Monday, October 15, 2007

Andrew Jeffrey

Andrew Jeffrey was my great-great grandfather. He was born in Foulden Parish, Scotland on February 17, 1800. Foulden is located in Berwickshire, a county very close to the border of England. His parents were William Jeffrey and Mary Lyall. Andrew was the eldest of of 5 children, the younger being 4 sisters. The population of Foulden 7 years before Andrew’s birth was 344, only 20% of these living in Foulden village. The rest lived in the surrounding country. Andrew’s father is thought to have been a blacksmith in Foulden. Andrew was baptized in the local church a month after being born, on March 16, 1800. Little is known about his childhood in Foulden. Foulden had a parochial school, and education was thought to be required of all children, so he probably attended this school. The subjects taught included reading, writing, arithmetic, Latin and Greek. A description of life in Foulden published 30 years after Andrew’s birth described what meals were like in the typical Foulden family: “At the morning and evening meals of the peasantry, their staple is oatmeal porridge and milk; their dinner consists of bread made from pease (split peas) and barley, and of potatoes, seasoned with fat pork. Each family feeds at least two pigs a year.”
Family tradition says that William Jeffrey came to Canada alone when Andrew was in his teens. Mary and the rest of the family followed him, probably in 1819. Many of the men of Scotland found the going hard through the unemployment following the end of the Napoleonic wars in 1815. This is probably why the Jeffrey family emigrated. Andrew settled first in Kingston, and in 1820 made his way to Cobourg, where he lived until his death in 1863. Both of these communities were located in Ontario, or as it was then known, Upper Canada. Upper Canada was the most British of the Canadian colonies.
He married Janet Hall on February 18, 1828 in Cobourg. She bore him 9 children before her death in 1851.
In 1924 there were approximately 350 people living in Cobourg. There was no organized group of Presbyterian Christians in the community. On occasion, ministers from an organized congregation would visit neighboring settlements bring services there. In 1927, a Reverend J. Jenkins visited Port Hope, a settlement a few miles east of Cobourg. He ordained five men as elders, one of them being Andrew Jeffrey. The first four men joined a congregation in Port Hope, while Andrew associated himself with the Presbyterians in Cobourg. He and another existing elder in Cobourg formed the nucleus of the leadership of the “Kirk of Scotland” in Cobourg. In 1833, Andrew and three other men became the first Trustees of this local church, and shortly thereafter, he and six other men were appointed to be a Building Committee for this Presbyterian Church, responsible for erecting a suitable building for the growing church in Cobourg. Andrew continued as an elder in “St. Andrews Presbyterian Church” until his death in 1863. Among their many responsibilities, the elders in the church were very diligent in the spiritual oversight of this congregation. They dealt with many issues that have had to be dealt with down through the centuries, as well as those peculiar to their time. These included dealing with: “The great sin of marriage to a deceased wife’s sister, being nothing less than incest” (1836); failure of a church member to “contribute to the support of the gospel” (1836); “giving birth to a child out of wedlock” (1838); “the great evil committed in drinking of spirituous liquor till she was intoxicated” (1840); “the sin of ante nuptial fornication” (1850); “acts of intemperance in being intoxicated” (1856), etc. Andrew and his fellow elders didn’t shirk from their spiritual responsibilities in addressing these issues, but were faithful in showing mercy as soon as the sinning member expressed contrition.
Andrew’s vocation was described in 1832 as a “saddler.” In 1833, he was described as a “harness maker.” In 1837, Cobourg was incorporated as a village, and a Board of Police managed its municipal affairs for the following 13 years. Andrew Jeffrey was elected to this Board in 1837. In 1850, Cobourg was incorporated as a town, and a mayor and a Board of Councilmen now managed its municipal affairs. Andrew was elected a councilman in 1851, and in 1852 he was elected Mayor of Cobourg. In the same year (1852) he was elected President of the Board of Trustees of the Northumberland and Durham Saving’s Bank, which office he held till his death in 1863. He kept a private school for boys at the corner of King and D’Arcy Streets in Cobourg, and apparently served as headmaster. Throughout these years, Andrew operated the Cobourg Foundry. A foundry is an establishment where metal is melted and poured into molds. This foundry manufactured steam engines, boilers, agricultural equipment, axes and other items. Andrew also established a hardware business, which gradually became large and prosperous.
On May 4, 1853. Andrew married for the second time, to Agnes Moscrip McLenhan, a widow with 2 children, who was nearly 19 years younger than Andrew. She bore him 4 children, one of who is my great-grandfather, Henry. Andrew was just shy of 60 years old when Henry was born. In 1859, Andrew was appointed one of the five Commissioners of the Town Trust, and speedily became its chairman. In 1860, he was elected to represent the Newcastle District in the Legislative Council, which was the upper house of legislation for the Province of Canada, and consisted of 24 members. Members were elected every 4 years. Andrew died after a protracted illness on July 27, 1863. His funeral was on July 29 at 12:00 noon. The places of business in Cobourg were closed from noon to 2:00PM in token of respect for Andrew.
Andrew Jeffrey seems to have been a man of tremendous character. His obituary uses these words: “He remained one of Cobourg’s most upright and respectable citizens.” “He filled his office with honour, performing all its responsible labors with characteristic assiduity (constant or close application or attention, particularly to some business or enterprise; diligence) and integrity.” “His industry, enterprise and perserverance, together with his marked honesty of character, enabled him to be successful in business.” “Endowed by nature with a fine mind – with a large, warm and generous heart, and with great energy of character, he has won for himself the reputation of a just and good man.” “He was a man of considerable information, calm judgement, and strict integrity.”
He was also a dearly beloved father. Two letters from Andrew to his daughter, Jessie, have survived, both written from Quebec, where he lived while he served on the Legislative Council. One was written to her when she was 5 years old, the other when she was 6. Reading his letters to her display the qualities that endeared him to his family. I will close this post by copying one of these letters, written a little over a year before his death.
Quebec 29 March 1862
My Dear Jessie,
I got your letter, and it makes me very glad. You are a good girl for saying your lessons every day, and I am much pleased to hear you say that Donald is now saying his lessons better than he did (
Donald was 7 years old).
You know that I have often told you that good children are always willing to learn – and by so doing they get to know a great deal, and are far more useful than children that cannot read nor write. Now what a nice thing it is that, although I am many hundred miles away from you, by learning to read and write you can send me a letter and tell me all you want to say just as well as if we were sitting in the room together.
Now I hope to hear both Donald and you will learn to read and write fast so that you can, both of you, send me a long letter by and by.
Be good children, be willing to do whatever you are bid, do not go to bed before you say your prayers, and Pa will also pray God bless and keep you. Give Harry a kiss (
Henry was 2 years old) and tell him it is from Pa.
Your Father,
A Jeffrey

