Mary Ann (Oliphant) Patchett (1841 - 1922)

Born 22 Aug 1841 in Clarkson, Mississauga, York, Home District, Canada West

Ancestors

Descendants

Died 23 Mar 1922 at age 80 in Chatham, Kent, Ontario, Canada

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Biography

Mary Ann Oliphant was born 22 Aug ^[1] 1841 ^[2] in Clarkson, near Port Credit, Ontario, ^[3] daughter of Peter Oliphant and Rebecca Shaver. ^[3] Around 1856, when Mary was about 15 years old, she married a laborer by the name of Elijah Patch – likely in Clarkson or Port Credit. Over the next 25 years, Mary Ann and Elijah had the following children together:

1. Alice 1857
2. Walter 1861
3. Hester 1862
4. Mary 1866
5. James Walton or Walter 1872
6. Willoughby Baby Bone 1875
7. Charles Washington 1877
8. Truman 1881

Mary’s husband Elijah passed away in 1886, when he was 52 years old, ^[4] leaving Mary at 46 with their 5 boys, ranging in age from 25-year-old Walter down to 6-year-old Truman. ^[5] It was “all hands-on deck” for Mary and her five boys to generate enough income to support themselves. By 1891, she had moved the family into Blenheim town where work was more likely to be found by all. At the time, Blenheim was home for about 2000 people, with streets that were “well graded and graveled and the town and chief shops lighted with” electric light. The shops themselves were “all of the usual standard lines of business well represented,” as well as having “one public and one private bank, four good hotels and an excellent weekly newspaper.” ^[6] Mary took on the difficult task of laundress; Walter worked as a farm laborer; James as a stable boy, and Willie as a wood-sawyer. By 1891 Charles and Truman were newsboys, delivering and hawking newspapers. ^[5]

Mary was 80 years old when she passed away in Chatham, Ontario on the 23rd of March, 1922. ^[3] She was buried 2 days later in Maple Leaf Cemetery in Chatham. ^[3]

Mary’s obituary, which appeared in the Windsor Star on March 24th, 1922, ^[7] follows:

“Chatham, Ont., March 24 – The death of an aged resident of Kent County occurred yesterday afternoon at 2:30 o’clock when Mrs. Mary Ann Patchett, relict of the late Elijah Patchett, of Blenheim, passed away at the home of her son James, of the Eberts Block. Mrs. Patchett was born in Port Credit and had lived in Blenheim for a number of years. Her husband has been deceased for 35 years, and four years ago she came to Chatham to live with her son. She has been ill for some time with failing health, and during the past two weeks she has been in a serious condition.

Mrs. Patchett had been a Methodist all her life and took her religious duties very seriously. She was an honored member of the Blenheim Methodist Church during her residence in that town, and her works of charity are well known among her many friends.

The surviving family are five sons, William, Truman and James of this city, Walter of Dover and Charles of Eberts; one daughter, Mrs. Mary Ann Ribble of Oakville, and one sister, Mrs. Christena Oliphant of London. The funeral will be held on Saturday from the home of her son James, to the Maple Leaf Cemetery.”

Sources

1. ↑ 1901 Census of Canada, Library and Archives Canada (https://central.bac-lac.gc.ca/.item/?app=Census1901&op=img&id=z000073442), Ontario, Kent, Harwich, entries for Mary A Patchet 45, widow, sister-in-law; Hartford Fifield 50, head, grocer, Catherine Fifield 50, wife.
2. ↑ 1881 Census of Canada, Library and Archives Canada (http://data2.collectionscanada.gc.ca/e/e329/e008207472.jpg ), Ontario, District 180, Kent, Sub-district D, Harwich, Division 4, Pages 50-51, Microfilm C-13278, RG31, entries for Elijah Patch, 45, Labourer; Ellen 40, Ester 20, Walter 19, Polly 15, James 12, Willie 6, Charlie 4.
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3} "Ontario Deaths, 1869-1937 and Overseas Deaths, 1939-1947," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:JKWC-BBB  : 9 March 2018), Mary Ann Patchett, 74, 23 Mar 1922; citing Kent, Ontario, Canada, 016595, Registrar General. Archives of Ontario, Toronto; FHL microfilm 1,907,005.
4. ↑ "Ontario Deaths, 1869-1937 and Overseas Deaths, 1939-1947", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:JN7D-LYZ : 23 October 2018), Elijah Patchet, 21 Oct 1886, Harwich, Kent, Ontario, Canada; Labourer, 52.
5. ↑ ^{5.0 5.1} 1891 Census of Canada, Library and Archives Canada (http://central.bac-lac.gc.ca/.item/?app=Census1891&op=img&id=30953_148147-00721, Ontario, District 79, Kent, Sub-District A2 – Blenheim (Town), Family 11, Page 3, RG31, entries for the Patshen family: Mary Ann 49, widow, Walter 28, James 19, Willie 16, Charles 14, Truman 12.
6. ↑ Kent County Annual and Almanac for the year 1890. Publisher James Soutar, Chatham, Ont, 104 pp.
7. ↑ “Mrs. M.A. Patchett Answers Last Call”, The Windsor Star, Fri 22 Mar 1922, p 21.”

See also:

• Cited in Ontario, Canada, Marriages, 1801-1928, Halton, 1880, pg. 10 of 60.
• Cited in Ontario, Canada, Marriages, 1801-1928, Archives of Ontario; Series: MS932; Reel: 53, Halton, 1886.
• 1911 Census of Canada, Library and Archives Canada (http://data2.collectionscanada.gc.ca/1911/jpg/e001995849.jpg: accessed Dec 2018), Ontario, Kent West, District 85, Harwich, Sub-district 15, Page 6, Microfilm T-20379, RG31, Item 6609043, entries for Patchett family: Charles 38, farmer/widower, William 9, Clarence 3, Orville 6, Mary A 60, mother.
• 1921 Census of Canada, Library and Archives Canada (http://central.bac-lac.gc.ca/.item/?app=Census1921&op=img&id=e002935821: accessed Dec 2018), Ontario, Kent, District 93, Chatham (City), Sub-district 76, Page 3, RG31, Item 1914989, entries for the Patchett family: James W 44, Head, laborer (odd jobs); Mary Ann 69, mother, widow, keeping house.

Acknowledgments

Thanks to Dave Rutherford for starting this profile. Click the Changes tab for the details of contributions by Dave and others.