Arthur Alonzo Aiken (1899 - 1967)

Born 23 Sep 1899 in Glen Sutton, Sutton, Brome, Quebec, Canada

Ancestors

Husband of Maud Evelyn (Morrison) Aiken — married 3 Jul 1920 in Lyndonville, Caledonia, Vermont, United States

Died 29 Jul 1967 at age 67 in North Troy, Orleans, Vermont, United States

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Biography

Arthur Alonzo Aiken was born in Glen Sutton in 1899^[1][2]. He was the third and youngest child of Alonzo Aiken and Mary Jersey. He appeared at age 1 on the 1901 Census for Sutton^[3]. This census, in spite of mangled transcription of names, corroborates his birth date. He was listed there with his two older siblings and two step-siblings. He also appeared on the 1911 census with his parents and two siblings.^[4]

On Dec. 2nd, 1918, Arthur moved for a time to Richford, Vermont to take work. The following is a transcription of the documentation of his crossing into Vermont at that time^[5].

"AIKEN, Arthur A. (Perm. Adm.) port of Richford, Vt. Age 19, Male, Single, farm laborer, date 2 Dec 1918, 5'11", ruddy complection, black hair, gr. eyes, nationality - Canadian, race - English, b.d. Glen Sutton, Quebec, can write, money shown $75, last perm res. Glen Sutton, Canada, destination Richford, Vt; passage paid by self, never lived in US before, (had visited Richford), going to join brother C. H. Aiken in Richford, remaining for indefinite time; purpose - to work; not intending on becoming a US citizen, head tax status CPR 103294; alone; a Canadian citizen; nearest relative in country of origin - father Alonzo H. Aiken, Glen Sutton, Quebec, Travelling by CPR 213. On the back of card - "Came last week on short visit to brother and found employment with Nelson & Hall Co. Intends to return to home in Glen Sutton next spring." Signed Arthur L. Weeks, Immigrant Inspector"

Arthur married Maud Evelyn Morrison on 3 July 1920 in St, Johnsbury, Caledonia, Vermont^[6][7]. The couple had met in church only about 2 months earlier. Arthur's father in his dairy noted on 4 July 1920 that "Arthur came home and brought his new wife with him, a complete surprise to us". Arthur was at time of marriage identified as a "carpenter" and on his first son's birth record as an "insurance agent". In Oct. 1921, they lived in Danville, Vermont (per Arthur's father's diary). The following is a photo of Arthur in his early working days:

Arthur Alonzo Aiken

Arthur and Maude had 11 children, born in various places in Quebec and Vermont^[8]:

1. Arthur "Sonny" Alonzo Jr. b. 16 June 1922 (St. Johnsbury, Vermont birth, Concord, Vt. residence); m. Mavis Fullerton, 29 Dec. 1940; d. 31 August 2003 (Cowansville, Quebec)
2. Edith Mary b. 17 Sept. 1923 (Abercorn, Quebec); m. Harold Claude McLean, 16 Nov 1941; d. 6 Aug.1996
3. Shirley Evelyn b. 10 Sept. 1925 (St. Johnsbury, Vermont); m. Berton Merrill Bailey, 6 Aug. 1943; d. 6 Feb. 1978
4. Catherine Muriel b. 29 June 1927 d. 8 Aug. 1931 (Orleans, Vermont)
5. Lorna Belle b. 25 Sept. 1930, died same day (Verdun, Quebec)
6. Eleanor Lucile b. 3 Feb 1932 (Verdun, Quebec); m1. Donald Lawrence Grayton, 19 Aug. 1950; m2. Malcolm Hall; d. 2 Aug. 2017
7. Robert Morrison b. 26 Jan 1934 (Vale Perkins, Quebec); m1. Michiko (Tony); m2. Paula Kelly; d. 6 July 2016
8. Rev. Catherine Maxine b. 3 March 1936 (Mansonville, Quebec); m1. Laurent Pierre Cadieux, 29 Aug. 1955; m2. John M. Medeiros, Sept. 1980
9. Rev. Donald Maxwell b. 24 March 1937 (Mansonville, Quebec); m. Edna Taylor; d. 28 June 2001
10. Audrey Anne b. 24 Aug. 1938, (Mansonville, Quebec); m. Bryce Graham Wilson, 18 Oct. 1958; d. 19 August 2018, and
11. Ronald Alan b. 31 Aug. 1946 (farm, Mansonville, Quebec), m. Kathryn Smith, 10 Dec. 1966.

