Ancestors of Christopher John Augustine Morry

Elizabeth Ann Morry

Sex: F
AKA: Elizabeth Morey ³⁰⁰⁵ ^,6876
Individual Information

Birth Date: 25 Dec 1844 - Calvert, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada ²⁸² ^,283 ^,1688 ^,3835 ^,4865 Christening: 16 Feb 1845 - Ferryland, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada ¹⁶⁸⁸ ^,3835 ^,4865 ^,6918 ^,6919 Death: 27 Sep 1930 - Calvert, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada ( at age 85) ⁴⁹³ ^,2958 ^,3005 ^,6876 ^,6920 Burial: 29 Sep 1930 - Ferryland, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada ⁷⁰ ^,2962 ^,3005 ^,6920 ^,6921 Cause of Death: Senility ⁶⁸⁷⁶
Events
• Occupation: Planter & Merchant Caplin Bay (now Calvert), Between 1844 and 1852, Calvert, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. (Witness)
• Minister/Priest: W. J. Hoyles, 16 Feb 1845, Ferryland, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada.
• Property: Elizabeth and Henry Morry sell "Lower Grove" to Dr. James McCullock, Mar 1900, Calvert, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. This is the proprety that had been granted to Matthew Morry II, their grandfather, on Feb. 26, 1851. The original grant V-2, F-85 # 962 was lost in the Great Fire of 1894 but it appears that a copy was retained by the family or else they would not have been able to sell the land to Dr. McCullock. But all that has presently come to light is a photocopy of the plan that would have been attached which I found in a suitcase that used to belong to Aunt Phyl. My guess is that Uncle Bill or Uncle Howard had the full copy of the grant.
• Census: Household of Elizabeth Morey [sic], 1921, Calvert, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. I believe that she was actually living in the same house (Athlone) with Alfred Canning and his family as they are listed just ahead of her. Alfred is listed as "head" and so is she but that sometimes happened when two families were sharing a domicile.
• Religion: Church of England, 1921, Calvert, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. According to Kevin Reddigan in his book Courageous Souls on page 278, Miss Lizzie was the ONLY non-Catholic listed on the 1921 Census for Caplin Bay.
• Property: Sale of remaining Morry property on south side of Caplin Bay, 10 Nov 1928, Calvert, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. 161019:

This is how Kevin Reddigan describes this situation in his book, Courageous Souls:

In addition to the property at Athlone, Elizabeth Morry held possession of part of the old Nash/Morry property on the South Side of Caplin Bay. In Gerald L. Pocius' book, A Place to Belong - Community Order and Everyday Space, in Calvert, Newfoundland, the late Clarence O'Toole explained that before his father, James O'Toole, bought the old Morry property, fishermen who needed shore space in that area had to rent it from Miss Lizzie Morry.
He stated that "a trapman paid ten dollars a year and a trawlman paid five dollars a year'' for access to the shoreline. He also indicated that the rent money, which was due before the fishing season started, was collected on Miss Lizzie's behalf by a man named LeMessurier who ''came up" from St. John's. Family researcher, Christopher Morry, identifies this person as likely being William Warner LeMessurier, the husband of Miss Lizzie's aunt, Priscilla Ann Morry. The Newfoundland Registry of Deeds indicates that Miss Morry eventually sold this property to James O'Toole on November 10th, 1928.
• Will: essentially a death bed will; she died three months later, 11 Jun 1930, Calvert, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada.
• Alt. Death: Bef 29 Sep 1930, Calvert, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. 300112: In the NGB transcript of the church record the dates of burial are sometimes mistakenly given as the date of death. It isn't known if this is one of those cases.
• Minister/Priest: Frank Severn, 29 Sep 1930, Ferryland, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada.

Parents

Father: Matthew Morry III ¹⁶⁸ ^,497 Mother: Elizabeth Coulman ¹⁶⁸ ^,2773 ^,2774 Marriage Did Not Marry

Notes
General:

According to Kevin Reddigan in email, 2001:

"Miss Lizzie (Elizabeth) dau. of Matthew Morry [grandson of the emigrant Matthew] and Eliza Coleman was the last of the Morrys to live at Calvert. She died on Sept 29 1930."

Of the surviving children of Matthew Morry, several moved to BC and Lizzie was left "Athlone"; she never married and therefore had no children of her own so she in turn left her house and lands to her unofficially adopted "brother" Leonard Canning. Though the house was torn down a few years after the death of Lizzie, the Canning family built again on the same location and still lives in that house. I met the granddaughter of Leonard Canning, Anita, while in Ferryland and Calvert in the summer of 2001. She and her husband have built a cottage on a lane at the upper end of Calvert (toward's Stone Island) and have named it "Athlone II".

Her name is given as Elizabeth Morey on the C of E records of death in Ferryland District. Minister recording death was Frank Severn.

280806: In the 1921 Census she is shown living with the Cannings in Caplin Bay (presumably in her home, "Athlone", which they inherited from her and then tore down). Her name was spelled Morey in the census and I believe that the Caplin Bay Morrys did go by that spelling for the most part. There are many records with this spelling used.

Dwelling Family SurName Given Name Sex rela. Status Birth Yr Birth Mo Age Birth Place 148155CANNINGAlfredMHead Widow1865 Dec 55 Ferryland CANNINGMaryFWifeWidow1864 June 57 Caplin Bay CANNINGLeonardMSonSingle1897 Sept 23 Caplin Bay CANNINGJohnMSonSingle1901 June 20 Caplin Bay 156MOREYElizabethFHead Single1844 Dec 76 Caplin Bay

200910:

When visiting with Mrs. Condon, Denis Condon's mother, at his house in Kilbride in the summer she told me that Miss Lizzie was a seamstress of some note who used to make all her own clothes and also made fancy dresses for balls and weddings for the girls in the villate. It was also rumoured that she remained single because her first great love was a first cousin. He threatened to throw himself off the wharf and kill himself if she would not marry him. But she refused and he then took her in his arms and jumped off the wharf. Villagers came to their rescue and they were both saved.

[Note 280919: Mrs. Condon did not recall the name of the cousin who was her suitor but Anna Elton Morris's notes on Washington Hill Windsor say that it was he.]

110313: On NGB it shows that her Christening happened on Feb. 16 1844. This should be Feb. 16, 1845 since she was born Christmas Day, Dec. 25, 1844.

120313: Enid O'Brien, Kevin Reddigan and I have just finished transcribing two letters written to Lizzie by Henry Corbin Le Messurier. Henry was a married man with a family but there is no mistaking the innuendos in these letters. He was enamored of her, though we do not know if the feeling was mutual because we do not have the letters what she wrote back in reply.

