 |
|
Read
|
|
The Read surname is derived from the Old English word "read," meaning "red." It is most likely that the name was used as nickname for someone with red hair, before becoming their surname. In other instances, the Read surname no doubt came from some of the places so named in Britain, such as Read, Lancashire, Rede, Suffolk, and Reed in Hertfordshire. The surname of Read is English. It was first found in Northumberland, where they were seated from early times. Their first records appeared on the census rolls taken by the ancient Kings of Britain to determine the rate of taxation of their subjects. The Family Coat of Arms: Red with a gold cross between four gold wheatsheaves. The Family motto translated is "Peace, Plenty."¹
The surname Read was first found in Northumberland where they held a family seat from early times. One branch was found at Troughend-Ward. "The present house was built in the last century (c. 1700) by EIrington Reed, Esq., who also greatly improved the place by planting, and whose ancestors were settled in the township at a remote date." Another branch of the family was found at Weston in Suffolk. " Weston Hall, the ancient seat of the family of Rede, a handsome mansion in the Elizabethan style, was partly taken down within a few years, and the remainder converted into a farmhouse."
|
| Wedding Information |
Image
|
|
| Name: |
|
Thomas Read |
| Spouse: |
|
Martha Simpson |
| Date: |
|
1821 |
| Institution: |
|
Anglican Cathedral Holy Trinity Church |
|
|
|
|
SOURCE INFORMATION: Institut Généalogique Drouin; Montreal, Québec; Author: Gabriel Drouin, comp. |
|
Our line of the family goes back to THOMAS H. READ (1786 - 9 Sep 1839) from Lincolnshire, England, a county in the East Midlands of England, who emigrated to Canada. Thomas married MARTHA SIMPSON (b. 1799) at the Anglican Cathedral Holy Trinity Church of Québec in 1821. The wedding record reads: "Thomas Read, of the City of Quebec, Servant to Thomas Gilette (?) Esq., Captain in His Majesty's Seventy Sixth Regiment of Foot, aged thirty two years, Bachelor, was married by licence to Martha Simpson of the same city, aged twenty two years, Spinster, this fourteenth day of February in the years of our Lord, One thousand eight hundred twenty one." Martha was presented by her brother, Thomas Simpson, and sister Mary Rogers. The 76th Regiment of Foot had been deployed to Canada for the closing stages of the War of 1812, to assist the other troops along the unsettled line of frontier, but Thomas stayed on garrison duties for the next 12 years. In that time, Thomas and Martha had the following children:
CHILDREN OF THOMAS READ AND MARTHA SIMPSON
|
|
SAMUEL J READ was born about 1832 in Quebec, Canada. On 26 Sep 1860, he married Caroline "Carrie" Bonnallie in New York City, NY. They moved to Lincoln, Canada West, Canada, and started a family. They had the following children: Martha (b. 1862), Florence (b. 1864), Margaret Jane (b. 1867), Helena (b. 1868) and Lillian Henrietta (Swayze, 15 Apr 1870 - 16 Nov 1956). The family moved to Niagara, Ontario, Canada , by the time of the 1871 census, where they had Arny Edna Haight Read (b. 16 Oct 1875). Samuel died on 15 Mar 1896
|
|
MARTHA LOUISA READ was born on 19 June 1832 in Ontario, Canada, according to the Marchant Family Bible owned by the Benson family of Minnesota. At the age of 15 she married 19-year-old WILLIAM MARCHANT, on 7 Aug 1847 in St Catharine's. Family listed below. She died on 7 Apr 1886 in Ingersoll, Ontario, Canada.² It is believed that she is buried with sons William and Robert at the Ingersoll Rural Cemetery, ssection A, 92. See her death certificate, at right (Archives of Ontario. Registrations of Deaths, 1869-1948 (MS 935, reels 1-694); Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Collection: MS935; Reel: 44).
|
Thomas Read's grave, Niagara-on-the-Lake Cemetery, Niagara (Lincoln & Welland). |
In the 1825 Census of Lower Canada, Thomas is living in Hardley, Onslow, York, Quebec (1825 Lower Canada Census: MG 31 C1, FHL Film #2443958, Page 1298). There may have been other children who were born before Samuel and Marrtha, but we don't have any record of their names. Thomas died on 9 Sep 1839 in Niagara, Ontario, and was buried at St. Mark's Anglican Church, (OGS#3357) at the Niagara-on-the-Lake Cemetery in Niagara (Lincoln & Welland), Ontario. The stone still stands, and reads: "In memory of THOMAS H. READ a native of Lincolnshire, ENGLAND who departed this life IXth. September MDCCCXXXIX aged LIII." A verse underneath is now illegible.
