researching Robert Leonard BARKER family
Replies: 8
researching Robert Leonard BARKER family
 Sharon Moss
(View posts)
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Posted: 24 Jun 2008 5:27AM GMT |
Classification: Query
Surnames: BARKER/PATERSON
hi everyone,
I am currently researching my paternal grandfather's grandfather, Robert Leonard BARKER, who was born in Ontario in 1861, but came to Calgary in 1883 and lived the rest of his years there. He married Barbara Ann Patterson, who was a Lieutenant in the Salvation Army, in 1886. THey had eight children - Donald William,(my grandfather's father), Mary,Robert Alexander, Leonard Atkinson, Ernest Gordon, Helen May, Barbara Alice and Jean.
I have found a lot of info on the family, including some neat newspaper articles of the men and their service in WW1 and RL Barker's service in the Riel Uprising. I have also been able to find info on the family in the 1901, 1906 and 1911 census. However, I'm also finding some inconsistencies, particularly in dates (what a surprise!).
For example, in all of the censuses, it has the kids listed with their birthyears - and it's fairly consistent bt census. However, I found the attestation papers for the boys for WW1 and it has their birth years listed differently. I'm not sure why there were different as even with the birth year I originally had from the census, they would have been old enough to join the war effort (so it's not like they had to stretch their age to be "of age"). In the 1911 census, it has the oldest boy as Robert Alexander, born in 1890, then Donald William (1892), Leonard Atkinson (1894) and then Ernest Gordon (1896). However, the attestation papers show Donald WIlliam being born in 1885, Leanard born in 1890, and Ernest born in 1894. Robert Alexander was in England serving at the time. The actual month and day are the same on both the census and attestation papers.
The other inconsistency and question I have is in relation to Robert Leonard's wife, Barbara Ann. In Robert Leonard's obituary in 1939, it says he was predeceased by his wife, Barbara in 1910. It also says this on a Alberta pioneer website (although I gather they get the info from obits as well). However, she was listed as alive and well, living in Calgary on the 1911 census! In addition, in one of the obits I found, it says she died in Vancouver, BC. I did a search on the BC archives and I did find her death - in 1913 in Vancouver. I guess it's possible that whoever wrote RL Barker's obit didn't know the exact year?! Also, why on earth would Barbara go to Vancouver? Was she sick and seeking treatment? Her last child, Jean, was born in 1908 (Calgary), and the death reg I found for her in Vacouver states her age was 48.
Thought I'd post the family I'm researching in hopes that someone else is also researching them...and to ask some rambling questions!
thanks for reading if you made it this far!
Sharon Moss (nee BARKER)
Victoria
I am currently researching my paternal grandfather's grandfather, Robert Leonard BARKER, who was born in Ontario in 1861, but came to Calgary in 1883 and lived the rest of his years there. He married Barbara Ann Patterson, who was a Lieutenant in the Salvation Army, in 1886. THey had eight children - Donald William,(my grandfather's father), Mary,Robert Alexander, Leonard Atkinson, Ernest Gordon, Helen May, Barbara Alice and Jean.
I have found a lot of info on the family, including some neat newspaper articles of the men and their service in WW1 and RL Barker's service in the Riel Uprising. I have also been able to find info on the family in the 1901, 1906 and 1911 census. However, I'm also finding some inconsistencies, particularly in dates (what a surprise!).
For example, in all of the censuses, it has the kids listed with their birthyears - and it's fairly consistent bt census. However, I found the attestation papers for the boys for WW1 and it has their birth years listed differently. I'm not sure why there were different as even with the birth year I originally had from the census, they would have been old enough to join the war effort (so it's not like they had to stretch their age to be "of age"). In the 1911 census, it has the oldest boy as Robert Alexander, born in 1890, then Donald William (1892), Leonard Atkinson (1894) and then Ernest Gordon (1896). However, the attestation papers show Donald WIlliam being born in 1885, Leanard born in 1890, and Ernest born in 1894. Robert Alexander was in England serving at the time. The actual month and day are the same on both the census and attestation papers.
The other inconsistency and question I have is in relation to Robert Leonard's wife, Barbara Ann. In Robert Leonard's obituary in 1939, it says he was predeceased by his wife, Barbara in 1910. It also says this on a Alberta pioneer website (although I gather they get the info from obits as well). However, she was listed as alive and well, living in Calgary on the 1911 census! In addition, in one of the obits I found, it says she died in Vancouver, BC. I did a search on the BC archives and I did find her death - in 1913 in Vancouver. I guess it's possible that whoever wrote RL Barker's obit didn't know the exact year?! Also, why on earth would Barbara go to Vancouver? Was she sick and seeking treatment? Her last child, Jean, was born in 1908 (Calgary), and the death reg I found for her in Vacouver states her age was 48.
Thought I'd post the family I'm researching in hopes that someone else is also researching them...and to ask some rambling questions!
thanks for reading if you made it this far!
Sharon Moss (nee BARKER)
Victoria