52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks Week 38 Prompt - Census

2024

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks

Week 38

Prompt – Census

The seventh Canadian Census was taken on 1 Jun 1931. This was released to the public on 1 Jun 2023.

Census is taken every 10 years. Most censuses contain questions about location, family members, names, sex, age, marital status, relation to head, religion, education, occupation, country or province of birth of the individual and their parents. In the 1931 Census additional questions such as did they have a radio was added. Since this was taken during the depression questions about unemployment, periods of unemployment and cause of unemployment.

I have just started to look at this census for my genealogy family. I chose the results of the 1931 Canada Census for Elizabeth (sic) and Frank Peters. My paternal grandparents.

1931 Canada Census for Frank Peters and Household

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As censuses go this was recorded neatly and is quite legible. All of the information is transcribed by some group of people that do their best to put the right information in typed format. Often this information can be wrong or missing. Therefore I have learned to cross reference the transcribed information with the original image. 

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 Frank (not listed as Franz) Peters is a 65 year old married male who is head of his household. His nationality is Canadian. He was born in Manitoba, Canada. His racial origin is German. The place of birth for his parents and Elisabeth Peters' parents is listed as Russia. The parents had lived in Chortitza Mennonite Colonies in South Russia. Frank Peters birthday is estimated as 1866. Frank gives his age to the recorder as 65 and since this was taken in 1931, simple math makes birth year as 1866. Frank Peters was born in 1876. Frank then goes on to say his immigration year was 1871. First of all he never immigrated from Russia since he was born one year after his family immigrated to Manitoba, Canada in 1876. His parents and older siblings immigrated in 1875. The next question was when was he naturalized. He answered 1900. I would think since he was born in Canada there was no need to naturalize.

Frank Peters tells the census taker that he and his family's religion is Lutheran. I'm a bit confused about this since they came from a Mennonite town and background. The family story is that Frank Peters was upset when the Mennonite Colony split. Half the colony decided to move to Mexico. Those that did go took all of the money leaving the remaining families (Frank and Elisabeth Peters) broke and poor.

In the 1926 Prairie Provinces Census we know that his family lives in Rosthern. In the 1931 he is now located in Saskatoon. His address is 240 3^rd Street. Frank Peters' obituary stated that he lived in the city of Saskatoon for 23 years. He died in April 1952 meaning he probably moved into the city in 1929. The census states he rents a single home made of wood with 4 rooms for 12 dollars per month.

We then note that Frank can speak English but not French however German is their primary language. When asked if he could read and write he answered he could write (in any language) but not read in English.

According to this census he worked as a labourer on road construction. I did not know this before the census. He earned 150.00 salary in the past 12 months. He also was at work on “Monday, June 1, 1931” - a very specific question asked of all employed persons in this census year. Frank Peters was unemployed 36 weeks in the past year and the cause was “no job”.

If we look at the transcribed information it states that he earned 550.00 in the past year. Also he was not at work on 1 Jun 1931. Also he was only unemployed for 3 weeks of the last year and apparently 31 weeks was due to no job. I do not know where these numbers were transcribed from and further they do not make any sense. 

This is just one example how careful one should look over their sources. The 1931 Canada Census is the primary source and not the transcribed information.  The census is only as reliable as the head of the household reported to the census taker's questions.  

Wendy

 

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks Week 37 Prompt - Tombstone

2024

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks

Week 37

Prompt – Tombstone

Is tombstone the same as a headstone or gravestone? I was just wondering! The prompt could have been headstone. What was the difference? Or was there one? Trusting “google” I have learned that gravestone, headstone and tombstone are now used to mean the same thing.

“A headstone is typically a marker that is placed at the head of a grave, which is why it is called a "head" stone. A headstone is often made of stone or other durable materials, and it can be inscribed with the name, birth and death dates, and other information about the deceased. The design and style of the headstone can vary widely, from simple and understated to ornate and elaborate.

