"I remember when Aunt Mae lived on 52nd. and Columbus we always used to look
to the west at night and see the lights on the Washborn water tower.""You mentioned about your Mom and the farm. I had a Brown Swiss heifer calf
and we enjoyed leading it around and petting it."
"I used to go to Aunt Maes when she lived on 52nd. And Columbus.
One year we went to bible school on top of the hill 3 blocks away. Just beyond the church was a cornfield. Another year we went up to Akin MN. At Big Sandy Lake Uncle Wilbur had a cabin there. I went another year to little round lake near Minneapolis with them. I remember the first movie I saw. One time Mary and I went to the movies. The show was "Murder at the Rue Morgue." it was really spooky, and we came home and I doubt if 2 young kids
slept much that night"."Aunt Mae sang at Elizabeth Moore Porter's wedding in 1968 in Decorah. She and Mary also came to my son's funeral in 1954."
Reminicence's by Don Moore, 1-2000
********************************************************************************************James Kraft compiled the following information after several lengthy interviews with Doug and Mary Kraft during the spring and summer of 2000.
Mary Kraft History
I used to go to Aunt Maes when she lived on 52nd and Columbus. I remember the first
movie I ever saw. I went with Mary to "Murder on the Rue Morgue".
Reminiscence's by Don Moore, 1-2000Mary Kraft was born on the hot, summer day of July 17, 1918 in Minneapolis, the first child of Richard Owen and Mary (Mae) Williams Lewis. At the time of her birth, her parents lived quite near Peter and Mary Williams, Mae's parents, so Mary spent a lot of time with her maternal grandparents from quite an early age. She knew very little about her ancestors, other than her grandparents, during her early, formative years. She knew that her grandparents were from Wales but they never spoke much about their life in Wales or the trip to the United States. She remembers that they would receive a Christmas gift from their 'cousins' in Wales consisting of a 'fruit cake' and candy every year but can't remember what was sent in return. She also knows that Peter Williams returned to Wales on at least one occasion but does not know exactly when this trip took place.
Photography was becoming increasingly available to the general public and since Rich Lewis was somewhat of a photo buff, there are quite a few pictures that document the early years of her life. In most of these early pictures one sees a neatly dressed young lady who has been immaculately groomed and wears glasses.
She doesn't remember a lot of her early years except for the fact that her extended family played a large part in her life. Her grandparents lived in a "big house" very close to her parents. She remembers her own house as being a two-story typical "bungalow-style" house with the living room, dining room and kitchen downstairs and three bedrooms upstairs. The living room contained a fireplace in which they would frequently have fires but did not use the fireplace for heat. When she was young, a central coal-heating unit located in the basement heated the house. Coal trucks would load the coal into a bin in the basement. When the coal delivery trucks would come it generated a lot of excitement amongst the children and they would all watch the coal being unloaded and sent down the chute. Heating was converted to gas in the late 20's or early 30's. They had a separate garage behind the house on an alley that bisected the city block where they kept their car. My mother says that Mae did not like horse and buggies and so they always owned a motorcar. She can still remember their first car: it was an "open" touring car that had a collapsible top and side curtains. The side curtains were used in the winter and during rainstorms to keep the wind and snow/rain from blowing through the car. She says that Doug and her father taught her to drive when she was about 18 years old.
Mom says that breakfast and lunch were always in the kitchen, while evening dinner and Sunday dinner were taken in the dining room. Because they lived in a large city, they always had gas for cooking and always had electricity for lighting. They didn't have to grow their own food, however, she can remember her father growing tomatoes in his garden and canning the tomatoes at the end of the summer. She also remembers canning "peaches" on Labor Day. Apparently, they would go to a local 'farmer's market' and purchase bushels of peaches that they would bring home and can on the holiday. She says that she had no responsibilities as a child other than to keep her room clean. "Girls were not expected to do anything." Her mother cooked all the meals, cleaned the house, ironed and sewed clothes. She shopped for most of her clothes at "Dayton's" Department store, however, she says it was far different than today's shopping as they only bought clothes out of necessity. She says that she learned to sew during 'homemaking' class in school and from her mother but was never too interested in it. She never had a pet, however, she would always try to keep "stray" animals "as long as my mother would let me keep them!" Evenings were spent at home with her father and mother listening to the radio. R.O. Lewis was particularly interested in listening to baseball games. However, they did get many opportunities to listen to music and informational programs as well.
Besides her mother and father, her aunts, uncles and, of course, her grandfather and Nain lived close by and provided a strong influence in her early, formative years. One must remember that in the early twenties, there was no television, no mass transportation, very few cars, and very little radio so most activities were family related and carried out very close to home. However, R.O. Lewis worked as the "chief clerk" for the Soo Line Railroad in Minneapolis and because of this, the family was able to travel quite often by rail to visit other family members. They were very close to Sam, Bessie, and Donald Moore who lived in Iowa on a farm. Bessie was Mae's older sister and they visited them quite often, but only in the summer. When they traveled to visit Uncle Sam, Aunt Bessie and Cousin Don, they would often carry their lunch on the train but occasionally would stop in Rochester at a restaurant for lunch. The train would drop them in Cresco, Iowa where they would be picked up by Donald's parents and then taken to the farm. Mom says that the Moore's would occasionally pick them up in a 'horse and buggy' to take them to the farm. Because of school, they would only visit the Moore's in the summer during vacation. Summer was a special time around the Lewis household & Mary remembers many summer picnics taken at Minnehaha Falls Park in Minneapolis as well as at Lake Nokomis. Her father was particularly fond of cooking over an open fire on these picnics. Mary remembers swimming at Lake Nokomis almost on a daily basis. She'd pack herself a lunch, leave home in the morning, and not come back until afternoon. Other trips she can remember taking include trips to Uncle Wib's (Mae's younger brother, Wilbur) cabin on Big Sandy Lake. She also remembers being a girl scout throughout her early years and specifically remembers going to summer camp every year. This was an activity that few families could afford for their children and she felt very fortunate to have been one of those few.
Initially, Mary went to public school at the Irving School, later transferring to Cyrus-Northrup Elementary School when her parents moved further out of town to what we now call the 'suburbs'. She always walked to school, even in the winter. It was several miles to the school and she remembers walking through snow and of being very cold in the winter. Jeanette Salsbury, her best friend, on these long cold walks, often accompanied her. It's interesting to note that my dad (Doug Kraft) went to the same Elementary School but never knew Mary because he was almost 4 years her senior. On Sundays, she and her family always attended Sunday school and Church followed by a big family meal at her grandmother's house while she was able and later at her house. She first attended church and was baptized at the Welsh Presbyterian Church. Later, after moving to the suburbs, she and her parents attended and became members of the Lake Nokomis Presbyterian Church where both she and Mae were active in the choir. She continued to attend church there until she married and moved from Minneapolis. Mary attended high school at Washburn High School and besides participating in the school chorus, she was also art editor of her high school annual in 1936. Mary's Welsh roots showed in her musical ability�she sang in her high school and church choir while studying voice under Victor Penot of Minneapolis, a noted vocalist. My father, although somewhat biased, believes that she could have pursued a career in music as a singer had she not dedicated her life to her family. He should know, because he was the Director of the Lake Nokomis Presbyterian Church Choir in which she sang.
During High School her Grandparents, Peter and Nain Williams, moved in with she and her parents. Both her grandparents were old and ill by this time and she occupied herself with caring for them in the last few years of their lives. She says that she always wanted to be a nurse, however, it was during this period of time that Mary chose to pursue nursing as a career. After High School graduation she attended the University of Minnesota School of Nursing in Minneapolis, which was sponsored jointly by Abbott Hospital. She graduated in 1940 and worked as a private duty nurse until she married. As a nurse, she occupied herself with caring for several wealthy clients including Ms. Buchanan, the mother of the wife of the Chairman of Honeywell, Corporation in Minneapolis. She remembers one particular winter, while caring for Ms. Buchanan, she became "snowed in" at the Sweat mansion for several days after a blizzard closed the roads. During the winter and spring of 1941 she traveled to West Palm Beach, Florida where she stayed with her Uncle Frank and Aunt Mable. (Frank and Mable Lewis; Frank was R.O.'s brother) She also worked as a private-duty nurse to several wealthy families in West Palm Beach, Florida but spent a lot of her free time "on the beach". She also spent much time with Jack and Dell Lewis and returned to Minneapolis in August of 1941. Doug can still remember seeing her on her return to Minneapolis: "I was directing the choir at church and happened to glance out in the audience during one of the numbers; I saw this brown woman who looked out of place among all the white Minnesotans." They became engaged shortly thereafter.
