Down, pp. 261, 273, 274.
(13) Shaw, There Never Was, p. 100.
(14) Ibid., p. 89.
(15) Ibid., p. 110.
(16) Ibid., pp. 173, 167.
(17) Campagna, Storms, p. 100.
(18) Judith Robinson, "Rabbits for the Eagle," (Toronto Telegram, February 10, 1959, quoted in Shaw, Never Was, p. 127. (Shaw relates that after this article, the Telegram dropped Robinson's column and did not reinstate it until she dropped all references to the Arrow or to the defence.)
(19) New York Times,quoted in Shaw, Never Was, pp. 174­175.
(20) Stanley B, Ryerson, The Founding of Canada. Beginnings to 1815 (Toronto: Progress Books, 1963), p. 161.
(21) Zurakowski, quoted in Shaw, Never Was and Stewart, Shutting Down, xii.
(22) Campagna, Storms, p. 122.

NOTE 2./ Detroit Border Crossings and Passenger and Crew Lists, 1905-1957
Name: John Henry Millie
Arrival Date: 24 Sep 1938
Age: 23
Birth Date: 1 Mar 1915
Birthplace: London Ont
Gender: Male
Race/Nationality: Irish
Port of Arrival: Detroit, Michigan
Departure Contact: Mother Marguerette Millie
Microfilm Roll Number: M1478_65

NOTE 3./ Detroit Border Crossings and Passenger and Crew Lists, 1905-1957
Name: John Henry Millie
Arrival Date: 25 Sep 1939
Age: 24 years 6 months
Birth Date: abt 1915
Birthplace: London Ont
Gender: Male
Race/Nationality: Irish
Port of Arrival: Detroit, Michigan
Departure Contact: Mother Margurite Millie
Microfilm Roll Number: M1478_65

NOTE 4./ There is a book by Greig Stewart, "Shutting Down the National Dream", that makes 12 references to Jack Millie's involvement with the CF 105. Your Uncle Jack was, in the beginning, a large part of the seed ideas for the then unnamed, Avro Arrow.
This is one excerpt from the aforementioned book.
"There was myself and a couple of Draftsmen. We had one guy looking after stress, another looking after aerodynamics, and I was trying to tie it all together, that is, getting down on paper something the other guys could work with and something we could submit to the Government as a proposal. We were not working on any response to any Operational requirement for the RCAF. We heard somewhere the air force wanted an airplane and we were trying to come up with something." -------- Jack Millie
As the aircraft evolved, my Dad had a diminished role with the additional specialist personnel brought on board at Avro, and in the final version was mainly responsible for the jet engines being mounted on the fuselage vs attached to the wing of the CF105, Avro Arrow. During this time period, Jack would bring home all kinds of presents at Christmas from benefactors, albeit unknown to me, all of course related to aviation.

John married Verna Annie WILKES on 18 Oct 1941 in London, Ontario, Canada at St James (Westminister) Anglican Church.. Verna (daughter of Arthur Bo WILKES and Esther Mary LIZMORE) was born on 26 Sep 1914 in London, Ontario, Canada; died on 26 Oct 1999 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada; was buried on 30 Oct 1999 in Sanctuary Park Cemetery, Weston, Ontario, Canada. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. Living MILLIE
2. Living MILLIE

Notes:

NOTE 1./ 1901 Census District: ON MIDDLESEX (East) (#87) Subdistrict: London (City) Wards No. 3 and 4 D-5 Page 21

Family Name Sex Relationship M/S DOB Age
235 Millie Henery M Head M Sep 11 1857 43
235 Millie Grace F Wife M Jun 3 1875 25
235 Millie Harry M Son S May 27 1893 7
235 Millie Ethel F Daughter S Oct 8 1894 6
235 Millie Hilda F Daughter S Jun 13 1899 2

NOTE 2./ 1911 Middlesex East, London Township, Bronghdale Village census

Name Home Birth Birthplace Relation
Henry Millie Ontario, Middlesex East, London Township, Bronghdale Village 1858 Ireland Head
Grace Millie Ontario, Middlesex East, London Township, Bronghdale Village 1874 Ontario Wife
Henry W Millie Ontario, Middlesex East, London Township, Bronghdale Village 1891 Ontario Son
Ethel Millie Ontario, Middlesex East, London Township, Bronghdale Village 1894 Ontario Daughter
Hilda Millie Ontario, Middlesex East, London Township, Bronghdale Village 1898 Ontario Daughter
Louise Millie Ontario, Middlesex East, London Township, Bronghdale Village 1902 Ontario Daughter
Ruth Millie Ontario, Middlesex East, London Township, Bronghdale Village 1908 Ontario Daughter

NOTE 3./ HISTORICAL REFERENCE 1901

"The Atlanta Constitution" (Atlanta, Georgia), 15 December 1901, page 3:
MARCONI SPEEDS MESSAGES ACROSS ATLANTIC OCEAN

From Newfoundland to Cornwall Italian Inventor Sends Message Without Wires.

St. Johns, N.F., December 14. Signor Marconi announced the most wonderful scientific discovery of modern times tonight in stating that he had received electric signals across the Atlantic ocean from his station in Cornwall, England. He explains that before leaving England he made plans for accomplishing this result, for while his primary object was to communicate with ocean liners in mid-ocean he hoped also to succeed in attaining the wonderful scientific achievement of wireless telegraphy across the Atlantic.

Signor Marconi's station in Cornwall is most powerful. He has an electric force, generated there, a hundred times greater than at his ordinary stations. Before he left England he arranged that the electrician in charge of the station which is located at Poldhu, should begin sending signals daily after a certain date, which Signor Marconi would cable him after having perfected his arrangements here.

Signor Marconi arrive here a week ago Friday, selected Signal Hill, at the entrance to the harbor, as an experimenting station and moved his equipment there. Last Monday he cabled to the Poldhu station to begin sending signals at 3 p.m. daily and to continue until 6 p.m. these hours being respectively 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., St. Johns time. During these hours Wednesday Signor Marconi elevated the kite with an aerial wire by means of which signals are sent or received. He remained at the recorder attached to the receiving apparatus and to his profound satisfaction signals were received by him at intervals, according to the programme arranged previously with the operator at Poldhu.

These signals consisted of repeating at intervals the letter "s" which, in Marconi's code is made by three dots, or quick strokes. This signal was repeated so frequently and so in accordance with the plan, arranged to provide safeguards against the possibility of a mistake, that Signor Marconi was satisfied that it was a genuine transmission from England. . .

NOTE 4./ HISTORICAL REFERENCE The Year Was 1913
The year was 1913 and there was turbulence in the Balkans. Following a coup in the Ottoman Empire, the first Balkan War continued with allied Balkan states defeating the Ottoman Empire. The peace treaty, signed in London on May 30, redrew the map lines of southeastern Europe. In June, Bulgaria, unhappy with the new boundaries, attacked Greece and Serbia in a short-lived effort to gain control over Macedonia. The Treaty of Bucharest ended the second Balkan War giving control of Macedonia to the Greek and Serbian allies.

Tragedy struck on October 14 in Senghenydd, Wales, when an explosion ripped through a coal mine killing 439 men and boys in the worst coal mining disaster in Welsh history. The explosion left 205 widows and 542 children without a father. Postcards commemorating the disaster can be found online through the National Library of Wales. Wikipedia also lists the names of those killed in the disaster. The Coal Mining History Resource Center maintains a national database of mining deaths and injuries in the UK.

The following month, across the Atlantic a powerful storm dubbed the "Great Lakes White Hurricane" took 235 lives and caused up to forty shipwrecks. Most of the casualties came from large freighters wrecked on Lake Huron. The NOAA website includes accounts describing thirty-five foot waves in succession, of the grisly sight of sailors washing up on Canadian shores following the storm, and in one interesting story where one of the "victims" walked in on his own funeral.

Earlier that year in March, a catastrophic flood had brought disaster to Dayton and other cities in the Miami River valley. The flood took more than 300 lives and caused more than 100 million dollars in damage. Photographs accompany the story of the flood and aftermath in Dayton in this article from the Dayton Metro Library.

In 1913, Thomas Woodrow Wilson succeeded William Howard Taft in the presidency of the United States. During that first year in office, one of the most significant pieces of legislation passed was the Sixteenth Amendment, which provided for the creation of an income tax.

Crossword puzzles first came to fame in 1913 with the first publication of a puzzle by Arthur Wynne in the New York World on 21 December. They grew in popularity in the 1920s as they began appearing in other U.S. newspapers, eventually spreading across the ocean where they first appeared in the British Pearson's Magazinein February 1922.

Another innovation that year was the zipper, patented by Swedish immigrant, Gideon Sundback. Originally patented for use on galoshes, it later spread to clothing items.

Harry married Marguerite JACOBS on 26 Jan 1914 in Church of the Redeemer, London, Middlesex, Ontario. Marguerite (daughter of John David JACOBS and Arminta GARDINER) was born on 14 Jul 1893 in London, Middlesex, Ontario, Canada; died on 11 Nov 1946 in Toronto General Hospital; was buried on 14 Nov 1946 in London , Ontario, Canada, Woodland M, 82 - NE. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

NOTE 1./ Postulation by Robert Millie 2-2-2003

The connection between the Millie's and Jacobs may well have originated between Henry Thomas Beale Millie, Harry WR Millies father, and either/both George and John David Jacobs, Daisy's grandfather and father. There are two possible links thus far.

1./ All 3 of HTB Millie and George and John David Jacobs were members of the 7th Fusiliers that participated in the Riel Rebellion mustered out of London Ontario. (I need to include this additional information even though no one asked for this when I offered it before. This is the link that describes in full the journey that these 3 ancestors encountered in 1885, even if they did not see any military action. If you don't read it or print it out you may want to bookmark it, to later get an actual feel for their lives in 1885 including the accolades of the supportive crowds as they left on their journey. ) Alexander Campbell's An Acount of the Advance of the 7th Fusiliers of London ....... I don't recall the mention of the number of men involved in this troop movement, but they spent from April till July of 1885 together, and at minimum knew each other by face.

2./ From the Grant Thompson album, the detailed obit of George Jacobs titled "George Jacobs dies; Served the empire in many campaigns", the 2nd paragraph 2/3 of the way down. The statement is made " For a considerable period he was employed at the old Grand Trunk carshops here".

