William Musson and the Blizzard

[David 58]

Hi everyone.
My G-grandfather perished in a snowstorm/ blizzard somewhere in Canada around 1857 - 59. His name was William Musson, born about 1816 England, was a member of a Temperance Movement touring that country warning of the dangers of alcohol abuse. He does not appear on the 1861 census.
Does anyone know where I could find such records about the Blizzard and of his death or even of the society he was a member of ??

[chinakay]

Well, that's a tough one if we don't know where he was. Canada is a huge country and there are blizzards every winter.

Can't find him in Canada in the 1851, which was limited to Ontario and eastwards.

Was he a Quaker?

Cheers,
China

[nickgc]

Hi - whatever you do don't use the word "blizzard" when searching for his death.

According to Sir William Craigie, editor of a dictionary of American slang, "an Estherville, Iowa, editor used the word in April 1871 to describe a heavy, blinding snowstorm which blotted the landscape from view."

The editor was O.C. Bates of the Northern Vindicator, who is widely credited with giving new meaning to the word blizzard, previous used to describe a violent altercation or quarrel.

Neighboring editors picked up the word and then, during the severe winter of 1880-1881, blizzard was cemented into the American language and has been in use since to describe violent snowstorms.

Nick 

[chinakay]

Now that's interesting, Nick...never heard that before.

[chinakay]

David...did you post on genealogy.com saying he died somewhere in French Canada?

I found a George William Musson who died 1861, but he was just a month old and it was August. Even in Quebec a snowstorm in August would be quite phenomenal

[David 58]

Hi Nick
Please insert 'snowstorm' - I dont like using Americanisms if I can help it. I'm an Aussie, you see, hate the way the Queens English is misused.

[David 58]

Hi Kay,
Yep, I think I did post somewhere about French Canada a while back, - it was a bit of a stab in the dark, dont know why I said that. I may have assumed that because the name Musson has French connotations, or it was something I heard in the past, I dont know.
He was on the English census of 1851, was  home at Hampstead for the birth of son Poynton Musson on Oct. 31 1856 (again I would asume this), but then dissappears. he is not on the 1861 British census. I wonder if there would be a newspaper report about the death somewhere??

[Jacquie in Canada]

As China said we can't really do much without knowing where he died. There is no central register for BMD events in Canada and statutory registration started in different areas at different times. Ontario didn't start until 1869 for example and a number of provinces (remember this was pre-confederation you're asking about) didn't start until much later. As for there being something in the newspaper, again we'd have to know where he died.

Is your William on the 1851 England census in Barby, Northamptonshire (registration district Rugby)? If so, have you eliminated the death of a William Musson that was registered in Rugby in the 4th quarter of 1857 (vol 6d, page 289) as being your William?

Jacquie

[cosmac]

The 1861 British census for Hampstead Middlesex shows a married Jane E. Musson (30) working as a laundress and living in the household of Samuel Foss.  With her are children Howard W (10), Joanna R (8 ) and Poynton (4).  I can find Howard on the 1871 as an ordinary seaman but not the rest of the family.  On the 1881 Jane, now shown as widowed, is living with Poynton (24) a baker.  That would tie in with the family on the 1851 in St. John Marleybone where William Musson (Matton on ancestry indexing) is working as a baker and is living with wife Jane and 8 month old Howard.

If this is your family have you found them on the 1871.  Just curious as to Jane's marital status on that one.

Births for Howard Whiteman Musson and Joanna Rosella Musson were registered in Hendon.  The London baptisms for Joanna Rosella Musson give her father's occupation as labourer - baptized 22 Jun 1862 and John Pointon Whiteman Musson was baptized Sept 1, 1869 Kilburn St. Mary and his father's occupation was given as traveller.

Debbie