CARSS FAMILY

Maria Jane Willis was the daughter of Sara Ann Moorhouse and Henry Willis. Maria Jane Willis married Robert Carss. One of their daughters, Lucy Ann Carss, married Henry Wilkinson Hutton. One of their daughters, Ivy Mabel Carss Hutton, married George Ogle Weekes, and so the Carss connection to the Weekes. www.weekesfamily.org

The information incorporated below is from a few original “documents” and excerpts from the book:

Moorhouse, Eric Gelling. The Moorhouses of Bear Creek, Bathurst and Brockville. Kingston: The Jackson Press, 1962.

The ‘Moorhouse Book’ is a comprehensive history of the Moorhouse family, complete with pages and pages of family tree. The text and tree touch on the Carss family through marriages. There are references to a diary kept by Robert Carss when crossing from Ireland (see below). The diary was in the possession of one of his descendants in Edmonton at the time of publication. There are also references in the Moorhouse Book to Carss Letters held in the Archives of Ontario at the time of publication, and Robert Carss’ obituary from the Arnprior Chronicle, March 29, 1889. Details of each of Robert Carss’ children’s descendents are provided from interviews the author had with many relatives living in the 1950s. I haven’t included much of this available detail, focusing only on the information about Robert Carss himself.

The Moorhouse Book says that Robert Carss’ brother, James Carss, married Caroline Willis (sister of Robert’s wife Maria Jane Willis). This was in April 1866 in Fitzroy Twp. They moved to Howick Twp, Huron Co. If this is the case, I’m not sure of the connection between Ogle Carss’ father James (who married Alice Wilson), and Robert Carss of Fitzroy, unless Robert had two brothers named James. Of course this is possible, especially if George, (Ogle’s Grandfather) had a second wife. Also, the ‘2^nd’ James was referred to as ‘Spencer’ through the Carss Letters quoted in the Moorhouse Book (having 2 sons named James might contribute to using the middle name for the 2^nd James). Also of note, is the reference below to Grandmother Carss’ burial at Kilnemanagh Nov 24, 1856. Would this be in Wexford, Ireland? If so, were there other siblings still in Ireland to transmit this information to Robert? Did young Robert stay with the Grandmother when George & Margaret emigrated due to his young age, or possibly with the plan that he would be educated later in Dublin? Enough speculating!

An “In Memoriam” card for Caroline Carss reads Aged 72 Years, Vancouver BC, January 1, 1910.

{A photo of Caroline (Willis) Carss (1837-1910) with her husband James Spencer Carss (1828-1909) appears in the Moorhouse book, pg.51). She was the sister of Maria Jane Willis, who married Robert Carss. The Moorhouse book identifies Robert and this James as brothers}.

{www.city.Vancouver.bc.ca/conmsvcs has a link to Mountain View Cemetery that has listings for Caroline and other Carss family members buried in the Masonic Section Plot 058.}

Extracts from the Diary of Robert Carss, Wells County, Wexford, Ireland {Moorhouse Book pp.13-14}

§ Born February 1813

§ Left it on the 22^nd day of May 1831 for America, bound from Ross intended to sail in the Kingston and was disappointed the vessel had sailed and had 420 souls aboard her bound for Qubeck.

…22 May 1831 – went to Ross to agree for my passage in the Kingston and she had her number of passengers taken in and could not get my passage in her had to wait until the 7^th June and took my passage aboard the Horsely Hill, burthen, 420 tons of Huntman Commander bound for Quebeck paying £2 for my passage went down the River and lay between Ross and Waterford for the next tide, until next morning when they got under weigh and wind right ahead of us.

June 8: The wind W smart breeze against us.

June 9: The wind still continued smart same.

June 10: A very severe storm with heavy rain which continued until thru 12^th. Inclined for rain and fog.

June 12: Met the Srkifred of Liverpool coming Bellivia in the West Indies bound to Liverpool with loading the Captains spoke with the trumpets.

