Mary Thomson (1850 - 1932)

Born 1850 in Canada West

Ancestors

Wife of Joseph Stinson Hagerman — married 1869 in McGillivray Township, Ontario, Canada

Descendants

Died 18 Feb 1932 at about age 82 in Manitoba, Canada

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Biography

Mary is born on July 8, 1850 likely in Scarborough Township, Canada West (now Toronto, Canada) the daughter of Andrew James Thomson (1825-1895) and Eliza Bell (1825-1913). It is thought that she is baptised on August 5, 1850 in Scarborough. Her paternal grandmother had come to Upper Canada with her parents, Mary’s great grandparents, in 1820. Her paternal grandfather, also of Scots descent, was the first European born in Scarborough Township. The ancestory of her mother is not known but it is thought she was of English descent.

Mary is 10-years old, living with her parents and three siblings in Scarborough in the 1861 census

Mary marries Joseph Stinson Hagerman (1849-1940) on January 20, 1869 in McGillivray Township, Middlesex County, Ontario. This is north and west of the city of London, Ontario. Joseph Stinson Hagerman was born on September 3, 1849 in Markham Township, Ontario (the township to the north of Scarborough). His parents were Henry R. Hagerman (1818-1915) and Nancy Milliken (1824-1870). Although the ancestory of Joseph’s family has not been researched, it is pretty certain that he is descended, on his father’s side, from a United Empire Loyalist family that, before living in the United States, had originally come from Germany. The same is true of Joseph’s mother’s family: it has not been researched but it is almost certain that Nancy Milliken is a descendant of a United Empire Loyalist family.

In the 1861 census, Joseph is 12 years old living on the family farm in Markham. The family moves out to McGillivary Township at some point.

It is not clear where or how Mary and Joseph met -- presumably it was not at church as the Thomson family was Presbyterian (Church of Scotland) and the Hagerman’s were Methodist (Wesleyan Methodists). Mary and Joseph both were born and grew up in close proximity -- Mary in Scarborough and Joseph in Markham, the next township to the north. But both families, at some point, moved out to locations to the north and west of London, Ontario. Mary’s father was in the lumber business in Parkhill, which is part of or adjoins McGillivray Township. Joseph’s family at some point farmed in McGillivary Township. In fact Joseph’s father, Henry, is buried in the Parkhill cemetery. However they met, they were married in McGillivray Township in 1869. Further, the historical atlas for McGillivray Township, drawn in 1878, shows that a Joseph S. Hagerman settled on a 50 acre piece of land in Lot 11, Concesssion 12 in 1869 (the same year they married). He also owned 5 acres in Lot 7, Concession “VIII WCR” (interpretation of this concession number not known). On the map of the township, it can be seen that two brothers of Joseph, William and Nicholas, owned adjoining farms.

The couple have not been located in the 1871 or 1881 census records.

Some of their children were born in Markham and some were born in McGillivray so it appears that the family moved around. In 1882, possibly following the lead of Mary’s parents, the family moves west to Manitoba and settles just to the northwest of Winnipeg. Their last three children were born in Manitoba. In the 1891 census, the family is living on a farm in Rockwood, Manitoba (Rockwood is just north of Winnipeg). There are seven children at home: Edgar (21), Maggie (16), Henry (14), Minnie (11), Nora (7), Morley (5), and Mabel (2). They are still there in the 1901 census and now there are only six children at home: Andrew E (30), Henery (23), Minnnie J (21), Nora (16), Morley (14), and Mabel (12). The family is Methodist and, although both of Joseph’s parents were born in Ontario, he still identifies his racial origin as German. The same is true for Mary: both of her parents were born in Ontario but she is labelled “Scotch.”

