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Research in Other Countries => Canada => Topic started by: RayDen on Thursday 13 August 20 14:31 BST (UK)

Title: Margaret Catherine McRae, March 1927, Victoria BC
Post by: RayDen on Thursday 13 August 20 14:31 BST (UK)
I have a snippet from a BC newspaper report about the trial of Margaret Catherine McRae accused of murdering her husband Albert F McRae. The snippet says that she was convicted of manslaughter. Unable to read the whole piece but I wonder if anyone in the BC area is able to see what sort of sentence she got and why she was only convicted on manslaughter.  She had actually shot her husband dead in front of a policeman who had escorted him to the family home to retrieve his belongings before leaving her.

Thanks

Ray
Title: Re: Margaret Catherine McRae, March 1927, Victoria BC
Post by: *Sandra* on Thursday 13 August 20 18:16 BST (UK)
A few more details in this article.

The Province Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada 3 Mar 1927, Thu    Page 1

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/57265035/mrs-mcrae-3-march-1927part-1/

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/57265148/part-2/

Sandra
Title: Re: Margaret Catherine McRae, March 1927, Victoria BC
Post by: *Sandra* on Thursday 13 August 20 18:21 BST (UK)
Sentenced to 10 years.

Times Colonist Victoria, British Columbia, Canada 9 Mar 1927, Wed    Page 1

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/57265490/mrs-margaret-mcrae-9-march-1927/

Sandra
Title: Re: Margaret Catherine McRae, March 1927, Victoria BC
Post by: *Sandra* on Thursday 13 August 20 18:24 BST (UK)
The Province Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada 8 Mar 1927, Tue    Page 20

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/57265686/margaret-mcrae-8-march-1927/

Sandra
Title: Re: Margaret Catherine McRae, March 1927, Victoria BC
Post by: RayDen on Friday 14 August 20 09:15 BST (UK)
Thank you so much Sandra. There is so much information here. The family I did this tree for are going to be blown away by all that is here. Thanks again.

Ray
Title: Re: Margaret Catherine McRae, March 1927, Victoria BC
Post by: *Sandra* on Friday 14 August 20 10:42 BST (UK)
Interesting case.  There was Canadian Attestation Papers for Albert Frederick McRae- 86 pages if you haven't already come across them.

https://central.bac-lac.gc.ca/.item/?op=pdf&app=CEF&id=B7197-S002

Sandra
Title: Re: Margaret Catherine McRae, March 1927, Victoria BC
Post by: RayDen on Friday 14 August 20 10:51 BST (UK)
Thanks Sandra. I had the attestation papers from A..ty, but this provides so much more, absolutely terrific, thanks

Ray
Title: Re: Margaret Catherine McRae, March 1927, Victoria BC
Post by: *Sandra* on Friday 14 August 20 10:59 BST (UK)
The couple appeared on the 1921 census - 1214 Quadra St Victoria BC.

AL F McRay   44 born 1877 USA. Occupation S C R Hospital
Margaret C McRay 46 born Wales 1875.
Margaret Bachman 37 Widowed. Roomer.
Eilene Bachman   16
Lorne Bachman   12
Orville Bachman   6

https://central.bac-lac.gc.ca/.item/?app=Census1921&op=img&id=e002878057

Sandra
Title: Re: Margaret Catherine McRae, March 1927, Victoria BC
Post by: RayDen on Friday 14 August 20 11:08 BST (UK)
Thanks Sandra, I do have that census

Ray
Title: Re: Margaret Catherine McRae, March 1927, Victoria BC
Post by: *Sandra* on Friday 14 August 20 11:10 BST (UK)
The Vancouver Sun Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada 3 Mar 1927, Thu    Page 1

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/57312051/mrs-mcrae-3-march-1927/

Sandra
Title: Re: Margaret Catherine McRae, March 1927, Victoria BC
Post by: *Sandra* on Friday 14 August 20 11:15 BST (UK)
Committed for sentence.......Times Colonist Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
20 Nov 1926, Sat    Page 1

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/57312103/committed-for-trial-20-november-1926/

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/57312129/part-2/

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/57312150/part-3/

Sandra

Title: Re: Margaret Catherine McRae, March 1927, Victoria BC
Post by: DonM on Friday 14 August 20 17:20 BST (UK)
Awesome job Sandra.

But I do wonder what happened to her.

Don
Title: Re: Margaret Catherine McRae, March 1927, Victoria BC
Post by: RayDen on Friday 14 August 20 22:54 BST (UK)
Don, she did eventually marry again, but have not found the marriage, and died in 1955 in Vancouver BC.

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/207783908

Her new husband (Edwin Hall Thomson) was some 26 years younger than her!!!! and he died in 1962.

Just a few minutes ago I had a reply from her great granddaughter asking how many years she actually served - another problem to solve?????