The following e mail will include an attached adobe acrobat v 5.0 document that is a listing from the 1913 London City telephone directory. It lists HTB, Harry, and an additional daughter/sister, Ethel, all living at 928 Princess Ave. { Notice that there are no telephone numbers .......'This is your Operator"}. The interesting point of fact here is that Henry T Millie's occupation is listed as Clerk, at the Grand Trunk Railroad .......... while George was employed at the old Grand Trunk carshops ( from above)

That's all I got for now, save for the fact that it was on a Grand Trunk railway car that the 7th Fusiliers started their journey west in 1885. Makes you wonder how Harry and Daisy ever got together. RAMillie

NOTE2./ 1911 London, Middlesex, Ontario census

Name: Margarite Jacobs
Gender: Female
Marital Status: Single
Age: 18
Birth Date: Jul 1892
Birthplace: Ontario
Family Number: 7
Relation to Head of House: Daughter
Father's Name: John D
Mother's Name: Araminta
Tribal: English
Province: Ontario
District: London City
District Number: 94
Sub-District: London
Sub-District Number: 43
Place of Habitation: 864 William
Census Year: 1911
Page: 1

Household Members: Name Age
John D Jacobs 44
Araminta Jacobs 44
Margarite Jacobs 18
Lily Jacobs 16
Winifred Jacobs 11
George Jacobs 8

NOTE 3./ Marriage Details
Name: Harry Wm Fredk Millie
Birth Place: London
Age: 21
Father Name: Henry T B Millie
Mother Name: Grace Edith Melmer Millie
Estimated birth year: abt 1893
Spouse Name: Marguerite Jacobs
Spouse's Age: 20
Spouse Birth Place: London
Spouse Father Name: John D Jacobs
Spouse Mother Name : Arminta (Minnie) Gardiner Jacobs
Marriage Date: 28 Jan 1914
Marriage Place: Middlesex
Marriage County: Middlesex
Source: Indexed by: Ancestry.com

NOTE 3./ Historical Perspective: The Year Was 1893

The year was 1893 and it marked the beginning of a four-year-long depression in the United States, known as "The Panic of 1893." Britain and Europe’s economic woes preceded troubles in the U.S. and led to a reduction in investments in the United States. Economic policy, with heavy reliance on the gold standard, also contributed to the depression, as did the overproduction of agricultural products from a growing farm belt. Farmers had been moving westward with the new ability to transport produce via expanded rail systems and the additional goods drove market prices down. The Philadelphia and Reading Railroad collapsed in February and more than 15,000 companies and 500 banks would follow leading to a sharp rise in unemployment. Double-digit unemployment rates peaked at an estimated 18 percent in 1894 and would remain through the crisis.
Despite financial troubles, the country put on its best face as the World's Columbian Exposition of 1893 opened in Chicago, Illinois. More than 27 million visitors attended this world-class event, taking advantage of railroads to converge on Chicago to explore the various venues filled with the latest mechanical innovations, agricultural advances, and cultural treasures. Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show thrilled audiences as food and exhibits from around the world amazed spectators.
In Colorado, women won the right to vote by election and New Zealand became the first self-governing country to grant women's suffrage.
The independent Kingdom of Hawaii was invaded by United States Marines in 1893 and its Queen Lili'uokalani surrendered her throne to a provisional government made up of white sugar plantation owners.

Notes:

NOTE 1./
David T:
May 18, 2002 letter
Mr. Robert. M
Ms. Melanie M

Dear Bob & Melanie:

I wrote recently about some Millie's I found in Scotland I thought might be precursors of Melanie's H.H. Millie. Melanie asked me to explain, and I thought it would be a good exercise to see if it hangs together. I think Bob's line may well be connected as well, so here goes:

We have these facts:
" Henry (aka "Harry") H. Millie (H.H. Millie) was born in Ireland Feb 8, 1863. His brothers were Charles Thomas Millie and Samuel Boucher Millie. We know this from the information I got last year from the National Archives. The three emigrated to Canada in the early 1880's.
" H.H. Millie's brother Samuel Boucher Millie joined the North-West Mounted Police force on September 1, 1899 and was discharged on March 25, 1904. The archive records refer to his next of kin, Miss Lily Hariot Millie of Ballymooney, Gashill, Kings. Co., Ireland. Another record identifies his next of kin as his sister, Margaret McDowell of Upper Edmonton, now a London suburb. Samuel joined the 179th Battalion in the Canadian Expeditionary Force in World War I. This relationship is confirmed in the Archives records, and per note received from Melanie apparently written by H.H.'s daughter Emma. Although reported to have died in Winnipeg during WWI, the archives records suggest he claimed a pension in British Columbia under the name William Thompson.
" H.H. Millie's Charles Millie was found in Battleford, Saskatchewan. It appears that he was a member of the Battleford Home Guard Volunteers in the rebellion of 1885. He was given a land grant for services but took $$ instead. By 1901, when Henry had settled in Carman Manitoba, Charles was working for a rancher in Alberta near Wetaskiwin. In the letter from H. H. Millie in Carman, Manitoba to the Commissioner of the North-West Mounted Police it says that his brother Charles had died just previous to September 11, 1902. He died shortly after in Wetaskiwin. This relationship is confirmed in the Archives records, and per note received from Melanie apparently written by H.H.'s daughter Emma.
H. H. Millie also had 4 sisters per information from Melanie, as well as from the archives records of Samuel.
" Margaret Ellen Millie married a McDowell and was living in London, according to Samuel's next of kin record, at the time of WWI, at 16 Angel Road, Upper Edmonton, Enfield, England. A note from Melanie says she died December 5, 1921, aged 68, interred in Tottenham Cemetery. I found these records (LDS British Vital Records, 2nd Edition) which give the husband as Frederick, and two children, an unnamed boy and an unnamed girl, born in Dublin:
MCDOWELL, Birth
Gender: Male
Birth Date: 4 Sep 1875 Birthplace: No 3 South City, Dub, Ire
Recorded in: Dublin, Ireland
Collection: Civil Registration
Father: George Frederick MCDOWELL
Mother: Margaret Ellen MILLIE
Source: FHL Film 255935 Dates: 1875 - 1875
***********************
MCDOWELL, Birth
Gender: Female
Birth Date: 4 Dec 1873 Birthplace: No 3 South City, Dub, Ire
Recorded in: Dublin, Ireland
Collection: Civil Registration
Father: George Frederick MCDOWELL
Mother: Margaret Ellen MILLER
Source: FHL Film 255889 Dates: 1873 - 1875
I couldn't find them in England yet in the 1881 census.
" Lillian Hariot Millie - per note received from Melanie apparently written by H.H.'s daughter Emma, never married
" Henrietta Millie - per note received from Melanie apparently written by H.H.'s daughter Emma, never married; and
" Mary Millie, married Charles Castle.
The parents of H.H. Millie and the others were identified by Melanie as Henry Millie and Mary Dempster. The death certificate for H.H. lists his father as Henry Millie, and his mother as Mary. Note that the death certificate says that the father, Henry Millie was born in Scotland.
I found the following marriage record (in the LDS British Vital records CD's, 2nd edition) for Henry and Mary Dempster, which says Henry's father was Thomas and Mary's was Charles Dempster:
MILLIE, Henry Age: 30
Wife: Mary Jane DEMPSTER Age: 21
Marriage Date: 31 May 1851 Recorded in: St Thomas, Dublin, Ireland
Collection: Civil Registration
Husband's Father: Thomas MILLIE
Wife's Father: Charles DEMPSTER
Source: FHL Film 101326 Dates: 1851 - 1851
(I will call H.H.'s father Henry 1821, his approximate birth date, to minimize further confusion)
According to notes from Melanie, extracts from the Kings County Chronicle report that Henry Millie Died January 7, 1891, in his 71st year at Ballymooney, Geashill, (which was where H.H. was born per his death certificate, and per his obituary in 1917 in Kelowna, B.C.). Henry's wife Mary Jane died May 20, 1899, aged 68.

According to the letter dated January 1, 1920 from Aunt Margaret Ellen McDowell (H.H.'s sister) to her niece Emma Millie McGarrity (Melanie's grandmother), the Millie's settled in Scotland. Emma Millie McGarrity's grandfather's grandfather (ie: Henry Millie's grandfather) had 4 sons, John, Tom, Andrew and Robert. The letter says that all 4 went to Ireland. Tom Millie was Henry Millie's father according to this letter. This marriage record above is consistent with this information. I was previously unable to find a Millie family in Scotland, or anywhere else which included 4 sons named John, Tom, Andrew and Robert, let alone one which would fit the requisite time frame. With the new LDS British Vital Records collections however I found the following family in Fife with the right collection of sons. Better still, the unusual name of the mother make it virtually certain, for me anyway, that the son Thomas, born 1796, is went to Ireland, as presumably did the other sons as described in Ms. McDowell's letter. The following lists the 6 sons of Henry Millie (yes, yet another one) and Magdalene Rumgay (note the name):
1. MILLIE, John Bir 1791 Scot Fife Ceres
Fa: Henry Millie, Mo: Magdalene Rumgay
2. MILLIE, Andrew Chr 1793 Scot Fife Ceres
Fa: Henry Millie, Mo: Magdaline Rumgay
3. MILLIE, David Chr 1794 Scot Fife Ceres
Fa: Henry Millie, Mo: Magdaline Rumgay
4. MILLIE, Henry Chr 1794 Scot Fife Ceres
Fa: Henry Millie, Mo: Magdaline Rumgay
5. MILLIE, Thomas Chr 1796 Scot Fife Ceres
Fa: Henry Millie, Mo: Magdaline Rumgay
6. MILLIE, Robert Chr 1798 Scot Fife Ceres
Fa: Henry Millie, Mo: Magdalene Rumgay

I found the marriage of this Henry and Magdalene on the LDS FamilySearch website:
Marriage:
Magdalene RUMGAY; Sex: F; Spouse: Henry MILLIE; Marriage: Abt. 1790; Banderran, Ceres, Fife, Scotland; Film # 457767
I also found the following birth record of Magdalene-I presume it is her, how many can there be?:
Magdalan RUMGAY; Sex: F; Christening: 1 September 1765, Cameron, Fife; Parents: Andrew RUMGAY, Mary Mackie. Reference: Batch # C114122, 1695-1819, Call # 1040151, Printout # 6900431.

The real proof that Thomas of this family went to Ireland lies in the marriage record below:
LATIMER, William
Wife: Magdalene Rumgay MILLIE ; Marriage Date: 23 Oct 1847 Recorded in: St Peter, Dublin, Ireland
Collection: Civil Registration; Husband's Father: James LATIMER; Wife's Father: Thomas MILLIE
Source: FHL Film 101286 Dates: 1847 - 1847

Magdalene Rumgay Millie of Dublin Ireland, daughter of Thomas Millie, MUST be the granddaughter of Henry Millie and Magdalene Rumgay of Fife. There surely can't be another Thomas Millie, of the same generation, who would name his daughter Magdalene Rumgay. Since we know that Thomas, father of Henry 1821, and grandfather of H.H Millie was born in Scotland, and moved to Ireland, and had brothers named Andrew, John and Robert, and there are so few Millie's generally, let alone in Ireland, he must be the same person as the father of Magdalene Rumgay Millie of Dublin, and she is an aunt of H.H. Millie and his siblings. Also note that like Henry 1821, she was married in Dublin, and only 4 years before Henry 1821.
Next, who did Thomas marry? Who was Henry 1821's mother? Well, the LDS website has a marriage record for a Thomas Millie and Mary McWattie, 9 December 1818, Dundee, Angus, Scotland (batch # M112824, Source Call # 0993401, Printout call # 6902959). Is this the correct Thomas? Here we go back to the letter Margaret McDowell wrote in 1920 to her niece, Emma Millie. The transcribed copy Melanie sent says:
There was a slip of paper enclosed in this letter from Aunt Maggie McDowell and this is the info as follows: "PRIVATE and don't tell acquaintances, does no good. My father's Grandfather committed suicide from loss of an awful large sum in speculation and I believe he was a Millie, French, but I may be mistaken, he may have been McQuatty."
So yes, Thomas married Mary McWattie in Dundee. Margaret McDowell's father was Henry 1821, and his grandfathers would have been Henry Millie (married to Magdalene Rumgay) and Mary McWattie's father. This reference proves that this is the correct spouse for Thomas.