Mary met Doug Kraft in 1939 while he was director of music and she was singing in the church choir at Lake Nokomis Presbyterian Church. Doug courted Mary for several years, became engaged in August 1941 and got married February 17, 1942. These were very unsettled times and no one was certain what the next day would bring so they married at their first opportunity. They began their honeymoon the next day but on the way to Chicago became stranded by a blizzard in Rochester, Mn. They spent the rest of their honeymoon at the Koehler Hotel in Rochester. Doug had qualified for OCS which he attended and after graduation was assigned to Fort Sill as an instructor. They went back and forth from Fort Sill to Fort Bragg, to Fort Sill until Doug was shipped to France in October 1943. By this time, Mary was six months pregnant and returned to Minneapolis to stay with her parents until the baby was born. In January 1944 her first child, Richard, was born in Minneapolis. She relates a funny story about Grandpa Lou "getting out of his car on the way to the hospital in the middle of the night to stop trains traveling on the city tracks so that they could get to the hospital on time!"
During the war, Mary occupied herself with volunteer Red Cross Programs given to Native Americans and some of the enlisted men's wives regarding basic health care and how to care for one's own self. These were critical educational programs because most MD's were in Europe as part of combat medical teams. Despite her many activities with the Red Cross her main thoughts were of "Doug�I wrote letters to him every night while he was away." Other concerns they had during the war years were of gasoline and food rationing.
In addition to Richard, she also had Mary Ann and James and quit her pursuit of career to devote full time to raising her children and caring for her home.
I remember a mother who was always available and supportive of any endeavor within reason. She always had three square meals for us and we were always dressed in clothes that were clean and neatly pressed. Her house was immaculate and always freshly cleaned. Since she had been trained as a nurse she prided herself on being able to handle any medical emergency with only a minimal amount of interference from Doctors and hospitals. When she finally had to call a Doctor, they knew that they had better get out to the house quickly because someone was most probably desperately ill!
She feels that Television is probably the most significant invention that's changed her life and feels that her children are her greatest accomplishment.
In her later years, she and my father traveled extensively throughout the world including multiple trips to Europe and England, Russia, South America, and China. It was on one of these journeys that she most certainly picked up the organism that ultimately caused her 'idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis'.
Mary's activities were severely curtailed over the last several years as her illness progressed. It hurt all who knew and loved her but none more than my Dad who cared for Mom through the entire ordeal without complaint. However, she never lost the hope that she and Doug would be "on the road again". Always the optimist, as recently as last week she again spoke of being able to do some embroidery when she recovered.
She died December 7, 2000, resting peacefully, surrounded by family and by our love. The lasting memorial that we build for Mary will not be in a cemetery or memorial garden, but, rather, in the hearts of her family and friends who will always remember her fondly and with love and affection.
©2001 J.Kraft
The trip from my hometown of Owatonna to Minneapolis used to take about 2-3 hours so most of the time on the trip to visit Grandpa and Grandma Kraft I'd sleep in the back seat of our car. Going to visit Grandpa Kraft was pretty special for me 'cause we'd always go fishing down at Lake Nokomis whenever I was there. I can't ever remember not catching any fish when we went down there. Once we caught so many fish we couldn't carry them all back home & had to throw 'em back in the Lake. I didn't like to eat the fish but I sure liked to catch 'em. Grandpa Kraft used to keep the worms we used down in his basement in a big old Prince Albert pipe tobacco can with a snap-on lid. I'll never forget him tellin' me to go down and get the can of worms 'cause that meant that we'd go on down to the lake and fish. The cellar where he kept the worms was dark and cool and the smell of the worms in that can was of rich, dark dirt. I think they used fishing as the excuse to get me out of the house so Grandma Kraft could cook us dinner or clean the house. They lived in a duplex on Bloomington Avenue that they bought after Grandpa sold the grocery store he owned for years. They used the income from the duplex to live on I guess, although those are things that didn't really concern me back then. I just liked to go there. Grandpa also had a big old radio in his dining room that I liked to play with when I went there. It had tubes so it would take a while to warm up but then I'd switch back and forth from SW to AM and listen to my hearts content. I can remember once when they took me to Excelsior Amusement Park but they wouldn't let me ride the roller coaster 'cause they thought I might fall out. I can remember Grandpa Kraft used to save up all the Sunday Magazine covers for me to look at when I'd visit 'cause I liked to look at the pretty outdoors pictures. There used to be a lot of pictures with ducks and geese as prominent features. I'd sleep on a crushed velvet sofa they had in their living room with the radio just across the room. Before I'd go to bed, Grandpa would play checkers with me and usually let me win. He also had a coin collection of silver dollars and old pennies & dimes from his store. He kept it in a well worn leather pouch and I'd play with this as well. I used to line up all the coins and stack the silver dollars and so forth.Frank Kraft was born in Hancock Township, Carver County Minnesota Dec 12, 1885. I don't think he knew too much about his family except what he remembered from childhood. He knew his father and mother were from Sweden but didn't really know how or when the family got to Minnesota. He filed for Social Security when he was eligible and listed his birth town as "Chaska". He didn't have much contact with his mother or father in his adult life and his younger brothers moved to Canada to homestead in the early 1900's. Frank stayed behind and lived in Minneapolis because his wife, Minnie, didn't want to leave Minneapolis. My dad says he never met his grandfather (Andrew) and only met his grandmother (Mary) one time when she visited them in Minneapolis.
I first found Frank Kraft in Carver County on the birth register for 1885. He and his family apparently stayed in Hancock Township, Carver County until sometaime after the birth of John Edward, the youngest son in 1892. They show up on the 1900 census in Renville County as renting a home. His father is listed as a farmer and both he and his older brother, Andrew, are listed as farm laborers. On the 1910 census they've moved to the Melville Township and by this time Frank is apparently off to Minneapolis to work and make a living. It's interesting that the Bretall's also live in Melville Twonship not too far away from the Kraft's. Frank and Minnie Bretall almost certainly met one another through school and church contacts prior to his departure. They subsequently married in December, 1912 in Bird Island, Renville county and lived in Minneapolis thereafter. They were married in the Moravian Church there in Bird Island with Minnie's sisters and his brothers in attendance. Douglas, my father, was born in 1914 and they had no other children. On the 1920 census they're found living in Minneapolis with Minnie's father, Frank Bretall, and two of her sisters, Anna and Elsie Bretall. In addition, there are three other boarders in the house with the family. My dad can remember living with them for quite some time. Frank is listed as being a house construction worker on the 1920 census but soon bought a retail grocery store and operated it until he retired. My dad said that when Grandpa Kraft originally came to Minneapolis he worked as a motorman on a street car. At this point (3/8/00) I don't know when he started that endeavor or when he quit and began construction.
Frank ran the corner retail grocery for years and although the earnings were meager, he was able to raise his son and send him to the University of Minnesota for an education. Certainly, this was something that he could only dream of when he was younger and was proud of his son's accomplishment. Frank and Minnie lived in the duplex on Bloomington avenue until after Minnie's death when Frank could no longer manage living on his own. The duplex was sold and Frank Kraft moved to Atlanta, Georgia where he resided in Wesley Woods Nursing Home until his death. His body was returned to Minneapolis and he was interred next to Minnie, his wife, at Lakewood Cemetery in April, 1976. Frank Kraft was a man of few words...his responses to questions were usually one word: 'yup' or 'nope'. His devotion to his wife Minnie was absolute and pride in his son's accomplishments was total. Although his mental acuity dulled in the nursing home he managed to retain all his capabilities to the end.
