Leon A. Anguish Was a Telegrapher, But Was He Also a Rolling Stone?

 

Leon A. Anguish, Telegrapher

When I found this photograph of “Mr. Leon Allan Anguish, Telegrapher” at a Victoria, BC antique store, I said to myself, “This one will be easy-peasy.” I thought I would have no problem locating this dapper fellow in the records because of his uncommon surname. Never mind that I did not have a location. The photographer’s imprint with studio name and location had been hacked off the bottom, probably to fit into a frame. I now know I was being somewhat overly optimistic with that off-handed easy comment.

There were a few Leon or L. Anguishes out there. Of course, having a photographer’s location could have narrowed things down. Lucky for me, the top part of photographer’s imprint survived the scissors and I could make out the embossed name, “C.E. Fleming.” The only C.E. Fleming, photographer, I could locate in any of my sources was Clarence Elmer Fleming who operated studios in Wisconsin in the early part of the 20^th century. This was promising time-wise because I had already decided Leon Anguish’s clothing dated to the Edwardian era, primarily because of that stiff 2” high-rounded detachable collar. I perused my Eaton’s Catalogues from 1902 to 1920. These types of detachable collars were common throughout this period, but the tall ones, with the same rounded edges, seem to have been most popular from about 1905-1913 or so. The style of photographic card stock also indicated an early-1900s time frame.

C.E. Fleming operated at studio at Chippewa Falls, Chippewa County, Wisconsin from 1905-06 and at Mondovi in Buffalo County, Wisconsin from 1909-1914. After that C.E.’s son joined him and the company name changes to “C.E. Fleming & Son.” They also open a second studio in Gilmanton, Buffalo County in addition to the Mondovi location. The photographers seem to have closed shop around 1916.

Reverse of photograph

 

As for Leon Anguish, I could not find evidence he was ever in Wisconsin. I was given an occupational clue on the reverse of the photograph: Telegrapher. There may be a word preceding the occupational notation, but I’ve been unable to read it, even with magnification and an attempt at Photoshop wizardry.  I located an L. Anguish (a telegrapher) in Regina, SK in 1949. A 1957 obituary in the Winnipeg Tribune indicates that a Leon Allan Anguish, husband of Grace Stewart Anguish died in that city, aged 71. Unfortunately, no other family relationships are mentioned in the obit, nor does it provide any further biographical information. I can not tell if the Regina individual is the same individual who died in Winnipeg. Corroborating evidence is hard to come by for this research project.

So far we have several locales of interest: Wisconsin, Saskatchewan and Manitoba. We can add Alberta to the mix, too. In 1911, Leon Allan Anguish, of Bassano, Alberta, filed an application for a homestead located at SW15-T26-R14-W4. The application indicates that Leon was born in Ontario.

Leon Allen Anguish was born 18 June 1885 in Rainham, Haldimand County, Ontario. The registration originally recorded his first name as “Levi,” but in 1940, his elder sister Margaret Vida Anguish Sanderson had the record corrected. Leon’s parents are David Anguish and Mary (Jack) Anguish. Leon had several siblings, including James M. (b. abt 1877), the aforementioned Margaret (b. abt 1880), Lance (b. abt 1882), Gordon (b. abt 1895), and L. Willliam (b. about 1898).

So now we also have connections to Ontario. Can we add more locations? Why, yes! There was a Leon Allen Anguish and Grace Amelia Thrasher united in marriage in Hennepin County, Minnesota on 2 Dec 1935. Two of Leon’s brothers born in Rainham emigrated to the US. I didn’t find either in Wisconsin or Minnesota.

What can we conclude from all of this? Well, the only thing I can say is that there is a chance that all of these Leons are the same person. However, it could also be they are distinct individuals, given the variations in name spellings, locations, and lack of repeating details, though I’d be very surprised if there wasn’t some overlap. I was unable to locate Leon in the 1911 or 1921 Canadian Census, the 1916 or 1926 Prairie Provinces Census, or the 1910 or 1920 US Census, which is odd. Perhaps there is an issue with the census transcriptions or recordings of his name. Another explanation might be that he is overseas.

If you have Leon in your tree, I would love to hear from you!

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"Ontario Births, 1869-1912," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FMDN-W6J : 2 March 2021), Leon Allen Auguish, 20 May 1885; citing Birth, Rainham Township, Haldimand, Ontario, Canada, citing Archives of Ontario, Toronto; FHL microfilm 1,845,873.

"Canada Census, 1901," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KH22-M2M : 23 February 2021), Leon Anguish in household of David Anguish, Elgin (west/ouest), Ontario, Canada; citing p. 11, Library and Archives of Canada, Ottawa.

"Michigan Death Certificates, 1921-1952," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KFWG-T73 : 13 March 2018), David Anguish in entry for James M Anguish, 25 May 1950; citing Detroit, Wayne, Michigan, United States, Division for Vital Records and Health Statistics, Lansing; FHL microfilm 1,972,936.

Minnesota Official Marriage System, marriage index for Leon Allen Anguish and Grace Amelia Thrasher, 12/02/1935, certificate # 03710065, Hennepin County. https://moms.mn.gov/

Wisconsin Photographers Index https://www.wisconsinhistory.org/pdfs/WHI-Wisconsin-Photographers-Index-1840-1976.pdf

Winnipeg City Directory 1956 http://peel.library.ualberta.ca/bibliography/921.4.37/386.html

Winnipeg City Directory 1955 http://peel.library.ualberta.ca/bibliography/921.4.36/328.html

Winnipeg City Directory 1958 http://peel.library.ualberta.ca/bibliography/921.5.2/351.html; also 1919, 1920, 1938, 1950, 1952, 1953, 1954, 1960.

Winnipeg Evening Tribune, Leon Allan Anguish obituary, March 6, 1957, page 27.

Alberta, Canada, Homestead Records, 1870-1930, online images, Ancestry.ca (http://www.ancestry.ca), entry for Leon Allan Anguish, Application Date 13 Jun 1911, accessed 27 May 2021, citing Alberta Homestead Records. University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.

Canada, Voters Lists, 1935-1980 [database on-line], Ancestry.ca (http://www.ancestry.ca), entry for L. Anguish & Mrs. L. Anguish, 1949, electoral district of Regina, Saskatchewan, accessed 27 May 2021, citing Voters Lists, Federal Elections, 1935–1980. R1003-6-3-E (RG113-B). Library and Archives Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.