Again searching the LDS site, we find a record for the christening of Henry Millie, 10 October 1819, Dundee, Angus, Scotland; father-Thomas Millie, mother-Mary McWattie (batch # C112827, Source Call # 0993425, Printout call # 6900646)

So Melanie, I think we have you back to Scotland:
1. Henry Millie married Magdalene Rumgay in Fife Scotland in 1790.
2. Thomas, born 1796 in Ceres, Fife, Scotland, married Mary McWattie, 9 December 1818, Dundee, Angus, Scotland.
3. Henry Millie born 10 October 1819, Dundee, Angus, Scotland, married Mary Dempster 1851 in Dublin
4. Henry Herbert Millie (H.H. Millie) born February 1863 in Ireland, emigrated to Canada early 1880's, married Caroline Sarah Mills, abt. Feb. 1900 in Manitoba
5. Emma Lily Millie born abt March 6, 1901, married Joseph Patrick McGarrity, 1919
6. Lawrence Patrick Dempster McGarrity, born 1924, married Jean Anderson
7. Melanie McGarrity

I think this is pretty accurate based upon these published records. If you are energetic, you should order the microfilms from the LDS and copy the records yourself, ideally taking a print or the original registers. Not only will this document the facts, but the original registers may have additional information not picked up on the LDS indexes.

The next question is what happened to the other brothers of Thomas who went to Ireland, who were their children and grandchildren, and did Thomas have any other children besides Henry 1821 and Magdalene.

Bob's Henry Thomas Beale Millie (H.T.B.) was born September 14, 1862, in Kilkenny, Ireland, and emigrated to Canada around the time of H.H. and his brothers. H.T.B.'s parents were Robert Millie and Elizabeth Beale. (Although born in Ireland, I have always held out to Bob that he is Scottish in origin: Millie's all come from Scotland, and the south of England (perhaps French before that, but that is all beyond me), and H.T.B. was Presbyterian, basically a Scottish Protestant religion.) Was this Robert another son of Thomas, and a brother of Henry 1821 and Magdalene? Or was he a son of one of Thomas' brothers, Andrew, John or Robert, and a first cousin of Henry 1821 and Magdalene? I think given the scarcity of Millie's generally, and in Ireland in particular, these Irish Millie's of Scottish descent must be connected, and H.T.B. and H.H. were cousins, sharing common grandparents in either Thomas Millie and his wife ??, or in Henry Millie and Magdalene Rumgay. The common names, Henry, Henrietta, Robert and Thomas are all there (H.T.B also had a sister Henrietta). All were Presbyterian, indicating Scotch origin, and all came from the counties around Dublin.
If I were a betting man, that's where I would put my money.

Best regards
David

NOTE 2./ An Account of the Advance of the 7th Fusiliers of London by Alexander Campbell @ http://library.usask.ca/northwest/campbell/campbell.html

The 7th Fusiliers, a battalion of militia which was headquartered in London, Ontario. This unit was called into active service on April 1, 1885 and, within a week, had embarked on their journey west -- a journey made more arduous by the gaps in the railway above Lake Superior. After stops in Winnipeg and Swift Current, the 7th Fusiliers did not reach the area of the fighting until after General Middleton's forces had defeated the Métis at Batoche. The unit was one of many which served to protect the Northwest Field Force's lines of communication. The 7th Fusiliers left for their return journey to Ontario in mid-July without ever seeing combat.

NOTE 3./ This question is still UNRESOLVED: The Kilkenny reference as well as the Scott surname reference seems to indicate something more than a non relationship:

MILLIE, Jonathan Marriage
Wife: Annabella SCOTT
Marriage Date: 20 Mar 1856 Recorded in: Patricks, Kilkenny, Ireland
Collection: Civil Registration
Husband's Father: John MILLIE
Wife's Father: George SCOTT
Source: FHL Film 101377 Dates: 1856 - 1856

NOTE 4./ North West Canada Medal (Received by both HTB Millie and George W. Jacobs)

Terms
The medal was originally approved for presentation to soldiers taking part in the suppression of the Rebellion of 1885, but only to those who served west of Port Arthur. Award of the medal was also approved for some of the volunteers who participated in key actions, including the crew of the steamer "Northcote" which was recognized for its services at the Battle of Batoche, and members of the Prince Albert Volunteers who fought at Duck Lake. A grant of 320 acres of land or scrip of $80 were also awarded to these recipients.

The North West Mounted Police (NWMP) were initially excluded from receiving the medal. Those serving in the NWMP during the Rebellion (prior to July 3, 1885) were made eligible in 1887, but were not awarded accompanying land or scrip. During the 1930's surviving NWMP veterans of the Rebellion received $300 grants in lieu of the land or scrip that originally had been denied to NWMP recipients.

Bars
Saskatchewan: Awarded to all those who took part in any or all of the main encounters during the rebellion. These took place along the Saskatchewan River at Fish Creek, Batoche, Cut Knife and Frenchman's Butte.
(Batoche): Medals have been found with an unofficial bar for the battle of Batoche.
Description
A circular, silver medal, 1.42 inches in diameter.
Obverse
A diademed and veiled effigy of the Queen Victoria, facing left, with the legend: VICTORIA REGINA ET IMPERATRIX. (Identical to the Egyptian Medal.)
Reverse
The legend: NORTH WEST / 1885 / CANADA appears in three lines within a wreath of maple leaves.
Mounting
A plain, straight, suspender is attached to the medal with a double-toe claw.
Ribbon
The slate grey (blue) ribbon is 1.25 inches wide, with crimson (0.25 inch wide) stripes, 0.125 inches from each edge.
Naming
The medal was issued to military recipients unnamed, but a considerable number were named locally. Those later awarded to the NWMP were engraved with the recipient's name prior to presentation.
Dates
The medal was authorized on 24 July 1885, for issue to military personnel on 18 September 1885. A Canadian Order-in-Council of December 13, 1996 recommended that the NWMP receive the medal. This recomendation was accepted by the British Government on February 16, 1887.
Issued
There were 5,650 medals issued (16 of them being British Officers), plus 1,753 Saskatchewan Bars. There were 920 medals authorized for issue to members of the NWMP.

NOTE 5./ 1891 East Middlesex, Ontario Canada census,
Name: Henry Millie
Gender: Male
Marital Status: Single
Age: 32
Birth Year: abt 1859
Birthplace: England
Relation to Head of House: Lodger
Religion: Free Church
French Canadian: No
Father's Birth Place: Ireland
Mother's Birth Place: Ireland
Province: Ontario
District Number: 90
District: Middlesex East
Subdistrict: London East
Archive Roll #: T-6352
.

NOTE 6./ 1901 Census District: ON MIDDLESEX (East) (#87) Subdistrict: London (City) Wards No. 3 and 4 D-5 Page 21

Family Name Sex Relationship M/S DOB Age
235 Millie Henery M Head M Sep 11 1857 43 Private
235 Millie Grace F Wife M Jun 3 1875 25
235 Millie Harry M Son S May 27 1893 7
235 Millie Ethel F Daughter S Oct 8 1894 6
235 Millie Hilda F Daughter S Jun 13 1899 2

NOTE 7./ 1911 Middlesex East, London Township, Bronghdale Village census

Name Home in 1911 (Province, District, Sub-District) Birth Birthplace Relation
Henry Millie Ontario, Middlesex East, London Township, Bronghdale Village 1858 Ireland Head
Grace Millie Ontario, Middlesex East, London Township, Bronghdale Village 1874 Ontario Wife
Henry W Millie Ontario, Middlesex East, London Township, Bronghdale Village 1891 Ontario Son
Ethel Millie Ontario, Middlesex East, London Township, Bronghdale Village 1894 Ontario Daughter
Hilda Millie Ontario, Middlesex East, London Township, Bronghdale Village 1898 Ontario Daughter
Louise Millie Ontario, Middlesex East, London Township, Bronghdale Village 1902 Ontario Daughter
Ruth Millie Ontario, Middlesex East, London Township, Bronghdale Village 1908 Ontario Daughter

NOTE 8./ HTB re-enlistment papers on 8-4-1917 show his dob to be 9-14-1862 indicating his age of 57 years 10 months according to the document. I believe this to be in error since if his what I believe to be his actual dob of 9-11-1857 was given, he would have been 62 years old and probably ineligible for military duty.

NOTE 9./ Commonwealth War Graves Commission: Casualty Details

Name: MILLIE
Initials: H T B
Nationality: Canadian
Rank: Sergeant
Regiment/Service: 7th Regiment
Age: 57
Date of Death: 11/06/1918
Service No: 2943
Additional information: Son of the late Robert and Isabel Millie; husband of Grace Edith Millie, of 20, Wharncliffe Rd., London, Ont.
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: Mil. plot. R.1. G.21.
Cemetery: LONDON (MOUNT PLEASANT) CEMETERY

NOTE 10./ Historical Perspective: The Year Was 1885
The year was 1885 and the flow of settlers to western Canada increased greatly with the completion of the Canadian Pacific Railway.

And in Canada's North-West Territories there were rumblings of a rebellion. In what is now Saskatchewan and Alberta, three groups had grievances with the Canadian government in Ottawa. The Metis, descendants of fur traders and indigenous peoples, were concerned about legal claim to their land; white settlers were waiting for official property titles necessary to secure loans and felt their interests weren't represented; and the starving First Nations peoples who had been promised farming equipment and aid were angry that treaties weren't being observed.

The rebellion, which would only last for two months, was led by Louis Riel, a Metis who had fought for the rights of Manitoba residents during the Red River uprising in 1869-70. He formed a provisional government and armed forces. These forces clashed with government troops at Duck Lake and although the Metis claimed this first victory, the rebellion was subdued by the end of May, and Louis Riel was arrested and hung for treason.

In the United States, anti-Chinese sentiment was on the rise following the California gold rush, which had brought more than 100,000 Chinese to American shores. In September of 1885, violence erupted. In a Union Pacific Coal Mine in Rock Springs, Wyoming, there was a dispute over who had the right to work in a particularly rich area of the mine. Paid by the ton, white workers rioted, burning the Chinese quarter of town, and killing twenty-eight Chinese miners. The perpetrators were never prosecuted and Army troops had to be called in to protect those Chinese who wished to return to their homes.

In Chicago, Sarah E. Goode, a former slave, became the first African American woman to be awarded a patent from the U.S. government for her design of a “cabinet bed.” Her invention could be used as a cabinet by day, but opened into a bed for sleeping.

In June of 1885 the U.S. received a package--actually two hundred and fourteen packages. In them was the Statue of Liberty, waiting to be assembled on Bedloe’s Island. The statue would be unveiled in late October of 1886.

Great strides were made in the field of medicine in 1885, when Louis Pasteur successfully treated Joseph Meister for rabies with his new vaccine.

Henry married Grace Edith MELMER on 04 Jul 1892 in London, Middlesex, Ontario, Canada. Grace (daughter of William MELMER and Louisa LAVINE) was born on 03 Jun 1874 in Ottawa, Carlton, Ontario, Canada; died on 27 Oct 1937 in Mt Morris, Michigan; was buried on 30 Oct 1937 in Mt Pleasant, Lot 594, Section Ta, London, Ontario, Canada. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

NOTE 1./ 1891 Hamilton City, Ontario census

Name: Grace E Melmer
Gender: Female
Marital Status: Single
Age: 16
Birth Year: abt 1875
Birthplace: Ontario
Relation to Head of House: Daughter
Religion: Free Church
French Canadian: No
Father's Birth Place: Ontario
Mother's Birth Place: Ontario
Province: Ontario
District Number: 72
District: Hamilton City
Subdistrict: Ward 7
Archive Roll #: T-6342

Household Members: Name Age
William Melmer 50
Louisa Melmer 50
Alfred Henry 24
Alice Melmer 18
Grace E Melmer 16
George Melmer 5
John Melmer 12
Louisa Melmer 10

NOTE 2./ Historical Perspective: 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 2./ 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.

