Edwards and Smith

[stonechat]

Hi

My earlier request did not draw any help.

At least three families emigrated, not sure if this was together or separately.
It now appears they emigrated between approc 1903 and 1911.
The first definite sighting in Canada was the attestation paper for Samuel H Edwards 1915 , his parents are in Vandura, Saskatchewan. (He died a year later in France, I have the details of this)
The rest of the family are believed to be in the Winnipeg area, at least initially.
I have been unable to find anyone on any ship, the limited time availability of BDM in Manitoba doesn't help.
(Births 100 years only or older only, marriages 80 years IIRC)

Any ideas how I can find something more (apart from waiting for 1911 Census)

Thanks

Bob

[BarbR]

Bob,
Your wait for the 1911 census may not be as long as you thought. Bill S-18 has been passed in the House of Commons and this is a qote fromt he Government site
http://www.collectionscanada.ca/whats-new/013-233-e.html

Notice to Clients

As many of you are aware, Bill S-18 has now received Royal Assent. Under this amended legislation, personal census records for censuses taken between 1911 and 2001 will be made available through Library and Archives Canada 92 years after each census took place.

Library and Archives Canada has received the official transfer of the 1911 census records from Statistics Canada. To facilitate access to these records, a number of standard policies and procedures need to be followed before the product is launched. We are working very hard to release this information to researchers and the general public as quickly as possible. We hope to do this by early August.

Hope this is of some help to you.
Barbara

[samthompson]

Hi there

Barbara is right - the 1911 census will come on line early in August (fingers crossed) and I will help you try to find the families in that census. Remember, it will not be transcribed or indexed so there will be no easy searching by typing in a name and  hitting search. I know others, myself included, are planning on transcribing this census as soon as the arrangements are made for a server, etc.

I have looked for your Edwards and Smiths but they are very common names and the time frame of those years does not yet have a lot of information available.


I have found one possible reference but cannot be sure it is your Edwin Edwards. Here is a link to a picture of a man by that name on a tractor
 http://www.ourroots.ca/e/viewpage.asp?id=962095

Here is a link to the table of contents for the book this image is in - there is a search function on it - I looked for Edwards but the mentions are vague. You might want to look for Smith and sort through those to see if anything looks promising.
 http://www.ourroots.ca/e/toc.asp?id=4541

Now here is a homestead  reference for an Edwin Grant Edwards in Alberta (the W4 indicates that it is west of the 4 Meridian on the homestead map). This land was between Stettler and Drumheller and a little northeast of Calgary. The liber number tells us that the homestead was approved in
636 Sept. 29, 1914 - Oct. 05, 1914 C-6441-C-6442
so was likely filed in 1909 or so - after the 1906 census but before the 1911 so I should be able to be find the census pages for that legal land description and go through to find this Edwin Edwards. He is likely not be yours though if, as you say, they were in Manitoba.



Western Land Grants (1870-1930)
          Search terms :  " : 2=1 : 1=(EDWARDS AND EDWIN).R100. : " References: 1 - 1 of 1  Legal Land Description
1  NW  24  35  20  W4 
Part  Section  Township Range Meridian
Reference:
Liber:   636
Folio:   452
File reel number:   C-6442
Names:   Edwin Grant Edwards 


Here is one that might be of interest -  the liber number indicates that it was final in
312 March 12, 1908 - March 29, 1908 C-6181-C-6182  so was likely filed in 1903 or so. This land was very close to Kamsac, Saskatchewan which is very close to the Sask. and Manitoba border.


2  SE  34  34  32  W1 
Part  Section  Township Range Meridian
Reference:
Liber:   312
Folio:   134
File reel number:   C-6181
Names:   Frederick Ernest G Edwards 
 

Anyway, it is now a waiting game for the 1911 census.


Thelma

[stonechat]

Thanks for the reply samthompson.

I do have an Edwin Edwards in the family - I met him in the 1960's, though we are not in touch with any living member now in Canada.

I did find two land grants from George William Edwards - I havenot  yet  applied for copies - these were about 1912 in Alberta.

He and his wife Rose were placed in Vandura Saskatchewan by their son's (Samuel) death in WW1.
On his attestation papers his address was Minette (not clear), Manitoba.

As far as I know the rest of the family were in Winnipeg, though some photographs mention Hamilton and Oakville, however my father thinks the last correspondence was with Edwin's daughter Florence may have been from Vancouver, BC.

Bob

[samthompson]

Hello again

now that BC is included I believe this may be your Ernest F Edwards - the age is right

Vital Event Death Registration

   Name:     Ernest Frederick Edwards

   Event Date:     1959 12 19 (Yr/Mo/Day)
   Age:            46
   Gender:         male
   Event Place:    Vancouver
                                   
   Reg. Number:    1959-09-014378
   B.C. Archives Microfilm Number:  B13244
   GSU Microfilm Number: 2033301

These records are open to the public at no charge but as you are likely not in BC I would suggest one of the following options

1. RAOGK http://raogk.com/bcolumbia.htm
these are volunteers from British Columbia who will do lookups of various items including Vital Statistics and obits. Send a request for a copy of the death registeration papers above (these papers should list next of kin, place of residence, place of birth, et.) and also for an obit which should list other family members. Please send ONLY ONE request for your information or you may not receive any help (admin monitors requests and removes duplications). You can use this site to request the homestead papers in Alberta or Saskatchewan as well, or city directories of Winnipeg for any of the names you are looking for - there is usually no charge.

2. For a quicker respose you might try this gentleman - he is usually able to assist within 2 or 3 days.
http://members.shaw.ca/copies/
He charges a small fee to cover copying and parking but is very prompt and thorough.

Would you happen to recall if Florence married?

Sincerely

Thelma

[stonechat]

Hi
Thanks very much for this - the dates fit with what  I heard, all I had was a bare skeleteon of some information, which was sent to my aunt by someone now deceased.

Maybe a pattern  is starting to emrge

Bob