Martha Foster
ID # 9127, (1849-1924)
| Father | Thomas Foster (1809-1884) |
| Mother | Martha Wilson (1819-1884) |
| Birth | Martha Foster was born on 13 July 1849 at Canada. |
| Marriage | She married Robert Aiken, son of James Aiken and Eliza (--?--), on 5 November 1869 at Toronto, York Co.. Mrge reg. Toronto, York Co. Robert Aitken, 21, bachelor, Episcopalian. Born Ireland, residing Toronto. Parents James and Eliza. Martha Foster, 21, spinster, Presbyterian. Born Canada, residing Toronto. Parents Thomas and Martha. Witnesses Samuel Smythe and Mary Ann Illeg., both of Toronto. On Nov. 5, 1869, apparently at Toronto, by Rev. J. Jennings, D.D. Going by information provided by Toronto City directories, J. Jennings was a Presbyterian Minister. |
| Death | She died on 8 July 1924 at Toronto at age 74. |
| Burial | She was buried on 10 July 1924 at St. James Anglican Cemetery, Toronto. |
| Note | The first direct record found for Martha Foster is the 1861 census in St. David's Ward of Toronto. This has the family at 180 Duke Street. That Martha's parents were Thomas and Martha Foster is confirmed by her marriage registration of 1869. The 1861 census shows the Foster Family as: Thos. Foster, age 52, born Ireland, Church of England, Inn Keeper Martha, age 43, born England. Wm. Thos, age 23, born Upper Canada Mary Anne, age 18 Martha, age 12 John, age 5 The children of Thomas and Martha (the mother) are all reasonably verifiable by their marriage registrations. Martha Aiken appears in the 1884 Toronto city directory as boarding at 108 Duke Street. This is next door to her father, Thomas Aiken, who is at 110 Duke Street. The 1885 directory shows her at 10 Maple Place. The 1886 directory shows her back at 108 Duke Street, this time as a grocer. As well, this is also recorded as her home. This is the same for the 1887 directory. The 1888 directory records the same as the two previous directories, but this time also shows her as the widow of Robert. Likewise, the 1889 directory. The 1890 directory has her also as a grocer, but this time she is shown as being at 142 Duke. William Foster lives next door at 144 Duke. We must believe him to be Martha's older brother. The 1891 census, East Toronto, St. Davids Ward, shows Martha Akins, 38, washing ironing, and she is shown as married, but no husband present. With her are children: Sara(?) age 10; Ethel 7; Robert 16. 1892 directory Martha Aiken, wid Robert, lives 16 Ontario Robert Aiken, bootmkr, boards 16 Ontario (We must believe Robert to be Martha's son.) 1894 directory Martha Aiken, wid Robert, 16 Ontario With her is Robert Aiken, again who must believe to be her son. 1895 directory, Mrs. Martha Aiken, 20 Darling Ave. Robert Aiken, same address. The 1896, '97, and '98 directories show Martha and Robert at 20 Darling, but by 1899 she and Robert are at 686 Ontario Street The 1900 directory shows Martha, widow Robert, at 686 Ontario Street. With her are daughter Ethel and Rose. Son Robert is not shown. The 1901 census shows Martha, age 50 and a widow, in Toronto East. With her are daughters Roseland, age 20, and (apparently) Ethal, age 18. The entries on this page are badly faded. The 1902, '03, and '04 directories show Martha at 686 Ontario Street. Ethel is with her in all of them; Rose is with her in 1902 and '03. Rose married John L. Moore in 1904. The 1905 directory lists Martha and Ethel at 686 Ontario by themselves, but the 1906 street listing shows John L. Moore. Ethel and Martha are also shown at this address in the alphabetical name listings. Ethel married William Hamlin in 1910 and lived elsewhere. Beginning with the 1916 directory, the family is shown at 688 Ontario Street. This may have been a street number change rather than a move. Martha died in 1924. Martha's death registration is rather smudged and not readable on all points. Death reg. XXXXXX-24 Toronto, York Co. Martha Aiken died 8 July, 1924, at 688 Ontario Street, age 75. Father James Foster, born England, mother born England. Doctor's name given on an ancillary page as H. Glendinning. Informant Rosaline Moore, 688 Ontario Street. Burial July 10, 1924, at St. James (cemetery). Unquestionably, Martha's parents were Thomas and Martha Foster. The Toronto branch of the Ontario Genealogical Society has some indexing and gravestone transcriptions for St. James Cemetery. This is hardly complete and is an ongoing project, but we have enough to say that Martha is buried in the south lot in section N of Saint Mathias Road at St. James Cemetery. This shows her date of birth as July 13, 1849 and her date of death as July 8, 1924. Her son Robert Aiken died April 5, 1942, at age 65, and he is buried with her. |
Children of Martha Foster and Robert Aiken |
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| Last Edited | 13 May 2022 |