Apted Ancestry – England and Scotland to Canada

Flag of England

The Apted family in Canada begins with George Apted (Junior) who was born about 1885 in Brighton, Sussex, England. He was the son of George Apted (Senior) (~1865-1914) and Elizabeth Ellen Prevett (1870-1925). According to the 1921 Canada Census, George Apted (Junior) moved to Canada from England in 1906. He married Edith Mary Walker on February 17, 1909 in the County of York, Division of Toronto. The Ontario Marriage Registration states that George was a farmer and that both George and Edith were 23 years old.

Edith Mary Walker was born in April 1885 in Ayrshire, Scotland, the daughter of Edwin John Walker (1853), aged 32, and Agnes Smithson (1853), aged 31. Edith is listed as 16 years old in the 1901 England Census when the family lived in Bristol, England. At that time, she worked as a boot machinist. In 1907, Edith moved to Canada.

The 1911 Canada Census states that George and Edith Apted lived in Toronto, Ontario. Two sons were born in Toronto: Ronald Austin Apted (March 26, 1913) and Ralph Douglas Apted (March 30, 1920). The 1921 Canada Census notes that the family comprising George (age 37), Edith (age 36), Ronald (age 7) and Ralph (age 2) lived in Toronto. The 1935 Canada Elections Act - List of Electors states that George Apted was living at that address with his wife and his son Ronald Apted. The 1940 List of Electors states that George Apted (stationary engineer) was still living there with his wife, his son Ronald (a Hydro layman) and his son Ralph (a mechanic).

Ralph Douglas Apted, 1968

Ralph Douglas Apted married Catherine Boyd Duff who was born in 1923 at Hamilton, Lanarkshire, Scotland. They had two sons. The 1957 Voters List states that Ralph Apted (a manager) and his wife Catherine lived in the Electoral District of Danforth, Toronto. By 1972, the Voters List states that Ralph and Catherine lived in Scarborough, Toronto. Their children, grandchildren and great grandchildren can now explore their Apted ancestry back to both England (before 1906) and Scotland (before 1907).

Mumford Ancestry – England to Canada

The Mumford family in Canada begins with George Mumford who was born in Halifax, Nova Scotia about 1806 and died there in 1876. He married Jane E. Higgins (1823-1912) around 1839 in Halifax. George and Jane had seven children. The oldest boy, named George Edward Mumford was born on February 24, 1854 in Halifax and died there on January 8, 1924. 

Ernest H. Mumford was born on August 10, 1884 in Halifax and died on August 10, 1957, aged 72, in Halifax. He was the son of George Edward Mumford (1854-1924), aged 30, and Margaret Hartling (1855-1935), aged 29. According to the 1908 Nova Scotia Marriage Registration (#81), Ernest married Margaret Cecilia Naylor (1886-1965) on March 2, 1908 in Halifax. Ernest was 23 and Margaret was 21. Their marriage lasted 49 years.

Ernest and Margaret had five children: Margaret “Peggy” Louise, Ernest Patrick, Bernard Joseph, George and Margaret Cecilia. Margaret Cecilia Mumford was born on November 4, 1922 in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Her christening was on December 27, 1922 and her confirmation was on May 27, 1934 in Halifax. She died on April 12, 1998, aged 75, in Oakville, Ontario and was buried next to her husband at Trafalgar Lawn Cemetery, Oakville. 

It is noteworthy that Ernest and his son, Bernard Joseph, were killed as a result of a car accident in 1957. The Nova Scotia Death Registration (#02-004301), dated August 11, 1957 states that Ernest H. Mumford was buried at the Gates of Heaven Cemetery in Halifax.

Margaret Cecilia Mumford (Smith)

Margaret Mumford married Russell Cannon Smith (1920-1995) during a snowstorm on December 28, 1944 in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Russell was 24 and Margaret was 22. Their marriage lasted 50 years. They had five children, a boy and four girls. Their children, grandchildren and great grandchildren can now explore their Mumford ancestry in Canada back to 1806, more than 200 years ago.

Smith Ancestry – England to United States to Canada (second stage)

As noted in the previous post on the Smith Ancestry, Abijah Smith (1783-1869) was born in Halifax, Nova Scotia. He was the first Smith to be born as a Canadian. Abijah had a son named Caleb Nickerson Smith (1814-1893) who was also born in Halifax and died there at the age of 79. In turn, Caleb had a son named John Caleb Smith (1852-1940). John Caleb married his second wife Emmeline Deborah Boutilier (1859-1940) in 1881.

