Mary Porter (1853 - 1911)

Birth:
August 28, 1853; Lot 16, Concession 10, St. Vincent Township
Death:
September 19, 1911 (age 58); Lot 26, Concession 9, St. Vincent Township
Buried:
Duxbury’s Cemetery, St. Vincent Township
Parents:
Marriage:

The Atkins farm was located at Lot 26, Concession 9 of St. Vincent Township, part of the Irish Mountain. This was where Levi Atkins grew up with his parents, Joseph and Ellen Atkins. Joseph Atkins purchased 100 acres, the south half of the lot, from the Crown, then willed it to his son Levi in 1900. Levi sold the farm to his daughter and son-in-law, Hattie and Frederick G. Ellis in 1926, with the condition that they would be joint tenants with a bedroom reserved for him in the house. In 1942 this farm became the property of the Meaford Tank Range, so it is now inaccessible. (To see a picture of the house on this farm, see page 85 of History of The Schools of St. Vincent Township and Other Chronicles, 1847-1967.) Mr. and Mrs. Ellis moved to Meaford when they sold the farm.

According to the 1861 census of William Porter in St. Vincent Township, Levi Atkins was a labourer, age 14, living with the Porters and of Wesleyan Methodist faith.

Levi Atkins married Mary Porter in 1874 at her parents’ home. They had 11 children, three of whom died at an early age and were buried in Duxbury’s Cemetery, St. Vincent Township.

The 1881 St. Vincent township census lists Levi at age 33, born in Ontario of German descent, Mary, age 27, born in Ontario of English descent, and three children: Hattie, age 4, William, age 3, Arthur under 1 year.

The 1891 St. Vincent township census lists Levi, age 43, Mary age 37, Hattie age 14. Ellen age 8, Morley age 6, Elizabeth age 4, Sarah age 2 and Joseph age 7 months. They were all born in Ontario and were of Methodist faith. Levi’s parents were born in Ireland; Mary’s father was born in England and her mother in Ireland.

Mary Atkins died at their farm, Lot 26, Concession 9 in 1911. Levi died in 1931 at his granddaughter’s home, Marion Ellis Maxwell.

Alice Mary Atkins was born in 1874 at Lot 26, Concession 9 of St. Vincent Township and died 2 years later. She was buried in Duxbury’s Cemetery, St. Vincent Township.

Hattie Atkins was born in 1876 at Lot 26, Concession 9 of St. Vincent Township. She married Frederick George Ellis in 1900 at her parents’ home. They bought Hattie’s home farm from her father in 1926 and sold it in 1942 for the Meaford Tank Range. Hattie and Frederick Ellis had 5 children—George Atkins, Clara Elizabeth, Levi Howard, Marion Florence, and Grenfell Frederick Ellis. The Ellis children attended S.S. #5 School known as Mount Pleasant or Irish Mountain School at Lot 24, Concession 9. This school is now part of the Meaford Tank Range property. Hattie and Frederick Ellis attended Mount Pleasant Methodist Church. (Note 1)

William Stanley Atkins was born in 1880 at Lot 26, Concession 9 of St. Vincent Township and died at the age of 4 years. He is buried in Duxbury’s Cemetery, St. Vincent Township.

Arthur Andrew Atkins was born in 1881 and died at 11 months of age. He too is buried in Duxbury’s Cemetery.

Ellen Louise (Helen Louisa) Atkins was born in 1882 at Lot 26, Concession 9 of St. Vincent Township.

Ellen Atkins married George Alfred Bishop in 1906 at the St. Vincent parsonage. George had gone west in 1895 and homesteaded in the Calvin, Saskatchewan district. George came home to Meaford, married Ellen and they moved back out to Saskatchewan. They later moved to a farm 3 miles northeast of Glen Ewen, Saskatchewan. Ellen was a member of the Mizpah Rebekah Lodge. Her obituary states she was of a friendly disposition and endeared herself to everyone who came in contact with her. She was always held in the highest esteem by everyone. Ellen died in 1923. George retired from the farm in 1944 and moved to Carnduff, Saskatchewan. He served as a councillor of Mount Pleasant for 18 years and for several years was trustee on the Mount Pleasant School Board. He was prominently associated with the start of the Wheat Pool in Glen Ewen, keenly interested in community affairs and helped form a IOOF Lodge in Glen Ewen in 1909. Ellen and George Bishop had four children—Arthur, Audrey, Dorothy, and Jean Bishop.

Morley Atkins was born in 1885 at Lot 26, Concession 9 of St. Vincent Township and married Florence Smith. They farmed for 30 years in the Irish Mountain area, now part of the Meaford Tank Range. After Morley died, Florence moved to 128 Cook Street. They had no children.

Elizabeth Atkins was born in 1886 at Lot 26, Concession 9 of St. Vincent Township. She went west in 1916 to train as a nurse at Regina General Hospital, Regina, Saskatchewan. While there, she collected the nickname Tommy which many used throughout her life. During her nursing career, she cared for several of Saskatchewan’s lieutenant-governors at Government House. While on assignment, Elizabeth met Stewart Champ, a prominent Regina restauranteur and businessman. They married in 1928 and built a grand house on Albert Street, using imported marble, tile and furniture from overseas. Elizabeth was a founding member of the IODE Embury Chapter and served several years with the Victorian Order of Nurses. Elizabeth and Stewart had two children—Donald Stewart and Jane Elizabeth Champ.

Sara Jane Atkins was born in 1888 at Lot 26, Concession 9 of St. Vincent Township. She married John Patterson Curle of Mildmay in 1915 and moved west to their farm 8 miles northwest of Carnduff, Saskatchewan. They had 6 children—Marion Grace, Doreen Elizabeth, Gerald Stewart, Melba Geraldine, Kenneth John, and Bruce Beverley Curle. Gerald and Geraldine were twins.

Joseph Atkins was born in 1890 on the family farm at Lot 26, Concession 9 of St. Vincent Township. He moved west to Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan. Joseph never married. Joseph attended Babcock’s School, S.S. #16, at Lot 22, Concession 11. It is no longer standing. (Note 2)

William Porter Atkins was born in 1892 at Lot 26, Concession 9, St. Vincent Township. He married Helen Murphy and they had 3 children—Pat, Jean and Bud Atkins.

Frederick Levi Atkins was born in 1894 at Lot 26, Concession 9 of St. Vincent Township. He married Edna Grace Stevens and they lived on the Queen Charlotte Islands, British Columbia. They had 2 children—Stanley Frederick Edmund and Grace Marie (Sue) Atkins. Fred was a life member of Ketsilas Lodge #123 in Terrace, British Columbia.

School pictures of the Atkins family can be found on the following pages of History of The Schools of St. Vincent Township and Other Chronicles, 1847-1967:

page 32:
Helen Ellis

page 33:
Marjorie Ellis

page 34:
Helen Ellis

page 37:
Linda Ellis

page 42:
Christiane Cramp

page 43:
Jim Cramp

page 44:
John Cramp
Kathleen Cramp

page 57:
Betty Ellis

page 72:
Arthur Cramp
Jean Cramp

page 80:
Lizzie Ellis
Levi Ellis
George Ellis

page 81:
Marion Ellis

page 189:
Joseph Atkins
Fred Atkins

Notes

Note 1: History of The Schools of St. Vincent Township and Other Chronicles, pages 80,81,234

Note 2: History of The Schools of St. Vincent Township and Other Chronicles, 1847-1967. Page 189