Arthur Allison Bartlett (1853 - 1920)

Born 5 Nov 1853 in Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada

Ancestors

Husband of Margaret Scott (Rankin) Bartlett — married 30 Aug 1882 in Charlottetown, Queens, Prince Edward Island, Canada

Descendants

Died 14 Dec 1920 at age 67 in Charlottetown, Queens, Prince Edward Island, Canada

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Pat Miller [send private message]

Biography

This profile is part of the Bartlett Name Study.

Arthur Bartlett lived in Prince Edward Island.

Arthur was born in 1853, the youngest surviving son of James Holly Bartlett and Charlotte Hutchinson. His father was a railway conductor and his older brother Wellington a fireman for the railway. Arthur started work in 1872 as a clerk. He was age 24 and in the city during The Great Fire of 1877 that destroyed the entire business section of Saint John, and many residences, including the Bartlett family home on Princess Street. Arthur and other family members fled to his sister Lizzie (Bartlett) Prichard's house outside the city.

Portrait of Arthur Bartlett

Saint John was rebuilt but Arthur moved to Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island. He married Maggie Rankin in Charlottetown in 1882. Arthur became an agent for British Colonial Postage Stamps for Collectors and Dealers and worked at this occupation the rest of his days.

Arthur A. Bartlett's Letterhead

The Bartlett's had a daughter Mary born in 1885. Arthur served during World War I in Canada with the Prince Edward Island Heavy Battery, Canadian Garrison Artillery. He was an Officer in charge of supplies and transport overseas. He signed on August 1, 1915 and was struck off strength Sept 23, 1918 as being surplus to requirements. He began as a Captain and reached the rank of Major.

Arthur passed away in December 1920 according to the Bartlett family profile in Mitchell's book History of Bridgewater. I haven't been able to locate a death record or newspaper notice yet but I will continue to search. Photo of Arthur as an older man.

Arthur A. Bartlett

Arthur's Letter to his sister Lizzie (Bartlett) Prichard

Elizabeth Stymest Bartlett

Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island August 2, 1910

My dear Lizzie, It seems to me an interminable age since I wrote a letter, and as Lottie (Arthur's sister Charlotte "Lottie" Bartlett) sent me over for perusal your letter from Owen Sound of the 15th, the thought struck me that perhaps you would not object to a few lines from me to let you know I was still in the land of the living. From the tone of your letter I presume you do not like your new sojourning place as well as Hampton or St. John. I have never been there for each time that I went through to the Pacific, I went first by Sudbury and the Soo, and in the second time by the direct way right through by the north of Lake Superior. I have often thought I would like to go by Owen Sound, and then by those lovely C P R boats to Port Arthur; it would make such a nice break in the journey.

Arthur Bartlett's Letter to his sister, Lizzie

I got a letter from Minnie a day or two ago, and I am answering it today; it was the first time she has written me since Allan's death his death was a very sad one, and it seems hard that after all his hard work he should not have been spared for a good many years to reap the benefit of his industry and hard work, keeping so close to business. (Allan Travis husband of Mary Holly Bartlett, Arthur's sister. Minnie was their daughter. Allan died May 11, 1910).

They drop out, one by one, Uncle Harry, Aunt Kitty, Father, Mother, Mary (Mary (Bartlett) Travis d. 25 Feb 1905), Sarah (Sarah Hutchison Bartlett d. 17 June 1866), Wellington (Wellington Bartlett d. 3 Jan 1899), Allan (Allan Travis d. 11 May 1910), Jennie (Jennie Hutchinson Macmichael d. 14 Dec 1902), and of the generation to which we belong there are practically in our family circle only the four of us left ( Arthur, Lizzie, Lottie and Kate).

I see by your letter that you are having extremely hot weather in your new home; we in Charlottetown have had a pretty warm streak of weather for about two or three weeks, but during June we had a good deal of rain. One thing about the weather on this Island, there are never any hot nights, one can always sleep, and after a hot day the evening in almost all cases is deliciously cool, very often too cool.

Fishing in Prince Edward Island 1907

Last night for instance I sat out in front of the house and for comfort sake put on a light overcoat. You speak of liking to live in Vancouver, and in that I do not think you would make any mistake, for it has a great future and according to my opinion is a most delightful place for one to live. There is a freedom, and a go-aheadness about everything in the west that is very lacking in these Lower Provinces, and I have a lot of faith in Vancouver. You speak of Marie and the baby coming up; of course that is all Greek to me, and I do not know of whom you are talking. It was as you say an awful fire in Campbelltown, and I do not know what the poor people are to do. You and I can sympathize with them for we can never forget the awful time that we had during the awful St. John fire. I can remember the morning when we all found ourselves out at your home on Loch Lomond Road, and how hopeless the whole thing seemed; it was such a desperate experience.

While I am writing this in the office, a young woman called Margaret Bartlett is sitting beside me laughing at me with all her might as I am punching the typewriter for she never comes to my office, and has never seen me write before and it strikes her as very funny. She is down town to see the dentist.

Lottie and Minnie both write me of the lovely trip they contemplate taking (to Europe) and I am giving them any information I can in the matter, and am going to loan them a lot of books. It will be a great boon for Lottie as she has never been much away from home and the trip they propose is a delightful one that they will have something to think of for all their life.

We are all well over here and all send love to you three for I suppose by the time this reaches you Florence will be with you, as you say she will come about the first of August. Frances is I presume very well, and your two girls must be a great comfort to you. This is just a letter to let you know that I am thinking of you once in a while, and hope that you will drop me a line some time when you have some spare moments.

And now good-bye, Your loving brother, Arthur

Sources

• History of the Early Settlement of Bridgewater in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, including an Extensive Family Register by Nahum Mitchell 1840, under BARTLETT: Arthur Allison Bartlett, born Nov. 5, 1852 , St. John (note: conflicts with birthdate on military record of Nov. 5, 1853) Married Margaret Rankin Aug. 30, 1882. Died Dec. 14, 1920, at Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island
• 1871 Census of Canada, Queen Ward, Saint John (city), James H. Bartlett 61, Rail R. Conductor, Charlott M. Bartlett 55, Charlott Bartlett 23, Elizabeth S. Bartlett 21, ARTHUR A. BARTLETT 18, shop clerk, Kate Bartlett 11
• 1901 Census of Canada, Charlottetown, P.E.I., Cowan B. Rankin 42, druggist, Annie Rankin 70, mother, Mary Killes 98, great aunt, ARTHUR A. BARTLETT 42, lodger (brother-in-law), Margaret Bartlett 35 (sister), Mary H. Bartlett 15 (niece), Susan Malene 35, servant, Annie McAleer 35, servant
• 1911 Census of Canada, Charlottetown, P.E.I., Annie Rankin 82, Arthur Bartlett 58, son-in-law, Margaret S. Bartlett 47, dau, Mary Bartlett 26, granddaughter, Mary McCabe 22, servant, Josephine King 24, servant
• Prince Edward Island, Canada, Marriage Registers, 1832-1888, by license, ARTHUR ALLISON BARTLETT and Maggie Scott Rankin 29 Aug 1882, Charlottetown
• McAlpine's Saint John City Directory, 1877 ARTHUR A. BARTLETT bookkeeper at CR Ray's, h(ouse) 148 Princess, Saint John
• Canada, World War I CEF Personnel Files 1914-1918 ARTHUR ALLISON BARTLETT, born Nov 5, 1853, residence Prince Edward Island, next of kin Mrs. Margaret S. Bartlett, wife. Enlisted 1 Aug 1915, struck off the strength 23 Sept 1918 by being surplus to requirements, rank Major