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Record #16446

Name :: : Grace FAGAN (1875 - )
Father: :
Mother: :

BMD and other details

Date of Birth: : 1875 (approx.)
Marriage (1): :
Marriage (2): :
Date of Death: :

Abode (1) : Place of Birth

Abode (2) : Place of Death / Burial

Sailing Information

Date of Arrival: : 5 Jun 1886
Country: : Canada
Ship: : Caspian
Placement Family: :

Homes / Agencys

Institution (GB): :
Agency: : Emma Stirling

NotesIn 1886, Grace Fagan, 11, arrived at Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, in a group of 21 Scottish children accompanied by Miss Stirling, Edinburgh, Scotland.

Despite the best efforts of Emma Stirling to secure good homes for her children, she received distressing news concerning Grace Fagan of Nictaux Falls. She went immediately to the authorities and succeeded in having charges brought against Robert S. Parker, farmer at Middleton and Samuel Nelson Miller, a medical doctor, for ?intent to unlawfully procure the miscarriage of a certain woman, to wit one Grace Fagan?. [From Emma Stirling?s Work for Children, Youth and Young Women, 1894-95, by Julielynne Marie Anderson.]

Arrests were made on the 30th of March 1895.

Halifax Morning Chronicle, April 2, 1895
In Jail at Annapolis
(Special Despatch to Chronicle)

Annapolis, April 1 ? Robert S. Parker, of Aylesford, who was arrested on Saturday, charged with procuring an abortion on Miss Grace Feagan, and Dr. S.N. Miller of Middleton, who is charged with performing the operation, was also arrested on Saturday by Deputy Sheriff Gates, who brought both prisoners here and lodged them in jail. The girl who lies in critical condition, was formerly an inmate of the orphans home at Aylesford, having been brought from Scotland by Miss Stirling, at whose instance the proceedings have been instigated. Mr. Roscoe, of Kentville, was brought here on Saturday evening and made application to have the prisoners liberated on bail, but without success. It is understood that he has been retained to defend the prisoners.

Halifax Evening Mail:

ANNAPOLIS, April 1 ? One of the most serious cases ever in Annapolis County is about to be tried in the courts. A well known M.D. of Middleton and, a young man from Aylesford, have been arrested on the advice of Miss Sterling of Aylesford, who alleges that these two are guilty of one of the worst crimes in the calendar. The girl who was their victim, Miss Sterling brought out from England, is now lying in a very precarious condition, and, though two doctors are attending her, it is not thought possible she can live. The alleged guilty ones, were taken to Annapolis on Saturday and came up before Stipendiary Magistrate Lovitt, who remanded them until next Saturday. No bail is allowed, and they must need wait for one week at least in durance vile. Feeling runs high not only here, but in Annapolis and opinion is much divided. A few days ago the girl, whose name is Miss Grace Fegan, confessed to Miss Sterling the cause of her illness. The services of a justice of the peace were procured and the girl?s deposition was duly taken and executed. Armed with this Miss Sterling went immediately to Halifax and employed a legal firm there to set the machinery of the law in operation, which resulted in Dr. Miller?s arrest. The author of the girl?s trouble is said to be R.S. Parker, of Aylesford, where the girl has been living until within the last few weeks. He had been reported to have disposed of his property and left the country. Drs. Sponagle and Andrews are attending the sick girl and they have considerable hopes of saving her life, although the case is very critical as yet. It is understood that the doctor claims that he merely made an examination of the girl?s condition without performing any operation, and that her illness is caused by drugs which she herself procured elsewhere and took. W. E. Roscoe, of Middleton, and W.G. Parsons, of Middleton, have the defence in hand, and it will be in the direction above indicated. It is felt that Miss Stirling will spare neither trouble nor expense in having the case sifted to the bottom and the law vindicated.

On the night of 3 April 1895, a fire of suspicious origin destroyed the Big House at Hillfoot farm occupied by twenty-six people including Miss Stirling, six servants and nineteen children all of whom barely escaped with their lives. Their clothes, furniture and possessions were lost in the blaze. Two days later, Emma Stirling and party left by train for Halifax and departed from Nova Scotia on the 19th of July never to return.

