Nora married Walter J Honer about 1919 in Thessalon, Ont. Walter was born about 1891; died about 1967 in Flesherton, Artemesia, Ont; was buried in 1967 in Flesherton Cemetery, Artemesia, Ont. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Thomas was born in Hogg's Hollow, a valley in the North York area of old Toronto. He marrie d Rachel Gerow in Flesherton, Artemesia Township, Grey County, in 1876. Their first child, S arah Gertrude died in infancy and was buried in Flesherton Cemetery. Altogether they had twel ve children, four of whom died in infancy and three others who died in their early twenties . The five surviving children went on to marry and have families of their own.

Tom's young family started out, however, from Owen Sound, where they boarded a boat for Thes salon. They almost perished when the boat became overloaded with a thick coating of ice an d almost sank to the bottom of Georgian Bay.. They stopped at Manitoulin Island, where bab y Nell was born...in an Indian viillage called Assiginack.
They resided in Assiginack for at least one year, as is indicated by the 1881 census. At th e time of the census Maud (3) and Thomas (1) were with them. Rachel's sister, Mary Ellen (1 9) stayed with the household until she married J Jamieson.
Tom and family eventually arrived in Thessalon where he opened a Singer Sewing Machine dealer ship in 1881. He was a jack-of-all-trades, including barrel maker and stone mason.
He became Reeve of Algoma about 1900 and the family thrived, residing in a beautiful house i n Little Rapids.

In 1910, however, he decided to move the family to the Porcupine gold camp, where he would la y bricks at the MacIntyre mine...He also built several of the town buildings, his own hoime a t 22 Bruce Ave, as well as several other houses along the Bruce Avenue strip, including th e 10 Bruce Avenue house where Rachel and Tom's daughter, Eva, lived with her husband, Arthu r "Ewie', and their brood.

In 1911 the great fire wiped out the town and surrounding district, killing their son, Merv , when a tank car on the railroad siding blew up, with a ton of TNT on board. The 'tidal wave ' that was generated swamped the boat that Merve was in, drowning him and several others. Th e rest of the family managed to survive the blast and ensuing flood.

They lived the rest of their lives realtively peacefully, with the exception of the untimel y deaths of young Ethel, who died of peritonitis, when her appendix burst, and Tom Jr, who, a fter surviving horrendous injuries during action in WW1, drowned in Pearl Lake while rescuin g a girl who had fallen through the ice.
Tom and Rachel are buried in Tisdale Cemetery, South Porcupine.



The children who died are buried in Forest Lawn Cemetery, Little Rapids, and Thomas and Rach el are in Tisdale Cemetery

Thomas married Rachel Gerow, Genoe on 30 May 1876 in Flesherton, Grey Co Ont. Rachel (daughter of William Genoe, Gerow and Ellen Mary (Maria) Christmas) was born in Feb 1857 in Flesherton, Grey Co., Ontario; died on 9 Jun 1937 in South Porcupine, Ontario; was buried in South Porcupine, Ontario. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Rachel was born in Ontario of French origins. Her father's family may have been born in Fran ce, and left the country for Canada during the civil unrest. he original spelling of the nam e was Geneaux. Her ancestors settled in the Gray County area.

Other Events and Attributes:

• Occupation: 1850, Coal merchant in Dublin, IRL
• Residence: 1850, 1 Hardwicke Street, Dublin,IRL
• Residence: Aft 1850, Hogg's Hollow, Toronto, ON, CAN
• Residence: Aft 1850, Thessalon, Algoma District, ON, CA

Notes:

William Wright was born in Ireland, some say Dublin, others say Monaghan. He did live for a w hile in Dublin, where he earned his living as a coal merchant. He emigrated to Canada and spe nt some time in the Grey Co area of Upper Canada, before marrying a girl called Margaret Susa n Bray , from Pickering. They settled in an area of Toronto called Hogg's Hollow. Their son , Thomas Amaziah, was born in 1854. There were two other brothers, George and William John an d a girl, Sarah, born to the couple..
William and Margaret eventually made their way to the Thessalon area and both died in 1902 . They are buried in the Forest Lawn Cemetery in Little Rapids, Ontario.

William married Margaret Susan Bray about 1850. Margaret (daughter of Thomas Bray and Margaret's Mom Bray) was born in 1829 in Pickering, ON, CAN; died on 13 Nov 1902 in Kirkwood Twp.; was buried in Little Rapids, Algoma District, Ontario. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

William married Ellen Mary (Maria) Christmas in 1857. Ellen (daughter of James Christmas and Elizabeth Christmas) was born in Sep 1838 in Selborne, Hants, England; was christened on 30 Sep 1838 in Selborne, Hampshire, England; died on 3 Jan 1927 in Mount Clair, New Jersey; was buried on 5 Jan 1927 in Flesherton Cemetery, Artemesia, Ont. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Ellen Mary emigrated to Canada when she was a young child. She and her parents, James and El izabeth (Eliza) arrived in the Toronto area in 1842.
Brown's Directory for Toronto, 1846-1847 shows a James Christmas, gardener, living on Park St reet, North.
Although Ellen married and lived in the Grey County area, she died in Mount Clair, New Jersey , at her daughter's home. The obituary reads :

"Word was received here on Tuesday by her daughter, Mrs J Jamieson, announcing the death of M rs George Rutledge at the home of her daughter, Mrs J Mueller, at Mount Clair, New Jersey o n Monday January 03 1902. The deceased lady was ninety-one years of age and spent her last s ummer visiting in Flesherton. Mrs Rutledge was born in England and came to Canada with her p arents when seven years of age, settling at what is Woodbine, Toronto, afterwards coming to A rtemesia Township. Her maiden name was CHRISTMAS and she was first marrried to Mr GEROW an d after his death, to Mr RUTLEDGE. She was for many years a member of the Methodist church . The remains are bing brought to Flesherton for interment."
From the Flesherton Advance newspaper, issued 05 January 1927

Father married Mother of William and Joseph Strain about 1828 in Co Monaghan, NIR. Mother was born about 1765 in Co Monaghan, NIR. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Thomas married Margaret's Mom Bray about 1828 in England. Margaret's was born about 1765 in England. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

The 1871 Census indicates that James was a carpenter, living in St John's Ward, Toronto, Yor k County
AFN: (3CZG-V8) Family Search Ancestor File

James married Elizabeth Christmas on 5 Nov 1837 in Selborne, Hampshire, England. Elizabeth was born in 1817 in Selborne, Hampshire, England; was christened in 1817 in Selborne, Hampshire, England; died in Canada; was buried in Canada. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

AFN: (3CZG-WF)