A tombstone, on the other hand, is often used to refer to a larger and more elaborate monument that covers an entire burial site, or in some cases, an entire family plot. Tombstones can include multiple inscriptions and may be adorned with sculptures or other decorative elements. In general, tombstones are more elaborate and costly than headstones and are often used to commemorate prominent individuals or families.”

Today headstones are the normal. Examples in my family are:

Woodlawn Cemetery, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan

 

My mother and father's gravestone made of stone and granite. They had one that stood upright. 

Woodlawn Cemetery, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan

This headstone is on the grave of Bill's father. Tony Hoffart died in 1992. Clara told the story about getting the lettering done for her side and was going to include "19" on her death but then she said wait I don't intend to die that quickly and left it open so that it could be filled in with her year.  She is 96 and still living. Bless her.  Clara also said that she chose the flat headstone because vandalism from tipping them over would be less likely.

 

Woodlawn Cemetery, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan

This is the grave site of my great uncle who died at 3 months of age. George Windsworth Sullivan died January 8, 1925. My grandparents had no money for a headstone so this is what is called a grave marker put their by the cemetery.  To find this we had to wipe many stones to get the one we wanted.  We had a map and the number 4470. It was sad that he was just a numbered stone.

 

 

Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Cemetery, Benson, Saskatchewan

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jacob and Eva Hoffart are Bill's paternal great-grandparents. They have quite an elaborate headstone. 

St. John's Lutheran Cemetery, Killaly, Saskatchewan

Arthur and Ida Jahnke is Bill's maternal grandparents.  I would think that this would be a tombstone as their graves are completely covered by the stone with headstone included.  This plot of 3 included Arthur and Ida's son, Herbert Jahnke who died in 1961 of cancer. Ida died in 1972 and Arthur died in 1979.

City of Vancouver Mountain View Cemetery

This unmarked grave is of my paternal grandmother.  I dropped into the cemetery office and they "flagged" it for me. I had to come back a few days later so that maintenance could get it marked.  

At this time in 2021 we discovered that her daughter Mary Murray (nee Peters) was also buried in this spot. The reply from the office when we inquired about this was as follows: "The city did initially provide the plot to your family, but then at the time of your Aunt Mary's death in 1980 a Mrs. Alice Nelson reimbursed the ministry (the department had switched hands by the time that Mary died) and then paid for Mary's burial." 

Below is the burial cards the office included with our inquiry.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Shows that Alice Nelson (Mary's daughter, Elisabeth's granddaughter) paid for the grave site.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This shows that this plot is now owned by Alice Murray. 

I found out that it is possible to put a gravestone on their grave even this many years later.  I feel that they should have one to acknowledge their existence.

Wendy

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks Weeks 32 - 36 Prompt - Grandmother

 2024

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks

Weeks 32 - 36

Prompt - Grandmother 

 

Summer has been hectic. Also I had decided that I needed to read more of my books that I have accumulated over several years.  It has been very pleasurable to sit out on the porch rocking and reading. It certainly has not helped produce my blogs when Bill and I have been binge watching "Game of Thrones". Probably for the 3rd or 4th time.   September is here and I am going to try and put out my blogs on a regular basis. Since this is 52 ancestors in 52 weeks, I think this blog adds quite a few new ancestors that you may not have been aware of.

My paternal grandmother is Elisabeth (with an S) Peters. Nee: Dueck. She was born on 11 Jan 1881 in Morden, Manitoba. She was Canadian by birth. Her parents were Johann Dueck and Helena Peters. Johann Dueck was born 16 APR 1844 • Lichtenau, Molotschna, Ukraine. Helena Peters was born 12 MAY 1848 • Southern Russia, Ukraine. They married 2 Sep 1866 in South Russia.

Elisabeth Dueck was their 9^th child of 15 children.

