Sarah Antoinette Bell
ID # 8545, (1849-)
| Birth | Sarah Antoinette Bell was born on 29 November 1849 at Newmarket. |
| Marriage | She married Edwin Vespasian Kerr, son of Rev. Sylvester L. Kerr and Susannah Dawdy, on 15 January 1867 at Grey County. MS248 reel 7, Vol. 13, page 160 Grey County Marriage Register Extracted from a list of marriages solemnized by Rev. Thomas Stevenson, a minister of the Canada Presbyterian Church for the year ending 31 December, A.D. 1867 Edwin Vespasian Kerr, 22(?), born Canada West, residing St. Vincent (township). Parents Sylvester Kerr and Susan 'Dady'. Antoinette Bell, 18, born Canada West, Residing St. Vincent (township). Parents George Bell and Mary S. Wight. Witness John McKay of St. Vincent. On 15 Jany, 1867 We may only guess why Edwin's age is shown as 22. He was much closer to 18. The 1851 census, which was not begun until January of 1852, asked the question: What is your age as of your next birthday? His age is shown as 3 and this likely means he was born in 1849. The question for the 1861 census was similar, but this census was begun in early January of 1861. Here, his age is shown as 12, which again, would place his birth in 1849. |
| Marriage | She married Henry Hurd, son of Jehial Hurd and Catherine Kilburn, on 6 July 1878 at Markdale, Glenelg Twp., Grey Co.. Mrge reg. 003004-78 Glenelg Twp., Grey Co. Henry Hurd, 33, bachelor, farmer, Methodist. Born Rideau, residing Euphrasia. Parents Jehiel and Cathrine Hurd. Sarah Antoinette Kerr, 27, widow, Methodist. Born Newmarket, Ontario, residing St. Vincent. Parents George and Mary Bell. Witnesses Ellen Galloway and Emma Richardson, both of Markdale. On 6 JUly, 1878, at Markdale, by Jos. Galloway, minister. |
| Note | Sarah Antoninette Bell first appears in the 1861 census in St. Vincent Township of Grey County with her parents George and Mary Bell as well as siblings. (The family has yet to be found in the 1851 census.) Her name is given as Antoinette, though poorly spelled. Her father, George Bell, is shown as age 49 (as of his next birthday if it was written correctly), and her mother, Mary Bell, is shown as age 40. In 1867, Antoinette Bell, age shown as 18, married Edwin Vespasian Kerr, age shown as 22. Her parents are shown as George Bell and Mary S. Wright. This is the only record as yet found showing her mother's maiden name. In the 1871 census, Edwin appears with his parents, Sylvester and Susan Kerr. He is shown as married, but his wife is not in the household. As mentioned in notes for Edwin, Antoinette has been found in St. Vincent Township, but in the household of an M. (name illegible) Purdy and his wife Emily. A member of the household is Seymour Purdy, age 36, and probably the brother of the head of the household. Following his name are those of Antoinette and Emily. As also mentioned, while we must believe her last name is intended to be shown as Kerr, it is poorly written and looks rather more like Keer, or Keen. We must believe that Antoinette's relationship to the Purdy family was cousinly. There was in St. Vincent Township from the 1851 census a Jesse and Sarah Antoinette Purdy. Sarah Antoinette Purdy has a gravestone in Lakeview Cemetery. She is shown as age 72, date of death Jan 3, 1876, and she is buried with son Seymour Winans Purdy who drowned April 2, 1877. He is shown as age 43 and we must believe him to be in the Seymour who appears enumerated in the same household as was Antoinette Bell Kerr. Sarah Antoinette Bell was likely named after Sarah Antoinette Purdy, probably a maternal aunt. Whether in the 1870s St. Vincent Township was in the back of beyond is hard to say. Death registrations are to be found, but not for Sarah Antoinette Purdy who died in 1876 or for Seymour Winans Purdy who drowned in 1877. In 1878, Sarah Antoinette Bell Kerr married Henry Hurd. Sarah's name is shown as Sarah Antoinette Kerr, and her age is given as 27. Her place of birth is shown as Newmarket. (Newmarket was in Whitchurch Township. Antoinette is first found with her family in St. Vincent Township in the 1861 census, but not in 1851. The 1851 census for Whitchurch has not survived.) The 1881 census shows Henry and Sarah in Euphrasia Township of Grey County. With them are a number of children, most of whom will be Henry's by his first marriage. If Edwin and Sarah's daughter is present in the list, it isn't immediately clear in terms of the names shown. (The1881 census pages listing the Hurd family are out of order. Henry and Sarah and most of their children appear on page 48 of the sub-district. This is followed by page 47 and the names listed are not connected. The top of page 49 - which actually follows page 50 - shows an infant daughter Antoinette, born the previous August, and Henry's father, 82 year old Jehiel Hurd.) The family is still in Euphrasia as of the 1891 and 1901 censuses. The 1901 census shows Henry's date of Birth as 15 January, 1845, and the Sarah's as 29 Nov, 1849. The handwriting for the month is poor, but 'Nov' is best guess. Whether her year of birth is in fact 1849 is debatable. The 1921 census shows Henry and Sarah Antoinette Hurd in LongLaketon Municipality, Saskatchewan. Ancestry's index describes this as Last Mountain, Saskatchewan. By 1925, Henry and Sarah are in Detroit where Henry died (see notes for Henry). At some point, Sarah moved to British Columbia. Find-a-Grave dates her death to 27 Feb., 1928, and shows her gravestone in Vernon Cemetery, Vernon, B.C. |
Child of Sarah Antoinette Bell and Edwin Vespasian Kerr |
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| Last Edited | 20 Apr 2021 |