Mary Ann Saunburn Uttley – 1846-1920

Birth

Mary A Birmingham can be found in the 1851 Census, Wellesley Township, at age 6. The first child of William and Carolin[e] Birmingham was born in Canada as were her brother and sister. The 1901 Census records her birth date as February 8, 1846 which would make her 6 years old in the spring of 1851 when the census was taken.

The earliest record of Mary Ann's birth comes from the Parish Records of the church in St Agatha in 1849. Her mother, Caroline Babcock married William Birmingham on June 6, 1849 in St Agatha. The couple had an illegitimate son, William, who was born January 12 of that year and baptized April 22. A week after the marriage on July 1, Caroline's daughter Maria Magdalena was baptized and her adoption as a Birmingham was acknowledged.

From the Parish Records at St Agatha: [Latin translation] Maria Madalena BIRMINGHAM (born a SANBURN): Born on the 5th of February 1846 and baptized on 1st July 1849 by [Rev'd Lucas Caveng, Catholic Priest] in the church at St Agatha, Maria Magdalena, an illegitimate daughter of Haris SANBURN and Carolina BABHACK (she since married in 1849 to Guillielmus [William] BIRMINGHAM and has taken on this family name [adopted?]) in Wilmot. God Parents: Sigismund FREIBURGER and his wife[?]

A granddaughter (see below) wrote that her grandmother was born in Ireland and that she was adopted into the Birmingham family. We know William Birmingham was born in Ireland and that he was already on a farm near Crosshill in Wellesley Township by the 1840s when that area opened up for land claims, but Mary Ann was not born in Ireland. Her mother was Caroline Babcock and came from England. Mary Ann used the Birmingham name and she also used "Saunburn" which came from her biological father. It is the Saunburn name that was used on Mary Ann's grave marker, her first daughter Isabella used it to fill in a father's name when she married and the Sauburn name survived as a middle name for some male descendants.

The 1861 Census tells us "Maryann Birmingham" is living with the family on the farm in Wellesley Township, that she is now age 16 and repeats that she was born in Canada West. Ten years later, in 1871, "Mary Ann Birmingham" is still on the farm at age 24 and it confirms she was born in Ontario.

Mary Ann Uttley -- 1846-1920 Beatrice Uttley's memories of her grandmother: After the death of his first wife, Nathan Uttley married a very lovely young lady who lived in Crosshill, Ontario. This was my dear Grandma Uttley. Her name was Mary Ann Saunburn. Grandma Uttley was born in Ireland around 1845. She was adopted as a little girl by a family named Birmingham who settled in Crosshill, Ontario. I remember as a little girl meeting Uncle Pat Birmingham. Dad drove us there to see him one Sunday in our Ford. He was a tall old man sitting in front of his house smoking pipe. I wish now I could ask him about Grandma. She was a sweet little old lady as I remember her. Her curly hair was silvery white and she wore it piled up high. She had lovely skin, a really lovely complexion. Grandma took pride in her personal appearance. Mae is very much like her. I remember one time when she stayed in our house overnight. She was wearing a soft snowy-white flannel night gown with dainty white frills around the high neck and around her wrists, and long sleeves. She looked so sweet. Mae said: "Oh Grandma, that's the prettiest nightgown I ever saw." Now, can you guess what she gave us each for Christmas? A night gown just like hers. We were so happy.

Marriage

Mary Ann married Nathan Uttley on Thursday June 25, 1874 at St Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church in Elmira. Harris and Caroline Sanborn are named as her parents. The marriage is recorded in the Ontario Marriage Archives for 1874, reference #009-668:

     Date:      June 25, 1874,
                Elmira
     Groom:     Nathan Uttley
     Age:       42, widower
     Residence: Elmira
     Born:      England
     Occ:       Sawyer
     Parents:   William & Ann Uttley
     Religion:  Lutheran

     Bride:     Mary Ann Sanborn
     Age:       29, spinster
     Residence: Elmira
     Born:      Waterloo [County]
     Parents:   Harris & Caroline Sanborn
     Religion:  Methodist

     Witness:   John Ruppel and
                James Whiting, Elmira
     By:        A. Ernst

• From stories passed down to descendants of Isabella Hohner, Mary Ann had gone to work for Nathan after the death of his wife Lucinda, providing care and domestic help to Nathan's large family.
• Why were Mary Ann and Nathan married in the German-speaking Lutheran Church and not in the Presbyterian church? Was it because Nathan was a widower, because Mary Ann was raised Roman Catholic or because Mary Ann had a daughter Isabella?

Death

Mary Ann Uttley -- 1846-1920

The Ontario Death Archive for 1920 (reference #029-673) records:

     Name:     Mary Ann Uttley
     Where:    300 Albert St, Stratford
     Sex:      Female
     Origin:   English
     Widowed:  Widow
     Age:      82
     Place of Birth:  England
     Father:   -- Birmingham
     Maiden Name of Mother:  Do not know
     Informant:  George Sloan, Stratford
     Relation to deceased:  --
     Place of Burial:  Waterloo
     Date of Death:    17 February 1920

     Medical Certificate
     Name:           Mary Ann Uttley
     Date of Death:  17 February 1920
     Cause:          heart disease, couple of years
     Physician:      J. P. Rankin
     Address:        Stratford
     Date of Return: 17 February 1920
     Date Received:  21 February 1920

• Mary Ann was not born in England and she was not 82 years old.
• The person filing the report knew about Mary Ann's adoptive father, but nothing about her biologcal parents.
• The informant George Sloan accompanies the body back to Waterloo on the train. George Sloan was the husband of Mary Ann's granddaughter Irene Hohner.

