A General Inquiry
James Noble Kennedy was accidentally drowned with three other men on 30 June 1899 at Parry Sound, leaving a widow Charlotte (nee Chester), a 2-year-old son, and it is believed one other child. What was the cause of the accident, and is it known what happened to his widow and small children? His son Harvey James Kennedy was my mother's first husband., and father of my half-brother Ronald and half-sister Thelma (both now deceased).
1 comment
Diane Shaw
There were four men accidentally drowned from 2 June 1899 to 6 Aug 1899.
No special note for James Kennedy except he was a logman.One man named John Plunkett died 14 June but his body wasn’t found until 4 October.Three of them including your Kennedy lived in French River.Registration # 020372 French River Tsp Parry Sound District. The full death rego may have more information on it.BIrths from Ancestry.caParents: Jas Kennedy and Charlotte/Lottie ChesterJames Harvey, b 22 Jan 1897 Parry SoundNoble Chester, b 2 Feb 1892, Midland SimcoeAlma Charlotte, 30 April 1895 Parry SoundAlma’s birth is a Declaration of Birth given by her mother Charlotte JORDAN of 868 Bathurst St Toronto given on 19 Aug 1930.Mother’s maiden name is given as Charlotte Francis [ Francis was her second name]. Father James Noble Kennedy who was a foreman at the time of Alma’s birth.James Noble Kennedy, 29, living Midland Ont, born New York State USA, lumber shipper, s/o Abraham Kennedy and Hannah, married Charlotte Frances Chester, 20, living Tay Tsp Simcoe County, born Scarborough York County Ont, d/o Henry Chester and Martha, 1 March 1891 at Midland. Registraton # 010851.Yes she remarriedCharlotte Frances Kennedy, 29, married Joseph Jordan, 34, shoemaker, 25 Dec 1902 at York County Ontario. Her parents are listed as Henry Kennedy and Martha which confused me but that was a mistake with her being married under the last name Kennedy and they likely just asked her parents names and she said Henry and Martha and whoever was filling out the form assumed it was Kennedy.1911 census Toronto North 868 Bathurst StreetJORDANJoseph, Nov 1868, England, 42, immigrated 1874, shoe merchantCharlotte, Oct 1873, 37Winnie, Oct 1896, 14Lloyd, July 1898, 12Chester, July 1904, 6Ewart, May 1906, 3George, Nov 1901, 10Where are the children from first marriage?1921 census has Charlotte at same address.1901 census Toronto EastKENNEDYLottie, widow, 31 Oct 1872, 28, tailoressNoble C, 2 Feb 1892, 9Harvey, 22 Jan 1897, 4No Alma!WW1 AttestationJames Harvey Kennedy b 22 Jan 1896 French River Ont, 868 Bathurst St Toronto, next of kin: Lottie Kennedy Jordan of same address, motor mechanic. Signed up at Toronto 11 Dec 1915.Border CrossingKENNEDY, Harvey J, 19, contact: sister Alma Lumsden of 106 Huntley St Toronto. Last permanent address: Detroit USA.Find a grave has a Harvey J Kennedy b 1897 died 1951 and buried Saint James-on-the-lines Cemetery in Penetanguishene, Simcoe County Ontario.The headstone has not been photographed as yet.That is near Midland where James and Charlotte were married.James Chester Noble Kennedy, 23, s/o James Noble Kennedy & Charlotte Chester married Mary Lily Muir , 23, 7 July 1913 at Toronto.A family tree on line has Alma Charlotte Kennedy marrying Manson James Bradley 01 Jan 1916 in Toronto but I don’t see any marriage rego for them on Ancestry.caLooks like they moved to US between 1921-1927.1950 US/Canada Border CrossingAlma Charlotte Bradley, 54, b French River, US Citizen, visiting sister Reta Cury in Midland. She is living in Philadelphia .She likely needed the Declaration of BIrth when applying for US citizenship.The family tree says she died Mar 1983 in Camden NJ.