John Edward Armstrong
ID # 3346, (1862-)
| Father | John Fellows Armstrong (1836-1867) |
| Mother | Amanda Melvina Deacon (1842-1869) |
| Baptism | John Edward Armstrong was baptized in 1862 at Canada. |
| Marriage | He married Carrie A. Harvey on 18 April 1882 at Taunton, Mass.. Taunton, Mass. Mrge reg. Nbr. 50 1882 April 18 John E. Armstrong, age 22, born Canada, residing Taunton. Book keeper. Parents John F. and Annie. Carrie A. Harvey, 21, born and residing Taunton. Parents Preston B. and unknown. First marriage for both. By Rev. Edward N. Pomeroy (John's age is probably incorrect.) |
| Note | Familysearch has a database entitled Ontario Births and Baptisms, 1779-1899. This has the following extract: St. Catharines Constitutional, 17 Apr 1862, p. 3 At City of St. Catharines, Capt. Armstrong of RCR son on Apr 16/62 This is certainly a son of John Fellows Armstrong. That he is John Edward Armstrong remains uncertain. What we do have is information relating to the application for Letters of Administration for the estate of his grandmother Charlotte Dickson. John states that he was familiar with his grandmother's premesis and that he searched for a will without success. This appears on microfilm GS1 reel 668, Lincoln Surrogate Court. In the document, he states that he is a resident of Niagara Town. John is not the one applying for Letters of Administration and his affadavit seems to come rather from left field. He is not to be found in this location in either the 1891 or 1901 censuses. John's age at the time of his marriage to Carrie Harvey in 1882 is given as 22. This would place his birth to 1860 and is probably incorrect. He was probably younger than Carrie. Information that makes it reasonably sure that John and Carrie Armstrong of Taunton, Mass. are who we believe them to be has to do with two births that are rather oddly registered both in Taunton and in Niagara Town. Familysearch provides us with the following birth registrations in the city of Taunton Jany. 22, 1883, Annie Emmeline Armstrong, born Taunton, parents John E. Carrie A. Harvey Father book keeper, born England, mother born Taunton. April 17, 1885, Preston Fellows Armstrong, born Taunton, parents John E. Carrie A. Harvey Father clerk, born Canada, mother born Taunton. Then on March 22, 1886, the following births are registered at Niagara Town in Lincoln County, Ontario. 019941-86 Amy Emmeline Armstrong born Jan. 22, 1883. Parents John E. Armstrong, gentleman, and Carrie A. Harvey and 019942-86 Richard Fellows Armstrong born April 17, 1885. Parents...same as above. These registrations were filed by Rev. C. Campbell who was minister at St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church at Niagara Town. Under both registrations is written: Born at Taunton, Mass. It's possible that the Canadian birth registrations actually represent baptisms, but microfilms of records for St. Andrew's were examined at the Presbyterian Church Archives in April of 2016 and no baptisms from this era were found. Certainly, Rev. Campbell was the minister at the church at this time. Variation of given names for the children shown in the two locations notwithstanding, it's evident that they are the same children. In later years, Preston/Richard appears in U.S. census information as 'Preston'. The 1890 U.S. census was destroyed by fire. The 1900 census at Taunton shows Carrie as a widow. No information has been found as to the fate of John. As mentioned, he does not appear in the 1891 census at Niagara Town, but he was evidently living in Niagara Town when his grandmother died in January of 1898. John and his sister Gertrude have yet to be found in the 1871 census in Canada so we do not know whose care they were in after their mother's death. The one small clue of which we may take note is that in the 100th anniversary book for St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church, Janet Carnochan, the author, makes mention of non commissioned officers of the Royal Canadian Rifles who were attending St. Andrew's and who had made a donation to the church. Since we do not know who was responsible for raising John and his sister Gertrude, it is possible, though rather unlikely, that they were with a family connected to the regiment. A problem with this theory is that the Armstrongs and Deacons were unquestionably Anglicans. |
| Last Edited | 22 Mar 2020 |