William Rutherford's Extracurricular Activities

 

From the New York Tribune, New York, NY,  Friday, July 28, 1893.  Is this William Rutherford Sr. or Jr?  

The Wedding of Forest Rutherford and Lillian Thatcher

From the Denver Rocky Mountain News, Denver Co., Sunday June 5, 1916, p. 16.

Miss Thatcher Becomes Bride 

Pueblo Wedding Ceremony is Performed in Presence of Only a Few Friends

"Pueblo, Colo., June 5--Miss Lillian Thatcher and Mr. Forest Rutherford were married here this afternoon. 

Miss Thatcher is the only daughter of Margaret A. Thatcher and the late John A. Thatcher.  Mr. Rutherford is the son of Elizabeth Jackson Rutherford and the late William Rutherford of Montreal, Canada.  Only the immediate family and a few special friends were present to witness the ceremony performed by the Rev. Clarence W. Weyer, D.D., pastor of the first Presbyterian church, of which Miss Thatcher is a member. 

The marriage ceremony was performed at 5 o'clock amidst a bower of ferns and roses.  Never did "Rosemount", with its beautiful lawn and flowers, look lovelier than on this June afternoon. 

The parental mansion was a bower of roses.  The bridal party descended the grand stairway to the strains of Lohengrin's wedding march, played by Wardner Williams. 

The procession was led by Dr. Weyer.  Following him came the bridegroom, accompanied by his brother, Gordon S. Rutherford, as best man...

Then came the bride on the arm of her brother, John Henry Thatcher, the bridal party entering the drawing room, where the ring service was performed amid a bower of flowers.  After the ceremony the guests repaired to the spacious dining room, decorated with roses, where a wedding supper was served.  The centerpiece was of gorgeous roses in a basket made of ribbon the same shade as the flowers.  

Candlesticks with pink shades also adorned the table, as did hand-painted place cards with Cupids standing in wedding rings, holding bunches of pink roses.  The wedding thought was manifest thruout (sic) the entire dinner, even to the ice cream designs, which were pink hearts. 

Those present at the marriage and bridal supper were:  Mr. and Mrs. Forest Rutherford....Gordon S. Rutherford of Hutchinson, Kan.:  Steward (sic) Rutherford of Montreal...

The bride and bridegroom departed after the wedding supper for New York and other Eastern points. Later they will go to Montreal to visit the family of Mr. Rutherford.

The bride wore an elaborate gown of point applique Brussels lace over satin, with court train, and carried an arm bouquet of bride's roses.  Her only ornament was a diamond necklace set in platinum--a gift of the bridegroom. 

The bridesmaids were dressed alike in pink chiffon gowns, with accordion pleated skirts, and carried bouquets of Killarney roses.  The bride's gift to her bridesmaids were solitaire diamond rings.  

Aside from the time Miss Thatcher was attending Miss Sutton's school in Philadelphia, or traveling in Europe, her time has been spent in Pueblo.  Here she has been associated with many of the important activities of the city, among them being regent and treasurer of the Arkansas valley chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution. 

Mr. Rutherford at one time lived in Pueblo, and it was here that he met Miss Thatcher.

Mr. Rutherford is superintendent of the Copper Queen Consolidated mining plant at Douglas, Ariz., where the couple will make their home."

You get the feeling the bride likes roses.  I wish I had a picture....It's interesting that Forest's mother, Elizabeth Jackson Rutherford, didn't attend.  Perhaps she was too old for such a long trip.  Only two of Forest's siblings were there;  missing are Andrew, William Jr., Annie, Helen and Maggie.     

Some Records for John Taylor Fyfe

 John Taylor Fyfe (September 18, 1860-October 11, 1823) is the son of Charles Fyfe and Elizabeth Taylor.  Born in Greenock, Scotland, he immigrated to Brisbane Australia and, along with his wife Sarah Jane Manning, headed a family there.  He is the brother of our ancestor Charles Taylor Fyfe.

The Brisbane Courier, Queensland, Monday February 18, 1889.  Repeated February 23, 1889.

John Taylor Fyfe is buried in the South Brisbane General Cemetery. 

