Hi Debbie, Stratchcona County - is in the Province of Alberta - Searching the Alberta GenWeb: http://www.rootsweb.com/~canab/ Local History Books http://www.rootsweb.com/%7Ecanab/lookstra.html http://www.rootsweb.com/~canab/lhb/lhbindex.html finds:A Brief History of Strathcona County.-and it does list the name Murdoch STEELE. http://www.rootsweb.com/%7Eabarchiv/strathcona/pubscabh.txt Unfortunately - there is no Volunteer Listed - and the book does not appear to have been digitalized by Our Roots or the Alberta Heritage Digitalization Project. The person who submitted the index - does not appear as a Volunteer. *You might want to post your query to the STRATHCONA MESSAGE BOARD - there is no fee - No subscription required. The person who Volunteered the Index - often responds to messages posted to that site - and others in Alberta: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec?htx=board&r=rw&p=localities.northam.canada.alberta.strathcona If not: Hopefully someone on the Rootsweb Alberta Mail list - will be able to assist. Otherwise: There are Volunteers at the Random Acts of Genealogical Kindness site- Alberta: Some also offer Cemetery Photo's etc http://www.raogk.org/alberta.htm I have not checked to see if they offer Lookups from these history books - but - some do visit the Provincial Archive in Edmonton - The Archive may be in possession of this book. British Columbia - for Lookup,Transcription or Copy of Public Records,birth,marriage death..Some offer Obituary Search - others Cemetery Photo's. http://www.raogk.org/bcolumbia.htm *there are times when a Funeral Home - can be of assistance. Wishing You Much Luck With Your Search. Cheers, Stella At 01:42 AM 3/13/2005, [email protected] wrote: >Does anyone have access to the book, > >"A Brief History: Strathcona County" > >that they could do a look-up? > >Steele Murdoch is mentioned in this book. > >Thank you >Debbie >Michigan > > >==== CAN-BRITISH-COLUMBIA Mailing List ==== >Visit the British Columbia Gen Web page at >http://www.rootsweb.com/~canbc/

