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Research in Other Countries => United States of America => Topic started by: liverpool annie on Monday 24 March 08 02:10 GMT (UK)
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I have found this snippet from an Arlington newspaper in 1928 .... I'd love to find out something else about this old soldier ! Is he on any census ?? ... I can't find him !!
In a Detroit, Michigan, poorhouse sits a soldier of fortune who can authentically lay claim to the following experiences: He saw the charge of the Light Brigade; he was nursed by Florence Nightingale; he was a gun runner for Garibaldi; he pulled the Empress Carlotta out of a ditch by her ankle; he was present at the Indian mutiny. He is Captain Rolland Walpole, now 100 years old. On his chest are medals that bear historic names, Crimea, Alma, Balaklava, Inkerman, Sebastapool, Lucknow, Delhi, Peking, and Egypt.
Thanking you in advance !
Annie :)
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Hi,
Do you think this could be him?
http://www.rootschat.com/links/032l/
You can see the book 'Algoma West' here,
http://www.ourroots.ca/e/toc.aspx?id=4368
and...
St. Thomas Times-Journal
St. Thomas, Ontario, Canada
27 January 1930
Page 3
c8 103rd Birthday - Capt. Walpole Roland, 25 Jan 1930
I think his name is Walpole ROLAND/ROLLAND rather than Rolland WALPOLE.
Regards
Daisy
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Daisy !!!! ... you are terrific - thank you !!
I'm amazed .... I was laughing to myself when I read the snippet about his exploits ... reminded me of some of the stories my Dad told - of when he was in India !! ;D ;D ;D
Good sleuthing !! .... looks like him to me .... can't believe he'd end up in a "poorhouse " :'(
Thanks again
Annie :)
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Hi Annie,
Glad to help :)
He does sound an interesting character, I'd quite like to read his daughter's book 'Under Five Flags' if it can be found.
Daisy
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I Googled him and found a couple of things !! .... I'm still wondering how he got to Detroit Michigan and who did he go to when he went back to Ontario ?? ::)
http://www.rootschat.com/links/032p/
And here's the book ........ :D
http://www.rootschat.com/links/032q/
A 46
Ross Munro Matthews fonds
[1970]
2 cm of textual records
Biographical Sketch
Ross Munro Matthews as born in 1909, the son of Isaac Lamont Matthews and Jentie Gordon Munro, and a member of one of Port Arthur's founding families. His father was a successful businessman building up a large department store originating as "Street Bros. Drygoods". Ross was a pediatrician, graduating from the University of Toronto in 1933 and did post graduate work in Boston. He established his practice in Hamilton in 1938. He enlisted in the R.C.A.F. in 1940 and served in 400 squadron overseas. Upon returning in 1945 he joined the Peterborough Clinic where he practiced medicine until his retirement in 1972. He served as President of the Canadian Medical Association in 1969-1970 and was awarded an honourary L.L.D. by Trent University in 1974. He married Barbara Page Brown and had four children. He died in March, 1982.
Scope and Content
Series A 46/1/1 - Memoirs - 216 p.
The unpublished personal memoirs of Ross Munro Matthews, entitled "Oft in the Stilly Night, written for his family. Recounts his growing up in early Thunder Bay, an anecdotal description of Walpole Roland, and accounts of cottage days on Silver Islet, the Cross family, the McKirdys of Nipigon, J.T. Emmerson of Port Arthur, Martha Dickinson (the first female City Clerk), I.L. Matthews, Harwood Matthews, the Munro family, Morson S. Fotheringham and Ross Matthews himself. Includes family tree. This is particularly good on descriptions of familial relationships and childhood in early Thunder Bay.
Additional Information
Custodial History - Formerly catalogued into museum collection 983.59.1 A
http://www.thunderbaymuseum.com/personal6.htm
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www.automatedgenealogy.com has him in 1911:
1911 / Ontario / Thunder Bay and Rainy River / 34 Port Arthur / page 16
he's listed, dob Jan 1846, 65, widowed, born Scotland, and came to Canada in 1851.
In 1901 he's at:
District: ON ALGOMA (#44)
Subdistrict: Rat Portage (Town/Ville) N(2)-1 Page 8
born Jan 27 1830, aged 71, born 'Bengal Ind', came to Canada 1870, English, civil and mining engineer. (at automatedgenealogy.com indexed as Rolaud).
at
District: ON ALGOMA (#44)
Subdistrict: Little Turtle Lake Z(3) Page 6
there are two more Rolands - another Walpole and a Fred, perhaps sons? They also say they were born India and came to Canada in 1885.
