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  • Helen Greenough: Budded on Earth to Bloom in Heaven

    A few years ago while researching my great grandmother Arabella Mitchell, I discovered that she and her first husband Isaac Gaetz Greenough had a daughter while they were living in Chelsea, Massachusetts.

    According to the birth registrations for the City of Chelsea, this baby girl was born on September 29th, 1893. No first name was given to the child at the time of the birth registration. However, I eventually learned that her name was Helen. According to the book Eastern Shore Families: Genealogical Notes on Petpeswick by Kim Stevens, her middle name was Gertrude, but I can’t find any documentation confirming this.

    Birth Registration of Helen Greenough. Source: “Massachusetts Births, 1841-1915,” database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/search/collection/1536925: accessed 3 October 2022), imaged birth registration 646, reference ID #341, Greenough, 29 Sep 1893, Chelsea, Suffolk, Massachusetts; citing Secretary of the Commonwealth. Massachusetts Archives, Boston.)

    There is a photograph of an unidentified baby in my great grandmother’s photo album. The photo was taken in Boston (across the Mystic River from Chelsea). It makes me wonder. Is this a picture of Helen Greenough?

    Is this a picture of Helen Greenough?

    I did know that Helen Greenough died as a child. That was pretty much all I knew, though. There is a passing reference to her in my great grandmother’s obituary but nothing in way of any details. Unfortunately, there is a thirty year gap in death registrations for the Province of Nova Scotia from 1878 to 1907. So, you often need to rely on obituaries or grave markers for information during this period. No obituary exists as far I can tell, but my late mother told me that she was “pretty sure” that she was buried at the Riverside Cemetery in Musquodoboit Harbour beside her father.

    Grave marker of Helen Greenough at Riverside Cemetery, Musquodoboit Harbour, Nova Scotia. Photo courtesy of Eastern Shore Archives.

    Recently, the good folks at Eastern Shore Archives sent me a photograph of Helen’s grave marker at the Riverside Cemetery. I always find it heartbreaking seeing the grave marker of a child. My mind travels back in time imagining what the circumstances were surrounding their untimely death. According to her grave marker, Helen Greenough died on May 16, 1900. The inscription reads, “Helen Greenough. Died May 16, 1900. Aged 6 years 8 months. Budded on Earth to Bloom in Heaven.”

    Additonal Links:
    Find A Grave Memorial for Helen Greenough
    Wikitree Profile for Helen Greenough

  • Photo Post #17 | Grave Marker of Doris Elaine (Mills) Finch

    Grave marker of Doris Elaine (Mills) Finch, White Chapel Memorial Gardens (Hamilton). Photo by Amanda Finch.

    It took a little longer than expected, but the good folks at White Chapel Memorial Gardens in Hamilton finally located and installed my Mom’s grave marker. OK technically it’s my Dad’s too, but he wants to wait a bit before rejoining Mom.

    My parents purchased their marker and burial plot years ago. A good idea. I think they chose well. The round piece in the top centre pulls up and becomes a vase for flowers.

    Doris Elaine (Mills) Finch was born August 26, 1949 in Oyster Pond Jeddore, Nova Scotia. She died July 20, 2023 in Oakville, Ontario.

  • Marriage of Colin Mitchell and Agnes “Nancy” Hurley

    My 2nd great grandparents Colin Mitchell and Nancy Hurley were married on September 13, 1863 at Jeddore by Rev. Robert Jamieson. Above is a photo of the marriage bond filed by Colin and his father Alexander Mitchell.

    Wikipedia has a good article on marriage bonds and their use. Basically, they were a means for the man to legally affirm his intention to marry a particular woman and confirm there was no legal impediment to the marriage. If the marriage didn’t go through, he and the co-signer were on the hook for the amount listed on the bond (£100 in this case).

    Fun fact. Colin and Nancy were not only husband and wife; they were also first cousins – not an uncommon occurrence on the isolated Eastern Shore of Nova Scotia

  • Photo Post #16 | David Greenough

    The above photograph of David Greenough was published in the Halifax Evening Mail on September 30, 1922. He was my great grandmother Arabella Mitchell’s brother-in-law from her first marriage to Isaac Gaetz Greenough. David and Isaac’s parents were George Greenough and Annie Baker (so they are blood relations to me through Annie’s line).

