| Notes |
- Frederick and Isabella's marriage record [Ontario County Marriage Registers 1858-1866 Vol. 66] shows A.J. Williams (presumably an incorrect version of Williamson) as the witness, and Rev. Dr. Stinson of the Wesleyan Methodist Church as the officiating minister.
Isabella married Frederick in 1859, Isabella managed boarding houses, which were probably owned or leased by Frederick. From the beginning of their marriage there was strife between Frederick and Isabella, intensified by the influence of Frederick's mother and sisters. A documentary record of the marital discord was kept by Frederick between 1859 and 1871, and is included with his surveying papers in the City of Toronto Archives.
The documents reveal that from the beginning, Frederick claimed that he had been "trapped" into marriage by Isabella and her guardian, Dr. Alexander Williamson. The couple's first child, Alfred Clarence Passmore, was born 8 months after their very quiet wedding. Two more children, Forneri Frederick and Isabella Mary Eugenie, were born in 1862 and 1864, respectively. Domestic discord and Frederick's wish for a legal separation started again on 28 April, 1867, when Frederick claimed that Isabella and a young male boarder named Lowe were guilty of adultery by having a conversation late at night behind a closed door in her boarding house. This event triggered numerous brooding notes by Frederick to himself, as well as letters to and from lawyers in the next four years. A record of an eventual court case in 1871 has not been found, but indications are that a physical separation was effected, that Frederick had to continue supporting Isabella, who continued to manage boarding houses, and that the couple's three children eventually came to live with Frederick and his mother and sisters.
A Toronto Globe article of 18 Oct., 1867 is indicative, and is titled "Domestic Difficulties":
"Another of the 'Lords of Creation', named F.F. Passmore, a resident of Duke Street, was also arrested, at the instance of his wife, whom he has frequently mistreated in a variety of ways, occasionally winding up the proceedings by locking her out in the cold".
A year later, on 22 Oct., 1868, another Globe article, titled "Wife Abuse", read:
"A respectable looking woman named Mrs. Passmore stepped into the box, and stated that her husband, who was present in court, was in the habit of ill-treating her, and had on the previous day kicked her in the presence of several of the boarders, whom she keeps for a livelihood. Mr. Grant, the husband's lawyer, proceeded to interrogate the witness in a very rude and irrelevant manner, when the magistrate stopped him and asked the witness if she would swear that she was in "bodily fear" of her spouse, to which she replied in the affirmative.
The Magistrate - Very well then, Mr. Passmore will have to find sureties to keep the peace for twelve months."
During much of the marriage, Isabella and Frederick lived separately, but usually only a few blocks apart. Their children lived sometimes with their mother, sometimes with their father and his sisters, and sometimes with both parents when they were together. In the 1871 census. Isabella's occupation is listed as "boarding house", and she was listed as head of household, born in Ireland, Presbyterian. The only other member of her family listed in the 1871 census [Toronto East (47) ,St. James Ward Sub-district B, Division 4, page 38] was Nelly Passmore, age 5, born in Ontario. Other members of the household were: William and Catherine Bailey (35, married) and their son William, 15; James and Charlotte Swinburne (40 and 25, married); Gamble Geddes (22, single); Eliza Hayes (19, single); and Mabel White (24, single).
Thus by 1871, Isabella had separated from Frederick. She was listed in the Fisher and Taylor's 1874 Toronto Directory as the "widow of Frederick", and living at 228 Church St. W. , while he was listed as living at 58 Wood St.
In the 1881 census [Toronto, St. James Ward, District 134, sub-district E, division 1, page 19, household number 112], Isabella, age 40, Irish origin, member of Church of England, and head of household, living with Nellie Passmore, age 12, who was born in Ontario, but whose ethnic origin is Irish. There are also two domestic servants and one lodger listed in her household. She is listed as a widow, with no employment, even though her husband Frederick is known to be still alive.
Over the years, according to Toronto Directories, Isabella lives at:
1874: 228 Church St. (Mrs. Isabella Passmore, widow)
1881: 63 1/2 Mutual St. ("Mrs. Passmore"). Also at same address: Wm. Darlington, roofer
1884 and 1885: 91 Wilton Ave. ("Mrs. Mary Rankin" at 91 Wilton in 1883)
1890: 209 Jarvis St.
1891:238 Jarvis St.
1895: 226 Sherbourne St.
1900: 51 Carlton St (Isabella and Blanch (sic) are also shown at this address in "Foster's Blue Book or Ladies' Directory of Toronto", for 1900
1905 and 1906: 561 Church St. (perhaps should be 650 Church St.?)
In some of these she is listed as "widow of Frederick Passmore".
In the 1891 census of St. James Ward, in Toronto, Isabella Passmore is listed as age 54, married, head of household, Church of England, born in Ireland, and living with Blanche Passmore (listed as her daughter), two domestics and one lodger. Blanche Passmore is listed as aged 21, being born in Ontario (thus about 1870). Blanche's father's birthplace was England and her mother's birthplace was Ireland.
In the 1901 census [Toronto Centre, Ward 3, sub-district A-27, page 16], Isabella is listed as "Is Passmore", widow, born 1833, age 67, living with her daughter, B McKay, born March 25, 1874, her daughter's husband R McKay, born 1868, and 5 boarders (4 females, 1 male).
A later confirmation of daughter Blanche comes from a record of a marriage of Blanche C. Passmore with Robert McKay, a lawyer, on 17th July, 1900 in Toronto. Blanche's parents are listed as Frederick F. Passmore and Isabel (sic) Rankin Passmore. Her birth year is listed as about 1872, and her birthplace Toronto.
After her death on Aug. 14, 1906, the Globe and Mail obituary is as follows: "On Tuesday the 14th August, 1906, at the residence of her daughter Mrs. Robert McKay, 650 Church St., Toronto, Isabella Henrietta Passmore, widow of the late F.F. Passmore. Funeral (private) on Thursday, Aug. 16 at 4 PM."
In the death certificate of Frederick Forneri Passmore (son of Frederick Fortescue Passmore and Isabella), Isabella is listed as Isabella Cunningham, born in Ontario. The informant was A.C. Passmore, Frederick and Isabella's other son and Frederick Forneri's brother. It should be noted that Isabella's sister Mary (born about 1837, same parents' names listed) had married George Cunningham on 12 September 1861.
Isabella's will, written in 1904, and witnessed by Lillie Coates and Nellie Browse, left an estate of $190 to her daughter Blanche Ellen, who was also the executrix.
Isabella is buried in St. James Cemetery, Toronto (58th grave south in Section Eps, off Parliament St). Cemetery records show that her grave authorized by her son-in-law Robert McKay Jr. and the site owner was her daughter Blanche. Her buial information shows that she was living at 650 Church Street, and that she died of appendicitis. It also records her birthplace as County Antrim in Ireland. Her gravestone reads:
MOTHER
IN LOVING MEMORY OF ISABEL RANKIN
WIDOW OF F.F. PASSMORE
DIED AUGUST 14 1906
AT REST
Ther is a nearby gave marker for a James Passmore and his family. James died in 1905, and other members of the family died as late as 1960.
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Abt 1833 - 1906 (73 years)
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