Notes:

NOTE 1./ 1891 London City, Middlesex, Ontario census,

Name: John T Jacobs
Gender: Male
Marital Status: Single
Age: 23
Birth Year: abt 1868
Birthplace: Ontario
Relation to Head of House: Head
Religion: Church of England
French Canadian: No
Father's Birth Place: England
Mother's Birth Place: England
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 2./ 1901 Census of Canada : ONTARIO: London City

Family Name Sex Colour Relationship Single/married, DOB Age at last birthday
199 Jacobs John D M Head M Nov 21 1867 33
199 Jacobs Asminta(?) F Wife M Oct 13 1867 33
199 Jacobs Margareta F Daughter S Jul 14 1893 7
199 Jacobs Lillian F Daughter S Apr 28 1876 5
199 Jacobs Agnes W F Daughter S Jun 7 1899 1

Name: John D Jacobs
Gender: Male
Marital Status: Married
Age: 33
Birth Date: 21 Nov 1867
Birthplace: Ontario
Relation to Head of House: Head
Spouse's Name: Arminta
Racial or Tribal Origin: English
Nationality: Canadian
Religion: Church Of England
Occupation: Iron Moulder
Province: Ontario
District: London (City/Cité)
District Number: 86
Sub-District: London
Sub-District Number: D-7
Family Number: 199
Page: 19

Household Members: Name Age
John D Jacobs 33
Arminta Jacobs 33
Margarete Jacobs 7
Lillian Jacobs 15
Agnes W Jacobs 1

NOTE 3./ 1911 London, Middlesex, Ontario census,
Name: John D Jacobs
Gender: Male
Marital Status: Married
Age: 44
Birth Date: Nov 1866
Birthplace: Ontario
Family Number: 7
Relation to Head of House: Head
Spouse's Name: Araminta
Tribal: English
Province: Ontario
District: London City
District Number: 94
Sub-District: London
Sub-District Number: 43
Place of Habitation: 864 William
Census Year: 1911
Page: 1

Household Members: Name Age
John D Jacobs 44
Araminta Jacobs 44
Margarite Jacobs 18
Lily Jacobs 16
Winifred Jacobs 11
George Jacobs 8

NOTE 4./ Author's insight by Bob Millie

Henry Thomas Beale Millie (HTB) and George Jacobs (As well as John David Jacobs) all went to the Riel Rebellion together, leaving out of London Ontario between April 1-7, 1885. HTB and George both later worked for the Grand Trunk railway (Now Canadian Pacific) after they returned from the West. It is undetermined whether they were employed at the same time or not, and for both men it was only a short time of employment, as HTB reinlisted and George went onto McCreary's Department store, or his Police work.
Sadly, HTB's son, Harry William Robert Millie, went to work for the Grand Trunk as a brakeman, and bled to death at age 25, after having one leg severed by a train car wheel. Daisy never remarried. HTB Millie died 3 months later of gangrene.
The uncanny parallel continues here. Captain George William Jacobs was invalided home from Britain during WW II in May 1943 on the maiden voyage of the Lady Nelson, Canada's first Hospital ship. George William Jacobs dies October 11, 1943, and his father, John David Jacobs passes on November 18, 1943. Only 37 days apart.
What else was similar ??? George Jacobs was 5' 4" tall and HTB was 5' 7" tall.

NOTE 5./ HISTORICAL REFERENCE

"The Atlanta Constitution" (Atlanta, Georgia), 15 December 1901, page 3:
MARCONI SPEEDS MESSAGES ACROSS ATLANTIC OCEAN

From Newfoundland to Cornwall Italian Inventor Sends Message Without Wires.

St. Johns, N.F., December 14. Signor Marconi announced the most wonderful scientific discovery of modern times tonight in stating that he had received electric signals across the Atlantic ocean from his station in Cornwall, England. He explains that before leaving England he made plans for accomplishing this result, for while his primary object was to communicate with ocean liners in mid-ocean he hoped also to succeed in attaining the wonderful scientific achievement of wireless telegraphy across the Atlantic.

Signor Marconi's station in Cornwall is most powerful. He has an electric force, generated there, a hundred times greater than at his ordinary stations. Before he left England he arranged that the electrician in charge of the station which is located at Poldhu, should begin sending signals daily after a certain date, which Signor Marconi would cable him after having perfected his arrangements here.

Signor Marconi arrive here a week ago Friday, selected Signal Hill, at the entrance to the harbor, as an experimenting station and moved his equipment there. Last Monday he cabled to the Poldhu station to begin sending signals at 3 p.m. daily and to continue until 6 p.m. these hours being respectively 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., St. Johns time. During these hours Wednesday Signor Marconi elevated the kite with an aerial wire by means of which signals are sent or received. He remained at the recorder attached to the receiving apparatus and to his profound satisfaction signals were received by him at intervals, according to the programme arranged previously with the operator at Poldhu.

These signals consisted of repeating at intervals the letter "s" which, in Marconi's code is made by three dots, or quick strokes. This signal was repeated so frequently and so in accordance with the plan, arranged to provide safeguards against the possibility of a mistake, that Signor Marconi was satisfied that it was a genuine transmission from England. . .

John married Arminta GARDINER on 05 Oct 1892 in Memorial Church, London, Middlesex, Ontario. Arminta (daughter of William Fitch GARDINER and Agnes SISSON) was born on 13 Oct 1867 in Bethany, Durham County, Ontario; died on 04 Jun 1949 in London , Ontario; was buried on 04 Jun 1949 in London , Ontario, Canada, Woodland P, 344 - NE. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

NOTE 1./ Ontario, Canada Marriages

Name: John David Jacobs
Birth Place: London Ontario
Age: 25
Father Name: George Jacobs
Mother Name: Elizabeth Jacobs
Estimated birth year: abt 1867
Spouse Name: Arminda Gardier
Spouse's Age: 25
Spouse Birth Place: Bethany Ont
Spouse Father Name: William Gardier
Spouse Mother Name : Agnes Gardier
Marriage Date: 5 Oct 1892
Marriage Place: Middlesex
Marriage County: Middlesex

Notes:

NOTE 1./ THE SURNAME MILLIE

The research of the Millie Surname for my ancestors stops with Robert R. Millie. His name was obtained from the Ontario Marriage Registration of Henry Thomas Beale Millie and Grace Edith Melmer. The lost ancestors seem to be in the maze of Ireland's sons. ADDENDUM 10-12-02 : On the Marriage Registration of Henrietta Amelia Millie and Robert Scott, the parents are listed, showing that the individual previously known only as Robert R. Millie, was in fact Robert Rumgay Millie. This consequently opened the door to our Millie roots leading back from Ireland to that of Scottish origins. The single generation spent in Ireland, explains the uncommomality of the surname within her confines. Scotland however has many Rumgays, and several clans of Millies that may never be connected, in several different parishes, but to a high degree in Fife, and around central Scotland. There are several indications that our Millie surname or a derivative spelling, will lead back to France at about the time of the Hugenot Revolution.

The surname Millie is a derivative of several different spellings. Millicent, Millier, Millay, Milly, de Milly, d'Milly, Milia, Mealy and others. Andrew J. Millie of NSW Australia, has done extensive research on the relationships of these variants. An example of his findings follows: ....... " de MILLY and MILCENT are definitely 100% guaranteed to be the same families. A lot of Nobility dropped their noble surnames during the Wars of Religion and were known by different names. de Milly/Milcent is just one example of this" ..........

The derivatives surnames of Millie has it's origins in France and the family was Huguenot, '...a name given to the French Calvinist Protestants of the 16th and 17th centuries...largely inspired by Martin Luther...During the 17th century the Huguenots saw their power and privileges progressively undermined by the strongly Catholic kings Louis XIII and Louis XIV...In 1685 the Edict of Nantes was revoked, and thousands of Protestants chose to migrate from France rather than accept Catholicism.' Many, fled to England and Scotland.

NOTE 2./ FIFE, SCOTLAND : FIFE in The 1830's

POPULATION.
In 1755, the population was 2540
1793 2320
1811 2407
1821 2840
1831 2762
Number of families in the parish, 606
chiefly employed in agriculture 183
trade, manufactures, or handicraft 281

Since 1831, there has been a great increase in the number of the people ; and, from the accounts of their establishments, which were lately given in by the several manufacturers in the parish, we are authorized to say, that the population must now be about 3000 at least. In 1793, 138 looms are said to have been employed in the parish. From 700 to 900 of the inhabitants are now employed in weaving and winding. From 170 to 200 are employed regularly in the mills; and, with the exception of about 30, who are employed in the lime-works, the greater part which remains of the working population is agricultural. The town of Cupar is so near to Ceres, that there are few shopkeepers or venders of any commodities in the latter place.

CHARACTER and HABITS of the PEOPLE:.-The people are universally industrious, and in general they cultivate the sister virtues of temperance and frugality. Considerable attention to neatness and cleanliness also may be discovered among them. Dr Arnot, author of the former account, mentions, that among the women, the cloak and bonnet had become substitutes for the plaid; and among the men, that the bonnet was supplanted by the hat. It is singular enough, that the plaid and bonnet should now be both regaining their former estimation. There exists also among the people a considerable deal of information, and a general desire for knowledge. A subscription and circulating library was commenced by them in 1828. It consists now of 500 volumes, in which there is varied as well as much useful reading. There are 100 subscribers to this library.
During the last three years, there were 3 illegitimate births in the parish.

MANUFACTURES:-Since the date of the last Statistical Account three spinning mills have been built in the parish, and a bleachfield establishment has been erected at Duraden. In 1827, two mills were built on the grounds of Easter Pitscottie. The machinery is propelled partly by water, and partly by steam. The steam, in general, is only required in summer, occasionally when the water is light. The mills belong to Messrs William and James Yool, manufacturers, Ceres.
There is accommodation for the families of the workers in the buildings at these mills ; and they contain altogether upwards of 150 individuals. There is a teacher and a small library attached to the mills. The other spinning-mill, which belongs to Mr David Yool, was erected at Tarvit in 1799. The machinery at this mill goes partly by water, and partly by steam; and the power is applied also to the turning of a saw-mill. The three spinning-mills are occupied in preparing and spinning flax, tow, and yarns. The raw material is obtained from Dundee and the yarns are sent partly to the Dundee market, and partly to manufacturers in Fife. 150 men, women, and young people are employed. The bleachfield establishment was erected in 1825 by some manufacturers in Ceres. It has received the name of St Ann's Bleaching Company, from a well of that name in the vicinity. The number of hands employed varies from 35 to 40. The supply of brown raw material for it, is chiefly obtained from the mills already mentioned. Previous to the erection of this bleachfield, little was manufactured by the weavers in Ceres except " Brown Silesias;" now the yarns are all cleaned and bleached, and the people are employed in weaving dowlas and sheeting. From 700 to 900 are engaged in this employment ; and from L. 50,000 to L. 60,000 Sterling worth of dowlas and sheeting are annually manufactured in the parish. To any one who reads this statement of the manufacture, it will be evident that the various works are most profitably arranged. The mills supply the bleacbfield, and the bleachfield supplies the weavers : and while there is a saving in this manner, as to the carriage of the various articles, there is also an encouragement to the manufacture of the place. There is every likelihood that the manufacture of this flourishing place will, in a few years, become more extended ; and there are, at present, some proposals of erecting another mill on a very extensive plan..

