The Curious Case of Crago (Mystery Monday)

Stanley Garfield Crago was my great-grandfather - my grandmother's second husband's father.  (Technically, it's a "step" relationship, but I'm ignoring technicalities.  He's family.  Period.).



1901 census of Truro, Cornwall, England

He was born in late 1892 in St. Clements parish, Truro, Cornwall, England¹, the son of John Crago and Elizabeth Trevarthan.² He arrived at Quebec on 22 November 1908 on the S.S. Champlain. He lived in Cobalt, Bucke tp., Temiskaming dist. (then Nipissing dist.), Ontario, Canada, before he crossed the border to Detroit on 5 May 1914.^{3 4} While he should have been in Canada for the 1911 census, we have so far been unable to locate him.

So far, so good, right?

Except there are a few "inconsistancies".

The only Stanley Crago/Crego found in the British birth indexes for 1891 is a Stanley George (note the middle name), born in Truro, in the October-December quarter.⁵ He was baptised 10 January 1892 at St. Paul's, Truro, the son of John Crago and Elizabeth Jane ?.⁶ According to a 1909 British Territorial Force attestation paper, Stanley George Crago, of St. Clements parish, Truro, then a mason's labourer, enlisted with the Cornwall R.G.A. on 15 July 1909. "Gunner Crago" was discharged 23 January 1911, on account of his "leaving the country."⁷

1909 British Territorial Force attestation

And he did leave the country, from Liverpool, landing at Quebec on the "Lake Champlain" on 20 November 1910 with $25.00 in his pocket and his destination listed as Cobalt, Ontario, to meet "a brother".⁸

He apparently returned to Britain on 6 June 1912, landing at Avonmouth, Bristol from Montreal, on the "S.S. Royal George".⁹ Sometime between then and May 1914, he returned to Canada, and from there, went to Detroit (presumably to find work, since he listed his current occupation as an auto mechanic). Between May 1914 (his arrival in Detroit) and January 1915, he returned to Canada, where he enlisted in Toronto, Ontario as George Cavanaugh!

I began this post as an introduction to an ongoing series for "Military Monday" (which I'll start next week). Instead, as I gathered documents, I found myself with a little puzzle instead!

Why did the middle name change from George to Garfield?
Why did he shave two years off of his emigration date (1910 to 1908), on two separate documents?
Why did he leave Cornwall? (Family lore whispers something about a scandal...)
Who was the brother who was supposedly already in Canada?
And the big question: why did he enlist in the C.E.F. under an assumed name?

Any thoughts?
Jenn
______________________________________________________
¹ John Crago household, 1901 census of England, Cornwall, Kenwyn, Truro (district 1), 17 Fairmantle St., pp. 14-15; digital image from Ancestry.com, http://www.ancestry.com/ (accessed 30 January 2011).
² Stanley Cavangh-Harriet Dempsey entry, Ontario marriage registration 004510 (1918); microfilm MS 932, reel 446, Archives of Ontario, Toronto.
³ Stanley Crego entry, Detriot Border Crossings and Passenger and Crew Lists, 1905-1957 database; digital image from Ancestry.com, http://www.ancestry.com/ (accessed 30 January 2011).
⁴ Stanley G. Crego entry, Border Crossings: From Canada to U.S., 1895-1956 database; digital image from Ancestry.com, http://www.ancestry.com/ (accessed 30 January 2011).
⁵ Stanley George Crago entry, Truro, v. 5c, p. 139; index information from FreeBMD, http://www.freebmd.org.uk/ (accessed 31 January 2011).
⁶ Stanley George Crago entry, England Births and Christenings, 1538-1975 database, LDS microfilm 1596289; index from FamilySearch.org, http://www.familysearch.org/ (accessed 31 January 2011).
⁷ Stanley George Crago documents, including Attestation form, Medical Inspection Report, Discharge Certificate, and a Service Details record; British Army WWI Service Records, 1914-1920 database, digital images from Ancestry.com, http://www.ancestry.com/ (accessed 31 January 2011).
⁸ Stanley Cragoe entry, "S.S. Lake Champlain" passenger ship, p. 1, Canadian Passenger Lists, 1865-1935 database; digital image from Ancestry.com, http://www.ancestry.com/ (accessed 31 January 2011).
⁹ Stanley Crago entry, "Royal George" passenger ship, p. 1, UK Incoming Passenger Lists, 1878-1960 database; digital image from Ancestry.com, http://www.ancestry.com/ (accessed 31 January 2011).

