Fresh Eyes On: George McDonald of 265 Victoria Drive, Vancouver

Sometimes I like to revisit "cold cases" in hopes of finding new leads. Records are added to online databases everyday, and repositories are continually scanning and digitizing their collections. I decided to have another look at one of my posts from 2012.  Below is the original blog post.  Please have a read through and I'll pick up where I left off almost four years ago.

Somewhat a Shame Wednesday: Geo McDonald, Glasgow, Scotland and Vancouver, BC, 1890s
Aug 1, 2012

This chromotype carte de visite features an older man with an amazing white beard, taken at the J. Whyte Studio in Glasgow, Scotland.  On the reverse we have an handwritten inscription:

The problem here is the "Mrs." in front of Geo McDonald.  Clearly the subject is not a Mrs, so we aren't sure if Mrs. Geo McDonald is the man's wife, a recipient of the photo or if, perhaps, a mistake was made with the Mrs. part.  The reason I include the latter possibility is because I have a photograph taken at the same studio, probably at the same time, of an older woman.  These photos were found together and this photo of the woman has a similar inscription in the same hand on the back:

Notice that this one doesn't have the Mrs. part.  Could the inscriber have mixed up the labelling on these?
This second back also provides an additional clue. There is a studio stamp on the back "The Convex Art & Novelty [Company]."  On David Mattison's Camera Workers site, he shows that this studio was owned by T. Elf, a photographer who operated out of 3 - 319 W. Pender St., Vancouver, BC in 1911.  The address, "265 Victoria Drive" is also a Vancouver address.  I could only find one match for a George McDonald at this address in the year 1911 (Henderson's Greater Vancouver Directory):

George McDonald, emp. P. Burns & Co. Ltd.  h.265 Victoria Dr. 

The images look to be of mid-1890s vintage, and J. Whyte was in business at 75 Jamaica Street from 1893 to 1897.

So, are the images of a Mr & Mrs. George McDonald?  Are they the recipients?  Is G. McDonald simply making copies of the original J. Whyte cdvs at the Convex Art & Novelty Company? I suspect (but have no proof) that George MacDonald may be a son or son-in-law to the man in the photo.  If George McDonald  is employed in 1911, then George is not the man in the photo.  If the original image was taken in 1895, and we guess the man's age to be 75 at the time the photo was taken, the gentleman would be 91 years old in 1911.

What are your thoughts?

May 22, 2016

I had a look at the problem with fresh eyes and decided to spend some more time looking into the residents of 265 Victoria Drive, Vancouver. I don't know why I didn't find this in my earlier search, but this time I located the 1916 WW1 Attestation Paper for a 40-year-old George McDonald whose residence is listed as 265 Victoria Drive, Vancouver, BC¹. George was signing up for the Canadian Over-Seas Expeditionary Force and lists his wife, Margaret, as his next-of-kin. According to his answers on the attestation, George was born in Dornoch, Sutherlandshire, Scotland on the 21st March 1876.

I could not find a George McDonald in the 1881 Scotland Census who matched perfectly with the birthdate George provided in his attestation paper.  I'm unsure of Canada's age limit for enlistment  prior to conscription in 1917. In Britain, the upper limit was 40 years of age. After conscription began, Canadian soldiers had to be between the ages of 18 and 45. Perhaps George was attempting to look younger on paper. I did find the following family, and I believe our George is the seven-year-old scholar².

In the 1881 census, the M[a]cDonald household in Shepherd's House, Dornoch, Sutherland, Scotland was comprised of:

Simon Macdonald, 40, Shepherd
Isabella Macdonald, 41, Shepherd's wife
Christina Macdonald, 14, Shepherd's daughter
Jane Macdonald, 11, Scholar
George Macdonald, 7, Scholar
Donald Macdonald, 5, Shepherd's son
Isabella Macdonald, 2, Shepherd's daughter

On Familysearch.org, I found George Mcdonald's birth transcription with a birthdate of 20 Mar 1874³. George died in train accident in 1951.  The birthdate on the official death record, with information provided by his son, is 21 March 1874⁴.

