52 Ancestors: #2 - Robert Allan Farrell (1927-1962)

My father, Robert Allan Farrell, was born on April 26, 1927 in Abernethy, Saskatchewan, Canada to Robert and Helen “Nellie” (Devlin) Farrell.  He was the second oldest boy of their six children, two of which died in infancy.  Unfortunately, I don’t know a lot about my father as he died when I was only 9 months old.

When Allan (as he was known) was 12 years old, he developed juvenile diabetes.  Like most children in the area, he attended the one room Tipperary school where he completed his Grade XI.  Unlike his two brothers, Forbes and John (Jack), Allan did not go into farming but became a mechanic, working for Greenfield Motors.

On January 8, 1951, Allan was initiated into Nanatah Masonic Lodge #53 in Balcarres, Saskatchewan and was raised a Master Mason on August 13, 1951.

On August 15, 1953 Allan married Rhona MacDonald Marshall from a neighbouring farm.  In December of that same year Allan and Rhona welcomed their first child, a daughter named Judy.  The following year, in 1954, the little family moved to Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, where they welcomed two more daughters, Heather in 1956 and myself (Alana) in 1961.  While living in Moose Jaw, Allan worked as a mechanic at Maccam Motors.

Shortly after my birth, my father's diabetes took a turn for the worse and he was hospitalized.  It was at that time that I decided to learn to walk, taking my first steps on his hospital bed.

Allan passed away on August 12, 1962 and was buried on his 10^th wedding anniversary – August 15, 1962.  He is buried in Rosedale Cemetery in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, Canada.















©2014, copyright Alana Farrell

52 Ancestors: #1 - Rhona MacDonald Marshall (1933-2003)

Amy Johnson Crow of No Story Too Small has issued the 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks Challenge.  The premise:  write once a week about a specific ancestor.  I have been planning to write profiles on my ancestors for awhile and this us definitely the push I needed.  The problem - who to start with first.  After much thought I decided to begin with the person I know best - my mother.

Rhona MacDonald Marshall was born on February 21, 1933 at the Maternity Hospital in Dundee, Scotland – the 8^th child of Robert Burn and Eliza Hamilton (Burnett) Marshall.  She was baptized in St. Mary Magdalene’s Church in Dundee on March 24, 1933.  At the time of her birth, the family was living at 65 Main Street, Dundee.  When Rhona was just two years old, her father, Robert, died of Chronic Rheumatism of the heart.  After Robert’s death, the family was to move to 50 Glenconnor Drive.

Rhona’s two oldest brothers, David and Robert and an older sister, Rachel were in the forces during the Second World War.  Her oldest sister, Helen (Nell), was working to help support the family.  During this time, a couple of Canadian cousins stationed in England came to visit the family in Scotland, bringing a Canadian soldier friend with them – William Henry (Harry) Crossman.  Harry (as he was known) and Rhona’s sister Nell were to marry in 1942.  When Rhona’s mother Eliza became ill, Harry made a death bed promise to look after the three youngest children, Norman (who was 14), Vina (who was 12) and Rhona (who was 10).  Eliza passed away on March 29, 1943 in Dundee from Carcinoma of the breast and acute gastritis.

On May 27, 1945, Rhona was Confirmed in St. Ninian’s Mission, in the Diocese of Brechen, Dundee.

When the war ended, Harry returned to Canada to prepare for the arrival of Nell, Norman, Vina and Rhona.  Unfortunately, before all the paperwork for immigration was complete, Norman turned 18 and was required to do a mandatory two year military service, forcing him to remain in Scotland.

On April 5, 1946 Rhona (then 13), Vina (then 15) and Nell (who was 30 yrs. old and a War Bride) left Southhampton, England on the Aquitania landing at Pier 1 in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada on April 10, 1946.  They then boarded a train for farm life in the small town of Balcarres, Saskatchewan, Canada.