John was 42 years old and Emmeline was 34 years old when Ernest Milburn Smith was born on May 5, 1894 in Tantallon, Halifax, Nova Scotia. Ernest was the sixth of nine children (seven boys and two girls). According to the Nova Scotia Certificate of Death, Ernest was a cobbler (shoemaker), he died on November 9, 1948 at the age of 54 and he was buried at Fort Massey Cemetery in Halifax.

Ernest Milburn Smith, circa 1919

Ernest enlisted for service in the Canadian Over-Seas Expeditionary Force on December 21, 1915. He was sent to fight in World War 1 and survived. During the war, Ernest met Bessie Cannon. When the war was over, Ernest Milburn Smith and Bridget “Bessie” Cannon were married on January 15, 1919 in Govan Parish, Lanarkshire, Glasgow, Scotland. Ernest was 24 and Bridget was 27. Their marriage lasted 29 years. Ernest and Bessie sailed from Scotland to Canada in 1919. Russell Cannon Smith, their first child, was born the following year in Halifax on March 18, 1920. They had three more children, all girls.

It is noteworthy that, on November 29, 1915, Ernest’s younger brother Malcolm Russell Smith (1896-1917) enlisted in the Canadian Over-Seas Expeditionary Force. He served in World War 1 as a member of the 10^th Machine Gun Company (Regimental Number 488787). He was killed in action on August 21, 1917 in the battle at Vimy Ridge. He was only 21 years old. Malcolm was buried at Villers Station Cemetery, France. Several online memorials honour his sacrifice, including: Canadian Virtual War Memorial, Canada at War and First World War - Books Of Remembrance. Perhaps Ernest and Bessie named their only son, Russell Cannon Smith (born March 18, 1920), in his memory as well. The name “Russell” has not been observed in the Smith family lineage dating back to Robert Smith (1539-1590).

Russell Cannon Smith,  1939

Russell Cannon Smith (1920-1995) married Margaret Cecilia Mumford (1922-1998) on December 28, 1944 in Halifax, Nova Scotia. At that time, he had enlisted for one of many terms of service for the Canadian Army as an artillery instructor (his photo in uniform is shown above). 

Russell was 24 and Margaret was 22 when they wed. Their marriage lasted 50 years. They had five children, a boy and four girls. Their children, grandchildren and several great grandchildren can now explore their Smith ancestry all the way back to England in the 1500s and back to Canada in the mid 1700s when Abijah Smith was born in Halifax, Nova Scotia and whose parents emigrated from the United States.

Smith Ancestry – England to United States to Canada (first stage)

The Smith Family ancestors have their roots in England dating back to at least 1539 with Robert Smith (1539-1590), James Smith (1558-1593) and John Smith (1585-1640). The son of John Smith was Ralph Smith (1610-1685). He left England as a bachelor in 1633 on the sailing ship Elizabeth Bonaventure and arrived at Eastham, Barnstable, Massachusetts which was part of the British colonies in North America at that time.

Ralph Smith has been acknowledged as a “Pioneer of Distinction” for helping to settle the new world. Three more generations remained in the Massachusetts area: Thomas Smith (1649-1720), David Smith (1691-1734) and Solomon Smith (1715-1790). The Smith family ancestry in Canada begins with the son of Solomon who was Elisha Smith (1749-1841). Elisha moved to Canada about 1775 and his son Abijah Smith (1783-1869) was born in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

It is noteworthy that in 1775, the 13 British colonies in North America began a rebellion to declare their independence from the British crown. Those who sided with the British were called Loyalists. Many Loyalists chose to serve with the British military, sometimes fighting against family and former neighbours. It is estimated that more than 70,000 Loyalists fled with about 50,000 finding their way to Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and portions of Quebec, some of which later became a part of Ontario. Loyalists and their descendants were granted lands in Canada, depending on whether they were the head of the household and their rank in military service.

Abijah Smith had a son named Caleb Nickerson Smith (1814-1893) who was also born in Halifax and died there at the age of 79. In turn, Caleb had a son named John Caleb Smith (1852-1940). John Caleb married his second wife Emmeline Deborah Boutilier (1859-1940) in 1881. The Smith family journey to Canada continues in the next posting.