Johann and Helena Dueck immigrated to Canada and arrived on 19 Jul 1875. At this point they had 5 children. See above. Maria Dueck who was born October 1873 in Southern Russia however died a month after arriving in Manitoba on 14 Aug 1875. Helena had her 6^th child just a few weeks after this on 6 Sep 1875. This child named Wilhelm died less than a month later on 1 Oct 1875. That is a rough few months for my great-grandmother. Her 12^th child (Kornelius Dueck) was born on 2 Jan 1886 in Manitoba and died just short of his second birthday. Their 13^th child was Aganetha who was born in 1888 and died at the age of 19 in Manitoba.

Helena Dueck (Peters) died 3 Mar 1918 in Saskatchewan – possibly Swift Current Colony. She was 69 years old. Her husband, Johann Dueck died 17 Nov 1909 also in Saskatchewan and he was 65 years old. Helena lived as a widow for 9 years.

Helena Dueck's adult married daughter,(the 3^rd child born in South Russia), Anna Giesbrecht (Dueck) died a year after her father, Johann died. Anna and her husband, Abraham Giesbrecht had 13 children together. Anna Giesbrecht died on 19 Nov 1910 in Swift Current, Saskatchewan. This was just 9 days after her 13^th child. It might be surmised that she died due to complications in childbirth.

Helena Dueck's second youngest child, Justina married David Giesbrecht ( I'm unsure if this Giesbrecht is related to her sister's husband, Abraham Giesbrecht) on Jul 1908. They had a daughter, Helena Giesbrecht on 4 Jun 1908. Justina died on 7 Mar 1912 at the age of 22 years.

Helena Dueck was alive to witness her youngest daughter, Susanna get married to Bernhard Penner on 16 Apr 1914.

Helena Dueck's 4^th child born in South Russia died in Saskatchewan sometime after 1915. She had married Heinrich Martens and had 14 children together. All we know is she died after 1915 because she had twin babies on 27 Nov 1915. 

Helena Dueck lived to see every one of her children get married.  However Johann Dueck died before his youngest child was married. That was Susanna to Bernhard Penner in 1914.

Helena Dueck outlived 6 of her children.  

Helena Dueck's grandchildren

1. Helena Dueck's eldest daughter, also named Helena Dueck had 14 children with her first husband – Peter Braun and 1 child with her second husband Peter Klassen. 11 of these children lived into adulthood.

2. Jacob Dueck married Sara Thiessen. They had 11 children. 7 of these children survived into adulthood.

3. Anna Dueck married Abraham Giesbrecht and had 13 children. 4 of their children died in infancy.

4. Katharina Dueck married Heinrich Martens and together they had 14 children. As best as I can figure out 7 of their children died in infancy.

5. Marie Dueck died at 1 year, 9 months. Thus 0 children.

6. Wilhelm Dueck died at 26 days and thus had 0 children.

7. Maria Dueck married Heinrich Born and had 12 children together. 3 died in infancy.

8. Wilhelm Dueck married Anna Loeppky and had 6 children. 1 died in infancy.

9. Elisabeth Dueck (my grandmother) married Franz Peters and had 12 children. 2 died in infancy.

10. Agatha Dueck married her first husband, Cornelius Thiesen. They had 5 children together. Agatha Dueck married her second husband, Jacob Bergen and they had 3 children. All 8 of these children lived into adulthood.

11. Johann Dueck married Maria Martens and together they had 1 child.

12. Kornelius Dueck lived 1 year, 11 months and 27 days. Thus 0 children.

13. Aganetha Dueck lived until she was 19 years old. She was not married and had no children.

14. Justina Dueck married David Giesbrecht and together they had 1 child who survived until adulthood. Justina died a few years later at 22 years of age without bearing any other children.

15. Susanna Dueck married Bernhard Penner and together had 11 children. All children lived into adulthood.

Helena and Johann Dueck had 103 grand children of whom 88 survived until adulthood. I cannot fathom how many descendants they have to carry on their legacy. 

Wendy