Death of William Lennox, Toronto, abt 1873/4, wife Mary Thompson

[Peggy13]

I guess I have made some progress. I did phone St. James Cemetery again just now and was able to find out a few things. First of all, son William Andrew who died 1936 is buried with his second wife Elizabeth nee Lennox.
Secondly, William Lennox and his wife Mary Thompson are also buried in St. James, date of burial unrecorded for either, but they are together and their records do say Mary Lennox nee Thompson, wife of William. So they suggested that I call the funeral home of Rosar Morrison which I did, and they will look, but without a date of death, it could be quite the search. So  they took my phone number. Another suggestion that they had was the Toronto Archives. Since he was an innkeeper, I might get lucky.

[Peggy13]

This morning, bright and early, Rosar Morrison funeral home called to say that their records do not go that far back so they aren’t able to find the date of burial for me for William Lennox and his wife Mary nee Thompson. They suggested the Toronto archives.

[Peggy13]

I phoned the Toronto Archives this morning and they asked me to email them, so I did. End result, they cannot help me. I was told to contact the Archives of Ontario or the Ontario Genealogical Society-Toronto Branch who want $78 yearly membership for an enquiry.
In the meantime, the Archives of Toronto, online city directory site is down so I cannot pursue further years after 1872, which is the last year that William was found as a hotel keeper, although the entries are based on the previous year which would be 1871. I asked the name of the inn that William had from 1855-1865 on Colborne St. and then from 1866-1872 on Front Street and they again referred to the online directory for Colborne St. and then Front Street.

[Lisa in California]

It’s good that you found where they were buried!

I believe I searched for William in the directories, but of course didn’t find him. (I think others looked as well? Or, perhaps that was in another Ontario topic.)  I will look again.

[Lisa in California]

Well, you never know how a name is going to be transcribed!!   I know people do their best, but there are certainly some transcriptions that make your head spin!!

1867 Toronto directory - the only William Lennox listed is a clerk
1868 Toronto directory - no William Lennox listed as hotel keeper.   Have a coachman and a salesman.
1870 Toronto directory - W Lennox, carpenter; Wm Lennox, labourer; Wm Lennox, dry goods.   There is a Richard Lennox, innkeeper
1871 Toronto directory has Wm Lennox, hotel keeper, 58 and 60 Front
You have him in the 1872 directory as Wm Lennox, hotel keeper, 58 and 60 Palace 
1873, there is a William Lennox, hotel keeper, 175 King East
1874, there is a William Lennox, saloon, 175 King East
1875, there is a William Lennox on Market St - no profession listed

https://www.torontopubliclibrary.ca/history-genealogy/lh-digital-city-directories.jsp

RK

Just one of the postings about the city directories.  Perhaps there were postings. 

[Peggy13]

I called St. James Cemetery again this morning asking, pleading, to see if there is any way to find out the burial dates of William Lennox and Mary Thompson. I was told that they would have to look in their manual records and no one knows how to do that. So I said, surely, there must be someone that can do that. In the end, I was told to call back in a week, and maybe they will have done that. Here's hoping.

[Lisa in California]

I called St. James Cemetery again this morning asking, pleading, to see if there is any way to find out the burial dates of William Lennox and Mary Thompson. I was told that they would have to look in their manual records and no one knows how to do that. So I said, surely, there must be someone that can do that. In the end, I was told to call back in a week, and maybe they will have done that. Here's hoping.

I don’t remember if I mentioned the following in one of your threads or somewhere else, but years ago, St. James Cemetery office staff was extremely helpful (to me and my mum’s cousin).  My communication was through “snail mail” as I lived in California and my mum’s cousin’s communication was through a scheduled appointment in their office.  Her visit was during the 1980s, I believe.  If I remember correctly, it was not a short, easy visit as there were file boxes(?) to plow through.  However they found the information, it was certainly not an easy task.

Perhaps their staff is now limited or they no longer have records on site.  Of course staff has most likely changed, perhaps several times, since I last communicated with them.  But, I would hope they still offer excellent service.  Perhaps mailing a short, very polite letter confirming/restating your recent phone conversation might help?  I wonder if it might be better to ask them if it would be easier for them to contact you once the information is found?  If you do not live in Ontario, you might include that in your letter, stating that it is not possible to visit in person.

As you most likely know, some services in recent years in Canada and America have had cutbacks. I’ve found delays in requests as a result but the few times that I’ve made requests, staff in general appear to be doing their best and want to be helpful.

Hopefully, someone will be able to find your information. 

[Peggy13]

Today, I called Adam at St. James Cemetery back to see if they had further information regarding the dates of death of William Lennox and his wife Mary, nee Thompson. I gave them the locations of the burial plots.
Good news and bad news. They said Mary died Nov 19, 1884 in Mimico, of apoplexy and that she was born in Ireland. They then said William  died Jan 19, 1859.   I told them that was not possible as he was on the 1871 census. They then told me that buried with them is a son William, who drowned, age 6.5, no date of  death given. I told them the date of death in 1859 must be for the son, as he would then be born abt 1852 which fits after their marriage in 1850 and between the births of John Hartford Lennox in 1850 and daughter Margaret J. in 1854. Makes sense to me.
They then encouraged me to get back to the funeral home so I did. They again said that their records don't go back that far. I asked how far back they go and they said 1998. That I should call the City of Toronto of Archives for that information and I would have to be next-of-kin. I told them there is no one alive who would be next-of-kin for someone who died abt 1880.
Anyway, maybe someone out there can help me now. If Mary died in 1884 in Mimico, she should be on the 1881 census and we have never been able to find the family in 1881. Maybe now we can. Her youngest son James Thompson Lennox born Jan 5, 1870 would  likely be with her. Before today, we didn't know if either William or Mary was alive in 1881.
Thanks for any help
Peggy

[Peggy13]

It is NOT the correct Mary, who is 55, living with Margaret Rone aka Rowan, in St. David's Ward. That would be the widow of Henry who died 1878.