Mary Elizabeth (Laing) Farrington (1858 - 1943)

Born 11 Dec 1858 in London, Middlesex, Canada West

Ancestors

Wife of James Farrington — married 6 Oct 1879 in Mt Pleasant, Brant, Ontario, Canada

Descendants

Died 31 Dec 1943 at age 85 in Ontario, Canada

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Biography

Mary Elizabeth Laing, daughter of Joseph and Mary (Kerr) Laing, was born December 11, 1858^[1] in London, Canada West.

In 1879, Elizabeth was being courted by Charlie Trimble, when he introduced her to his cousin James Farrington. James had grown up on a homestead nearby but had spent several years with his brothers in the American West, making their fortunes in joint ventures. She was smitten with the 6'2" tall stranger and, on October 6, 1879 they were married^[2] at Mount Pleasant, Ontario. After a honeymoon in San Francisco, the couple travelled by train to Battle Mountain, Nevada, then on by stage coach to a hotel in Austin. However, life in a rough mining town did not agree with Elizabeth so they moved to the Indian Valley Ranch^[3], where their first child was born. However, life on a horse ranch far from neighbours and kin was difficult for Elizabeth, who longed to return to her homeland so the young family returned to Ontario^[4] with James' settlement of the partnership agreement he had had with his brothers.

They build a grand farmhouse on a hill near Cathcart, the third house on the old Farrington homestead. This was the home in which the rest of their children were to be born.

The Farrington brothers were a close-knit family and many visits were exchanged between the Ontario and Nevada, and California. In fact, the 1910 Census^[5] of Homer, California show the family living with James' brother and her nephew William living nearby with his family. However, the 1891^[4], 1901^[1] and 1911^[6] Canadian Census show their residence as the old homestead. In 1920, they sold everything intending to move to California^[7]. However, they returned to Woodstock within a year where James apparently found it too populous so they purchased another farm near Burford, Ontario.

Elizabeth was the organist At Holy Trinity Church in Burford. She was also involved with the Order of the Eastern Star.

On December 31st, 1943, Elizabeth died in a nursing home in Norwich, Ontario. Her visitation was at the Robinson Funeral Home in Burford and she is buried^[8] beside her husband in Holy Trinity Anglican Church Cemetery, Burford.

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1} 1901 Census.Canada.Ontario.Oxford South.Burford.Page 2
2. ↑ 18791006.Marriage in Brantford, Ontario
3. ↑ 1880 Census.Nevada.Nye.Grantsville.ED 37.image 3 of 12.Jas & Mary
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1} 1891 Census.Canada.Ontario.Oxford South.Burford.Page 20
5. ↑ 1910 Census.USA.California.Mono.Homer.ED 112.image 3 of 7
6. ↑ 1911 Census.Canada.Ontario.56.2.12.Burford
7. ↑ 19201104 - James & Mary E with John - Border crossing - Port Huron, Michigan
8. ↑ Find A Grave: Memorial #58431296 - Holy Trinity Church Cemetery, Burford, Ontario, Canasa