Family of Charles Randall and Elizabeth Becking

Charles Randall, son of William Randall and Sarah Gooding, was born April 15, 1854 in Hamilton before the family moved to Elmira. The city of Hamilton is named in his marriage record and repeated in his obituary.

The date in 1854 comes from the census of 1901. His age was given as 8 in the census of 1861 which would make it one year earlier. Charles' marriage information points to 1852 as his birth year and his obituary and death record give the year as 1848.

Marriage

Charles married Rebecca Clement on June 30, 1878 in Elmira. She was born in Huron County, the daughter of John and Mary Ann Clement. Some details of the marriage come from the Vital Statistics of marriages, #011-033 in 1878.

     Groom:     Charles Randall
     Age:       26
     Residence: Elmira, Ont
     Born:      Hamilton
                bachelor
     Occ:       Laborer
     Parents:   William and Sarah Randall
     Relig:     Church of England

     Bride:     Rebecca Clement
     Age:       22
     Residence: Elmira
     Born:      Huron Co, Ont
                spinster
     Parents:   John and Mary Ann Clement
     Relig:     Church of England

     Witnesses: Rosette Randall
                Allemana Goodin
                of Woolwich [Twp]
     Place:     Elmira, 30th June 1878
     By:        Rev B H Warnke
                banns

• The witness Rosette Randall was Charles' younger sister.
• The other witness, Allemana Goodin, has the same surname as Charles' mother Sarah Gooding/Goodin. We don't know who Allemana was, but she must be a cousin.

The 1881 Census lists two children, John age 4 and Rosette age 5, for the couple. Did Rebecca have children before she was married? When were the three children mentioned in Charles' obituary born?

There is also confusion about his wife. Charles is are recorded in the 1881 Census with wife Rebecca who is 23 years old and English heritage. The birth of daughter Violet in August 1885 is the last sighting of Rebecca. She just disappears and even her name is forgotten when some of her children later marry.

• When Rebecca's daughter Elenora died in March 1910, the mother's name listed in the death records was "----- Clemens". When Rebecca's son August remarried in July 1910, he reported that he did not know his mother's name. More strong evidence that Rebecca Clement was not with the family.

The 1891 Census names Lizzie as his wife who is 28 years old and of German heritage. Then in 1901 the Census tells us his wife is Alice L., age 38 and German heritage. Charles new wife is Elizabeth Becking who was born July 07, 1862 in Berlin, the daughter of William Becking/Boecking and Catharine Heller. There is no evidence that Charles and Elizabeth were ever wed. The 1891 Census lists Lizzie as the wife of Charles, but there are no children at all listed.

The couple had a daughter Edna in 1891 but she died early the next year. The 1901 Census shows daughter Amanda Randall living with them right next door to Elizabeth's brother August.

Death

Charles died in Berlin on April 24, 1913. The Ontario Archive records the death under RANDAL, Charles, reference #033-121 for 1913.

   Name:           Randal, Charles
   Age:            65 years, 2 days
   Date of death:  Apr 24/13
   Place of birth: Hamilton, Ont
   Place of death: Berlin[, Ont]
   Occupation:     ---
   Single/Widow:   ---
   Father:         Wm Randal
   Mother:         Sarah Gooden
   Cause:          Gastric Carcinoma
   Physician:      Dr F.H. Kalbfleisch
   Informant:      Mrs Chas Randal
   Address:        59 Queen St S[, Berlin]
   Date:           Apr 25/13

                   Physician's Return
   Name:           Randal, Charles
   Date:           Apr 24/13
   Cause:          Gastric Carcinoma
                   About one year
   Immed cause:    Gradual cardiac failure
                   5 or 6 hours
   Physician:      Dr F. H. Kalbfleisch
                   33 Benton St[, Berlin]
   Return:         Apr 25/13

His obituary appeared in the Berlin News Record the following day on page 6:

OBITUARY ----- CHARLES RANDALL -----     The death occurred at 11.45 last night of Mr. Charles Randall 59 Queen street south, of Mr. Charles Randall [sic] in his 66th year. Mr. Randall passed away after nearly three years of suffering, which was always born patiently and well.     Deceased was born in Hamilton, coming to Berlin when he was ten years of age. Later he lived in Bridgeport, and Elmira, being a continuous resident of the city for the past twenty-five years. He was a staunch member of St Peter's Lutheran church.     A loving wife and three children survive him, whose loss will be deeply felt. The children are Mrs. Ruby Hilger [Mrs. Reuben Hilker], Toronto, Mr. August Randall, Bloomingdale, and Mrs. Dougal Carmichael of Owen Sound. Four brothers and two sisters also survive him, Harry in London, John Elmira, Joseph Berlin and Samuel Palmerston, and Mrs. Cuthrade [Caroline Cathrae] Elmira, and Mrs. Linty [Charlotte Linder] of Berlin.     The funeral will be held at 2 o'clock on Sunday afternoon from the house to St. Peter's Lutheran cemetery for burial.         "There is no death, what seems so is transition,         This life of mortal breath,         Is but a suburb of life Elysian,         Whose portal, we call 'Death'"

Elizabeth died in 1923 at the home of her daughter Amanda and son-in-law Reuben Hilker in Kitchener [reference #034-421 1923]:

   Name:           Randall, Elisabeth
   Place of Death: 222 King St. E.
   Sex/orig/mar.:  Female/ Canadian/ married
   Age:            62 yrs 21 dys
   Born:           Kitchener, July 7 1861
   At place of death: 60 yrs
   Father:         Wm. Randall [William Becking actually],
                    born Germany
   Mother:         Catherine Heller,
                    born Germany
   Physician:      Dr. J. E. Hett, Kitchener
   Informant:      R. Hilker, 222 King St. E., son-in-law
   Burial:         Lutheran Cemetery, Aug. 5, 1923.
   Undertaker:     L. Seibert, Kitchener, Ont
   Date of death:  Aug 3, 1923.

   Attended:        Dec. 10, 1922 to Aug. 3, 1923.
   Cause of death:  Abscess on Gall Bladder, 7 mos.
   Secondary:       Colitis, 3 mos.
   Physician:       Dr. J. E. Hett, Kitchener, Ontario.
   Registered:      Aug. 3, 1923.

Her death notice and obituary were printed in The Daily Record on Friday August 3, 1923, page 15:

THE DEPARTED ----- Mrs. Elizabeth Randall     The death of Mrs. Elizabeth Randall occurred at her home, 222 East King street, today. Deceased was born in this city July 7, 1861 and was 62 years of age. One daughter, Mrs. R. Hilker, of this city, one sister of Waterloo and three brothers of this city survive. Mrs. Randall was a member of St. Peter's Lutheran church and also a member of the Mutual Aid Society of that church. The funeral, which is strictly private will be held on Sunday afternoon at three o'clock, from her late residence, 222 East King street, to the Lutheran cemetery.

• Elizabeth kept the Randall surname until she died, but there's no mention of husband Charles.

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Most recent revision June 2007