Tabloid Thursday: The "latest extreme fashion" of 1911

Tabloid Thursday: Where yesterday's news is today...

T.T. is an experimental weekly meme I'm trying here at "Roots & Stones" (please let me know if there are any themes/memes already around like this - I don't want to reinvent the wheel!). 

I wanted a weekly feature where I could showcase articles, those lovely little social news items (i.e. "Mrs. X and daughter visited Mrs. Y this weekend and will be returning home on Thursday..."), and other interesting newspaper "stuff" I've come across in the course of my research.  Thus, Tabloid Thursday...

~~~~~*~~~~~*~~~~~ 

Source: "The Cobalt Daily Nugget" 29 March 1911, p. 3, columns 1-3
Accessed at Google News archive, 9 December 2010

[Click to enlarge]

Harem Skirt Appears, Attracts Big Crowds
---
Mrs. Charles Stevens Walks From Princess Theatre to Nugget Office in Latest Extreme Fashion
---      Cobalt saw its first harem skirt yesterday, and more than half the town was out to see this latest creation in women's fashions. Mrs. Charles Stevens, wife of the manager of the Princess Theatre, wore the skirt, and was accompanied on her stroll from the theatre to The Nugget office by Mr. Stevens. It had been announced that at 4.30 she would start up town from the theatre, and when that hour arrived the sidewalks about the Square were lined with women and men anxious to see this garment that has caused so much discussion since its appearance a short time ago in Paris.
      Cameras were at a premium, and every available machine in town was in the hands of some young man, who took advantage of every stop made by Mr. and Mrs. Stevens, to secure a snap. Walking over the Square and followed by a large crowd, the undaunted introducer of the fashion and her husband paid a visit to The Nugget office, accompanied by Mr. and Mrs. Lawrie. Later a photograph of these four in a group was taken.
Upon her return to the theatre Mrs. Stevens removed her new garment and it was then placed on view in the window of a store on the Square. To-night the harem skirt will be seen at the Princess Theatre in a specialty turn, which Mr. and Mrs. Stevens will present.
      The harem skirt was made by Miss. Angeline Legris, Lang street, and was the subject of many flattering comments. The bodice of the garment is of pongee silk with Empire effect and buttons made of the goods; while the pantaloons are of Copenhagen blue liberty satin with tight lining. This portion of the skirt also bears buttons of the goods, while a large buckle of the same material gives a natty effect to the entire costume.

52 Weeks to Better Genealogy : Week 7...the results

Amy Coffin of the We Tree blog (and hosted by Geneabloggers) presents "52 Weeks To Better Genealogy", a series of weekly genealogy prompts / suggestions / exercises that (hopefully) will help anyone to become a better researcher.

The challenge for week 7:

Play with Google Maps. This is a helpful tool for determining the locations of addresses in your family history. Where your ancestral homestead once stood may now be a warehouse, a parking lot or a field. Perhaps the house is still there. When you input addresses in Google Maps, don’t forget to use the Satellite View and Street View options for perspectives that put you were right there where your ancestors once stood. If you’ve used this tool before, take sometime and play with it again. Push all the buttons, click all the links and devise new ways it can help with your personal genealogy research. If you have a genealogy blog, write about your experiences with Google Maps, or suggest similar easy (and free) tools that have helped in your own research.

The Results:

I've played with Google Maps (and their neat street views) a few times before at work - and sometimes for work (assisting customer's in finding locations, directions, etc.).  This is the first time I've used Google Maps for my research, and I found a few interesting tidbits...