Andrew Jeffrey's House in Cobourg

This is a photo if the house Andrew Jeffrey lived in when his son, Henry was born in 1862. It is located on King Street in Cobourg. The photo was taken almost 70 years later, in 1931. In the 1861 census, the house was described as a 2 story brick home situated on 1 1/4 acres. He had one horse, two cows, and two carriages.

More Photos of Andrew Jeffrey

Here are three more photos of Andrew Jeffrey. The top is an oil painting that was passed down through the family, and is currently in possession of Nancy Jeffrey of Ontario, California. The next photo is one that has been reproduced in two books, Cobourg 1798-1948, by Edwin C. Guillet, and St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church - A History, edited by Christine E. Gardiner. The final photo is one that has again been passed down through the Jeffrey family, and is just labeled on the back, "Father."





Monday, October 8, 2007

Correction: Jorgine Morck's Diary

Sorry. The link to Jorgine Morck's Diary doesn't seem to work. This one should work. Click on this link: http://groups.google.com/group/my-trip-to-america. It will direct you to the Google Group that has the PDF of her account. When there, click on the file: "My Journey to America.PDF." It is a large file, so it may take a little time to show up.

Jorgine Morck's Diary: My Journey to America




I've created a link to Jorgine Morck's account of her emigration to America in 1902. Click on this, and you'll see the 15-page type-written story: http://my-trip-to-america.googlegroups.com/web/My+Journey+to+America.PDF.


Also, here's some more updated information: Jorgine and her father and children sailed from Trondheim, Norway to Hull, England on the steamer, "Salmo", pictured above (lower picture). Also, the picture I posted previously of the SS Belgenland, the ship that she traveled on from Liverpool to Philadelphia was in error. That picture was of the SS Belgenland that was not built until 1914. They actually journeyed on the old Red Star Line steamship, built back in 1878, also called the S/S Belgenland. This old ship was at the end of its career as a transatlantic passenger steamer in 1902, and was taken out of service only a few moths after Jørgine and her family traveled on her. The Belgenland was quite a small ship compared to the the newer ships used on the Liverpool - Philadelphia run, as she was only 3,656 gross tons, while the S/S Haverford which arrived to Philadelphia October 19th 1902 was almost 3 times her tonnage with 11,635 gross tons. This older S/S Belgenland is pictured above (upper picture).
This valuable is courtesy of Børge Solem, who is the host of a great website: http://www.norwayheritage.com/, about Norwegian emigration to North America. Check it out!