So, what do we know?  We can guess that these two photographs were in the possession of Mr. & Mrs. Geo McDonald of 265 Victoria Drive. We still don't know who the two photographed individuals are. We are in a better position to speculate, though.  It could be a portrait of George's parents:  Simon McDonald and Isabella Grant McDonald.  Or they could be Margaret's parents.  Margaret's father's name, as listed on her death record in 1920, was Peter McLaughlin⁵.  Margaret was almost a decade older than her husband George. I think the dates work out more in favour of the man in the image to be her father, Peter. But of course, that's a wild guess.

I tried to find out more about Margaret's family, so I could see if someone has posted portraits online of Peter McLaughlin and his wife, but was unable to follow the trail for Margaret with any positive result. Maybe a kind reader can help with this mystery.

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1 Canada, Soldiers of the First World War, 1914-1918, digital image, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 20 May 2016), British Columbia, Vancouver, 158th (Overseas) Btln., George McDonald entry, dated 1 March 1916; citing Record Group 150, Accession 1992-93/166, Box 4930 - 35. Library and Archives Canada, Ottawa.^↩
2 “1881 Scotland Census,” database, Ancestry.com (htpp://www.ancestry.com : accessed 18 May 2016), entry for George Macdonald [b.] abt 1874, Dornoch, Sutherland, Scotland.^↩
3 "Scotland Births and Baptisms, 1564-1950," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FQRF-R68 : accessed 23 May 2016), George Mcdonald, 20 Mar 1874; citing DORNOCH,SUTHERLAND,SCOTLAND, reference ; FHL microfilm 6,035,516.^↩
4 "British Columbia Death Registrations, 1872-1986; 1992-1993", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FLRR-HJ5 : accessed 23 May 2016), George Mcdonald, 1951.^↩
5 "British Columbia Death Registrations, 1872-1986; 1992-1993", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FLKN-6BJ : accessed 23 May 2016), Margaret Mcdonald, 1920.^↩

Who is John Bull of Hillcrest Mill, Duncan, BC?

I acquired this image in a Victoria, BC antique shop about five years ago. The photographer's imprint on the front reads, "A. Savard, Vancouver, B.C," probably Alphonse Savard, a Vancouver photographer who operated out of his studio at 225 Carrall Street from 1896-1899, and after that at 4 Cordova Street East, until about 1916¹.

On the reverse, there is a notation written in pencil: 
"Mr. John Bull
Hillcrest Mill
Duncan, BC"

There is also the photographer's negative number stamped on the back: 934543.

Duncan, BC is located on Vancouver Island, a couple of hours away via ferry from Vancouver. The research I've done into John Bull hasn't provided any worthwhile leads. There are a number of John Bulls in various censuses and vital statistic records, but without more specific information, I can't really narrow it down to which one it might be.

Perhaps the best course of action would be to look into the Hillcrest Mill history. I believe the mill was located at a place called Sahtlam.

To read a brief history of the Hillcrest Lumber Mill at Sahtlam, click here.

And that's all. So. The big question is, does "Mr. John Bull" represent the identity of one of the subjects of the photograph or does it refer to the recipient of the photo?

Can anyone help identify these two men?

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1 Camera Workers 1858-1950 Website by David Mattison, http://cameraworkers.davidmattison.com/getperson.php?personID=I49&tree=cw18581950^↩

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^↩

Another Boy Lost: Two-Year-Old Hugh James McKerracher, Circa 1920-1925, Ontario or Manitoba

I haven't posted a postcard portrait here on FPR for a while.   I've been avoiding this one because, in my preliminary research, I had issues with the surname.  On the reverse is the following note, written by May "MacHerracher."  At least that's how I read her handwriting.  When an author writes their own surname, I'm inclined to go with their spelling as they, of all people, would know the correct one.

So this one befuddled me, because May appears to spell her last name with MAC.  But I even had an issue with the K.  It looked to me like she was spelling MacHerracher, which is a fairly uncommon variant of McKerracher.  I searched for any MacHerrachers in Ancestry.ca and came up with a sum total of two hits.  I tried McHerracher.  Four hits.  Anywhere.  The Library and Archives Canada Genealogy site came up with zero for both MacHerracher and McHerracher.

So I went with my instinct.  In my paper notes I had been "misspelling" the name I saw on the postcard consistently as McKerracher.   I conceded that perhaps I was reading May's 'K' as an 'H' erroneously.  Her handwriting is quite swirly.   I clearly see "Mac," though.  I tried the search as MacKerracher (again, nothing great showed up).  However, when I tried McKerracher, I found one possibility.

