robertfinch.ca

Category: Genealogy

  • Nancy Ellen (Reed) Finch, 1881-1917

    Nancy Ellen (Reed) Finch, 1881-1917

    My great-grandmother, Nancy Ellen Reed, was born on this day in 1881. I have only recently starting delving into the Reed line in my family tree. But, others have done quite a bit of research already. I thought a nice way to celebrate her birthday was to build out her profile on Wikitree.

    Nancy Ellen Reed was one of seven children born to Nathaniel and Harriet (Howard) Reed. The family lived in Glanford Township, Wentworth County, Ontario where Nathaniel was a farmer for many years. Eventually, they moved to Hamilton.

    On April 23, 1903, Nancy married Jonathan Wesley Finch, my great-grandfather. Together they had five children: Margaret, George, Nile, Charity “Cassie”, and Eric Clifford (my grandpa).

    Around 1910, Nancy and Jonathan – along with her parents – took the family west to Birtle, Manitoba. I’m not certain why they decided to go to what looks to me like the middle of nowhere. Perhaps cheap land and better job prospects influenced their decision. Clearly, though, they felt their future was brighter on the Prairies.

    Unfortunately, it didn’t turn out the way they expected. Nancy’s mother, Harriet, died in 1911. Then, sadly, in 1917 Nancy Ellen died as a result of childbirth complications a week after my grampa was born. She was only 36 years old. Soon after, the family returned to Ontario.

    I knew very little about my great grandmother growing up. I just knew that my grampa never knew his mother as she had died shortly after giving birth to him. My cousin shares her name, so it’s nice that her legacy lives on.

    My Dad’s cousin Verna shared pictures with me of both Nancy Ellen’s and her mother’s grave markers, two monuments to remind us of our family’s brief presence on the Prairies. They’re buried in a small cemetery in Solsgirth, Manitoba. It looks like a very peaceful spot. One day I hope to visit this cemetery “in the middle of nowhere” and pay a visit to these women.

    Grave markers of my great-great grandmother Harriet (Howard) Reed and my great grandmother Nancy Ellen (Reed) Finch, Saint James Anglican Cemetery, Solsgirth, Manitoba. Photo taken by Verna Loewith.
  • Identifying an unknown soldier

    Identifying an unknown soldier

    Coming across old family photos can be a genealogy goldmine. Unfortunately though, so many of these pictures can’t be identified because there are no names written on the backs and people who might know anything are long gone. But, sometimes we can follow the breadcrumbs and make a pretty good guess as to who the person in the photograph is. Such was the case of this photograph that was in an album belonging to my great grandmother Arabella (Mitchell) Mills. Another family member has a framed, colourized version of the same picture. So, clearly this individual held some importance to our family at some point.

    The photo of this unknown soldier was taken by Fred Bremner, a Scottish photographer known for his portraiture work in British India in the late 1800s. But, that’s the only information I had. I shared the photo on a Facebook group specializing in identifying British miliary uniforms, and the consensus was that this gentleman was a gunner in the Royal Artillery circa 1890. A little bit more information, but still no idea who this could be. I put the photo aside and turned my genealogy research elsewhere.

    Then, last weekend I went down the shaky leaf rabbit hole on Ancestry. Sometimes these hints can be really helpful. I got a hint while researching my great grandfather’s family in Liverpool, England. Very little was known about them because he died in the First World War. My own grandad never met his father as he had gone off to war before my grandad was born.

    There was a hint for my great grandfather’s brother Frederick. Apparently, he served in the military. I was able to fetch his entire military service records from Find My Past (as an aside, I also discovered that you can purchase individial records on FMP instead of having to take out an expensive subscription).

    Anyway, it turns out that Frederick Arthur Mills (my great-great uncle) was a gunner in the Royal Artillery. He served twelve years in the Royal Artillery from 1887 to 1899 – and most of that time he was stationed in India! The evidence suggests that the unknown soldier is most likely my great grandfather’s brother Frederick Arthur Mills.

    Frederick Arthur Mills was the oldest son of Frederick Deaton Luscombe Mills and Alice Lyon and was born 28 April 1866 in Liverpool . He married Elizabeth Winrow in 1895, a few months after returning to England from India. I need to do further research on whether or not they had a family of their own. But, for now it’s nice to put a name to a face.

  • Gladys Pearl Mills, 1945-2021

    Gladys Pearl Mills, 1945-2021

    This past weekend, my aunt Gladys died at the age of 76. She hated being called “Aunt” so we just called her Gladys. For fun, we’d sometimes write “Aunt Gladys” on Christmas cards. Ha. Growing up, my family along with my Nan would visit her on Saturday nights at her apartment in Hamilton. We’d enjoy a big “lunch” consisting of cold cuts, cheese, cookies, cake, you name it and listen to music and catch up on family news (aka gossip). That was a Saturday night tradition.

    Gladys was the fourth daughter of Alan and Rose (Power) Mills. She grew up in Oyster Pond, Nova Scotia. She was the baby of the family (hence her nickname “Babe”) until my mother came along four years later.

    Condolences to Angie, Rosie, Donna, and Jerry and their families.

    Here is a link to Gladys’ obituary published in the Hamilton Spectator: 
    https://www.arbormemorial.ca/lgwallace/obituaries/gladys-pearl-babe-mills/75247

    Gladys and her father Alan Mills
    Gladys (front centre) and her sisters