Bickford
Barbara Macgillivray
May 28, 2015 Benjamin Bickford - where he died/is buried & date? 1881 census - in Muskoka County, Monck Township, Religion=Church of England; born abt. 1834 (Ireland?) & died after 1881. Wife+ Mary Ann Hurd (1835/Templeton - 1911/Bracebridge.
Benjamin is alive on 1881 census and Mary is a widow on 1901 census.
The only Beckford/Bickfords I can find on 1891 census Bracebridge have a lot of info the same as the 1881 census but the head of the family is widowed. Cannot decipher head of family's name but age is 57 and born Quebec. There is Thomas 31, Wm 22, Emma B 19 and Allis B 14.The names fit with the Bickford family on 1881 census in Bracebridge. No occupation is given for the head of family. There are only two headstones in Bracebridge Cemetery for Bickfords. One for Mary who died 1911 and one for a William who was born 14 Apr 1869 and died 30 Nov 1915. I don't see a death rego for him on Ancestry.caUnfortunately records from the northern areas were rather sporadic in being returned to Toronto. Depended on when the government agent made his rounds to collect up the BMDs.Alice's parents are given as Benj Bickford and Mary Ann Herd on her marriage rego so the 1891 Allis is likely her. Try the cemetery records and see if Benjamin is listed as being buried there.
Thank you so much for giving me the info on the 1891 census - names were not spelled correctly & perhaps that is why I never found that census. I was in Muskoka last year & did go thru the cemetery with the local funeral home director - nice & helpful people in Muskoka & Bracebridge (& Collingwood too). Just need to solve the puzzle of where Benjamin Bickford was buried. Thanks for your help - I really appreciate this. Happy researching - Barbara
Census of 1891 - This Beckford family is NOT the Benjamin Bickford family as the only name that is similar is Thomas. Benjamin did not have any daughters named Emma or Allis & additionally, his wife, Mary Ann Hurd, was alive in 1891. So the quest for WHEN DID BENJAMIN BICKFORD DIE & WHERE IS HE BURIED continues?