Notes Parents: Joseph Stafford and Catherine Smith, married 1873, West Derby, Lancashire, England.
In 1887, Mary Stafford, 13 (along with brothers, Ernest Staford, 6, and Walter Stafford, 11, and sister, Agnes Stafford, 8), arrived at Quebec, Canada, in a group of 96 children from Catholic Children Protection Society, Liverpool, England, accompanied by Mrs. Margaret Lacy, and en route to Hotel Dieu, Kingston, Ontario, Canada.
"Copy of Reports of Inspection of Pauper Children sent out to Canada made by Immigration Officers of the Dominion Government and received from the Colonial Office on the 12th December 1888.
Report of Mr. R. Mcpherson, Government Immigration Agent at Kingston.
Mary Stafford, aged 13. From West Derby Union. Was with Wm. Gallagher, 17, Bay St., City of Kingston.?Said to have been delicate and fretful at separation from her brothers. Returned her to 'Hotel Dieu.' No fault except delicate in health."
On September 20, 1898, at Hastings, Northumberland, Ontario, Canada, a marriage was registered between Nelson J[oseph] Rivard, 22, laborer, born in in Canada to Nelson Rivard and Albina Burgess; and Mary E. Stafford, 23, born in England to Joseph Stafford and Catherine Smith.
Nelson Joseph and Mary Elizabeth Stafford Rivard had at least 6 children: Margaret Mary Rivard, born May 14, 1899, in Hastings, Ontario, Canada, died September 10, 1984, in Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California USA; Marion Bernadine Rivard, born December 5, 1904 in Northumberland, Ontario, Canada, died January 15, 1950, in Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA; Vincent Rivard, born November 6, 1906, in Canada, died February, 1983, in Cincinnati, Hamilton, Ohio, USA; Ernest M Alphanso Rivard, born May 1, 1909, in Canada, died March, 1982, in Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA; Victor John Rivard, born October 21, 1911, in Northumberland, Ontario, Canada, died August 26, 1983, in Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA; and Kathryn Rivard born 1915 in Canada.