The Edmonton Cemeteries are online up to about 30 years ago. http://www.edmonton.ca/portal/server.pt Then go to up to the search in the right hand upper corner and type in cemetery. Then you will find Cemeteries on the next page. Then go to Search Cemeteries. There are quite a few of your family in there. - Karen ----- Original Message ----- From: <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Sunday, March 13, 2005 12:51 AM Subject: [CAN-BC] Re: Steel Murdoch > This is the family of Steele Murdoch, as known. > I am searching for more information about Steel, the son and Steel, the > grandson. > I know they are buried in the Edmonton Cemetery on 7th Avenue, in Edmonton. > Does anyone live near this cemetery? > Does anyone know of this family? > Your help would be greatly appreciated. > Debbie > > Descendants of Steele Caldwell Murdoch > > 1 Steele Caldwell Murdoch b: 24 Apr 1837 Mansfield, New Cumnock, Ayr, > Scotland d: 12 Apr 1917 Kintail, Ontario Baptism: 02 Jul 1837 New Cumnock, Ayr, > Scotland Burial: South Kinloss Cemetery 294, Lucknow, Ontario Occupation: > Farmer/Mason/Plasterer Cause of death: Apoplexy (5 days after stroke) > > . +Sarah Cuthbertson b: Abt. 1837 Bay of Chaleur, New Brunswick, Canada d: > 24 Mar 1861 Ashfield Twp., Huron Co., Ontario m: 30 Dec 1859 in Lochalsh, > Ontario Burial: South Kinloss Cemetery 848, Lucknow, Ontario > ...... 2 Sarah Murdoch b: Abt. Dec 1860 Lucknow, Ontario d: 04 Sep 1895 > > .......... +Robert G. Dryden b: Abt. 1853 Ontario m: 04 Apr 1883 > > *2nd Wife of Steele Caldwell Murdoch: > . +Catherine MacDonald b: 20 Jul 1842 Nova Scotia, Canada d: 27 Jan 1902 > Lucknow, Ontario m: Aft. 1861 Burial: South Kinloss Cemetery 294, Lucknow, > Ontario > ...... 2 John Caldwell Murdoch b: 1866 d: 1932 Burial: South Kinloss > Cemetery 294, Lucknow, Ontario > ...... 2 Janet Johanna Murdoch b: Dec 1867 d: 05 Feb 1882 Burial: South > Kinloss Cemetery 293, Lucknow, Ontario > ...... 2 Steele Caldwell Murdoch b: 1869 d: 25 Aug 1933 > .......... +Catherine > .............. 3 Sarah Murdoch > .............. 3 Jean Murdoch > .............. 3 Maude Murdoch > .............. 3 Maggie Murdoch > .............. 3 Steele Murdoch b. abt 1916 Ontario d. 2 Jan 1969 > Vancouver > ??STEELE MURDOCH > Gender: Male > Age: 53 > Death Date: 2 January 1969 > Place of Death: VANCOUVER > Registration #: 1969-09-001166 > BCA #: B13294 > GSU #: 2034055 > > STEELE MURDOCH 1/7/1969 EDMONTON G /O /0006 > ...... 2 Mary Anne Murdoch b: 10 Mar 1871 d: 1954 Burial: Greenhill > Cemetery 764, Lucknow, Ontario > .......... +David Chendenning Taylor b: 1862 Kinloss Twp., Ontario d: 1938 > m: 10 Feb 1892 in Lucknow, Ontario, Canada Burial: Greenhill Cemetery 764, > Lucknow, Ontario Occupation: 1892 Tinsmith Father: Thomas Taylor Mother: Mary > Ann Chendenning > ...... 2 William Murdoch b: 20 May 1874 d: 1945 Burial: South Kinloss > Cemetery 294, Lucknow, Ontario > ...... 2 Catherine Murdoch b: 1875 Lucknow, Ontario d: 1915 Burial: > South Kinloss Cemetery 296, Lucknow, Ontario > .......... +James A. Strachan b: Abt. 1870 Ontario Co., Ontario m: 20 Mar > 1901 in Lucknow, Ontario, Canada Occupation: 1901 Blacksmith > .............. 3 Alvin James Strachan b: 1902 > ...... 2 Eliza Proctor Murdoch b: 10 Oct 1877 Ontario, Canada d: 06 Nov > 1966 Burial: South Kinloss Cemetery 691, Lucknow, Ontario > .......... +Robert Valens MacKenzie b: 29 Mar 1870 Ontario, Canada d: 1943 > m: 1896 Burial: South Kinloss Cemetery 691, Lucknow, Ontario > .............. 3 Steele Caldwell MacKenzie b: 04 Jul 1900 Ontario, Canada > d: 13 Aug 1967 > .................. +Marjorie Louise Stumph b: 27 Dec 1899 > .............. 3 Peter Stuart MacKenzie b: 25 Aug 1907 d: 22 Apr 1983 > > .................. +Lillian Kribbs m: 24 Sep 1938 > ...... 2 Maggie Murdoch b: 19 Dec 1879 d: 21 Sep 1957 Burial: South > Kinloss Cemetery 193, Lucknow, Ontario > .......... +William Fisher b: 02 Nov 1881 m: 27 Dec 1905 Burial: South > Kinloss Cemetery 193, Lucknow, Ontario > .............. 3 Catherine MacDonald Fisher b: Jan 1907 Lucknow, Ontario d: > 26 Sep 1907 Conc. 2, Lot 11, Lucknow, Ontario Burial: South Kinloss > Cemetery 193, Lucknow, Ontario > .............. 3 Gordon James Fisher b: 12 Dec 1908 d: 24 Jan 1981 > Burial: South Kinloss Cemetery 109, Lucknow, Ontario > .................. +Sarah Christina Winnifred Nixon b: 10 May 1910 m: 05 > Jul 1934 > .............. 3 John Murdoch Fisher b: 31 Mar 1916 > .................. +Mary Isabel MacDonald b: 11 Feb 1915 m: 20 Sep 1941 > > .............. 3 Maud Mae Fisher b: 20 May 1917 > ...... 2 Maude Mae Murdoch b: 13 Dec 1881 d: 22 Jul 1949 Burial: South > Kinloss Cemetery 294, Lucknow, Ontario > > > > ==== CAN-BRITISH-COLUMBIA Mailing List ==== > Every two months or so, please repost your interests, > telling us what you know and where you've looked > and what you still need to find out. > >

Does anyone have access to the book, "A Brief History: Strathcona County" that they could do a look-up? Steele Murdoch is mentioned in this book. Thank you Debbie Michigan

