Joseph Allison (1755-1806) m. Alice Harding
Joseph Allison (1755-1806) arrived in 1769 with the rest of his family as a result of a mishap at sea - they were headed to America but their ship ran into trouble and they limped into Halifax harbour. There they ended up being encouraged to stay in Nova Scotia. Joseph married Alice Harding, daughter of Isreal Harding, a Loyalist. Isreal Harding had been granted 200 acres in Belleisle (in the Saint John valley) in recognition of his service to the British Crown during the American Revolution. Joseph Allison was himself an elected official, and farmer. A marriage between the well-respected Allison family and the Loyalist Hardings would have been a genuinely important society affair. Joseph and Alice had eight children, three girls and five boys, among them Samuel Leonard Allison (their first born).
Samuel Leonard Allison (1789-1877) m. Sophia Barss (1793-1871)
Samuel Leonard Allison started as a merchant like so many Allisons who preceded him. He was born in Horton, Kings County, where Allisons had been settled since 1769.
In 1820, he marrried Sophia Barss, daughter of Joseph and Elizabeth. In those days, marriages were solemnized by the state at a cost of 100 British pounds, not a small sum. Samuel and Sophia had a large number of progeny: nine children in all, among them Charles Allison, born September 1821, a little less than a year after his parents were married. He and Sophia settled in Kentville, Nova Scotia. It was there that Samuel rose to the position of prothonotary (chief clerk) of the Supreme Court, a position he held for 20 years.
In 1833, he and Sophia moved to Sophia's hometown of Liverpool. They stayed there until 1838, and then headed back to Kings County, in Kempt, where Samuel returned to the Allison family tradition of farming.
By 1871, the two elder Allisons, Samuel and Sophia, were living with their teacher daughter Frances, who at 58 was unmarried. Samuel was still a farmer at 82. Later that year, his wife of more than 50 years died and he followed six years after.
Charles Allison (1821-1898) m. Lovenia Freeman (1828-1908)
Charles went to school in Kentville and Liverpool, becoming as educated as one could expect in the colony at the time. He served for a few years after his schooling as a clerk in Halifax. He bought a farm in Kempt and lived there for 40 years.
In 1847, Charles married Lovenia Freeman (a neighbour and fellow Baptist). Lovenia and Charles had eight children, the last of them was Charles Edward Allison (1871-1957). Charles Allison joined the local (provincial) militia as soon as it was organized,in 1864, and had the position of lieutenant-colonel of the 3rd Queens County Regiment. Up until 1879, Charles was working as a farmer in Queens County. He and Lovenia must have kept a busy household, employing at least one live-in labourer. Charles was, like many other Allisons, active in public life. He was appointed justice of the peace in 1858, and was elected to the Provincial Legislature in 1863 as a "Liberal-Conservative". During his time in the provincial legislature he had a hand in ushering in Canadian confederation. After Confederation in 1867 he became commissioner of Mines and Works.
By 1871 Charles and Lovenia's daughter Alice had taken up a position as a teacher, and their two youngest sons, Joseph and Henry, were still too young at ten and six respectively to offer much help to the farm at which Charles still lived. Charles Edward Allison was the youngest and last child of Charles and Lovenia, born six years after his next closest sibling. His mother was in her 40s at the time, and perhaps was not expecting to add to her already substantial family size. By the time Charles Edward came along Charles had been defeated in the recent elections, but still stayed quite active in politics and public life.
Charles eventually took up a position in the public service as a warehouse inspector. After years of serving as an elected official and in high ranking positions such as Commissioner of Mines and Works, it is likely that a public service position would have been considered well deserved. The Allison family in Nova Scotia was well entrenched in business and farming, including the ownership of a number of vessels. Charles would have likely been quite familiar with the position of warehouse inspector.
Charles joined the public service on November 1, 1879, and by 1888, as inspector of weights and measures, was making an annual salary of $1,000 (the net present value of which is $25,000). By today's public service standards, this is not a high ranking position, but good public service positions in that era were for life, and Charles' position would have been considered relatively important, certainly in keeping with the fine hard-working traditions of the Allisons since their landing in 1769. It appears he never left the family farm either, so this work as a public servant would have been supplementary to the family's farming income.