Enid sent an email reminding me of a story I had heard from Denis Condon's mother (who knew Miss Lizzie as a young girl) a couple of years ago about Miss Lizzie having had another suitor before this, but having rejected him because he was her first cousin. This is what Enid wrote:

Hi,

When I picture Lizzie I only think of her as an elderly woman. However, she was once [young] and vibrant and later on was left alone in the world. I guess when everyone moves away and you are left with a parent you feel responsible for them. I wonder if Lizzie ever felt like this.

With regards to Lizzie's suitors, Anna Elton Morris, who did a lot of research on the Winsors from Aquaforte, told me that Washington Hill Winsor was madly in love with Lizzie. Lizzie was on a visit to Aquaforte when she met Washington Winsor on the wharf. He said that if she didn't consent to marry him he would drown himself. Anyway he jumped over the wharf (of course he didn't drown) but that "finished" him with Lizzie. Washington went on to marry someone else but a friend in Aquaforte had a letter from him who said he would always love Lizzie.

Everyone has a story.

Enid

181015:

Kevin Reddigan put me onto an entry in the 1890 St. John's Business Directory:

1890 - Morey - Miss Lizzie - dressmaker working for Miss B. Comfort - 12 Carter's Hill

While clearly there could be many Lizzy Moreys or Morrys, it seems to me to be more than coincidental that Miss Lizzy Morey/Morry from Caplin Bay was a well known and highly respected seamstress who was responsible for producing among other creations the wedding dresses of virtually all of the young ladies in Caplin Bay and surrounding area. I and Kevin think that she may have gained her locally well known experience and expertise whilst working in town for this Miss B. Comfort.

080116:
I have added St. Luke's as the place of Christening of the children in this family because it is most logical since the events were recorded at Petty Harbour C of E registry, not at the Cathedral in St. John's.

161019:

This is how Kevin Reddigan describes the presence of the Morry family and their associates at Athlone starting about 1844:

Courageous Souls, Chapter Six, Pages 173-175
Morry and Locke - Athlone circa 1844
As mentioned earlier, the property at Athlone that belonged to John Rossiter might have become the home of Matthew Morry (III) about 1844. Matthew was born in August 1813 on the South Side of Caplin Bay, the second son of Matthew Morry (II) and Anne Saunders/Sanders. Matthew Morry (III) was married twice. On August 18th, 1838, he married Elizabeth Chafe of Petty Harbour, who was terminally ill. Elizabeth died four days later at her family's home in Petty Harbour.
Matthew did not marry again until February 19th, 1844. His second wife was Elizabeth (Eliza) Coleman from Ferryland, one of the first schoolteachers mentioned for Caplin Bay under Newfoundland's initial non-denominational school system. Matthew Morry established his fishing enterprise in the small cove on the north shoreline, just below his home referred to as Athlone Cottage. He and Elizabeth had five children over the next ten years. Matthew Morry (III) died at the age of forty, in 1854, when all his children were still very young. His eldest son, Matthew Jr. died several years later when he was just 12 years old. We do not know who ran the fishing enterprise at Athlone after Matthew's death. I can only speculate that some of his brothers and a servant, James Locke, operated it until his sons, William and Henry, came of age.
Sometime before Matthew Morry died, he had hired James Locke. It appears that James lived in the Morry family household since his name never appeared in any of the Caplin Bay Voters Lists. There are no surviving records to tell us what duties James performed for the Morry family, but his name appears in two Crown Land grants at Caplin Bay. Although both grant documents were destroyed in the Great St. John's Fire of 1892, the general location of these properties are shown on Edward ''Kehoe" Sr.'s Crown land grant #2893, of 1869. The associated survey showed James Locke's two properties abutting the land granted to Edward Keough.
James Locke's Newfoundland Vital Statistics death record for December 3rd, 1896, stated that he was born in England, about 1806. Although I found no evidence of a will in James Locke's name, it appears that my great-grandfather, Thomas Meaney, came into possession of his properties, adjacent to the Morry estate at Athlone Caplin Bay.
Matthew and Elizabeth (Coleman) Morry's sons, William and Henry, survived to manhood and eventually immigrated to British Columbia. William died there in 1910 and Henry died there in 1939. Their only surviving daughter, Elizabeth (Lizzie) never married, but lived out the rest of her life at Athlone. Records indicated that in addition to Athlone this branch of the Morry family also had property directly across the Bay, at Lance Cove, near the southern headland of Caplin Bay. It was obtained by Matthew Morry (III) in 1851 under Crown Land grant #961. Elizabeth and her brother, Henry, eventually sold this property in March 1900 to Dr. James Walker McCullock.
In addition to the property at Athlone, Elizabeth Morry held possession of part of the old Nash/Morry property on the South Side of Caplin Bay. In Gerald L. Pocius' book, A Place to Belong - Community Order and Everyday Space, in Calvert, Newfoundland, the late Clarence O'Toole explained that before his father, James O'Toole, bought the old Morry property, fishermen who needed shore space in that area had to rent it from Miss Lizzie Morry.
He stated that "a trapman paid ten dollars a year and a trawlman paid five dollars a year'' for access to the shoreline. He also indicated that the rent money, which was due before the fishing season started, was collected on Miss Lizzie's behalf by a man named LeMessurier who ''came up" from St. John's. Family researcher, Christopher Morry, identifies this person as likely being William Warner LeMessurier, the husband of Miss Lizzie's aunt, Priscilla Ann Morry. The Newfoundland Registry of Deeds indicates that Miss Morry eventually sold this property to James O'Toole on November 10th, 1928.
Miss Elizabeth Morry died at Calvert in 1930, the last of the Morry family living there. Miss Morry left a will, but after her death, there was a dispute between the descendants of Alfred Canning and relatives of Miss Morry, as to who would, or who should inherit her estate.
Alfred Canning was born at Ferryland about 1865. It appears that after Alfred Canning's mother died at Ferryland, Miss Lizzie Morry's mother took him in at Caplin Bay. In those days, there was no formal adoption process, and even though the Morry's were still Anglican at that time, Alfred was raised as a Roman Catholic, his mother's religion. He continued to live in the same household with Miss Lizzie Morry even after his marriage to Mary Swain in 1892.
The 1921 Newfoundland Census shows they were all still living together in Athlone Cottage. A few years after Alfred Canning's death in 1923, his son Leonard took over the care of Miss Morry. Even though Leonard eventually married and started a family of his own, he continued to care for Miss Morry, the last of her family at Calvert, until she died in 1930, at the age of 85 years. ⁵⁸⁰³

Elizabeth Mary Morry

Sex: F
AKA: Betty Morry ⁵¹⁴⁴
Individual Information

Birth Date: 15 Mar 1962 - Ferryland, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada ³⁴³ Christening: Death: 14 Aug 2014 - St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada ( at age 52) ⁵¹⁴⁴ Burial: 17 Aug 2014 - Ferryland, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada ⁵¹⁴⁴ Cause of Death: Cancer ⁵¹⁴⁴
Events
• Occupation: Civil Servant, 2004, Ferryland, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada.