This is the family of Steele Murdoch, as known. I am searching for more information about Steel, the son and Steel, the grandson. I know they are buried in the Edmonton Cemetery on 7th Avenue, in Edmonton. Does anyone live near this cemetery? Does anyone know of this family? Your help would be greatly appreciated. Debbie Descendants of Steele Caldwell Murdoch 1 Steele Caldwell Murdoch b: 24 Apr 1837 Mansfield, New Cumnock, Ayr, Scotland d: 12 Apr 1917 Kintail, Ontario Baptism: 02 Jul 1837 New Cumnock, Ayr, Scotland Burial: South Kinloss Cemetery 294, Lucknow, Ontario Occupation: Farmer/Mason/Plasterer Cause of death: Apoplexy (5 days after stroke) . +Sarah Cuthbertson b: Abt. 1837 Bay of Chaleur, New Brunswick, Canada d: 24 Mar 1861 Ashfield Twp., Huron Co., Ontario m: 30 Dec 1859 in Lochalsh, Ontario Burial: South Kinloss Cemetery 848, Lucknow, Ontario ...... 2 Sarah Murdoch b: Abt. Dec 1860 Lucknow, Ontario d: 04 Sep 1895 .......... +Robert G. Dryden b: Abt. 1853 Ontario m: 04 Apr 1883 *2nd Wife of Steele Caldwell Murdoch: . +Catherine MacDonald b: 20 Jul 1842 Nova Scotia, Canada d: 27 Jan 1902 Lucknow, Ontario m: Aft. 1861 Burial: South Kinloss Cemetery 294, Lucknow, Ontario ...... 2 John Caldwell Murdoch b: 1866 d: 1932 Burial: South Kinloss Cemetery 294, Lucknow, Ontario ...... 2 Janet Johanna Murdoch b: Dec 1867 d: 05 Feb 1882 Burial: South Kinloss Cemetery 293, Lucknow, Ontario ...... 2 Steele Caldwell Murdoch b: 1869 d: 25 Aug 1933 .......... +Catherine .............. 3 Sarah Murdoch .............. 3 Jean Murdoch .............. 3 Maude Murdoch .............. 3 Maggie Murdoch .............. 3 Steele Murdoch b. abt 1916 Ontario d. 2 Jan 1969 Vancouver ??STEELE MURDOCH Gender: Male Age: 53 Death Date: 2 January 1969 Place of Death: VANCOUVER Registration #: 1969-09-001166 BCA #: B13294 GSU #: 2034055 STEELE MURDOCH 1/7/1969 EDMONTON G /O /0006 ...... 2 Mary Anne Murdoch b: 10 Mar 1871 d: 1954 Burial: Greenhill Cemetery 764, Lucknow, Ontario .......... +David Chendenning Taylor b: 1862 Kinloss Twp., Ontario d: 1938 m: 10 Feb 1892 in Lucknow, Ontario, Canada Burial: Greenhill Cemetery 764, Lucknow, Ontario Occupation: 1892 Tinsmith Father: Thomas Taylor Mother: Mary Ann Chendenning ...... 2 William Murdoch b: 20 May 1874 d: 1945 Burial: South Kinloss Cemetery 294, Lucknow, Ontario ...... 2 Catherine Murdoch b: 1875 Lucknow, Ontario d: 1915 Burial: South Kinloss Cemetery 296, Lucknow, Ontario .......... +James A. Strachan b: Abt. 1870 Ontario Co., Ontario m: 20 Mar 1901 in Lucknow, Ontario, Canada Occupation: 1901 Blacksmith .............. 3 Alvin James Strachan b: 1902 ...... 2 Eliza Proctor Murdoch b: 10 Oct 1877 Ontario, Canada d: 06 Nov 1966 Burial: South Kinloss Cemetery 691, Lucknow, Ontario .......... +Robert Valens MacKenzie b: 29 Mar 1870 Ontario, Canada d: 1943 m: 1896 Burial: South Kinloss Cemetery 691, Lucknow, Ontario .............. 3 Steele Caldwell MacKenzie b: 04 Jul 1900 Ontario, Canada d: 13 Aug 1967 .................. +Marjorie Louise Stumph b: 27 Dec 1899 .............. 3 Peter Stuart MacKenzie b: 25 Aug 1907 d: 22 Apr 1983 .................. +Lillian Kribbs m: 24 Sep 1938 ...... 2 Maggie Murdoch b: 19 Dec 1879 d: 21 Sep 1957 Burial: South Kinloss Cemetery 193, Lucknow, Ontario .......... +William Fisher b: 02 Nov 1881 m: 27 Dec 1905 Burial: South Kinloss Cemetery 193, Lucknow, Ontario .............. 3 Catherine MacDonald Fisher b: Jan 1907 Lucknow, Ontario d: 26 Sep 1907 Conc. 2, Lot 11, Lucknow, Ontario Burial: South Kinloss Cemetery 193, Lucknow, Ontario .............. 3 Gordon James Fisher b: 12 Dec 1908 d: 24 Jan 1981 Burial: South Kinloss Cemetery 109, Lucknow, Ontario .................. +Sarah Christina Winnifred Nixon b: 10 May 1910 m: 05 Jul 1934 .............. 3 John Murdoch Fisher b: 31 Mar 1916 .................. +Mary Isabel MacDonald b: 11 Feb 1915 m: 20 Sep 1941 .............. 3 Maud Mae Fisher b: 20 May 1917 ...... 2 Maude Mae Murdoch b: 13 Dec 1881 d: 22 Jul 1949 Burial: South Kinloss Cemetery 294, Lucknow, Ontario

