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151 Baptism May 2 1886 Sponsers Patrick Cronin and Mrs. Mary Finn Joseph Patrick CRONIN
152 Baptism July 19 1903 Sponsers Thomas O’Brien and M. MCdonald Margaret Ann CRONIN
153 Baptism Jine 16 1896 Sponsers Jojn Finn and Bessie Barrett Mary CRONIN
154 Baptism Oct,12 1890–Sponsers–Conelius McDonaldand Mary Anne Finn Timothy CRONIN
155 Baptism May 24 1908 Sponsers Patrick McDonald and Mrs. Patrick Duggan William CRONIN
156 Ontario, Canada Births, 1869-1909
Name:Etta Crosby
Date of Birth:7 Dec 1889
Gender:Female
Birth County:Ontario
Father’s Name:Michael Crosby
Mother’s Name:Susan Corrigan
Roll Number:MS929_100
Ontario, Canada Marriages, 1857-1924
Name:Henrietta Crosby
Birth Place:Brechin Ont
Age:29
Estimated Birth Year:abt 1890
Father Name:Michael Crosby
Mother Name:Susanna Corrigan
Spouse Name:William James McNarney
Spouse’s Age:28
Spouse Estimated Birth Year:abt 1891
Spouse Birth Place:Victoria Road
Spouse Father Name:William McNarney
Spouse Mother Name:Margaret O’Connor
Marriage Date:5 May 1919
Marriage Place:York
Marriage County:York
Family History Library Microfilm:MS932_473 Henrietta CROSBY
157 Marriage certificate, St. Mary’s, Lindsay
October 20, 1873
witnesses – Maggie Cunningham, Denis McCarthy
married by Reverend Father Stafford
Arthur F. Cunningham of Lindsay (town)
Margaret McCarthy of Carden Township Arthur Francis CUNNINGHAM
158 1901 census Ops
related?
Frank CunninghamAugust 10, 1877Irish, Cda, RC
LorettaNovember 12, 1882same Arthur Leo CUNNINGHAM
159 1901 census Ops
related?
Frank CunninghamAugust 10, 1877Irish, Cda, RC
LorettaNovember 12, 1882same Arthur Leo CUNNINGHAM
160 1901 census Ops
related?
Frank CunninghamAugust 10, 1877Irish, Cda, RC
LorettaNovember 12, 1882same Arthur Leo CUNNINGHAM
161 Re: McNarneys
From: “elaine29@dearbornmi.net”
To: whalent44@yahoo.com
I really don’t know why they were in Brechin. My mother and her sister, Mary, were both born in a cabin in Brechin. My grandmother, Margaret Wylie, took my mother and me down the road where the cabin was, but all you could see was a little bit of foundation. We stopped at the farm next door and a woman came out. She had been a young girl when my grandparents lived there and would babysit for my grandmother. She hadn’t seen my grandmother in 60 years, but recognized her right away. I do know that William and Margaret had the farm in Bexley when my mother was born, which was 1919. I’ve never heard anything about Mara Township. I do think they were quite well off. They all seemed to have nice clothes. The priest at the Victoria Rd. asked if anyone would provide a home for two orphaned boys. Margaret and William took them in and raised them as one of their own. One of the boys name was Clem Cunningham. I got that from my mother.
Elaine
Helen McNarny Hicks letter of 1965:
Thomas died in the prime of life at the age of eighteen. He was the baby of the family.
Tom McCalley was the first home boy taken into the McNarney home before there own family had been born. He was some years older than MaryAnn. He passed away the same time Dinnis did.
Clem Cunnigham joined the family after Thomas passed away and was raised up there. He and his wife Elva live in Oshawa.
Clem CUNNINGHAM
162 – Ancestor of Sir Wilford Laurier Jean CUSSON
163 They Came to Mara lived in Mariposa Township in 1861. Had gone to Carden by 1871 Benjamin John DACK
164 Died 48 years, 8 months. William Robert DACK
165 1930 United States Federal Census about Earl R Davis Name:Earl R Davis Home in 1930:Colville, Stevens, Washington View Map Age:28 Estimated birth year:abt 1902 Birthplace:Washington Relation to Head of House:Head Spouse’s name:Vallie Race:White Occupation: Education: Military service: Rent/home value: Age at first marriage: Parents’ birthplace:View image Neighbors:View others on page Household Members:NameAge Earl R Davis28 Vallie Davis27 Robert E Davis7 Dale A Davis5 Lois E Davis2 2/12 Howard E Davis2/12 View Original Record View original image View blank form Source Citation: Year: 1930; Census Place: Colville, Stevens, Washington; Roll 2520; Page: 4B; Enumeration District: 24; Image: 753.0. Earl R DAVIS
166 Joel and Sarah, James parents, lived with James. James married Jessie Ramsay, 18, at age 36 years. James DAY
167 de Grozellier was anglicized to Grozelle
Ancestors came from France to aquire furs from Indians, and to find new fur routes for the King of France Pierre DE GROZELLIER
168 Amelia married Charles Ewen on December 17, 1902, at Kirkfield, Ontario. The groom was a 26 year farmer living in Eldon Township, Victoria County, Ontario. His parents were John Ewen and Mary Basset. Amilia DEMOE
169 Jean Baptiste Demoe(DuMont) married on August 24, 1879 in Victoria Road, Ontario as before mentoined in the notes for Josephine Demoe(DuMont). He married Mary Ducot, the daughter of Louis and Marie Ducot. She was born in Quebec. Thier vows were witnessed by Josephine Dumont and Paul Lazure(LaSeur). Baptiste was working as a lumberman at the time of his and Mary’s wedding. Jean Baptiste DEMOE
170 John married Clara Hamm on June 21, 1909, at Victoria Road, Ontario. Clara was 25 years old and the daughter of William Hamm and Maria Gerarity. John DEMOE
171 The earliest record I have found of Joseph Demoe(DuMont) is in the 1861 census, where he has been recorded twice! At the time Digby Township in the north part of Victoria County, Ontario was being enumerated, Joseph was a foreman in a lumbercamp in that township. His family is not in Digby with him. Joseph is also recorded in 1861 in Fenelon Township, Victoria County where he and his family reside. Either Digby or Fenelon must must have been enumerated at a later date than the other to account for Joseph showing up in both townships. Joseph shows up as well in the 1871 census. He is with his family and is still residing in Fenelon Township. Besides his wife, there were four children in his home, they are: John, age 15; Eliza, age 12; Joseph, age 8; Mary, age 5. I do not know if the Joseph(age 8) and Mary(age 5) are the children or, possibley the grandchildren of Joseph and his wife. Although the couple is still young enough in 1871 to expect them to be parents of an eight and a five year old, they already have two children named Joseph and Mary who are both grown and married. One other possible explanation is the custom of many French-Canadien families to name all their children either Joseph or Mary out of reverence for the earthly parents of Jesus; then use the childrens middle names to distinguish each child. Unfortunately the records of Joseph, his wife and his children are spotty and at times conflicting, making it difficult to create a complete and accurate outline of Joseph and his family. Also I should note that Joseph is mentioned in Watson Kirkconnells book “County of Victoria: Centenial History”, where the author mentions that the Demoes were among a group of French Canadian families who had settled in the north part Bexley Township, and had come to the county to work in the lumbering operations. He goes on to mention that “old Joe Demoe” had been a foreman of square timber raft gangs which travelled from Bexley to Quebec. Joseph DEMOE
172 Josephine Demoe(DuMont) and her brother Jean Baptiste(John) were married on the same day – August 24, 1879, at Victoria Road . Josephine married Paul Sauve’, son of Paul Sauve’ and Matilda Johnson, and he was born in Quebec. He was employed as lumberman at the time of thier marriage. The witnesses of thier vows was Josephines brother Jean Baptiste and his intended, Mary Ducot. Josephine DEMOE
173 Olive Demoe married William Reid in Victoria Road, Ontaio, on June 20, 1887. On that day William was 23 years old. He was a “yoeman” from Digby Township, Victoria County, Ontario. His parents were Francis Reid and Margaret Kellen. Olive DEMOE
174 Thomas Kevin McNerney e-mail Nov 11, 2009:
Elizabeth Eleanor Jane Denison (daughter of Samuel Denison and Martha Spence) was born 12 Aug 1863 in New Albin, Iowa and died about 1949 in Spokane , WA .