PAROCHIAL ECONOMY
MARKETS;- There is a weekly market in Cupar, the county town, distant only two miles and a half. But this widely extended parish has an easy access to markets in several places . and some of the farmers find it convenient to send their produce to Largo, some to St Andrews, and a very few to Dundee. There are two annual markets or fairs held in the village of Ceres, one on the 24th June, and the other on the 20th day of October; and both of them are most numerously resorted to, as excellent wool, and corn, and horse, and cattle-markets.

MEANS OF COMMUNICATION;-A turnpike road runs from east to west through the whole length of the parish. There is also a road which runs from north to south, through the breadth of the parish. In summer, a daily-coach runs through Ceres, and joins the steamboat which leaves Largo for Edinburgh. A messenger, paid by the inhabitants of Ceres, carries letters or papers daily to Cupar, the post-town. There are regular carriers from Ceres to all the neighbouring towns.

ECCLESIASTICAL STATE:- Ceres parish is a rectory, which, before the Reformation, belonged to the Provostry of Kirkhheugh, a religious house at St Andrews. A considerable part of the east end of the parish formerly belonged to the parish of St Andrews, and about the year 1620, was annexed to Ceres, quoad sacra tantum, (as it was long thought;) but the present incumbent discovered that there was no such reservation, and it is now annexed, quoad sacra et civilia. Ceres originally belonged to St Andrews presbytery. In the old church of Ceres, there was an aisle on the south, which belonged to the family of Craighall, and which, before the Reformation, was a chapel dedicated to St Ninian. The schoolmaster of Ceres uniformly receives a presentation to the Chaplainry. There used to be a salary of L. 3 Scots paid to him; but the houses in Cupar from which this salary was paid cannot now be discovered. The present church was built in 1806. It stands on a height, where formerly stood the old church and chapel : it was situated on the outskirts of the old town, but since the new town or Bridge-end was built, it may be said to be in the centre of the village. It is seated for 1100, but actually holds 1300, and the seats are very advantageously disposed both for bearers and speaker. These seats all belong to the heritors of the parish, and there is no rent charged for the use of them. Seats are appropriated for the proprietors and farmers, and the remainder are free and open to the people, and, except on very bad days, they are well filled. There are two meetings in the church, winter and summer. The average number of communicants is 1000. The right of patronage, by a grant from the Crown, was vested in the Crawford family.
There are also two meeting-houses in the village of Ceres, one for the Associate Congregation of Antiburgher Seceders, which was built in 1744, the other for the Presbytery of Relief. To each of these are attached a settled clergyman and regular congregation. A brotherly feeling and Christian spirit pervades the greater number of the members of these three congregations and you will occasionally find them in each others place of worship.
There are about 86 families in this parish attached to the Relief Church, and about the same number to the Secession.

NOTE 3./ HISTORICAL reference: The Year Was 1829

The year was 1829, and in Scotland, there was a catastrophic flood. According to a paper online at the website of Fettes College, Edinburgh, Scotland, the Muckle Spate (large flood) of 1829, began on August 3, 1829 in northeast Scotland and was "the most severe catastrophic flood in modern UK history." It extended across a large area of Scotland, from Inverness to Montrose, and devastated homes and agriculture in the affected areas. The Edinburgh Advertiser from August 11, 1829 provides detailed coverage of some of the affected areas, including the excerpt below:

The Dee was first observed to increase about four o'clock on Monday afternoon, and it continued to rise until about eleven o'clock on Tuesday forenoon, when it remained stationary for a few hours; after which, it began to recede with considerable rapidity. In some places, it attained an elevation of eleven feet above its ordinary level. . . The low grounds in the vicinity of the river were completely inundated, and so great, in some parts of its course, was the space over which it extended, that it presented the appearance rather of a lake than a river. . . Vast quantities of hay, straw, timber, &c. have been swept away; and so great was the force of the torrent, that many fields were stript of their soil, and covered with sand and stones. A good many cattle and sheep may have been drowned; but as it is customary, in the upper parts of the country to leave numerous flocks scattered over the hills, it will be impossible, for some time to ascertain with accuracy the numbers that have perished. Fortunately, notwithstanding the imminent to which many people were exposed from the suddenness of the inundation, no loss of human life has arisen from the overflowing of the Dee. Several cottages have, at Ballaster and other places, been carried away; and so completely were others surrounded with water, that a stranger could scarce have told on which side of the river they stood. A good many people were rescued, by means of boats, from being drowned in their own houses, and were obliged to resign their furniture, &c. to destruction. With the exception of the bridge near Aberdeen, and that at Potarch, all the bridges over the Dee have either been swept away, or sustained more or less injury. . . .

Robert married Elizabeth Margaret BEALE in 1840 in Kildare Diocese, Kildare, Ireland. Elizabeth was born about 1819 in Kildare Diocese, Kildare, Ireland; died before 05 Aug 1886; was buried in Leinster=Dublin, Kildare, Kilkenny, Laios, Meath, Offaly and others. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

NOTE 1./ Leinster Province =Carlow, Dublin, Kildare, Kilkenny, Laios, Longford, Louth, Meath, Offaly Westmeath, Wexford and Wicklow.

NOTE 2./ 1848-1864 Griffiths Valuation of Ireland : Possibly relations to Elizabeth Margaret Beale

Surname First Name Townland Parish County
Beale Anthony Killough Up. Kilmacanoge Wicklow
Beale Anthony Killough Lr. Kilmacanoge Wicklow
Beale Hugh Mounteagle Ballyroan Laois
Beale Hugh Ballyroan (Abbeyleix Rd) Ballyroan Laois
Beale Hugh Ballyroan Ballyroan Laois
Beale Thomas Ballyroan (Bridge Street) Ballyroan Laois
Beale Christopher Curriersbog Borris Laois
Beale Christopher Maryborough (Market Sq.) Borris Laois
Beale Christopher Maryborough (Coote St.) Borris Laois
Beale William Derrydavy Ardea Laois
Beale Richard Derrydavy Ardea Laois
Deale Michael Derrydavy Ardea Laois
Beale Denis Ballymullen Abbeyleix Laois
Beale Joshua Tromaun Athleague Roscommon
Beale Christopher Knockmay Clonenagh and Clonagheen Laois
Beale John Templeshannon Templeshannon Wexford
Beale John Enniscorthy Templeshannon Wexford
Beale Patrick Modlins Folly Lane St. Marys Enniscorthy Wexford
Beale Robert Irish Street, Enniscorthy St. Marys Enniscorthy Wexford
Beale Robert Irish Street, Enniscorthy St. Marys Enniscorthy Wexford
Beale Patrick Modlins Folly Lane St. Marys Enniscorthy Wexford
Beale Anne Templeshannon Templeshannon Wexford
Beale John Ballyduff Kilcomb Wexford
Beale Joseph Ballyhuppahane Rosenallis Laois
Beale Thomas Killeen Moyanna Laois
Beale Joseph, Jr. Mountmellick (Main St. Lr. Rosenallis Laois
Beale Joseph Barkmill Clonenagh and Clonagheen Laois
Beale Edward Coolatore Ferns Wexford
Beale Thomas Drumcar Drumcar Louth
Beale Joseph Esker Clonenagh and Clonagheen Laois
These are matches starting with the search string:
Beales George New-Row (Poddle) St. Lukes Dublin

Notes:

Married:
Married 1840, Diocese of Kildare, Ireland Diocesan and Prerogative Marriage Licence Bonds indexes 1623-1866

Notes:

NOTE 1./ 1851 Cheltenham, Gloucester, England census,

Name Estimated Birth Year Birthplace Relationship Civil Parish County/Island
George Melmer abt 1803 Isle of Wight, Jersey, Channel Islands Head Cheltenham Gloucestershire
Matilda Melmer abt 1801 Middlesex, England Wife Cheltenham Gloucestershire
Elizabeth Melmer abt 1828 Leicestershire, England Daughter Cheltenham Gloucestershire
Frances Melmer abt 1830 Leicestershire, England Daughter Cheltenham Gloucestershire
Martha Melmer abt 1833 Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, England Daugh Cheltenham Gloucestershire
William Melmer abt 1835 Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, England Son Cheltenham Gloucestershire
Henry Melmer abt 1838 Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, England Son Cheltenham Gloucestershire
Matilda Cooks abt 1775 Bridgenorth, Shropshire, Eng Mother-in-law Cheltenham Gloucestershire

NOTE 2./ 1871 St louis Ward, Montreal PQ census,
Name: William Malmar
Gender: Male
Age: 35
Birth Year: abt 1836
Birth Place: England
Marital Status: Married
religion: W. Methodist
Origin: Anglaise (English)
Province: Quebec
District: Montreal East
District Number: 105
Division: 06
Subdistrict: St Louis Ward
Subdistrict Number: a

Household Members: Name Age
William Malmar 35
Louisa Malmar 31
Emily Malmar 10
William Malmar 9
Archibald Malmar 5
Arthur Malmar 3
Cecilia Henry 14
Alfred Henry 11

NOTE 3./ 1881 Census Place: St Patrick's Ward, Toronto, York, Ontario, Canada: Source: FHL Film 1375883 NAC C-13247 Dist 134 SubDist H Div 2 Page 100 Family 502
Name Sex Marr Age Origin Birthplace

William MELMER M M 46 English England Occ: Teacher Religion: Presbyterian
Louisa MELMER F M 41 English Q Religion: Presbyterian
Emily F. MELMER F 20 English O Occ: Servant Religion: Presbyterian
William R. MELMER M 20 English O Occ: Clerk Religion: Presbyterian
Archibald MELMER M 16 English O Occ: Shoe Cutter Religion: Presbyterian
Arthur MELMER M 12 English Q Religion: Presbyterian
Alice M. MELMER F 8 English O Religion: Presbyterian
Grace E. MELMER F 6 English O Religion: Presbyterian
George D. MELMER M 4 English O Religion: Presbyterian
John H. MELMER M 3 English O Religion: Presbyterian
Louisa M. MELMER F <1 English O Religion: Presbyterian Born: Dec; 4/12
Alfred HENRY M 21 English O Occ: Factory Hand Religion: Presbyterian

NOTE 4./ from the 1881 Canadian Census:

A./ William and Louisa Melmer, are the only Melmer surname enumerated in the entire 1881 Canadian census, according to the LDS census disk set. This Melmer search was for any origin or heritage, and thus in 1881, puts the only Melmers in Canada, to be those directly associated to William Melmer.

B./ Arthur is the only Child of the 9, that William Melmer fathered, to be born in Quebec. (1869) Alice b. 1873, was the 1st child of William and Louisa. Since Louisa was born in Quebec, it may be that William and Emma were living in Quebec at the time of her passing. Hence, the birth of Arthur and new marriage for William all occurring in less than a four year span between 1869 - 1873.