From the time she arrived in Canada until she turned 16 yrs. old, Rhona attended the one room Tipperary Schoolhouse in Abenethy, Saskatchewan.  In her words, “the teacher was not much older than about 19 – we had some fun as well as lots of hard work to do.”  She left school at 16 to work (I believe at the Balcarres Hospital). 

About a year before Rhona passed away, she wrote a short bio on herself and described her life on the farm:

“I leaned to plow the fields, drive the tractor, ride horses.  I was not allowed to drive the combine as I was told it was too big for a 14 year old to ride.  I had other chores to do as bring in the eggs, feed the animals – never learned to milk the cows as every time I did they would kick the pail over when half full and spill it so I gave up.  I loved the farm.  I brought in the wood for the fire, ice and snow in the winter.  We had fun as well as work, we had hay rides and sleigh rides, church suppers, barn dances, country fairs.”

Rhona began dating a young man from a neighbouring farm, John (Jack) Farrell.  That relationship didn’t last as Jack started seeing someone else while working in Toronto.  Rhona then began to be courted by Jack’s older brother Robert (Allan) Farrell. 

Rhona and Allan (as he was known) were married on August 15, 1953 at St. Paul’s Anglican Church in Balcarres.  Allan was working as a mechanic while Rhona stayed home to look after their first child – a daughter, Judy, who was born in December of 1953.  In 1954, Allan, Rhona and Judy moved to Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, where they welcomed the birth of two more girls, Heather (born in 1956) and Alana (born in 1961).  Life was not easy for Rhona and Allan as Allan suffered from Juvenile Diabetes.  In August 1962, Allan was admitted to the hospital where he passed away on August 12^th.  He was buried on their 10^th wedding anniversary – August 15, 1962.

On December 21, 1963, Rhona married for the second time to a family friend, Douglas Sinclair Kay (Doug was the brother of Rhona’s sister in law, Helen).  They were married at St. George’s Anglican Church in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan.  A couple of days after the wedding, Doug, Rhona and the three little girls (Judy – 10, Heather – 8 and Alana – 2) boarded a train to Montreal, Quebec, Canada, where Doug resided.  They were to reside at 631 Mercille Ave., in St. Lambert, Quebec – downstairs from Doug’s parents, later moving to their first house at 325 Oak Ave.

Rhona and Doug (and family) were active members of St. Barnabas Anglican Church in St. Lambert, where Rhona was a member of the Ladies Evening Guild.  She was also very active in the Church’s Annual Rummage Sale where she “manned” the same station for nearly 40 years.  For a time, when the children were in school, she would look after the children of friends.  In later years, she became involved with the Girl Guides, eventually becoming a Sparks leader.  She did volunteer work as a school monitor at St. Lambert Elementary School in St. Lambert.  She was also an avid crocheter and reader.  Doug’s parents, Adam and Clarice Kay, were members of the Order of the Eastern Star and Rhona was very active in helping out at the social events beside her mother in law. 

Rhona and Doug finally got to have a honeymoon when Doug took Rhona home to Scotland in October 1970 – the first time being home since immigrating in 1946.

Rhona became a widow once again when Doug passed away on April 7, 1989 from complications from Parkinson’s Decease.

Doug’s sister, Helen was, at this time, also a member of the Order of the Eastern Star and encouraged Rhona to once again help out with their social events and anything else a non-member was allowed to participate in.  On September 26, 1991, Rhona finally became a member of the Order herself, joining St. Lambert Chapter #15 in St. Lambert, Quebec, later joining Friendship Chapter in Chambly, Quebec.  She was a very active member in the Order right up until her death.  She was very involved in, and was in charge of, one of the Chapter’s charities, the Cancer Gift Cupboard collecting and making items for the local

hospital that the Chapter supported, The Brome-Missisquoi Perkins Hospital in Brome, Quebec.  When she passed away, a memorial contribution was made from the hospital’s organizer and Rhona’s name was entered in the hospital’s Remembrance Book.  Rhona loved the Eastern Star and said: “when I miss a meeting for some reason, I feel as though I have missed something special.”