His daughter MARTHA LOUISA READ (19 June 1832 - 7 Apr 1886), our next ancestor, was born in Ontario. On 7 Aug 1847 ahe married 19-year-old WILLIAM MARCHANT (8 Jun 1828 - 16 Dec 1896) at St Catharine's Church in Ontario. William had been born into a horrible family situation, spending much of his early life in workouses in Kent. His mother passed away, and his father disappeared so William was forced to enter the military as a teenager. He was sent to Canada and started as a private in the RCRR on 25 Feb 1842, and was made bugler on 1 Feb 1843. Living in a new country, on a new continent, with a small but reliable military salary—and a chance for advancement out of his humble beginnings—William began to build a stable life for himself with Martha. They had the following children:
CHILDREN OF WILLIAM MARCHANT AND MARTHA LOUISA READ
|
|
ROSANNE LOUISA MARCHANT was born on 30 Sep 1848. She died on 2 Dec 1849, at age 1 year, 2 months, 2 days.
|
|
WILLIAM HENRY MARCHANT was born on 26 December 1850 in Ontario. He was a private in the 26th Regiment, Middlesex Light Infantry in 1880. (Source: Library and Archives Canada; Ottawa, Ontario, Canada; Department of Militia and Defence, Accounts and Pay Branch, Nominal Rolls and Paylists for the Volunter Militia, 1855-1914; Record Group Number: R180-100-9-E; Volume Number: 77.) He married MARTHA HOLLAND (1852-1911) and they had three children: Fredie (1872-1873), Lillie (1878-1942) and Marjorie (1892-1939). They moved to Michigan in the United States, where William died on 9 March, 1896, age 45 years, 5 months, in Kalamazoo. He is buried at Ingersoll Rural Cemetery in Ingersoll, Oxford County Municipality, Ontario, Canada: Section A, Lot 92 (Ingersoll Rural Cemetery Burial Register: 1886-1908, page 50).
|
|
LOUISA JANE MARCHANT was born on 20 Mar 1853. She died on 30 Nov 1853, age 8 months, 10 days.
|
|
JULIA ANN MARCHANT was born on 26 Sep 1854. She died on 29 Oct 1855, at age 1 year, 1 month, 3 days.
|
|
ROBERT JAMES MARCHANT was born on 10 Sep 1856 in Toronto, Ontario. He worked as a printer and did some military duty, as the Nominal Rolls for the 22nd Battalion have a R Marchant for 1872. He died from acute hepatitis and chronic inflammation of the lungs at the age of 29 years and ten months, in Ingersoll (click on death record at right). A notice dated 3 Aug 1886 stated that his funeral was held on August 5 at his father's residence on King Street East (see a display from the funeral by clicking on the image at right). Robert was buried at Ingersoll Rural Cemetery,⁶ : Section A, Lot 92 (Ingersoll Rural Cemetery Burial Register: 1864-1886, page 34).
|
|
MARTHA LOUISE MARCHANT was born on 13 Jan 1859 in Toronto, Ontario. She died on 7 Apr 1872, age 13 years, 2 months, 24 days. (Image at right: Archives of Ontario. Registrations of Deaths, 1869-1938. MS 935, reels 1-615. Archives of Ontario, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Series: MS935; Reel: 4.)
|
|
SOPHIA ANN MARCHANT was born on 12 Oct 1862. She married JAMES BADDEN, the foreman painter at Noxon Brothers, on 22 Feb 1885 in Ingersoll, Oxford County, Ontario. They had a daughter, Lillian, on Sunday, June 14, 1885, and a son, Harold, on Tuesday, June 14, 1892. In the 1911 Census of Canada, they all still live together at 7 Clarence Sq., Ward 4 in Toronto South, District Number 127, Sub-District Ward four, Number 38. Sophia died of arterial sclerosis and kidney sclerosis on 7 Jan 1923 in York, Ontario, Canada. (Image at right: Archives of Ontario. Registrations of Deaths, 1869-1938. MS 935, reels 1-615. Archives of Ontario, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Archives of Ontario; Series: MS935; Reel: 297.) She and James are buried with son Harold and his wife, Alice, at Prospect Cemetery Toronto, Toronto Municipality, Ontario, Canada Add to Map PLOT Section 19, Lot 422.
|
|
THOMAS CHARLES MARCHANT was born on 19 Apr 1864. He died on 2 Dec 1867, at age 3 years, 7 months, 13 days.