C./ Alfred HENRY Male, Single, 21, English Origin, Born in Ontario, Occ: Factory Hand Religion: Presbyterian; is enumerated with the William and Louisa Melmer family of 9 children that we can account for. Alfred Henry would be the 12th member of this household. There is evidence that Louisa Levine's name may have actually been Louisa Henry, as indicated on the birth certificate of George Derby Melmer. See .jpeg of certificate, August 10, 1876, parents given as William Melmer and Louisa Henry. That would either make Alfred Henry Louisa's son she could have bore at age 20, or a brother, 21 years her junior. This issue remains unresolved.

D./ Cheltenham
Created 1st July 1837.
Sub-districts : Charlton Kings; Cheltenham.
GRO volumes : XI (1837-51); 6a (1852-1930).
Badgeworth, Charlton Kings, Cheltenham, Coberley, Cowley, Great Witcombe, Leckhampton, Prestbury, Shurdington, Staverton, Swindon, Uckington, Up Hatherley
Registers now in Cheltenham district.

NOTE 5./ 1891 Hamilton City, Ontario, Canada census

Name Home in 1891 Birth Year Birthplace Relation
William Melmer Ontario, 72, Hamilton City, Ward 7 abt 1841 England Head
Louisa Melmer Ontario, 72, Hamilton City, Ward 7 abt 1841 Ontario Wife
Alfred Henry Ontario, 72, Hamilton City, Ward 7 abt 1867 Ontario Son
Alice Melmer Ontario, 72, Hamilton City, Ward 7 abt 1873 Ontario Daughter
Grace E Melmer Ontario, 72, Hamilton City, Ward 7 abt 1875 Ontario Daughter
George Melmer Ontario, 72, Hamilton City, Ward 7 abt 1886 Ontario Son
John Melmer Ontario, 72, Hamilton City, Ward 7 abt 1879 Ontario Son
Louisa Melmer Ontario, 72, Hamilton City, Ward 7 abt 1881 Ontario Daughter

Name: William Melmer
Gender: Male
Marital Status: Married
Age: 50
Birth Year: abt 1841
Birthplace: England
Relation to Head of House: Head
Religion: Brethren In churt
French Canadian: No
Father's Birth Place: England
Mother's Birth Place: England
Province: Ontario
District Number: 72
District: Hamilton City
Subdistrict: Ward 7
Archive Roll #: T-6342

Household Members: Name Age
William Melmer 50
Louisa Melmer 50
Alfred Henry 24
Alice Melmer 18
Grace E Melmer 16
George Melmer 5
John Melmer 12
Louisa Melmer 10
NOTE 5./ Castle Garden.org Ship Search: <>

First name Last name Occupation Age Sex Arrived Origin Ship
William Melmer Teacher 25 M 19 Mar 1860 England James Foster

William Melmer Occupation Teacher
Age 25
Sex M
Literacy U
Arrived 19 Mar 1860
Origin England
Port Liverpool
Last Residence
Destination USA
Plan Unknown
Ship James Foster Jr.
Passage Unknown

NOTE 6./ Roots and Twigs: Carol Cooper (Tollgate)

Born in Cheltenham and resident with his parents and siblings at Fairview Street, St Mary`s Cheltenham in 1841 aged 6 years.
In 1851 he was living 33 St Paul`s Street North, Cheltenham, with parents and siblings, enumerated as a 16 year old teacher.
William registered the death of his father George in 1854. Place of residence 35 St Paul`s St. North, Cheltenham.
Marriage certificate on file. Married Emma Louisa Edwards in 1858 at Exeter, Devon. GRO ref 5b/139. The couple were married on 11th December 1858 at the Parish Church of All Hallows on the Walls, City of Exeter, Devon, by License, witnessed by Soloman Stoneman and Martha White. William was 23 year old bachelor Schoolmaster resident at Totnes at time of marriage whose father was George Melmer, Confectioner and Emma Louisa Edwards was a 25 year old spinster, from Allhallows, daughter of Robert Edwards, a Tailor. The couple signed the register themselves.

William was a well respected school master and was presented with a Bible upon his departure for foreign shores in 1860, inscribed as follows:
Presented to Mr William Melmer by the Committee of the Cheltenham British Schools as a token of their esteem for his fidelity, diligence and exemplary conduct in the discharge of his duties as a Pupil Techer in the Cheltenham School - signed on behalf of the Committee.

From information received from Bob Millie, a direct descendent of William Melmer, it is understood that he emigrated to Canada in March 1860 on board SS James Foster Jr. out of Liverpool to New York. Passenger List for this ship only shows William Melmer, aged 25, Teacher, born England, no indication of him travelling with wife Emma. The couple had a child born December 1859 and who died 23 April 1860 in Cheltenham - after the emigration to Canada! The baby`s death was registered by it`s grandmother, Matilda Melmer, William`s mother. Emma Melmer did indeed emigrate however, perhaps at a different time, as she had her second child in Ontario in 1861.

Emma died around 1870/72 and William remarried Louisa Henry Levine producing a further 5 children from this relationship.

The family resided in 1881 at St Patrick`s Ward, Toronto, York, Ontario, which included four surviving children from William`s first marriage (the first child Emma Matilda having died aged 6 months in Cheltenham before their passage to Canada).

William married Louisa LAVINE on 22 Feb 1871 in Point Saint-Charles Centenary Methodist Church of Montréal, Quebec. Louisa was born on 04 May 1844 in Quebec; died after 1911 in London, Middlesex County, Ontario; was buried in Hamilton Wentworth Hamilton HM-287. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

NOTE 1./ Surname Conflict:

1./ Additional male enumerated in 1881, St Patrick's Ward, Toronto, York, Ontario, Alfred HENRY Male English 21 O Factory Hand Presbyterian is enumerated with all of rest of William and Louisa Melmer family.
2./ Birth of Alice Maud Melmer provides the following information. #004430-72 (Carleton Co) MELMER (or Milmer?), Alice Maud, f, b. 1 Sep.1872, father - William MELMER, teacher; mother - Louisa HENRY, infm - Wm Melmer, New Edinburgh.
3./ With no other evidence of Louisas name being Levine, presumption is that she was married previously to an Unknown Henry, and that her maiden name would may be Levine. This is only a presumption at this time. 3-20-2003.
4./ Birth Registration for Alice Maud Melmer indicates Louise Henry.
5./ Marriage Name: Louisa Matilda Melmer, Birth Place: London, Ont, Age: 18, Est Birth Year: abt 1880, Father Name: William Melmer, Mother Name: Louisa Weir, Spouse Name: David Hendry
6./ Marriage George Darby Melmer, Birth Place: Toronto, Age: 36, Est Birth Year: abt 1881, Father Name: William Melmer,
Mother Name: Louise Leving, Spouse Name: Edna Breckon

NOTE 2./ 1871 St louis Ward, Montreal PQ census,

William Malmar abt 1836 England St Louis Ward, Montreal East, Quebec
Louisa Malmar abt 1840 Quebec St Louis Ward, Montreal East, Quebec
Emily Malmar abt 1861 Ontario St Louis Ward, Montreal East, Quebec
William Malmar abt 1862 Ontario St Louis Ward, Montreal East, Quebec
Archibald Malmar abt 1866 Quebec St Louis Ward, Montreal East, Quebec
Arthur Malmar abt 1868 Quebec St Louis Ward, Montreal East,
Cecilia Henry abt 1857 Ontario St Louis Ward, Montreal East, Quebec
Alfred Henry abt 1860 Ontario St Louis Ward, Montreal East, Quebec.

NOTE 3./ 1891 Hamilton City, Ontario census

Name: Louisa Melmer
Gender: Female
Marital Status: Married
Age: 50
Birth Year: abt 1841
Birthplace: Ontario {{NOTE>>>>>BORN IN QUEBEC IN the 1881 CENSUS}}
Relation to Head of House: Wife
Religion: Free Church
French Canadian: No
Father's Birth Place: Ontario
Mother's Birth Place: Ontario
Province: Ontario
District Number: 72
District: Hamilton City
Subdistrict: Ward 7
Archive Roll #: T-6342

Household Members: Name Age
William Melmer 50
Louisa Melmer 50
Alfred Henry 24
Alice Melmer 18
Grace E Melmer 16
George Melmer 5
John Melmer 12
Louisa Melmer 10

NOTE 4./ 1901 London Township, Ontario, Canada Census Record

Name: Louise Melmer
Gender: Female
Marital Status: Widowed
Age: 60
Birth Date: 4 May 1840
Birthplace: Ontario
Relation to Head of House: Head
Racial or Tribal Origin: English
Nationality: Canada (Canadian)
Religion: Presbyterian
Province: Ontario
DISTRICT: Middlesex (East/est
District Number: 87
Sub-District Number: C-8
Family Number: 61
Page: 6

Household Members: Name Age
Louise Melmer 60
Alphard S Melmer 38
Alles M Melmer 26

Name Home in 1901(Province, District, Sub-District) Birth Year Birthplace
Louise Melmer Ontario, Middlesex (East/Est), London 1840 Ontario Head
Alphard S Melmer Ontario, Middlesex (East/Est), London 1862 Ontario Son
Alles M Melmer Ontario, Middlesex (East/Est), London 1874 Ontario

NOTE 5./ 1911 London Township, Ontario, Canada Census Record

Name: Louise Melmer
Gender: Female
Marital Status: Widowed
Age: 77
Birth Date: May 1844
Birthplace: Ontario
Family Number: 113
Relation to Head of House: Head
Tribal: German
Province: Ontario
District: Middlesex East
District Number: 95
Sub-District: London Township, Bronghdale Village
Sub-District Number: 5
Census Year: 1911
Page: 11
Household Members: Name Birth Year
Louise Melmer 1844
Alice M Melmer 1880
Alfred H Melmer 1861

NOTE 6./ Mariages non catholiques de la région de Montréal, 1766-1899, "Electronic," DÉTAILS pour Melmer William
<>

Nom époux Melmer
Prénom époux William
Nom épouse Henry
Prénom épouse Louisa
Année 1871
Église Point Saint-Charles Centenary Methodist Church (Montréal)
Confession Méthodiste
Pagination 5
Source Centre d'archives de Montréal, CE601,S99

Notes:

NOTE 1:/
Genealogy.com Posting

JACOBSES and ERSKINES of Oxen, Eng
Posted by: James Wesley Johnson Date: November 07, 1998 at 18:50:04

My great-great-grandfather was George Jacobs, born April 28, 1841, died January 1929. I don't have handy where in England he was from, but he was in the 4th Battalion of the Kings Royal Rifles. He was stationed at one time or another in New Brunswick, India, Ireland, etc. He settled in London, Ontario, where he was well known. I have a JPG of a medal he won for a shooting contest. I have copies of his obituary.

What is interesting is his wife: Elizabeth Eleanor Erskine, born March 22, 1848 in Banbury, OXEN, England. The Erskine and Jacobs families stayed in London, Ontario for generations. I have quite a bit of stuff on them from my Greataunt Alice Thompson Jorgenson, who kept family tree data on them. I noticed the "OXEN" in your message, and the Ontario, Canada.

Jim Johnson

Daisy's father was John David Jacobs b. November 21, 1867, London Ontario, d. November 20, 1943 London, Ontario, Woodland P, 344 - NE. Her grandfather George Jacobs b. April 28 1841, Sunbury, ( Hanworth), Middlesex County, England, d. January 09, 1929, Woodland, London (Section P,R) Middlesex London MX-152-6.

