Margaret Thornton

     Margaret was born on Friday, 6 August 1813 in Manchester, County of Manchester, England. She was the daughter of James Panton & Mary Thornton. Margaret married Matthew Jeffery, son of John Matthew Jeffery Jr. and Eunice Travis, circa 1830 in Oakville, Halton County, Ontario, Canada.¹ Her family immigrated from England and settled in Oakville.² Matthew & Margaret had a children: Henry [1831-1838], Damaris Mary [1833-1836], George [9/12/1835-10/17/1912] [m. 10/11/1859 Melinda Stewart], Edgar [1838-1839], Mary Ann [1/25/1841-11/06/1926] [m. 10/29/1861 George L. Evans], Henry Perry[3/17/1843-3/29/1926] [m. 12/30/1875 Christina Sarah Ainslie], Edgar Ashton [3/05/1845-1/24/1935] [3/05/1867 Lucinda McDonald], Josephine [7/15/1848-8/14/1938] [m. Simon Peter Hutchins], John Franklin [5/23/1849-7/25/1932] [m. 2/05/1875 Sarah Jane Cascaddan], Margaret Catherine [2/17/1852-1/07/1931] [m.12/25/1872 Alexaner Lang], James Thornton [8/08/1854-6/26/1930] [m. 5/06/1885 Arvilla Cecilia Orton], Damaris [1855-1855], Matthew [ 1856-1856], Margaret [1857-1857] & Aliza Damarious [1/20/1859-12/22/1867].³ 1861, Margaret and her husband, Matthew, were listed on the Canadian Census Gosfield Township, Essex County, Ontario, Canada. Enumerated in this household were Matthew Geffery [51], Margrate [46], Mary Ann [19], Henry ? [17], Edgar A. [15], Josephine [13], John F. [11], Margrate [9], James T. [7], Eliza ? [3]. Matthew is a farmer.⁴ 1871, Margaret and her husband, Matthew, were listed on the Canadian Census at Gosfield. Enumerated in this household were Matthew Jeffery [60 Nova Scotia], Margaret [57 England], Henry [27 Ontario], John [22 Ontario], Catherine [19] & James [16 Ontario]. Matthew is a farmer.⁵ 1881, Margaret and her husband, Matthew, were listed on the Canadian Census at Gosfield Township. Enumerated in this household were Matthew Jeffery [ 71], Margaret [67] & James T. [25]. Matthew is a farmer.⁶ On 21 April 1891, Margaret and her husband, Matthew, were listed on the Canadian census residing in the home of their son on the Canadian census at Gosfield Township, Essex County, Ontario, Canada. Enumberated in the household were JamesT. Jeffery [36 Ontario], Arvilla Cecelia [31 Ontario], Morell Blaine [1 Ontario], Matthew [80 Novia Scotia] & Margurite [77 England].⁷ Margaret's husband, Matthew, died on 22 December 1895 in Rochester Township leaving her a widow.⁸ In 1901, Margaret was listed on the Canadian census residing in the home of her son at Gosfield Township. Enumberated in the household were James Jeffery [46 Ontario - 8 August 1854]]farmer][Baptist], his wife, Cecilia [41 Ontario - 16 January 1860], Blai e [10 Ontario - 10 April 1880], N. F. Blythe [1 mo. - 1 arch 1901][daughter], his mother: Margaret Jeffery 88 England - 6 August 1813][widow][immigrated 1817 England]. [family no. 3, page 1] Margaret departed this life on Sunday, 25 February 1906 in Gosfield Township at age 92 years, 6 months and 19 days.⁹ She was buried at Olinda in Olinda Cemetery. Her tombstone has her inscrition on one side and her husbands is on another. Her inscription reads: In Memory of Margaret wife of Matthew Jefferfy - Born Aug. 6 1813 Died Feb. 26 1906.¹⁰