I tried http://search.fibis.org/ but couldn't see any info on him. Perhaps under another spelling?
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I've found 3 entries on 'Border Crossings: From Canada to U.S., 1895-1956 ' one in 1915 and two in 1922. If you can't access this I'll gladly send you the images if you PM me your email address or if you'd prefer I'll transcribe them as best as I can :)
I've been trying to find a copy of 'Under Five Flags' compiled from his diaries by his daughter Marion ROLAND in 1912 but no joy :(
Daisy
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Hi jorose and thank you !!
I couldn't see him at the India Office either ! :-\ but you gave me a lot to work with there !! :D
Annie :)
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I sent you a PM Daisy ... and I'm looking for the book too .... I'll let you know if I find it !! :D :D
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Maybe this was why he was in Michigan !! ....... :D ;D
http://books.google.com/books?q=+Under+Five+Flags+Marion+ROLAND+in+1912&btnG=Search+Books
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Early Miners Continued Mixed-Race Marriage Tradition
Walpole Roland, a retired British Army officer, was another local mining prospector who also “got hitched” to a native woman. Dr. Matthews in “Oft in the Stilly Night” tells us that for their honeymoon they walked from the Lakehead to Nipigon. His Aunt Elizabeth had this to say of his family: “They were very nice people and respected. Mrs. Roland had a sweet face. They lived a little apart from the community but I think it was probably by choice. I went to school with the two Roland girls. They were well mannered and well brought up.
http://www.thewelcomematproject.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=108&t=1308
Regards
Valda
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Hi Valda - thank you ! .... that must be the same Dr Matthews I found earlier !
so we're on the right track ! .... how interesting huh ? ....
Annie :)
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Two daughters births in Ontario
Marion Dela Ronde Roland
30 Dec 1886
Thunder Bay
parents
Alexander Walpole Roland
Isabel Watt
Father's occupation Land surveyor
Isabella Grace Roland Walpole Roland
22 Apr 1887
Thunder Bay
Alexander Walpole Roland
Isabella Watt
Father's occupation surveyor
Regards
Valda
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And from the births Valda found, the rest of the family in 1901 are at:
District: ON ALGOMA (#44)
Subdistrict: Port Arthur (Town/Ville) L(2)-1 Page 12
Isabella, b. May 12 1855 b. Labrador
Connelly (female), child, b. Oct 26 1879 (all children b. Ontario)
Louis C, child, b. July 7 1883
Claude, child, b. same date
Francis, child, b. Aug 26 1884
Marion, child, b. Dec 30 1886
Isabella Grace Roland d. 18 Aug 1889 at Port Arthur, Thunder Bay, Ontario.
her mother might be Bella Rolland, d. 5 Nov 1901, aged 48, in, Port Arthur, Thunder Bay, Ontario, married, b. Hudson Bay, Canada. (these from http://search.labs.familysearch.org/)
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They've also been indexed in 1891:
http://ontariocensus.rootsweb.com/transcripts/143-1.html
And from this I have finally pinned them down in 1881 - Prince Arthur, Algoma, Ontario, indexed as 'Rowland', head of household 'Alx Walpod Rowland', wife 'Isabelle' (indexed as aged 50, original probably reads '30', children Fredrick V, Constance W, and Olive.
ETA: familysearch labs also shows the death of Olive in 1882.
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I found this marriage,
His Name: Alexander Walpole ROLAND
Age: 38
Residence when married: Red Rock
Birth Place: England
Bachelor or Widower: B
Rank or Profession: C.E
Names of Parents: Jouis ROLAND & Marie ROLAND
Her Name: Isabel Watt
Age: 24
Residence when married: Prince Arthurs Landing
Birth Place: James Bay H B T
Spinter or Widow: S
Names of Parents:
Names and Residences of Witnesses: James A GOSS, Christina Healey, Prince Arthurs Landing
Date and Place of Marriage: Dec 20/75 St Johns Church, Prince Arthurs Landing
Religious Denomination of Groom: Ch of England
Religious Denomination of Bride: " "
By Whom Married: Rev C B DUNDASS
Licence or Banns: L
Ontario, Canada Marriages, 1857-1924
Marriage Place: Thunder Bay District
Marriage County: Thunder Bay
Family History Library Microfilm: MS932_18
a couple of births to follow...