©2000. J.Kraft
Note #1:
Grandma Kraft was always very cautious. I can remember her always being afraid that I would hurt myself, especially when venturing outside around she and Grandpa Kraft's duplex on Bloomington Avenue in Minneapolis. However, she was an excellent cook in the finest German tradition and I can still remember her cooking pork chops and saurkraut all day long. The smell of the saurkraut would permeate the duplex and I guess I'd be hungry for maybe 2-3 hours before she'd finally let us eat it! What a treat that was.
I remember the raisins she'd keep in her pantry for a snack. She'd always put them in a bowl of water and let them soak before she'd let me eat them...but, my they were good as well. Licorice is something else she'd keep for me to snack on as well.
After we left Minnesota, Grandma Kraft came to Atlanta only once to visit us. I can't remember her ever coming to Owatonna while we lived there. I can't remember ever getting any mail from Grandma or Grandpa except at Birthdays and Christmas...although I do remember talking on the telephone to them several times.
I also remember when Grandma Kraft died...I think I was in the 10th or 11th grade. I was not able to go to the funeral as it was in Minnesota but I remember how sad I was at the time. I think it was the first close death we had in our family in my memory.
Note #2:
Our records indicate that her birth date is 4-17-1890. Father-- Frank Mother-- Wilhelmina-- Our record number B-109-2 Both parents were born in Germany.
©2000. J.Kraft
Hi, Carolyn, I went back to Bayou Meto this morning and got my feet wet traipsing over the whole cemetery. I did find the 2nd plot. Otto Warren Sullivan, b. Aug. 14, 1911, d. Nov. 3, 1933. Roy Tillman Sullivan, b. June 15, 1901, d. May 25, 1977. Arthur Paul Giggleman, b. Jan. 4, 1945, d. November 25, 1960. David Henry Harrod, had only the dates November 1949-March 1951. Adrial Wiley Harrod, b. November 4, 1909, d. May 28, 1986. I got some info on the Diederich's, too. Gotta go to work; am sending Jim a copy of this for the dates....
The following is a story related to me by my mother, Mary Kraft, about her father and grandparents.
When my sister and I were kids, my father would often entertain us with stories of his childhood in Canada where his father worked as a conductor on the Canadian Pacific R.R. This particular story took place in Lethbridge, Alberta where the family had just moved. My father was about 5 years old�his brother nine. Keep in mind that at this time the town of Lethbridge was "way out west in the wilds" of Canada. My grandmother had to go to the store for provisions and she left the two boys home alone. Because they had only lived in the house for two days, as yet, there were no shades or curtains on the windows.
Imagine the terror felt by those two little boys when they became aware of the Indians peering in their windows and knocking at their door! When grandmother returned from the store, the boys were no where to be found. Both boys were as far under the bed as they could crawl. The local Indians later became their friends and traded wild game and animal skins for sugar, flour and spices of all kinds. Her father says they especially liked "Catsup"!
Mary Kraft
April 1992My grandfather was quite the story teller. In many instances, it was difficult to tell what was a "story" and what was the real story. But I think that's what makes a good story teller. It's the ability to wrap the improbable around the barest strand of the possible to weave a net of the fantastic. Granpa Lew was a master and we all benefited and were enriched by his stories as a result.
Richard Owen Lewis was born February 26, 1889 in Montreal, Quebec, the second of three children. He had an older brother, Graham, and a younger sister named for his mother, Margaret Agnes. Not much is known of his early, formative years in Canada, however, from the stories that he told regarding his childhood it can be assumed that they moved quite frequently and did not have any one place to call a home until they relocated to Minneapolis. His father worked as a clerk for the railroad in Canada which apparently facilitated moving from place to place.
My mother (Mary Kraft) tells me that Lewis G. Lewis, his father, did not treat the family very well but does not go much beyond that in describing their relationship. It is known that his father was committed to a mental institution in the early 1900's after moving to Minneapolis where he remained until his death in the 1940's and Richard and Frank were forced to assume roles as men quite early in their lives. R.O. Lewis was a social and jovial person who was somewhat short (about 5'6") with red hair, frekles and what could easily be called a "beer belly". However, my mother and her mother refered to it not as a beer belly but as the "Lewis belly". Most of the pictures that document the early life of my mother, her sister and the rest of the Williams family were taken by Grandpa Lew who developed an interest in still and movie photography at quite an early stage (around the early 1920's) when home photography was still in its infancy. Most of the pictures center around their home in Minneapolis or the home of Peter and Mary Ann Williams just down the block. Family is always the central theme. Many of the pictures also document day trips to near by lakes where Rich can be seen cooking over an open fire, according to Donald Moore, one of his favorite activities on these outings. Grandpa Lew was quite a character but always provided well for his wife and family through years that were often lean and difficult for everyone. He worked for the Soo Line Railroad as the Chief Clerk of their Minneapolis office until his retirement. By todays standards, he would have been considered firmly middle class with the means to indulge his daughters in activities that were beyond the means of most families of the time. Many of the photographs that he took revolve around the family and their activities at holiday season and birthdays. The railroad provided well for him in his retirement which allowed him to move to West Palm Beach, Florida to live out his life close to his brother, Frank Lewis.
I used to go to Aunt Maes when she lived on 52nd. And Columbus.
One year we went to bible school on top of the hill 3 blocks away. Just beyond the church was a cornfield. Another year we went up to Akin MN. At Big Sandy Lake Uncle Wilbur had a cabin there. I went another year to little round lake near Minneapolis with them. I remember the first movie I saw. I went with Mary to "Murder on the Rue Morgue".Aunt Mae sang at Elizabeth Moore Porter's wedding in 1968 in Decorah. She and Mary also came to my son's funeral in 1954.
Reminicence's by Don Moore, 1-2000
I can safely say that the quest for my Welsh roots began after seeing a birth certificate for Lewis G. Lewis that mother found when she began to explore the family's roots in Wales. She did initial research in Salt Lake City, Utah, at the LDS family history library in the late 1980's and early 1990's and was able to send to Wales for a copy of the Birth certificate. With a copy of this certificate in hand, I was off on my pursuit of my Welsh ancestors. Ironically, the Lewis family was the last and hardest branch of the family to trace because of their movements between Wales and Liverpool as well as the common use of the name "Lewis". In addition, records were not uniformly kept in Quebec, Canada during the early periods of time.
My father and mother both say that Lewis G. Lewis was involved in some sort of training for the Canadian Railroad. They traveled the length of Canada & lived in multiple locations including Lethbridge, Northwest Territories, Quebec, and other locations.
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Canadian Grenadier Guards
Pre Twentieth Century History
On 12 March 1764, Colonel Frederick Haldimand ordered, from Trois Rivières, the formation of a Volunteer unit to aid in the defense of Canada. In response, the 1st Company, District of Montreal Militia was raised, under the command of Captain de Montizambert; the Company was drawn from the traditional Militia of the Ancien Regime, and was predominantly French speaking. This Company was raised in status to a Battalion in 1807, becoming the 1st Battalion, Montreal Militia under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel The Honorable James McGill, founder of McGill University. Elements of the 1st Battalion fought at the Battle of Chateauguay (26 October, 1813) under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel de Salaberry; as a result of their conduct, the 1st Battalion was awarded a pair of Colors after recommendation by the Commander-in-Chief, Sir George Prevost, to the Prince Regent.
The Select Embodied Militia ceased to function after the War of 1812, being replaced by the Sedentary, and Volunteer, Militias, which provided cadres and later units during the Rebellion of 1837. Various units existed as Montreal Rifles, Loyal Montreal Volunteers and Montreal Volunteer Rifles. On 31 August, 1855, one of these units, the Montreal Rifle Rangers (which perpetuated the Montreal Rifles of the Rebellion) were, by permission of the Governor, Sir Edmund Bond Head, the first volunteers to be admitted into the Active Militia. Renamed as the 1st Volunteer Militia Rifle Company, this unit with eight other independent companies became the First Battalion, Volunteer Militia Rifles of Canada on 17 November 1859, (after passage of the Militia Act of 1859), and the first 'Volunteer Militia' battalion to be formed in the British Empire.
