Joseph Hood & Caroline Downing

Caroline A Downing was the daughter of Hiram Downing and Nancy Vincent.  Hiram and Nancy had 4 children according to sites that I visited but it appears that only Caroline had any family.

Caroline married a farmer named Joseph R Hood who was born in 1831 at Colchester Co, NS, the son of John Hood & Helen Stewart who were from Scotland.  James & Caroline had five children in Nova Scotia and then relocated to Franklin, MA where they had their last child. 

Joseph had become a stone mason in the US and died tragically....

Chester Times, Wed, 1 Sep 1886
A Fatal Refuge From Rain
Franklin, Mass - Sept 1 - Hugh McCloskey and Joseph Hood were run over and killed by a railway car under which they had taken refuge from the rain, supposing it to be detached from the engine.

Once Joseph died, Caroline relocated to Michigan with her youngest and his wife and died in 1921.

courtesy of Susan Connelly & James Bianco

Of their children, Mary Emma married a Herbert Alvin Cook and they are buried at the Union Street Cemetery in Franklin, MA with their 3 children.

courtesy of James Bianco

Elizabeth ‘Lizzie’ Marion married twice, first to a Joseph Johnson and had one son and then Benjamin Franklin Flagg who she out lived by nearly 50 years.  Benj received a military burial at Riverside Cemetery in Royalston, MA.  Elizabeth was buried at the Forest Lawn Memorial Park cemetery in Glendale, LA where she lived with her son.

courtesy of James R Mason

Los Angeles Times, 13 Aug 1940

Flagg - Lizzie Flagg, beloved mother of Albert Johnson.  Services Wednesday 2 pm from the chapel of Graham and Isbell.

John Thomas married a Marie Bourbeau and she is buried in her father’s family plot at St Mary’s Cemetery, Franklin, MA but I couldn’t find a burial location for John.  He was a blacksmith who might have owned his own shop in Franklin and the family never lived in Rhode Island but that is where John died. 

George William married an Alice Coburn and they lived in California with their children.  George was a milk inspector and is buried at the Angelus Rosedale Cemetery in Los Angeles, LA.

Los Angeles Times, 20 Feb 1941

Hood - George W Hood, beloved husband of Alice T Hood; father of Mrs Olive Clare, Mrs Constance Goodykoontz, Mrs Anita Boughman, Albert E, Roy C, and George W Hood Jr.  Services Friday, 2 pm, from the chapel of Graham & Isbell.

Nancy Ellen married William Albert Hewes and they too lived in California, I didn’t find any children for them.

Los Angeles Times, 4 Mar 1930

HEWES - Mar 1, Nancy Helen Hewes, beloved wife of William A Hewes of 2310 Harcourt Street.  Funeral services Tuesday, 2 pm from the Armstrong Funeral Home, 769 Venice Boulevard.

Their baby boy who was born in Massachusetts was James Robert Hood and he married a girl by the name of Cora Angeline, u/k last name.  He died in Merced, CA but I couldn’t find an obit or where he was buried.  

What’s interesting about him was that he a Telephone Installer turned farmer who never owned a phone!

Stories, Obits & Bewilder - William Nelson Riggs & Willena Arbuckle Clan

William Riggs was the son of William Riggs & Mary Bryenton, born in 1846 at Charlottetown.  He married Willena Arbuckle, the daughter of Ole Willie Arbuckle & Mary Vincent in 1874 and they had 9 children. 

William was a Baggage Master with the PEI Railway and died in 1915; he is buried at the People's Protestant Cemetery with his wife and most of their children.

The Charlottetown Guardian, 22 Jul 1915
Riggs - At Charlottetown, on July 21st, Wm M Riggs, aged 68.  Funeral from his late residence, Grafton St, Friday, 24th inst, under the auspices of IOOF, serviced commencing at 3:30 pm.  Internment in People's Cemetery, Revs GS Taylor and FH Littlejohns officiating.

Willena died in 1944

The Charlottetown Guardian, 1 Apr 1944
In Memoriam - Mrs W N Riggs
A host of friends throughout Prince Edward Island and the Maritimes will regret to learn that Mrs Willena Riggs, wife of the late W N Riggs, died Thursday night, March 30th, at 250 Grafton Street.  She was in her 94th year.

Born Willena Arbuckle at Merigomish, NS, she came to Charlottetown 76 years ago and has made her home here ever since.  Her husband, former baggage master at the railway depot, predeceased her 29 years ago.