I am seeking the whereabouts (after 1927) of: Henry Robert Clay b October 26, 1889, Toronto, Ontario s/o William Clay & Mary Jane Foster. Henry Robert Clay, was informant on the death of his mother, Mary Jane (Foster) Clay who d. March 20, 1927 at 537 Burrard St., Vancouver, British Columbia. Mary Jane buried Ocean View Burial Park, 4000 Imperial Street, Burnaby, #662, Hope Section. ALSO: I wonder if anyone has records of an accident around 1919 in the Saanich Inlet. Family lore has it that Edward Lawrence Clay survived an accident in 1919 in the Saanich Inlet. It appears from his death record that he was crippled for years before his death in 1928. Edward Lawrence Clay b Nov 2 1881 Guelph Ontario, d Aug 14 1928 Shaughnessy Hospital, Vancouver, B.C., 623 Belton Street, Victoria, B.C., buried Returned Soldiers Plot Mountain View Cemetery, Vancouver, B.C. s/o Henry Ballantyne Clay & Jeanette Strachan.: cause of death Hemiplegia (24 Years) (24 Years) has to be in error, as Edward Lawrence Clay joined the Canadian Expeditionary Force during WW I. (Henry Robert Clay & Edward Lawrence Clay were cousins). I would certainly appreciate any help in these matters. Cathy

I am new to this list and would appreciate any help, some kind soul can provide. I know nothing about his immediate family, other than his father was named Steel and his mother might be Catherine. His siblings were Sarah, Jean, Maude and Maggie. Did he marry? What did he do for a living? Where did he live? Thank you in advance Debbie Michigan STEELE MURDOCH Gender: Male Age: 53 Death Date: 2 January 1969 Place of Death: VANCOUVER Registration #: 1969-09-001166 BCA #: B13294 GSU #: 2034055

Greetings All. Third Reading debate of Bill S-18 continued in the Senate yesterday (Wednesday, 9 March 2005), with Senator Gerald Comeau speaking, as usual, in opposition to the Bill. He expressed his disappointment that the sponsor of the bill (Senator Milne - although he did not mention her by name) had not yet spoken to the Bill in Third Reading. This even though, according to the Hansard transcripts for 8 March 2005 , debate was adjourned in his name immediately the motion to read the bill the third time was made by Senator Rompkey. As usual, the Honourable Senator Comeau fixated upon 'breaking of ... promises' that neither he, nor anyone else, have been able to prove ever existed. He berated the Privacy Commissioner and the Chief Statistician for their positions of support for Bill S-18. As he had done during the Committee stage, he proposed an amendment to the Bill that would allow unrestricted access to the 1911 and 1916 Censuses, but would prevent any public access at all to records of Census from 1918 to 2005. His motion this time was seconded by Senator Ethel M. Cochrane. Her support of this restrictive amendment has earned her a Red X of opposition on the Senators Scoreboard. Extracted Hansard transcripts for March 7, 8 and 9 March, relating to Bill S-18, have been added to the Post 1901 Census Project website at the URL following my signature. Follow the links for Bill S-18. These extracts are in both official languages. Happy Hunting. Gordon A. Watts [email protected] Co-chair Canada Census Committee Port Coquitlam, BC http://www.globalgenealogy.com/Census en francais http://www.globalgenealogy.com/Census/Index_f.htm Permission to forward without notice is granted