In 1998, Rhona was diagnosed with Ovarian cancer.  After a complete hysterectomy and a round of radiation, she went into remission.  She never let this “blip” stop her and when well enough, continued with her activities with the church and the Eastern Star. 

In her little bio she wrote “I will be 70 years old and feeling fine.  Sometimes I feel that I have not done much then I think well, I have my health and get around – sometimes with a cane.  But other than a stiff leg and the odd backache, I guess I’m not too bad off.”

Rhona was eventually forced to slow down when, in April of 2003, she suffered two strokes.  After surgery to remove a blockage and a month’s stay in a rehabilitation centre, she went to live with her daughter, Heather.  In late August of 2003, however, her cancer returned and she was admitted to the hospital on Labour Day weekend. 

Rhona passed away on September 8, 2003 and is buried at the Jardins Urgel Bourgis Cemetery in St. Hubert, Quebec.

She is greatly missed.

©2014, copyright Alana Farrell

Fearless Females – How They Met

March 5^th – How did they meet?  You’ve documented marriages, now, go back a bit.  Do you know the story of how yours parents met?  Your grandparents?

My mom and dad lived on neighbouring farms in Balcarres, Saskatchewan.  It’s a small enough place where everyone knows everyone!  My dad was the second son and was six years older than my mom, however he was not my mom’s first choice!  She was actually dating my dad’s younger brother, Jack who was closer to her in age.  Times were tough on the farms during winter and so a lot of the young folks would go elsewhere to find work, often Toronto.  This is what Jack did one winter and while in Toronto he met someone else and dumped my mom!  I don’t know how long it was after that that my mom started dating my dad, but they did and they were married on August 15, 1953.

As I’ve written in a previous post, my mom’s parents (Robert Burn Marshall and Eliza Hamilton Burnett) were first cousins.  I’m not sure exactly when they first met but it couldn’t have been long after Robert’s first wife, Margaret died in 1914.  After Robert and Margaret’s youngest child died in 1902, they returned to Dundee from Glasgow.  Robert’s grandfather (another Robert Marshall) and Aunt and Uncle (Helen Marshall Burnett and John Burnett) were also living in Dundee.  Eliza was 17 yrs. old to his 43 yrs.  Their first child (my mom’s oldest sister) was born in Dec. 1915 and they finally married in July of 1917.

I’m not totally sure yet how my great grandfather, David Fenton Marshall met my great grandmother, Rachel Wyse Hume – all I have right now are my own assumptions.  In 1861 at the age of 14, David was boarding with an Aunt in Edinburgh and was working as a stationer’s apprentice.  Rachel’s father, Hugh Hume, was a bookbinder in Edinburgh.  It is entirely possible that 1) David was Hugh’s apprentice or 2) became acquainted with the Hume’s through that business.  David and Rachel did eventually meet and were married on August 12, 1870.  

My great-great grandparents (Robert Marshall and Ann Kynoch) met in 1839 during the time Robert was touring the North of Scotland preaching abstinence.  They met when Robert billeted with Ann’s family when he stopped in Elgin, Morayshire for one of his lectures.  When he was getting ready to leave, he couldn’t find his walking stick.  Ann’s mother loaned him an umbrella instead, claiming this would be a good reason for him to return (which he did).  I believe it was after this second visit that a romance blossomed between Robert and Ann and they began to correspond with each other and they were eventually married on September 26, 1841.

As for my paternal side, I haven’t yet uncovered the stories of how they all met.

©2013, copyright Alana Farrell

Fearless Females – Bells Will be Ringing (Wedding Bells that is)

March 4^th – Do you have marriage records for your grandparents or great-grandparents?  Write a post about where they were married and when.  Any family stories about the wedding day?  Post a photo too if you have one.