She later married a man named Jennings and had four children (Mabel, Lettie, Jessie, and Adam) by him near Sandpoint , ID. Jennings left when she was pregnant with Adam.
She allegedly lost her mind due to a “bad menopause” in 1919. Contributing factors: daughter Alice found drowned in the Spokane River , John and one of his sons had died.
In 1910 living with son Thomas. Census says she was married 3 times, 2 years into present marriage [Davis?] and had 13 children, 11 of which were alive in 1910. [Presumably she married Chares Jr, a Jennings and a Davis TEW]
1910 United States Federal Census about Elizabeth Davis Name:Elizabeth Davis Age in 1910:44 Estimated Birth Year:abt 1866 Birthplace:Iowa Relation to Head-of-house:Mother Father’s Birth Place:Pennsylvania Mother’s Birth Place:Illinois Home in 1910:Echo, Stevens, Washington Marital Status:Married Race:White Gender:Female Neighbors:View others on page Household Members:NameAge Thomas McNearney29 Bertha McNearney17 Helen McNearney2 Ray McNearney21 Elizabeth Davis44 Alice McNearney16 Lettie Jennings12 Mable Jennings8 Adam Jennings5 Elizabeth Eleanor Jane DENNISON
175 1900 United States Federal Census about Matilda E Derozo Name:Matilda E Derozo [Matilda E Derego] [Matilda E Robinson] Home in 1900:Detroit Ward 17, Wayne, Michigan Age:18 Birth Date:Nov 1881 Birthplace:Michigan Race:White Gender:Female Relationship to Head of House:Daughter Father’s Birthplace:Canada Fr Mother’s Name:Hattie Mother’s Birthplace:Canada Fr Marital Status:Single Residence :Detroit City, Wayne, Michigan Occupation:View on Image Neighbors:View others on page Household Members:NameAge Hattie Robinson53 Matilda E Derozo18 Henry Hyott44
1910 United States Federal Census about Mathilda E Denz Name:Mathilda E Denz Age in 1910:28 Estimated Birth Year:abt 1882 Birthplace:Michigan Relation to Head of House:Wife Father’s Birth Place:Michigan Mother’s Birth Place:Canada French Spouse’s Name:Louis Home in 1910:Gratiot, Wayne, Michigan Marital Status:Married Race:White Gender:Female Neighbors:View others on page Household Members:NameAge Louis Denz29 Mathilda E Denz28 Elizebeth M Denz3 Barnard Koppski20 boarder
1920 United States Federal Census about Matilda Denz Name:Matilda Denz Home in 1920:Detroit Ward 19, Wayne, Michigan Age:38 years Estimated Birth Year:abt 1882 Birthplace:Michigan Relation to Head of House:Wife Spouse’s Name:Louis Father’s Birth Place:United States of America Mother’s Birth Place:United States of America Marital Status:Married Race:White Sex:Female Able to read:Yes Able to Write:Yes Image:733 Neighbors:View others on page Household Members:NameAge Louis Denz38 Matilda Denz38 Elizabeth Denz12
1930 United States Federal Census Record
Name: Matilda Mcnerney
Home in 1930: Detroit, Wayne, Michigan
Age: 48
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1882
Relation to Head of House: Wife
Spouses’s Name: Frank
Age at first marriage: 20
Age at marrige with Francis: 40
Michigan Deaths, 1971-1996
Name: Matilda MCNARNEY
Birth Date: 26 Nov 0081
Death Date: 31 Jan 0078
Gender: Female
Residence: Melvindale, Wayne, Michigan
Place of Death: Detroit, Wayne, Michigan
Buried in Holy Sepluchere Cemetery, Royal Oak next to Frank and Mary McNarney but no marker for her. Her husband Francis Joseph is buried in Grand Lawn Cemetery, Detroit Matilda “tillie” Elizabeth DEROZO
176 Jean Baptiste Bouchard/Dorval sieur Desgroseilliers earned his living as fur merchant. Jean Baptiste DESGROSEILLIERS
177 Name: Clara Mcnarney
Gender: Female
Burial Date:
Burial Place:
Death Date: 06 Feb 1933
Death Place: Petoskey, Emmet, Michigan
Age: 76
Birth Date: 1857
Birthplace: Ohio
Occupation: Hwf
Race: White
Marital Status: Married
Spouse’s Name:
Father’s Name: Benj Draper
Father’s Birthplace: Ny
Mother’s Name:
Mother’s Birthplace:
Indexing Project (Batch) Number: B51845-3
System Origin: Michigan-EASy
Source Film Number: 966506
Reference Number: p 37
Collection: Michigan Deaths and Burials, 1800-1995 Clara DRAPER
178 Susan is divorced from Bill Lock. Her second husband is Gil Konkel. She retired from Ford Motor Co. in 2002. Susan Darlene DUMITRU
179 Marilyn Bernardo (McPeake) and her husband Keb recorded the Dalrymple Cemetery in June 1985. She said her Great Aunt was Elizabeth McPeake. She says she assumes the Adam Foster was a son of her GA Elizabeth????
Address 21 Raymond Drive, West Hill Elizabeth Ann EASTCOTT
180 1910 United States Federal Census about Thomas W Eckert Name:Thomas W Eckert Age in 1910:64 Estimated birth year:abt 1846 Birthplace:New York Relation to Head of House:Head Father’s Birth Place:Germany Mother’s Birth Place:Germany Spouse’s name:Mary A Home in 1910:Kansas Ward 8, Jackson, Missouri Marital Status:Married Race:White Gender:Male Neighbors:View others on page Household Members:NameAge Thomas W Eckert64 Mary A Eckert60 Lorenzo N Eckert35 Asenath E Meyer34 Morgan L Eckert33 Lewis A Meyer43 Georgia L Cobleigh12
U.S. National Homes for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers, 1866-1938 about Thomas W Eckert Name:Thomas W Eckert Birth Year:abt 1846 Keyed Birth Location:New York Birth State:New York Admitted Year:1910 Age at Admission:64 State:California County:Los Angeles City:Sawtelle Branch:Pacific Branch
Thomas W ECKERT
181 Minnesota Death Index, 1908-2002 about George F. Farmer Name:George F. Farmer Birth Date:29 Sep 1909 Death Date:4 Jan 1983 Death County:Polk Mother’s Maiden Name:Fee State File Number:007496 Certificate Number:007496 Certificate Year:1983 Record Number:2099564
U.S. World War II Army Enlistment Records, 1938-1946 about George F Farmer Name:George F Farmer Birth Year:1910 Race:White, citizen (White) Nativity State or Country:North Dakota State of Residence:North Dakota County or City:Pembina Enlistment Date:10 Feb 1941 Enlistment State:North Dakota Enlistment City:Cavalier Branch:Infantry Branch Code:Infantry Grade:Private Grade Code:Private Component:National Guard (Officers, Warrant Officers, and Enlisted Men) Source:National Guard Education:1 year of college Civil Occupation:Semiskilled mechanics and repairmen, motor vehicles Marital Status:Married Height:68 Weight:198 George F. FARMER
182 OBITUARY – A SAD DEATH
Goerge James Farmer passed to the Other Shore After Illness
of Two Years.