I first decided to google Arnprior District and Memorial Hospital (in Arnprior, McNab twp., Renfrew co., Ontario, CAN), where I was born.  I found myself in luck - with a street view of the building (and the World War I cenotaph visible in front of the building):

(click any image to enlarge)

(map of the Arnprior area on the Ottawa River with the hospital marked)

(hospital sign, dated (I think) 1945?)

(general view, with the sign to the right - it's a nice, old-fashioned building)

Next, I decided to take a wander "up north" to Cobalt (Bucke twp., Temiskaming dist., Ontario, CAN), where my mother was born and my grandparents (her mother and step-father) still reside.  After my parents divorced, this is were we lived until I started kindergarten.  Lo and behold, guess what I found:

(map of Cobalt and surrounding area)

(my grandparents' house!)

(the United Church where my grandparents were married - since she was Baptist and he was Anglican)

(Cobalt railway station, now "The Bunker", a military museum)

After we left Cobalt, I remember riding the train (the Northlander, which was a 10 hour trip) to visit them, and arriving at this station (when it was still the station) at night.  The train is still my favourite way to travel. 

I then went back to the Ottawa area to look at Kinburn (Fitzroy twp., Carleton co., Ontario, CAN), where my father was born and grew up, my parents lived while they were married, and I spent the first two years of my life.  Unfortunately, google failed me here - there was no option for a street view beyond the major roads:

(map of the Kinburn area)

(satellite image of the Kinburn area; in the top right corner (just hidden) is the Kinburn/Carp intersection...)

(the intersection at Carp Rd. and Kinburn Side Rd., looking towards Kinburn - the closest street view I could get on Google)

Obituary: John Ritchie, 1932

From the Ottawa Citizen, Tuesday October 25, 1932, p. 2:

(click to enlarge)

Famous Riverman

John Ritchie, Dies

-----

Was Outstanding in Valley For Half Century.  Ottawa Sister Survives.

-----

Special to The Evening Citizen.

      ARNPRIOR. Oct. 25. -- Word was received her today of the death in Temiskaming, Que., on Monday of John J. Ritchie, aged 78, widely known and vetern Ottawa Valley riverman.  He had been ill in a Temiskaming hospital for about five weeks previous to his demise.
      The late Mr. Ritchie was one of the best known men in the river phases of Ottawa Valley lumbering operations.  In the summer of 1929 he accepted superannuation after being for 52 years in the service of the Upper Ottawa Improvement Company and the Old Union Forwarding Company.
      For 49 of those years he was boom master at the Schneaux and his efficient overseeing of the major operations there made of him an invaluable employe [sic].  On his superannuation in 1928, he could not leave the river and went to Temiskaming to live with a son, Minor Ritchie, who held the post of boom master in that northern town.
      The body will be brought to his late home in Pakenham township and the funeral will be on Thursday afternoon.
      The late Mr. Ritchie was born in Fitzroy township.  He was married to Miss. Margaret Story who survives, as do two sons and two daughters, Ira Ritchie, Pakenham; Minor S. Ritchie, Temiskaming, Que.; Miss. Leata Ritchie, Pakenham; and Mrs. Dr. Busby, London, Ont.  Surviving also are one brother and two sisters, James Ritchie, Mrs. Joseph McQuade, of Almonte, and Mrs. H. S. Dowd, of Ottawa.

~~~~~  *  ~~~~~  *  ~~~~~

John's wife Margaret A. Story (1856-1938) was the daughter of Robert Story (who was, in turn, the son of John Story and Margaret Latimer) and Margaret Johnston, and thus, Margaret was the niece of my gggg-grandfather, David Story.  Both she and John are buried in Pakenham Union Cemetery, Pakenham twp., Lanark co., Ontario, Canada.