By 1871 Charles and Lovenia's daughter Alice had taken up a position as a teacher, and their two youngest sons, Joseph and Henry, were still too young at ten and six respectively to offer much help to the farm at which Charles still lived. Charles Edward Allison was the youngest and last child of Charles and Lovenia, born six years after his next closest sibling. His mother was in her 40s at the time, and perhaps was not expecting to add to her already substantial family size. By the time Charles Edward came along Charles had been defeated in the recent elections, but still stayed quite active in politics and public life.
Charles eventually took up a position in the public service as a warehouse inspector. After years of serving as an elected official and in high ranking positions such as Commissioner of Mines and Works, it is likely that a public service position would have been considered well deserved. The Allison family in Nova Scotia was well entrenched in business and farming, including the ownership of a number of vessels. Charles would have likely been quite familiar with the position of warehouse inspector.
Charles joined the public service on November 1, 1879, and by 1888, as inspector of weights and measures, was making an annual salary of $1,000 (the net present value of which is $25,000). By today's public service standards, this is not a high ranking position, but good public service positions in that era were for life, and Charles' position would have been considered relatively important, certainly in keeping with the fine hard-working traditions of the Allisons since their landing in 1769. It appears he never left the family farm either, so this work as a public servant would have been supplementary to the family's farming income.
By 1891, at the age of 70, Charles returned to his familial farming tradition, living at his farm in Kempt county. He died there seven years later.
Charles Edward Allison (1871-1957) m. Hattie L. Dukeshire (1876-1947)
Charles Edward Allison (1871-1957) m. Hattie L. Dukeshire (1876-1947)
Charles Edward Allison, the last born of Charles and Lovenia, was not quite 20 when his father died. His brother Joseph Leonard died at the young age of 13 and Henry at 23. From that line of the Allison family, the only male that remained was Charles Edward. In 1891, Charles Edward was helping as he could with his father's farm in Kempt county. He was the only one of the children remaining in there, the others having left or passed away. Just down the road lived the Dukeshire family, with a daughter Hattie, just about Charles Edward's age.
In 1901, Charles Edward was living with his aging mother Lovenia (then 72 and a widow), his wife Hattie (Hattie Leonard Dukeshire) and their three children, including little Edward Freeman. Eventually the pair would have seven children (five boys and two girls).
With the end of the Riel rebellion in the late 1880s, the west was declared open for settlement. Homesteaders were encouraged in order to clear the land in the heretofore unsettled parts of Alberta. The government particularly encouraged eastern Canadians to apply as they were seen to share the values that would successfully settle the West. Under the law of the time Crown land was surveyed and made available by application. For a filing fee of $10, a quarter section (160 acres) of Alberta land could be yours. If your application was accepted, you would need to improve the land (add a home, clear the land) in order to then have title to it. Charles Edward applied in 1911 for a homestead, and in 1912 he applied for another homestead, both in the Strathcona area of Edmonton. It would have been extremely difficult work to clear the land for farming, and most of the farms were mixed, a combination of ranching, hay and other agricultural products. As an experienced farmer, Charles Edward would have been well suited to this life. In a way, by seeking a new life in the untamed land of Alberta, Charles Edward was following in the footsteps of his great-great-grandfather who cleared the land in Nova Scotia to start a new life for his family.
By 1921, Charles Edward worked as a warehouseman, likely to supplement his farming income. He and his wife Hattie spent the rest of their lives in Edmonton. Hattie died in 1947 and Charles 10 years later.
In 1901, Charles Edward was living with his aging mother Lovenia (then 72 and a widow), his wife Hattie (Hattie Leonard Dukeshire) and their three children, including little Edward Freeman. Eventually the pair would have seven children (five boys and two girls).