Though active all her life, she had been in failing health for the past three years and was confined to her bed for over a year.

She is survived by two sons, Joseph, Bank of Montreal manager, Ottawa, and Nelson, real estate operator, Wollaston, Mass; four daughters, Ida, Mrs J D Kennedy, Windsor, NS; Blanche, Mrs J E Cameron, Charlottetown; Willena, Mrs F MacQuarrie, East Chicago, Ind; and Lillian, Mrs James Shaw, Gary, Ind, as well as 15 grandchildren and 18 great-grandchildren also survive.  Three other children predeceased her, one of them Alfred Riggs being killed in action in the Boer War.

William 'Alfred' Riggs was born in 1878 and worked for a time at the railway and at a bookstore; further, he had taught himself in the art of sign & decorative painting.  He had his eye on the ministry when he signed up for the Boer War in 1898 and was one of 30 islanders who formed the Charlottetown Engineers.  Unfortunately, he was killed in action in 1900.

William Alfred Riggs - Archives of PEI Fonds - original documents avail 


William and Willena's daughter wrote a memoir, a portion of it is found at the following link - she writes of her mom & dad and how Alfred's death affected her mother - "I Remember Mama" by Florence 'Willena' Riggs

In the article, Flo writes that there were 10 children, but there were only 9 with William.  The 10th child was George William Arbuckle born in NS in 1872.  

Lewis died young - he was baptized in 1877 then disappears.  

Annie Idella 'Ida' married a tailor & currier from PEI named Joseph Kennedy and moved to Halifax, NS

The Guardian, Thurs, 27 Sep 1956

Kennedy - At Halifax, September 25, 1956, Mrs J D Kennedy, formerly of Charlottetown.  The remains will arrive at the Cutcliffe Funeral Home Wednesday evening.  Funeral service at the funeral home this Thursday afternoon at 2 pm.  Interment People's Cemetery.

Edith married William 'Frederick' Pyne from NB who was a boiler maker for the CNR - they were living in Edmundston, NB when she died

Summerside Guardian, 2 Jul 1935

PYNE - At Edmundston, NB, June 29, 1935, Mrs W F Pyne (nee Edith Riggs).  The remains arrived in Charlottetown last night and were taken to the MacLean Funeral Home, where the funeral will be held today (Tuesday) at 2:30.  Interment in the People's Cemetery.

Their brother Nelson married a Jennie Reta Westhaver from Nova Scotia (she links into my mother's side of the family via my mom's sister).  He was a restaurateur and operated in several cities.

 The Guardian, Fri, 11 Apr 1958

Nelson Riggs Dies In U S

Nelson J (Bub) Riggs, well known Charlottetown business man died in Wollaston, Mass on Tuesday evening, after a lengthy illness.  His relatives received the sad news early on Wednesday morning.  Funeral services will be held Friday in Wollaston. 

Mr Riggs, 76, was a son of the late Mr and Mrs W N Riggs of this city and for a time operated a restaurant here under the name of Riggs and Lonergam.  He later went to Halifax where he owned a restaurant and hotel.

In the early 1920's he migrated to the United States and settled in Wollaston where he entered the real estate field.  His operations extended to Florida and at the time of his death was managing the highly successful firm of Riggs and Son in Quincy, Mass.

A frequent holiday visitor here, where he had a host of friends, he had planned to visit here again in July.

Surviving are his wife, Jennie, a daughter, Bernice (Mrs Walter King), and one son Kenneth, all of Wollaston.  Also surviving are three sisters: Blanche (Mrs J E Cameron), Charlottetown; Lillian (Mrs James Shaw), New York; and Willena (Mrs Frank McQuarrie), Florida.  Three brothers predeceased him.  They were Louis, Joseph and Alfred who was killed in the Boer War.  Two sisters Edith (Mrs Fred Pyne) and Ida (Mrs J D Kennedy) also predeceased him.

Bertha 'Blanche' Riggs married a boiler maker turn Foreman named John E Cameron.  She died in 1960 but he lived to be 101 and died in 1982!

The two girls, Flo & Lily died in Florida with their husbands.  Florence 'Willena' married Frank A MacQuarrie was a mechanic from Cape Breton.  Lillian married James Shaw who was from Indiana and was a supervisor at a steel mill.

Earle Lemuel 'Joseph' Riggs, the baby boy of the clan, married Jean Strang who was from Newfoundland.  He and his wife are buried at the Fredericton Rural Cemetery Extension in NB.