In 1860, the unit was raised to regimental status by HRH The Prince of Wales with the title of First or "Prince of Wales" Regiment, Volunteer Rifles of the Canadian Militia; its regimental status was unique within the Canadian Militia, highlighted through the initial Regimental motto 'Nulli Secundus' and its designation as the First Regiment. HRH The Prince of Wales became the Honorary Colonel, an appointment he continued to hold after his coronation as King Edward VII in 1902.
In addition to those directly antecedent to the First Regiment, the 6th Battalion, Volunteer Militia, was raised in 1862, later becoming the 6th Battalion Hochelaga Light Infantry and subsequently the 6th Battalion, Fusiliers. In 1898, this Battalion was amalgamated with the First Regiment to become the 1st Battalion Prince of Wales Regiment Fusiliers, which then became the 1st Regiment, Prince of Wales' Fusiliers in 1900. Lieutenant-Colonel J.H. Burland, last Commanding Officer of the Sixth Fusiliers, became the first Honorary Lieutenant- Colonel in 1904.
During the period from 1859 to 1900, both the Regiment and the Sixth Fusiliers were on active service during the Fenian Raids of 1866 and 1870, and the First Regiment was next for duty in Montreal at the time of the Northwest Rebellion in 1885, being encamped under arms for a month ready to go to the West. When the first South African contingent was formed as the 2nd (Special Service) Battalion, Royal Canadian Regiment, the First Regiment contributed its quota of officers and men to 'E' Company, which contribution, along with other members serving elsewhere, earned the Honorary Distinction "South Africa 1899- 1900".
In 1911, Lieutenant-Colonel J.W. Carson (later Major General Sir William Carson) was asked to reorganize the Regiment to which he agreed on the conditions that he be given a free hand in the selection of his officers; that the Regiment should be renamed and become a Regiment of Foot Guards whilst still preserving its identity as the First Regiment of the Active Militia of Canada; and that it should be provided with an armory of its own. The reorganization was promulgated in January 1912, when the First Regiment became 1st Regiment, "The Grenadier Guards of Canada", and in April 1914, took possession of the new Armory and changed its name again to 1st Regiment Canadian Grenadier Guards. It remained the First Regiment (although junior as a Regiment of Foot Guards to the Governor General's Foot Guards, raised in 1872 as Household Troops for the Governor-General), and was seen to be the Canadian unit of Household Troops for the Sovereign.
The Canadian Grenadier Guards (CGG) is a primary reserve infantry battalion. Located in the heart of Montreal, it is Canada's oldest militia unit. The role of the CGG is to provide combat ready infantry deployment troops in accordance with tasks assigned from the Department of National Defense (DND). The Regiment has supplied, and continues to supply, reserve soldiers to assist in United Nations Forces in locations such as the former Yugoslavia, Cyprus, Egypt, and on the Golan Heights. In addition to this operational role, each summer the CGG fulfills federal public duties by the provision of an infantry company plus for the "Changing of the Guard" ceremony on Parliament Hill in Ottawa - our national capital.
********************************
The following is a story related to me by my mother, Mary Kraft, about her father and grandparents.
When my sister and I were kids, my father would often entertain us with stories of his childhood in Canada where his father worked as a conductor on the Canadian Pacific R.R. This particular story took place in Lethbridge, Alberta where the family had just moved. My father was about 5 years old�his brother nine. Keep in mind that at this time the town of Lethbridge was "way out west in the wilds" of Canada. My grandmother had to go to the store for provisions and she left the two boys home. Because they had only lived in the house for two days, as yet, there were no shades or curtains on the windows.
Imagine the terror felt by those little boys when they became aware of the Indians peering in their windows and knocking at their door. When grandmother returned from the store, the boys were nowhere to be found! Both boys were as far under the bed as they could crawl. The local Indians later became their friends and traded game and skins for sugar, flour and spices of all kinds. Her father says they especially liked "Catsup"!
Mary Kraft
April 1992
The following is a story related to me by my mother, Mary Kraft, about her father and grandparents.
When my sister and I were kids, my father would often entertain us with stories of his childhood in Canada where his father worked as a conductor on the Canadian Pacific R.R. This particular story took place in Lethbridge, Alberta where the family had just moved. My father was about 5 years old�his brother nine. Keep in mind that at this time the town of Lethbridge was "way out west in the wilds" of Canada. My grandmother had to go to the store for provisions and she left the two boys home. Because they had only lived in the house for two days, as yet, there were no shades or curtains on the windows.
Imagine the terror felt by those little boys when they became aware of the Indians peering in their windows and knocking at their door. When grandmother returned from the store, the boys were nowhere to be found! Both boys were as far under the bed as they could crawl. The local Indians later became their friends and traded game and skins for sugar, flour and spices of all kinds. Her father says they especially liked "Catsup"!
Mary Kraft
April 1992
Flintshire:
"The County of FLINT is 40 Miles in Circumference, contains about 160000 Acres, and is divided into 12 Hundreds in which are 3 Market Towns & only Flint the County Town sends a Member to Parliament; has 28 Parishes & about 3150 Houses. The Air is good but pleasant, somewhat cold by reason of the North Wind. The Soil is not so mountainous as in other parts of Wales, for here are many Valleys and Cornfields, loaden with Wheat, Barley, Pease, Oats, &c. Its cheif commodities are Cattle, Butter, Cheese, Pit-Coal, Lead, Milstones, and Honey, with which they make Metheglin."
[Emanuel Bowen, Britannia Depicta, 1720]************************************************************
Boelwydden:
The three townships of Bodelwyddan, Fuenol and Pengwern, which until that date had been part of the parish of St. Asaph, were gazetted as the new and separate parish of Bodelwyddan on the 3rd August 1860, covering an area of 4109 acres. The remarkable "Marble Church", dedicated to St. Margaret, was erected by Lady Willoughby de Broke in memory of her husband. She laid the foundation stone on the 24th July 1856; and the new church was consecrated by the Bishop of St. Asaph on the 23rd August 1860.
******************************************************Birth:
Peter Williams was born in Lodge Glasgoed (Glascoed) on the Bodelwydden Estate, county of Flintshire, the last child of Thomas and Elizabeth Williams. Both Thomas and Elizabeth were in their mid forties when Peter was born so it must have been difficult for them with a new baby after 5-6 years without a baby in the house! With seven brothers and sisters just imagine what that small, two story house was like with all those boys and girls coming and going...I'll bet it was a beehive of activity all the time with Peter, the baby of the family, right smack in the middle of it all. If one looks at the neighboring families and ages of the children (all about the same age), the whole area must have been a wonderfull place to grow up with plenty of mates to play games, explore and sword fight! It appears the families that lived in the Lodge Glascoed area were also very stable as they're listed not just on one census return but multiple returns over long periods of time. Be that as it may, Peter was one of the youngest children in the area yet had several other children with which to play. The now quiet country road that runs past the lodge has a long history as it was originally a Roman road and later was known as the "king's road". It was then the main route East and West between England and Ireland. It is said that Charles Darwin called at the lodge to stay when he visited the area. This would have been the same period that the Williams family lived and managed the lodge.
Around the time that Peter was born in 1856, construction was begun on a new church on the Bodelwydden Estate which was completed about 1860. Financed by the reigning Williams family, this church still exists today as does the Lodge Glascoed dwelling and the Bodelwydden Estate.
" The present occupant of Glascoed lodge is a Paul Walsh, 2nd Baronet, Lord of Bettisfield, Flintshire !! Pleasant friendly chap though, he showed me around the place which would have been just a two-up, two down cottage in the Williams era. I have a photo of him standing by the cottage door. He was telling me that unfortunately, records from this church have not been photographed and microfisched and thus, are unavailable but to those who visit the church."
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The Bodelwydden estate was a rather large estate owned by Sir John Hay Williams. Both he and his wife, children and guests were attended by large number of servents and domestics many of whom can be found on the '51 and '61 census returns. The estate encompassed an area that extended from St. Asaph in the East to Abergele and the coast in the West, and from Bodelwydden township to Rhuddlen in the North. Peter's father worked as an under-game keeper on this large estate and probably kept long hours patrolling such a large area.