I have been fortunate in that I have found marriage records for all up to my great-great grandparents on both sides of my family, with the exception of my paternal grandparents.  This I have to say is due to the excellent records kept by Scotland’s People.  Even with the Irish side I have been lucky.  Although I don’t have the actual certificates or registrations for the Irish records, I do have transcripts.  I think this is in part due to the fact that my family comes from Northern Ireland and a lot of the BMD records were either kept at the church level or sent to the records office in Belfast and not Dublin.



My Maternal Great Great Grandparents Robert Marshall - Anne Kynock Marriage (1841)

My Maternal Great Grandparents David Fenton Marshall - Rachel Wyse Hume Marriage (1870)

My Maternal Grandparents Robert Burn Marshall - Eliza Hamilton Burnett Marriage (1917)

My Paternal Great Great Grandparents William Farrell - Eliza Peters Marriage (1856)

My Paternal Great Grandparents William Forbes Farrell - Elizabeth Jane Maze Marriage (1894)

My Parents Robert Allan Farrell - Rhonal MacDonald Marshall Marriage (1953)



My Mother and Stepfather Douglas Sinclair Kay - Rhonal MacDonald Farrell Marriage (1963)

My Parents on their wedding day (April 15, 1953)

My mother and Stepfather on their wedding day (December 21, 1963)

The only story that I have been told about was during my mother and step-father's wedding.  I have previously told this story and it can be found here.

©2013, copyright Alana Farrell

Fearless Females – My Favourite Female Ancestor

March 1^st – Do you have a favourite female ancestor?  One you are drawn to or want to learn more about?  Write down some key facts you have already learned or what you would like to learn and outline your goals and potential sources you plan to check.

Although I have many female ancestors that I love researching (my mother being my all time favourite), I would have to say that the one that I have been drawn to most over the past year, is my paternal grandmother, Helen “Nellie” (Devlin) Farrell.  I was 18 yrs. old when my grandmother passed away, but maybe about 13 or 14 yrs. old the last time I saw her (she lived in Balcarres, Saskatchewan and I lived in Montreal, Quebec.)  After my father passed away and my mother re-married and we moved to Quebec, we didn’t get to see my grandparents that often while growing up.

Because we lived so far away, I didn’t know my grandmother very well (and of course, when I was younger, I really wasn’t into knowing “where I came from”).  A couple of years ago, I started researching my father’s side of the family.  I have a book about the history of Balcarres called "Furrows in Time, A History of Balcarres and District", which includes a brief write up of all the families that lived there, that was produced in 1987.  My Aunt Cathy (now deceased) provided a few details, but no dates or anything.  I contacted my last living Aunt on my father’s side (my father’s sister) for a bit of help.  She told me a few things about my grandmother, one in particular that quite surprised me and was kept secret from all the family until a good 10 years after my grandmother’s passing – she had a couple of children out of wedlock before immigrating to Canada, leaving these children behind (you can read about this conversation here).  I guess because I have a child and have never married, I felt I could somehow relate to her.

I’m not going to go into too much detail on my grandmother in this post as I want to eventually write a mini bio on her in another post.  However, some of the things that I have learned so far are:

• Her correct birth date and where she was born
• Her parents names
• I learned that she had 3 illegitimate children before she immigrated to Canada (one died at 4 months old)
• When she immigrated to Canada

Things that I still need to research are:

• The exact date of her marriage to my grandfather (Robert Farrell).  I have a fair idea based on when she immigrated and when their first child was born.
• Where exactly they were married (I have been told it was in Govan, Saskatchewan but I need to find proof of this)
• Name and birth/death dates on one of the children born in Scotland

@2013, copyright Alana Farrell

Wordless Wednesday - Three Generations

Everyone says that I look like my mother and that my daughter looks like me. Below are three pictures of my mother, myself and my daughter. Each were taken when we were a year old.



My Mother
Rhona MacDonald Marshall
Taken about 1934

Myself

Taken Nov. 1962. The dress was a birthday present. It didn't fit too well, and was taken back to the store right after this picture was taken!