Parents

Father: Douglas Joseph Morry ⁴² Mother: Ellen Meade ³⁴³

Spouses and Children

1. *Gerard Halleran ³⁴³ Marriage: Children: 1. Living 2. Living 3. Living

Notes
General:

160814 from David Wells:

Elizabeth (Betty) Mary Halleran (Morry)
(March 15, 1962 - August 14, 2014) It is with broken hearts and deep sadness that we announce the passing of Elizabeth (Betty) Mary Halleran (Morry), after a short, but courageous battle with cancer, she slipped into eternal peace at her home, in the presence of her loving family. Predeceased by her father, Douglas Morry. Leaving to mourn with loving memories are her devoted and loving husband Gerard; sons Shawn (Roseann) and Joshua; daughter Amanda; mother Ellen (Nellie) Morry; brothers Graham, Jimmy (Lynn)and Noel; brothers in law Ronnie (Lori), Derm (Marie), Graham, David (Theresa); sisters in law Sandra (Cliff) Nichol, Kelly (Rodney) Winter and Marie (Michael) St. Croix; 11 nephews and 10 nieces as well as some very special and devoted friends and a large circle of extended family and friends. Visitation will take place at Fahey's Funeral Home, Fermeuse on Saturday, August 16, 2014 from 1pm-4pm and 6pm-10pm, Sunday, August 17, 2014 from 12pm-4pm and 6pm-10pm and on Monday, August 17, 2014 from 9am-10am. Funeral mass will take place at Holy Trinity Church, Ferryland on Monday, August 17, 2014 at 11am. Internment to follow at Holy Trinity Cemetary, Ferryland.

"Don't be sad because you're saying good-bye,
Be happy because you have memories you'll cherish forever."

Ellen Gillard Morry

Sex: F

Individual Information

Birth Date: 12 Apr 1868 - Calvert, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada ²⁸³ ^,1688 ^,5118 ^,6123 Christening: 24 May 1868 - Ferryland, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada ²⁸² ^,1688 ^,5118 ^,6123 Death: 30 Dec 1878 - Calvert, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada ( at age 10) ²⁸² Burial: 31 Dec 1878 - Ferryland, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada ²⁸² ^,2962 ^,3197 Cause of Death: Diphtheria
Events
• Minister/Priest: Henry M. Skinner, 24 May 1868, Ferryland, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada.
• Alt. Death: Diphtheria, Bef 31 Dec 1878, Calvert, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. 300112: In the NGB transcript of the church record the dates of burial are sometimes mistakenly given as the date of death. It is not known if this is one of those cases.
• Minister/Priest: Henry Winsor in the absence of a clergyman, 31 Dec 1878, Ferryland, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada.

Parents

Father: Robert Morry ¹⁶⁸ ^,282 ^,283 Mother: Maria Victoria Matilda Winsor ¹⁶⁸⁸ Marriage Did Not Marry

Notes
General:

April 5, 2004: Church of England Ferryland Burial Record on Newfoundland's Grand Banks website: December 31, 1878Morry, Ellen JillardCaplin Bay10Henry Winsor

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

110904:

Found on the Newfoundland Genweb site reporting the Harbor Grace Standard and Conception Bay Adverstiser for publishing date 8 Mar. 1879:

At Caplin Bay, of diphtheria, Dec. 18th, Maud Ophelia, aged 6 years and 1 month; Dec. 26th, Ina, aged 4 years and 5 months; 30th Dec. EllenJellard, aged 10 years and 8 months; Jan. 4th, Priscilla Ann, aged 7 years and 7 months; Feb. 5th, Ethel May, aged 2 years and 7 months, daughters of Robert and Victoria MORRY.

Note slight difference in spelling of second name. Don't know which is correct.

<<<<<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>

180806: BDM reports death notice appeared on 11 mar 1879 in: 1) Gazette (Royal Newfoundland Gazette) 1807- 2) Harbor Grace Standard ( also known as Standard and Conception Bay Advertiser) 1859-1936 3) Newfoundlander 1827-1884

Deceased was the daughter of Robert and Victoria Morry of Caplin Bay.Died of Diphtheria at age 10 years and 8 months.

080116:
I have added St. Luke's as the place of Christening of the children in this family because it is most logical since the events were recorded at Petty Harbour C of E registry, not at the Cathedral in St. John's.

Ellen Margaret Morry

Sex: F

Individual Information

Birth Date: 27 Aug 1910 - Seattle, King, Washington, United States of America ³²⁸ ^,6401 ^,6404 Christening: Death: 23 Dec 1978 - Seattle, King, Washington, United States of America ( at age 68) ⁶⁴⁰¹ ^,6923 Burial: 27 Dec 1978 - Seattle, King, Washington, United States of America ²⁸⁶ ^,6923 Cause of Death: Multiple Myeloma, 3 Years ⁶⁹²³
Events
• Residence: 1023 6th Avenue (now North), 1905-1916, Seattle, King, Washington, United States of America. (Occupant)
• Residence: 1023 6th Ave. N, 27 Aug 1910, Seattle, King, Washington, United States of America. (Occupant)
• Residence: 1023 6th Ave. N, 27 Aug 1910, Seattle, King, Washington, United States of America.
• Residence: 2541 1st Ave. West, later renumbered 2547, 1911-1916, Seattle, King, Washington, United States of America. (Occupant)
• Residence: 946 19th Avenue (now E.), Capitol Hill, After May 1916, Seattle, King, Washington, United States of America. (Occupant)
• Residence: 946 19th Ave. N., 1920, Seattle, King, Washington, United States of America.
• Residence: 1557 16th Avenue North (now 1557 East Garfield Street), After 1920, Seattle, King, Washington, United States of America. (Occupant)
• Census: 1930 Census of Mary K. Morry, widow, and family, 1930, Seattle, King, Washington, United States of America. (Household Member)
• Census: 1930 Census of Mary K. Morry, widow, and family, 1930, Seattle, King, Washington, United States of America.
• Living: 1557 16th Ave. North, 1930, Seattle, King, Washington, United States of America.
• Living: Seattle, King, Washington, USA, Between 1930 and 1958.
• Residence: 1557 16th Avenue North (now 1557 East Garfield Street), After 1939, Seattle, King, Washington, United States of America. (Occupant)
• Census: 1557 16th Ave. North, 1940, Seattle, King, Washington, United States of America. (Household Member)
• Living: 1557 16th Ave. North, 1940, Seattle, King, Washington, United States of America.
• Residence: 1218 15th Ave - home of Margaret Durnford and Mary Morry & several children, 1940-1958, Seattle, King, Washington, United States of America. (Occupant)
• Residence: 1218 15th Ave. N. (now E.), Capital Hill, Cir 1940, Seattle, King, Washington, United States of America. (Occupant)
• Social Security Number: 531-05-7320 WA, 1951, Washington, United States of America. MORRY, ELLEN Birth Date: 27 Aug 1910 (Historical Events) Death Date: Dec 1978 (Historical Events) Issuing State: WA Residence at Death: SEATTLE, KING, WA 98102 SSN: 531-05-7320.
• Alt. Death: Dec 1978, Seattle, King, Washington, United States of America.
• Occupation: office administrator for University Printing Company, Bef 23 Dec 1978, Seattle, King, Washington, United States of America.
• Residence: 732 11th Ave. East, 98102, 23 Dec 1978, Seattle, King, Washington, United States of America.

