An Update for Edna Louise Parsons Dalling, Born 1896, Manitoba

The four-year-old girl with the amber-tinted ringlets looked abandoned and neglected. I noticed her immediately as I walked into my community thrift shop.  Her cheeks were softly touched with pink and her eyes were fixed a deep sky blue.  When I pulled her down from the wall I soon realized I probably wouldn't be able to find a new home for her because the information on the back of the picture frame was so incomplete. There were names and dates, written in a shaky hand but, unfortunately, there wasn't a location anywhere.  And, she was a wee bit expensive. I didn't want to put her back on the wall.  My husband then commented that the price of the portrait was less than a visit to the coffee shop with friends.  That's all I needed to hear.  Could you have passed her by?

The inscription from the back of this portrait from 1900:  "Edna DALLING, 4 years old.  1896-1998.  Born 1896 March 7th." There was a notation about two other living relatives.  This portrait was found in Parksville, British Columbia. If you knew Edna, or have her in your tree, feel free to contact me.

I originally wrote the above post about Edna Dalling in 2011, during the early days of this blog.  Since then, many new records have been added online.  I thought it might be interesting to see what a search might uncover now, and was pleased to discover that many new passenger lists and  Canadian voter's lists are now available on Ancestry. 

I suspected that Dalling was Edna's married name, because a son, Brian Dalling, is mentioned in an inscription on the back of the frame.  I found an Edna Louise Dalling, age 26 in The Seattle, Washingington Passenger and Crew Lists, 1882 -1897 on Ancestry¹  .  The year was 1923 and Edna was travelling with her husband, Earl Simpson Dalling, and two children, William Ernest (b. abt 1919) and Garth Edward (b. abt 1921). They were headed to Culver City having departed from the port of Vancouver, BC, and listed Earl's father-in-law, Wm. Parsons, Edmonton, Alta, as their nearest relative.

The family seems to have spent a few years in California, where the youngest child, Garth E. Dalling died at age 7².  His is buried in Woodlawn Cemetery, in Los Angeles.

It's unclear as to what exactly happened next, but I found Edna L. Dalling many years later in several voter's lists while she was living in Edmonton, Alberta between 1949 and 1974³,⁴.   I also found her son, William E. Dalling on the 1949 Voter's List for Edmonton East⁵, and then, in 1974, on the Vancouver-Quadra [BC] Voter's List, with his wife Betty and possibly, two sons⁶.  Written on the back of the portrait is a short provenance of the photograph so I knew it belonged at one time to Brian Dalling.  Brian appears on the Vancouver-Quadra list with William. E. Dalling at the same address.  According to the same inscription, Brian's daughter, Eleanor, received the portrait next.

I searched for Edna L. Parsons in the censuses, with a father named William, and found one hit with a matching birth date of the 7 March 1896⁷.   Edna L. parsons was born in Langford, Manitoba, youngest child of William A. and Kathryn Parsons.  In the 1911 census her father is listed as William. A. Parsons, but in other censuses he is shown as Robert W. Parsons⁸.  It appears that Edna had six siblings:  Percy William, Richard N., Edwin, Marnie, Bessie E., and Ernest H.

If you have Edna Louise Parsons Dalling in your tree, I hope you will leave a comment.

  

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1 "Seattle, Washingington Passenger and Crew Lists, 1882 -1897," database, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 23 May 2013), entry for Edna Louise Dalling, age 26, arrived Seattle, Washington, arrived July 1923, [no ship stated].^↩
2Find A Grave, Inc., Find A Grave, digital image (http://www.findagrave.com : accessed 20 May 2013), photograph, “gravestone for Garth E. Dalling (1920-1927), Memorial No. 57522236, Records of the Westlawn Cemetery, Los Angeles, California;” photograph © TLS.^↩
3 “Canada, Voters Lists, 1935-1980.” Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 19 May 2013), entry for Edna L. Dalling, Year: 1949, Edmonton, Alberta, citing Library and Archives Canada; Ottawa, Ontario, Canada; Voters Lists, Federal Elections, 1935-1980; Microfilm reel: M-4871.^↩
4 “Canada, Voters Lists, 1935-1980.” Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 19 May 2013), entry for Edna L. Dalling, Year: 1974, Edmonton, Alberta, citing Library and Archives Canada; Ottawa, Ontario, Canada; Voters Lists, Federal Elections, 1935-1980; Microfilm reel: M-4871.^↩
5 “Canada, Voters Lists, 1935-1980.” Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 19 May 2013), entry for William E. Dalling, Year: 1949, Edmonton, Alberta, citing Library and Archives Canada; Ottawa, Ontario, Canada; Voters Lists, Federal Elections, 1935-1980; Microfilm reel: M-4871.^↩
6 “Canada, Voters Lists, 1935-1980.” Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 19 May 2013), entry for William E. Dalling, Year: 1974, Vancouver-Quadra, BC, citing Library and Archives Canada; Ottawa, Ontario, Canada; Voters Lists, Federal Elections, 1935-1980; Microfilm reel: M-4871.^↩
7 1901 census of Canada, Langford, MacDonald, Manitoba, population schedule, enumeration district (ED) 8, subdistrict # E-4, p.5 (penned), family 41, Edna L. Parsons in household of Robert W. Parsons family; digital image, Ancestry.ca (http://www.ancestry.ca : accessed 20 May 2013); citing Library and Archives Canada microfilm T-6428 to T-6556.^↩
8 1911 census of Canada, Portage la Praire, Manitoba, population schedule, enumeration district (ED) 20, subdistrict # 11, p.1 (penned), family 3, Edna L. Parsons in household of William A. Parsons, digital image, Ancestry.ca (http://www.ancestry.ca : accessed May 23, 2013), citing microfilm LAC microfilm T-20326 to T-20460^↩