With the end of the Riel rebellion in the late 1880s, the west was declared open for settlement. Homesteaders were encouraged in order to clear the land in the heretofore unsettled parts of Alberta. The government particularly encouraged eastern Canadians to apply as they were seen to share the values that would successfully settle the West. Under the law of the time Crown land was surveyed and made available by application. For a filing fee of $10, a quarter section (160 acres) of Alberta land could be yours. If your application was accepted, you would need to improve the land (add a home, clear the land) in order to then have title to it. Charles Edward applied in 1911 for a homestead, and in 1912 he applied for another homestead, both in the Strathcona area of Edmonton. It would have been extremely difficult work to clear the land for farming, and most of the farms were mixed, a combination of ranching, hay and other agricultural products. As an experienced farmer, Charles Edward would have been well suited to this life. In a way, by seeking a new life in the untamed land of Alberta, Charles Edward was following in the footsteps of his great-great-grandfather who cleared the land in Nova Scotia to start a new life for his family.
By 1921, Charles Edward worked as a warehouseman, likely to supplement his farming income. He and his wife Hattie spent the rest of their lives in Edmonton. Hattie died in 1947 and Charles 10 years later.
Edward Freeman Allison (1899-1939) m. Hilda Miller Bancroft (1904-1985)
Edward Freeman Allison (1899-1939) was of medium build with a dark complexion, gray eyes and dark brown hair. He was born in Nova Scotia and moved with his family to Alberta. He grew up there, in the Strathcona area of Edmonton. He went to school until he was old enough to join up. He enlisted with the Canadian Army in June 1917, shortly after his 18th birthday and spent a year and a half training with Canadian Forces machine gun corps of the Siberian Expeditionary Force.
Edward's corps of Canadian Siberian Expeditionary Force (CSEF) left Canada on December 22, 1918, arriving in Vladivostok on January 12 1919. The CSEF's purpose was to support Russia by opposing the Bolshevik revolution in order to keep the Russians focused on fighting Germany. There were over 4,000 Canadian troops sent over with the CSEF, very few of whom left Vladivostok or engaged in fighting. They were primarily deployed to support British troops, undertake policing duties, or provide administrative assistance. The CSEF's role was not without controversy. Indeed, questions about the mission were raised even before they left Canada. Edward's ship, the SS Teesta, left Victoria harbour for Vladivostok late because of the mutiny of two of the companies in the 259th battalion. These men were of the view that their mission was not at all focused on "defence of the realm" and was more politically motivated (a view purportedly held by many others in Canada).
Edward suffered no injuries during his time in the army, but did have a terrible case of otitis media (a painful ear infection) before shipping out, requiring some time in the hospital in Niagara on the Lake in the Fall of 1918. Edward's record shows that he was an officer's clerk and likely performed administrative duties while stationed in Vladivostok (although trained as a machine gunner). His mission did not last too long. The troops were recalled in April 2019, and the CSEF demobilized in May.
Edward returned home to his parents in Edmonton Alberta where he worked as a telephone lineman, making a salary of $500. In April 1924, he decided to leave home and set out on his own in America. He had $50 in his pocket, the intention of heading to Seattle, and no one to meet him.
Edward made his way to California where he worked as a book-keeper, consistent with his training in the army, and later an accountant. It would seem that at some point while he was still working in Edmonton, he met Hilda Miller Bancroft, also from the Strathcona area. They married in California in 1926.
The Allisons had two children: first Donald in 1933, and then Carole in 1938. Very sadly, Edward died in 1939, leaving Hilda alone with two children. Very shortly after her husband's death, Hilda moved in with her aunt and uncle: Charles and Florence Bochner. With only one year of college education, two young children, and living off the kindness of relatives, Hilda's future undoubtedly seemed bleak. It was 1940 in California and Hilda was no doubt trying to think of how she could manage with her new reality.
By 1950 Hilda had moved her family to Summerland, British Columbia, Canada to become a school teacher and live near her parents Lennie and Aubrey Bancroft. The Bancroft family also hailed originally from Nova Scotia, and made their way to California in 1930. Aubrey was a telephone foreman in California in 1930 at the age of 50. He and his wife owned a home there and had a decent life. It was retirement that beckoned them back to Canada. Aubrey died in 1949 in British Columbia near Vancouver. His wife Lennie moved to Summerland to be with her daughter, who was working full time to raise her two kids.
It was the progeny of one of these kids I met at the conference... and thus the branches of the Allison family tree meet once again on the other side of the country. There seem to be Allisons wherever I turn. What I love is finding those whose origins in Canada were based in an accidental arrival on the coast after a mishap at sea. Perhaps it is always mishaps that bring us together... and sometimes pull us apart.