July 1: Met the Annesley Castle of Bristol coming from Qubeck loading timber bound for Bristol had been 5 weeks on her passage. Foul wind still.

July 4: There was a pint of water taken from ½ gallon which was our usual portion which left us only 3 pints each person for 24 hours.

July 5: There was an old woman’s leg broken by a fall down the hatchway was a passenger 80 years of age.

July 6: A very severe storm right against us attended with heavy rains.

July 7: Came up with us the Margret of Belfast with passengers bound to Qubeck had been 25 days on passage and passed us Captains spoke.

July 8: Saw a vessel going homewards could not speak to one another for the storm. The wind against us still.

July 12: Met the Jane of Maryport coming from Quebeck – to Sligo loading timber it was a fair day with – order Brew – vessels came so close that the Captains spoke by word of mouth without the trumpets. She was 72 days coming from Qubeck we were running at the rate of 4 miles an hour.

July 13: Met the William of St. John bound to Lancaster loading with timber and logs.

July 14: Wind changed at last.

July 16: Crossing Grand Bank.

July 17: Had a dreadful fall of rain. R.C. to M.Shaw forever would be obliged if a situation he would get him in business of any kind. I am a stranger in this Country. Wherefore I must not fret and I hope I will prove obedient if a situation I should get.

I take up my pen but in vain for the foolishness of man is unaccountable. Grandmother Carss died Nov. 24, 1856, Kilnemanagh buried.

Robert Carss

Family of Robert and Jane Carss, assumed to be in Lucy Ann Carss’ handwriting:

The following is written on a scrap piece of paper, assumed to be in Ivy Mabel Carss Hutton’s handwriting. It appears to be notes she made from an original letter from her Aunt Bella.

The notes found within the text below {in brackets, in bold} belong to B.E.Mills, in reference to details from the Moorhouse book. Lucy (Weekes) Davy spoke of Aunt Bella sending peaches to family in Smiths Falls from Beamsville.

Letter from Bella, Jan 1944

My Great Grandfather Carss came from Berwick on the Tweed. He was a civil engineer sent to Ireland by gov. to survey and layout estates and roads. He married there (an Eveleigh), and was given the use of one of the wings of a castle where my grandfather Robert Carss was born.

Pat Hopper working in a war plant

{was likely Stuart Patrick Hopper b. Nov 1923, son of Stella (Jamieson) & James Harvey Hopper; Stella was daughter of Georgina Edith Almira Harnett (Carss) & Archibald Jamieson}

Eric in England & went through Berwick

{Eric was son of Georgina (Carss) & Archibald Jamieson}

Claude Jamieson’s two older boys home from overseas. One had black water fever. The youngest (17) in England joined Air Arm of British Navy.

{Claude Vernon Jamieson was the youngest of 5 children of Elizabeth (Carss) & Joseph Jamieson. He held the diary of Robert Carss mentioned above. His ‘Older boys’: John Henry Jamieson b. 1916, and Robert Carss Jamieson b. 1918; ‘youngest’ son was David Cross Jamieson b. Sept 1925}

Mr. Earl Marsh Grimsby looking after Taylor estate.

{Bella married James Taylor who died in 1932. They had one daughter who died in infancy}

Dec 44

Lila & Winnie live in Ottawa together.

Lila fell cut her face.

Barbara, Eric’s daughter a decoder, stationed below Montreal

{Grand-daughter of Georgina & Archibald Jamieson, Barbara Ann Jamieson b. Dec 14, 1925 would have been 19yrs in 1944. Married Sydney Alwyn Smith in 1952}

Manager of Taylor Nursery James Aitchison, Beamsville.

The Obituary notice of Robert Carss from the Arnprior Chronicle of 29 March, 1889 {transcribed from the Moorhouse Book pp. 42-44}

AT REST

DEATH OF ROBERT CARSS, ESQ., J.P.