From Your Affectionate Father: George Ernest Duke, Calgary, Alberta, 1905

George Ernest Duke has signed his portrait, "With Love, From Your Affectionate Father, Geo. Ernest Duke, Xmas 1905."  The image was taken by E. B. Curlette, a prominent Calgary photographer who operated in the city from 1899 through to the 1940s.

In 1901, there was a George Ernest Duke, Tobacco Merchant, living in Calgary with his wife Myrtle¹; He was born May 21, 1858 in England and immigrated to Canada with his wife around 1895.  In 1911, George and Myrtle lived at 511 - 4th Avenue West, Calgary².  No children resided with the couple.  While the birth dates are all wildly different in the 1901, 1906 and 1911 censuses, I think these are the same couple throughout.  George is listed as either a tobacconist, or tobacco merchant.  The immigration years are fairly consistent, with the exception of one census.  More research would have to be done to tie the George Ernest Duke in the Canadian censuses to the following family.

In 1881, there is a George and "Myrtilla" Duke, and daughter Zoi [Zoe?] M. H. Duke, three years old, who lived in West Dean, Sussex, England³.  Zoe was the second child born to the couple; their first was George Lewis Duke, born 18 Feb 1876 near Chichester, West Dean⁴.   Another Duke child, named Edwin Ernest, was born in 25 Sep 1881, also near Chichester⁵.  It is possible that George Lewis died in infancy, since he does not appear in any of the censuses with his parents. 

I was unable to find the family's immigration records to Canada online, but the search was neither exhaustive nor thorough and I am optimistic that one could be found.  I searched for Zoe on Google and I lucked out.  Archives Canada has a brief biography online about Zoe, which you can read here.  It gives her immigration year as 1896, which are in the same ballpark as the Dukes I found in the Calgary censuses.  Zoe was a painter and the Glenbow Archives in Calgary has collected her papers and work.  She married Sidney J. L. Dunning, a member of the Northwest Mounted Police in 1898 which may explain why she was not in the household of her parents in the 1901 Canadian census.

An obituary for George E. Duke appears in the August 31, 1925 issue of the Calgary Daily Herald.  While it sounds as if George has always lived with his daughter in Calgary, the censuses say something else.  I've looked at the 1901, 1906 and 1911 censuses for Zoe M. H. Dunning and George E. is not living with her in any of them.  She was living in Saskatchewan for all three.  As the Archives Canada biography states, she moved back to Calgary in 1918, around the time of her mother's death the same year.

If we have the correct George Ernest Duke, this photograph would have been a Christmas gift to Zoe from her father.  I think the chances are good that I'm on the right track with my findings, but as always, we would require more research and a second photograph of George Ernest Duke to compare with ours to be certain.  If you have a photo of the Mr. Duke described in this blog, I'd love to hear from you.

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1 1901 census of Canada, Calgary (Centre), Alberta, The Territories, population schedule, enumeration district (ED) 202, subdistrict # R-1, p.11 (penned), dwelling 88, family 89, George S. Duke family; digital image, Ancestry.ca (http://www.ancestry.ca : accessed 19 May 2013); citing Library and Archives Canada microfilm T-6428 through T-6556.^↩
2 1911 census of Canada, Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, population schedule, enumeration district (ED) 1, subdistrict # 2, p.1 (penned), dwelling 5, family 5, George Duke family, digital image, Ancestry.ca (http://www.ancestry.ca : accessed May 19, 2013), citing microfilm LAC microfilm T-20326 to T-20460^↩
3 “1881 England Census,” database, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 19 May 2013), entry for George E. Duke (age 30), citing PRO RG11; Piece: 1136; Folio: 87; Page: 12; Westbourne registration district, Westbourne subdistrict, ED 18c, schedule line number 57, GSU roll: 1341277.^↩
4 "England Births and Christenings, 1538-1975," index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/ND9Y-CMT : accessed 20 May 2013), George Ernest Duke in entry for George Lewis Duke, 18 Feb 1876.^↩
5 "England Births and Christenings, 1538-1975," index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/J3LL-XV4 : accessed 20 May 2013), George Ernest Duke in entry for Edwin Ernest Duke, 25 Sep 1881.^↩

David and Cornelia Crammond, Frontenac County, Ontario, Bef. 1865

The reverse of this carte de visite photograph has two inscriptions on the back.  The first, in fountain ink, "Mr & Mrs. David Crammond" and, the second, more recently, in ballpoint pen, "Grandmother Dunham's Mother & Father."