    The Greenough family are Acadian, and I believe the original surname was Grenon. Some of them ended up in the Petpeswick area along Nova Scotia’s Eastern Shore.

    After Arabella Mitchell and Isaac Gaetz Greenough were married, the couple moved to Chelsea, Massachusetts. David Greenough and his wife Martha Christy lived here, as well. Both David and Isaac were lathers (workers who installed the framework systems on ceilings and walls for plastering).

    David and Martha had several children including an actress known as Peggy Marsh (you can read all about her here: https://www.jazzageclub.com/the-curious-tale-of-peggy-marsh/499/)

    I don’t know what became of their marriage, but they appear in separate households in the 1930 United States census. She is buried in Malden, Massachusetts whereas he is buried in Musquodoboit Harbour, NS. David Greenough sadly spent the final six months of his life at the Halifax County Home and Mental Hospital and died in 1941.

  • Photo Post #15 | Alan Mills and Sam Mitchell

    Here is a picture of my Grandad Alan Mills (left) and his friend Sam Mitchell. Sam lived up the road from my Grandad in Oyster Pond, Halifax County, Nova Scotia. Not only were they lifelong friends, they were actually distant (third) cousins.

    Alan Victor Morash Mills was born 11 September 1915 in Gays River, NS. He died on 20 January 1995 after a brief battle with lung cancer. Samuel William Harvey Mitchell, son of Archibald Daniel Mitchell and Emma Cox, died on 31 January 1995 – only days after attending my grandfather’s funeral.

  • Photo Post #14 | Happy Heavenly Birthday, Mom

    Today is my Mom’s birthday. She would have turned 74. I love this photo of her and Nan about to share what looks to be a delicious birthday cake. Growing up, birthdays were a big deal. Mom would always make a cake for us – often from scratch. And, we got to choose which flavour we wanted! Happy Birthday, Mom. Hope you and Nan are enjoying your day.

    My Mom Doris Elaine (Mills) Finch was born on August 26, 1949 in Oyster Pond, Halifax County, Nova Scotia. Her mother/my Nan Rose Margaret (Power) Mills was born on August 12, 1919 in East Jeddore, NS.

  • Obituary – Doris Elaine (Mills) Finch

    Surrounded by the love of her family, Doris passed away peacefully on Thursday, July 20, 2023 in her 74th year. Loving wife to Carl for nearly 52 years. Devoted mother to Carl (Donna), Robert (Monika), and Amanda. Beloved Nanny to Alessa. Doris will be dearly missed by her sister Beulah (Murray Philip), several nieces and nephews, cousins, and friends. She is predeceased by her parents Alan and Rose (Power) Mills, and her siblings Rose Andrews (the late Edward), Bertha Marshall, and Gladys Mills.

    Doris was born and raised in Oyster Pond Jeddore, Nova Scotia. She moved to Ontario in the early 1970s and lived most of her adult life in Hamilton, residing on the Beach Strip. Doris was able to visit places she long dreamed of, including the Grand Canyon, Hoover Dam, and the Grand Ole Opry. She even met Queen Elizabeth II. Doris enjoyed reading, puzzles, baking, watching TV, and most of all, pampering her cats.

    Special thanks to the medical care staff at Oakville Trafalgar Memorial Hospital who showed determination and compassion.

    Visitation at SMITH’S FUNERAL HOME, 485 Brant Street, (one block north of City Hall), BURLINGTON (905-632-3333), on Friday, July 28, 2023 from 12-1 p.m. Funeral Service will be held in the Chapel at 1 p.m. with interment to follow at White Chapel Cemetery. For those wishing to participate virtually, a livestream link will be available on the funeral home’s website. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions to The Kidney Foundation, Diabetes Canada, or Canadian Sepsis Foundation would be sincerely appreciated by the family.