Pontifex Family in Burke's Family Records

The Pontifex family are connected to the Bland family by marriage at least twice, and to the Bailey family once.  Burke's Family Records (the same people who put together Burke's Peerage) have some information about this family.  There is a mention of the Daniel Pontifex who married Harriet Bland, Ann Bland's sister, and their children; also of William Pontifex, who marries Mary Bailey, daughter of Edmund Bailey (I think this would be Lydia Bailey's niece).  There is no mention here of the marriage between John Elliot, son of Robert Elliot and brother of William Elliot, and his wife Harriet Pontifex.  

The website Char's Broken Branches has a picture of William Pontifex and Mary Bailey, as well as some interesting information on the business dealings of this family.

Bowling Family Tombstone

Gravestone for Susannah (Bowling) Cranshaw, wife of William Cranshaw, daughter of William and Susannah Bowling.  Susannah was Mary Bowling's sister (Mary Bowling was the wife of Thomas Bulmer).   Situated in St. Mary's Church churchyard, Kirk Bramwith, South Yorkshire, England.  Died December 22, 1872, age 76. 

Land Holdings of Stephen Bland in Hammersmith, Middlesex, 1798

In 1798 in England there was a National Land Tax, and records show that our ancestor Stephen Bland, father of Ann Bland, owned land in Hammersmith at this point in time.  He was also renting a place in Hammersmith.

Stephen Bland rental record for building on Queen Street West Side, owned by Mrs. Barratt.

Stephen Bland renting to "Wills late Bramley" on Fulham and Back Lane.  Note that a Pontifex is the owner of the place next door.

Stephen Bland renting several buildings on the South Side of the Great Road.  Renters names are Sloe, Grigg, Roop, and unknown (marked "Tenements"). 

The Will of Stephen Bland, Father of Ann (Bland) Elliot

Ann Bland married Robert  Elliot, son of Charles and Lydia (Bailey) Elliot, and Robert and Ann in turn were the parents of our ancestor William Elliot of Toronto, pharmacist and businessman.  Here are some excerpts from the will of Ann's natural or adoptive father Stephen Bland, which was proved in London on January 21, 1811.  The executors were James Bland, Stephen's son, and Robert Elliot, his son-in-law.

"GLORY TO GOD ON HIGH.  I Stephen Bland of the Hamlet of Hammersmith in the parish of ffulham County of Middlesex being of sound disposing mind and memory blessed be God for the same do make constitute & appoint this my last will & Testament in manner and form following viz.  ffirst I desire that all my just debts and funeral expenses be justly paid by my Executors herewithafter named first I give and bequeath to my daughter Ann Elliot wife of Robert Elliot two copyhold houses now in the occupation of Thomas Etherington & John Marbarill ? the (cross or crops?)  land adjoining unto great Church ? in the Hamlet afore with the gardens and appurts thereunto belonging for her whole and sole use independent of her husband and not subject to his control debts or engagements and after the death of my daughter Ann Elliot I give the said houses unto her husband Robert Elliot during his natural life after the death of the said Robert Elliot the above two houses to become the property of John Elliot & Robert Elliot being sons of the said Robert Elliot & Ann Elliot  the said John Elliot to ??? of the said two houses provided the said Ann Elliot should survive her husband Robert Elliot and her two sons...the said houses to become the property of the remaining Sons of her body lawfully begotten share and share alike I likewise give and bequeath unto my daughter Harriot Pontifex wife of Daniel Pontifex silversmith in St. John's Square in the parish of St. James Clerkenwell  two houses or Tenements in short laws in the Hamlet afore. now in the occupation of John (B??k) John Sprawbury subject to the same rules...as my daughter Ann Elliot & Robert Elliot her husband and observing that the said Daniel Pontifex pulls down or causes to be pulled down for....a certain pair of buildings ? by one of Mr. Pontifex's tenants within twelve months after my demise in failure thereof my will is that the above two houses to go to my daughter Ann Elliot and her heirs for ever also I give unto my son John Thomas Bland son of my first wife Elizabeth Bland   two houses or Tenements situate in short laws afore. and now in the occupation of James Bland and Joseph ? for and during his natural life but if the said John Thomas Bland should die without issue then the said two houses I give unto my grandson John Elliot and his heirs for ever I also give & bequeath unto my son Edward Bland two tenements situate in short laws afore. & now in the occupation of Thomas ? and James Hampton during his natural life and at his demise to go unto my son James Bland and his heirs for ever also I give unto my son James Bland two houses known by the name of Bardon (?) plane in the Hamlet afore. and now in the occupation of the Rev. Mr. Raffles & Madame Ann de Ste Hippolite with all & ? of the (provisions?) and appurts thereunto belonging to enjoy & hold the same for him and his heirs for ever subject to the following Restrictions that the said James Bland shall let unto Mrs. Ann and Elizabeth Watts two rooms and the use of the ?? during their natural lives out of the house now occupied by Madame Ann de Ste. Hippolite I also constitute and appoint my son James Bland and my son in law Robert Elliot Executors of this my last will and testament & that my son James Bland shall not be thrown out of his house so long as he chooses to remain in the same paying rent for the same Stephn Bland 
Signed sealed and delivered in the person of us whose names are herein written this twenty-first day of August in the Year of Our Lord 1810.  James Moody  William Duncombe William Newell."  