|
|
MARY MARIA MARCHANT was born on 19 Jan 1867. She married EDWARD BARKER MORREY, a collector for the Unuin Publishing Company, on July 09, 1884. “Edward Barker Morrey, 21, book keeper, Ingersoll, Ingersoll, son of James F. and Caroline, married Mary Maria Marchant, 17, Woodstock, Ingersoll, daughter of William W. and Martha L., witnessed by F.T. Morrey and Sarah A. Marchant, both of Ingersoll, 9 July, 1884 at Ingersoll.” (Marriage notice appeared in Sentinel Review, Woodstock, 18 Jul 1884, page 4, column 6.) She had a son, Edward Barker James Morrey (3 May 1887 - Mar 1919). Mary died on 10 May 1887, age 20 years.⁷ (10 May 1888 in Family Bible.) They are buried at Ingersoll Rural Cemetery in Ingersoll, Oxford County Municipality, Ontario, Canada; Section E, Row C.
|
|
HARRIET JANE MARCHANT was born on 18 May 1869. She married JAMES SHAW on 18 Oct 1888 in Oxford County, Ontario. (Marriage notice appeared in the Sentinel Review, 19 Oct 1888, p. 1.) They had the following children: Olive Louise (Haight, b. 24 Apr 1892 in Wentworth, Ontario, Canada), Edith Rosamond (Husband, b. 20 Ap 1894), Adeline Violet (Hambly, b. 2 Nov 1896), and Margueritte Shaw (Eversfield, b. 13 Mar 1899). James died on 5 Jan 1948 and is buried with Harriett at Saint Johns Norway Cemetery and Crematorium at The Beaches, Toronto Municipality, Ontario, Canada; Section 11, range 7, grave 4; Harriett died at the home of her daughter Olive (Toronto Daily Star, 23 Dec 1953). (Image at right: Ontario, Canada. Registrations of Marriages, 1869-1928. MS932, Reels 1-833, 850-880. Archives of Ontario, Toronto. Archives of Ontario; Series: MS932_65; Reel: 65.)
|
|
| Personal Information |
Census Image
|
|
| Name: |
|
Samuel Read |
| Age: |
|
39 |
| Home in 1871: |
|
Niagara, Ontario |
| Religion: |
|
Methodist |
|
|
|
|
SOURCE INFORMATION: Library and Archives Canada, n.d. RG31-C-1. Year: 1871; Census Place: Niagara, Niagara, Ontario; Roll: C-9921; Page: 9; Family No: 35. |
|
Martha died in 1886 and is supposedly buried with two of her sns in the Ingersoll Rural Cemetery in Ontario. Judging by their reported birth years, Samuel Read and sister Martha appear to have been twins, and their families remained close, despite the distance between them on the Ontario frontier. In 1871, Samuel even housed Martha's son, WILLIAM HENRY MARCHANT and his new bride, MARTHA HOLLAND (14 May 1852 - 16 Jan 1911) in Niagara. Interestingly, he is also housing a 26 year-old man named PETERSON DAVIS READ, who is listed as Scottish. (Remember that Thomas's grave stone says that he is from Lincolnshire, England.) Is Peterson a distant cousin, or is his last name just a coincidence? A "Thomas Reid" born in 1788 emigrated to Canada from Scotland in 1821, the same year that Thomas and Martha Read were married.³ Could Thomas have come to Quebec on his own, and then been hired on by the Captain? Every time I think I have this family figured out, a new mystery is revealed.
TOP PHOTO: "A Distant View of Lincoln Cathedral" by Peter De Wint (1784-1849).
NOTES ON THIS PAGE:
¹—A family motto originally was a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will.
²—Ingersoll Chronicle & Canadian Dairyman. Thursday, December 23, 1886. Pg: , Col: 6. Date of Event: Friday, December 17, 1886. Text of Notice: "MARCHANT—In Ingersoll, on the 17th inst., Martha L., wife of William Marchant, aged 54 years." (Died on 7 Apr 1872). Death notice (Jan 1859-1872) appeared in the Woodstock Sentinel, 12 Apr 1872, page 2, column 4.
³—A Dictionary of Scottish Emigrants to Canada before Confederation, Vol. 2 by Donald Whyte. Toronto: Ontario Genealogical Society, 1995. 435p. Also, Passenger and Immigration Lists Index, 1500s-1900s by William P Philby, Farmington Hills, MI, USA: Gale Research, 2012. (Recordds a Thomas Reid, b. 1788, arriving in Quebec, Canada, in 1821. (Ancestry.com. U.S. and Canada, Passenger and Immigration Lists Index, 1500s-1900s [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: No source code)
|