Just as the sun was going down Monday evening at 8:25, George James Farmer passed through the portals to the great beyond from whence there is no return, surrounded by his loving wife and little son, father and mother and other near relatives. His end was peaceful and at his bedside were all the ones that were dear to him.
For the past two years he has suffered patiently and resignedly and his death was not unexpected. Over a year ago he went to New Mexico where he remained for some time in hope that the change of climate would benefit him, and returned to his home here in March feeling and looking much better, but the dread disease Tuberculosis had too firm a hold on him and his many friends knew it was only a matter of time till he would joing the great majority. Everything that medical science and loving hands could do, was done for him.
George James Farmer was born at Mallory, Minnesota, Aug 11, 1880, and when he was a baby, came with his parents to Walsh County and has been raised on the homestead of his father John Farmer, north of the village. He was a young man of fine habits and to know him was to be his legion friend!
Some three years ago he was married to Miss Jennie Fee of Ops township, and since that time he has made his home here in Ardoch where he has followed the trade of a paper hanger and painter up to about two months ago when he had to give up his work. He was a young man highly estemed by all who knew him; to know him as to claim him as a friend.
He leaves to mourn his loss a loving wife and little son, father and mother, Mr. and Mrs. John Farmer, three brothers, John,Jr., Will and Glann of this place and Mrs. Herb McDonald and Mrs. John Lowe of Forest River, sisters.
The funeral was held Wed. July 27, 1910 in the Presbyterian Church, and last resting place is the village cemetery, Rev. Bates of Forest River conductinig the ceremonies.
1910 United States Federal Census about George J Fanner Name:George J Fanner [George J Farmer] Age in 1910:29 Estimated Birth Year:abt 1881 Birthplace:Minnesota Relation to Head of House:Husband Father’s Birth Place:Ireland Mother’s Birth Place:Canada English Spouse’s Name:Jennie L Home in 1910:Ardoch, Walsh, North Dakota Marital Status:Married Race:White Gender:Male Neighbors:View others on page Household Members:NameAge George J Fanner29 Jennie L Fanner29 George F Fanner9/12 George James FARMER
183 Marriage witnesses: Patrick Laddylaw & Catherine McGinty Ann FEE
184 Living with sister Clarice V in 1920 census in Grafton
Arrived from Maxim, Sask in Jul 1918. His Uncle John Miller is living in Maxim, which is now a ghost town near Weyburn Arthur Lewis FEE
185 Vol Pg# Dist./Co. Area Given-name Surname Father Mother Residence Birthplace Birthdate Bapt-date Bapt-place Minister
2 392 Victoria Co. Ops Twp. Belvi Fee William H. Mary Ops Ops 1863-01-09 1865-12-15 Ops Edwards, Rev. A.
OBITUARY — Mrs. Balmer
The funeral of Mrs. Frank Balmer was held at the Catholic church at Wildrose on April 30, 1942, being conducted by Father Wingering, and Burial was made at Crosby.
Belvie Fee was born near Lindsay, Ontario, Canada, 9 Jan 1866. She was married May 24, 1885 to George Wilson; to this union two children were born, Frank and Mary, now Mrs. Eugene Harris of Madison, Wis. Her husband passed away a short time later. She was married to Frank Balmer at Grafton, ND Jun 7, 1894, and to them were born three girls, Emma, Edna and Mabel.
Mr. and Mrs. Balmer moved to a farm in Rainbow township in the fall of 1920; five years later they moved to the farm in Frederick township where they have since lived. She leaves besides her husband, five children, 14 grandchildren, and two sisters Elizabeth Donnelley of Grand Forks, ND, and Marie (Mariah) Snellbaker of La Crosse, Wis. The many kind acts and words during our bereavement are greatly appreciated by the family. Belvi FEE
186 On 1900 census listed has having 12 children and 10 living. It has her birth as Feb 1828 but her age as 69 which would make it Feb 1831 [TEW]
1871 Census of Canada about Bridget Keefe Name:Bridget Keefe Gender:Female Age:40 Birth Year:abt 1831 Birth Place:Ontario Marital Status:Married religion:Catholic Origin:Irish Province:Ontario District:Victoria South District Number:52 Division:01 Subdistrict:Ops Subdistrict Number:b Neighbors:View others on page Household Members:NameAge Bridget Keefe40 William Keefe16 Henry Keefe15 Timothy Keefe13 Eliza Ann Keefe11 Thomas Keefe9 Daniel Keefe5 John Keefe3 Francis Keefe1 Mary Rogers19 Wm Henry Fee35 Mary Fee40 Thomas Fee16 Jane Fee14 Mary Fee12 Francis Fee10 Bellvie Fee8 Elizabeth Fee4 Wm Henry Fee6 Maria Fee11m Bridget Mary FEE
187 Mrs. Michael (Catherine) Cayley underwent a critical operation in Grand Forks the 1st week of Jun, 1924 for an abscess. She returned from Michigan recently suffering from the affliction and it was seemed that the operation was a once necessary. At first it seem that the operation was apparently quite successful, and the patient was recovering nicely. However Mrs. Cayley’s physical condition was such that she failed to respond to treatment and did not rally from the effects of the ordeal.
She passed away at 10 o’clock June 18, 1924 at St.Michaels Hospital in Grand Forks.
She was born in LIndsay,Ontario 28 Oct 1855. She married Michael Cayley in 1880, and in 1881, came to North Dakota with her brother Francis “Columbus” Fee, and located on a farm in Ops township, and during the many passing years bore the distinction of being one of the leading and prosperous families of southern Walsh County. Seven sons and one daughter survive.
The funeral of the late Mrs. Michael Cayley was one of the largest seen in St. Patrick’s church in this city for many years. Representatives of all creeds and nationalities were present, which bespoke of the high esteem and regard in which the deceased was held. Besides the neighbors and friends of the family in this locality, many were here from a distance to pay a last tribute of love and regard to an oldtime friend, and of sympathy to a bereaved family.
The remains were brought from Grand Forks by auto to the family residence in this city of Minto on Thursday, where they remained until morning, and where they were viewed for the last time by many intimate friends and acquaintances of the deceased and her bereaved family.
The remains were conveyed to St.Patrick’s church Friday morning, where the large concourse of people filled the structure to its capacity. The pallbearers were: Wm. coffey, Hugh Kennedy,Stephen O’Rielly, Lawrence Kochmstedt, Matt costello, and James Barclay. Requiem high mass for the repose of her soul was offered up by the pastor, Rev. Maxwell.
When mass was over and after the usual absolution of the casket, the pastor delivered a very beautiful sermon quite appropriate to the occasion. He paid many tributes of respect to the deceased.
He summarized her many, estimable qualities, as wife, mother and church member. He detailed at considerable length on each of these characteristics, and said how admirably and fully his dear friend had filled all of them.
He then went on and gave a brief sketch of her early career both in Lindsay,Ontario, her native place, and in North Dakota. How honestly and industriously she labored with her faithful partner and how good luck and success always smiled on them as a suitable remuneration for their labor.