I'm with Elizabeth in Nanaimo, BC - "Now to choose which relative to inquire about ....." :X : Mac Culham : Manager, Information and Privacy, BC Archives : email: [email protected] : -- No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Anti-Virus. Version: 7.0.308 / Virus Database: 266.7.0 - Release Date: 03/08/2005

Greetings All. FYI On Tuesday 8 March 2005 Third Reading of Bill S-18 in the Senate was moved by Senator Bill Rompkey. Debate on the motion however was immediately adjourned without any discussion taking place. Hopefully we will see the debate continued today (Wednesday). Happy Hunting. Gordon

Don't miss Vancouver CelticFest's second annual St. Patrick's Day Parade, March 13th, 2005, which starts at 11am, at Davie & Granville Streets. Watch for the B.C. Genealogical Society table in CelticFest's Village Market on Granville, Sunday, March 13th. (900 Block Granville, between Smithe & Nelson Streets.) For more about CelticFest, March 11-17th, see the website at: http://www.celticfestvancouver.com/ ********************************************************************************** Please! Read my blog at: http://www.canadagenealogy.blogspot.com/ M. Diane Rogers *********************************************************************************** Join the Women's History Network of British Columbia, enhancing interest and encouraging activity in women's history across the province. See our website http://www.members.shaw.ca/whnbc/ or contact [email protected] for more information. ***********************************************************************************

Thanks to those that responded to my queries on Essondale. This has been a very informative discussion. I think I may see if I can get more info from the suggested sources. Now to choose which relative to inquire about ..... Elizabeth in Nanaimo, BC [email protected]

I used to live just above the Riverview Hospital, which is the modern name of Essondale Hospital (originally named Hospital For The Mind). It is still in use these days, but with many fewer patients than before. Because it's an arboretum, it's a beautiful setting with many unusual trees. The property overlooks the Coquitlam River and Colony Farm (which used to be farmed by some of the patients and is now a Regional Park and also the site of a Forensic Psychiatric Institution). There is a garden on the Riverview grounds which was originally tended by patients. It has recently been restored. There are many of the older buildings which are now used mainly by film companies. I highly recommend a visit to the Riverview grounds, especially if you have a relative who was a resident there. You will be comforted to see that , no matter how they may have been burdened with mental illness, they were able to live in an area where there was great beauty. Hopefully, that helped bring some peace to them. “The Riverview lands are on a slope overlooking the Coquitlam River in Coquitlam, BC. They have become, through the course of nearly a century, a microcosm of British Columbia's natural and cultural history. In 1904, they were purchased by the provincial government and cleared of their ancient forest to create a hospital and haven for the mentally ill. Provincial Secretary, Henry Esson Young, envisioned a hospital as well as a provincial botanical garden on the site. Mr. Young had traveled extensively in England and Europe and brought the concept of the botanical garden from there. There were no botanical gardens anywhere in Canada at that time so the one he developed in BC was the first in Canada. He also initiated work on the nearby Colony Farm, which was to be a provincial experimental farm. Both the farm and the botanical garden were created to be adjuncts of a new provincial university. “ Pam (just tonight, I found a possible relative of mine in the 1901 census- I can't find her husband there but a woman of the right age & birthplace & with the right names is shown as being an insane asylum inmate in New Westminster District. I know she had a son in 1903 & she died in 1943 at her home- no mention on the death reg. of any mental problems, so it may be an example of someone who was temporarily in difficulty- severe depression, post-partum syndrome come to mind). Pam Fairweather Thomson Sechelt, BC, Canada [email protected]