My daughter, Briana

Taken May 1982. This was taken a week before her 1st birthday. You would never know from her expression, but she had just cut her first tooth that morning!

I think I can see a resemblance. Do you?

Surname Saturday - Farrell

This week's surname is FARRELL - the 3rd of my four main branches, and is my paternal grandfather's line.

Robert Allan FARRELL (my father) was born on 26 April, 1927 in Abernethy, Saskatchewan, Canada and died on 12 August, 1962 in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, Canada and is buried in Rosedale Cemetery in Moose Jaw. He married Rhona MacDonald MARSHALL (1933 - 2003) on 15 August, 1953 in Balcarres, Saskatchewan, Canada and they had three children, all living. Robert is the second child of Robert FARRELL and Helen "Nellie" DEVLIN.

Robert FARRELL was born 15 Dec. 1896 in Ballyreagh, Brookeborough, Co. Fermanagh, N. Ireland and died 27 March, 1965 in Balcarres, Saskatchewan, Canada and is buried in Regina Memorial Gardens in Regina, Saskatchewan. Robert married Helen "Nellie" DEVLIN between 1921 and 1926, most probably in Govan, Saskatchewan, Canada.

Their children were:

Forbes Peter (b. 18 May 1923 -d. 22 July 2000)
Robert Allan (see above)
John (b. July 1929 - d. 19 Oct. 2007)
Living Farrell

Robert is the second child of Williams Forbes FARRELL and Elizabeth Jane MAZE.

William Forbes FARRELL was born 19 Oct. 1869 in Ballyreagh, Brookeborough, Co. Fermanagh, N. Ireland and died before 1937, most likely in Ballyreagh. William married Elizabeth Jane MAZE (1870-?) on 12 June 1894 in Aghavea, Co. Fermanagh. Their children were:

Joseph (b. 5 Dec.1895 - d. ?)
Robert (see above)
John William b. 26 April 1898 - d. ?)
Lillian Olivia (b. 16 Aug. 1899 - d. ?)
Margaret (b. 4 Nov. 1900 - d. ?)
Maude b. 6 Dec. 1903 - d. ?)
Forbes (b. 4 Dec. 1904 - d. 2 Nov. 1979)
James (b. 14 Feb. 1906 - d. 27 July 1972)
Kathleen (b. 12 Oct. 1912 - d. ?)

William Forbes was the son of William FARRELL and Eliza PETERS.

William FARRELL was born about 1834 in Brookeborough, Co. Fermanagh, N. Ireland. He married Eliza PETERS (abt 1834-?) on 6 May 1856 in Aghavea, Co. Fermanagh. Their known children were:

Ann (b. 14 May 1864 - d. ?)
Margaret (b. 29 Sept. 1866 - d. ?)
William Forbes (see above)
Joseph (b. 1 Jan. 1873 - d. ?)

I still have quite a bit of research to do on the Farrell line. If you think we might be related, please contact me at alana dot farrell at sympatico dot ca or by using the "contact" button.

Wordless Wednesday - Wedding Day!

This is a photo of my mother (Rhona MacDonald Marshall) and my father (Robert Allan Farrell) on their wedding day, August 15, 1953. They were married at St. Paul's Anglican Church in Balcarres, Saskatchewan, Canada.

They look so young and innocent!

Wordless Wednesday - My Two Grandpas

This is a picture of my paternal grandfathers. The man on the left is my father's father, Robert Farrell and the man on the right is my step-father's father, Adam Sinclair Kay.

They are the husbands of my two grannies from last weeks post.

Wordless Wednesday - My Two Grannies

This is a picture of my two paternal grandmothers. The lady on the left is my step-father's mother, Clarice Mabel (Salmon) Kay and the lady on the right is my father's mother, Helen "Nellie" (Devlin) Farrell.

The picture was taken two years before my mom married into the Farrell family and 12 years before she married into the Kay family.

My granny and grandpa Kay were visiting their daughter, Helen (Kay) Farrell in Saskatchewan. Helen (my step-father's sister) was married to my father's brother, Forbes Peter Farrell.