In this will Stephen Bland names Ann Elliot and Harriot Pontifex as his daughters.  However, it is unclear whether they were his natural or adoptive children.  There is a transcribed letter from Henry Lake, Harriot (Bland) Pontifex's grandson, on the website Char's Broken Branches which suggests that Harriot, at least, was adopted:

"My grandmother was Harriot Bland and she was born in London.  Her parents died when she was young and she was brought up by her uncle, Mr. Bland, who kept a sword cutler's shop at Charing Cross London and supplied the Royal Family and officers of the army and navy with swords belts and Gold Lace Epaulettes...".

This will names a number of other children (John Thomas Bland, Edward Bland and James Bland) and two grandsons, John and Robert Elliot.  It also makes some provision for a Madame Ann de Ste. Hippolite and Elizabeth Watts.  It names a "first wife:" Elizabeth, suggesting that there is also a second, unnamed wife (who likely was deceased at the time the will was made as she is not mentioned).  It does not give us Stephen's occupation but he did have quite a bit of land to leave his heirs, indicating that he was a man of means, which is consistent with the information in Mr. Lake's letter.  I'm hoping that this information can help us find out more about Stephen and his family. 

The family of Sophia Watt Elliot and James Watson

Sophia Watt Elliot was the daughter of William Elliot and Mary Oliphant.  She was named after Mary Oliphant's mother Sophia (Watt) Oliphant.  She was born in Dundas, Ontario, about 1839.  Her siblings were Robert Watt Elliot, Cynthia Elliot, our ancestor Mary Elliot, and Violet Rose Elliot.  She married James Watson, son of David and Ann Watson,  in Toronto on January 4, 1858. He was born in Scotland circa 1825.

The Toronto Globe ran this wedding announcement, on  Tuesday, Jan. 5, 1858.  p. 3.
"Married.  By the Rev. A. Fyfe, at the residence of the bride's father, William Elliot, Esq., of this city, SOPHIA WATT ELLIOT, to JAMES WATSON, esq., merchant, Dundas."

The 1861 census shows the family living in Dundas, Ontario.  David Watson is again described as a merchant, age 34, Sophia Watt is 26, and they have a son, W.E. Watson ( the W. E. stands for William Elliot;  he is named after his maternal grandfather).  They also have two servants, Jane and Mrs. Hope.  The family are Baptist.

By the 1871 census, the family has moved to Yorkville, Toronto, and greatly expanded.  James Watson is now a druggist (which makes sense considering William Elliot's business connections).  Children are William, age 10, Ada, age 7, Clara, age 5, and Florence,  age 3.  There is an Alexander Watson, age 22 and a book keeper, living with them, another book keeper named Abraham Alexander (age 17), and two servants. They are still Baptists.