He said she was a most affectionate wife, a fond mother and a charitable neighbor, ever and always ready to attend to the needs of others. Her straightforward, truthful demeanor ingratiated itself into the affectioins of many. And now he asked her old neighbors to reciprocate for these many kind offices excercised during her life.
He appealed in an especial manner to her family, not to tarnish the good name which the deceased and her honest husband had left behind them. To show by their economic industrious life, that they appreciated some of the world’s goods which were bequesthed to them by a loving mother and an affectionate father. To show by their exemplary lives that they would always walk worthy of their name, and to hand it down to posterity in the same way in which it was given to them.
As your eyes rest for the last time on the remains of your dear one and as your hearts go down with her to the grave, let the tribute of your love be to her a fixed and firm resolve not to forget her after death.
Pray for your dead. Never forget your dead. They love you and plead for your prayers. Pray for your dead, that eternal rest may be given to them and perpetual life shine upon them…Amen.
1920 United States Federal Census about Katherine Cagley Name:Katherine Cagley [Katherine Cayley] Home in 1920:Minto, Walsh, North Dakota Age:64 years Estimated Birth Year:abt 1856 Birthplace:Canada Relation to Head of House:Head Father’s Birth Place:Ireland Mother’s Birth Place:Ireland Marital Status:Widow Race:White Home owned:Own Year of Immigration:1881 Able to read:Yes Able to Write:Yes Image:265 Neighbors:View others on page Household Members:NameAge Katherine Cagley64 Charles H Cagley23 Thomas R Cagley22 Mary Cagley25 Catherine FEE
188 Marriage witnesses: Robeert Graham & Ellen Fee [Sister TEW]
Federal Census of 1871 (Ontario Index)
FEE , CHARLES
Sex: Male
Age: 25
Birthplace: ONTARIO
Religion: Roman Catholic
Origin: IRISH
Occupation: FARMER
District: VICTORIA SOUTH ( 052 )
Sub-district: Ops ( B )
Division: 1
Page: 31
Microfilm reel: C-9980 – C-9981
Reference: RG31 ? Statistics Canada
Ontario, Canada Marriages, 1857-1924 about Charles Fee Name:Charles Fee Birth Place:Ops Age:25 Estimated birth year:abt 1846 Father Name:Francis Fee Mother Name:Jane McNeen Spouse Name:Catherine McGanetty Spouse’s Age:24 Spouse Estimated Birth Year:abt 1847 Spouse Birth Place:Rochester Spouse Father Name:John McGanetty Spouse Mother Name:Catherine Hyde Marriage Date:7 Aug 1871 Marriage Place:Victoria Marriage County:Victoria Family History Library Microfilm:MS932_4
Dakota Territory 1885 Census:
ED Name Age Relation Occupation Nativity Address City County
04-086-36 Fee, Charles 34 Canada Ontario Walsh
04-086-37 Fee, Chatern 38 NY Walsh
04-086-38 Fee, Charlote 11 Canada Ontario Walsh
04-086-39 Fee, Ioin 8 Canada Ontario Walsh
04-086-40 Fee, Frances 5 Canada Ontario Walsh
04-086-41 Fee, A. L. 3 Dakota Walsh
04-086-42 Fee, Clara 1 Dakota Walsh
1900 United States Federal Census about Charles Lee Name:Charles Lee [Charles Fee] Home in 1900:Ops, Walsh, North Dakota Age:54 Estimated Birth Year:abt 1846 Birthplace:Canada Relationship to head-of-house:Head Spouse’s Name:Catherine Race:White Occupation:View Image Immigration Year:1881 Neighbors:View others on page Household Members:NameAge Charles Lee54 Catherine Lee53 Charlette Lee23 Jennie Lee21 Frank Lee19 Arthur Lee17 Clarra Lee15 May Bishop23
1910 United States Federal Census about Charles Fee Name:Charles Fee Age in 1910:64 Estimated birth year:abt 1846 Birthplace:Canada English Relation to Head of House:Head Father’s Birth Place:Ireland Mother’s Birth Place:At Sea Spouse’s name:Catherine Home in 1910:Ops, Walsh, North Dakota Marital Status:Married Race:White Gender:Male Year of Immigration:1881 Neighbors:View others on page Household Members:NameAge Charles Fee64 Catherine Fee63
1920 United States Federal Census about Charley Fee Name:Charley Fee Home in 1920:Minto, Walsh, North Dakota Age:73 years Estimated birth year:abt 1847 Birthplace:Canada Relation to Head of House:Head Father’s Birth Place:Ireland Mother’s Birth Place:Scotland Marital Status:Widow Race:White Sex:Male Year of Immigration:1881 Able to read:Yes Able to Write:Yes Image:261 Neighbors:View others on page Household Members:NameAge Charley Fee73 Jane Farmer37 George Farmer10 Charles FEE
189 Charles H. Fee, 712 Cherry St., who came to Grand Forks with his parents at the age of 2 and lived in a log cabin on the present post office site in 1879, died here Wednesday. He was 80 years old.
He was stricken at the Great Northern Depot, while awaiting the arrival of relatives. He was taken by ambulance to a local hospital and died en route.
Services will be held at St. Mary’s Catholic Church at 9:30 am Saturday with the rev. David J. Boyle officiating. Burial will take place in Calvary Cemetery.
Mr. Fee was born at Lindsay, Ontario, Canada, 7 Jul 1877 and came to the United States and to North Dakota with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Francis “Frank” also known as “Columbus” Fee.
Charles attended St. Bernard’s Academy at Grand Forks and the University of North Dakota for two terms, in 1895. While at the University, he lived on the third floor of Old Main.
He started in a general store at Minto in 1897, and became its owner. He operated the store until 1926 when he came to Grand Forks. While at Minto, he married Mary McCarron on June 26, 1906.
His Blue and White Grocery which was located on the present site of the Belmont Lounge,N. Third St., was the first open shelf-self service grocery store in the city.
In 1929, he became a farm broker for the Union Central Life Ins. Ass’n. At the time of his death, he was operating his own farm realty office at his home.