Tombstone Tuesday - Dulcie Maud Farrell (1903 - 1961)

In Loving Memory Of

A Dear Wife & Mother

Dulcie Maud Farrell

Died 1st July 1961

Aged 50 years

At Rest

Dulcie was the wife of my great uncle, James Farrell and mother of little Ross Farrell. She was born around 1903 in Dubbo, NSW, Australia, daughter of Thomas Henry McNamara and Heneritta Nicholson. Dulcie, James and Ross are all laid to rest in the Coonabarabran General Cemetery in Coonabarabran, NSW, Australia.

I obtained this picture through the Australian Cemeteries Index and was given permission to post to this blog.

Tombstone Tuesday – Anderson, Devlin & Dunlop – Oh My!

Erected by Jane Dunlop,

In Memory of her husband,
Alexander Anderson
Who died 21st Dec. 1909, aged 74 years
The above Jane Dunlop,
Who died 24th Sep. 1921, aged 83 years,
Her great-grandson Peter Green
Who died 25th Sep.1913,
Aged 1 year, and 10 months,
Also their great-grand-daughter
Annie Green,
Died 27th June 1914, aged 10 months,
Also Jean died in infancy
Also Henry Green,
Beloved husband of Jean Devlin
Died 21 Aug. 1952, aged 71 years.
The above Jean Devlin
Died 15th Nov. 1969, aged 82 years

(Auchinleck Burial Ground
Auchinleck, Ayrshire, Scotland)

A few months back, a distant cousin, Sean Devlin, sent me a link to some photos of tombstones that he took while he was in Scotland (and kindly gave permission to post any on this blog). I’m guessing that he snapped photos of tombstones with the name “Devlin” on it and sorted them out when he got home (which is what I would have done). Fortunately for me, he took the above photo even though they are not his direct line.

Alexander Anderson and Jane Dunlop are my 2x great grandparents. Their daughter, Janet Anderson married Peter Devlin (my great grandparents) and they are the parents of the above referenced Jean Devlin. Jean Devlin is the oldest sister of my Granny Farrell (Helen Devlin) and is my Grand Aunt.

This stone provides a lot of information that I didn’t have. I knew that Jean had married Henry Green, but I did not have a death date for either of them. It also lists three children with their death dates. In due time, I will search for the birth dates of the children and also see if there might be any more.

Happy Birthday Mom!

Rhona MacDonald Marshall

(married names: Farrell and Kay)
February 21, 1933 - September 8, 2003

Today would have been my mom's 77th birthday. Happy Birthday Mommy.

Tombstone Tuesday - Ross Farrell (1939 - 1939)

In Loving Memory Of
Dear Little Ross
Daughter of J & D Farrell
Died 16/10/39
Aged 5 Months

Ross Farrell was the first child of my great uncle James Farrell and his wife Dulcie Maude McNamara. She died on October 16, 1939 at the tender age of 5 months.

She spent 4 days in the Burnside Private Hospital in Coonabarabran, NSW, the cause of death being listed as cellulitis of the face. She was buried the same day that she died and was laid to rest in the Presbyterian Cemetery (now called the General Cemetery) in Coonabarabran.

I obtained this photo through the Australian Cemeteries Index and was given permission to poste to this blog.

Tombstone Tuesday - James Farrell (1906 - 1972)

In Loving Memory of

A Dear Husband & Father

James Farrell

Died 27th July 1972

Aged 64 Years

At Rest

James Farrell was my great uncle - my grandfather's brother. He was born on February 14, 1906 in Ballyreagh, Brookeborough, Co. Fermanagh, Northern Ireland and died on July 27, 1972 in Coonabarabran, NSW, Australia. He immigrated to Australia sometime in the early 1920's.

I obtained this photo through the Australian Cemeteries Index and was given permission to post to this blog.