    The above obituary – along with the Memory Wall and Photos – can be found on the Smith’s Funeral Home website: https://www.smithsfh.com/memorials/doris-finch/5237565/

    It was also published in the Hamilton Spectator: https://obituaries.thespec.com/obituary/doris-elaine-finch-nee-mills-1088587061

  • Doris Elaine (Mills) Finch, 1949-2023

    My dear Mom passed away on July 20th. She was one of my biggest fans (and sources!) when it came to genealogy. She really loved reading and hearing what I researched. Since August also happens to be her birth month I will spend some time posting about her all month long. Miss you, Mom.

    Doris Elaine Finch, our Mom! She was a devoted wife; a loving mother and grandmother – or nanny; a sister and sister-in-law; an aunt, cousin, neighbour, and friend. But, before any of these she was a daughter. She was the youngest daughter born to Rose Power and Alan Mills, our Nan and Grandad.

    Mom was born and raised in the small community of Oyster Pond Jeddore, Nova Scotia. The family lived in the former home of Mom’s great-grandfather Colin Mitchell on the East Jeddore Road. Childhood days were spent playing on the shore of the Atlantic Ocean, picking berries in the woods, or relaxing on the big rock behind the house – a rock we too enjoyed when visiting Grandad. We
    know many people here today have fond memories of that rock.

    Mom’s childhood was not without challenges. She became sick with tuberculosis and spent months at the TB Hospital in Halifax away from her mom and dad. The loneliness was somewhat relieved when she received visits from her Aunt Florence and Aunt Belle. While in the hospital, she befriended an African Canadian girl despite racial tensions of the time. Mom didn’t care, though. She just wanted a friend.

    One by one, her sisters left the family home – leaving Mom as the last one at home. But, Mom got to enjoy something the others didn’t: the modern conveniences of indoor plumbing, as Grandad finally installed a functioning bathroom, meaning no more trips to the outhouse.

    On a visit to Ontario to visit her sister, Mom met her future husband, our father, Carl. They were married in the Oyster Pond church – a day that has its own fair share of stories – and set out on their honeymoon driving the Cabot Trail. Mom used to tell us how her sisters, instead of packing sandwiches for the journey, packed sweets, cookies, and cakes. They didn’t go hungry, but they suffered from heartburn.

    With poor job prospects in Nova Scotia, it was clear that our parents would need to settle in Ontario. They first lived in an apartment in Paris before settling in Hamilton. Ultimately, they bought a house on the Beach Strip, a place we all called home.

    While Dad worked at the Dofasco steel mill, Mom took to jobs such as selling Avon and cleaning houses. First and foremost, though, she was the homemaker. She made sure we had a clean house and meals to eat.

    Three words that describe Mom are loyal, kind, and caring. She displayed these attributes throughout her life. This was especially evident in the final years of her mother, our Nan. Mom spent a lot of time helping to take care of Nan, allowing her to live somewhat independently. Long before then, Mom would go the extra mile to ensure we kids were on the right path whether it was helping with homework or working tirelessly during speech therapy sessions. Mom was always there for us.

    You can’t talk about Mom without thinking of Christmas. Christmas was her favourite holiday. The house would literally be transformed. Her regular knickknacks and ornaments were wrapped up and put away, replaced by Christmas decorations. It felt like being in a movie. She’d spend the holiday season in her chair admiring the lights on the Christmas tree. Christmas Eve was a time for family and friends to come over and a chance for everyone to enjoy her Christmas baking.

    For a girl from Oyster Pond, Mom sure was able to go places and enjoy big world experiences. She was able to travel to Las Vegas, visit the Grand Canyon, and see the Hoover Dam. And, she fulfilled a life long dream of attending the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville not just once but two years in a row. In 2010, Mom was a guest at a State Dinner for Queen Elizabeth II, where she met the former monarch and Prince Philip. Never did she imagine she would one day meet the Queen, she said. But, she did.

    The one thing we will all remember about Mom is her loving smile. As you saw in many photographs today, Mom’s smile was everywhere. She was genuinely a happy person who tried to see good in everyone and every circumstance. Even the ICU doctor at Oakville Trafalgar Memorial Hospital remarked how Mom smiled at him as he told her she would need to go on life support. The nurses loved Mom’s smile. We think it helped make their day just a bit better.

    In closing, let’s celebrate a life well lived. Let’s celebrate a remarkable woman who until the very end gave it her all. Let’s celebrate her legacy that lives on forever. And, when things aren’t seeming to be going according to plan, take a deep breath and just remember to smile.