The following description of the Bodelwydden estate (c1850's) was provided to me by a member of the Clywd Family History Society.
"....his extract (as printed) from the 'Handbook for Rhyl and the Vale of
Clwyd' by William Davis (1856) may be of interest to you:*****************************************
Bodelwyddan
A short distance from Kinmel the road leads onwards to Bodelwyddan, the residence of Sir John Hay Williams, Bart., which is reached through a massy Gothic gateway. The mansion itself has undergone a metamorphosis from
Grecian to the Castellated style, and has been perfected by the present baronet. It is a splendid building, and has a most commanding prospect on all sides; embracing views of the Vale of Clwyd, the whole range of the Clwydian Hills, and the ocean. Sir J. H. Williams has considerably improved the Castle, ornamented the grounds, filled the park with deer, and built a splendid park-wall round the demesne.Lady Sarah Hay Williams takes great delight in the pleasure grounds and gardens; and the flower garden is a most delicious spot. The estate formerly belonged to an ancient Welsh family named Humphreys, and was purchased by the celebrated Sir William Williams, Speaker of the House of Commons, after Solicitor General, and ultimately a Welsh Judge: he was the founder of the prosperous families of Wynnstay, Penbedw, and Bodelwyddan. For splendid views the latter place stands almost unrivalled. From the turrets of the castle, the traveller may enjoy one of the richest and most luxurious prospects that can meet the eye,--a sort of fairy land, studded with beautiful seats, and quiet homes of romantic loveliness. Rhyl and the extensive marine view beyond--the sinuous course of the Foryd, the bold towers of Rhuddlan, St. AsaphCathedral, and the extensive and far distant mountain scenery beyond.It was the early dawn of a bright spring morning when I first saw this splendid place, and it truly verified the words of the poet :---
" How beautiful, how beautiful, to watch the morning break,
And see great Phoebus in full pride, his mighty rest forsake.
Refulgent glory shed around, the heavens deep tinged with gold,
And wanton nature smiling sweet, her bridegroom to behold.
How beautiful, how beautiful, it is at early dawn,
To sit upon a green tuft mound, beside a flowery lawn,
With mind composed and heart at ease, to hear the varied lays
Of winged vocalists who strike full in their Maker's praise." --- ChemicusFrom the grounds of Bodelwyddan, no language could do justice to the first glance of the Vale of Clwyd from this eminence on a bright morning in May. At this season there is generally here a sort of freshness and elasticity
in the air which cheers and refreshes with a kind of magical sweetness. The birds singing loudly and gaily from every hedge row, grove and dell; the small rivulets gurgling, have a sound of gladness as they ripple down the
mountain sides; while below all is beautiful and apparently still; the broad and fertile fields, some in grass and some in corn, backed up in numerous instances by woods new clad in their spring dresses. We now return for a short distance to get into the road to Rhuddlan."---------------
What else can be said of such a beautiful spot? What better location to grow up!
Peter spent his early years attending school where he learned to both read and write. Education of the children was a priority mandated by the nonconformist religious leaders of the time. These were especially desireable traits taught to many of the Welsh children because of their affiliation with the protestant, nonconformist religions of the time (Calvanistic Methodists'). He grew up speaking, reading and writing both Welsh and the King's English...something he continued his entire life. Richard Rowlands was the headmaster of the Bryncellyn School where Peter almost certainly attended classes untill beginning to apprentice a trade. At the age of 15 (1871 Census), Peter began the trade of Blacksmith on the Bodelwydden Estate. Peter apprenticed with a Blacksmith by the name of 'John Vaughn' who lived just down the road from Lodge Glascoed. How he was selected to become a Blacksmith is unknown but a Smithy usually was heavily muscled and had a way with the animals. Needless to say, Peter learned his craft well and worked successfully around Rhyl, Prestatyn, Rhuddlan and Liverpool prior to emigrating to the United States.
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Marriage:
Peter married Mary Ann Evans on March 30, 1878. They were married in Toxteth Park which is in Liverpool rather than the brides home in Llanasa or the grooms home in Bodelwydden. I suspect that the reason they married in Liverpool was most of the family (ie, his brothers and sisters) had moved to Liverpool by this time. The Clywd Family Historical Society feels that there was and still is a rather large population of Welsh in the Toxteth Park Area of Liverpool. Since Peter's father died in 1869, his older brother (Thomas) witnessed the wedding ceremony as well as Jane Roberts, a next door neighbor ('51, '61, '71 census) from Bodelwydden. Mary Ann's father, Owen, is listed as being a Blacksmith on the marriage certificate. On the '81 census Owen Evans, Blacksmith, and his wife, Maria, are found living in Llanasa. (Not too far from Rhyl & Rhuddlan). Presumably, they also lived there at the time of the wedding. Since Owen was a Blacksmith, it would seem logical that Peter met Mary Ann through some sort of association with her father. Perhaps Peter and Owen were members of a trade association or Blacksmith's guild, or perhaps Peter was merely helping Owen with some of his work (Owen was in his late 60's at the time). Regardless, Peter and Mary Ann began a family in the best Welsh tradition very soon after their marriage. At the time of the 1881 census, they lived at 4 Elwy Street, Rhyl, and had two sons, Thomas Owen (1879) and John Edward (1880).
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Emigration:
At some point after their marriage the decision was made to emigrate to the United States. Apparently the lure of easy riches and stories of streets "paved with gold" had their affect and Peter and Mary Ann decided to emigrate. Peter left Wales with his older brother, Edward, sometime in 1884 and almost certainly after the death of his mother in mid February, 1884. Edward had recently been widowed with no children and had no ties in Wales. Why they selected Minneapolis, Mn. as a destination can only be imagined but soon after their arrival, Peter began work as a Blacksmith and quickly became successful. We do know that Minneapolis was actively advertiseing in foreign papers to attract residents and this may have led to his selection of Minneapolis as a destination. He sent for Mary Ann and his children (Thomas, John Edward, Maria) sometime in late 1884 or early 1885. They made the arduous journey and joined him in Minneapolis shortly thereafter. The following story is related to me by Aunt Markie regarding their arrival in America:
"I have a cute story Nana told me about her mother and sister Maria (they pronounced it Mariah ). When Grandpa Williams left for America, Nein (Welsh for Grandma) was pregnant with the third child. She came over on the boat by herself and was terribly seasick. A couple on the boat helped her out with the children. When they reached America, Grandpa met them in New York I think. Maria looked up at him and said 'who is this big man?' "
After settling in Minneapolis they had an additional 6 children, of whom, Mary Williams, born in 1894, was my grandmother. Peter went on to become a successfull and prominent member of the Welsh community in Minneapolis. He worked as a Blacksmith in Minneapolis and later started a livery business supplying limosines for funerals and special events. He was an Elder in the Welsh Presbyterian Church and he sponsored numerous new Welsh emigrants in the Minneapolis area.
" Nana said they always had several extra people at their table once they were established. They always welcomed new comers from the Old Country."
Aunt Markie personal communicationPeter made one last trip to Wales in the late 1920's or 1930's to visit family and I believe to settle old family financial accounts. David and Beryl Kenny relate the story of several of the grand children of Peter Evans remembering a tall man with a large hat visiting them when they were quite small. No records exist of this visit, however, several pictures still exist of Peter during his voyage.
Death and Burial:Peter died in September, 1941 after what is reported as a long illness. His contributions were duly noted in obituary notices both in Minneapolis and Rhyl, Wales. The following is a quote from one of the Minneapolis obituary notices:
"Mr. Williams was a member of the Welsh Church from the beginning, and his large home
was always open. They not only raised their own family, but also many others, and many
were the newcomers that found shelter and food at their home. Peter Williams was always
proud of the church, and his counsel and advice were ever welcome."He was buried in the family plot at Lakewood Cemetery, Minneapolis next to his wife Mary Ann and three
children.*************************************************************
The following material gives a description of the general area that the Evans family came from in Wales. It is abstracted from historic documents and reflects the knowledge and attitudes of the time. Meliden (Welsh: Allt Menlyd) is located near the North coast of Wales in the county of Flint. The other towns and parishes mentioned in this narrative including Llanasa, Ochr-yr-allt, Rhyl, Prestatyn and Rhuddlan all lie within a very short distance of one another. Llanasa itself has become a very sought-after home location as a bedroom community to Liverpool and for vacationing Londoners.