The Guardian, Mon, 22 Apr 1957

Native of This City Dies In Fredericton, NB

Word was received here Saturday of the sudden death in Fredericton, NB of Joseph E Riggs, 66, son of the late Mr and Mrs W N Riggs, Charlottetown.  Mr Riggs suffered a stroke on Friday and passed away early Saturday morning.  Two brothers, Louis and Alfred, who was killed in the South African War, and one sister, predeceased him.  He is survived by one brother, Nelson, Wollaston, Mass, and three sisters: Blanche, Mrs J E Cameron, Charlottetown; Willena, Mrs Frank MacQuarrie, Greenfield, Ohio; and Lillian, Mrs James Shaw, Gary, Indiana.

The late Mr Riggs was a retired manager of the Bank of Montreal and has served in that capacity in several towns in Nova Scotia, in Carbonear, Nfld, where he met his wife the noted singer, Jean Strang, and in the Eastern Townships of Quebec.  Prior to his retirement the late Mr Riggs had served as manager of the Bank Street branch of the Bank of Montreal in Ottawa and in the same capacity in Fredericton, NB.

He recently built a summer home at Rockey Point where he and Mrs Riggs have spent their summers since his retirement. 

The burial will be in Fredericton, NB but final funeral arrangements have not been completed pending word from members of the family in the United States.

Mr and Mrs J E Cameron left here Saturday by plane to attend the funeral and it is expected that Mrs Riggs will return with them.  It is a triple tragedy for Mrs Riggs as her brother died shortly before Christmas in Newfoundland and her sister passed away last month in Ottawa.

Lastly, George William Arbuckle.  I found his birth entry and he was on the 1891 census with the family in PEI working as a painter.  

Here is where I take a leap of faith

In 1901, there is a George Arbuckle, painter, living with the Rudge family in Dist 136 of Charlottetown (the Riggs lived in Dist 135).  This George goes on to marry a daughter named Florence in 1902.  By 1916, they are in Saskatchewan where he is working in a hotel and by 1921, he is a mechanic and running a cattle ranch.

So far, my only evidence that they are the same fella is that they are both painters, born in 1872 NS and living in Charlottetown; however, the 2nd George goes by George Angus Arbuckle per the Canadian, South Africa Land Grant application of 1909.  George A served in the Boer War and operated a restaurant in PEI before moving west with his wife (perhaps he is who first introduced Nelson to the business?).  But there is a 2nd bit that supports my conclusion.....

In reading the memoriam in the Guardian in 1926, it mentions several 'half-siblings' throughout the maritimes. In Memoriam - George Angus Arbuckle  George is not mentioned in any of his half-siblings obits, he was gone too long perhaps; nor is he counted as one of her children in his mother's obit.  The only count for him is with Florence's story.

If this connection is correct, then George is buried in Regina at the Regina Cemetery.  The trick is finding that Regina obit in the Daily Post!

The Island Register - Descendants of William Alexander Riggs

John Patton & Mary Arbuckle and Yukon Connections

John Patton & Mary Ellen Arbuckle were married  just before Christmas in 1864 at Merigomish, NS.  She was the daughter of Ole Willie Arbuckle & Mary Vincent; he was the son of John & Margaret Patton and John Jr was was a farmer. Together they had 9 children and all but one lived - it appears Charlotte died before she was 5 as she was not on the 1881 census with the family.

I couldn't find a death entry for John but it appears he died before 1901 as Mary was listed as widowed on the that census.  She died in 1916 and was buried at Murray Point Cemetery at Lower Barney's River; I believe John is there too.

courtesy of Jody MacKeil

Their oldest daughter Margaret married Clarence Patton, the son of James W Patton & Elizabeth Thompson.  They are buried at the Lorne St Cemetery in New Glasgow.

courtesy of Jody MacKeil

  Sarah married George Arbuckle, the son of Capt Charles Arbuckle & Mary Bowen.  They are buried at Murray Point Cemetery.

 Jane married John Lutts, the son of Adam Lutts & Esther Ware out of Maine and the pair lived in MA once married.  They are buried in his family's plot at the Orchard Grove Cemetery in Kittery, ME.

courtesy of ReconnectNow

Abigail married Charles Dyment, the son of Moses Dyment & Maria Bryant out of PEI.   They are buried at the Wenatchee City Cemetery in Washington. 

courtesy of Jody MacKeil

 

Lydia Mason Patton married Charles David Arbuckle, the son of William Arbuckle & Cassie MacLean.  They are buried at Murray Point Cemetery.

courtesy of Chicken Little

Charles married Mary Webster, the daughter of Robert Webster & Mary Munro.  The were married in Alaska and settled in Pincher Creek, AB.  The are buried at the Cowley Cemetery there.