In 1905 tragedy strikes the family as the son-in-law dies. This is George Minto Harper who married Margaret Agnes Hagerman in 1896. It leaves Margaret with two small children to take care of. So, in the 1906 census Mary is actually shown in two places in the records: at the home farm with Joseph and, also, living with her daughter, Margaret Harper, a few kilometres to the west. Two of Mary’s sons, Edgar and Henry, have also gone to live with their sister. Presumably Mary splits her time between the two farms (so when the census taker knocked on the door the person who answered listed her as a resident.)

In the 1911 census, there are only two children left at home: Morley and “Laura” (presumably “Nora”) However, on the very next farm, the 40-year old Edgar Hagerman is living by himself. In the 1916 census, Mary (65) and Joseph (66) are still living on the farm in Manitoba, although it appears that their son, Morley has now taken over responsibility for the farming. And next door, their un-married son Edgar (Andrew Edgar) lives by himself.

Mary dies on February 18, 1932 and is buried at the St. Michael’s Anglican Church cemetery in Gross Isle, Manitoba. (Gross Isle is on Highway #6, just to the northwest of Winnipeg.) Joseph dies on March 17, 1940 and his buried with his wife.

Mary Thomson and Joseph Hagerman had the following children:

• Lila Hagerman 1869-1869

• Andrew Edgar Hagerman 1870-1951

• Mary [Eliza] Hagerman 1873-1878

• Margaret Agnes Hagerman 1875-1972 + (1896) George Minto Harper 1865-1905

• Henry Harry Hagerman 1877-1961

• Minnie J Hagerman 1880-?

• Nora [?Laura] Hagerman 1884-1967

• Morley Hagerman 1886-1957 +(1920) Rose ?-1975

• Rose Hagerman ?-?

• Mabel Hagerman 1889-1926 + John Alan James 1880-1919

Sources

[1] 1968 Paterson family tree: shows Mary Thomson, her spouse Joseph Hagerman and the following 10 children: Lila, Edgar, Margaret, Mary, Henry, Minnie, Nora, Morley, Rose & Mabel. The children listed here do not quite follow the order of the Paterson family tree: -- see the Descendents of Nicholas Hagerman below.

[2] 1861 census, Ontario, York, Scarboro, pg ?, lines 14-19: Andrew J. Thompson (sic) (36) , occupation not legible, born U. Canada, Ch of Scotland; Eliza (36); Mary (10); Josephine (8); Agnes (6); Hebor Leslie (3). The family lives in a 1-story frame house.

[3] Joseph’s middle name, year of death, place of burial, his parents name, etc, etc is from: http://www.oocities.org/heartland/ranch/8401/descendants4.html (The Descendants of Nicholas Hagerman). This source also provided most of the birth/death years for the children and the date/location of the Mary Thomson-Joseph Hagerman wedding. The children shown are: Andrew Edgar 1870+1951; Eliza 1873-1878; Margaret Agnes 1875-1972; Henry Harry 1877-; Minnie J 1880-; Nora 1884-; Morley 1886-1957; and Mabel 1899-1926. . It shows a birth year for Mabel Hagerman as 1899 but has been changed to 1889 here (as per her headstone). This source shows Andrew Edgar born in Markham; Eliz died in McGillivray Twsp; Margaret Agnes born in McGillivray; no birth location for Henry or Minnie; and the remaining children born in Manitoba. This source also appears to indicate that the family moved out to Manitoba in 1882 (the notation is difficult to interpret).

[4] 1861 census, Ontario, York, Markham, pg 80, lines 12-18: Henry Hagerman (43), farmer; Nancy (37); Martha (11) [?possibly 17], in school; Joseph [middle initial looks like “l”] (12), in school; William A. (9), in school; Nancy [?} Burton or Durton (18); All members of the household were born “U.C” [Upper Canada] and the religion for all people is “W.M.” [ Wesleyan Methodist] They live in a 1.5 story brick house.

[5] McGill Historial Atlas -- http://digital.library.mcgill.ca/countyatlas/ -- shows 3 Hagerman brothers owned land in McGillivray Township.