Friday, October 5, 2007


Jorgine Emilie Morck was born on April 12, 1878 in Vestvaag, Norway. Her father was Ole Benjamin Pedersen Vestvaag, and her mother was Else Marie Johansdatter. She was one of at least nine children, four sisters, and four brothers. Her father was a farmer on the Vestvaagan farm. She was baptized in Tjotta Church on June 9, 1878. She led a typical Norwegian childhood in the late 1800s. She had recollections of riding on homemade toboggans down the hill a few yards from their home. Years later, as an adult in America, Jorgine was asked to write down her memories of Christmas in Norway. A copy of her reply has been preserved, and is a rich picture of Norwegian life: Holiday food (lefse, sylte, fattigmann), carols sung (“Glade Jul, Hellige Jul”), Christmas Day worship (done at home – church was so far away), the 2nd Day of Christmas (visits from and to family, friends and acquaintances), etc.
When Jorgine was 20 years old, she married Hans Eldor Morck in Tjotta. Her first child was born when she was 21 years old, on February 23, 1900, Agnes Hansine. Her second child, Harald, was born a year later. In September 1902, Jorgine, her two children, and her father, Ole, left Norway to come to America. Her husband had already settled in North Dakota. They departed Liverpool October 1, 1902, and arrived in Philadelphia, PA on October 14. Jorgine was pregnant with her third child on this journey. She kept a detailed diary of the trip, and it has been passed town to her descendants. It is a treasured family record. Her two children contacted the measles on the voyage, and were deathly sick, along with Jorgine, when they arrived in Philadelphia. They were all hospitalized. Harald eventually died of complications at the age of 1 ½ years.
Two months after settling in North Dakota, Jorgine gave birth to her third child, whom they also named Harold. Jorgine believed that God had sent her 2nd son to take the place of her departed one. In June 1904, Elsie, their last child was born.
Just before arriving in Mandan, North Dakota, Jorgine’s eldest sister, Anna Bergetta died, and another older sister, Annette Marie, moved to the west coast of the United States. Jorgine and Hans eventually followed Annette and her family when they moved to Seattle, Washington in 1919.
Jorgine was accomplished in knitting, and many of her works are still around. She knitted an outfit for my sister’s, Janet’s, doll when she was a child. She was extremely close to her sisters and their families, with over 35 nieces and nephews. She was also very musical, and was a good guitar player in her younger years.
Her life in America revolved around her extended family and her local church. Jorgine was remembered as being very devoted to Christ. Her account of her emigration to America is full of prayers for God’s will to be done, His watchful eye on her family, and her confidence in his purposes for her life. She and Hans were convinced that Sundays were for rest, and that some “worldly activities” should be put aside on that day. Many years later, when her grandson, Jim (my father) married his wife, Nancy, Jorgine accused Agnes Jeffrey (her daughter, and Jim’s mother) of being a bad influence. When asked why, Jorgine replied that she had observed Nancy sewing on a Sunday, and Agnes should’ve mentioned something to Nancy about this.
Jorgine was also remembered as being the “matriarch” of the family. She very much was the strict and serious one of the family. However this didn’t prevent her loved ones from enjoying her. A story is told about one of her grandsons, Bill, who, as a young boy, played a joke on her. He took her bifocal eyeglasses from her nightstand while she was still sleeping, and painted a thin layer of glue on the lower part of the bifocals. She refused to get of bed that day, because she was convinced she had had a stroke! She, too, enjoyed joking with her loved ones. Nancy, her grand-daughter-in-law, remembers taking her baby, Janet, for a stroll in the buggy. Jorgine came along for the walk, too, and started expressing her disappointment with Nancy, in Nancy’s housekeeping, mothering, etc. Nancy couldn’t believe what she was hearing. As the walk came to a close, she was near tears, and couldn’t understand what she had done wrong. When she expressed her disagreement with Jorgine, Jorgine just smiled and said, “You don’t have any hiccoughs anymore, do you?” Nancy had been hiccoughing quite a bit before the walk.
Jorgine was widowed in 1942, and lived the remainder of her years with her youngest daughter, Elsie. She died on November 19, 1961, at the age of 83, in Seattle, of complications due to ovarian cancer. She is buried at Crown Hill Cemetery in Seattle.

SS Belgenland - Liverpool to Philadelphia 1902


This is a photo of the ship that Jorgine and her young children traveled on to America, the SS Belgenland. It left Liverpool on October 1, 1902, and arrived in Philadelphia on October 14, 1902. She describes this trip in detail many years in her recollection, "My Journey to America."

More Photos of Jorgine Morck


Here are a few more photos of Jorgine. The first is the earliest known photo of Jorgine, at the age of 15 (1893), taken in Norway. The next is of her young family in Mandan, North Dakota in approximately 1905: Jorgine, Hans, Elsie, Harold, and Agnes (l - r). The third photo is a portrait at the age of 29. The fourth is taken outside her home in Mandan. The last is a photo taken in Seattle, Washington in the 1940s.