Tombstone Tuesday - Robert and Nellie Farrell

Farrell

Robert - Nellie

1896-1965 * 1893-1980

These are my grandparents. They are buried at Regina Memorial Gardens in Regina, Saskatchewan. The birth date for my grandmother is actually wrong - she was born in 1892. Nellie was the name she went by but her actual name was Helen.

Thanks to Jim Slough for doing a Random Act of Kindness and taking this photo for me.

I'm In a Quandary!

A few months back my Aunt promised to send me the address of a new cousin that I didn't even know I had. She is a daughter of one of the little girls that my grandmother left behind in Scotland when she immigrated to Canada. You can read about that here. Well, she finally did.

I'm asking for help! I've never written to a total stranger before (except for archivists, etc). How does one go about writing to someone they've never met and then ask for information: "Hi Nettie, this is not a junk letter so don't discard it. I am your cousin, Alana in Montreal and was given your address by _____!" That just does not seem like a good start!

Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.

A Portrait of my Irish Grandfather – Robert Farrell (1896 – 1965)

It is unfortunate that I don’t remember my grandfather as he died when I was only 3 1/2 years old. It is only while doing my research this past year that I have been able to learn a little about him.

My grandfather, Robert Farrell, was born in Ballyreagh, Brookeborough, Co. Fermanagh in Northern Ireland on December 15, 1896. He was the second oldest of nine children born to William Forbes and Elizabeth Jane (Maze) Farrell. His father and grandfather were both farmers and Robert, too, became a farmer - both in Ireland and later after immigrating to Canada.

In 1912, when Robert was 16 years old, he (along with his father, mother, and oldest brother Joseph) signed the Ulster Declaration in support of His Majesty King George V and against Home Rule in Ireland. He, as well as most Protestants in the Province of Ulster felt that Home Rule would be disastrous to the well being of Ulster as well as the whole of Ireland. His brother, John William, at the age of 14 was too young to sign.

It is my belief that the unrest in Ireland is the reason that Robert and his brothers, Joseph and John William decided to immigrate. John William immigrated to Australia, Joseph went to New Zealand and Robert immigrated to Canada. His next two youngest brothers, Forbes and James would later immigrate to Australia. Robert’s sisters, Lillian Olivia, Margaret, Maude and Kathleen all remained in Ireland.

According to his ship’s passenger list, Robert arrived in St. John, New Brunswick on March 22, 1920 aboard the Minnedosa via Liverpool, England. His final destination was to be Winnipeg, Manitoba with the intended occupation to be a farmer, later making his way to Saskatchewan. It is not known yet when or where he met my grandmother, Helen “Nellie” Devlin (she immigrated to Canada in 1921 from Auchinleck, Ayrshire, Scotland), but I have been told that they were married in Govan, Saskatchewan (I have yet to confirm the exact year and place), where they worked for a farmer for a short time before moving to the Balcarres district in Saskatchewan. While there they farmed for a Will Wright in the Tipperary district. Later they rented land from John and Charlie White and lived on what was called the old Bateman farm.

In 1936, Robert and Nellie moved to the Abernethy district to a farm owned by a Mr. Jim Behrns. They spent a year there and in the spring of 1937 moved back to the Tipperary district and rented a farm called “Stoney-Lonesome.

Robert and Nellie had six children, four surviving to adulthood and two that died in infancy. In the 1950’s, Robert and Nellie moved back to Balcarres and finally purchased their own farm, where they both lived until their deaths.

Robert passed away on March 27, 1965 in Balcarres, Saskatchewan and is buried at Regina Memorial Gardens in Regina, Sask. Nellie was to follow on May 22, 1980 and is laid to rest beside Robert.

Wordless Wednesday - The Three Little Twigs

This is a picture of myself (the baby) and my two sisters, Heather and Judy, with our mother, Rhona. We are the three little twigs that the branch from Scotland and the branch from Ireland created. This photo was taken about 1964.

Fate or Coincidence?