Edward Freeman Allison (1899-1939) was of medium build with a dark complexion, gray eyes and dark brown hair. He was born in Nova Scotia and moved with his family to Alberta. He grew up there, in the Strathcona area of Edmonton. He went to school until he was old enough to join up. He enlisted with the Canadian Army in June 1917, shortly after his 18th birthday and spent a year and a half training with Canadian Forces machine gun corps of the Siberian Expeditionary Force.
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| 85th Canadian Field Artillery - Siberian Expeditionary Force 24 November 1918 |
Edward suffered no injuries during his time in the army, but did have a terrible case of otitis media (a painful ear infection) before shipping out, requiring some time in the hospital in Niagara on the Lake in the Fall of 1918. Edward's record shows that he was an officer's clerk and likely performed administrative duties while stationed in Vladivostok (although trained as a machine gunner). His mission did not last too long. The troops were recalled in April 2019, and the CSEF demobilized in May.
Edward returned home to his parents in Edmonton Alberta where he worked as a telephone lineman, making a salary of $500. In April 1924, he decided to leave home and set out on his own in America. He had $50 in his pocket, the intention of heading to Seattle, and no one to meet him.
Edward made his way to California where he worked as a book-keeper, consistent with his training in the army, and later an accountant. It would seem that at some point while he was still working in Edmonton, he met Hilda Miller Bancroft, also from the Strathcona area. They married in California in 1926.
The Allisons had two children: first Donald in 1933, and then Carole in 1938. Very sadly, Edward died in 1939, leaving Hilda alone with two children. Very shortly after her husband's death, Hilda moved in with her aunt and uncle: Charles and Florence Bochner. With only one year of college education, two young children, and living off the kindness of relatives, Hilda's future undoubtedly seemed bleak. It was 1940 in California and Hilda was no doubt trying to think of how she could manage with her new reality.
By 1950 Hilda had moved her family to Summerland, British Columbia, Canada to become a school teacher and live near her parents Lennie and Aubrey Bancroft. The Bancroft family also hailed originally from Nova Scotia, and made their way to California in 1930. Aubrey was a telephone foreman in California in 1930 at the age of 50. He and his wife owned a home there and had a decent life. It was retirement that beckoned them back to Canada. Aubrey died in 1949 in British Columbia near Vancouver. His wife Lennie moved to Summerland to be with her daughter, who was working full time to raise her two kids.
It was the progeny of one of these kids I met at the conference... and thus the branches of the Allison family tree meet once again on the other side of the country. There seem to be Allisons wherever I turn. What I love is finding those whose origins in Canada were based in an accidental arrival on the coast after a mishap at sea. Perhaps it is always mishaps that bring us together... and sometimes pull us apart.
Sources
Various census and primary genealogical recordshttp://globalgenealogy.com/globalgazette/gazed/gazed176.htm
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canadian_Siberian_Expeditionary_Force
http://www.warmuseum.ca/firstworldwar/history/battles-and-fighting/land-battles/siberian-expeditionary-force/
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/british-columbia/mutiny-suppressed-a-siberian-expedition-goes-bust/article1296539/
The Canadian Expeditionary Force 1914-1919, Colonel G.W. L. Nicholson, C.D., 1962
A Cyclopaedia of Canadian Biography Being Chiefly Men of the Time A Collection of Persons Distinguished in Professional and Political Life; Leaders in the Commerce and Industry of Canada and Successful Pioneers. Edited by George MacLean Rose 1888
Report, Returns and Statistics of the Inland Revenues of the Dominion of Canada for the Fiscal Year Ended 30th June 1888
Journey of a Lifetime: The True Story of Isreal and Sarah (Harris) Harding, UEL. Carol Harding. 2015 http://www.uelac.org/Loyalist-Info/extras/Harding-Israel/Journey-of-a-Lifetime-by-Carol-Harding.pdf
Alberta Homestead Records
Image of Canadian Expeditionary Force: http://searcharchives.vancouver.ca/85th-canadian-field-artillery-siberian-expeditionary-forces