Parents

Father: George William Morry ⁵ ^,1140 Mother: Mary Katherine Marshall ⁵³ Marriage Did Not Marry ⁶⁹²³

Notes
General:

Enid O'Brien email 01/09/00:

"They [George William Morry and Mary Kathryn Marshall] had 4 dgts andone son. The daughters didn't marry, one went in the convent, one was a school teacher and the other one worked in business."

111204: The 1930 Census lists her at home with her mother (father deceased 1926) at age 18, born about 1912. Her place of residence at the time of the census was: Seattle, King, Washington

Elsie Frances Morry

Sex: F

Individual Information

Birth Date: 12 Sep 1926 - Ferryland, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada ²²¹⁴ Christening: Death: 28 Apr 2014 - Sudbury, Greater Sudbury, Ontario, Canada ( at age 87) ⁶⁹²⁴ Burial: Bef 3 May 2014 - Sudbury, Greater Sudbury, Ontario, Canada Cause of Death:
Events
• Illness: Cholera Infantum, Cir 1928, Ferryland, Newfoundland. (Witness)
• Census: Howard Morry and family (2 pages), 1935, Ferryland, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. (Household Member)
• Census: Howard Morry and family (2 pages), 1935, Ferryland, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada.
• Medical Condition: Rheumatism in knees and ankles, 17 Feb 1942, St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. Elsie had to go to bed for six weeks with Rheumatism, her knees & ankles are much swollen.
• Medical Condition: Elsie, Catherine & Junior Innoculated for diphtheria, 12 May 1943, Ferryland, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. Junior later had a bad reaction to the innoculation.
• Edition: Business Course, 30 Aug 1943, St John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. Elsie off. She is going to St. John's
to take a business course.
• Occupation: Customs and Finance Dept., 9 Jul 1944, St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. Elsie got a position at the Customs &
Finance Dept.
• Residence: 931 Vine Ave., 1970, Sudbury, Greater Sudbury, Ontario, Canada.
• Graduation: B.A. from Laurentian University, 1990, Sudbury, Greater Sudbury, Ontario, Canada.
• Living: 1996, Sudbury, Greater Sudbury, Ontario, Canada.
• Residence: 2002, Sudbury, Greater Sudbury, Ontario, Canada.
• Documentation: Bill and Pat Morry Biography, 2019, Ferryland, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada.

Parents

Father: Pte. Howard Leopold Morry RNR ²³ ^,168 ^,6693 Mother: Fredris Marion Powdrell Minty ²³ ^,109 ^,168 ^,673 ^,1251 ^,6685 ^,6686

Spouses and Children

1. *Omer René Ranger ²²¹⁴ Marriage: 2 Mar 1946 - St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada ¹¹⁰⁸ ^,6925 Marriage Notes

Separated in the summer of 2007
Children: 1. Living 2. Living 3. Living 4. Ronald Paul Ranger 5. Living

Notes
General:

010514:

Aunt Elsie's obituary from http://obituaries.northernlife.ca/obituary/?id=33906

RANGER, Elsie (88)
Age: 88 Passed on: 2014-04-28 Service Date: 2014-05-03 Funeral Home: Cooperative Funeral Home - Sudbury Visitation: 1 to 3 p.m

The family announces with great sorrow her passing in Sudbury at Maison Vale Hospice surrounded by her family on Monday, April 28th, 2014 in her 88th year. Wife of René Ranger of Sudbury. Daughter of the late Howard and of the late Fredris (née Minty) Morry of Ferryland, Newfoundland. Loving mother of Marc (Rose), Debbie Ranger, Christine Blake (Denis), Ronald (Kimberly) and Lisette Ranger (Dave). Dear sister of Howard Jr. (Mary). Predeceased by her brothers and sisters Phyllis Mercer (late Albert, and late John Ferguson), William (late Pat), Jean Funkhouser (late Jack), Thomas (late Evelyne), Reginald (late Gladys), Catherine Kaye (late Tom) and Priscilla (infant sister). Cherished grandmother of Amanda, Alix, Brandy, Andrew, Jessica, Katlan, Veronica, Destiny, Casey and Kira. Predeceased by her great granddaughter Ondrea. Elsie loved her Newfoundland family and will be missed by many nieces, nephews, great nieces, great nephews, relatives and friends. She dedicated her life to family and to community service. The family will receive relatives and friends at the COOPERATIVE FUNERAL HOME, 222 Lasalle Blvd, Sudbury on Saturday, May 3rd 2014 from 1 to 3 p.m. A funeral service will follow at 3 p.m. in the funeral home chapel, Sudbury. As expressions of sympathy, donations (by cheque only) to Maison Vale Hospice are appreciated.

Glen and I travelled to Sudbury with Alix, Debbie's daughter, to attend the funeral and pay our respects. At the reception before the funeral we met the following family members:

Rene Ranger, estranged husband of aunt Elsie (now suffering from Alzheimer's and blind)
Marc and Rose Ranger and their daughter Amanda
Debbie Ranger, her daughter Alix and step-daughter? Brandy Jean
Chrissie and Denis Blake and their son Andrew
Ronnie Ranger and his friend Kimberley and daughters by first marriage Jessica, Katlan and Veronica
Lisette Ranger and longtime companion Dave and her daughters and step-daughters Destiny, Casey and Kira
Howie and Vi Mercer
Chris and Carol Mercer
Scott and Bonnie Mercer

Elsie Leone Morry

Sex: F
AKA: Eliza Leone Morey ¹⁶⁸⁸ ^,2748 ^,3835 ^,6927, Eliza Morry ³⁸⁴¹ ^,4096
Individual Information