[6] http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~wjmartin/wm-h_2.htm: this source confirms the birth date of Margaret Agnes Hagerman (born Sept 1, 1875; baptised May 11, 1876).

[7] 1891 census, Manitoba, Lisgar, 6, Rockwood, pp 35-36 family 159: Joseph Hagerman (42), born in Ontario, both parents born in Ontario, farmer; Mary (41), born Ont; Edgar (21), born Ont; Maggie (16), born Ont; Henry (14), born Ont; Minnie (11), born Ont; Nora (7), born Man; Morley (5), born Man; Mabel (2), born Man. The family is Methodist

[8] 1901 census, Manitoba, Rockwood, Selkirk, 11, h-1, pg 7, household 54: Joseph Hagerman (51) born Sept 3, 1849, racial or tribal origin is German, farmer; Mary (50) born July 8 1850, racial or tribal origin is Scotch; Andrew E (30) born July 12 1870; Henery (23) born Nov 4, 1877; Minnnie J (21) born Jan 28 1881; Nora (16) born July 30 1884; Morley (14) born Sept 9, 1886, in school; Mabel (12) born Feb 19, 1888, in school. The family is Methodist.

[9] 1906 census, Manitoba, Selkirk District, pg 53, family # [?324?]: Joseph S. Hagerman (56) Mary (55); Morely (20); Nora (22); Mabel (17). The parents were born in Ontario; the children were born in Manitoba. The farm has 3 horses, 8 milk cows, 14 other cattle and 17 hogs. The location is Section 4, township 13, range 1, “E” (ie, east of the meridian). The post office for the farm is [?Stonewall?]. Stonewall is just to the northeast of Grosse Ille. This is roughly 30 km northwest of Winnipeg.

[10] 1906 census, Manitoba, MacDonald District, pg 20, family #138: Margaret Harper (31), head [of household], Helen (7); Muriel (4); Edgar Hagerman (36), brother [of Margaret Harper]; Henry Hagerman (29), brother [of Margaret Harper]; Mary Hagermen (56), mother [of Margaret Harper]. The farm has 8 horses, 2 milk cows, 1 other cattle and 9 hogs. The location is Section 34, township 12, range 1, “W” (ie, west of the meridian). The post office for the farm is Rosser. This is roughly 5 km south of Grosse Ille and just a few km on the outskirts of Winnipeg.

[11] 1911 census, Manitoba, 22, Selkirk, Township 13 in range 1 east 1st-M, pg 3-4, household #28: Joseph S. Hagerman (61), farmer; Mary (60); Morley (24), farmer; Laura (27); Ernest J Bennet (16), labourer. Household #29: Edgar Hagerman (40), born July 1870, farmer. Joseph, Morley, Laura & Edgar are labelled “German,” and Mary is labelled “Scotch.” The religion is shown as Meth [Methodist].

[12] 1916 census, Manitoba, 10 Selkirk, Township 16, Range 1 E, pg 26, Rockwood municipality: households #278 & #279: household #278: Edgar Hagerman (45), farmer. Household #279: Joseph Hagerman (66), occupation is shown as “none:, Mary (65); Nora(32), occupation shown is “domestic”; Mooley (29), farmer. The religion in both households is shown as Methodist. All household (both households) members list their racial or tribal origin as German. The two youngest were born in Manitoba; the others were born in Ontario.

[13] Canada’s Gen Web’s Cemetery Project Grosse Isle St. Michael’s Anglican church cemetery: headstone - barely legible but the name “Hagerman” is quite clear as are the names “Mary” and “Joseph”. The dates for Joseph are difficult to read, but the date of death for Mary –“ Feb 18, 1932 aged 72 years” is clear.

Acknowledgments

Thank you to Katharine E for creating WikiTree profile Thomson-2021 through the import of andrew thomson.ged on Jun 7, 2013. Click to the Changes page for the details of edits by Katharine and others.

The current (Nov 4, 2013) biography was prepared by Fred Paterson Nix (with edits and revisions in March 2017).