The photographer's imprint simply reads, "Sheldon Photographer, Kingston, O.W [Ottawa West?]."  We can narrow the time frame down to 1857-1865 because in 1866, Henry K. Sheldon, the only photographer in Kingston at the time with that surname, teamed up with Richard F. Davis, in the photographic partnership "Sheldon & Davis" which lasted until 1900¹.  In the "General Directory for the City of Kingston and Gazetter of the Counties of Frontenac, Lennox and Addington for 1865", H.K. Sheldon works out of his home on King Street, near Brock.

I located a David Crammond family living in Wolf Island, Frontenac County in the 1861 Canada Census².  The family was comprised of:

David Crammond, b. 1825, Scotland, a farmer
Cornelia Crammond, b. 1833, Upper Canada
Barbary Crammond, b. 1828, Scotland
Adaline Crammond, b. 1849, Upper Canada
Hannah Crammond, b. 1850, Upper Canada
Ester A. Crammond, b. 1852, Upper Canada
Samantha M. Crammond, b. 1853, Upper Canada
Mallissa Crammond, b. 1855, Upper Canada
Anson Mitchell, b. 1855, Upper Canada
Alice E. Crammond, b. 1857, Upper Canada
James Mitchell., b. 1857, Upper Canada

The David and Cornelia Crammond family can also be found in the 1871 Canada Census still living in Wolf Island.  But how can we know we have the correct Crammond family?  Well, the second inscription does give us a valuable bit of information to research further.  We know that one of David Crammond's daughters married a man with the surname "Dunham."

A search of Ontario Marriages lands a good result.  On the 24th of January 1871, the couple's eldest daughter, Adaline Oliva [Olivia?  Oliver?] Crammond, 22 years of age, married William Dunham, an engineer from Cape Vincent.  They married in Wolfe Island³.  Her mother is listed as "Melissa Bush" and not Cornelia. There are several possibilities for the different name, including the possibility of name variations.  In my own family tree I have one distant aunt who went by no less than four forenames during her lifetime. I think the most likely reason in this case, is that Melissa is Adaline's mother, and she may have passed away prior to 1861.  If so, then the woman in the photograph would be Cornelia, Adaline's step-mother.

UPDATE:  July 19, 2013. 

Anne, who has researched this family, sent in the following supplemental information on the David Crammond families:
 
"If the photo is of Adeline (nee Crammond) Dunham’s mother Melissa Bush it would have to be taken after the birth of her youngest child Alice and before her death - pre husbands 2nd marriage 7 June 1859 (i.e. 1857/8- June 1859)

If the photo is of Adeline’s step mother Cornelia (nee Abbott) Mitchell then most likely taken post 7 June 1859 marriage to David Crammond. (June 1859-1865)

David Crammond -
1st marriage- Melissa Bush – date/place unknown (died post c 1857/8 birth of daughter Alice and pre his 7 June 1859 2nd marriage)

Children of David Crammond and Melissa Bush
a. Adeline Olivia born c 1849 married 24 Jan 1871 to William Dunham (lists mother Melissa Bush)

b. Hannah May c 1851 m 24 Feb 1879 Moses Jay Knapp (lists mother Malissa)

c. Ester Ann born 21 July 1852(per tombstone), born pre 2nd marriage- assumed d/o Melissa Bush

d. Michael 1854 (1871 census) born pre 2nd marriage assumed d/o Melissa Bush

e. Samantha Melvina b 28 Dec 1855 US, m 26 Oct 1881 James Donnelly – (lists mother Melissa Bush)

f. Melissa 1856 m 20 Dec 1882 Mathew Robert Davis – (lists mother Melissa Bush)

g. James 1857 (1871 census) born pre 2nd marriage – assumed d/o Melissa Bush

h. Alice c 1858 m 10 May 1882 William Henry Ross –lists mother Melissa Bush


2nd marriage – 7 June 1859 to Cornelia Abbott at St Andrew’s Presbyterian Church, Kingston, Ontario
(OGS Publication -Registers 1821-1869 St. Andrews Presbyterian Church Kingston, Ontario)
Cornelia Abbott was the widow of James Mitchell ( died 2 April 1857) - 3 sons of this marriage – Anglican Church, Wolfe Island baptism Edward Alexander Mitchell born March 19 1854, St Andrew’s Presbyterian church, Wolfe Island - baptism Anson Mitchell born 21 July 1855 , death /obituary of James Mitchell born 23 July 1858 Wolfe Island.

3rd marriage – 14 September 1883 Elizabeth Porteous"

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1 Phillips, Glen C., "The Ontario Photographer's List Volume I (1851-1900)," Global Heritage Press, Milton, Ontario, Canada, 2002, p.41^↩
2 "Ontario Census, 1861," index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/MQ7Z-MW2 : accessed 15 May 2013), David Crammond, 1861.^↩
3 "Ontario Marriages, 1869-1927," index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/FMF5-D4Z : accessed 15 May 2013), William Dunham and Adaline Oliva Crammand, 1871.^↩