In the 1881 census, James and Sophia's household now consists of William, 20, Ada, 16, Clara, 14, Florence, 12, and Hubert, 8.  (Birth records show that "Hubert"  is actually James Herbert Watson, born August 22, 1871).  Son William is an accountant.  They no longer have live-in servants. They are still living in the "Village of Yorkville" in East York.

On September 18, 1889, daughter Clara marries Frederick Collin Hood, a doctor from Lindsey, Ontario.  The wedding record refers to her as Clara Sophia Watson (the name Sophia is coming down in the family). She is 24 and he is 26.  They marry in Toronto, but move to Lindsey where they are found on the 1891 census.  However, the 1901 and 1911 census records place them in Toronto.  They remain childless, and Clara dies in 1917 at age 51.

In the 1891 census, James and Sophia are heading a household consisting of Ada, Florence, and Herbert, ages 26, 22, and 19, and are back to having two servants.

In 1896 James and Sophia's oldest child, William Elliot Watson, died of "la grippe" at the age of 35.  He leaves behind a wife, Hattie Badgely.

In the 1901 census, the aging James and Sophia (76 and 62) are living with two daughters, Ada, 30, and Florence, 25, and one servant. James' occupation is given as "Gentleman", probably indicating that he has retired from business.  The next year, on December 21, 1902, Ada Watson, age 38, marries Alfred Bryant, age 44, son of John Bryant and Susan Hillwood, in Toronto.  Alfred is a farmer living in Russell, Manitoba.  I wonder how they met?  Ada's full name is given here as "Ada Annie Watson".   In the 1911 census Florence, Ada and Alfred are all living together in Toronto with one servant.  Florence is referred to as the head of the house, and Alfred is working as a real estate agent.  There are no children.

The 1920 census is startling.  Ada A. Bryant is a patient in Whitby, Ontario.   The only hospital I can find in Whitby during this period is the Ontario Hospital for the Insane, a psychiatric facility.  According to the website Ontario Shores, in 1920, the year before the census,  this hospital had 917 patients and 141 staff.  This is in line with the census records for the institution where Ada is a patient, which lists 21 pages of patient names.

Since the 1930 census is not available, it's not possible to find out how long Ada stayed here, or what her diagnosis was.  Did she end her days there, or was it just a short stay?  According to Wikipedia, this hospital, which was relatively new when Ada stayed there, was "a model of mental health care for its era."

"Patients were housed in a cottage setting in an attempt to provide a home-like atmosphere to those undergoing treatment. The lakeside fresh-air environment was also seen as beneficial, as was the attached hospital farm. The farm was intended to make the facility self-sufficient in meat, milk and vegetables. It was operated until 1969."

Some of the cottages where patients lived, Ontario Hospital for the Insane, 1920.

We know that Ava died in 1947 and was buried in the family plot at the Necropolis in Toronto.

James Watson died on February 26, 1911, at the age of 86.  His death record places his address at 54 Howland Avenue, Toronto.  Sophia predeceased her husband by six years.  Her obituary in the Toronto Globe newspaper reads:

"WATSON.  On Wednesday morning, at 726 Spadina avenue, Sophia W. Watson, wife of James Watson and daughter of the late Wm. Elliot, age 63 years.  Funeral private.  Friends will kindly not send flowers."  (November 16, 1905, p. 14). 

Sophia and James are buried in the Necropolis Cemetery, Toronto.  Despite their five children, they had no grandchildren that I could find. 

 

The inscription reads:

JAMES WATSON

Of Caithness

BORN 1825, DIED 1911

"We sorrow not even as others which have no hope"

SOPHIA WATT ELLIOT

Wife of 

JAMES WATSON

Died November 15, 1905 

In her 69th year.

He being dead yet speaketh" 

Here's another view:

And a close-up of the 2nd inscription:

CLARA S. WATSON

WIFE OF 

FREDERICK C. HOOD M.D.

Died Jan. 15, 1917

FREDERICK C. HOOD M.D.

Died Nov. 14th, 1927.

And another side:

ADA BRYANT

Died Feb. 5th 1947.

FLORENCE H. WATSON

Died May 15th 1958.