One of Arnprior’s Oldest and Most Highly Respected Citizens Passes Peacefully Away, Deeply Lamented.

It becomes our painful duty this week to record the death of one of Arnprior’s oldest and most respected citizens in the person of Robert Carss, Esq., J.P. who died at his residence Madawaska Street on Tuesday morning after a brief illness. The deceased was born in the County of Wexford, Ireland, in February 1813, and consequently was 76 years of age at the time of his demise. His parents were of Scotch origin, from Berwick –on-Tweed and designed their son for the profession of marine engineer and sent him to Dublin College to be educated were he was succeeding well as is shown by prizes which were presented to him for proficiency, and which are held as mementoes by the family. However, when yet only about eighteen years of age, he had decided to try his fortune in Canada, of which country he had no doubt heard so much accounts as led one of his resolute disposition and stalwart activity to feel that there was scope for hewing out an independent career.

He landed at Brockville in July, 1831, and at first was induced to take up land in that neighborhood. Shortly afterwards he gave up the idea of farming there, and engaged with the Buchanans in their milling and lumbering operations at the mouth of the Madawaska River, now Arnprior. This was in 1837, and the following year he married Miss Willis, sister of Mr. William Willis, of Fitzroy. He resided on his farm up to 1873 when he retired with a competency, and came to reside in Arnprior.

He was well acquainted with the settlers in this neighborhood and with the many incidents connected with the history of McNab which were published in our columns a few weeks ago. From the fact that Mr. Carss had an education superior to the generality of the settlers in those days and his readiness at all times to assist were needed, he was found to be a most useful friend and neighbour to the settlers. The late Mr. James Harvey has often related to the writer with grateful feelings the assistance he received from Mr. Carss when the former settled on the bush lot now a part of Arnprior, and had his first shanty erected at a spot a little west of where the new residence of Mr. A.J. Campbell now stands on Daniel Street.

Mr. Carss always took a lead in introducing improved methods of husbandry and machinery for the farm. He also brought the first cooking stove into this section, which he had purchased at Bytown, and farmers and their wives came from miles around to see this new novelty in household furniture. In these early days a visit from a clergyman was of rare occurrence. The Methodist preachers acted as the pioneers in religious matters, and Mr. Carss, who had been brought up an Episcopalian, now connected himself with the Methodist body, and has remained a consistent member and leading supporter of that denomination ever since having for years been a member of the Managing Committee. In fact he was always to the front in advancing any good cause, whether religious, educational, municipal or agricultural, calculated to advance the moral and material welfare of the community.

In the local militia he was appointed in 1847 by Lord Elgin (then Governor General) to the position of Ensign in the Second Battalion of Carleton, and in 1855 he was raised by Governor Head to that of Lieutenant and Adjutant, and two years later he was made Captain in the Sixth Battalion of Carleton. About this time he was also appointed one of the Justices of the Peace for that country, and after his removal to Arnprior was also appointed a J.P. for this county, in which capacity his decisions were always regarded as unbiased, tempered with mercy.

He has been a member of the Arnprior School Board for several years his death causing a vacancy on the Boards of the Arnprior Agricultural Society and the Mechanics’ Institute, in all of which capacities he will be greatly missed. For some years back he has filled the office of Assessor of this municipality with very general satisfaction, and it is thought that his over application to the duties of that office during the past few weeks, in conjunction with his co-assessor, Mr. Slack, was rather more than his strength permitted, as of late years he has complained of a weakness of the heart’s action which was the immediate cause of his death.

It was in July last that a reunion took place to celebrate the golden wedding of Mr. Carss and his amiable wife, who survives him. Their family consisted of five sons and six daughters, all of whom are living, the present death being the first break in the family circle. Of the sons, the eldest, George, carries on a mercantile business in Almonte; the second, William, is in a similar line in Orillia, Ontario; Robert Henry is an extensive farmer and resides on the homestead in Fitzroy; Edward is engaged extensively in ranching and farming in the Northwest territories, and the youngest son, Alfred, practises his profession as a lawyer in Rapid City, Manitoba. One daughter is the wife of Joseph Jamieson, Esq., M.P. for North Lanark, and another is married to Mr. H.W. Hutton of Brockville, and formerly of this county. The remaining daughters are unmarried, and have been the stay and comfort of their parents at home.