The information regarding the Evans family comes from copies of local Parish registration records, the census for England and Wales (for the years 1841, 1851, 1861, 1871, 1881, and 1891), church-yard grave stone inscriptions and personal communications with David and Beryl Kenny, direct descendents of the Evans family and currently living in Prestatyn.
Flintshire:
"The County of FLINT is 40 Miles in Circumference, contains about 160000 Acres, and is divided into 12 Hundreds in which are 3 Market Towns & only Flint the County Town sends a Member to Parliament; has 28 Parishes & about 3150 Houses. The Air is good but pleasant, somewhat cold by reason of the North Wind. The Soil is not so mountainous as in other parts of Wales, for here are many Valleys and Cornfields, loaden with Wheat, Barley, Pease, Oats, &c. Its cheif commodities are Cattle, Butter, Cheese, Pit-Coal, Lead, Milstones, and Honey, with which they make Metheglin."
[Emanuel Bowen, Britannia Depicta, 1720]Allt Menlyd:
"Meliden comprises an extensive tract of rich arable and pasture land, which is in a high state of cultivation: the
surface is in general flat, and the whole district, extending to Rhuddlan, is remarkably fertile"
[A Topographical Dictionary of Wales, S. Lewis, 1834]Meliden is one of the ancient parishes of Flintshire. The earliest recorded reference is said to be in the "Lincoln Taxation" of 1291. The parish originally comprised the townships of Meliden, Prestatyn and Nant; but Prestatyn and Nant were lost to the new parish of Prestatyn in 1860. ome parts of the church fabric are believed to date from the thirteenth century; but the building was extensively restored in 1884. The dedication is to St. Melyd.
Birth:
Mary Anne was born 10 July 1853 while her parents, Owen and Maria, lived in the small community of Ochr-yr-allt. Her birth was duly registered at the Parish church in Meliden. Mary Anne was born into a family of blacksmith's that occupied the area in and around the parish of Llanasa. Indeed, if one examines the census and parish records for Llanasa during the 1800's almost all of the Evans' families in and around Llanasa are related to one another and list occupations as "Blacksmith".
Mary Anne was rhe youngest of six children born to Owen and Maria Evans. Her brothers and sisters included Thomas(1836), William(1838), Ann(1840), Peter(1843), and John(1846). With a gap of seven years between John and Mary Anne it's possible that one or two additional children were born and died in infancy, however, we have no record of these children on the census or parish register.
Youth:
Not much is known of her youth but she and her parents are listed as living in the old schoolhouse of Llanasa on several of the census returns. Llanasa is a parish town of only 30-40 houses of which several were occupied by the Evans'. It can therefore be assumed that she had plenty of cousins, nieces and nephews with whom to play as a child and while growing up in this picturesque seaside village.
As a child born into a family of non-conformist Methodist's it can also be assumed that she received a full education and was literate. It was a mandate of the non-conformist leaders of the Welsh protestant churches that all children be taught to read and write. Therefore, she probably was literate in both Welsh and English.
The blacksmith shop where her father and his relatives worked was located just down the street from the old schoolhouse and right next to the Red Lion tavern. You can rest assured that many an ale was downed by thirsty blacksmith's at the Red Lion tavern! The old schoolhouse was located almost directly across the street from the parish church and occupied the space that is now used for the new parish church-yard. However, from 1851-1891 it served as the home for Owen and Maria Evans, their children and grand-children.
Marriage:
Because of her association with a family of Blacksmith's it can be assumed that she met her future husband, Peter, (also a Blacksmith) as a result of this association. On the '81 census Owen Evans, Blacksmith, and his wife, Maria, are found living in Llanasa. (Not too far from Rhyl & Rhuddlan where Peter lived and worked at the time). Since Owen Evans was a Blacksmith, it would seem logical that Peter met Mary Ann through some sort of association with her father. Perhaps Peter and Owen were members of a trade association or Blacksmith's guild, or perhaps Peter was merely helping Owen with some of his work (Owen was in his late 60's at the time).
Mary Anne married Peter Williams 30 March 1878 in Toxteth Park, Liverpool. At the time, Toxteth Park was a fashionable enclave of largely Welsh individuals. She lists her address as Sunnyside, Princes Park, Toxteth Park, Liverpool at the time of her marriage. Peter lists his address as 4 Vaughn Street, Rhyl. Witnesses to the marriage were Thomas Williams, Peter's oldest brother, and Jane Roberts. It should be noted here that Jane Roberts may be a neighbor to the Williams' in Bodelwydden. Jane Roberts is listed as a next door neighbor on the 1851 census with responsibilities as a lodge-keeper. It could be that she accompanied Peter's mother, Elizabeth, also a lodge-keeper, from the Bodelwydden Estate to the wedding. The wedding took place in the Welsh Presbyterian Church in Princes Park according to Calvanistic Methodist ceremonies. Owen Jones was the minister at the wedding.Emigration:
The newly wed couple more than likely lived in Peter's home at 4 Vaughn Street, Rhyl after their wedding. Peter and Mary Ann began a family in the best Welsh tradition very soon after their marriage. At the time of the 1881 census, they lived in Rhyl at 4 Elwy Street and had two sons, Thomas Owen (1879) and John Edward (1880). Interestingly, Mary Anne has changed her name to Margaret on this census. Peter continued his work as a Blacksmith but his ambitions went far beyond the small villages and parishes of North Wales. After the death of his mother, Elizabeth, in Feb. 1884, he decided to emigrate to the United States. At the time of his emmigration his children included Thomas, John and Maria (age 1 year). Peter preceeded Mary Anne to the United States and after establishing a home and business, sent for his wife and children to follow. They joined him in Minneapolis, Minnesota in late 1884 or early 1885 after a long and arduous journey. Aunt Markie relates the following story:
"When Grandpa Williams left for America, Nain ( Welsh for Grandma) was pregnant with the third child. She came over on the boat by herself and was terribly seasick. A couple on the boat helped her out with the children. When they reached America, Grandpa met them in New York I think. Maria looked up at him and said "who is this big man? "
After settling in Minneapolis, Peter and Mary Anne (Margaret) had an additional six children, of whom, Mary Williams, born in 1894, was my grandmother. The complete list of children is as follows:
Thomas Owen March, 1879 Wales
John Edward Jan 1880 Wales
Maria Sept 1882 Wales
Peter June 1886 Mn
Elizabeth Mar 1887 Mn
Walter June 1889 Mn
Esther Jane July 1891 Mn
Mary Aug 1894 Mn
Wilbur Dec 1895 MnThe Williams home was indeed a busy one with all the children coming in and out and Peter was never one to turn a new emigrant away from his dinner table! Nana (Mae) said they always had several extra people at their table once they were established. They always welcomed new comers from the Old Country and sponsored many new emigrants. In addition to caring for her large household, she was also an active member in the Welsh Presbyterian Church in Minneapolis. In her later years, Peter and Nain lived with Richard O. and Mary Lewis. They traveled to Decorah, Iowa quite often to visit their daughter Elizabeth, her husband Sam Moore and grandson, Donald. They also visited the cabin built by Wilbur and his wife Serene on a near-by Minnesota lake.
Death and Burial:
On a beautiful spring day in Minneapolis, 29 April, 1939, Mary Anne Williams died after an extended illness. An obituary states in part:
"...she was a member of the Willing Workers and the Women's Missionary Society, and took special interest even to the end in her "penny box". Many are the kind deed she did during her long life; her table served many young people who were strangers in this country in years gone by.
...shortly before the end she was singing in her sweet voice, "Gwaed y groes sy'n codi i fyny"."