I received this information from someone on Rootsweb and received the entire medical file for my great great uncle (about 20 pages worth of information), all for free! Here's the info that he gave me on how to access the records, you can email Mac Culham (address below) and ask how to find out where to look for your records. "Regarding Essondale Records, I did not contact Clinical Records as they would only be able to retrieve the hospital number; records of that era were not filed in off site storage at the BC Archives by the patient's medical records number. Instead, I believe that they were filed alphabetically and/or by year. Accordingly, so long as you provide your Great Great Uncle's name and his date of death to the contact below, stating your research design: e.g.: that you are studying morbidity and mortality in your family tree, a reply should be sent within 5 weeks. Mac and his team are excellent . They will copy the file and provide you with as much information in it as authorized under the Freedom of Information and Privacy Act. That said, here is your contact information: Mac Culham Manager, Information and Privacy, BC Archives email: [email protected] Let Mac know that you don't know what fonds the file may be in...that is Admission Books; Patient Registers or Case Histories, but I believe it is the former. He or his colleaques would be good to sort that out and send you what they can" Hope this helps. Tara ----- Original Message ----- From: <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Tuesday, March 08, 2005 10:00 AM Subject: CAN-BRITISH-COLUMBIA-D Digest V05 #66

Essondale was a subject of a bit of discussion back in 2001 on this list. I think this address is probably still good. I had written for a relatives information back in 1999 and it was quite a process but I believe it is somewhat easier to obtain info through the Freedom of Information Act now. The other listers are correct that back quite a few years, a person, and women in particular, could be committed to a mental institution like Essondale just because someone convince a judge that this person was insane or a danger to the population in general, when that may not have been the case. My find was in this category also. When you write advise that you want to proceed under the Freedom of Information Act, they should send you a form to complete with the required details. Some of the file information is very useful genealogically, I even received a photograph in the bundle of documents that were released. A person can write to : Shirley MacDonald , HIP Freedom of information Analyst Clinical Records Services , Riverview Hospital , 500 Lougheed Highway , Port Cocquitlam, BC B3C 4J2

Greetings All. FYI. On Monday 7 March 2004 Bill S-18 - An Act to amend the Statistics Act, was reported back to the Senate by the Senate Standing Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology. It was reported without amendment. "On motion of Senator Keon, [the] bill [was] placed on the Orders of the Day for third reading at the next sitting of the Senate." While the motion reads that the debate on third reading will proceed "at the next sitting of the Senate", which would be today, such is not necessarily the case. This is standard wording when the Speaker asks when bills will be read next and does not necessarily mean that it will, in fact, be debated the next time the Senate sits. Hansard transcripts are not available online until the day after the event so it will be tommorrow (Wednesday) before I can find out if Third Reading of S-18 actually begins today. Senator Keon has not given us a definitive response to the question of his support, or otherwise, of the access we seek. Presumably his position will become clear when he speaks to the Bill. We hope that during Third Reading we will hear from some of those Senators supportive of access rather than only those who, up to date, have opposed it (with the notable exception of Senator Lorna Milne). According to the Parliamentary Calendar, Parliament sits this week and does not sit next week. It sits again from 21 to 24 March and recesses once more until 4 April. It sits until 20 May when it breaks again for a week. It sits again from 30 May to 9 June which is the normal last day before the Summer recess. There may be a possible extension of up to ten days, to 23 June, before the Summer recess. In any case, at this moment there are 46 sitting days left, with a possible extension of up to 10 days, for an absolute maximum of 56 sitting days before Parliament recesses for the Summer. All of this is, of course, subject to change at the whim of the government and we should not count on any more than the 46 days. Not much time to see Bill S-18 to be completed before Summer. Happy Hunting. Gordon A. Watts [email protected] Co-chair Canada Census Committee Port Coquitlam, BC http://www.globalgenealogy.com/Census en francais http://www.globalgenealogy.com/Census/Index_f.htm Permission to forward without notice is granted

