1921 Canadian Census and the Williams and Jones Families

This is the Canadian 1921 census.

I've blogged about it before, but I wish to add something I've discovered.

My Uncle Harry (my Dad's brother) had inquired recently about the name of the little school he and my Dad had attended in Spalding. It was the Lake Edward school, but in researching that item, I re-discovered the copy I was given of "Spalding Roots and Branches", printed in 1981 and containing the Spalding memoirs of the old pioneers. It belonged to my Grandma, Alma May Williams. She has gone through and added many little notes and pen markings which is wonderful for me!

On page 313 of the book, I noticed she had marked "My dear neighbours on Farm in Spalding 1928" underneath a photo of Mr. and Mrs. Ed Jones on their 47th wedding anniversary. 

(see insert below)

I re-checked the 1921 census which is free at Ancestry.ca if you sign up for a free account, and I tried the new indexing arrangement which wasn't finished until later in 2013. It worked, but alas, they have my Grandpa listed as JH Williams and not JG.

But I found the neighbours!

Here they are below:

This is the clipping from the book, "Spalding Roots and Branches" on page 313.

It was written by Gordon Jones, their son.

Here is Part 2 on the following page.

You will notice the Williams family being part of the close neighbours on the farm.

My Grandma underlined "Williams" to verify it was them.

Isn't this fascinating? 

While mulling this over last night, I remembered that there is an old photo of my Grandpa, John G Williams, back in Wales before 1910, with a friend named "Jones" in my Grandma's handwriting.

I believe this is Edward Jones mentioned above.

What do you think?

Here is the old photo:

Jones is the one in the first row, second from the right with the tick on his hand.

Do you think he is similar to the older man in the above photo?

If so, then the mystery as to why my Grandpa, John G Williams, was once living in Three Hills Alberta, and wound up in Spalding. In the article written by Gordon Jones, he states that he father's first stop was in Alberta where he worked for several farmers. In 1918 he moved to Saskatchewan, "bringing a car load of settler's effects" and then drove to his land. I bet that my Grandpa hitched up and went with him! 

In the 1918 Canadian census for Alberta, John Williams is living with his boss, Mr. Parry, and then in the 1921 census he is married with a wife and one son and a farm!

I believe I've solved the mystery!

By Loretta Houben