Daisy
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ROLAND Constance Walpole
POB: Garden River
District: Algoma
DOB: October 26 1878
Female
Parents are married
Father: Alexander Walpole ROLAND
Residence: Garden River, Ontario
Citizenship: Canadian
Racial Origin: English
Age: 40
POB: India
Civil Engineer
Mother: Isabel Watt ROLAND
Residence: Garden River, Ontario
Citizenship: Canadian
Racial Origin: Scotch
Age: 22
POB: Quebec Canada
Name & address of Informant: Constance W PRATT 5747 Linwood, Detroit, Michigan
Registration Ordered Jul 11 1947
Declaration by self; Certificate of Baptism
Ontario, Canada Births, 1869-1909
Roll Number: MS930_2
Louis Claire
Thunder Bay Ontario
DOB: July 7th 1882
POB: Res A Government-Reserve Port Arthur
Father: Walpole ROLAND
Address: 473 Bellevue Ave, Detroit, Michigan, USA
Occupation: Civil Mining Engineer
Maiden name of Mother: Isabel WATT
Is she single, married or widowed; Dead
Twins: Leslie Claud ROLAND, Louis Claire ROLAND
Name of informant: Walpole ROLAND
Address: 473 Bellevue Ave, Detroit, Michigan, USA
Date of Return: Oct 1918
Ontario, Canada Births, 1869-1909
Roll Number: MS933_9
Ooh found the original of the above...
DOB: July 7th 1883
Louie Clare, Leslie Cla??
M
Alexander Walpole ROL?
Isabel WATT
Civil Engineer
Isabel ROLAND
Prince Arthurs Landing
Aug 10th 1883
Ontario, Canada Births, 1869-1909
Roll Number: MS929_58
Daisy
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Jorose and Daisy .... thank you both very much !! ;D ;D ;D
This is so cool .... considering I could find nothing ... you guys have come up trumps !! :D :D
I'm trying to figure out how many children he really did have !! :D ( it's a bit early in the morning yet ... I need another cup of coffee !! ::) )
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No sign of anything about her ankle ...... ::) ::)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charlotte_of_Belgium
http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=5354
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giuseppe_Garibaldi
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This is the only "Roland " I could find on the Crimean Casualty Roll ..... I wonder if this is him by any chance .... ?!! :-\
Roland William Private 2656 77th Foot (East Middlesex) Danger Wound Minor actions at Sebastopol 02 August 1855
Can't find him on the Indian Mutiny Medal list !
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I've been looking at these sites for some sign of him but so far no luck :(
http://www.fibis.org/
http://indiafamily.bl.uk/UI/Home.aspx
Maybe a fresh pair of eyes could find something :-\ :)
Daisy
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Thanks for looking Daisy ! .... I've been all over those sites too ..... :P :P :-\
He'll turn up when we least expect it !! ;D ;D ;D
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Annie;
I live near Detroit, in the State of Michigan. in what year was he in a "poorhouse?".
I will see what I can find out about hin while he was in Michigan.
Jim
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Hi Jim !
Thank you so much for your interest !!
I can't find him on the 1920 census but he was crossing back and forth in 1922 !! I can't find him on the 1930 census but he might have died by then !!
the only date that I have - is the Arlington newspaper in 1928 .... though why Arlington I have no idea !! ::) ::) ::)
Annie :)
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It was also in Charleston Daily Mail January 11th 1928 !! ........ I don't understand why !! ::)
unless the other papers just picked it up !! :-\
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Annie;
I will check the addresses on Linwood and Bellevue. I wonder what the name of the "poorhouse" was I suspect it was Eloise on Michigan Avenue in Westland. This is very interesting!
Jim
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Thanks Jim !!
I came across this site but there's no lists been made yet on line ... you have to go there I think - to look at the death books !! .... I'm still reading it !!
http://www.talesofeloise.com/cemetery.html#
Annie :)
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I'm getting a little off track here I think .... at the beginning of this thread Daisy found ...
St. Thomas Times-Journal St. Thomas, Ontario, Canada
January through March 1930
27 January 1930
Page 3 c8
103rd Birthday - Capt. Walpole Roland, 25 Jan 1930
http://www.elginogs.ca/newsindexes/timesjournal/sttj1930janthrumar.htm
So I don't think he died in Detroit !! ..... I need to be looking in St Thomas Ontario !!
AND ........ re - reading ........ it says he observed the Charge ...... so where was he ?? ( unless maybe he belonged to the "Heavy Brigade " ) :-\
http://www.nextlibrary.com/cgi-local/dublincard.cgi?TPL=../html/tbpl/archive/archivedublin.html&Key='40103'
Walpole Roland, resident of Port Arthur, was a civil and mining engineer and the author or 'Algoma West', published in 1887. The story of his life seemed to be of one incredible adventure after another. Before arriving in Canada, he served in military service and observed the Charge of the Light Briagade in the Crimea, was present at the Seige of Peking, and while in the United States fought for General Custer. At the age of 84, while investigating mining resources, he became lost in the wilds of Northern Ontario, and survived for a month before being rescued.