On April 11, 1895, a report was made of Grace Fagan's death in the Halifax Morning Chronicle:

Grace Fegan, the young woman whose case has aroused much attention in connection with the arrest of G. S. Barker [sic] and Dr. Miller, of Annapolis died on Wednesday last. This will seriously affect the case of the prisoners.

On 13 April 1895, the Halifax Morning Chronicle reported:

Not Dead, as Reported

The girl Grace Fegan in the Nictaux abortion case, is not dead, as reported last week, but is getting better. Dr. Miller and Robert Parker are yet in Annapolis jail and their examination will not take place until the girl is able to attend. Dr. Miller claims he performed no operation, nor in anyway laid himself open to the law, and Parker denies that he is in anyway responsible for the girl?s condition. The defendants are confident of clearing themselves in the matter.

In her 1898 book Emma Stirling wrote:

The preliminary examination lasted three weeks, with the result that [Dr. Miller and Robert Parker] were committed for trial, the evidence of their guilt being most clear and convincing. While the girl had been employed as servant by [Robert Parker], she had been subjected to the most revolting cruelty, the marks of which were still visible when the doctor first sent for me to go and see her. [EDITORS NOTE: Names provided for clarity.]

?DAMAGING TO THE PROSECUTION? 18 May 1895 the Morning Chronicle reported: ?Stanley Vidito, who was paid to go to the United States, was brought here at the insistence of Miss Sterling and gave evidence very damaging to the prosecution.? Other papers have described Stanley Vidito as ?the leading witness for the prosecution.? No other paper surveyed except for the Morning Chronicle?s evening counterpart The Evening Mail calls Stanley Vidito?s testimony ?damaging to the prosecution.? [From Emma Stirling?s Work for Children, Youth and Young Women, 1894-95, by Julielynne Marie Anderson.]

Bridgetown Weekly Monitor

Miss Fagan is nineteen years of age this month, of Scotch extraction, having been brought to this province about ten years ago, and has been knocking around from pillar to post ever since. Her cross-examination by the skillful senior counsel for the defence, Mr. Roscoe, elicited from her own lips a sketch of a most licentious and shameless career. Nature has endowed her with a pretty face, and when at times some more merciless question than the rest drove the red blood to her cheeks she looked the picture of injured innocence and indignation; but as she freely and easily told of her vile degradation and womanly dishonor one could scarcely feel the necessity of importing to our fair Nova Scotia such a class of people, bearing, as did this girl, the pestilential seeds, not of a deadly disease, but of the foulest immorality lurking in their depraved and dissolute natures.

The trial was held in the summer sessions of the Supreme Court at Annapolis Royal and the verdict by a panel of twelve jurors recorded 20 June 1895 was 'Not Guilty'." The ?Not Guilty? verdict only referred to Robert Parker. In fact, in the case of Dr. Miller the grand jury found no bill, meaning that the grand jury did not feel that there was substantial enough evidence to send Miller?s case to trial.

On June 21, 1895 at Bridgeton, Nova Scotia, Canada, a marriage was registered between Grace Fagan, 19, born in Aylesford, India, to Peter and Mary Fagan; and Stanley Vidito, 25, farmer, born in West Somerville, Nova Scotia, Canada, to James and Ruth Vidito.

Newspapers reported that immediately after her marriage, Fagan left for Boston.

Emma Stirling believed Grace Fagan was worthy of her protection and Miss Stirling would continue to believe this as late as 1898.

**NOTE: THE FOLLOWING IS CIRCUMSTANTIAL EVIDENCE, but compelling enough to consider it correct--if you have information which is different, please let us know.**

On May 1, 1912, at Gloucester, Massachusetts, USA, a marriage was registered between Grace M. Fagan, 34, domestic, born in Nova Scotia to Peter Fagan (mother's name unknown); and Clarence Kemrick Whitter, 32, "life saving employ", born in Boston, Massachusetts, USA, to George E. Whittier and Mary E. Kemrick.

