I thought this would be a fun way to get to know some of our ancestors. Birthdays are always fun (well not so much the older you get!) but even more so when shared with someone else.

May is a great place to start with our first month of birthdays. Our family has a lot of birthdays in May both now and in the past – I don’t know what it is but when you look back nine months from May, it takes us to around September. When I was raising my two sons, I was never happier than when school started in the fall. It was like the “most wonderful time of the year”! There’s a commercial on TV I have seen in the past that came on during the summer about getting ready for the school year – I smiled every time I saw it!

***FUN FACT***

This ancestor may have had that same smile at one time in her life. Her husband was a school teacher. There’s a school and a park that are named after him.

A.H.P. Matthew Elementary School and A.H.P. Matthew Park (located next to the school) in Surrey, BC.

I know I haven’t found all of my ancestors, along with their information, but I can tell you right now there are already eight born in the month of May! I find it even more interesting when I find one that matches one of our current family members. I haven’t found one that shares my birthdate but here’s hoping!!

This ancestor’s birthdate is even more amazing because it is exactly 100 years before the birth of another family member – wow!!

So, grab a cup of coffee, tea or whatever fills your boots, sit down in your comfy chair, sit back, relax and let’s get to know our birthday ancestor!

Stella “Tilla” Evalina Hartford born May 23, 1869, in Haldimand Township, Northumberland County, Ontario to proud parents William and Martha Hartford (nee Tuck). Stella is my maternal great grandmother, mother to my wonderful Grandma Irene.

The area where Stella was born was also the birthplace of both her parents, so it seems the family had made the Haldimand, Ontario area their home for many years. She was raised in this area along with 14 siblings. When her mother, Martha, passed away at the young age of 44, her father William, remarried which resulted in another 6 siblings for Stella.

At the age of 16, Stella married Alfred Henry Portaire Matthew January 13, 1886, in Campbellville, Ontario. Alfred was 21 and his profession is noted as school teacher. By reading through some of the documents I have located, I believe Alfred was also a house carpenter whether it be by profession or a hobby. It was one of the notable items that came up throughout census documents. I think it depended on where they were living at the time and the jobs he was able to find.

Stella and Alfred started their family in their hometown of Haldimand. There are a couple of town names that come up in census and other records, but they are all in the same area – Campbellville, Belleville and Cobourn, to name a few.  Stella and Alfred had the first of their children in July 1887, Alberta May. 

March 1891 census records indicate their home was in Cobourg, Ontario. Birth records of their son, William Henry Harry, place the young family in Victoria, BC, in May of 1893.  I have been unable to find any records of their move across the country between March 1891 and May 1893, although it does seem they didn’t stay in Victoria long.  Birth records indicate their daughter Beatrice Aileen (Aunt Lena to me!) was born September 1894 and places the family in Cloverdale, BC.

Here’s a move out of the blue! Somewhere between March 1901 and January 1903, the family had taken residence in Quindaro, Kansas, USA.  Quindaro has a unique history in the underground railroad development.  It is a remarkably interesting read and worthwhile your time:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quindaro_Townsite

The area where Alfred and Stella lived, had a lot of people with occupations in the same fields of construction as indicated in the census.  Alfred’s occupation is listed as “house carpenter”.  The March 1905 Kansas State Census, lists Alfred and Stella along with eight of their children.  As well, there are a couple of records noting Ernest Alfred (eighth child) as being born in Kansas City and having immigrated to Canada with naturalization sometime in 1905.

It seems when the family returned to Canada, they resided in Victoria for a short period of time as John Thomas Herbert’s birth records (ninth child) indicated he was born in Victoria, December 1905.

Okay, I have to interject here as I am trying to picture what travel would have been like in the late 1800s and the early 1900s.  Not only did the young family of five (three young children) travel across Canada sometime between 1891 and 1893, but they also then traveled from Cloverdale to Quindaro, Kansas sometime during 1901 and 1903 with six young children and then came back to Victoria in 1905 with seven children! I am assuming this was all done by train but who knows. Still, just think about it…..I don’t even want to!  Although in those days, they probably didn’t travel with a full house of furniture and lots of personal items maybe just bringing along family heirlooms, a small wardrobe and necessaries.  Still, the thought of “wrangling” all the young ones seems a little daunting to me.

Okay, back to more traveling.  The family moved from Victoria back to the BC Mainland with the birth of their youngest, Irene Stella (my grandma!), noted birthplace in Cloverdale in 1908.  1911 census indicates the family lived in New Westminster where Stella was laid to rest June 23, 1922, at the young age of 53.

By researching Stella’s life, she seems to me to be an extraordinarily strong woman of her time which I believe has been carried on throughout our family.  My Grandma Irene was only 14 when her mother passed and was raised by her older sisters not marrying until she was 29 (that’s a story for another day).

I hope you have enjoyed our journey with Stella and her family (who are all a part of our family!).

If you have anything to add to Stella’s journey, please leave a comment and don’t forget to like the post.

I look forward to seeing everyone’s comments – thanks!

Take care and stay safe, everyone.