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This man is going to drive me doodle alley !! ::) looks like it's back to square one !!
Linda found this - when I posted on the Canadian board !!
There is an article in The Globe (Toronto) Saturday February 21, 1931, page 3.
OBSERVES 104th BIRTHDAY
Port Arthur, Feb 20 - (Special) -
Captain Wapole Roland, R.E., former-
ly pioneer mining engineer here cele-
brated his 104th birthday yesterday.
He is now in Detroit.
::) ::) ::)
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Just to update this thread. He died in 1931 and possibly March 30.
http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=296792.msg1793277#msg1793277
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Hi Annie
Re Book Daisy mentioned - Under Five Flags by daughter Marion. A copy is held with the Superiorland Library Cooperative Marquette, MI 49855 United States
Source searched: http://www.worldcat.org/advancedsearch
Interlibrary loan might be a possibility Annie. There are also 4 Canadian libraries found to hold it.
Tidbits of info
Canadian Poems and Lays
The Legend of Thunder by H.R.A. Pocock includes a note by Walpole Roland (pages 239-240):
http://www.canadiana.org/ECO/PageView/13998/0271?id=f7eb0e95fb848987
In 1857 possibly in Montreal area:
Appendice du quinzième volume des journaux de l'Assemblée législative de la Province du Canada, depuis le 26 février jusqu'au 10 juin 1857, inclusivement, dans la vingtième année du règne de notre souveraine dame la Reine Victoria, étant la 3me session du 5me Parlement provincial du Canada
http://www.canadiana.org/ECO/PageView/9_00962_15_3/0103?id=f7eb0e95fb848987
Cheers,
Linda
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Appendix's fifteenth volume of diaries of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Canada, from February 26 until June 10, 1857, inclusive, in the twentieth year of the reign of our sovereign lady Queen Victoria, is the 3rd session of the 5th Provincial Parliament of Canada
What does this mean do you think ?? ..... interest on investment ? ..... did he give a donation or something ?? :-\
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Annie
Equivalent English page:
http://www.canadiana.org/ECO/PageView?id=f7eb0e95fb848987&display=9_00955_15_3+0102
His debenture interest is in the section with the Special Comittee assigned to the Grand Trunk Company
http://www.canadiana.org/ECO/PageView?id=f7eb0e95fb848987&display=9_00955_15_3+0005
Appendix A6-[96] gives fuller information on the Interest Debentures Series A heading:
http://www.canadiana.org/ECO/PageView?id=f7eb0e95fb848987&display=9_00955_15_3+0099
Appendix 6 deals with Champlain and St. Lawrence Railway - First page of Appendix 6
http://www.canadiana.org/ECO/PageView?id=f7eb0e95fb848987&display=9_00955_15_2+0268
Looks like he was a shareholder owning stock with the St Lawrence and Atlantic Company.
Linda
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Lawrence_and_Atlantic_Railroad
Well ! if he was in Montreal in 1857 .... that's a good sign !! :D :D :D
They demobbed after the Crimean War in Quebec !! :) :) :)
Annie :)
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Annie;
There is a book about Eloise as a Poorhouse and Hospital as well as a mental Institution. I P.M.ed you about this book.
Jim
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Thank you Jim I appreciate that ! :)
I don't suppose you were able to find out anything about "our Walpole " were you ?
Annie :)
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I am still working on that,Annie. In a reply above,a date of March 30,1931 was given as his death.I am having the state check it for a death certificate.will let you know when i get the results back-snail mail....
Jim
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Thank you Jim .... but I didn't mean for you to spend any money ! :-\
I thought you meant you were just going to browse around - as it were !! ::)
Annie :)
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Annie;
The book about the poorhouse/hospital named Eloise is not expensive at all. As far as ordering death certificates from the state,I am ordering certificates for my Grandfather and his youngest brother,so why not one more?
The certificates might take two or three weeks.I pick up the book tommorrow.
Now Annie, I must tell you that in researching my family history I have recieved lots of help from some very kind people in England.
Jim
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Annie;
The book about Eloise is very interesting.You will enjoy it.Im going to join the preservation group!
Jim
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The Captain was my great aunt’s father. I do have some more info on him. Thanks!