Birth Date: 17 Jul 1888 - Aquaforte, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada ²⁸² ^,1688 ^,6927 Christening: 18 Aug 1888 - Aquaforte, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada ¹⁶⁸⁸ ^,6927 ^,6928 Death: 2 Dec 1965 - Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada ( at age 77) ⁷⁴⁵ ^,1034 Burial: Cause of Death:
Events
• Residence: 2431 Vine St. or 1431 Thurlow St. or 1408 57th Ave. W., Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. (Occupant)
• Minister/Priest: Dan Henry Winsor, 18 Aug 1888, Aquaforte, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada.
• Received into Church: Walter R. Smith, S.P.G. at Portugal Cove, 1 Oct 1888, Ferryland, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada.
• Alt. Birth: 16 Nov 1888, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada.
• Alt. Birth: 1889, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada.
• Immigration: From Newfoundland, 1890, British Columbia, Canada.
• Residence: Age: 2; Marital Status: Single; Relation to Head-of-house: Daughter Victoria City Johnson Street Ward,, 1891, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada.
• Residence: Age: 40; Marital Status: Married; Relation to Head of House: Head, 1891, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. (Occupant)
• Census: 1891 Census of Canada, 13 May 1891, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada.
• Census: Household of William George Morry, 1901, Inverness, Burrard, British Columbia, Canada. (Household Member)
• Residence: Age: 12; Marital Status: Single; Relation to Head of House: Daughter, 1901, Inverness, Burrard, British Columbia, Canada.
• Residence: Age: 13; Marital Status: Single; Relation to Head of House: Niece, 1901, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. Staying with uncle at his farm on Cedar Hill Rd. while attending school and parents and elder sister were in Inverness.
• Occupation: Stenographer, W. A. Jameson Coffee Co., 1912, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada.
• Residence: Fernwood, 1215 Pembroke Street (ex-15 South Rd), 1912, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada.
• Residence: 130 Robertson St., After 24 Oct 1913, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. (Occupant)
• Arrival: One week visit to the mainland from Victoria, Between 8 Jan 1915 and 15 Jan 1915, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. (Witness)
• Alt. Death: 4 Dec 1965, British Columbia, Canada.

Parents

Father: William George Morry ¹⁶⁸ ^,745 ^,2773 ^,2774 ^,2908 ^,3840 ^,3841 Mother: Anna Jennings Windsor ⁶ ^,168 ^,282 ^,283 ^,745 ^,3840 ^,3841

Spouses and Children

1. *Capt. James Ewing Noel ⁵ ^,168 ^,745 ^,2327 ^,4501 ^,4502 ^,4503 Marriage: 22 Oct 1913 - Victoria, British Columbia, Canada ⁵ ^,2327 ^,4500
Marriage Events
• Minister/Priest: Rev. Ernest G. Miller, St. Barnabas C of E Church, 22 Oct 1913, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada.
• Witnesses: Gertrude Rendell and Douglas G. Morry (brother of the bride); Henry W. Morry, 22 Oct 1913, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. She was given away by uncle Henry Morry of Prince Rupert. Children: 1. Kathleen Muriel Noel 2. Norma Ewing Noel 3. Living 4. James Gordon Noel 5. Living

Notes
General:

03/11/02:

BC Marriage Index: NOEL, JAMES EWING bride: MORRY, ELSIE LEONEM: 22 Oct 1913 N: B11370 1983527 TWN:VICTORIA Reg:1913-09-025682

I have no idea to whom this person is related in our family. This is the first record I have of her. [later discovered the relationship]

22/06/03: Second name spelled Leonie on the BC Archives online site.250404:

The name given in the Census information is probably a nickname. Enid's information comes directly from Doris Newcombe, Elsie Leone's niece, and is undoubtedly accurate.

Emily Morry

Sex: F

Individual Information

Birth Date: Cir 1930 - Rhode Island, United States of America ⁶⁸² Christening: Death: Bef 1985 ⁵³ Burial: Cause of Death:

Parents

Father: Angelo Morry ⁶⁸² Mother: Pasqualena Lombardi ⁶²⁹¹

Living

Sex: F

Parents

Father: Thomas Graham Morry VI ¹⁶⁸ ^,2148 Mother: Living

Spouses and Children

1. Living
Marriage Events
• Minister/Priest: Peter Christopher Laszlo Peter Morry, brother of the bride, 13 Sep 2014, Rochester, Monroe, New York, United States of America.

Emily Frances Victoria Morry R. N.

Sex: F
AKA: Emily Francis Victoria Morry ¹⁶⁸⁸, Fanny Morry ³³¹, Frances Morry ⁶⁹²⁹ ^,6930
Individual Information