Ray
Title: Re: Margaret Catherine McRae, March 1927, Victoria BC
Post by: *Sandra* on Saturday 15 August 20 09:21 BST (UK)

Obit - Margaret Catherine Thomson - The Vancouver News-Herald Vancouver, British Columbia,
29 Jun 1955, Wed    Page 16

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/57373399/margaret-catherine-thomson-29-june/

Sandra
Title: Re: Margaret Catherine McRae, March 1927, Victoria BC
Post by: *Sandra* on Saturday 15 August 20 09:23 BST (UK)


The Province Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada28 Jun 1955, Tue    Page 36

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/57373428/mrs-margaret-catherine-thomson-28/

Sandra
Title: Re: Margaret Catherine McRae, March 1927, Victoria BC
Post by: *Sandra* on Saturday 15 August 20 09:26 BST (UK)

Edwin H Thomson - The Vancouver Sun Vancouver, British Columbia.
7 Mar 1962, Wed    Page 35

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/57373462/edwin-h-thomson-7-march-1962/

Sandra
Title: Re: Margaret Catherine McRae, March 1927, Victoria BC
Post by: *Sandra* on Saturday 15 August 20 09:41 BST (UK)

1911 Canadian census Macleod Alberta.

Alfred Mcdoe   38 born 1873 Nova Scotia. Imm 1905.
Margaret Mcdoe   35 born England. April 1876. Imm 1885.
William Bardes   18 step-son.
Beatrice Bardes   75 step-daughter. should be 15years old. born 1895 Nova Scotia.

Sandra
Title: Re: Margaret Catherine McRae, March 1927, Victoria BC
Post by: *Sandra* on Saturday 15 August 20 09:52 BST (UK)
A little background - Beatrice Barnes was the daughter of Fred Barnes and Margaret Dodds born Wales.
Beatrice born in Montana according to her marriage certificate to Adolf R Kath 4/6/1917 Spokane Washington.

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QPMP-52YS

1920 census - https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MHJ8-7GB

1930 census - https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XCQ9-19F

1940 census - https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K9S4-3N4

daughter Margaret Kath married Elmer W Cherry - 28 December 1942 - Mount Vernon, Skagit, Washington.

Sandra
Title: Re: Margaret Catherine McRae, March 1927, Victoria BC
Post by: RayDen on Saturday 15 August 20 10:40 BST (UK)
Thanks Sandra, great to have the obits.  I do have the other census information but have not found the marriage to Edwin Hall Thomson, I wonder if they did marry. To add to your background Margaret Catherine Dodd was the daughter of one Abraham Dodd (1855-1926).  Abraham Dodd was a hero of a mining disaster in Pontypridd South Wales in 1877 (The Tynewydd Colliery Disaster). Abraham was not treated well after the disaster and later in 1884 he took his wife and young daughter to Canada to start a new life.  I got involved with Abraham's life story in 2015 through Rootschat. A local (South Wales) author was writing a book about the 1877 disaster and could not find out what had happened to Abraham and posted on Rootschat for information and I developed his family tree and have been involved ever since by being contacted by various descendants of Abraham.

The unfortunate demise of Albert McRae may have been averted but for another unfortunate incident. On the 5th July 1926 Abraham was all packed up and ready to leave his then home in Hillcrest Alberta to go live with his daughter Margaret, but when sat outside his home he passed away. His death was from exposure.

Ray
Title: Re: Margaret Catherine McRae, March 1927, Victoria BC
Post by: RayDen on Saturday 15 August 20 10:46 BST (UK)
Here is the obit for Abraham
Title: Re: Margaret Catherine McRae, March 1927, Victoria BC
Post by: RayDen on Saturday 15 August 20 13:04 BST (UK)
Another daughter of Beatrice & Adolf Kath was Blodwen who married a Graham McDonald and I am currently in touch with one of their children which prompted the start of this topic when she told me that there was a family story that Ggrandmother Margaret may have caused her husband some harm.

There was a 3rd child Raymond Walter Kath. He married Betty in 1946 and they had two children and Betty had a son from a previous marriage. In 1952 there was a tragic accident when the car the whole family were in broke down on a railway line and a train hit the car. Only one child, the girl age 5, survived.  When I was researching Abraham in 2015 I contacted a number of people who I thought could be family members (through Facebook I seem to remember). This family member passed me on to her mother who amazed by telling me that she was that little girl that survived the train crash. Amazing!!!
Title: Re: Margaret Catherine McRae, March 1927, Victoria BC
Post by: *Sandra* on Sunday 16 August 20 19:09 BST (UK)
Greeley Daily Tribune Greeley, Colorado 12 Nov 1952, Wed    Page 6

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/57460668/kath-obituary-12-november-1952/

Sandra
Title: Re: Margaret Catherine McRae, March 1927, Victoria BC
Post by: *Sandra* on Sunday 16 August 20 19:14 BST (UK)

Greeley Daily TribuneGreeley, Colorado 10 Nov 1952, Mon    Page 1

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/57461021/ray-kath-wife-and-2-children-10/

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/57461097/part-2/

Sandra
Title: Re: Margaret Catherine McRae, March 1927, Victoria BC
Post by: bbart on Monday 17 August 20 02:37 BST (UK)
Familysearch has an 18 Nov 1926 Victoria Times article with photos of Margaret and Alfred.
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-899W-6QW7?i=1783&cc=2001136&personaUrl=%2Fark%3A%2F61903%2F1%3A1%3AQLBL-5YHH

(I think I looked at all of Sandra's great links, but apologies if I missed seeing this one!)

Quite the event to have in a family tree!
Title: Re: Margaret Catherine McRae, March 1927, Victoria BC
Post by: RayDen on Monday 17 August 20 07:00 BST (UK)
What a great find bbart, thanks so much. Thanks Sandra for the other posts.

Ray