Note: The translation is roughly "blood of the cross is rising up". It is the last verse of hymn 555 in the Welsh Methodist Hymnbook and a great favourite with the Chapel singers because the penultimate line of the chorus is repeated three times by various combinations of the four voices tenor,soprano,alto and bass and the final line twice by all voices. In my day, when the adrenalin was really running, someone would restart the chorus and off they went again [and sometimes again again !]
The translated verse goes:
"[The]Blood of the Cross raises
the weak to [be] almighty conqueror
[The]Blood of the Cross casts down
hordes of mighty giants
Let me feel, let me feel, let me feel
[A] breeze from the Calvary Hill. "I almost forgot, the name of the hymn by Wm.Williams, Pantycelyn.1716-1791 is 'Nerth y Groes' meaning Strength or Power of the Cross.
Mary Anne was buried in the family plot in Lakewood Cemetery next to her three children, Maria, Walter, and Esther Jane who predeceased her.
The following is a remembrance from Don Moore:
My mother told this story. My great grandmother was 51 years old at the time
Mary Ann Evans was born. Whatever age her oldest brother made her a fork for
the fireplace which I have today by my fireplace. The story goes he was not
to happy about the birth . He must have had a change of mind when he made
the fork.I see you used the lds companion which I plan to use for my file. Do you
mind if I copy the Williams side into my file? Which of course I have no
information to put in it.
2/14/00
Esther Jane Williams died from tuberculosis as a young woman. She died around 1922 or 1923. She would go to Colorado to live part of the year because of the high altitude.
Don Moore-2000.
Having cross checked the names of the properties against a map of 1879 it is clear that Church Lodge as indicated on the 1871 census and Bodelwyddan Lodge as indicated on the 1881 printout are the same.
On the 1861 census several of the house names are a little harder to read however if it's of any use to you I will list them for you. All are within a walk of Glascoed Lodge.
84. Gloddfa
85. Gloddfa
86. Pen-isaf-Glascoed, built 1570
87. Kinmel Lodge, part of the adjacent estate known as Kinmel Hall, a huge stately Manor. The house is up for auction next week if you have around 1 million dollars to spare.
88. Bryn Celyn upper Lodge.
It is clear that Thomas was the under Game Keeper, this an important job. He would have met or associated with a lot of very important, wealthy and distinguished people in this role.
Elizabeth was of course the Lodge keeper and part of her duties other than to look after the lodge was to open and close those portcullis gates. I'm sure this would have been her role on the 1851 census but was not mentioned.
It would be quite right to say that after Thomas died in 1869 and as a result of some of her children leaving home, the estate would have moved her to smaller premises, and nearer to the village. Elizabeth would have died at Church Lodge in 1884 aged 73 having first lived in Glascoed Lodge for approximately 20 years bringing up her many children and then for a further 13 years or so in the Church Lodge.
Estate workers would have been respected by their masters. It was seen by most employers of this type that these people were the key to the success of any large estate. Key jobs on any estate would have been Farm Manager, Senior House Keeper, Bailiff, and Game Keeper etc. All these people would have lived on estate property their home seen as a perk of the job. Most of the income on the Bodelwyddan estate came from local Lead mines situated around the area (no longer visible).Personal communication with Paul Walsh, Lord of Bettisville
October, 2001
************************************************************Denbighshire:
"The County of DENBIGH is 116 Miles in Circumference, contains about 410000 Acres. Tis divided into 12 Hundreds in which are contained 4 Market Towns & only one Borough Town [viz. Denbigh], 57 Parishes & about 6398 Houses. The Air is good but sharp, & ye soil Hilly, intermixed with fruitfull valleys, that of Clwyd is the Cheif, well inhabited by Gentry. The Western parts are healthy but improved with ye Ashes of Turf. Here is plenty of Rye or Corn, Goats & Sheep, & good quantity of Lead Oar in several parts of this County"
[Emanuel Bowen, Britannia Depicta, 1720]Towns and parishes within the county of Denbigh that have family history significance include Abergele and Henllan.
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Henllan:
"A parish in the Union of St. Asaph, hundred of Isaled, county of Denbigh, 2 miles (NW) from Denbigh, containing 2703 inhabitants. This parish, which is fifteen miles in length, and in some parts more than seven in breadth, though averaging about four, extends from St. Asaph, on the north-east, to the source of the river Alwen, near Llanrwst, on the south-west. ..... The scenery is finely diversified, and from some of the higher grounds are obtained extensive and delightful views of the surrounding country, which is in many places characterised by features of great interest and beauty."
[A Topographical Dictionary of Wales, 1833 & 1849, Samuel Lewis]Henllan is one of the "ancient parishes" of Denbighshire, originally comprising the townships of Banister Isaf, anister Uchaf, Brynysgub, Erifiat, Gwenynog Llan, Lleweni Isaf, Lleweni Uchaf, Rhanfawr, Rhanhir (or Twysog), Taldrach, Tre'rparc, and Uwchcaerau (or Uwchcaeron). By an Order in Council, on 21 July 1855, more than half of the parish went to the new parishes of Trefnant and Bylchau. At a later date, a further part of the parish was lost to the parish of Denbigh.
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Birth Record:
Thomas was born 1 January, 1809 in Henllan, Dengihshire (Henllan Parish Register). His father, John Williams, is shown as being from "Lodge" which probably refers to a farm or home site near Henllan. His mother, Anne, is from Bodfari. The following is an extract from Ken Hall regarding the parish register find:
"Next to Henllan parish registers, I found a birth AND baptism (the wonderful curate recorded them both, together with the address, fathers occupation and mothers maiden name, what a gem !!) for Thomas Williams, the trouble is that there were 3 other Thomas Williams on the same page, all born of different families within a few months of each other. This meant going thru' the whole register and forming each family into cohesive groups so that a pattern would form by consecutive birth dates of all children and also a pattern of hereditary forenames, by a process of elimination (literally for one poor Thomas Williams who I found in the Burial register in 1817 aged 7 ) I have Your Thomas, born 1st. Jan. 1809. baptised 4th. Jan.1809 son of John WILLIAMS of Lodge, Farmer. and Anne Jones his wife."
Other siblings are:
Mary born April 15. baptised April 29 1802
Elizabeth born Jan.7. baptised Jan.17 1805
Robert born April 25 baptised May 1 1807****************************************
Marriage:
"I also searched ten adjacent parishes for the Marriage of Thos. and Eliza. and eventually found an apropriate one in Abergele (2 or 3 miles from Glasgoed ) 28 Feb. 1837, Thomas Williams, bach. to Elizabeth Jones, spinster, both of this parish, by banns."
****************************************
Occupation and Living:
On the 1841 census return, Thomas Williams was listed as an agricultural laborer living in Roe, St. Asaph with his wife, Elizabeth, and one child, John.
"I found the family in the 1841 census living at Roe, St.Asaph".
Thomas Williams 25 Ag. lab.
Elizabeth Williams 25 ------
John Williams 1 ------"In the 1841 (census) ages were 'rounded down' (in multiples of five) I cannot be certain that this is the right family, but it's the only one in the area that fits the bill, so it probably is them."
It's not unusual that Thomas should start his life as an "Ag. lab" or farmer because his father's occupation was also listed as "farmer" on Thomas Williams' birth entry in the Henllan Parish register and it only seems logical that he would follow in his father's footsteps. Farming was also the major occupation in Wales at this time. When he and his wife moved to the Bodelwydden estate (1851 census), he initially worked as a farmer on the large estate. However, soon after moving to the estate, the owner began to renovate the estate and imported deer and other game animals which required monitoring and management. He soon.began work as a "games-keeper" on the Bodelwydden Estate and is listed as "under-game keeper" on the 1861 census. After moving to the Bodelwydden Estate sometime between the 1841-1851 census, he and his wife Elizabeth never left the estate.