My sister is forever telling her kids, and myself, that everything that happens in our lives is preordained in the Book of Life. Was it my destiny to buy a new car last month? Was it my destiny to have my tooth extracted last Saturday (they could have rewritten that chapter!)? Some people say that we make our own destiny. If that were the case, it wouldn’t have been my plan to have my tooth pulled!

All the time growing up, we had heard the story that my stepfather, Douglas Kay, had been in Halifax, Nova Scotia on the day that my mom arrived in Canada. My mom (Rhona MacDonald Marshall) was 13 years old when she left Scotland aboard the Aquitania via Southampton, England on April 4, 1946, landing in Halifax on April 10th. She traveled with two of her older sisters, Vina (aged 15) and Helen (Marshall) Crossman (aged 31). My Aunt Helen (or Nell as she was always called) was a War Bride and was coming to Canada to be with her new husband, William Henry Crossman (uncle Harry). When my grandmother, Eliza Hamilton (Burnett) Marshall, passed away in 1943, my Aunt Nell made a death bed promise to look after the three youngest children, my mom, my Aunt Vina and my Uncle Norman. As “fate” would have it, just before leaving, my Uncle Norman turned 18 years old and had to do his mandatory 2 years military service, causing him to stay behind in Scotland. After spending a few days in Halifax, my mom and her sisters boarded a train and headed west to Balcarres, Saskatchewan to live on the Crossman farm.

My stepfather always loved ships and trains and loved taking pictures of them. In April 1946, when he was 19 years old, he traveled from Montreal to Halifax to see the ships arriving, of which he took many pictures. On April 10th, he happened to take a picture of the Aquitania as she was arriving and on April 11th he took another picture of her while in dock, with all the War Brides at the railing. Was it fate that he was there that day or just a coincidence?

Was it fate that just after the war ended, Doug’s sister Helen married Forbes Peter Farrell (my future father’s oldest brother) and she moved to Balcarres to live on a farm not too far from the Crossman farm? At this time, Doug (still living in Montreal) was working for Canadian Pacific Railway on the cross-country train. When the train got to Indian Head he would jump off and go visit his sister in Balcarres, eventually becoming good friends with the Farrell’s; Forbes, his brother-in-law, Robert Allan, John (Jack) and their sister Lillian (who apparently had a big crush on Doug).

When my mom left school at 16 years old and was out working, she started dating Jack Farrell, who later dumped her for his future wife, Cathy! My mom then starting dating Jack’s older brother Robert Allan (or Allan as he was always called), eventually marrying him on August 15, 1953, making my mom and Doug’s sister, Helen, sisters-in-law. Fate or coincidence? Of course, my mom and Helen (by this time my Aunt Helen) became good friends and she was often at Helen’s house when Doug was there visiting (my mom, not being able to hold a grudge if her life depended on it, also became good friends with Cathy!).

In 1955, my mom, dad and my sister Judy (then just 2 years old), moved to Moose Jaw, Sask. (about an hour from Balcarres), where my Aunt Nell and Uncle Harry had already moved to. This is where my other sister, Heather and I were born. Doug remained friends with my mom and dad after they moved, often going to visit them when he was “out west”.

On August 12, 1962, my father passed away at the age of 35, due to complications from his diabetes, leaving my mom a widow with 3 young children. He was buried on August 15th, my parents 9th wedding anniversary. Of course all the Farrell family and the Crossman family and my Aunt Vina’s family were all at the funeral. Was Doug there? Who knows? I do know that after my dad died, Doug would still come to visit my mom when he was in town, making sure that she was doing o.k. Eventually, their friendship grew into much more and they were married on December 21, 1963 in Moose Jaw. After they were married, we all boarded a train and headed for Montreal.

My mom and stepfather were married for 26 years when he passed away on April 7, 1989 at the age of 61, from complications due to his Parkinson’s Decease. My mom passed away on September 8, 2003 from cancer, at 70 years of age.

So was my mom and stepfather meeting and eventually getting married preordained or was everything just one big coincidence?