RootsChat.Com
Research in Other Countries => Canada => Topic started by: finglaspete on Monday 12 March 18 01:21 GMT (UK)
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I had an aunt, Sarah Curran. Quite romantic really, during world war 1, herself and her sister Mary went to live in London from Dublin. At that time they apparently went to a troopship bound for the western front(so i was told) full of Canadian soldiers. They stood at the dock and threw their address details up to the troops on the ship, who eventually sent them letters to come and join them in Canada after the war.
Sarah left for Canada, and met up with a John Bair/Bear. I was always told that he was a native Canadian man, though looking at my research at ancestry.com, I have found a 1916 census for Prince Albert, showing a John A Bair as being on overseas duty, it is marked on the census paper'(o)' I am assumng this is him.
Problem is that this fella is of Scottish origin, no statement about him being native. Am I getting my wires mixed up.
Family legend says he was a native. Yet I cannot find a John Bear at all, let alone one with a military record for ww1. Could he have actually been a Scots man? Can someone who has a bit more savvy than I clear my head?
Problem is also, that there are many Bairs and Bears in the town of Prince Albert. Please help me someone!
Thank you in advance,
Pete.
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Here is the military record for John Alexander Bair of Prince Albert Saskatchewan
http://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/military-heritage/first-world-war/personnel-records/Pages/item.aspx?IdNumber=20459
Most of it is medical records.... poor man! No mention of a wife.
RK
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There is a border crossing from Canada to the USA,
August 16, 1938, Sweet Grass, Montana
Bair, John Alexander, b. Aug. 6, 1896 Prince Albert, Sask., age 42, married, address 1039 River St., Prince Albert, Sask. accompanied by wife Sarah, one week visit to sister Mrs. Catherine ?
On the back of the card: wife born Dublin, Ireland Nov. 23/96 marriage 1922 Prince Albert, Sask.
Saskatchewan marriages have not yet been transcribed. ::)
http://genealogy.ehealthsask.ca/vsgs_srch.aspx
The 1916 census has John born Saskatchewan. Column 18 Racial/Tribal origin is usually traced
through the father.
DB
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A possible,
Canadian Passenger list on the ship Metagama, June 17, 1922 from London to Quebec.
Curran, Sarah, age 28, b. Dublin, Ireland, single, waitress, going to live with sister Mrs. C.L.
Dent, 1145-13th St., Prince Albert, Sask. Father ? Curran, 12 Richmond Ave. Dublin.
Page 771
http://www.rootschat.com/links/01lqc/
DB
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I think C.L. Dent maybe Charles Lionel Dent, b. 1889 Quebec d. 1956 Prince Albert, Sask.
A notation on Find A Grave, South Hill Cemetery, Prince Albert, Sask. for Charles Lionel Dent.
"My Uncle Charles from Quebec married my Dad's sister Mary Curran from Dublin, Ireland"
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/159158950
In the same cemetery, Mary E. Dent 1892-1977
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/159159013/mary-e-dent
Spot on RunKitty ;D
DB
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Well done DB :)
Here is an obituary for Charles Dent, son of Charles Dent and Mary.
http://panow.com/obituary/18032/charles-dent
RK
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I wonder if this is your Sarah...
Same cemetery as the Dents..is a Sarah Ann "Irish" Bair, 1896-1975. I wonder if "Irish" was a nickname, rather than a maiden name (because it is in quotation marks).
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/159548315/sarah-ann-bair#
RK
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Here is John with his parents and siblings in 1911. Library and Archives Canada has their surname transcribed as Hair....but it is really Bair. They are the first family on the page. John's father William was born in Manitoba. Everyone else was born in Saskatchewan.
http://data2.collectionscanada.gc.ca/1911/jpg/e002100816.jpg
RK
Added - here is the image for the 1916 census that was previously found
http://data2.collectionscanada.ca/006003/t-21942/jpg/31228_4363971-00517.jpg
On this census, John's mother Eleanor says she was born in Alberta.
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1906 census as Bear.... this time Eleanor (Ellen here) says she was born in Peace River.
http://data2.collectionscanada.ca/e/e049/e001211104.jpg
William is on the previous page
http://data2.collectionscanada.ca/e/e049/e001211103.jpg
RK
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I THINK this might be the family in 1901. Dates of birth don't quite match 1911 but the date of birth on John's CEF record doesn't match either, although his residence 1911 seems to match the CEF record if I remember correctly.
My interpretation of William's race here would be English B(orn) Cree. At the end of his line he indicates he speaks Cree. As mentioned earlier, the Scotch/English would come through his father.
http://www.automatedgenealogy.com/census/ViewFrame.jsp?id=94134&highlight=24
Anyway, food for thought.
PB
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This MIGHT be William with his parents in the 1891 census. And perhaps his wife Eleanor as Helen.....? William is down as married and so is she.
http://central.bac-lac.gc.ca/.item/?app=Census1891&op=pdf&id=30953_148228-00630
PB
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And...this looks like James and Amelia Bear in the 1901 census.
If this James and Amelia are William's parents, and thus perhaps John's grandparents, James gives his race as Scotch B Cree. He can also speak Cree as his mother tongue.
http://www.automatedgenealogy.com/census/ViewFrame.jsp?id=94124&highlight=35
So, more food for thought.
PB
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The baptism for George, son of William and Eleanor, indicates her maiden name is Damour.
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-L994-WVP1?i=1&cc=2001071
PB
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Hi All
Just looking through all the replies, thank you for all of your responses, I really love this page, so many people helping, thank you, from my heart.
So, the Scottish aspect of John Bair, appears to be his origin on the 1916 census. Though it may appear that even though his father was of scottish origin, his mother was of Cree origin, and John himself could speak Cree.
Amazing, you have all given me so much to go on, thank you again.
Pete