1900 United States Federal Census about Charles H Feo Name:Charles H Feo [Charles Henry Fee] Home in 1900:Harriston, Walsh, North Dakota Age:22 Estimated Birth Year:abt 1878 Birthplace:Canada English Relationship to head-of-house:Head Race:White Occupation:View Image Immigration Year:1880 Neighbors:View others on page Household Members:NameAge Charles H Feo22
Correction Detail: Given Name:Charles Henry Surname:FEE Correction Type:Transcription Error Explanation:July 7, 1877 Lindsay, Victoria, Ontario, Canada to June 11, 1958 Grand Forks, Grand Forks, IN. Married June 26, 1906 Minto, Walsh, ND Mary McCarron 1887 ND to 1961 Contributed By:birds ( Contact This Person ) Contributed On:11/21/2006
Ontario, Canada Births, 1869-1909 about Charles Henry Fee Name:Charles Henry Fee Date of Birth:15 Jul 1877 Gender:Male Birth County:Victoria Father’s Name:Francis Fee Mother’s Name:Anne Coffee Roll Number:MS929_31
1920 United States Federal Census about Charley Fee Name:Charley Fee Home in 1920:Park River, Walsh, North Dakota Age:42 years Estimated Birth Year:abt 1878 Birthplace:Canada Relation to Head of House:Head Spouse’s Name:Mary Father’s Birth Place:Canada Mother’s Birth Place:Canada Marital Status:Married Race:White Sex:Male Home owned:Own Year of Immigration:1880 Able to read:Yes Able to Write:Yes Image:322 Neighbors:View others on page Household Members:NameAge Charley Fee42 Mary Fee32 Anna Fee12 Josephine Fee10 Charles Fee7
1930 United States Federal Census about Charles H Fee Name:Charles H Fee Home in 1930:Grand Forks, Grand Forks, North Dakota Age:52 Estimated Birth Year:abt 1878 Birthplace:Canada Relation to Head of House:Head Spouse’s Name:Mary Race:White Occupation: Education: Military service: Rent/home value: Age at first marriage: Parents’ birthplace:View Image Neighbors:View others on page Household Members:NameAge Charles H Fee52 Mary Fee43 Anne Mary Fee22 Josephine Fee20 Charles Fee18 Charles Henry FEE
190 North Dakota State Censuses, 1915 and 1925 about Charles H Fee Jr. Name:Charles H Fee Jr. County:Walsh Town/City:Park River Census Year:1925 Age:13 Est. Birth Year:abt 1912 Gender:Male Race:White Roll:ndsc_5242 Page:1 Line:16 Family Number:7
$Two Dollar House Calls by Charles Fee M.D. (1982) About the writer:
Charlie Fee was born in Minto, North Dakota, February 25, 1912, a grandson of Irish pioneers who, in 1880, left their homes in eastern Ontario to homestead in the Red River Valley. His boyhood was spent in Park River, North Dakota (pop. circa 980). The family moved to Grand Forks so the three siblings could obtain a college education at the University of North Dakota. Charlie received a B.S., a B.A. and went on to an M.D. from the University of Chicago. He prepared himself for the role of a country doctor, was interrupted by WWII, served 42 months, was a Flight Surgeon in the ETO and then came back to practice in Denison, Iowa. He is a member of the American Academy of Family Practice and a Fellow in the American College of Emergency Physicians. After practicing for 30 years he went to the University of Kansas, entered the Graduate School and for four semesters studied the fossil population and the origin of man. Charlie’s wife, Marg, is a ‘music ‘major. They have two daughters; one, a school teacher, and the other a lawyer serving as a judge in Juvenile Court. They have two granddaughters. Doctor Fee’s hobbies are golf, fishing, hunting, writing and producing skits and plays, travel and spectator sports. Charlie and Marg now live in Salem, Oregon, (summer) and Tucson, Arizona, (winter).
Homesteaders.
From: $ Two Dollar House Calls by Charles Fee, M.D. An Autobiography of Sorts (1982)
1878-1880 – Family History.
Free Land! Free Land! 160 acres of excellent farm land can be yours, just build a house on it, farm it and crop it and, in five years, it’s all yours! If that’s too much work you can plant ten acres in trees to serve as windbreaks on the prairie, see that they survive, and you can claim the whole quarter-section!
That was the story in the newspapers of the late 1870’s and the talk among the people in Ontario’s Peterborough-Lindsay region. It was the opportunity of a lifetime!
No wonder there was a mass migration to the Dakota Territory. It was history’s greatest land offer to the common man. The Irish of this area, some of them with vivid memories of flight from famine in Ireland hardly more than a quarter century earlier, saw this free land as a chance to rise above what had seemed a never-ending struggle against perpetual poverty. A chance to own your own land, to take charge of your own destiny, to have some cash as a cushion against hard times, to live in your own house! A wish, a dream, a hope which, at long last could come true!
They came westward as singles, as couples, as families, as clans and as unrelated groups brought together for the migration. They travelled by train, river boat, horseback, wagon or that famous, very practical highwheeled vehicle the Red River Valley ox-cart, highwheeled so that it could pass over the tall prairie grass rather than through it. They brought whatever they possessed in household wares, their farm animals and farm equipment. Their belongings, pityfully few, constituted a meager assortment of little real value. Those with an abundance of the worldly goods had no need to migrate.
Eventually, they all learned the same lesson. The land did not come “free!” They must purchase it with the hard coin of the prairie; blood, sweat and toil; misery and sorrow; crop failures and heartbreak; winter’s insufferable cold and summer’s heat.
A labored hand in stilted script, often misspelled, recorded the births, the marriages and the deaths in the family Bible. Marginal notes read: “Tim Callahan and Maggie arrived today, April 17, 1881” and “The Gallaghers filed on the southwest quarter, June 1880,” but there was never a notation of anyone “going back”! They came and they stayed.
Grandma McCarron, then Mary Ann Dineen, Ontario born daughter of Dennis and Nancy Desmond Dineen, came into Dakota Territory in 1881 via the northern route through Manitoba, in the company of cousins, all seeking land and fortune. Her group spent the winter in sod shanties at Pembina, on the United States border. There she quickly learned the difference in the relatively mild Ontario winter from that of the bitter cold Dakota blizzard type.
This should have been lesson enough to send them all back to Ontario but the chance for free land and the overwhelming desire for a home and farm of their own drove them on.
Grandpa, Joseph Patrick McCarron, son of Neil and Bridget Doyle McCarron, Bellville, Upper Ontario, Canada, left home at 17 to work in the Wisconsin woods. A photo, taken at the time of his departure, shows a handsome, six foot plus, very strong and determined young man.
After twelve years he came out of Wisconsin’s lumber camps, age 29, extraordinarily strong, slow to anger and never known to have used physical force to settle an argument. He had saved some money, not much, but enough to secure the basic equipment for farming. His love for the woods had misled him into filing on Red River bottom land only to see the spring floods sweep away his last summer’s toil. He relinquished this claim and moved farther west where some of his friends from Ontario were seeking land.
Here he met, courted and married 19 year old Mary Ann Dineen whom he knew in Ontario as a seven year old child.
Joe McCarron went with the group “scouting” for land suited to their needs. Since these groups of emigrants were made up of families all related to one another through birth or marriage, they must find an unclaimed area large enough to accommodate the entire clan.
They found what they judged to be best about sixty miles south of the Canadian border, in the Red River Valley, near the river itself, but, this time, safely out of the flood plain.
There was room here for the McCarrons, the Doyles, the Dineens, the Callahans, the O’Keefes, the O’Briens, the Cayleys, the Coffeys, the Fees, and a few other families as well. It mattered not that this group butted against a Polish group on the south and Scandinavians on the north. There was land for everyone, one hundred and sixty acres each, his for the claiming and the “proving up.”
These farmers attacked the land to get a crop in before the season became too late. The only power they had was of flesh and blood, man and horse, working together from daylight to dark to beat an almanac which predicted a frost with the September moon.
The heavy northern Dakota prairie grasses covering the ten foot layer of rich black soil resisted the plow and tired the horses. The harrows and discs bounced over the upended sod making scarcely a cut. Every square foot of soil had to be wrested from nature’s centuries of tenure. It was not easy. These people asked only for flour to tide them over the winter and “some seed back for next year’s plantings.”
The early settlers spoke of the winters of the ’80’s as the most severe of all time. This mayor may not have been true but, certainly, they produced the greatest suffering. Perhaps the inadequate, poorly ventilated, poorly heated housing was a major factor. The sod shanties offered almost unbearable heat near the stove only to have food-stuff freezing in the room corners.
Everything froze; the well pump froze in rigid position of last use; the well pipe passed through more than a foot of surface ice to reach the water below; the windows became part of their sills and the doors frequently rendered fast to the frames.
This hardy band in their sod shanties and with the cattle in their makeshift shelters beat out the winter to emerge into the spring. There were one or two births but, fortunately, there were no deaths. Welcome as the spring might be, the ever-present concern centered on preparation for the on-coming winter with its blizzards and frightful cold. The certainty of winter was as absolute as the ordeal of survival. Grandma McCarron steadfastly declared that there was nothing to break the wind between the north pole and their shanty except Winnipeg, a small town then seven years old, 120 miles to the north! To help break the wind and to establish a shelter, Grandpa planted a grove of cottonwood saplings north of the house. He would wait several years for the benefits.