Birth Date: 23 Jan 1865 - Ferryland, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada ²⁸² ^,283 Christening: 25 Jan 1865 - Ferryland, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada ¹⁰⁹ ^,282 ^,1688 ^,3835 Death: 22 Jun 1944 - Kingston, Annapolis, Nova Scotia, Canada ( at age 79) ⁵ ^,19 ^,2097 ^,6931 Burial: 5 Jul 1944 - St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada ⁶⁹³⁰ ^,6932 ^,6933 Cause of Death: Colon Cancer
Events
• Alt. Christening: Privately; received into the church later, date not stated, by John M. Noel, 23 Jan 1865, Ferryland, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada.
• Minister/Priest: John M. Noel, 25 Jan 1865, Ferryland, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada.
• Immigration: 11 Nov 1889, New York, New York, New York, United States of America.
• Arrival: 15 Jul 1905, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. Landing record found on Ancestry.ca shows Fanny Morry, Teacher, aged 45 travelling with H. Bernice Morry, Bookeeper, aged 25 travelling from Seattle to Victoria on a return ticket. This is almost certainly Frances, despite the discrepancy in age and the fact that it states they were US citizens, but it isn't clear who is the young woman with whom she was travelling.
• Graduation: Nurse; Second Graduating Class In Newfoundland, Between 1907 and 1910, St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada.
• Arrival: 28 Sep 1907, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Note that though only the initial is given and she is wrongly identified as a man the fact that it shows she was a nurse and from Newfoundland makes it certain this was Fanny.
• Departure: Jan 1912, St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada.
• Arrival: 31 Jan 1912, Glasgow, Lanark, Scotland.
• Immigration: From Liverpool to Boston on Cunard LACONIA with intent to settle in US, 16 Apr 1912, Bristol, Gloucestershire, England. Profession listed as nurse; age grossly under-represented as 36 when in fact she was then 47.
• Military: Awarded British Medal for Distinguished Conduct and Military Service, Between Nov 1915 and May 1919, Wallasey, Metropolitan Borough of Wirral, Merseyside, England.
• Military: Served as Head of Nursing Unit In WWI, Between 4 Nov 1915 and May 1919, Wallasey, Metropolitan Borough of Wirral, Merseyside, England. Queen Alexandra's Imperial Military Nursing Service Reserve
She served first at the Red Cross Hospital in Eccleshall, Staffordshire and later many other hospitals. See her record of service in the Media folder.
• Arrival: 6 Nov 1915, North Sydney, Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, Canada. Incorrectly listed as "male". There were several other Newfoundland ladies making the same journey, three of them in their seventies (including Mrs. J. LeMessurier)and the other a bit younger than Frances. I wonder if the two younger ladies were acting as chaperones and ladies assistants to the others on such a long and arduous journey.
• Residence: 87 Henry St., From her service record card in WWI, 4 Dec 1915, St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada.
• Departure: Furness DIGBY en route to St. John's after service as a nurse in WWI, 2 May 1919, Bristol, Gloucestershire, England. She gives her age as 45. At the time she was 54.
• Arrival: Arrived home on the DIGBY, 12 May 1919, St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada.
• Census: 134 Gower St.,, 1921, St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. Living with her sister Josie and brother in law William N. Gray.
• Census: 1921 Newfoundland Census of William Gray Household, 134 Gower St., 1921, St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. Sister in law Emily Frances Victoria Morry living with William and his wife Jane.
• Arrival: 14 Jun 1930, Montreal, Québec, Canada. T G Morry and his sister Frances arrived in Montréal from St. John's on board the Rosalind en route to BC. Among the facts revealed was the fact that she had previously been in Canada from June 1896 to June 1901 (when she was in the Victoria). They both indicated that they would be hosted by Albert Graham Morry at 1339 Stanley Ave., Victoria, BC and used thier sister Mrs. W. N. Gray as their next of kin.
• Interesting: was witness at her brother Thomas's second marriage to Clara Windsor, 30 Jun 1930, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada.
• Census: 1935 Newfoundland Census of Household of William Gray, 1935, St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada.
• Occupation: Trained Nurse, Private, $100 pa, 1935, St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada.
• Residence: 142 Gower St., Boarder, Private Nurse, 1936, St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada.
• Alt. Burial: Jun 1944, St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. Plot C625A.
• Alt. Burial: Forest Rd. Cemetery, 2 Jul 1944, St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada.
• Minister/Priest: Canons G. H. Bolt and E. R. Higham conducted the funeral and graveside ceremonies, 5 Jul 1944, St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada.
• Residence: 124 Gower St., presumably the former home of sister, Josey Morry Gray, 5 Jul 1944, St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. The Gray's moved several times during the time that Frances was living with them but always within a few houses of one another on Gower St. Both Josey and her husband William had died by the time of Frances' death, but she inherited everything from them.
• Probate: UK Probate Calendar entry, 21 Nov 1944, Llanddwywe, Merioneth, Wales. I have no idea why her Will was probated in Wales. There is no conceivable explanation that I can think of.
• Will: Left $650 to the Church of England Orphanage, 1945, St. John's, Newfoundland. Note that the page of the Annual Report of the Church of England Orphanage whilst giving credit for her generous contribution mistakenly left the first initial off her name. The gave it is "Miss F.V. Morry" when her full name was Emily Frances Victoria Mrry.

Parents

Father: John Henry Morry ¹⁶⁸ Mother: Elizabeth Sarah Winsor ¹⁶⁸ ^,282 ^,283 Marriage Did Not Marry

Notes
General:

Minister at Christening was John Noel according to C of E records in Ferryland.

Never married

Information on place of death supplied by my father Thomas Morry in 1999. He knew her.

Known as Victoria Frances in the indenture between her grandmother, Ann Winsor and her brother, Thomas Graham Morry, in 1881.

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Emails from Enid O'Brien in December 2002:

"I was given a book over Christmas titled "White Caps and Black Bands", nursing in NL to 1934 by Joyce Nevitt. She mentions Frances "Morey" in it as follows "Isabel Simms of the second graduating class at the General Hospital, St. John's went overseas, and Alice Carey, class of 1909 was stationed with Grace Gardiner, graduate of 1911 class at the Military hospital, Brighton, England. Later Alice became Mrs. Brehm, wife of the Medical Officer of health for St. John's and Grace did private duty nursing in town. Frances Morey left Newfoundland in November 1915 with a contingent of volunteers of whom she was put in charge. She graduated in 1910". Another military connection for the Morrys. I knew she was a nurse but I didn't know she went overseas. Apparently she entered nursing school at the General Hospital in 1907 and her classmates were Bertha Forsey, Ethel Pittman, Lillian Reid, Bertha Woodman - not a very big class. Of course, we already knew about Alice Carey marrying Dr. Brehm but it is kind of nice to know where she met him. I assumed it was in St. John's."

"Frances Morry would be Emily Frances Victoria Morry (dgt of John Morry/Elizabeth Sarah Winsor). I would really like to find out a little bit more about her. She was certainly a pioneer in nursing, considering that she graduated from the 2nd graduating class ever in nursing in Newfoundland. There were only a handful of women in this class. The other thing that I found interesting was she was 42 years old when she entered training. Alice Carey (Brehm) would have been her niece. I found in the Evening Telegram April 9, 1910 that: 'she graduated so creditibly from the General Hospital last week having completed her 3-year training and is now spending a well deserved vacation with friends. Miss Morry, RN, intends in the autumn to take up another branch of the profession either at hospital in Canada or the US.' Usually this meant further courses in midwifery, etc. It wouldn't have been unsual for these women to go to the US or Canada for further training. Looking over the names of the "girls" I know from my research that they were all from merchant families. This doesn't surprise me because the pay was low, the hours were long, and one would need some formal education to be admitted (which eliminated a lot of young women in 1910). Also, they had to pay for their own uniforms, etc, and unless these girls had some provision they couldn't possible afford to go in training. It was almost like missionary work.

The other things we know about her is (1) that three years later she headed a contingent to England. (2) When she died she lived in Kingston, Nova Scotia. Her name is on a headstone in Forest Road but it says nothing in the newspaper about sending her body home so I suspect she was buried in Nova Scotia [No. NImshi Crewe reported from interview with Helena Morry Le Messurier on March 16, 1960 that Fanny's body was returned to St. John's and buried with her sister at Forest Rd. cemetery]. This makes me think that just maybe she did her further training in Halifax and after the war settled in Nova Scotia - pure speculation of course.

When you really look at it here is this single woman, 42 years old, entered nursing in St. John's at a time when people died with measles, probably went to the US/Canada for further training, went off to war, came back to Nova Scotia and you just wonder what happened in between. What were her expriences?"

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250305: Enid also put me onto the fact that Emily Francis (sic) Victoria Morry was awarded a medal by the British government. This was found under a title of the British National Archives covering Women's Services, Distinguished Conduct Medals and Military Medals.

I paid 3 pounds 50 pence online for a copy of the registration card for this medal but it gives very little information other than her name, some cryptic reference numbers and an indication that it was the "British" medal as opposed to either the "Victory" or "Star" medal.