My first hit was on the www.canadaatwar.ca website.   Hugh James McKerracher, a sergeant with Royal Winnipeg Rifles died July 5, 1944 and is buried at Beny-sur-mer Canadian War Cemetery in Normandy.  He probably died at the Battle for Caen. 

My next stop was Library and Archives Canada Second World War Service Files: Canadian Armed Forces War Dead record for Hugh James McKerracher.  His mother is listed in the index as E. Mae McKerracher of Arnprior, Ontario.

According to  the Manitoba Marriage Index (Reg# 1919, 033167) Elisabeth May Kennedy married Lester Hugh James McKerracher in Winnipeg, Manitoba on the 18th of June 1919.  As we are just out of reach of available birth records because of the 100-year-old rule, I couldn't find Hugh James McKerracher's birth online at the Manitoba Vital Records site.  Nor are there any censuses available that cover this time period in Canada.

So is this the correct Hugh James McKerracher?  Did this young boy die as a young man on the battlefield in France in 1944?  It is a possibility, but with all of this name confusion we can't be sure.   I also don't know what May's connection might have been with Vancouver.  It sounds as if she may have lived there at one time.   We're open to theories, folks.  Let me know if you have a lead, clue or hunch that we might follow.

Somewhat a Shame Wednesday: Geo McDonald, Glasgow, Scotland and Vancouver, BC, 1890s

This chromotype carte de visite features an older man with an amazing white beard, taken at the J. Whyte Studio in Glasgow, Scotland.  On the reverse we have an handwritten inscription:

The problem here is the "Mrs." in front of Geo McDonald.  Clearly the subject is not a Mrs, so we aren't sure if Mrs. Geo McDonald is the man's wife, a recipient of the photo or if, perhaps, a mistake was made with the Mrs. part.  The reason I include the latter possibility is because I have a photograph taken at the same studio, probably at the same time, of an older woman.  These photos were found together and this photo of the woman has a similar inscription in the same hand on the back:

Notice that this one doesn't have the Mrs. part.  Could the inscriber have mixed up the labelling on these?
This second back also provides an additional clue. There is a studio stamp on the back "The Convex Art & Novelty [Company]."  On David Mattison's Camera Workers site, he shows that this studio was owned by T. Elf, a photographer who operated out of 3 - 319 W. Pender St., Vancouver, BC in 1911.  The address, "265 Victoria Drive" is also a Vancouver address.  I could only find one match for a George McDonald at this address in the year 1911 (Henderson's Greater Vancouver Directory):

George McDonald, emp. P. Burns & Co. Ltd.  h.265 Victoria Dr. 

The images look to be of mid-1890s vintage, and J. Whyte was in business at 75 Jamaica Street from 1893 to 1897.

So, are the images of a Mr & Mrs. George McDonald?  Are they the recipients?  Is G. McDonald simply making copies of the original J. Whyte cdvs at the Convex Art & Novelty Company? I suspect (but have no proof) that George MacDonald may be a son or son-in-law to the man in the photo.  If George McDonald  is employed in 1911, then George is not the man in the photo.  If the original image was taken in 1895, and we guess the man's age to be 75 at the time the photo was taken, the gentleman would be 91 years old in 1911.

What are your thoughts? 

Percival Norris Waind and his sister, Lorena Maud Waind, Elora, Ontario, Circa 1892

I almost made this a "What-A-Shame" post because of the very rough condition of the cabinet card.  But, I guess we should look on the bright side:  the image is still there and now it can be copied and saved for future generations.  I hope you can make out the young boy's thick curls in the portrait.  He's quite the dapper young man.  The pair are identified on the back of the cabinet card as "Percy & Lora Waind."  It is inscribed "for Barbara."  The image was taken by either Thomas Connon or his son, John Connon, in Elora, Ontario around 1892.

Percival Waind, born on the 14th of March 1887, was the eldest child of Mark and Elizabeth Waind¹.  His sister, Laura (Lorena Maud), came into the world on December 4th, 1889 in Puslinch Township², Ontario.   The family later lived in Elora, Ontario.  The pair had four other siblings:  Wilber, Warren H., Carman and Frances.