On September 12, 1918, Grace M. Whittier is shown as the next of kin on the World War I Registration Card for Clarence K. Whittier, and residing at 145 Mt. Pleasant Avenue, Gloucester, Essex, Massachusetts.

Grace M. Whittier was shown residing at 23 Haskell Street, Gloucester, Essex, Massachusetts in 1942.

Grace M. Whittier is shown residing at 23 Haskell Street, Glouceser, Essex, Massachusetts, as the widow of Clarence K. Whittier, who died on February 22, 1950.

ContributorsCreated : 2012-07-11 13:28:10 / From original database

Last Updated : 2012-07-21 20:03:52 /

Family History ResearchersRootsChatters with family connections to Grace FAGAN:

Readers Comments

Surnames starting with: A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z 53 Entries

Surnames starting with: F »FARL »FAZA »FERN »FINC »FISH »FLET »FLYN »FORD »FOTH »FRAN »FRED »FRIE »FULL » FZZZ

ID	Name	DOB	Place of birth	Arrivals & Ships	Dest.	Agency	Family links
21131	CURD, Richard E	1902	ENG, SSX, Rye	Jan 1913 : Australind	AUS	Fairbridge Homes
15042	FABER, John	1883	ENG,	Sep 1897 : Numidian	CAN	Unknown Catholic Group
15952	FABIN, William	1873	ENG,	Aug 1886 : Parisian	CAN	Catholic Protection Society
26881	FACER, Bernard Randall	1919	ENG, WAR, Aston	Nov 1931 : Ballarat	AUS	Fairbridge Homes
26800	FACER, Dorothy Myrtle Randall	1923	ENG, LAN, Chorlton	Oct 1934 : Moreton Bay	AUS	Fairbridge Homes
27105	FACER, Gilbert Arthur	1918	ENG, WAR, Kings Norton	Jul 1930 : Balranald	AUS	Fairbridge Homes
5439	FACER, Leslie Joseph Randall	1921	ENG,	May 1932 : Jervis Bay	AUS	Fairbridge Homes
26846	FACER, Marjorie Irene Randall	1922	ENG, LAN, Chorlton	Feb 1934 : Jervis Bay	AUS	Fairbridge Homes
9354	FAGAN, Charles	1891	ENG,	Jul 1901 : Numidian	CAN	Barnardos
16446	FAGAN, Grace	1875		Jun 1886 : Caspian	CAN	Emma Stirling
15906	FAGAN, John	1874	ENG,	Sep 1884 : Sarmatian	CAN	Liverpool Catholic Childrens Protective Society (now Nugent Care)
9950	FAGG, Charles	1898	ENG, , Thanet	Jun 1913 : Victorian	CAN	Waifs & Strays
27408	FAGG, Rodney	1931	ENG, LND, Lambeth	Jan 1949 : Ormonde	AUS	Big Brother Movement
14468	FAGGATER, William	1884	ENG,	1895 : - Unknown -	CAN	Marchmont Homes (now Barnardos)
16155	FAGGETTER, William	1883	ENG, LAN, Manchester	Apr 1895 : Vancouver	CAN	Marchmont Homes (now Barnardos)
12715	FAICHNEY, Christina	1907	SCT, , Edinburgh	Jul 1922 : Montrose	CAN	MacPherson Homes
21383	FAIERS, Nellie M	1901	ENG,	Jun 1913 : Corinthian	CAN	Barnardos
24474	FAINE, James	1855		May 1870 : Moravian	CAN	Ragged Schools, London
10319	FAINT, Edward	1883	ENG,	Sep 1892 : Mongolian	CAN	Barnardos
10318	FAIR, Clara	1863	ENG, , Kensington	Aug 1872 : Peruvian	CAN	Maria Rye
10317	FAIR, George E	1900	ENG, , Lambeth	May 1914 : Alsatian	CAN	Waifs & Strays