Taken all in all, the late Mr. Carss was a man who having passed more than half a century of his lifetime in this neighborhood, had the rare satisfaction of being able to look every man fairly in the face as a true friend, the uprightness without bigotry of his daily walk in life having earned him universal respect, and it is no wonder that parting with him causes pain to the entire community and the utmost sympathy for his widow and children in their bereavement.

The funeral of the deceased took place yesterday, at which we observed not only a large concourse of the citizens of this village and the Townships adjoining, but many from Pakenham, Almonte, and other towns, who had come to pay tribute of respect to the memory of one so generally respected. The services at the residence consisted of singing a hymn and prayer by the Rev. D.J. McLean, Presbyterian minister, after which the funeral cortege proceeded to the Methodist Church on John Street, where the services consisted of music by the choir and prayer by Rev. S.J. Hughes, whose remarks voiced the sentiments of all who had the pleasure of knowing the worth of the deceased, all feeling that he had served his generation in his lifetime and had fallen asleep as a true Christian.

The originals of the following are in care of the Mills

Obituary information of Jane Carss

Marriage Certificate of Lucy Anne Carss and Henry Wilkinson Hutton:

This is to Certify that on the fourth day of October in the year of our Lord 1871, Henry W. Hutton of the Township of Wolford in the county of Renfrew in the Province of Ontario and Dominion of Canada; and Lucy A. Carss of the Township of Fitzroy in the county of Carleton in the Province of Ontario and Dominion aforesaid, were married by me; by the authority of License in the presence of William Carss and Matilda Carss, Witnesses. Witness, my hand at Fitzroy this fourth day of October, John Wilson.

An article from the Ottawa Citizen about the life of Henry Hutton says that he worked for the Carss brothers at their mill in Arnprior where he met his wife, their sister.

Anniversary Announcement from Orillia newspaper dated February 3, 1921 (William - brother of Lucy Ann Carss)

Mr. And Mrs. William Carss on Tuesday celebrated their diamond wedding, having been married sixty years ago. Mr. And Mrs. Carss are spending the winter at Tampa Florida, but the happy occasion was remembered by members of their family and many friends. Mr. Carss also celebrated his eightieth birthday on Monday. William Carss and Jessie Grant were married at Arnprior on the 2^nd of February, 1861. Twelve years later (in 1873) they came to Orillia, where they have resided ever since. They have three sons and four daughters – Fred of Lumsden, Saskatchewan; and Angus and Sidney of Orillia; Mrs. George Thomson, Orillia; Mrs. C.W. Wallace of Lumsden, Saskatchewan; Mrs. E. E. Pugsley, Iroquois Falls, and Mrs. E.W. McClennan, London, Ontario. There are sixteen grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. Mrs. Pugsley is spending the winter with her parents at Tampa.

During the nearly 50 years they have been residents of Orillia, Mr. And Mrs. Carss have been closely identified with the life of the town in many directions, and have won the esteem and regard of a host of friends, who will extend heartiest congratulations on this very auspicious anniversary, and will wish them many added years of happiness.

Five years later:

Tuesday, February 2^nd was the sixty-fifth anniversary of the marriage of Mr. And Mrs. William Carss. Their many friends regret that Mrs. Carss is poorly, but Mr. Carss is enjoying even better health than usual. Mr. Carss celebrated his eighty-fifth birthday on Sunday.

Pat Hopper working in a war plant

Eric in England & went through Berwick

Carss Photos Available Upon Request

Anniversary Announcement from Orillia newspaper dated February 3, 1921 (William - brother of Lucy Ann Carss)