SCRIMSHAW, Alfred and Annie - Bell Farm employee
Alfred Scrimshaw worked on the Bell Farm from 1894 until 1896. He was born on 21 Nov. 1861 in Helmswell, Lincolnshire, England. On Dec. 6, 1886 he married Ann Elizabeth Woodhead in Dublin. She was born in April 1867.
Prior to his marriage, Alfred served in the British Military for 12 years. He initially volunteered with the North Lincolnshire Militia in 1879, at age 17. In 1881 he became a professional soldier with the 10th Foot Battalion of the Lincolnshire Regiment, and was posted to the Mediterranean: first at Malta, and then Gibraltar. Starting 1882, Scrimshaw was transferred to various postings in India. In 1886 he returned to England on board the HMS "Serapis". He was briefly hospitalized upon his return. Alfred then transferred to the First Battalion, Second Lincolnshire Regiment, stationed at Dublin, Ireland. It was while he was in Dublin that he married Annie Woodhead. In 1888 he relocated to Shorncliffe Camp, Kent, England, and transferred to the Lincoln Barracks the following year. In June 1891, Alfred was discharged from the Military.
Alfred and Elizabeth had several children while living in England, including:
• July 1888 – Alfred Edward Scrimshaw born & died
• 3 May 1890 – birth of Maud Florence Mary Scrimshaw
• 23 Feb. 1892 – birth of Mabel Beatrice Victoria Scrimshaw.
In 1893 the Scrimshaw family emigrated to Canada, where Alfred worked for three years (1894-1897) as gardener on the Bell Farm. During that time, Alfred and Annie had several more children, including:
• 21 Nov.1994 – birth of Grace Dorothy Scrimshaw
• 23 Oct. 1895 – birth of Rose Lillian May Scrimshaw # 1 (possibly died very young)
• 7 Sept, 1896 – birth of Rose Lillian May Scrimshaw # 2
Alfred left the Bell Farm in 1896 or 1897, likely at the time when the Farm was sold by auction. He then found work as a gardener on the Dominion Experimental Farm from about 1897-98 to 1905. Another child was born during this period:
• 11 Nov 1898 – birth of Alfred George Scrimshaw.
In 1899 baby Alfred George was adopted by John & Amelia Sibbald, of Indian Head; and on 8 March 1900 Ann Elizabeth Scrimshaw died and was buried in Indian Head.
About two years later, perhaps in 1902, Alfred married Martha Ann Jones of Indian Head. Several years later, in 1906, Alfred started and abandoned a homestead near Raymore (about 70 miles north of Regina). By June 1906, he had moved to Regina, where he was working as a gardener at the CPR Station. Shortly thereafter Alfred and Martha moved to Moose Jaw, where he worked in a nursery. By September 28, 1909, Alfred was in very poor health and made out a Will; he died on October 2nd - just 10 days later - in Moose Jaw. He was subsequently buried in Indian Head.
Alfred left an estate worth about $2,000 to his wife Martha, including 15 urban lots in Indian Head, Regina and Sedley:
• Regina block 175 (2 lots) – value: $675
• Wascana Park in Regina (10 lots) – value: $ 500
• Sedley SK (2 lots) – value: $ 180
• Indian Head (1 quite valuable lot, with a 50% mortgage) – value: $ 552
As there is no indication of how Alfred acquired these properties, we can only surmise that he inherited money or shrewdly invested his 12 years of military salary. After Alfred's death, Martha Scrimshaw (who was born on 6 April 1859) later moved to Regina, where she died in early December 1946. She was buried at the Regina Cemetery.
SOURCES:
Obituary: "Regina Leader", Oct 4, 1909
"Indian Head Experimental Farm 1886-1986", by W. Earl Johnson and A.E. Smith, 1986 - pg 13 - https://archive.org/details/indianheadexperi23john/page/12/mode/2up
Saskatchewan Cemeteries Project: Indian Head - https://sites.rootsweb.com/~cansacem/indian_head.html
https://archive.org/details/indianheadexperi23john/page/12/mode/2up Indian Head Experimental Farm 1886-1986 pg 13 – Alfred worked here as a gardener
https://sites.rootsweb.com/~cansacem/regina/5457.jpg - headstone for Mrs. M. Scrimshaw's - Regina Hebrew & Regina Cemetery
http://genealogy.ehealthsask.ca/vsgs_srch.aspx lists Alfred Scrimshaw's wife's name as Anne Elizabeth Woodhead(enter Scrimshaw)
https://sites.rootsweb.com/~cansacem/indian_head.html Indian Head Cemetery Florence Maud Potter(nee Scrimshaw) 1890-1973 & Grace Dorothy Eiser (nee Scrimshaw) 1894-1977
"Regina Leader-Post", Sept. 24, 1973 - obituary for Maud Florence May Potter (nee Scrimshaw)
http://data2.collectionscanada.ca/1901/z/z004/jpg/z000180742.jpg - 1901 census/Maud and Lillian are living with the John Good family / listed as domestics.
http://data2.collectionscanada.ca/1901/z/z004/jpg/z000180855.jpg - 1901 census Martha A Jones living with the Johnstone family of Indian Head / housekeeper.
http://data2.collectionscanada.ca/1901/z/z004/jpg/z000180861.jpg - 1901 census Alfred Scrimshaw (couldn't decipher marital status)
http://data2.collectionscanada.ca/e/e049/e001210252.jpg - 1906 census Florence Scrimshaw (16 years old) living with Martha's sister and brother-in-law Henrietta and Richard Bailey
http://data2.collectionscanada.gc.ca/1911/jpg/e002101609.jpg - 1911 census Richard and Henrietta Bailey
http://data2.collectionscanada.gc.ca/1911/jpg/e002101610.jpg - 1911 census Martha & Gracie living with Richard & Henrietta in Indian Head
http://algonquinhighlands.ca/genealogy/getperson.php?personID=I624&tree=tree1 - (Martha has been left off this family tree but does appear in census reports)
http://data2.collectionscanada.ca/1871/jpg/4396305_00629.jpg - 1871 census - England
http://data2.collectionscanada.gc.ca/e/e328/e008178439.jpg - Martha Jones and Henrietta 1881 census - England
http://algonquinhighlands.ca/genealogy/showmedia.php?mediaID=404&medialinkID=689 - obituary for Martha's sister Henrietta's lists Mrs. A. Scrimshaw of Regina
"Watchman Wanderer", Nov. 14, 1907 - obituary for Mrs. M. Scrimshaw's brother - William Henry Jones - It records her as Mrs. Martha Scrumpshaw of Moose Jaw
http://data2.collectionscanada.ca/1901/z/z004/jpg/z000180842.jpg - 1906 census George A. / George Alfred adopted son
http://search-collections.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/Image/Genealogy/d461e8a6-f252-4037-b476-5895fccf63d2 - Alfred George Sibbald born Nov. 12, 1898 Indian Head; died Nov. 23, 1978 New Westminster, British Columbia
http://search-collections.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/Image/Genealogy/9998bfc5-8dc0-44a9-bc55-7ed3ebb20449 - Grace Dorothy Scrimshaw Eiser
Alfred Scrimshaw's WILL: at https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1942-23497-56326-24?cc=1918293&wc=MPG3-BZN:207344501,207585501,207558801
RESEARCH BY:
Michelle Cabana, Saskatoon, Sask., Bill Pinfold, England, and Frank Korvemaker, Regina, Sask.