Minnie A. Keachie
ID # 6785, (1859-1958)
| Father | Andrew Keachie (1824-1883) |
| Mother | Adeline Buchon (1832-1923) |
| Birth | Minnie A. Keachie was born in 1859 at Brantford. |
| Marriage | She married Alfred Kern on 24 February 1886 at Brantford, Brant Co., Ontario. Mrge reg. 001180-86 City of Brantford, Brant Co. Alfred Kern 27, bachelor, merchant, Calvinistic Protestant. Born Switzerland, residing City of Mexico. Parents Edward and Betsy Kern. Minnie A. Keachie, 27, spinster, Presbyterian. Born and residing Brantford. Parents Andrew S. and Adelaide Keachie. Witnesses Fred Wylie, A. C. Roe, Hope Keachie, Jennie Keachie. On 24 February, 1886, at Brantford, by Wm. Cochrane, D.D., minister. |
| Death | She died in 1958. |
| Note | She As mentioned under notes for Minnie's great grandfather, Andrew Keachie, your researcher is indebted to Mr. Ron Field for granting me access to his files of letters between Mrs. Joyce Hughes and Franklin Bailie Keachie of Waterloo, Ontario. Mr. Keachie quoted work done on the family's history by a Mr. A. K. Murray in the 1890s. Some of his comments are drawn on here, though it is possible to expand upon them when discussing Minnie's family. Firstly, Minnie's husband, Alfred Kern. The chart indeed mentions Minnie's marriage to Alfred Kern (a transcription of their marriage registration appears above in the marriage notes). This tells that Minnie died in 1958 and provides no information as to the place of her death or where she is buried. It mentiones that husband Alfred Kern was born in Switzerland and this agrees with his place of birth on their marriage registration. It also tells that they had six children in Basle, Switzerland - which appears to omit a large portion of their family's history. At the time of their marriage, Alfred was said to be resident in Mexico City and it does appear that after their marriage Alfred and Minnie took up residence there. Ancestry provides links via Familysearch to birth registrations for at least three of their children in Mexico City. The records are in Spanish, with which your researcher is totally unfamiliar, and we may only say that they had a daughter Margarita (or Margaret) Kern in 1889; a daughter Violet Hope in 1892; and a son Arthur Percival in 1895. Rather more interesting (and recalling that these records are in Spanish and listed under birth registrations), is a record dated 1886 and appears to provide birth records for Alfred and for Minnie. The dates are written out in full, but appear to place Alfred's birth in Basel, Switzerland, and Minnie's in Brantford. Further, parentage is mentioned. Alfred's parents appear in their marriage registration as Edward and Betsy Kern. The Mexico City record shows them as Eduardo Kern and Sofia Werthemann of Basel, Switzerland. Minnie's parents are presented as Andres Keachie and Adelaida Buchon. And here we take a liberty. The Kentucky marriage registration of Andrew Keachie and Adeline shows her surname as Beshaw. Looking over the 1850 U.S. census, the name Beshaw is to be found in two or three American states and may be some sort of Anglicization. The birth or background of the persons involved appears to be French. Records are to be found elsewhere that suggests a different spelling for Adeline's name, but Buchon appears in the Mexico City record and so is used to identify Minnie's mother. It may not entirely accurate, but will be close. (Yes, Adeline's given name betimes is shown as Adelaide, but since most of the records we have show her as Adeline, it is shown as such in this tree.) At this point, it would be reasonable to say there's little else know about Minnie Keachie and Alfred Kern...except one more rather attractive thing. Ancestry provides passenger lists on transatlantic shipping. In 1883, the Gallia arrived at New York City. Listed as passengers and on the same page are Alfred Kern, from Switzerland and destined Mexico, and Adeline and Minnie Keachie destined Canada. Was the marriage of Alfred and Minnie the result of a shipboard romance? It certainly does appear to be the case. |
| Last Edited | 29 Jan 2019 |