Hi Elizabeth, It seems many folks were institutionalized years ago - if there was the slightest hint of discordant behaviour - and that wasn't limited to mental issues. Of course, today, we see many people on the streets of western countries while in years past would have been "locked away and forgotten about." One of my wife's ancestors was committed to Essondale and eventually died there. We looking up the grave site two years ago when we were in the general area for another reason. We were saddened to see that his grave marker was mis-named. We had the good luck of having the groundskeeper with us at the time. He, too, was quite surprised to see that the marker carried an incorrectly spelled name. Two letters were missing from his surname - it seemed as though it might have been someone else. The records did correctly identify him on paper, and by location within the plots. But the gravemarker was a bit of a shocker! I thinks it's most unfortunate to have that occur. The other thing I thought odd, was he had allegedly fallen and broke a hip. Within days he had died on the operating table. It seems a lot of them went that way. The dark side of me is always suspicious about such unfortunate timing of deaths. In those times, either a doctor's signature or two peace officers could sign a report that got a person committed. In his case, I think both had contributed to his confinement. Neil Neil Lensen The Bi-Tron guy ----- Original Message ----- From: "Elizabeth Hamilton" <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Monday, March 07, 2005 9:15 PM Subject: [CAN-BC] Essondale, BC >I was wondering if anyone knows anything about Essondale? I have several >relatives that died there according to death records. Now I know that >Essondale was an institution for mental health issues years ago but was >there any part of it that was used as an extended care or something >similar? > It's just I know that a few of them had no mental health problems so > wonder why they were there? > I hope someone can enlighten me. Thanks, > Elizabeth in Nanaimo, BC > [email protected] > > > ==== CAN-BRITISH-COLUMBIA Mailing List ==== > Visit the British Columbia Gen Web page at > http://www.rootsweb.com/~canbc/ > >

Hi Elizabeth, my great grandmother died in Ponoka Alberta at the Institution for the Insane (I am sure it had a more politically correct name but that is what my dad calls it). She was committed there at the age 64 by her second husband who was 14 years younger. He appeared before a judge and testified about her crazy behaviour - she kicked him out after learning that he was keeping company with a younger woman. She was never asked to appear or see a doctor which might have been because she was not fluent in English (she was from Norway and married her second husband here in Alberta). He was very fluent in English and never encouraged her to learn to speak English. After she was committed he sold her farm and land and her children received nothing. If he had waited for her to die her will would have distributed her assests as she wanted. By having her committed he gained control of all her assests. When she died in 1936 at the age of 66 he refused to pay for her funeral so she was buried in the paupers section of the Ponoka graveyard. He also advised the hospital to throw out her family bible, photos and letters. He did not inform her children that she had died for 2 months. So sometimes money or control is the issue not mental health. Thelma Hartman

Both my grandmother and great-aunt died at Essondale of complications of old age. In the case of my grandmother, she suffered a broken hip at age 87 and didn't survive. I, too, asked the same question when I found out that this hospital was an insane asylum. It was explained to me by a very nice genealogist, that there were other wings in the hospital, and the fact they were patients there did not indicate they were insane. "the provincial mental hospital at Essondale was a large complex with several different divisions. The Valleyview Hospital section was primarily for the elderly and their attendant problems." Hopes this helps, Gerry Perry Henderson, Nevada

I was wondering if anyone knows anything about Essondale? I have several relatives that died there according to death records. Now I know that Essondale was an institution for mental health issues years ago but was there any part of it that was used as an extended care or something similar? It's just I know that a few of them had no mental health problems so wonder why they were there? I hope someone can enlighten me. Thanks, Elizabeth in Nanaimo, BC [email protected]

To Mr. Raymond Chan, MP -- Richmond Riding The following could be happening very soon: Bill S-18, An Act To Amend the Statistics Act, has passed Second Reading and a committee hearing with no amendments by the Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology. The Third Reading and Vote will possibly be held next week when the Senate of Canada resumes work. After that, Bill S-18 will move to the House of Commons, where we request your assistance in obtaining our 1911 Canadian census records. Check http://www.globalgenealogy.com/Census/Score1.htm#BC This is the British Columbia scoreboard and hopefully, as much progress has been made on S-18, you will reply that you will support the bill. With safe passage of Bill S-18, census records will be automatically released from 1911 to 2001 at 10-year periods, 92 years after enumeration. As 2005 is The Year of the Veteran, and the 1911 census was the last census prior to World War One, from which many did not return, it is hopeful release will coincide with the May 8th 60th anniversary of VE-Day as a tribute to all veterans. Your secretary may answer on your behalf, is you direct him or her. Let's make British Columbia GOLD -- like Nova Scotia, Manitoba and Yukon. Sincerely, Muriel M. Davidson [email protected] Co-Chair, Canada Census Committee 25 Crestview Avenue, Brampton, ON L6W 2R8 Information at http://www.globalgenealogy.com/Census en francais http://www.globalgenealogy.com/Census/Index_f.htm ====================