Obediah James Macarthur (1859 - 1938)

Born Dec 1859 in Lot 11, Prince, Prince Edward Island

Ancestors

Husband of Annie Olivia (Johnstone) MacArthur — married 23 Nov 1885 in Illinois, United States

Descendants

Died 27 Oct 1938 at age 78 in Summerside, Prince, Prince Edward Island, Canada

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Biography

Obediah J. was born in Lot 11, Prince Edward Island in 1859, the son of William McArthur and Rebecca Pickering.^[1][2]Obediah died in 1938.

In 1881, Obediah was age 21, in the household of his parents, William and Rebecca. ^[3]

William purchased property from his half-brother Alexander in Lot 10, and the family moved to Enmore River. ^[4].

Obediah married Annie Olivia Johnson on November 23 1885 in Aurora, Illinois. ^[5] Two of his father's sisters, Maria and Catherine had emigrated to the United States, and were living in Aurora at that time; as well his older brother Hugh was living in Aurora by 1885. Annie's father had also emigrated to the States.

By 1891, John O. and "Hannah" McArthur were back on the Island, in Lot 13 with their children John, James and Hall. In 1901, John O. and Olivia "McHarthor" were in Lot 13 with John W., 14, James B., 13, Hall,11, Rebecca, 8, Masie, 6, Obediah, 4, Thomas, 3, Levi, 2, Howard, 1. The family was still in Lot 13 in 1911. John O., age 52 and his wife Annie O., age 45 had the following children at home with them: Obediah, 14; Levi D., 12; Elsworth, 10; Delbert, 5; Claude 3; Jessie M., 7; Mary C., age 2; and Violet, 8/12. Living next to them were William McArthur, age 82 and his wife Rebecca, 80. By 1921, "Obedich" and Annie also had Verna, age 7 and Edna, age 5.^[6]

Eight of their children were in the PEI Baptismal Index, all born in Victoria West, Prince Edward Island, most baptized in 1908, father's name Obediah or Obadiah: Hall, 25 Dec 1890; Rebecca Bell, 16 August 1892; Levi Dyment, 10 April 1895; Elsworth Howard, 17 January 1895; Jessie Maud, 13 Nov 1899; Delbert Lorenzo, 15 August 1901; Claude Weeks, 7 July 1905; and Mary Catherine, 8 Dec 1907. ^[7].

Obediah died in Summerside, on 27 October 1938. "There passed away on Thursday, last at the home of his son, Obediah, Summerside East, Mr Obediah MacArthur in his 84th year. Mr MacArthur was a resident of Victoria West for many years, and was well known and most highly respected in the district. He leaves to mourn besides his widow the following sons and daughters, Obediah, Levi and Mrs Boyd Lidstone [Maisie May] of Summerside; Claude on the homestead in Victoria West and Mrs Baglole [Violet Bertha] in Victoria West; also a son and daughter in the United States. The funeral took place on Sunday afternoon from the Presbyterian Church in Victoria West.^[8]The obituary in the Pioneer added the missing children, " Thomas, Enmore; Mrs. Stanley Dyment [Edna], Mrs. Wm. Baglole, Springhill; Claude, Mt. Pleasant; Delbert on the homestead; also Mrs. John Davis [Verna], Mrs. Elwell Humphrey [Jessie Maud]; Mrs. Clinton Crockett [should be Crocker, Rebecca]; Katie, James, John, and Hall, all of Augusta, Maine."^[9][10]

Sources

1. ↑ Obediah was not in the PEI Baptismal Index, but he was called a son in the obituary of William McArthur. Gravestone in Victoria West Peoples Cemetery Lot 13 says Obediah J. , 1859-1938, although the Find a Grave record, Memorial ID 77875419, says Obediah James and gives date of birth 10 Dec 1859. Date given by Obediah on the 1901 census was 16 Dec 1858, and he used the name John O. on the 1891 and 1901 census; death notice in the Guardian said he was John Obediah. Have not seen his death record.
2. ↑ William and Rebecca's family is in Along the North Shore, J. Clinton Morrison, page 420
3. ↑ "Canada Census, 1881," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MVN7-FSG : 4 October 2018), Obediah McArthur in household of William McArthur, Lot 11, Prince, Prince Edward Island, Canada; from "1881 Canadian Census." Database with images. Ancestry. (www.ancestry.com : 2008); citing William Mcarthur, citing Library and Archives Canada, Ottawa, Ontario.
4. ↑ Obituary of William McArthur, Summerside Journal 7 April 1920, page 8, col. 3
5. ↑ "Illinois, County Marriages, 1810-1940," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KF2Q-NP7 : 19 February 2021), John Mcarthur and Annie Johnston, 23 Nov 1885; citing Kane, Illinois, United States, county offices, Illinois; FHL microfilm 1,480,748. John was the son of William McArthur and Rebecca Pickering on this form, Annie the daughter of Archibald Johnstone and Olivia Hocking
6. ↑ Edna was a grand-daughter in the 1921 census, but was called a daughter in Obediah's obituary. Ancestry.com. 1921 Census of Canada [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2013. Reference Number: RG 31; Folder Number: 104; Census Place: Mount Pleasant, Prince, Prince Edward Island; Page Number: 5
7. ↑ Note that the dates for some of the children don't always match with the date given on census records
8. ↑ Death of Mr. John Obediah McArthur, Charlottetown Guardian 5 Nov 1938, page 12
9. ↑ obituary of Obediah MacArthur, Pioneer 19 November 1938, page 7, col. 7
10. ↑ Year-end list of deaths in the newspaper said he died at age 81, Patriot newspaper, 31 December 1938.