Lastly, two other adventurous brothers, James & John 'Thomas' - James got bit by the gold rush and it could explain how his brother Charlie met Mary. Little Tom worked for the Yukon Gold Co in England.  They are buried together at Murray Point.

James William Patton 1869-1942

courtesy of Jody MacKeil

Eastern Chronicle, Thurs, 12 Nov 1942
JAMES W PATTON, Ponds, Merigomish
Following several years of failing health the death of James W. Patton, occurred at his home Ponds, Merigomish, at the age of 74 years. With the exception of several months spent at the Klondike during the early days of the gold rush, all his life was spent in the community of Merigomish.

His funeral service was held Friday afternoon, Nov 6th, from the home of his nephew, Wesley Arbuckles and was attended by several of his New Glasgow relatives. The interment was made at the Murray Point cemetery.

The surviving members of his family include three sisters and two brothers: Mrs Charles M Dyment, of Wenawatchwere, Washington, DC; Mrs George Arbuckles, Ponds, Merigomish; Mrs Clarence Patton, New Glasgow; Charles Patton of Lundbreck, Alberta and J Thomas Patton of the Yukon Gold Company, London, England.

Fiddling Giants - A line of MacLeans from Nova Scotia to PEI

Scottish carved relief  1500s

Ask the question if there is a difference between an Irish fiddler and a Scottish fiddler - ye better duck!! 

Our tale begins at Lake Ainslie - a freshwater lake located on the west side of Cape Breton with small communities settled around the lake.  It was settled by Scottish immigrants around 1820 and in the early days, the Catholic families were on the west while Protestants settled on the east side.  

This lake, the area, the home, must have had been special as some descendants were given the name 'Ainslie'.

The man who caught my attention was Big Angus MacLean, the son of Scotsman Laughlin MacLean and Catherine MacKay born in 1826 at Lake Ainslie, Nova Scotia. 

It appears the MacLean family were a bit nomadic at first - could be Laughlin was chasin' fish or decidin' where to put his hat.  
 
The story told by others is that the family were in Cape Breton, landed in Pictou for a time and then off to Prince Edward Island.  

While the clan were in Pictou, Big Angus fell for our Jennie Arbuckle, the daughter of Ole Willie Arbuckle & Mary Vincent.  The pair were married abt 1852 and had 4 children together: Cassie, William, Mary & Laughlin. Sadly, Jennie died a mere 10 years into the marriage at age 28.  


A couple of years later, Big Angus was ready to remarry and plans were made. 

As the story goes, he showed up the day of the marriage only to be standin' alone!  Well, 'whit's fur ye'll no go past ye', so he asked a girl named Mary McKay who happened to be standin' there - off they went and had 9 children!  

It wasn't until after their daughter Joanna was born in 1883 when the whole kit and caboodle moved to PEI for good despite havin' been back and forth the past couple of decades.

Big Angus was exactly that - big.  It is reported that he stood 6ft, 6in tall and weighed in at 300lbs and given that he was a farmer turned stonemason - strong to boot! I have trouble imaginin' this big man nimble enough to play a fiddle!  

The fiddle and/or pipes goes back to Laughlin and their kin before and was lovingly passed down to many MacLeans of this line - especially in Angus's youngest son with Jennie, Laughlin.

Angus Leslie MacLean, 1984

Laughlin Jr had a son Angus Leslie who played the fiddle and so did Angus' sons - Danny, Jimmy, Clarence and Charlie.  

"The music, you know, was in all the MacLeans. My grandfather and my father and all the way back. My grandfather made [my first violin] for me. He made violins and bagpipes and everything, and fixed them all up himself. Big Angus MacLean, they used to call him. Big Angus - I'm called after him."

"Belfast People" - Angus Leslie MacLean, pg 204

Gentle giants given to creatin' quite a ruckus at any ceilidh!

Rugged Yukon Pioneers

The Mason Family Home, Tangier, NS

 Capt Peter Mason (1836) and Lydia Arbuckle (1840) were married in 1862 at Tangier, NS and went about creating a home and a family of 11 children.

Two of those children weren't like the rest!  They became pioneers of the Yukon!