By 1911, Percy and Lorena's father had died, leaving Elizabeth with two children under the age of 18.  Percy and Lorena, who were both in their early-to-mid twenties at the time of the 1911 Canada Census, were still living at home, probably to help their mother out.  Percy was employed as a book-keeper, while Lorena worked as a nurse³.

On September 25, 1919, Percy married 27-year-old Laura McBrine, daughter of Lewis and Martha (Walker) McBrine in Waterloo County, Ontario⁴.  Sadly, the couple did not have a long marriage together.  Just less than six months after their vows, Percival was stricken with influenza, and died⁵.  He was buried on Valentine's Day, 1920.

Lorena Waind married Joseph Elmer Wright on August 28, 1912, in Vancouver⁶. According to a tree I found on Ancestry, which I can not confirm or verify, the couple had one child, Charlotte Waind Wright.  According to the same tree, Lorena Maud Waind died on the 11th of July, 1981.

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1 1901 census of Canada, Elora, Wellington, Ontario, population schedule, enumeration district (ED) 134, subdistrict # B2, p.6 (penned), dwelling 67, family 67, Mark Waind family; digital image, Ancestry.ca (http://www.ancestry.ca : accessed 1 July 2012); citing Library and Archives Canada microfilm T-6428 through T-6556.^↩
2 Ontario, Births and Baptisms, 1779-1899," index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/XLYV-28K : accessed 9 July 2012), Lorena Maud Waind, 1889.^↩
3 1911 census of Canada, Elora, Wellington, Ontario, population schedule, enumeration district (ED) 134, subdistrict # B2, p.9 (penned), dwelling 119, family 120, Elizabeth Waind family, digital image, Ancestry.ca (http://www.ancestry.ca : accessed July 1, 2012), citing microfilm LAC microfilm T-20326 to T-20460^↩
4 "British Columbia Marriage Registrations, 1859-1932," index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/JD8Z-GJC : accessed 9 July 2012), Lorena Waind, 1912.^↩
5 Percival Norris Waind, Death Registration 041152 (11 Feb 1920); “Ontario, Canada, Deaths, 1869-1938 and Deaths Overseas, 1939-1947,” digital image, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 1 July 2012), citing microfilm MS935, reel 273, Archives of Ontario, Toronto.^↩
6 "British Columbia Marriage Registrations, 1859-1932," index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/JD8Z-GJC : accessed 9 July 2012), Lorena Waind, 1912.^↩

The Story of a Miner and His Son: The Two John Mochars, Nanaimo BC, circa 1896

Little Johnny Mochar was photographed sometime around 1896 by John Wallace Sampson at Sampson's Diamond City Studio in Nanaimo, Vancouver Island, BC.  According to David Mattison's Camera Workers website, which has an inventory of early BC photographers, John Wallace Sampson purchased his studio from E. L. Boyden in 1886 and was in business for approximately six years (or perhaps closer to ten years as this photograph appears to have been taken in 1896).  The photograph is identified, "Johnny Mochar" on the reverse. 

There is an entry in the BC Marriage Index, 1872-1935 on Ancestry.com, that shows John Mochar married Christina Tausche in Nanaimo on the 24 November 1894.

In the 1901 Canada Census, the spelling of John's surname is Mocher.  The family is living in Nanaimo South:
John Mocher, 42, b. Dec. 15, 1868, Austria, imm., 1888., occupation: coal miner
Christina Mocher, 38, b. Nov. 30, 1872, Austria, imm., 1893
John Mocher, 16, b. May 14, 1895, BC
Frank Mocher, 9, b. Apr. 12 1900, BC

Sadly, Frank Joseph Mochar, died at age 3, on May 3rd, 1903 (British Columbia, Canada, Death Index, 1872-1990. Ancestry.com)

It's very rare to locate documents that let us "hear" the voice of the people we research. In my search for information on the Mochar family I discovered that John Mochar, Sr. was called to provide testimony in the "Report of the Royal Commission on Industrial Disputes in the Province of British Columbia," issued by the Department of Labour, Canada in 1903.  Coal miners at the Extension mine had voted to unionize, and the Wellington Colliery Co. Ltd, owned by Mr. Dunsmuir, was now under investigation for their treatment of the workers.  While a bit too lengthy to include in the body of this post, I have provided a link to that testimony, taken at Extension, BC on May 8, 1903, here.  It's interesting to note that Mochar is testifying only five days after the death of his son, Frank Joseph.  I discovered a fascinating book at my public library that takes a detailed look at the coal industry in Nanaimo and Ladysmith, BC as well as the business practices of the Dunsmuirs.  If you are interested in this subject, I highly recommend John R. Hinde's When Coal Was King.

