Saturday 1 December 2012

FAULKNER FAMILY - PART 4

George Lewis Faulkner was born in 1845 in Ireland, possibly Dublin.  He was the 2nd son of William Faulkner (1815 - ) and Annie Jane Crosby (1819 - 1876).  He died in Toronto, in the House of Industry in 1907.

As far as I can determine the William Faulkner family came to Canada between 1847 and 1849.  My great grandfather Ford Faulkner was born in Ontario, between the two dates.  The family was certainly living in Simcoe County by 1850 according to a baptism transcription.

George Lewis Faulkner married Mary Combs (1852 - ) in 1872 in Aurora, Ontario.  Mary's parents are listed as George and Phoebe Combs.  On the 1871 census, I found Mary living in Aurora with a Phoebe and  Robert P. Irwin.  I think Mary's father must have died and her mother re-married.  The witnesses to the marriage included an R.P. Irwin, who may have been Mary's step-father.  I haven't found George anywhere on the 1871 census.  He was not listed with his parents and I haven't come across a suitable candidate as yet.  However, there is a George L. Faulkner, Safemaker, listed in the 1871-1872 Toronto Directory, living on Queen Street East.

By the 1881 Census, George and Mary were living in Galt Ontario.  George is listed as a Safemaker and they have 4 children:

  • Matilda "Tillie"  born 1873 Toronto
  • Henry Lewis born 1875 Aurora
  • Robert Crosby born 1877 Toronto
  • Henrietta born 1881 Waterloo
By the 1891 Census, I had lost the family completely.  There was no family listed and I couldn't find the individual names either.  I assumed Mary Combs had died before 1896 as George married Jannett (Malcolm) Ling in 1896 in Galt Ontario.  Jannett was a widow, however George is listed as a bachelor.  I'm sure this is the right man he is listed as George L. Faulkner, parents William and Annie Faulkner, born in Ireland.  Well, I wonder what happened?

I dd some more research on Family Search and found that Henrietta and Henry Lewis Faulkner had died in the United States.

Henrietta married Christopher Reed Denham in Colorado in 1900.  Christopher Denham was born in Kentucky.  He lived in Colorado and the family moved to California.  Henrietta died in California in 1948.  According to the 1900 census Henrietta had emigrated  to the US in 1883.  Unfortunately, most of the 1890 US census was destroyed, so I haven't found where the family were located in 1890.

Another researcher on Ancestry has Matilda Faulkner marrying Charles Greely in Wisconsin in 1900.  I've discounted that for now as Matilda's parents are listed as John and Rosa Faulkner.

Henry Lewis Faulkner died in Washington State in 1924.  There was an interesting entry for the 1910 US Census.  I found a Harry L. living with with mother Mary  in Colorado.  I have no idea whether this is the same family, but it is interesting.  The age of Mary Faulkner and Harry L. Faulkner are consistent with the family I'm researching and they are both born in Canada and emigrated to the US in 1886.  I searched the 1900 US Census, but couldn't find Mary or Harry L. Faulkner.   Given that George Lewis Faulkner listed himself as a bachelor in 1896, it makes me wonder.

Further research for the 1901 Canada Census brought me more questions.  I haven't found George but I did find Jannet his second wife.  She is living in Galt with her parents, no George living with her.  She is listed as married.

George Lewis Faulkner died in 1907 in Toronto, in the Houses of Industry.  He is buried in the Necropolis Cemetery and his burial is listed as a Poor Adult Interment.

The questions remain did he take his family to the United States and then come back to Canada?  What happened to Mary Combs?  I haven't found a death certificate for her.  I haven't found any information on Robert Crosby Faulkner or Matilda Faulkner.  Did they go the the United States as well?