The brothers were Cleveland 'Reuben' (1865) and Willoughby 'Bill' (1871).  Reuben had settled in Fort Yukon in the late 1890s and was a part of the Klondike Gold Rush of 1898.  Bill followed suit in the early 1900s.  Together they clawed out a rugged lifestyle along the Porcupine River.

Reuben by his Porcupine River cabin with his catch

The first two articles for Rueben, from the Fairbanks Miner, 17 Jun 1938 & 23 Jun 1937 (pg4) highlights his lifestyle and the third reports the decline of his health, 22 Apr 1947

Unfortunately he did not recover and he died 2 Oct 1954 in Seattle.  He was buried with his brother at the Hudson Bay Cemetery in Alaska.  

Obit from the Fairbanks News Miner, 7 Oct 1954

courtesy of Mitzi Reynolds

 

Rube Mason at Shuman House abt 1937

When you look at the picture of the brothers in the link below, you can certainly see the family resemblance; however, Bill was reported to have been 6ft tall and broad shoulders. Fort Yukon Bunch  

In Bill & Beatrice's wedding picture of 1926 below, Rube appears taller than Bill  but note the hill Rube is on (left of bride).

Willoughby Mason & Beatrice Birmingham Wedding Pic

Willoughby's Passport Picture

Willoughby abt 1891

Fairbanks Daily News-Miner, 13 Dec 1935

courtesy of Mitzi Reynolds

 Beatrice Birmingham, late teens - she went on to create the "Alaska Friends" in Seattle for Alaskan visitors and it has since been turned into a care home.

u/k Seattle Newspaper

A couple of pioneering men who risked their lives in the wilderness and led extraordinary lives! 

I would like to thank Mitzi Reynolds from Fort Yukon for sharing her wonderful collection of articles and pictures!

Capt James Mason & Abigail Arbuckle

Abigail Mason (1829) was also the daughter of Ole Willie Arbuckle and Mary Vincent and she married Capt James Mason, the son of Thomas Mason & Anna 'Nancy' Hirtle.  They had 11 children together including the infamous 'Matrimonial Gang'! 

 

The Evening Mail, Wednesday, 18 December 1905, p. 9.(New Glasgow Chronicle)

courtesy of Jody Marie MacKeil

The death occurred at a late hour Friday night (November 24th) of Mrs. Abigail Mason, widow of Captain James Mason and daughter of the late Wm. Arbuckle, of Ponds, Merigomish. Mrs. Mason had not been in good health for some time and three weeks ago she underwent a surgical operation from which she recovered sufficiently to leave her bed, but on Thursday was taken with a relapse and gradually grew worse. Mrs. Mason was 75 years old and is survived by eight sons and three daughters to mourn their loss of a kind and loving mother.

Capt. James Mason was a native of Halifax county and for many years was interested in the merchant service, plying between Halifax and West Indies, being captain and owner of several vessels. The death of Mrs. Mason is also mourned in the United States, where six of her children reside none of whom were able to reach Merigomish in time for the funeral. One of them arrived after the internment, bringing with him a memorial wreath from New York.

A W Mason - A Mystery

 John Mason (1828), the son of William Mason & Catherine Hutt, married Charlotte Arbuckle (1826), the daughter of Old Willie Arbuckle & Mary Vincent.

According to an ancestry tree, they were married in 1853 at Merigomish, Nova Scotia but that might be an error based on the birth of their first two children - one in 1847, the other in 1851.

I completed the 2nd oldest, George A (1851-1921) and was working thru the rest of the children when I stumbled across this obituary - their daughter Charlotte is Mrs Forbes

Eastern Chronicle, 28 Dec 1923
Mrs. Kenneth Forbes has received the sad news of the passing away of her brother, A.W. MASON in Tuscon Hospital, Arizona. He was home this summer and returned about two months ago to Arizona. He contracted pneumonia, lingering for two weeks. Mr. Mason was born at the Ponds, Merigomish, seventy-six years ago. He left home when but eighteen. Since that time he has made his home in Old Mexico and Arizona where he was interested in copper mining etc., having vast interests in mining stocks in Old Mexico. Mr. Mason while on his visit home was in excellent health. The news comes as a shock to his many friends. He was a brother of the late George A. Mason, Mrs. Fleigher, Pictou, Mrs. Spindler, Ohio, USA, James in Alberta and Mrs. Kenneth Forbes of this town.

I still can't figure out what the initials are and I can't find any records for him.  I am leaning towards the W being William given that both grandfathers were Williams but the A is a mystery.....who was this boy who left home so early and found success in the copper fields?


[update Sep 2017 - AW was Angus William]