    This is the eulogy I wrote for Mom on behalf of my brother and sister. It was one of the hardest pieces I have ever written, but I think she would’ve been proud of it.

  • My Grandparents in the 1931 Canada Census

    The 1931 Canada Census was released last week. It’s not indexed, yet, so you need search through lots of images to find your ancestors. I’ve been able to find three of my four grandparents in this census so far.

    Let’s start in East Jeddore, Nova Scotia. My Nan Rose Margaret Power was 12 years old the time of the census. Here she is in the household of her father Earl Wilson Power along with her mother Alice and six siblings.

    Some interesting tidbits from the census…Earl Power was a fisherman, their house had eight rooms, was of wood construction, and was valued at a whopping $200. And, the family did not have a radio.

    Source: 1931 Canada Census, Jeddore, Nova Scotia, population schedule, district 10 (Halifax), subdistrict 25, page 8, dwelling 77, family 77, Earl Wilson Power household ; digital images, Library and Archives Canada, Census of Canada, 1931 (https://recherche-collection-search.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/Census/Index1931 : accessed 17 September 2023).

    Next, up the road in Oyster Pond, there is my grandad Alan Mills and his family. My grandad was 15 years old here living in the household of his widowed mother Arabella Jane Mills. Also living in the house were his old brother Harland, Harland’s wife Ivy, Harland and Ivy’s daughter Elvie. and two other siblings Albert and Florence.

    This house also had eight rooms and was of wood construction. Looks like it was worth a bit more, though. No radio in the Mills household, either. I wrote a previous post about this house.

    Source: 1931 Canada Census, Jeddore, Nova Scotia, population schedule, district 10 (Halifax), subdistrict 25, pages 4-5, dwelling 44, family 44, Arabella Jane Mills household ; digital images, Library and Archives Canada, Census of Canada, 1931 (https://recherche-collection-search.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/Census/Index1931 : accessed 17 September 2023).

    Now, we come up to Ontario to Glanford Township. Here, my Grandpa Clifford Finch, is living in the household of his widowed father Jonathan Finch, a farmer, along with his brother George and sister Catherine (Cassie).

    Real estate is certainly worth more in Ontario. Their house is valued at $2,000. And, this family has a radio. It’s cut off from the snapshot below, but their neighbour was a man named James Marr, who also happened to be the best man at Jonathan Finch’s wedding.

    Source: 1931 Canada Census, Glanford Township, Ontario, population schedule, district 169, subdistrict 33, page 1, dwelling 6, family 7, Jonathan Finch household ; digital images, Library and Archives Canada, 1931 Census of Canada (https://recherche-collection-search.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/census2/index1931 : accessed 14 June 2023).

    So far, I haven’t been able to find my Grandma’s family. I’ll keep browsing or might have to wait until the census is indexed in the months ahead.

    UPDATE. I found my Grandma Hazel Vansickle’s family. She was 15 years old at the time of the census living in the household of her father Allan Vansickle. They rented a farm in Beverly Township, Wentworth County, paying $10 per month.

    Source: 1931 Canada Census, Beverly Township, Ontario, population schedule, district 169, subdistrict 13, page 12, dwelling 147, family 147, Allan Vansickle household ; digital images, Library and Archives Canada, 1931 Census of Canada (https://recherche-collection-search.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/census2/index1931 : accessed 14 June 2023).

  • 1931 Canada Census for Hamilton Beach (Saltfleet Township, Wentworth County, Ontario)

    The 1931 Canada Census has been released albeit unindexed. But, if you know where your ancestors lived (check the searchable 1921 Canada Census for hints) you should be able to find them in the 1931 census (assuming they didn’t move).

    I’ll delve into finding my own ancestors soon, but in the meantime I thought it would be interesting to see who lived at that time on the Beach Strip in Hamilton where I grew up. Below are images of the 1931 Canada Census for Hamilton Beach. In 1931, the Beach Strip was not yet a part of the City of Hamilton but rather a part of the old Saltfleet Township. Keep in mind some of the side streets changed names after annexation. Happy browsing!

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