Overview of our Mumford Ancestors – Family History and Life Stories

The Mumford surname has a French locational origin from Montford-sur-Risle in Normandy, France. It is based on the Olde French “mont” (a hill) plus “fort” (strong and impregnable). The ancient Coat of Arms has the blazon of a blue lion saliant on a gold field, the Crest being a demi cat rampant. The first recorded spelling of the family name is that of Hugo de Montford, which was dated 1086, in the Domesday Book, during the reign of King William I, known as “William the Conqueror” (1066-1087).

The Mumford Family ancestors have their roots in England dating back to before 1566 when Hugh Parker Mumford was born. He was the son of John Mumford (1542-1574) and Margaret Parker (1543-1574) who lived in Essex, England. The three generations of descendants of Hugh Mumford were all named Thomas Mumford.

The ancestry records indicate that Thomas Mumford I (1585-1660) emigrated to the the British colonies in North America in 1650. Thomas Mumford II (1625-1692) had a son named Thomas Mumford III (1656-1726) who was born in Kingstown, Washington County, Rhode Island, USA (New England).

His descendant, George Mumford was born on December 9, 1730, in South Kingstown, Rhode Island. He married Mary Dickenson (1742-1803) on April 6, 1761, in his hometown. A short time later, the family emigrated to Nova Scotia in Canada. Their son, Benjamin Mumford (1764-1841) was born in Windsor, Nova Scotia, Canada.

For an overview of our Mumford ancestors in North America, read Family History of the Mumford Ancestors – Life Stories. It contains excerpts from Appendix E of the 2018 book titled Exploring Our Ancestry: The Roy-Apted Family History in Canada and Beyond, by J. Paul-Emile Roy, CPA, CA.

Smith Ancestry – Remembering the Battle of Vimy Ridge

When Great Britain declared war on Germany in August 1914, its Dominion of Canada automatically entered the fight, inspiring thousands to enlist. Eventually 619,000 Canadian troops joined British and French forces in Europe and quickly earned a reputation for toughness. In April 1915, the Second Battle of Ypres, a massive chlorine gas attack broke the line, but Canadian troops held the Germans until help arrived. Two years into the war at the Battle of the Somme, the 1st Newfoundland Regiment gave their all: after the first day, only 68 of some 800 soldiers survived.

Succeeding where British and French soldiers had failed, the Canadian Corps also captured the strategic point of Vimy Ridge (see the 100th Anniversary of the Battle of Vimy Ridge - Veterans Affairs Canada). Canadian women pitched in too, and more than 3,000 nurses volunteered. The courage of the Canadian soldiers did not go unnoticed, and ultimately 70 received the Victoria Cross for “most conspicuous bravery in the presence of the enemy.”

The Smith Ancestry – England to United States to Canada (second stage) tells the story of how John Caleb Smith (1852-1940) married his second wife Emmeline Deborah Boutilier (1859-1940) in 1881. As their family tree shows, they had 8 children (6 boys and 2 girls). The records indicate that all 6 boys enlisted and served in World War 1 (see Footage - Canada at War).

John Caleb Smith and Emmeline Deborah Boutilier Family Tree

Ernest Milburn Smith, c.1916

Ernest Milburn Smith (our direct line ancestor) enlisted for service in the Canadian Over-Seas Expeditionary Force on December 21, 1915. His three older brothers followed. Horace Mazlin enlisted on March 25, 1916 and Norman Lindsay joined the Canadian Over-Seas Expeditionary Force on April 26, 1916. The WW1 US Draft Registration Card states that Isaac Caleb enlisted on September 12, 1918. 

Malcolm (Mack) Russell Smith, c.1916

Ernest’s younger brother, Malcolm Russell Smith (born in 1896) was the first of the Smith boys to enlist in the Canadian Over-Seas Expeditionary Force on November 29, 1915. Malcolm (known as Mack) was a member of the 10^th Machine Gun Company (Regimental Number 488787).

On August 9, 1917, Mack sent a hopeful letter to his older sister Gladys Bernice about the situation on the front lines in the trenches. Mack's letter states that he had recently seen his younger brother Weldon and that he was well (which proves that Weldon had also enlisted). His letter also says that Ernest (the lucky one) was recovering in a military hospital and made blighty, which means he would probably be sent back to England. He closes by sending his "love to all the children."

Malcolm Smith WW1 letter 1917 (click to enlarge)

On August 21, 1917, less than two weeks after writing that letter, Mack was killed in action in the battle at Vimy Ridge. At only 21 years old, he 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.

Malcolm Russell Smith Headstone - 1917

LEST WE FORGET!

Recap of the Roy-Apted Ancestry

The previous posts provide a lot of insight on the Roy-Apted ancestry. For each of the eight family lines, this genealogy research captures the family history data back to the time our ancestors made the journey to Canada and, in many cases, before that.

Here is a recap, with a focus on the first generation of non-living ancestors:

1.     Emile Roy and his ancestors from France;

2.     Angeline Hogue and her ancestors from France;

3.     Russell Smith and his ancestors from the United States and England;

4.     Margaret Mumford and her ancestors from England;

5.     Ralph Apted and his ancestors from England and Scotland;

6.     Catherine Duff and her ancestors from Scotland;

7.     Harold McConnell and his ancestors from Ireland

8.     Marjorie Latta and her ancestors from Ireland.

Much of the data that forms the foundation for this family genealogy is currently available in online family trees. More is being added as time goes by. The data includes family group sheets that provide a profile for the individual person, a timeline of key events in that person’s life, the names and lifespan of the parents and children, and the names and lifespan of the siblings. That data also includes many historical records for the Roy-Apted families to view, inspect and treasure now and in future generations.

What’s next? Expect to read short stories about key events that had an impact on the first generation of non-living ancestors.

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.