NOTE 2:/
by Bob Millie 3-28- 02 in e-mail to cousins

I mention these two fellows, because it seems that George was career military. First with the British 4th Battalion of the Kings Royal Rifles 1858 - 1881. He served in London Ontario during the "US War of Northern Aggression" (Yes, I am Southernized) to protect her Majesty's Canadian interests, then in England and India. When he left the British Army he returned to London Ontario, where George and his 16 year old son John David, enlisted in the Canadian Army's 7th Fusiliers to participate in the Riel Rebellion of Saskatchewan. George was appointed Sergeant, and Jack was directly under his father's command. Well, ole HTB Millie and these two fellows road the Grand Trunk railway out of London headed to the Riel Rebellion and spent the next 4 months with each other. I have no idea how large that contingent was, but at the minimum they saw each other. Low and behold, some time after they returned, HTB was a clerk at the Grand Trunk Railroad in 1913, (info courtesy of David Thompson) , while George was "employed at the Grand Trunk carshops" (London Free Press) Even later HTB reinlisted while George went onto McClary Mfg Co. I do have a feeling however, that HTB's son Harry William Robert, and Georges grandaughter Marguerite "Daisy" Jacobs met due to one or both of these associations of parents/grandfather.

NOTE 3:/
Woodland Cemetery, ROW 3 SECTION P (Charcoal Granite Stone) reads: George Jacobs born Apr 28, 1841- died Jan 11, 1929his wife Elizabeth Eleanor Erskine, born March 22, 1848, died Feb 8, 1932. John David Jacobs died Nov 18, 1943/age 76 years, beloved husband of Arminita Gardiner/1867-1949 f.s. DAD, FATHER & MOTHER. (back of stone) Lily Jacobs born Aug 22, 1878-died Feb 22, 1903. Annie Eleanor Jacobs/ 1869-1943, wife of Alexander C. Thompson/ 1862-1946.

NOTE 4./
The following historical plaque is Located In Victoria Park, bounded by Dufferin Ave., Central, Wellington & Clarence Streets, in London, Ontario, Canada:

THE BRITISH GARRISON IN LONDON
In one of several concentrations of British troops in Upper Canada various infantry and artillery units were stationed on a military reserve here during the mid-19th century. The garrison, which contributed significantly to the economic growth of London, was first established in 1839 to guard against border raids following the Rebellion of 1837. Although its troops were withdrawn in 1853 to serve in the Crimean War, and military duties were assumed by pensioners, it was re-occupied by British regulars in 1862 when the American Civil War posed a threat to the province. To help repulse an expected invasion of Fenians, militant Irish sympathizers, the garrison remained active until 1868. Six years later, this part of the old military reserve was set aside as Victoria Park.

George Jacobs was a member of the aformentioned British Army regiment, posted in London Ontario, because of tension resulting from the US Civil War. He also participated in the only battle between the United States and Canada, aka, The Fenian Raids, which resulted in the defeat of the Irish Americans coming out of Vermont, and a victory for Canada.

NOTE 5./ 1841 Hanworth Middlesex England census,
Name Estimated Birth Year Birthplace Civil Parish County/Island
John Jacobs abt 1801 Middlesex, England Hanworth Middlesex
Mary Jacobs abt 1803 Hanworth Middlesex
Katherine Jacobs abt 1837 Middlesex, England Hanworth Middlesex
Phoebe Jacobs abt 1839 Middlesex, England Hanworth Middlesex
George Jacobs abt 1841 Middlesex, England Hanworth Middlesex.

1841 Census Hanworth in Pantile Row (LDS film HO/107/718)
John Jacobs aged 40 Born In County
Mary Jacobs aged 38
Katherine Jacobs aged 4
Phoebe Jacobs aged 2
George Jacobs aged 6 weeks

NOTE 6./
1851 Census Hanworth (LDS film HO/107/1696) Folio 164
John Jacobs Head m aged 51 Ag Lab born Hanworth
Mary Jacobs Wife m aged 47 born Hants Old Basing
George Jacobs son aged 9 born Hanworth
Henry Jacobs son aged 6 born Hanworth
Edward Jacobs son aged 3 born Hanworth
Elizabeth Craft stepdau aged 24 born Hampton
Joseph Craft Stepson aged 19 Ag Lab born Hanworth
Mary Foster Stepdau aged 27 born Hampton
William Foster Step grandson aged 6 weeks born Hounslow

NOTE 7./
1871 St Botolph Essex, England census

Name Age in 1871 Birthplace Relationship Civil Parish County
George Jacobs 29 Hanworth, Middlesex, England Head St Botolph Essex
Elizabeth Jacobs 23 Banbury, Oxfordshire, England Wife St Botolph Essex
John H Jacobs 3 Canada Son St Botolph Essex
Annie E Jacobs 2 St John, New Brunswick Dau St Botolph Essex
Mary L Jacobs <6 Mo Colchester, Essex, England Dau St Botolph Essex

NOTE 8./
London City, Ontario Census, 1901
Name: George Jacobs
Place: London City
Film: T-6480
Ward: 4
Div: 1
Page: 3
Entry: 5
Family: 23
Rel to Head: Head
Birthdate: Apr 28, 1841
Birthplace: England
Immigration: 1861

Family Name Sex Colour Relationship Single/married, DOB Age at last birthday
23 Jacobs George M Head M Apr 28 1841 59
23 Jacobs Elizabeth E F Wife M Mar 22 1848 53
23 Jacobs Mary L F Daughter S Oct 20 1870 30
23 Jacobs Jane E F Daughter S Aug 11 1872 28
23 Erskine Jane F Sister S Feb 4 1859 43

NOTE 9./

Fenian Raid (1866): Fenians is the name of the old Irish National Militia. After the Civil War in the USA, the American Fenians were bolstered by Civil War mercenaries. In need of something to occupy this large force, John O'Neil crossed the Niagara River, captured Fort Erie, and made his headquarters at Limeridge. The Fenians defeated a unit of the Canadian Militia at Ridgeway, but withdrew to the USA when a stronger force was sent to the area. President Johnson had many of the Fenians arrested.

Fenian Raid (1870): On 26 May 1870, O'Neil again crossed the border near Franklin, Vermont, but was forced back quickly and again arrested.

NOTE 10./ The Fenian Raid(s) of Upper and Lower Canada <>

Fenianism was the name given to the Irish Republican Brotherhood (IRB). It is the English version of the Gaelic 'Na Fianna', a term which refers to the ancient protectors of the Ard Ri (High King). The IRB was formed in 1858 in Ireland, with a mandate to create a free and independent Ireland. In North America the IRB was led by John O'Mahony, a veteran of the 1848 Irish insurrection. Membership in the USA included thousands of Irish Brigade, Union and Confederate army veterans.

In October of 1865 at a convention in Philadelphia, USA, John O'Mahony lost his dictatorship over the IRB. William Randall Roberts of New York (born in Cork) was elected Chief Executive of the Senate. Cork born Major-General 'Fighting Tom' Sweeny of the Mexican War and American Civil War fame was appointed Secretary of War. Attending the convention, and claiming to represent 125,000 British North American members, was Michael Murphy of Toronto. The seed was planted at this meeting to strike Great Britain's Achilles' heel. Sweeny was charged with developing a plan to secure an independent territory for Ireland where an ‘Irish Republic in exile’ would be established and used as a bargaining chip to free Ireland, similar to what was done in Texas by the USA.

Sweeny devised a plan which involved three striking forces. One was to be led by Brigadier Charles Tevis whose 3,000 men would assemble in Chicago and advance to Stratford (between Detroit/Windsor and Toronto). Another 5,000 men would be led by Brigadier William F. Lynch and would cross in two groups. One from Cleveland to Port Stanley joining the first at London (Upper Canada - Ontario). The other, crossing at Buffalo to secure Hamilton. These two forces would create a threat to Toronto, the capital of British North America, causing the British to send all their forces to the area in defense. Information gathered by the IRB suggested there were 8,000 regular and 20,000 militia men in Upper and Lower Canada (Ontario and Quebec).

While this distraction was underway the Irish and French of Montreal would destroy the railway at St. Ann's Bridge thus eliminating the return of troops. The real threat would be led by Brigadier Samuel P. Spear. His 16,800 men would attack Lower Canada. Brigadier Michael C. Murphy would lead his cavalry to take Cornwall and Prescott then move east to threaten Montreal. The Montreal Irish would rise to support them and French radicals would supply fresh horses which were in shortage since the American Civil War. They would then seize Pointe Levis opposite Quebec City. Fenian warships would then sail in to seal the St. Lawrence River. If Montreal and Quebec could not be taken Spear was to secure the area between the Richelieu and St. Francis Rivers. Sherbrooke would be established as their capital.

While plans were in final stages, Roberts (Chief Executive of the IRB) had a meeting with US President Andrew Johnson. It is said that the president agreed to "recognize the accomplished facts". The President ordered the release of prisoner John Mitchel, who had connections with the French Republic government and whom the IRB could make use of to raise money in France. Mitchel departed in November as the IRB's Ambassador to France.

Sweeny's plans were approved by the IRB senate on February 19th, 1866 in Pittsburgh. Following this event, a bitter O'Mahony made and carried out his own plan of attack in an attempt to regain his lost control of the IRB. A force of 1,000 Fenians led by Bernard Doran Killian entered New Brunswick from Calais and Eastport, Maine, to seize the island of Campobello. Informers had tipped the British off weeks before and they were ready. The battle was short and the Fenians utterly defeated. The British thought this was the main "raid" that was being hinted of by others and believed the threat was over. This was the 19th of April 1866.

The real event was scheduled for Thursday, 31 May 1866 and new problems arose. On the scheduled day, only 1,000 to 5,000 men could be assembled at Buffalo. Their leader Brigadier Lynch was afflicted with a fever and could not partake. Sweeny telegraphed an order for Lynch's adjutant, Colonel Sherwin to go to Buffalo and take command, but he could not arrive until late in the day of June 1st. Sweeny then ordered Hynes to appoint the senior officer as acting Brigadier and commence the attack. Colonel's John Hoy of the 7th Reg't of Buffalo, Owen Starr of the 17th Reg't of Louisville, John Grace of the 18th Reg't of Cleveland and John O'Neill of the 13th Reg't of Nashville were present. Co. Monaghan born John O'Neill was the senior officer and took command.

On the 1st of June, at 3:15 in the morning, Owen Starr (a cavalry officer) led his men across the river and proceeded to Fort Erie to capture the railroad depot. Their advance was detected and nine cars were steamed away by four engines prior to their arrival. They did take Fort Erie which was manned by only six members of the Royal Canadian Rifles. Starr raised the tricolour, the present day flag of the Irish Republic, at Fort Erie.

O'Neill's force was across by dawn and busily setting up an HQ at Frenchman's Creek. He took the day to rest his men, thus losing the element of surprise. By 5:00 in the afternoon Hoy's men were detected by military scouts near Chippewa.

Within a few hours the British had 400 regular troops, 6 field guns and 1,115 militia men dispatched. On the following day, June 2nd, they were joined by 1,000 men from Port Colborne in Stevensville. Another 100 men from the Welland Canal Field Battery and the Dunnville Naval Brigade took a tug around Fort Erie to cut off any possiblility of a Fenian retreat across the Niagara River.