Obituaries

From the Daily Telegraph on Wednesday, February 18, 1920:

MRS. MARY UTTLEY     The death took place at Stratford on Monday evening, Feb. 16th of Mrs. Mary Uttley of Waterloo, aged 82 years. She had gone to Stratford on a visit to her daughter Mrs. Isabella Hohner where she was taken ill and died quite suddenly on Monday night, of heart failure. The remains will be taken to Waterloo this afternoon, and the funeral will take place on Thursday afternoon from the residence of her daughter, Mrs. Archibald Wildfong, Erb St.     The late Mrs. Uttley was a resident of Waterloo for many years and the past few years made her home with her daughter, Mrs. Wildfong. A family of five sons and four daughters survive to mourn her loss, namely:-- Jack and Dianna, Port Huron; William of Zurich, Peter, Abram C. [actually Abram S.] of Kitchener; John, Lena (Mrs. Arch. Wildfong), of Waterloo; Carrie (Mrs. Fred Kalbfleisch), Toronto, Mrs. Isabella Hohner, Stratford.

The News Record, Kitchener, ON, Feb 18, 1920 printed:

OBITUARY --- MRS. MARY ANN UTTLEY --- There has departed this life a well-known resident of the county in Mrs. Mary Ann Uttley, relict of the late Nathan Uttley of Waterloo. Her death occurred suddenly in Stratford at 3 o'clock Tuesday morning at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Henry Hohner, with whom she had been visiting. While Mrs. Uttley had suffered with muscular rheumatism she was able to be around and continue her usual activity. The end came unexpectedly during the early hours of the day when she passed peacefully away. The late Mrs. Mary Ann Maud Delena Uttley had reached the advanced age of 82 years. She was born in England and came here as a child. For many years she resided in Waterloo. The husband predeceased her in 1903. Her acquaintance was wide, her friends many, and the respect in which she was held high. The family's loss is also felt by the many who knew of her worthy qualities. Her death is deeply regretted by all. Surviving her are the following children: Mrs. Fred Kalbfleisch, Toronto; Mrs. Archibald Wildfang, Waterloo; Mrs. Henry Hohner, Stratford; Peter J., Abraham and Jonathan, of this city. There is also one brother, Patrick Birmingham of Crosshill. The funeral will be held at 2 o'clock Thursday afternoon from the residence of Mrs. Wildfang on the Bridgeport Road, No. 40, Waterloo. Interment will follow in Mount Hope Cemetery. The remains were brought to this city on the 2.32 p.m. train today, being accompanied by Mr. George Sloan of Stratford.

And on page 2 of The Elmira Signet, Elmira, ON, Feb 19, 1920:

Mrs. Nathan Uttley Dead     On Sunday, Feb. 15, Mrs. Mary Uttley (nee Birmingham), widow of Nathan Uttley, of Waterloo, died at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Bella Hofner [Hohner], Stratford. Mrs. Uttley had not been in good health for some time. The Signet was unable to presently obtain information as to her age and when her funeral is to be held. The deceased was born in Crosshill and she and her husband lived for many years in Elmira. Six children mourn her death: Bella, of Stratford; Peter and Abraham of Kitchener; Carrie of Toronto; John and Lena of Waterloo. Mrs. Uttley was a woman who was well liked because of her kind and neighborly disposition.

Notes

• This answers which son was known as 'Jack' -- John Robert or Jonathan? From the Daily Telegraph version it must have been John Robert Uttley from the first marriage.
• Mary Ann's [half] brother was Patrick Birmingham of Crosshill. The 1871 Census gives confirmation by listing a younger brother Patrick for Mary A.
• The News Record reports she was born in England. Mary Ann's granddaughters Beatrice and Mable said she was born in Ireland. But Mary Ann's baptism record and the Census of 1851 confirm that she was born in Canada and The Elmira Signet says she was born in Crosshill, Wellesley Twp. Mary Ann's adopted father William was born in Ireland and her mother Caroline was born in England, but Mary Ann was born in Canada.
  Way to go SIGNET!!! Did this come from Ben who owned the Signet at the time?
• The News Record and Daily Telegraph report that Mary died in 1920 at an age of 82. If true, then she would have been born in 1838.
      The Ontario Archive record of her marriage to Nathan says she was 29 years old in 1874 which means she was born in 1845. The 1851 Census says Mary A. was 6 years old which puts her birth in the year 1845. Finally her granddaughters Beatrice and Mable recall she was born in 1845. But from Mary Ann's baptism record we know she was born at the beginning of 1846.
      Her last child Samuel was born in 1888. She would have been 50 years old at the time if she was born in 1838. The obvious conclusion is that Mary Ann was born in 1846 and that she was 74 years old when she died in 1920.
• No mention of the Saunburn connection in any obituary.

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Most recent revision July 2013