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The following description of the Bodelwydden Estate was sent to me by a member of the Clywd History Society in North Wales:
Bodelwyddan
A short distance from Kinmel the road leads onwards to Bodelwyddan, the residence of Sir John Hay Williams, Bart., which is reached through a massy Gothic gateway. The mansion itself has undergone a metamorphosis from
Grecian to the Castellated style, and has been perfected by the present baronet. It is a splendid building, and has a most commanding prospect on all sides; embracing views of the Vale of Clwyd, the whole range of the
Clwydian Hills, and the ocean. Sir J. H. Williams has considerably improved the Castle, ornamented the grounds, filled the park with deer, and built a splendid park-wall round the demesne.Lady Sarah Hay Williams takes great
delight in the pleasure grounds and gardens; and the flower garden is a most delicious spot. The estate formerly belonged to an ancient Welsh family named Humphreys, and was purchased by the celebrated Sir William
Williams, Speaker of the House of Commons, after Solicitor General, and ultimately a Welsh Judge: he was the founder of the prosperous families of Wynnstay, Penbedw, and Bodelwyddan. For splendid views the latter place
stands almost unrivalled. From the turrets of the castle, the traveller may enjoy one of the richest and most luxurious prospects that can meet the eye,--a sort of fairy land, studded with beautiful seats, and quiet homes
of romantic loveliness. Rhyl and the extensive marine view beyond--the sinuous course of the Foryd, the bold towers of Rhuddlan, St. Asaph Cathedral, and the extensive and far distant mountain scenery beyond.It was the early dawn of a bright spring morning when I first saw this splendid place, and it truly verified the words of the poet :---
" How beautiful, how beautiful, to watch the morning break,
And see great Phoebus in full pride, his mighty rest forsake.
Refulgent glory shed around, the heavens deep tinged with gold,
And wanton nature smiling sweet, her bridegroom to behold.
How beautiful, how beautiful, it is at early dawn,
To sit upon a green tuft mound, beside a flowery lawn,
With mind composed and heart at ease, to hear the varied lays
Of winged vocalists who strike full in their Maker's praise." --- ChemicusFrom the grounds of Bodelwyddan, no language could do justice to the first glance of the Vale of Clwyd from this eminence on a bright morning in May. At this season there is generally here a sort of freshness and elasticity
in the air which cheers and refreshes with a kind of magical sweetness. The birds singing loudly and gaily from every hedge row, grove and dell; the small rivulets gurgling, have a sound of gladness as they ripple down the
mountain sides; while below all is beautiful and apparently still; the broad and fertile fields, some in grass and some in corn, backed up in numerous instances by woods new clad in their spring dresses. We now return
for a short distance to get into the road to Rhuddlan.*******************************************************
Death and Burial:
Thomas died on 18 January, 1869 at age 61. No cause of death is described in the register. This information was obtained from the death register maintained at St. Margarets Church and, unfortunately, no headstones were provided for either Thomas or Elizabeth after their deaths.
" I have searched several local parish registers for the burial of Thomas ( no easy task with several Williams per page, all of whom have to be scrutinised and eliminated.......the same applies of course to baptisms and marriages)but he has'nt turned up as yet. There was a new church built at Bodelwyddan .....completed in 1860, adjacent to the Glascoed Estate, and mainly financed by the reigning Williams family there. The burial register is still in use in the church so has not been filmed and made available at the County RO. I paid a visit to the churchyard yesterday in the hope of finding a gravestone, there were some others connected to the estate, but no Thomas Williams, I called at the nearby Vicarage to ask if I could check the register, but the vicar was away so I'll have to make an appointment to see it. I got you a picture-postcard of the church anyway !"
"Just across the motorway is St.Margarets Church, I met the vicar there last week and had a look at the registers and found two burials :
18th Feb.1884 Elizabeth Williams of the lodge. aged 73
18th Jan. 1869 Thomas Williams of the lodge. aged 61There were no Williams baptisms or marriages there. There is no grave stone for them in the churchyard. As there was a large military camp at the W. side of the Estate there are a lot of soldiers graves there, most of them Canadians, some of whom died in the 1918 'flu epedemic, and others who were killed in a riot at the camp in
1919 ."*******************************************************
Dyserth:
Dyserth is one of the ancient parishes of Flintshire, comprising the townships of Dyserth, Llewerllyd, Rhyd and Trecastell. The name Dyserth is believed by some scholars to indicate one of the early methods of Christian evangelisation - by hermits; it occurs in several parishes in Wales, and in many parishes in Ireland, as Dysart.
The site of Dyserth Castle stands high on the rocky hill which dominates the village. Now almost nothing remains other than banks and ditch defences of the outer ward. Other evidence survived until the early part of this century, but has since been destroyed by the very extensive quarrying that has taken place in the area. The Castle was constructed by Henry III following his defeat of Dafydd ap Llywelyn in 1241, and was completed by 1250. It
had a very short history, as it was destroyed in 1262 after a siege of some six weeks, by the Welsh, under the leadership of Llywelyn the last.The church was mentioned in the Domesday book. It is located in the lower part of the village, near to the famous waterfall. The church has had two different dedications, formerly to St Cwyfan, whose cross stands on the border of the parish with Whitford; and currently to St Bridget (or the Welsh St Ffraid). The church had become very dilapidated, and was extensively restored/rebuilt by Sir Gilbert Scott betwen 1873 and 1875. The Jesse window at the east end of the church is said to be one of the finest examples of Medieval stained glass in North Wales. In the churchyard there are a number of very interesting graves, including a group of seventeenth century tomb-chests and table tombs.
"Here somme indiscrete personne, finding the church coffer oppen, did with a knife cutt out all that was written
from Anno Dom. 1625 untill Ann. 1635, all which wanteth in this book"
[Written in one of the Parish Registers]The father is listed as: Miner of Trecastell. Dyserth
***********************************************************************Having cross checked the names of the properties against a map of 1879 it is clear that Church Lodge as indicated on the 1871 census and Bodelwyddan Lodge as indicated on the 1881 printout are the same.
On the 1861 census several of the house names are a little harder to read however if it's of any use to you I will list them for you. All are within a walk of Glascoed Lodge.84. Gloddfa
85. Gloddfa
86. Pen-isaf-Glascoed, built 1570
87. Kinmel Lodge, part of the adjacent estate known as Kinmel Hall, a huge stately Manor. The house is up for auction next week if you have around 1 million dollars to spare.
88. Bryn Celyn upper Lodge.It is clear that Thomas was the under Game Keeper, this an important job. He would have met or associated with a lot of very important, wealthy and distinguished people in this role. Elizabeth was of course the Lodge keeper and part of her duties other than to look after the lodge was to open and close those portcullis gates. I'm sure this would have been her role on the 1851 census but was not mentioned. It would be quite right to say that after Thomas died in 1869 and as a result of some of her children leaving home, the estate would have moved her to smaller premises, and nearer to the village. Elizabeth would have died at Church Lodge in 1884 aged 73 having first lived in Glascoed Lodge for approximately 20 years bringing up her many children and then for a further 13 years or so in the Church Lodge.
Estate workers would have been respected by their masters. It was seen by most employers of this type that these people were the key to the success of any large estate. Key jobs on any estate would have been Farm Manager, Senior House Keeper, Bailiff, and Game Keeper etc. All these people would have lived on estate property their home seen as a perk of the job. Most of the income on the Bodelwyddan estate came from local Lead mines situated around the area (no longer visible).Personal communication with Paul Walsh, Lord of Bettisville
October, 2001
John is buried in the Williams family plot in Lakewood Cemetery, Minneapolis, Mn. He, obviously, is the Williams relative who accompanied Peter to Minneapolis.
I got all the records and put them on a disk for now I can open them but my
memory is so low it won't let me print them so until I figure out what is
wrong I viewed them.
Here is what I have to add to your information.
There is another sister Elizabeth to Barbara who came to US in 1740.The father of Hans, Emanuel, Barb, and Eliz. was married to Engel Stohler on
Nov. 18 1690. Engels B-day is Feb. 7 1669. I have the names of her parents
also.Adams wife's name was Elssbeth Detweiler. They were married on Aug. 20 1695.
I have no children for them.Peter did have a daughter Barbara and another daughter Elizabeth born infamy
of 1540. The name I have for his wife is Frieda Spinnler. They were married
on July 22 1534-35 depending on which record you use.I will go over my records again and see if now I can find a father for Hans
who is married to Engel.