Register entry 028b - Elizabeth [Miles] Crawford
Elizabeth Miles (c.1838 - ? ) was the daughter of Hudson's Bay Company Chief Factor Robert S. Miles. When she was 13, she was sent to England to be well-educated. After her return to Canada, she married Robert Crawford, an H.B.C. employee. Although a few books of the time refer to Elizabeth as his "guide wife" they were in fact married on Aug. 23, 1863 at Moose Factory, Ontario.
When the Canadian census of 1871 was conducted, Elizabeth (33), Robert (36) and daughter Margaret (7) were living in the Nipigon-Thunder Bay area. Robert was listed as being Presbyterian, Elizabeth as Anglican.
In 1876, while living in Labrador with her husband, she collected, preserved and described various plants from the area. Many of these eventually went to the University of Montreal, the Canadian Museum of Nature, and to the Manitoba Museum.
When Robert retired from the Hudson's Bay Company in 1877, they moved to Brockville, Ontario, where they eventually met Major and Katherine Bell.
Elizabeth Crawford presumably came to Indian Head in 1882 with her husband, and they established a General Store in the new town.
The Crawfords adopted two children (his niece and nephew) - Margaret and William. The family was well known in Indian Head. While Robert and Elizabeth looked after the store, Margaret was the Sunday school teacher and Willie later took over the store.
Although Elizabeth did not sign the Visitors Register, she likely visited the Bell Farm on various occasions, either in company with her husband, who was one of the Bell Farm Investors, or on her own.
SOURCES":
Indian Head history: p. 332
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Crawford_(Canadian_politician)
Marriage: http://homepages.rootsweb.com/~maryc/leeds1863.htm
Canada Census, 1871 - Ontario, West Algoma District, Nipigon Sub-District, Thunder Bay.
Manitoba Museum - Lizzie Crawford: https://manitobamuseum.ca/main/museum-mystery-who-was-lizzie-crawford/
RESEARCH BY:
Michelle Cabana, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan and Frank Korvemaker, Regina, Sask.