Grimshaws Ontario

[J.J.]

Super news! We all had a ball with this one...( It's exciting to get lots of answers with clues to more! )  This will go under the completed files, but not to worry, it can be reactivated anytime and we will still all be notified...so let us know any time you find out more....the reunions sound wonderful!!!  all the very best .... J.J.

[KarenM]

Wow, that is wonderful JK.  Hope you are able to make the reunion, wouldn't that be fantastic if you went!!

Thanks again for keeping us informed.

Karen

[Bulker2011]

I realise this is an old string, I am looking for information on Henry Abner Mottart (mentioned within the string).  I have recently visited the grave site in NE france, noticed pictures on Veterans Affairs Canada website.  Can anyone guide me to where I might find more information and/or photos.

Thanks.

[JK]

Hi there, welcome to rootschat! This was my thread. I'm not sure if I have any photos of Henry Abner Mottart, I would need to look. My Grandmother knew & talked of him as a boy as she used to stay with his (& her) uncle & aunt the Monks who looked after him when his father died. Not sure if you've read the whole thread as it's super long and complicated but in brief Henrys mother Ellen & my grt grt Grandmother Eliza were sisters. I had amazing help from some very kind people here and managed to piece together the families movements and emigration to Canada. My introduction to Harry Hastilow took my research to new levels and he has many photos we had previously not seen. How do you fit into the story? If you need any further info on the family I'm happy to share.
Jane

[Bulker2011]

Thanks for timely response, my connection is that Henry Abner Mottart was my fathers grandfather, i.e. he was my grandmothers father.  He was killed during WW1, I have had the oportunity to visit his gravesite last fall while touring northern France.  On Veterans Affairs Canada website, there was a few pictures posted, I couldn't get anywhere with the ministry, so I am trying to search for other photos.

I wanted to create a group of pictures of Mr. Mottart for my father and some of his family of their grandfather.  Hope this helps, any direction you could provide would be great!  Thanks again for your response.

[Kelso0893]

Hi JK! Not sure if you're still on this thread, but I stumbled upon it while I was looking into some family history and couldn't resist filling you in! In your information, I believe that you'd identified Edith Grimshaw up until the 1911 census, at which time she was living with her great-aunt while her father and brother were in Ohio. The American census also has Sidney listed as a widower, which is untrue as far as I know it. There is a census out there somewhere (I can't say which, but, if I had to guess, it would be 1920 American census) that has both Ediths, mother and daughter, living together in Chicago. More than that, in our family, Edith Oakwell is fondly referred to as Meddie (Grandma Eddie), which proves she was not in fact dead in 1911. The family tale is that she tried her hand at Broadway and made it as a chorus member using the stage name Edith Aster. This could explain why she was absent in the 1911 census or listed under another name somewhere. I've never been able to find her during that time period, however. Edith Grimshaw married William Hume on June 27, 1933 in Cumberland, Maryland, not in Canada, which might explain why you had trouble locating them. They had three daughters, one of which is my grandmother. They lived in the Chicago area until both of their deaths (1987 for William and 2000 for Edith). Cecil died around 1970 I believe, but I know far less about that side of the family. I'm sorry I don't have any documents to back this up, only my family's word of mouth! There are undoubtedly documents out there if you wished to find them! I hope you receive this message! I would hate to have you wondering for eternity on what happened to our Edith!

[JK]

Crikey! This is what I love about the internet  after an 'amazing' original flurry of information and incredible help over 7 years ago now this thread continues to give! Thank you so much Kelso for this new information it's wonderful to find out more about Edith. Did you read right through all the pages of Grimshaws Ontario? I posted a beautiful photo of Edith & Cecil as young children which I'd always wondered about. It has been amazing to find out so much. I've found a couple of people from both sides of this complicated story to help fill in some gaps but relish any further information, it is astonishing that the Grimshaws that stayed here in the UK never knew what mayhem Sidney caused!