At 3:00 in the morning of June 3rd, O'Neill's troops were on the move towards Port Colborne. A battle ensued a few miles north of Ridgeway. O'Neill prepared an ambush. Starr's men were to begin the conflict and retreat, drawing the British into the trap. The firing began at 8:00 AM with 10 companies of the Queen's Own Rifles. They saw the scouts, heard a bugle call and expected cavalry, so they formed squares. O'Neill had his men fix bayonets and screaming "Fág an Bealach!" ("Clear the way!"), they charged on foot. The British retreated all they way to Port Colborne chased partway by Starr.

O'Neill once again rested while the British forces at Stevensville rose to 101 officers and 1,841 men. At the same time Lt.Gen. U.S.Grant was in Buffalo closing the border preventing Sherwin's 4,000 Fenian troops from crossing and supporting O'Neill. The Welland Field Battery and Dunnville Naval Brigade took Fort Erie back. They were then confronted by Hoy's men, retreating to Fort Erie and the Fort change hands once again after the IRA Lt. Col Michael Bailey had been shot under a white flag of truce! Lt .Col. Stoughton Dennis who was in Command of the British forces had later faced a court martial for cowardice and desertion but was exonerated.

By the evening of June 2nd, O'Neill was surrounded by approximately 5,000 British troops. This was when O'Neill discovered that he was the only mobile force, no other Fenian forces had entered Upper Canada! Tevis hadn't even attempted, making excuses for delaying, until it was too late. Sherwin had been stopped by Grant on the US side. O'Neill began his retreat by barge across the Niagara River at 2:00 on the morning of June 3rd 1866. He was intercepted and arrested by the Captain of the American warship USS Harrison.

Many prisoners were tried in Toronto, 22 were sentenced to death. John O'Neill and his officers faced charges of violations of the neutrality laws at the Erie County Courthouse in NY. They were found guilty and sentenced. Subsequently when the "smoke cleared" they were released.

On the 6th of June, General Spear took advantage of the disorder in Upper Canada and gave the order for his men to cross into Lower Canada. Brigadier Michael C. Murphy advanced 15 miles into Lower Canada before being driven back. Spear led his 2,000 men from St. Albans to Frelighsburgh, St. Armand, Slab City and East Stanbridge. On Friday the 8th of June Col. Michael Scalan's regiment defeated the British forces at Pigeon Hill.

The promised rising of the Irish in Montreal did not happen due to the strength of the regular British forces present who were joined by 10,000 militia men and 3 warships in the harbour with their guns aimed at the Fenians. On June 9th, 1866, Spear retreated. Lt. Col. Livingston of the US 3rd Artillery Reg't gave the British permission to cross the border to capture the retreating Fenians. Some were run through with swords while he looked on. Mrs. Eccles of Vermont was accidentally shot and killed by a British soldier while she was standing on her doorstep. US citizens were outraged and Livingston was subsequently reprimanded for allowing a violation of US sovereignty.

All battles ceased and 5,166 Fenian troops were paroled in Buffalo by the 15th of June 1866.

O'Neill, the hero of the Battle of Ridgeway, was later elected President of the Senate of the IRB and attempted yet another crossing at Prescott in 1870 but failed. Yet again he made an offer to Louis Riel (fighter for the rights of the Metis in Manitoba and descendant of an Irishman (O')Rielly) at Red River and this failed also. O'Neill retired to a town on Elkhorn River which was named after him: O'Neill, Nebraska.

Some little known facts:

1. Not all the men that comprised the Fenian IRA were Irish. Records show that they were accompanied by 500 Mohawk Indians from the Cattaraugus Reservation in New York and one company of 100 African American veteran soldiers of the Union Army.

2. On the 6th of June, US President Johnson made a deal with the British, having received $15,000,000 reparation payment for losses incurred during the American Civil War as a result of the British partiality to the South. In return the US passed neutrality laws and would enforce them on the Fenians. He had successfully used the Fenians as a political bargaining tool.

The Fenians had been used as a pawn by the American government and had terribly underestimated the strength of the British (Canadian) forces. Present history refers to the attempt as "foolish" and to their leader, O'Neill, as "a fool".

NOTE 11./ Historical Perspective: The Year Was 1885

The year was 1885 and the flow of settlers to western Canada increased greatly with the completion of the Canadian Pacific Railway.

And in Canada's North-West Territories there were rumblings of a rebellion. In what is now Saskatchewan and Alberta, three groups had grievances with the Canadian government in Ottawa. The Metis, descendants of fur traders and indigenous peoples, were concerned about legal claim to their land; white settlers were waiting for official property titles necessary to secure loans and felt their interests weren't represented; and the starving First Nations peoples who had been promised farming equipment and aid were angry that treaties weren't being observed.

The rebellion, which would only last for two months, was led by Louis Riel, a Metis who had fought for the rights of Manitoba residents during the Red River uprising in 1869-70. He formed a provisional government and armed forces. These forces clashed with government troops at Duck Lake and although the Metis claimed this first victory, the rebellion was subdued by the end of May, and Louis Riel was arrested and hung for treason.

In the United States, anti-Chinese sentiment was on the rise following the California gold rush, which had brought more than 100,000 Chinese to American shores. In September of 1885, violence erupted. In a Union Pacific Coal Mine in Rock Springs, Wyoming, there was a dispute over who had the right to work in a particularly rich area of the mine. Paid by the ton, white workers rioted, burning the Chinese quarter of town, and killing twenty-eight Chinese miners. The perpetrators were never prosecuted and Army troops had to be called in to protect those Chinese who wished to return to their homes.

In Chicago, Sarah E. Goode, a former slave, became the first African American woman to be awarded a patent from the U.S. government for her design of a “cabinet bed.” Her invention could be used as a cabinet by day, but opened into a bed for sleeping.

In June of 1885 the U.S. received a package--actually two hundred and fourteen packages. In them was the Statue of Liberty, waiting to be assembled on Bedloe’s Island. The statue would be unveiled in late October of 1886.

Great strides were made in the field of medicine in 1885, when Louis Pasteur successfully treated Joseph Meister for rabies with his new vaccine.

NOTE 12./ 1911 London City, Ontario census

Name: George Jacobs
Gender: Male
Marital Status: Married
Age: 70
Birth Date: Apr 1841
Birthplace: England
Family Number: 66
Relation to Head of House: Head
Spouse's Name: Elizabeth E
Immigration Year: 1861
Tribal: English
Province: Ontario
District: London City
District Number: 94
Sub-District Number: 42
Place of Habitation: 312 Grosvenor
Census Year: 1911
Page: 6

Household Members: Name Age
George Jacobs 70
Elizabeth E Jacobs 63
Jane W Erskine 52

George married Elizabeth Eleanor ERSKINE on 05 Feb 1867 in London, Ontario, Canada. Elizabeth (daughter of David ERSKINE and Anne J. MORRISON) was born on 22 Mar 1848 in Banbury, Oxen, (Oxfordshire), England; died on 08 Feb 1932 in London, Ontario, Canada; was buried in Woodland Cemetery, London, Ontario, Canada. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

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.

Notes:

NOTE 1./ 1851 Pickering Township, Durham County, Canada West (Ontario) census
Name: Wm Gardenier
Gender: Male
Age: 33
Estimated birth year: abt 1819
Birthplace: Whitby
Province: Canada West (Ontario)
District: Ontario County
District Number: 26
Sub-District: Pickering
Sub-District Number: 245
Page: 181
Line: 37
Roll: C_11742
Schedule: A
{Additional notation is regarding the several other "Gardinier" family surnames on this page of the census. This includes a Thomas Gardinier, age 50, shoemaker, born in Prince Edward County, Upper Canada (UC). His wife is Deborah and there are no children enumerated. All of these Gardiniers were Methodists. Prince Edward County is on the east end of Lake Ontario located east to west back towards Toronto: Prince Edward>Northumberland>Durham>Ontario>York County et al }

NOTE 2./ 1861 Nottawasaga Twp, Simcoe <>

DIV PG LN LAST NAME FIRST NAME AGE
2 58 23 Gardner W.F. 43
2 58 24 Gardner Susan 40
2 58 25 Gardner Maria 19
2 58 26 Gardner Isaac 17
2 58 27 Gardner Serepta 15
2 58 28 Gardner Robert 13
2 58 29 Gardner Emilie 11
2 58 30 Gardner David 9
2 58 31 Gardner Rachel 7
2 58 32 Gardner Elizabeth 5
2 58 33 Gardner Amanda 3

NOTE 3./ 1881 Census Place: Melancthon, Grey East, Ontario, Canada : Source: FHL Film 1375897 NAC C-13261 Dist 155 SubDist E Div 1 Page 42 Family 209

Sex Marr Age Origin Birthplace
William GARDENER M M 63 English Ontario
Occ: Farmer Religion: I E Methodist
Agnes GARDENER F M 35 English Ontario
Religion: I E Methodist
Araminta GARDENER F 14 English Ontario
Religion: I E Methodist
Margret GARDENER F 11 English Ontario
Religion: I E Methodist
William GARDENER M 6 English Ontario
Religion: I E Methodist
Martha GARDENER F <1 English Ontario
Religion: I E Methodist Born: Sep; 7/12

Name: Gardener, WilliamSex: MAge: 63Place of Birth: OntarioReligion: I. Meth. E.Ethnic Origin: EnglishOccupation: FarmerProvince: OntarioDistrict: Grey East (155)Sub-district: Melancthon (E)Page: 42Microfilm: C-13261Reference: RG31 - Statistics Canada

NOTE 4./ Emigration between 1876-1880, from Manvers, Durham East, Ont. to Melancthon, Grey East, Ontario determined from the children's Registration records. First from marriage record of son, WF (William) Gardiner to Charlotte Dunn on April 20, 1898. Note birth location of Bethany, Port Hope (Durham-Northumberland)

Name: W F Gardiner
Birth Place: Bethany Port Hope
Age: 22
Father Name: William Gardiner
Mother Name: Agnes Gardiner
Estimated birth year: abt 1876
Spouse Name: Charlotte Dunn
Spouse's Age: 20
Spouse Birth Place: London Ontario
Spouse Father Name: Rebecca Dunn
Spouse Mother Name : William Dunn

Add into this relocation hypothesis, the Birth Registration for next in line child born, Martha Jane Gardiner:
Name: Martha Jane Gardiner
Date of Birth: 7 Sep 1880
Gender: Female
Birth County: Melancthon, Grey County, Ontario
Father's name: William Gardiner
Mother's name: Agnes Sisson
Roll Number: MS929_43

Note only do these two comparisons range the Gardiner family move across four Ontario counties, but also provide the second reference to William Gardiners wife's maiden name of Sisson. This is the second of those.
Name: Lodicea Gardiner
Date of Birth: 11 Oct 1872
Gender: Female
Location: Northumberland & Durham County, Ontario
Father's name: William Fitch Gardiner
Mother's name: Agnes Sisson
Roll Number: MS929_7

William married Agnes SISSON on 02 Jul 1866 in Manvers Township, Northumberland and Durham County, Ontario. Agnes (daughter of William SISSON and Margaret MORPHET) was born on 10 Mar 1848 in Manvers Township, Durham County (until 1973), Victoria County, Ontario; died after 1881 in Melancthon, Grey East, Ontario. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]