The couple had moved from Vermont back to Abercorn, Quebec in July 1923, just before and after Arthur's father died. But they shortly moved back to St. Johnsbury, then Orleans, VT. Between about 1929 and 1932, the family next lived in Montreal. Then to a farm in Vale Perkins 1932-1935. In Nov. 1935, the family moved to the Baptist parsonage between Mansonville and Dunkin.^[9] In late 1938 or early 1939, they moved to a farm in the West Hill area of Mansonville, then in late 1945 to a house just across the river in Mansonville village. In 1954, Arthur and Maud moved back to Vermont (North Troy), with Arthur being hired full time by American Maple Products in Newport, VT. Their Mansonville house was taken over by Arthur Aiken, Jr.

Arthur passed away in 1967 of a heart attack, in North Troy, Vermont, his place of residence at that time. He was 67.^[10][11][12]. On his death certificate, his occupation is shown as "maple syrop grader". His wife survived him by 7 years. He was interred in Mansonville Protestant Cemetery, Row #13^[13][14]

The following Obituary appeared at the time, in an un-recorded newspaper:

DEATH: Arthur A. Aiken. Arthur Alonzo Aiken of North Troy died Saturday, July 29, in his 68th year. Funeral services will be held Tuesday, Aug. 1, at 2 p.m. at the United Church in Mansonville, Que., with Rev. Carl Gustafson officiating. Interment will follow in the Mansonville cemetery. A Masonic service will be held at the Wilson and Sons Funeral Home this evening at 8 p.m. Mr. Aiken was born in Glen Sutton, Que. He had been employed for the past 15 years as syrup buyer at the American Maple Products, Inc., in Newport. Survivors include his widow, Maude (Morrison) Aiken of North Troy and the following children: Arthur Aiken, Mansonville, Que., Mrs. H.C. (Edith) McLean, Highwater, Que., Mrs. Berton (Shirley) Bailey, Sutton, Que., Mrs. Donald (Eleanor) Grayton, Montreal, S-Sgt. Robert Aiken, U.S. Army, Mrs. L.P. (Katherine) Cadieux, Orleans, S-Sgt. Donald Aiken, U.S. Air Force, Mrs. Bryce (Audrey) Wilson, Ringwood, N.J., and Alan Aiken in North Troy.

Sources

1. ↑ Birth date and place transcribed from Alonzo Aiken's Family Bible
2. ↑ Dunkin 2nd Advent Church Civil Records, F.3, 1902
3. ↑ 1901 Canada Census, Quebec Province, District 144 Brome, SubDistrict J, Sutton Polling SubDivision Nbr. 5, Pg. 2, Dwelling 10, Family 11, Line 3| Collections Canada, "Ather Alein"
4. ↑ 1911 Canada Census, Quebec Province, District 149 Brome, SubDistrict Nbr 5, Division 4 Sutton, Pg. 5, Line 5| 1901 Canada Census, "Athe Aikens, Age 11"
5. ↑ Department of Naturalization Records, St. Albans District, AGLL Film #M1462-0004
6. ↑ Vermont Marriage Records, St. Johnsbury, 1920| Marriage, Aiken - Morrison
7. ↑ Marriage Notice, Vermont Union-Journal, Lyndonville, Vt., 7 July 1920| Page 8 (attached)
8. ↑ Birth dates and places transcribed from Alonzo Aiken's Family Bible
9. ↑ Sherbrooke Daily Record, Sherbrooke, Quebec, 16 Nov. 1935| Page 3
10. ↑ Mansonville United Church Records, Book 5, F.100
11. ↑ Vermont Death Records, North Troy, 1967, Certificate Nbr. 32| Death, Arthur Aiken
12. ↑ Death Notice, Sherbrooke Daily Record, 31 July 1967, Page 5 (attached)
13. ↑ Mansonville Protestant Cemetery, Listing as compiled 14 Oct 1991 by Kenneth Jones & John and Gwen Davis Morton
14. ↑ Find A Grave: Memorial #141063135 for "Arthur A. Aiken"

See Also:

• Family Search | Arthur Alonzo Aiken