I'm not sure what John Mochar, Sr. did for employment immediately after leaving his mining job, but on the front page of the December 2nd, 1905 issue of the Victoria newspaper, The Daily Colonist, a report on Nanaimo businesses states, "The Nanaimo Hotel property of Robert Evans, who for thirty years has successfully conducted it, was sold tonight to John Mochar."  The 1909 & 1910 city directory listings for Nanaimo show John Mochar as the proprietor of the Nanaimo Hotel.

There would soon be more changes for the Mochar family.  In the 1911 Canada Census I found the family on the mainland at 1035 Pender Street in Vancouver, BC, where John Mochar operated a "lodging home."  He had 15 tenants at that location.  The Mochar's Argyll Rooms Lodging Home has been gone for quite a while now, replaced by high rises and business towers.  John Mochar, Jr. has two more siblings on that census:

John Mochar, 42, b. Dec. 1868, Austria, imm., 1888.
Christina Mochar, 38, b. Nov. 1872, Austria, imm., 1893
John, 16, b. May 1895, BC
Johanna, 9, b. Aug. 1901, BC
Joseph, 5, b. Oct. 1905, BC

John, Sr. moves the family to 3510 Sophia in 1915, and then to 475 Broadway, where the family will reside until at least 1940.  In the 1920 Vancouver directory, John, Sr. is operating a grocery at 479 Broadway. 

John Mochar, Jr. headed to the US for work sometime between 1915 and 1917 because he registered (as an alien) for the World War I Draft in Washington State.  According to his draft registration card, he is living on South Mission, in Wenatchee and is working as a farm hand for Bart Svetko.  The birth information on the card matches the information shown above.  John, Jr. doesn't stay there long, and is back in BC by at least 1920.

In the early 20's he appears to be employed at his father's grocery, and then becomes an insurance agent for New York Life.  In 1930 John Mochar, Jr. gets a clerk job with Vancouver City Parks, a job he holds for many years.

In May 1934 John, Jr. marries (Laura) Mary Owens.   John, Sr. died on the 24th of April 1945 at the age of 76 in Vancouver.   Christina Tausche Mochar passed away in 1936.  John, Jr., died on the 18th of December 1972, in Vancouver.  He, too,  was 76 years old.

John Mochar, Jr. and his wife Laura Mary (d.1978), are buried in Mountain View Cemetery.

A Genealogist's Dream: Lily Vera Duncan, Rockland, Ontario, 1902

This girl is a star in my book.  She inscribed the back of her photo so there would be no question about her identity.  She lets us know that her name is Lily Vera Duncan, but that she goes by the name Vera.  She gives us her birth date:  November 26, 1891.  She tells us when this photo was taken:  Dec. '02, so we know that she has just turned 11 years old in this photograph.  She even tells us that the intended recipients were  "Arthur and Vina."  The front of the photo gives us a location.

Her birth record is easy to find.  A search of the Ontario, Canada Births, 1869-1913 database leads us to her birth record which  shows Lily Vera Duncan was born on the date Vera provides on the photo, in Rockland, Prescott & Russell County, Ontario.  Her parents are James Duncan and Ellen F. V. Woodly.

Vera shows up in the 1901 Canadian Census for Rockland, Russell, Ontario living with her parents James A. Duncan, 54 and Ellen Duncan, 41, with her siblings Clarence, 14; Elsie, 13; and her grandmother, Susan Woodley, 81. 

I can not find Vera in the 1911 or 1916 census.  I don't see her in the US Census, either.  I find her again in the British Columbia Marriages database, when on the 3rd of September 1913, she marries Nelson A. Harkness in Vancouver, BC.  I noticed that there is a Nelson Alexander Harkness attending the University of Chicago in 1912.  Perhaps they married after he graduated.

I thought I'd check to see if Nelson Harkness served in the First World War.  He joined the Canadian Overseas Expeditionary Force as a Chaplain and on his attestation paper he lists his address as Westbank, BC.  His wife is listed as Vera L. Harkness.

According to the British Columbia Death Index, Vera died 11 July 1972 at the age of 80 years.