The catalogue description for the online record of this medal gives the following information:

Ref.: WO 372/223 Image Ref.: 30556/31663 Medal card of: Morry, Emily Francis Victoria Corps: Queen Alexandra's Imperial Military Nursing Service Reserve Rank: Sister

I tried searching online records of the Corps with which she worked but found no reference to her service.

An image of the medal card is contained in the Scrapbook

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071206: Received this email from Mary Frances Philpott and responded by sending everything that I had on this person:

" am writing a book on Newfoundland Graduate Nurses and VADS who served overseas during World War 1. The above named, 1910 graduate of the St. John's General Hospital Nurses Training School, served with the Q.A.I.M.N.S [R] [Queen Alexandra Imperial Military Nursing Service. Length of Overseas Service: 3 + years. The British War Office has her War Medal Card listing her as a member of the Q.A.'s. I have material regarding her war record. Question: Would you have a photograph of the above in her Uniform? Would you know whether she kept a war diary?

Interestingly, Frances Morry's neice, Alice Beatrice Carey [Brehm] [1886-1971], daughter of Mary "Minnie" LeMessurier Morry [Carey] and Dr. Robert Hillary Carey [1838-1905], graduate of Harvard Medical School and veteran of the American Civil War, also served overseas. Alice was a 1909 graduate of the St. John's Gen. Hospital, and served overseas with the Q.A..I.M.N.S[R]. [ I have two formal pictures of Alice. Both these women were born in the Ferryland/Trepassey area. While overseas Alice married Dr. Robert Almon Brehm. In 1926 they had a son, Robert Almon Brehm Jr. The latter was living in Ontario per Alice's obit of 1971. Again I am interested in whether you have any info regarding this relative of yours.

Look forward to hearing from you at your convenience. Mary Philpott B.A., B.Sc.N, LLB. St. John's, NL."

130807: On Ancestry.com I found a record of her visit to New York on board the SS PORTIA from St. John's via Halifax arriving on 11 November 1889. She is listed as Fanny Morry and her calling is given as "lady", indicating she was not employed at that time. They misspelled the name of her place of birth as "Fairyland" and in turn that has been further identified incorrectly in the Ancestry.com index as Maryland.

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021107: From: Enid O'Brien [enidobrien@yahoo.com] Sent: November-02-07 3:07 PM To: Chris Morry Subject: Frances Morry Hi Chris: Just noticed this little tidbit on the computer of Year of Events 1915 newspaper. These are usually found in the December issue of the Daily News. The next time I go to the university I will look it up just to see if there is anything further. It is kind of interesting that Isabel LeMessurier will be with her at the Front.

NOVEMBER (1915) Nov. 4 Misses Frances MOREY, Madeline DONNELLY, Isabel LeMESSURIER, Cecile WINDELER and Annie WORSLEY leave on Nursing Duty for the Front.

Talk to you later. Enid Enid O'Brien

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June 30 2009: Found out from Ancestry.ca landing records that Frances accompanied T G Morry on his westward journey in 1930. Also found out that she had previously been in Victoria from June 1896 to June 1901. In addition there were landing records on Ancestry.ca indicating that she visited Seattle and returned to Victoria in 1905 and arrived in Vancouver from Hong Kong in 1907. Again in 1915 she was outbound on the KYLE headed for England. This would have been when she went overseas to lead a group of nurses during WWI. All in all quite a well travelled lady for her era.

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090911 from NGB website transcript of 1921 Census:

GRAY, William N. M Head Married 1868 Sept 53 St. John's City
GRAY, Josephine F Wife Married 1871 Nov 50 St. John's City

DOBBIN, Clara F Servant Single 1901 Sept 20 St. Mary's
MOORAY, Emily F. F Sister in law Single 1870 Jan 51 Ferryland

Note that all their ages are given incorrectly, underestimating their ages. This is a common flaw in Census returns.

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From Kevin Reddigan 250213: researching Frances or Florence Morry based on your paragraph above: I found a death record for Frances Victoria Emily Morry in Nova Scotia. She died, of colon cancer, on June 22, 1944 in Malvern Square, Annapolis County. Her age is given as 77 yrs. 5 mos. 8 days.(birthday given was Jan 14, 1866). Her occupation was registered nurse, her last employment was in 1919. Her parents were identified as John Morry and Elizabeth Windsor of Newfoundland. She had only been in Nova Scotia for two months and her home address is give as 142 Gower [although it looks more like Power], St. John's Newfoundland. The informant was her niece, Alice B. Brehm, 18 Circular Road, St. John's, Nfld. It also shows that Frances was buried at St. John's on July 2, 1944. (My research shows Alice (1884? - 1971) was the dau. of Dr.Robert Hillary Carey and Mary LeMessurier Morry; and wife of Dr. R Almon Brehm.)

This sets to rest the old debate as to whether or not she was buried in NS or Newfoundland

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Also from Enid O'Brien 250213: Daily News June 24th, 1944 Morey. Passed away yesterday at 6:30 am at Kingston, NS, Emily Frances Morey (sic) daughter of late John Morey of Ferryland.

The actual error by a day in the date of death was most likely due to the time it took for the information to reach the family in St. John's.

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060313: On Ancestry in the UK, Outward Passenger Lists, 1890-1960 I just discovered that Frances left Liverpool on the 16 Apr. 1912 on board the Cunard SS LACONIA sailing for Boston, listing her profession as nurse with the stated intention of settling in the US. I wonder what this was all about. It appears she may have attempted to find work in Britain after graduating in 1910 and then decided to give it a try in the US. She understated her age by a decade saying she was only 36.

On May 2, 1919 she is seen on her return from service overseas listed as a nursing sister boarding the Furness DIGBY at Liverpool heading for St. John's in company with several familiar names including Mr. H. A. Le Messurier and his wife (he is listed as ex army officer, she as house duties), Lieut. F. G. A. Rendell (he listed as Newfoundland Contingent) and Dr. R. A. Brehm and his wife (he listed as surgeon, she as house duties). This is a bit of a short shrift for Brehm's wife, Alice Mary Carey, who just spent the past 4 or 5 years working as a VAD nurse. The A. H. LeMessurier is a bit of a mystery. He may be Archibald LeMessurier, son of Peter Frederick LeMessurier.

110613:

Terry Bishop-Stirling, Head of the History Department at MUN, met with me today to discuss our mutual interest in the early nurses in Newfoundland including Fanny. She provided me with a copy of the letter sent by her brother-in-law William Gray to the person responsible for assembling information to determine which nurses were entitled to medals for their services. I already had this from another source earlier (I forget where, possibly Enid O'Brien). She also provided me with a page out of the ledger set up to tabulate all of the service of each of the nurses from Newfoundland and on this page Fanny's service was listed as was that of Alice Carey (later Brehm).

