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Record #3915
Name :
: Mary Eliza ALEXANDER (1897 - 1953)


Father
:
Mother
:
BMD and other details
Date of Birth
: 5 May 1897

Marriage (1)
:
Marriage (2)
:

Date of Death
: 3 Mar 1953   Notes : Suicide by Mercury Poisoning
Abode (1) : Place of BirthScotland, Coatbridge

170 Bank Street
Abode (2) : Place of Death / Burial
Sailing Information
Date of Arrival
: 17 Jul 1905
Country
: Canada

Ship
: Corinthian

Placement Family
:
Homes / Agencys
Institution (GB)
:

Agency
: Quarriers
NotesIn 1905, Mary Alexander, 13 (sisters, Agnes (who paid her own passage to Canada), Janet Alexander, 8, and Sarah Alexander, 16, arrived in 1906) arrived at Quebec, Canada, along with a group of 84 children from the Orphan Homes of Scotland going to `Fair Knowe', Brockville, Ontario, Canada, accompanied by Mr. and Mrs. D.J. Findley of Lanark and Mr. George Roberts, a widower from England.

Jim Coates provided this information on the Alexander family of Scotland:

Mary's father, Paul Logan Alexander, was married 3 times. The first of these 3 marriages was to Agnes Sarah Wilson the daughter of David Wilson and Mary Todd. They were married January 20, 1873 in the town of: Carrickfergus in the county of Antrium, in the country of Ireland. They had 2 sons Andrew Alexander September 9, 1873 and John Alexander December 14, 1874. I have not found a record for the death of Agnes Sarah; however they were only married a few years before Paul was widowed.

Paul Logan Alexander second marriage was to Mary Margaret Graham. They were married May 18, 1877, in the town of Nandulstown, Drummal in the county of Antrium in the country of Ireland. There was 1 daughter Eliza Alexander March 2, 1878. I have not found a record for the death of Mary Margaret; however they were only married also a few years before Paul was widowed again.

Paul Logan Alexander and his 3 children left Ireland for unknown reasons and came to Scotland to the town of Old Monkland / Coatbridge in Lanark County. He was listed in all of the official Scottish documents as Alexander Paul Alexander. Paul then married his third wife, Euphemia McInnes. They were married on March 8th, 1887 in the town of Coatbridge / Old Monkland, in the county of Lanark, Scotland. Euphemia was the daughter of Robert and Margaret McInnes (which is listed on her death record but her marriage record lists William McInnes and Agnes Downie). At the time of their marriage the parents from both sides were already deceased. They began their family of 6 children: Agnes Barbour 1888, Sarah Stewart 1890, and Mary Eliza 1892, Twin boys William Murray, and Paul 1894, and Janet Murray 1896.

Paul worked as a laborer in the coal mines, a railway porter, a stableman, and margarine maker at Neil?s bakery in Glasgow. Euphemia did not have a work record. They lived in Coatbridge and Glasgow until Paul Alexander died of alcohol poisoning due to excessive drinking in October 8, 1897 at age 43. Their mother Euphemia passed away 5 months later in February 23, 1898 of heart disease at age 41. The children, without adult care, were referred to the Quarrier Home Children Association by a local clergyman after the families of the first two marriages would not take them in.

During the 1800?s Scotland was a developing industrialized country that changed the demographics of its citizens. Many country peasants and farmers moved to larger villages or cities to find work in the factories, mines, etc. Unfortunately a lot of these people lived in deplorable ghetto conditions, some starving and many developing communicable health issues. Many of these people suffered terribly at the hand of the wealthy. They were forced to work long hard hours and many had to have their children exploited as workers in the textile mills and coal mines. Eventually the government made laws to protect the children. The counties, townships, or shires that they lived were required to provide suitable living conditions for the children. The laws provided an avenue for the local government officials to take control of orphans and extreme poverty cases from their parents and put them into facilities to protect, educate, or institutionalize.

Five of the Alexander children were put into this system by their eldest half-brother, Andrew Alexander. They were sent to the Quarrier home orphanage in the Bridge of Weir where they were cared for, and educated. They were residents of the orphanage between 7 to 9 years and the four girls were sent to Canada. Brother William died at age 6 and is buried in the Bridge of Weir cemetery. The other brother Paul died at age 2 prior to this event.

Mary Alexander was adopted / fostered by Mr. and Mrs. Gareaux, whose name she took.

Mary and Lamont Steen divorced and Mary took back her adopted name of ?Gareaux?.

Mary Eliza Alexander Gareaux died by suicide on March 3, 1953, of Mercury poisoning. Mary drank the mercury from a thermometer. Mary is at rest in an unmarked plot next to Ellen A. Coates in Belmont Park Cemetery in the Evergreen Section. 
ContributorsCreated : 2008-07-23 19:39:00 / From original database

Last Updated : 2016-05-30 23:05:25 /

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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  6 Entries        
IDNameDOBPlace of birthArrivals & ShipsDest.AgencyFamily links
3916 ALEXANDER, Agnes Barbour1888SCT,    , Coatbridge Aug 1906 : Corinthian CAN Quarriers  
3915 ALEXANDER, Mary Eliza1897SCT,    , Coatbridge Jul 1905 : Corinthian CAN Quarriers  
3918 ALEXANDER, Sarah Stewart1890SCT,    , Coatbridge Jun 1906 : Corinthian CAN Quarriers  
19907 CREIGHTON, Robert Thomson1897SCT,    , Coatbridge Apr 1912 : Scotian CAN Quarriers  
10335 GREENHORN, Norval1883SCT,    , Coatbridge Apr 1894 : Buenos Ayrean CAN Quarriers  
10864 YUILLE, Simpson1880SCT,    , Coatbridge Apr 1892 : Buenos Ayrean CAN Quarriers