Person:Georganna Stewart (1)

Name and Relationships

Name: Georganna Stewart. Source is her 1883 birth registration and her grave marker in Chapman Community Cemetery, Magnetawan, Ontario. When she was young, she was called Georgie. Source for this nickname is a post card from a friend dated May 4, 1911. In various documents, her given name is often spelled incorrectly.

Parents: George Stewart and Ella (spelled Ellen) Woodruff in this document. Source is Georganna's 1883 birth registration.

Spouse: William ROBERT Irwin. Source is their grave marker in Chapman Community Cemetery, Magnetawan, Ontario.

Children: ELMER Enoch Stewart, WILLIAM Robert, Ella Maria GRACE, James ROYAL, Kenneth, George Edward VICTOR, Florence EDITH, and JESSIE Lavina.

Siblings: Robert JAMES Stewart, Christina Stewart, and ELLA Maria Stewart.

Georganna Stewart was Elmer Irwin's mother.

Personal History

1883 - Birth: Georganna Stewart was born on February 9, 1883 in Chapman Township, District of Parry Sound, probably on the George Stewart family farm in Chapman Valley. Source is her 1883 birth registration.

1891 - Census: In April 1891, Georganna (spelled George. A) 8 was living on the farm in Chapman Valley with her parents George Stewart 37, farmer and Ella 29 (listed as 21), and her brother, Robert James 2 and sister Christina (spelled Christinia) 7 months. Source is 1891 Census of Canada, Muskoka and Parry Sound District, Chapman and Croft Township, p21.

1901 - Census: In June 1901, Georganna (spelled George Anna) 18, lived on the farm in Chapman Township with her parents George Stewart 48 and Ella 39 and her siblings: Robert J. 12, Christina (spelled Christiene) 10, and Ella V 8. Source is 1901 Census of Canada, Muskoka and Parry Sound District, Chapman Township, p10.

DATE? - Georganna AGE? went to Parry Sound to Model School. (To go to Model School, girls had to pass their entrance - Grade 8 equivalent now - whereas, for Normal School which came into being later, students had to have 4 years of high school and then Normal School for teacher training.) Source is a personal note from Ella Stewart, her youngest sister.

DATE? - Georganna AGE? taught school at Pearseley, Ontario. Georganna also taught school at Stuart Bay near the bridge at Eagle Lake narrows and boarded at Jack Tough's parent's place. Source is a personal note from Ella Stewart, Georganna's youngest sister.

1904 - Marriage: At 8 PM, on June 28, 1904, Georganna Stewart 21, married Robert Irwin 29 at her parent's residence in Chapman Valley. Miss Francis Elliot (Robert Irwin's cousin), bridesmaid, and Mr. F. McKeen, groomsman, stood up for them at the wedding. Source is a copy of the wedding article published in a local paper and The William Irwin Farm by D. Smyth, 1989, Unpublished. NOTE: could not find a record of their marriage registration in the 96 pages of 1904 records in Muskoka/Parry Sound District.

1905 - Birth of Child: On November 10, 1905, Georganna and Robert's first child, ELMER Enoch Stewart Irwin, was born on the family farm near Magnetawan, Ontario. Source is Elmer's 1905 birth registration. Georganna was 23 and Robert was 30.

1907 - Birth of Child: On February 2, 1907, Georganna and Robert's second child, WILLIAM Robert Irwin, was born on the family farm near Magnetawan, Ontario. Georganna was about 25 and Robert was about 32.

1908 - Birth of Child: On October 15, 1908, Georganna and Robert's third child, Ella Mariah GRACE Irwin, was born on the family farm near Magnetawan, Ontario. Georganna was about 26 and Robert was about 33.

190? - Some time prior to the 1911 census, Georganna's mother-in-law, Frances Harrison, moved out of the family farmhouse and moved in with James Irwin's family on their farm in Chapman Valley. Source is 1911 Census of Canada, Parry Sound District, Chapman Township, p7.

1911 - Birth of Child: On June 1, 1911, Georganna (spelled Georgina in this document) and Robert's fourth child, James ROYAL Irwin was born on the family farm near Magnetawan, Ontario. He was called Roy. Source is his 1911 birth registration. Georganna was about 28.

1911 - Census: On June 23, 1911, Georganna 28, was living on the farm with her husband Robert 36, and their three children: Elmer 5, Will 4 and Ella (Grace) 2. Source is 1911 Census of Canada, Parry Sound District, Chapman Township, p7. Strangely, Roy Irwin is not listed in this census. He would have been only a few weeks old.

1911 - Deed to Farm: A month later, on July 21, 1911, Robert 36, received the papers deeding the farm to himself and Georganna 28. Source is The William Irwin Farm by D. Smyth, 1989.

1913 - Birth of Child: On February 13, 1913, Georganna and Robert's fifth child, Kenneth Irwin, was born. Unfortunately, he died two days later. Dr. Freebow listed the cause of death as 'Instrumental Delivery'. Source is his 1913 death registration. He was buried in Chapman Community Cemetery. Source is photo of his grave marker in Chapman Community Cemetery, Magnetawan, Ontario. Georganna was about 30 and Robert was about 38.

1914 - Birth of Child: On ----, 1914, Georganna and Robert's sixth child, George Edward VICTOR Irwin was born in Magnetawan. Georganna was about 31 and Robert was about 39. CONFIRM SOURCE. Have been unable to find a birth registration for Victor.

1917 - Birth of Child: On ---, 1917, Georganna and Robert's seventh child, Florence EDITH Irwin was born in ---. Georganna was about 34 and Robert was about 41. CONFIRM SOURCE. Have been unable to find a birth registration for Edith.

1919 - Birth of Child: On ---, 1919, Georganna and Robert's eighth child, JESSIE Lavina Irwin, was born in ----. Georganna was about 36 and Robert was about 43. CONFIRM SOURCE. Have been unable to locate a birth registration for Jessie.

'1921 - Census: On June 30, 1921, Georganna 38, was living on the farm outside of Magnetawan with her husband Robert 47, and their 7 children: Elmer 15, Will 14, Ella (Grace) 12, Roy 10, Victor 6, Edith 4 and Jessie 1. Source is 1921 Census of Canada, Parry Sound District, Chapman Township, p6.

1929 - Death of Husband: On March 10, 1929, when Georganna was 46, her husband, Robert 54, died in Magnetawan, Ontario from lobar pneumonia following influenza. The doctor described his death as sudden since he was sick for only 3 days. Source is his 1929 death registration.

DATE - In her senior years, Georganna became quite blind and used to read braille. In addition, she was almost entirely deaf. Source is personal remembrances of Stewart Irwin.

1951 - Death and Burial: On November 29, 1951, Georganna Irwin 68, died in the hospital in Lindsay, Ontario. In an unpublished letter to his brothers on November 30, 1951, her eldest son, Elmer Irwin, wrote that Her kidney trouble cleared up to the amazement of the doctors and nurses. We thought she was going to recover, then yesterday, she had a lung haemorrhage and her lungs started to fill up. She was given sedatives to ease the pain and passed away quietly at the last. Funeral services were held December 3, 1951 in the United Church, Magnetawan with interment in Chapman Community Cemetery. Prior to going into hospital, she had been residing at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Edith Hall north of Uxbridge. Source is a copy of her 1951 obituary in the Burks Falls Arrow. NOTE: The obituary listed her death as November 22 which is incorrect.

Grave Marker: IRWIN Father W ROBERT 1875-1929 Mother GEORGANNA 1883-1951 Son KENNETH 1913 Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God. Chapman Cemetery, Parry Sound District, Ontario.

Stories

DRAFT Falling into the boars pen