Funnily enough there is no mention of Wandsworth hospital in the places of service of either of these ladies or any of the others on the page. It was my understanding that, that being the place Newfoundland soldiers were sent to convalesce, it would also have been the place where Newfoundland nurses were sent to serve, but apparently not, or at least not in the case of the nurses on this list. According to Terry, there were about 75 Newfoundland nurses who served oveseas so it is possible some of them served at Wandsoworth.

[However, note in the Media Gallery the hand-written notes of Vic Le Messurier Badcock in which she states without any doubt that her father, Francis Le Messurier, who was seriously wounded at the Battle of Beaumont Hamel, was invalided out to Wandsworth and was there pleased to meet and be treated by Fanny, who kept his family informed of his recovery. Vic sometimes filled in where the facts she had did not necessarily agree with the "true" facts, so this may have been a story that had been partly passed down and partly embellished by her.]

The places listed where Fanny served were: 1. Westerham, Kent; 2. Brighouse, Yorks; 3. Ongar, Essex 4; Kington, Herefords; 5. Havant, Hants; 6. Hull.

The dates for each specific engagement were not known but the were bounded from 18 Dec., 1915 to 15 May, 1919.

220815:
There is a mystery over the financial status of Fanny. She inherited very little if anything from her father, who was left destitute almost as a result of the bank crash in 1894. She and her sister Flossy did have access to the Holdsworth property as a result of a condition on its release from indenture to their brother, Thomas Graham, by their grandmother, Ann Coulman Windsor. But we know from the letter that she wrote to Dad Morry in 1933 that this land, which was rented out to local fishermen, was not bringing in much rent and was a constant annoyance in terms of collecting the pittance for which it was rented. We also know from her letters that she was unable to obtain any significant amount of employment as a nurse upon her return from overseas. And what little work she did for her brother-in-law, William Nichols Gray, in his stationery store would not have afforded her much in the way of a living allowance, let alone money to put away for the future. Because she lived with Gray, her needs would have been modest, but still she would theoretically have been living in straightened circumstances.

All of this was the conventional wisdom until this month when an old contact from the Geoffrey Williams Morey research group, Cliff Morrey in England, informed me that there was a will in her name in the index of Probates in the UK. This is what appeared in that index:

MORRY, Emily Frances Victoria of St. Johns Newfoundland spinster died 22 June 1944 at Melvern-square Annapolis Nova Scotia Canada Probate St. Johns to the Eastern Trust Company of St Johns Newfoundland. Effects £4159 8s. 8d. in England. Sealed Llandudno 21 November.

This was most astonishing because this represented a considerable amount of money at the time and it implied Fanny had hidden wealth no one knew about. I applied to obtain a copy of the Will only to discover that in the UK documents from former colonies are destroyed after 50 years. I then thought perhaps somehow I had failed to find this Will in my search at the Supreme Court in St. John's many years ago. So I examined a transcript of the index to the Wills held there, which can be found on the Newfoundland's Grand Banks website. At first all I found were the Morry Wills I had already obtained long ago. Then I decided to search for her by her Christian name and there she was, only under the surname "Marry". With the assistance of Enid O'Brien I obtained a copy of that Will, which she digitised to send me right away. I was floored at what I found. The UK Probate only related to the estate in England. The total estate was valued at $51,577.21! In today's money that would represent a sizable fortune in excess of $600,000. Yet for all she let on in life she was essentially penniless. The mystery of where this fortune came from is also compounded by the somewhat less mysterious way in which she chose to dispose of it. In short, nothing went to her Morry relatives. Almost all of it went to charities and only a trifling amount was given to people she favoured for one reason or another. This typifies what we know of her in that she had a serious falling out with her only living brother, Thomas Graham, over his decision to marry a Catholic and she never forgave him or had close ties with any of his children or grandchildren because of this.

A transcribed copy of the Will is found in the Media Gallery

240815:
The mystery is solved! I knew that Fanny lived with her sister, Jane Josephine (Josie) and her husband, William Nichols Gray and that he was a businessman of some substantial means. So I suspected that she might have inherited money from them, both of whom died in 1942, two years before Fanny. Both had wills on record and no one had ever bothered to transcribe them, so once again I got Enid O'Brien to obtain and scan copies for me. The results were even more astounding than Fanny's will. Although her brother in law left her nothing, his wife, her sister, left her everything she owned! This amounted to over $90,000 in the money of the day, which would be worth well over $1.2 Million in today's money. In other words, not only did she suddenly become fabulously wealthy but she managed to somehow give away half of this amount in the two remaining years of her life (some would have gone on medical treatment for her cancer) and the rest she gave away in her will mainly to charities as we have seen. Not one penny went to a Morry. Now that is vindictiveness to the extreme!

Transcripts of William and Jane Josephine's wills are found in their respective Media Galleries.

080116:
I have added St. Luke's as the place of Christening of the children in this family because it is most logical since the events were recorded at Petty Harbour C of E registry, not at the Cathedral in St. John's.

091016:
A few days ago Fredi Caines received some information on Frances' records of service during WWI from a person who was arranging a commemoration later this fall for descendants or relatives of women who served as nurses or VADs during WWI. I had some of this information already from the National Archives (medal card) and Terry Bishop-Stirling (above) - a partial list of the places she served. But Fredi received and passed on to me a copy of the front and back of her military record card showing all of the places she served. Copies are found in the Media Gallery. What is most interesting about this information is that she seems to have flitted from place to place without spending a great deal of time in any one hospital. One wonders if she was found too difficult to work with and was being passed from one administration to another to get rid of a troublesome worker. She gave her age as 40 when in reality she was nearly 51 when her service began and 55 when she returned home. Her service before joining included 3 months at the fever hospital in St. John's and she states that her "present occupation" was in nursing at Framingham, Boston, USA, but that was several years prior.

100317:
I found a photocopy of her obituary in one of the St. John's newspapers amongst Aunt Jean's research notes sent to me by Karen Chapman in 2011. A copy is found in the media gallery. Of note is the complete absence of any information on her family. Apparently she had distanced herself so much from her family that it was not considered appropriate to mention them in her obituary. Also of note, as an aside, is that Leo Murphy, now a Captain in the Great War Veterans Association, read the graveside ritual for deceased veterans.

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050522:

I have just discovered in Dad Morry's diary for July 5 1944 that Fanny was buried in St. John's on that date. Formerly I had it on the strength of an obituary Kevin Reddigan found in a NS newspaper that she was buried on the 2nd of July 1944. I will make the necessary corrections today.

Of interest is the fact that Dad Morry did not attend this funeral though in 1942 he did attend the funeral of her sister Josey. I don't know what to make of this except to reiterate from the information given above that none of her relatives were mentioned in her newspaper obituaries and none of them received one red cent from her extensive estate. There was clearly no love lost between she and they.

Living

Sex: F

Parents

Father: Living Mother: Living

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