15364	FAIR, Herbert	1862	ENG,	1872 : - Unknown -	CAN	Maria Rye
15383	FAIR, Jessie	1859	ENG,	Aug 1872 : Peruvian	CAN	Maria Rye
10832	FAIRBROTHER, Violet	1899	ENG,	Jun 1914 : Calgarian	CAN	Unknown
8255	FAIRFAX, Gordon	1898	ENG, , West Bromwich	Jun 1909 : Carthaginian	CAN	Middlemore
11968	FAIRFAX, Kate Annie	1897	ENG, BRK, Denchworth	Mar 1911 : Sicilian	CAN	Barnardos
20615	FAIRFORTH, Henrietta		ENG,	Apr 1911 : Corsican	CAN	Louisa Birt
18020	FAIRHEAD, Norman George		ENG,	Jun 1911 : Tunisian	CAN	Unknown
25643	FAIRHURST, Frank	1895	ENG,	May 1909 : Corsican	CAN	Catholic Emigration Society
10835	FAIRISH, Gordon Henry	1906	ENG, , Winchester	May 1920 : Melita	CAN	Waifs & Strays
5725	FAIRLEY, Eliza	1859	ENG,	Aug 1875 : - Unknown -	CAN	Louisa Birt
18231	FAIRMAN, Florence Sophia	1891	ENG,	Sep 1899 : Arawa	CAN	Barnardos
26717	FAIRY, James	1899		Oct 1910 : Sicilian	CAN	Barnardos
15472	FAITHFUL, Ethel	1893	ENG,	Jun 1900 : Cambroman	CAN	Barnardos
5170	FALCONER, Camille	1918	ENG, LDN, London	Mar 1932 : Montclare	CAN	Barnardos
9203	FALL, Ernest	1887	ENG, LND, Lambeth	Jul 1901 : Numidian	CAN	Barnardos
8008	FALLON, Emily	1858	ENG,	Jun 1869 : Austrian	CAN	Maria Rye
15997	FALLON, William	1876	ENG, LAN	Sep 1883 : Dominion	CAN	Board of Guardians (Various)
20779	FALLOW, James	1894	ENG,	Aug 1908 : Tunisian	CAN	Catholic Emigration Association
14993	FALLOW, Thomas	1871	ENG,	Sep 1884 : Sarmatian	CAN	Colonization Fund, London
26017	FALLOWS, A	1886	ENG,	Mar 1903 : Canada	CAN	Barnardos
10285	FALLS, Andrew	1893	SCT, , Nitshill	Oct 1904 : Corinthian	CAN	Quarriers
10286	FALLS, John	1890	SCT, , Wemyss	Oct 1904 : Corinthian	CAN	Quarriers
10398	FANCY, Emily	1878	IRL,	Jun 1892 : Sarmatian	CAN	Quarriers
5254	FANCY, Henry	1916	ENG, , Aberdare	Mar 1930 : Scythia	CAN	Salvation Army
9759	FANE, Lucy Mary	1890	ENG, HRT, St. Albans	Oct 1900 : Tunisian	CAN	Barnardos	JMann
16147	FANE, Maud Florence	1888	ENG, HRT, St. Albans	Oct 1900 : Tunisian	CAN	Barnardos	JMann
27556	FANNAR, James	1868	SCT, LKS, Glasgow	1881 : Manitoban	CAN	Marchmont Homes
17561	FANNEN, Matthew	1898	ENG,	May 1911 : Corsican	CAN	Unknown Catholic Group
20631	FARADAY, Dorothy	1902	ENG,	Oct 1913 : Corinthian	CAN	Barnardos
22937	FARCOM, Albert	1901	ENG,	Sep 1914 : Corinthian	CAN	Barnardos
25060	FARDO, Florence	1892		Mar 1910 : Tunisian	CAN	Barnardos
21134	MCGRATH, Percy	1902	ENG, LND	Jan 1913 : Australind	AUS	Fairbridge Homes
ID	Name	DOB	Place of birth	Arrivals & Ships	Dest.	Agency	Family links

Surnames starting with: F »FARL »FAZA »FERN »FINC »FISH »FLET »FLYN »FORD »FOTH »FRAN »FRED »FRIE »FULL » FZZZ

Surnames starting with: A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z 53 Entries

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