It was this grove of saplings that gave grave site to the stillborn McCarron first child and witnessed the anguish and heartbreak of the father as his rough hands wrapped his dead child in linen cloth, as he dug the grave and tenderly placed his firstborn in the black soil. From some source within he found the courage to cover his baby with dirt, the same dirt he was struggling so hard to claim as his own.
One wonders, did this big man stand in solitude and despair above the grave, with tears streaming down his face and through his beard, did he cry out against the harsh Dakota prairie? Would he ponder what set of horrible circumstances brought him to this godforsaken place? Did he consider abandoning all hope, curse his ill fortune and damn his luck as, dejected and despondent, he carried the still damp shovel back to the shanty?
Dejected and despondent, yes, but not defeated. Not Big Joe McCarron, full-bearded, physically extremely strong, yet stoic, kind, gentle and patient. Patient above all else. He would tend to his grieving wife, comfort and console her as best he could in this time of denial of motherhood and the child they anticipated for so long.
Mary Ann Dineen McCarron proved she was every bit as tough, hardy and durable as her husband when, two years later, she presented him with a healthy child. By this time board and nail had replaced the sod walls and, except for the screened kitchen, never to be enlarged. There’d be no need for it. This was their only child.
Grandpa and Grandma farmed the “home place” for nearly forty years, sustaining themselves through the many misfortunes in crop failures, excess rains, drought, early and late frosts, rust, grasshoppers and poor prices for grains. Then they “moved to town.” They were never rich in money and never poor in spirit!
Grandpa died of pneumonia in 1921 and Grandma lived with us for several years. The aging process treated her kindly. She forgot all the troubles and cares of the recent days, traded them, as many arteriosclerotic old folks do, for a crystal clear recall of events in the long distant past. Gone into a fuzzy forgotten limbo were the disturbing memories of suffering, cold, hardship, failure, death and the struggle for survival. All that remained were the pleasant recollections of family, of good times, of successes, of joys, of happiness and friends. She narrated her stories, embellished in the greatest detail and dressed in colorful description.
We, her grandchildren, enjoyed these often told tales of the “early days;” of the fiddlers and the dances; of the free swinging Irish brawls which always ended with a handshake because neither combatant could remember what started the fight; of the wedding celebrations; of the Irish wakes which were really gatherings of the clan where feasting, boozing and family reunions took precedence over the mourning; of the barn raisings and threshing bees; of the happiness and security in friendships; of willing and helpful hands in times of sickness or disaster; of the mutual admiration each had for the other.
It is a pity she died before we could record her skillful mastery in story telling and preserve, forever, that delightful Irish brogue!
These people came armed with nothing but courage and determination, and an overwhelming faith in the land. They came and they conquered!
Charles Henry FEE, Jr.
191 FEE, CHARLES 12/12/2000 Walsh MALE 88 Years 09/21/1912 North Dakota Walsh from ND death records
Name: C. Fee
SSN: 536-01-0747
Last Residence: 54616 Blair, Trempealeau, Wisconsin, United States of America
Born: 21 Sep 1912
Died: 12 Dec 2000
State (Year) SSN issued: Washington (Before 1951) Charles Lefty FEE
192 BIOGRAPHY…ELIZABETH FEE
Elizabeth Fee was born 20 Aug,1868, on a farm near Lindsay, Ontario, Canada, to William Henry and Mary (Hutton)Fee. She was the seventh of a family of 9 children. For about a year and a half, she attended the rural school which was about a quarter of a mile from her home, before her family moved to Dakota Territory.
In the spring of 1880 the pioneer’s uncle Frank (Francis) “Columbus” Fee came to Dakota Territory and took up land in what is now Ops township, Walsh County. During that summer he located land for many of his relatives and in the following spring, 1881, Elizabeth’s father and family along with many other families of their relatives and friends loaded their stock, machinery, and household goods on to an emigrant train and started west! The train consisted of passenger cars for the people to ride in, and freight cars for the stock and other freight. Before leaving they packed up food to last several days. When it ran out they bought food at stations along the way as there was opportunity.
Elizabeth, along with other children of the company had many good times on the train. One thing that she remembers is that Mr.& Mrs. Mark Peel induced her many times to come and sit with them and sing for them.
This emigrant train arrived in Grand Forks in March, 1881. Here they unloaded the cars and the women and children stayed in Grand Forks for about two weeks while the men hauled the freight out to the claims and prepared for them there.
In about 1882, a school was built on Elizabeth’s father’s claim and she and her younger brothers and sisters attended school there.
In the meantime, Elizabeth had become acquainted with Ranald Kennedy, who lived in the next township east of her home. The Kennedys had come from Ontario to Dakota Territory in 1880 and Ranald, as well as other members of the family, had taken a homestead, just north of his Father and brothers, in section 33 of Walsh Centre Township.
On the second of June, 1884, Ranald Kennedy and Elizabeth Fee were married. Elizabeth’s father was not a Catholic and he was opposed to their marriage because Mr. Kennedy was Catholic; so the plans for the wedding were kept from him and the couple went to Ardoch and were married by Father Considine secretly, lest her father should stop them. After the wedding they drove in a buggy to Manvel and then back to his home. Her Father finally bacame reconciled to their marriage.
They lived on his homestead in Walsh Centre Township until his death which occured May 28, 1901. He died of pneumonia, and was buried in the Minto Cemetery.
All of the Kennedy’s children were born on his homestead place. She and the children continued to live there 5 or 6 years after his death. Then they moved to Minto.
In 1917, three of the Kennedy sons went into the army service. Wellwood, the oldest, who had gone to Canada some time before, went from Saskatchewan as a Canadian Soldier and saw wervice overseas as a machine-gunner. After the war he came back and became a mail carrier out of Minto.
Hugh F. went to camp with Company C from Grafton, returning in February, 1919. Henrey went to camp from Grand Forks, returning in December, 1918. Hugh and Henry were not overseas.
In 1918, Mrs. Kennedy with her younger children moved to Grand Forks. For about two years she lived in one house, then moved to another on North 6th Street.
On June 1, 1922, Mrs. Kennedy was married to Arthur Donnelly, and since that time, she has lived in the Donnelly Apartments. A daughter Jeanette lived with her for a time. Elizabeth FEE
193 Baptism: “On the 28th day of November 1849 I the undersigned Priest have baptized Ellen born on the 29th [ultimo ?] [at time] of the lawful marriage of francis Fee and Jane McNerny of Ops Sp thomas McNerny and Rose Duke” [So don’t know if she was born on 28th or 29th TEW]
Marriage Witnesses: Andy(?) Welch & Catherine Fee [Sister TEW] Ellen FEE
194 Marriage Bonds of Ontario 1803-34 p. 153:18 February 1830 at Douro Francis Fee of Emily,yeoman and Jane McNeane of Ops:Fellow bondsman:John Pogue of Newcastle District,yeoman
Peggy Nielsen:
The Fees ended up owning the Sedivy homestead and were and are very well thought of by their neighbors and friends, but unfortunately, I don’t have any other information than that. I know that Jane’s son, Francis (Columbus Fee, because of his wandering nature) died in Lindsey, Ontario, Canada. He had taken some of the family members back before his death and it was he who got the O’Keefes’, Callaghan’s, Cayley’s, Coffey’s, (his sister’s families) along with his brothers, William Henry, Thomas, and Charles. Evidently, there was quite and exodus from Lindsay and when they settled in Dakota, they named the township “Ops” after the place they came from in Canada.Brian D and Peggy R Nielsen Families on RootsWeb World Connect
Alice Anderson in GEDCOM
From a book called LAND OF PLENTY, No.971.364-h2L, page 130. Cemeteries in Ops.
