52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks 2019 Week 10 Prompt - Bachelor Uncle

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks

2019

Week 10

Prompt – Bachelor Uncle

Abraham (aka: Abram or Abe) Peters was born to Franz and Elisabeth Peters on April 4, 1926. He was their youngest child. And he was born 7 to 8 years after their last child, Mary Peters. He was born 8 or 9 years after Jake Peters – my father.

As far as I know he never married. In fact I know very little about this uncle. The more I searched the less I seem to know. I would usually start by looking at the census to identify him. The 1931 Canadian Census has not been released and obviously he was born after the 1921 census. However I was able to find him in a newly released census. The 1926 Prairie Provinces Census was released at the end of February to the public. In brief he is listed as a son of Franz and Elisabeth Peters. This census was taken on June 1^st. It lists him as 2/12 or two months old. That aligns with his stated birth above of April 4, 1926. In the census his name is listed as Abram.

1926 Prairie Provinces Census for Peters

 I do not recall ever meeting this person. In my search on Ancestry and My Heritage family trees for Abe Peters their seems to be a consensus that he lived in Weyburn, Saskatchewan in 1952. There is a note on one tree that her mother spoke of an uncle who was admitted to a Mental facility in Weyburn and apparently he ran away from it several times. Again this is hearsay based on a recalled conversation and a name was never mentioned.

In 1989 for a university class project on families and with the help of my sister Bonnie we made what is called Family Group Records. It is in my handwriting even though I have little recollection of doing it. We have listed Abe Peters as being born April 4 with the notation that he “never married” , “jailed for petty crime” and also more baffling I have written in pencil beside his name - “We know he lived in Clark's Crossing in 1952”. Do we now? What a statement and no further information on where that came from. Sis - Bonnie do you remember why we wrote that? For that matter if anyone else remembers anything about Abe Peters, I would be happy to hear of it.

One Of Many Family Trees for Abe Peters

I guess we can say that in 1952 he was in Saskatchewan. Interestingly 1952 is the year that his father, Franz Peters died. Also this is the time that Abe's mother, Elisabeth and several family members moved away from Saskatoon to Vancouver. I believe then that he was part of that family that moved. I do not know this for a fact but once again, I'd appreciate any information to verify this.

I do not know why the online family trees I (as the one above) have stated his death is in Vancouver and sometime after 1983. I wish that people gave sources for this type of information. I looked at the British Columbia death registrations and burial index and received no return for his name (Abraham, Abram or Abe). Of course that doesn't mean he wasn't buried there. One reason that comes to mind is that maybe he was a welfare case like his mother and maybe no one afforded a proper burial.

It occurs to me that a bachelor's life is a lonely life. Who would he share his life story with? Who would record his events in life such as his death and burial place? How very sad that would be.

Last fall as I was going through Facebook, I noticed that my Cousin's wife (thanks Cheryl) had posted a picture of the three siblings - Shirley Noxel, Helen Heide and Abe Peters. It was the first photograph I had seen of Abe. It was a very exciting find. With her permission I copied it to my albums and now share with you. I know the picture cuts off some of Abe's head, but he looks like a Peters. I do not know when or where this was taken.  Everyone looks quite dressed up though. Was there a special occasion? 
Abe Peters is my Bachelor Uncle and unfortunately I know very little about him.  

Wendy

Shirley Noxel, Helen Heide, Abe Peters