On lot 21, concession 1, on the property now owned by Patrick Twohey is an old Methodist burying groung, which was connected with Graham’s Church. The property, at the time the cemetery was founded was owned by john Graham. The first burial in the cemetery was that of Jane Graham in Jun 27, 1841, age 59 years. The next was William Graham, Sr., age 59 years, died 21 Aug 1841.
there are 15 tombstones that may be found and recognized; others have fallen in disrepair. It is noted that a number of the recorded early burials were mostly children who died of the dreaded disease of Diptheria.
Charles Naylor and his wife Margaret were among the early families in this area who lie in this cemetery, along with three of their children.
They are: Charles Naylor…died Dec. 1873
Margaret Naylor..(wife of Charles) died age 38
Samuel Naylor, a son died 5 sep 1853 age 13
Mary a daughter , died age 14;
Charles Jr., a son, died 6 Jul 1851, age 2 yr. 5 Mo.
Others are Samuel E. Lee, died 16 May 1854, age 32 years, 9 mo.
Son of Al. and H.S. Robb, died aug 20, 1875;
George Moore died Feb. 24, 1864 age 30 yrs.
FRANCIS FEE DIED Jun 15, 1858, age 47 years.
William Forley died 24 Sep 1843 age 54 years.
Howard Irwin says he was Anglican but he was buried in an old Methodist Burying Ground His mother was buried by an Anglican minister. Son William Henry is listed on the 1861 census as Church of England ??? [TEW]
Howard Irwin, “Catherine the Great”, 1951
Sometime round the year 1833-34 three brothers, James, Henry, and Francis left Cavan, North Ireland, for Canada. The vision of land grants being given out in Ontario was the inspiration that urged them on. The Atlantic Ocean was still a hazardous journey in a small sail-ship. Arriving in Canada they traveled up the St. Lawrence River and over Lake Ontario to Port Hope.
After they covered 27 miles north from port hope they stopped at a small settlement which they helped to name, Cavan. The township was also given the same title. They took an active part in laying out the community and formed a club called the “Cavan Blazers”. [Cavan Blazers were a group that burned the homes of Catholic Irish TEW] The brothers were very young, around the 20 year mark.
Why these brothers separated is puzzling. James got his land claim 10 miles north, at the head of Pigeon Lake. Later his place was given the name of “Fee’s Landing”, and is so called today. Henry remained in Cavan and became a solid citizen. He lies buried in the village cemetery. A large well designed headstone with his name and the usual history stands at his head and resting place and the care of his grave is still being given first consideration.
We can only guess the date that Francis arrived in Ops. It must have been in 1834-or-35 on, or before his 20th birthday. He registered his land claim and it was about 5 miles southwest of Purdy Mills along an old Indian trail that led to Port Perry and “down
front” to the shores of Lake Ontario. Francis was fair to look upon, medium build and light complexioned. He was ambitious and worked hard to clear his land and build his cabin.
From morning until night he worked hard with a will born out of the courage, characteristics of all true pioneers. The ring of his axe chopping into timber could be heard for days, weeks and months, as the sound echoed over the tree tops. The cedar logs were shaped and fashioned for his cabin. As log cabins go it was an extra large one and had a full upstairs including four bedrooms.
Francis belonged to the Anglican Church. Most of his neighbors were from South Ireland and had real Irish names like these; O’Keefe, O’Garrity, Cayley, and Graham, and they were all staunch Catholics. The difference in religion that still keeps the North and South of Ireland fighting was forgotten out in this strange new land and for a long time harmony prevailed.
The old Indian trail was built into a mud road and split rail fences were built along the sides of it. It was named the “Little British Road.” It ran west from the Scugog River and on into Mariposa Township.
Boy meets girl. He is 20, fair and handsome. She is 19, lithe, winsome and attractively beautiful. They fell in love and married. It’s an old custom practiced since time began. I am referring to Francis Fee and Jane McNerney. They were married in 1836. It was an excellent match. Everyone predicted a happy life ahead for them.
Two years later, 1838, Bridget, their first child was born. The family of 9 children was completed by 1856 when Katie was born. During all those years Francis was a busy man. He was clearing the land, tilling the soil, sowing the seed and reaping the harvests, year after year amid their joys and sorrows. He fed the stock, sold the eggs, milked the cows, raised fine horses and prayed for rain.
Francis Fee died suddenly in April 1858. The spark lf life was crushed out of him by self imposed titanic labor to make things easier for his children. His passing in the 42nd year of his life brought real tragedy to the young Fee family, Bridget, the oldest child was only eighteen, while Katie, the youngest was but two years old.
With Francis’ demise a great change was destined to take place in the Fee family that was to shock and upset the whole community. Up to that time Catholics and Protestant had very l1ttle trouble over religion which is a healthy sign in any community. But the Irish people are of different in temperament to other people. Their opinion on religion may be dormant for a spell but it is a latent quality in their minds, waiting for some event to bring it into the open again.
Francis was buried in a little Anglican Cemetery four miles west of Purdy Mills, now called the town of Lindsay. Jane’s Mother, Catherine, spent more and more time with her in her sorrow. Pioneers usually take the shock of losing their mates stoutly. She was not left in destitute circumstances but the going was to be quite difficult for a few years. She weathered the storm like a veteran. Jane Fee was always a beautiful woman, perhaps the lines and curves of her beauty that blessed her youth were less evident but they were never entirely erased. Catherine and Jane made one more unsuccessful effort to recover the lost estate left by her brother. It was the same old story. The fortune was being eaten up on account of the continued litigation. The old white stone house may still be in existence in Glasgow. It was part of the Captain’s estate and was the place that James and Catherine stopped in while in Scotland. It was in that house that the idea was born to become Colonial settlers in Canada. That ends the tale of the lost estate. It was a racket in those days to swindle the Colonials who were far away across the sea, living in the wilderness. The shock of Francis Fee’s departure was subsiding and normalcy was returning around the household. It was the calm before the storm. The news that Jane Fee had been converted to the Roman Catholic Church burst upon the community. It was also claimed that all the Fee family would follow her. The news was an event of events along the Little Britain Road. When the confusion died down it was learned that four of the children were not going to follow their mother in the transformation and for this record I will name them in this order: Mary Jane, Charles, Ann, and William Henry. Charles, sometime later married a Catholic girl and he accepted her faith. Catherine the Great had redeemed herself in the eyes of her church. She had planned to rehabilitate her daughter at the first opportunity and it almost took her a lifetime to do it.
Land Records:
Ops Twp. Victoria Co. Ontario
W 1/2 Lot 16 Con 2 Sept 8 1846 Crown to Francis Fee
N 1/2 Lot 11 Con 4 Sept 27, 1856 Francis Fee to Charles Fee in will
E 1/2 Lot 13 Con 1 May 7 1857 Crown to Francis Fee
Francis A FEE
195 Marriage Witnesses: N. Connolly & Mary Coffey
Alice Anderson:
From Historical Data Project Liberty Memorial Building Bismark ND: Willard Osborn, Research Asst. Jan 11, 1940
Francis “Frank” Fee was born to Francis and Jane(McInerney) Fee, at Lindsay, Ontario, Canada, 23 Apr. 1852. He grew to Manhood in Ontario, and in May, 1876, married Anne Coffey. Two children were born to them in Ontario…Charles and Frank Jr.
Early in 1880, Mr. and Mrs. Frank Fee, with their 2 children and accompanied by Mrs. Fee’s brother Martin Coffey, started from Ontario to Dakota Territory. They arrived in Grand Forks April 2nd, and built a shanty on the ground where the postoffice now stands. Mrs. Fee and the children lived there while Mr.Fee and Martin Coffey located their homesteads. It had been planned Charles Fee should choose claims for some twenty or more families of his relatives who were yet in Canada. In order to find so much land close together and unclaimed it was necessary to go into townships which were as yet unsurveyed. They decided on what is now Ops and Prairie Centre Townships. Frank Fee’s claim was located in Section 1 of Ops, and Martin Coffey’s was in section 35 of Prairie Centre.
In about May, 1880, Mrs. Fee went out to live on the claim. Beside erecting his homestead buildings, Mr. Fee broke 40 acres of ground that first summer and had it ready for crop in 1881.
During the summer of 1880, Mr. Fee assisted by Martin Coffey, starting from the surveyed lines of the adjoining townships, by means of a surveyer’s chain and compass, surveyed and staked out claims for his relatives. It was a considerable undertaking to stake out all of these claims and plow a furrow around each quarter, writing the name of each claimant on the stakes of the quarters chosen for him.
These names and land descriptions were all filed with the Government Land Office to await the opening of the Land when it had been officially surveyed.
During the winter of 1880-1881, Mr. Fee hauled native lumber from a sawmill somewhere on Forest River and built a large shed for the settlers to store their goods in when they arrived.
In March, 1881, they came! Altogether comprising a whole emigrant train, people, household goods, livestock, and farm equipments, and stores of feed and supplies. Snow storms shortly after their arrival made considerable inconvenience in taking care of the settlers’ property.
One incident of this was told of how William H. Fee piled sacks of feed around and over their piano which must necessarily stand outside until his house was built.
Naturally, not all of the settlers were satisfied with the selections of claims made for them. Some were thoroughly disgusted with the country in general. Frank Fee was a carpenter by trade and it fell to him to plan many of the new homes and direct the amounts and kinds of lumber needed to build them.
On a day in May, 1881, word reached Mr. Fee that their land was to be opened for filing at Grand Forks the following day. He called the settlers together and they decided to start out that same evening for Grand Forks. It was up to Mr. Fee to lead the way, as there were no roads to follow!!
He started across the prairie straight south aiming to find a crossing of Turtle river of which he knew. There were several teams and wagons in the party.
They reached the Turtle River far into the night and, when it was apparent that they had not struck the crossing place, they began to blame Mr. Fee for leading them astray, and probably missing their chance at the first filing on their claims.!
Mr. Fee, after searching along the bank of the river in the dark, finally found the crossing, and the company arrived at Stickney in time to take the morning train to Grand Forks, where the filings were made according to the selections made by Mr. Fee the previous summer.
For over 20 years, Frank Fee and his family lived in Ops Township and during that time, 7 more children were born to him.
In 1901, Mr. Frank Fee, his wife and children who were still with them, went to Wetaskiwin, Alberta, Canada, and homesteaded there. They lived there until their deaths, Mrs. Fee in 1902, and Mr. Fee in 1933or 35.
A train laden with farm machinery,lumber, cows, horses, and household goods belonging to a group of settlers bound for the prairies of Dakota left Lindsay, Ont. in the spring of 1881. They arrived in Minto May 21, 1881. Francis Fee, nicknamed “Columbus Fee” by his friends, had gone ahead to Dakota in 1880, and set up the basis for making homestead claims for himself and several of his brothers and married sisters and their families, also his wife’s two brothers, William and Martin Coffey.
It must have been a great exodus from Lindsay. In addition to the two Coffey brothers and his own family, “Columbus Fee” had persuaded two brothers, William Henry and Charles Fee, and his sisters and their husbands and families, Mr. and Mrs. Pat (Ann) Callaghan, Mary Jane and Thomas Graham, James and Ellen Miller, William and Bridget O’Keefe, and Michael and Catherine Cayley.
These people homesteaded in Ops Township which they named after a township of the same name near Lindsay.The Fees and their families had claims and lived for the first years in so shanties and”claim shacks” on the prairies, planting trees and breaking sod.
winters were cruel to these people from the lower reaches of Canada. Summer heat with flies and mosquitoes must have made life nearly unbearable at times.
One of the Fee sisters, Mrs. Cayley lost all three of her children within a few days from the disease known as “Black Diphtheria.” They are buried side by side in St. Patrick’s Cemetery in Minto. Catherine Cayley was not daunted and had Seven other sons and a daughter.
Jane Fee, the mother of this pioneer family, who was born Jane McInerney in 1811, died in 1883 and was probably the first to be buried in the cemetery of St.Luke’s in Veseleyville. The stone is still there. How odd that this woman , born on the Irish Sea, who spent her first years in Scotland, and most of the remainder of her life in Ontario, who must have been a Presbyterian, to have been interred in alien soil, in a totally new country, where her grave would become surrounded by graves bearing Czechoslavakian names. This woman has descendants in almost every town from Walhalla to
Grand Forks and some on each coast and Canada.
Columbus Fee eventurally got the “pioneer fever” again and took the younger members of his family to Alberta. He was an artist, a writer, a musician, and a seeker. He joined the Salvation Army later in life and achieved a reputation for himself.
Dakota Territory 1885 Census
ED Name Age Occupation Nativity County
04-054-10 Fee, Frank 33 Farmer Canada Ontario Walsh
04-054-11 Fee, Anie 32 Canada Ontario Walsh
04-054-12 Fee, C. H. 7 Canada Ontario Walsh
04-054-13 Fee, F. S. 6 Canada Ontario Walsh
04-054-14 Fee, W. A. 2 Dakota Walsh
04-054-15 Fee, J.H. 1 Dakota Walsh
1900 United States Federal Census about Frank Fee Name:Frank Fee Home in 1900:Ops, Walsh, North Dakota Age:48 Birth Date:Apr 1852 Birthplace:Canada Race:White Ethnicity:American Gender:Male Immigration Year:1880 Relationship to Head of House:Head Father’s Birthplace:Ireland Mother’s Birthplace:Scotland Spouse’s Name:Anna Marriage year:1877 Marital Status:Married Years Married:23 Residence :Conway Village, Walsh, North Dakota Occupation:View on Image Neighbors:View others on page Household Members:NameAge Frank Fee48 Anna Fee47 Frank Fee21 Wiliam A Fee17 John H Fee15 Monica Fee13 Philip H Fee11 Eubielus Fee9 Anna Fee6
1901 Census of Canada about Frank Fee Name:Frank Fee Gender:Male Marital Status:Married Age:48 Birth Date:24 Apr 1852 Birthplace:Ontario Relation to Head of House:Head Spouse’s Name:Annie Racial or Tribal Origin:Irish Nationality:Canadian Religion:Roman Catholic Occupation:Farmer Province:The Territories District:Alberta District Number:202 Sub-District:Wetaskiwin Sub-District Number:V4-1 Family Number:260 Page:24 Neighbors:View others on page Household Members:NameAge Frank Fee48 Annie Fee48 Wilham A Fee18 Monica J Fee14 Phillipe H Fee12 Eubulis Fee9 Annie Fee7
1911 Census of Canada about Frank Fee N
Note: