Chapter 8,4

(Solving the mystery-whatever happened to Robert?)

1851 Ontario Census for March Township, Carleton County

In the absence of an 1861 census report, one of the few sources of information about the family, from the time of the sale of their stone house in 1855 until the birth of Alexander in Huron County in 1862, is a list of family names, presumably in the handwriting of Ann Hedley, Robert's younger sister. The list of family names and birth dates was found among Ann's possessions after her death. The list includes four sisters, Maggie, Martha, Adeline and Susan born in the years 1852 to 1861 (place of birth not given) and two brothers, Alexander and Pharaoh, born in 1862 and 1864 in Wawanosh Twp., Huron Co. in addition to the parents and all of the children (including Robert) on the 1851 census.

The family's history is picked up again in Huron County with the birth of the two youngest sons, Alexander in 1862 and Pharaoh in 1864. Robert's three eldest brothers, William, John Henry and Thomas, and his sisters Ann and Mary Jane were married and settled in Huron and Bruce counties in the years 1863 to1867. In 1863 Nicholas, age 20, moved to Michigan. He was married there two years later and farmed in Macomb County. Edward, four years younger than Robert, followed his older brother Nicholas to Michigan, where his name, Edward Hedley, age 23, appears on the 1870 Census for Armada Twp. He was married in Michigan and according to the 1880 census was a streetcar operator in Saginaw.

But where were Robert, Martha and Adeline? We, as researchers, felt strongly that Robert had survived childhood, but what had become of him? We came upon many "Robert Hedleys" in our searches, but in spite of high hopes, none turned out to be the missing son of Nicholas and Jane. Then a clue presented itself. While researching the life of Pharaoh Hedley, Robert's youngest brother, we happened upon the name "Pharoah" on the family tree of the Esparza, Robinson, Adams and Holm families (referred to in the remainder of this chaper as "the Esparza family tree"). The "Pharoah" on the Esparza family tree was the son of Robert and Eliza Hedley of Napa, California. We were surprised at the similarities between the names of the children of Robert and Eliza Hedley of Napa, California and the children of Nicholas and Jane Hedley, although there was approximately a 20-year age difference between the two families. Because the Esparza family tree states that Robert was born in British Columbia in 1854, we assumed he could not be Robert, the son of Nicholas and Jane, who was born in 1844 in Carleton County, Ont. We could not, however, account for the similarity in the names of the first six children of Robert Hedley of Napa (Adeline, Martha, Robert, Emma Frances, Mary Joe Jane, and Pharoah Nicholas) and those of the children of Nicholas and Jane.

Continuing our research into the life of Pharaoh Hedley, Robert's brother, we found Pharaoh listed on the 1900 U.S. Census for Trinity County, California. On the page listing "P. Hedley, boarder, born May 1864, age 32, single, born in Canada, immigrated 1880, occupation cook," and only a few lines below it, appeared the names "Eliza Hedley, widow, age 41, occupation, cook" and her "son Bert, age 2." Recognizing the names Eliza Hedley and Bert Hedley from the Esparza family tree, we surmised that Pharaoh and Eliza were probably acquainted, but we still had not found a connection between the two families. That evidence appeared on the 1910 Census for Shasta County, Cal.:
Pharaoh Hedley, head, 45, single; born in Canada; father born in England; mother born in Ireland; immigrated 1879; raises stock; working on own account
Robert Hedley, nephew, age 26, single; born in California; father born in Canada; mother born in California; mining laborer; working on own account.

At long last we had a connection! If Robert was a nephew of Pharaoh, then Robert's father and Pharaoh must be brothers; consequently, Eliza Hedley was Pharaoh's sister-in-law, and her children were also the children of Pharaoh's older brother, Robert Hedley, born in 1844 in March Township, Carleton County, Ontario.

We assume that the ten-year difference between Robert's birth date on the Esparza family tree and on the March Twp. census records (as well as Robert's sister Ann's list) was the result of an error in reporting or recording the birth date of Robert of Napa. Carol E.Valentine Dugger, a resident of Napa until 1998, has provided us with excerpts from the Great Register of Napa County (voter's registration book).
An 1882 entry states that Robert Hedley, age 37, born in Canada, registered to vote on Aug. 2, 1882 (Book #1886, page 17).
In 1886 Robert Hedley is registered in Brown's Valley, Napa Co., age 42, born in Canada (Book #1890, page 23).
In the voters' register for Aug, 30, 1892, Robert Hedley is age 46, born in Canada, farmer, naturalized Aug. 2, 1882 in the Napa County Superior Court, lives in Napa, height 5' 9 ½", dark complexion, hazel eyes and gray hair (Book #1894, page 24). All three entries support the accuracy of Robert Hedley's 1844 birth date as opposed to the 1854 date on the Esparza family tree.

What of the differences in place of birth? (B.C. versus Carleton County, Ont.)
The Esparza family tree lists the following:
"Robert Hedley b.1854 in British Columbia, d. 1898
Eliza Ralston b. 1858 in British Columbia"
Robert's own children appear to have had only a vague idea of their father's birthplace. For the 1910 U.S. Census, Mary Jo Jane, gave her father's birthplace as "Canada (Irish)" and Martha gave her father's birthplace as "Canada (French)." It is not surprising that descendants were confused about the location of Robert's birth.

"Robert Hedley, eight years old," appears on the 1851 Ontario Census for March Twp., Carleton Co. Because of the unavailability of an 1861 census listing the Hedley family, we cannot be sure of Robert's activities in the years following 1851. We know that most of his family moved to Huron County, some of them marrying and settling there and others moving on to find jobs in Michigan and elsewhere.
We can speculate that Robert, as a young man, was also seeking work, possibly in British Columbia (although we have found no evidence of Robert's presence in B.C.) and later in California. Robert Hedley may have been in California as early as 1870. The 1870 U.S. Census for Green Valley Township, Solano County, California (Post office Bridgeport) lists "Robert Hedly, age 28 ( possibly 26), farm laborer, born in Canada." Perhaps descendants in California, knowing that Robert came from Canada, assumed he was from B.C., their nearest province, and made the further assumption that his wife Eliza was also a native of B.C.

Why the similarity in names between Robert's family in Napa and the family of Nicholas and Jane? These were Robert's brothers and sisters. He may have recalled the happy times and warm relationships with his 15 brothers and sisters before they were separated by the sale of their stone house in March Township -- and perhaps in Huron County for a time also. Some of his sisters and/or brothers may even have followed him to California and been in contact with Robert and Eliza in the years when their first six children were arriving (1880-1890). Although Robert's brother Pharaoh was recorded on the Ontario Censuses for West Wawanosh Twp., Huron Co. for 1881 and 1891, the 1900 U.S. Census for Trinity County, California (above) states that he immigrated to the U.S. in 1879; and he seems to have been in Washington State in 1889. (The Washington State Census for Skagit County lists "F. Hedley, age 24, born in Canada.") Although we have records of marriages and the residences of most of Robert's brothers and sisters, we have not yet found any trace of Martha, born in 1854, nor of Adeline, born in 1856. Perhaps they, as well as Pharaoh, followed their elder brother, Robert, to California.

Eliza Ralston, wife of Robert Hedley
According to the Esparza family tree, Eliza was born in 1858 in British Columbia. It is likely, however, that the location is in error. (http://www.familysearch.org) (Submitter C. W. & Claudine Messenger, 333 North 500 West #2, St George, UT USA 84770) give somewhat different information, as follows:
Eliza was the youngest of the four children of Adam Ralston and Mary J. Harris, who were married Jan. 29, 1852 in Wapello County, Iowa:
1) James Ralston b. 1853 in Wapello Co., Iowa
2) Adam B. Ralston b. 1854 in Wapello Co., Iowa
3) Emily Ralston b. 1855 in Wapello Co., Iowa
4) Eliza Ralston b. 1858 in Wapello Co., Iowa

Adam Ralston, Eliza's father, was born in 1820 in Ohio.
Mary J. Harris, Eliza's mother, was born in 1829 in Indiana (the daughter of James Langly Harris and Elizabeth Brush (Eliza's maternal grandparents).
Sometime between 1858 and 1870, the Ralston family moved from Iowa to Napa, California. Eliza Ralston is listed on the 1870 U.S. Census for Napa City, Napa County, California as 12 years old, born in 1857 in Iowa.

Robert Hedley was born in 1844 (although the Esparza family tree gives 1854 as his birth year). It is not known when or where Eliza Ralston and Robert Hedley met and/or were married. Eliza was probably living in Napa during her teen years, but we have no record of Robert's presence in Napa before 1882. Their marriage was probably about 1879, a year before their first child, Adeline, was born. Eliza would have been 20 years old and Robert 35. The marriage of Robert Hedley and Eliza Ralston was cut short by Robert's death about 1898, when he would have been about 54. Eliza, age 40, was left with eight children ranging in ages from infant Bert to 18-year-old Adeline.

The 1900 U.S. Census for Trinity County, California, two years after Robert's death, shows Eliza Hedley, widow, head of household, age 41, born June 1858, mother of 8 children (all living); occupation cook; born in Iowa; father born in Ireland; mother born in Indiana (line 16 on census sheet). Living with Eliza is her two-year-old son Bert Hedley, born Aug. 1897 in California; father born in Canada; mother born in Iowa (line 17 on census sheet). Living nearby (and listed on line 6 of the same census sheet) also working as a cook, is Pharaoh Hedley, age 34, her late husband's younger brother.

Ten years later Eliza was back in Napa. The 1910 U.S. Census for Napa Township, Napa County, California shows Eliza Hedley, head, age 51,widow, now with her daughter, Adelaide, age 30 and her three youngest children, Pharoah, 20 and Chester A. 19 (both farming) and Bert R. 12. Birthplace of the children's father is listed as "Canada."
The 1920 U.S. Census for Carneros, Napa, California lists Mrs. Eliza Hedley, age 61, born about 1859 in Ohio, living with her son Bert R. Hedley, his wife Hilda and their young children Bert P. age two and Gladys age one. Also living in the household are Bert's brother Chester b. about 1892 and "Erma Hidley" (Erna Hedley) b. about 1896 in Germany, possibly Chester's wife.

Robert Hedley died about 1898. Eliza (Ralston) Hedley may have died in 1922 at age 64, although we are presently unable to specify a source for this information. It is interesting that Robert and Eliza chose, as names for their first six children, the names of five of Robert's seven youngest sisters and brothers in addition to Robert's own name and those of his parents and paternal grandmother:

1 - Adeline E. Hedley (gen. iv) was born Jan.16, 1880 (Cal. Death Index). Her aunt Adeline Hedley (sister of her father) would have been 23 at the time of her birth. Adeline E. married Frank Albert Golds ("Gold" on birth record ) Frank was the son of John Golds b. abt 1872 and Emma N. (Maul) Golds b. abt 1877.
Frank's draft card, signed in Sept. 1918, states that he is a Napa area farmer (self employed), married, age 38, with light blue eyes and light brown hair, of medium height and build, born June 28, 1880 in California.
The 1900 U.S. Census for Napa Twp., Napa Co., Cal. lists Frank's parents, John and Emma Golds and their four sons: Edward Golds b. abt 1876; Frank A. Golds born about 1881; George W. Golds b. about 1882; and Howard W. Golds b. about 1900. John Golds' mother, Mary E. Golds (Frank's grandmother) b. abt. 1841 in Hesse-Darmstadt is also listed with the family.
The 1920 Census for Napa, Napa Co., Cal. lists John and Emma Golds and three children: Howard Golds b. abt 1900; Muriel Golds b. abt 1903; and Melba Golds b. abt 1913.
Adeline E. Hedley died at age 65 on June 13, 1945 in Napa. (Cal. Death Index)
Frank Golds died at age 82 on Nov. 14, 1962 in Napa, California (Cal. Death Index) 17 years after the death of his wife. Adeline and Frank Golds had one child (gen. v):

    (1) Frances A. Golds b. May 22, 1918, Napa, Cal. (Cal. Birth Index).

2 - Martha E. Hedley was b. 1881. Her aunt Martha Hedley (her father's sister) would have been about 27 when she was born. Martha E. was married about 1903 to Lester J. Chapman born 1880 in California.

Ten years later, the family was listed on the 1920 Census for Oakland, Alameda Co., California. Martha E. died Feb. 9, 1913. Lester's date of death is not known.
Martha and Lester Chapman had three children (gen. v):

    (1) Vera E. Chapman b. Nov. 30, 1904 in Napa Twp., Napa Co., Cal.; died Dec. 20, 1966
         in Napa at age 62 (Cal. Death Index for Vera U. Lenz);
        (Esparza family tree states "died 1960 cancer")
         m1 Winston A. Woods b. Apr. 1, 1903 in Cal.; d. at age 43 on Apr. 25, 1946
               in San Francisco (Cal. Death Index).
         m2 (-?-) Lenz
        Vera and Winston Woods had two sons (gen.vi):
                [1] Warren A. Woods born about 1927 in Suisun City, Solano, Cal.
                     (1930 Census for Suisun City, Solano Co., California)
                [2] Tommy A. Woods born about 1929 in Suisun City, Solano, Cal. (1930 Census)

    (2) Lester D. Chapman was b. July 2, 1907 in Napa, California (Cal. Birth Index )
         occupation cook (1910 Census, Napa, Napa); Included in the 1930 Census for
        Oakland, Alameda, Cal.; enlisted in World War II May 26, 1942; died Apr. 19
        (or July 11) 1962 at age 54 in San Francisco   (or San Mateo).

    (3) Violet E. Chapman was b. Feb. 9, 1909 in Solano, Cal. (Cal. Birth Index).
          She married Hubert Bailey Scott, b. March 11, 1901 in Cook Co., Texas ;
          In 1930 Violet and Hubert Scott and Hubert's mother, Mary L. (Leet) Scott,
          age 61, were living in Napa, Napa, Cal.
         Mary (Leet) Scott d. age 82 in Los Angeles Aug. 6, 1950 (Cal. Death Index)
         Violet died April 1962 in San Francisco;
         Hubert d. thirteen years later, age 74, Oct. 10, 1975, Sacramento, Cal. (Cal. Death Index).
         Violet and Hubert Scott had 4 children (gen. vi):
                [1] Evelyn Mae Scott b. May 1930 in Napa, Cal.
                [2] Hubert Benjamin Scott b. Aug. 16, 1931 in Napa, Cal.
                [3] Patricia Ann Scott b. Nov. 28, 1932 in Napa, Cal.
                [4] Frank Lester Scott b. Jan. 31, 1934 in Napa, Cal.

3 - Robert G. Hedley b. July 23, 1883; died Feb. 12 (or Feb. 2), 1915. Robert was probably
         named after his father, Robert Hedley, who was born in Ontario, Canada.

4 - Emma Frances Hedley was b. July 25, 1886 in Napa, Cal. Her aunt and her great grandmother (her father Robert's sister and grandmother) shared her name Frances. Emma Frances married Edward Francis Bryant on Jan. 6, 1909 in St. Mary's Episcopal Church, Napa. Edward was born May 28, 1885 in Mare Island, Cal. Emma and Edward Bryant were living, with their children, in Napa, Napa, Cal. in 1930. Edward died at age 28 on May 28, 1937 in Napa, Cal. Emma died 34 years after her husband, at age 85, on d. Dec. 12, 1971 in Napa. Emma and Edward Bryant had two children (gen v):

    (1) Edward Lloyd Bryant b. Dec. 14, 1911; d. Jan. 25, 1960 in San Luis Obispo, age 48
         (Cal. Death Records)
    (2) William E. Bryant b. Dec. 14, 1911 in Napa County, Cal. Mother's maiden name Hedley
         (Cal. Birth Index) Perhaps a twin who died in infancy?
    (3) Dorothy Roberta Bryant b. March 19, 1913 in Napa, Cal. (Cal. Birth Index); married
         Aug. 18, 1941 in Reno, Nevada to Edgar Leo Adams b. July 26, 1908 in Arbuckle, Cal.,
         the son of Cora (McGinnis) and William Herdon Adams (b. July 7, 1867 in Montecello,
         Cal.). Edgar d. Sept. 30, 1970 at age 62 in Napa, Cal. (Cal. Death Records) Dorothy died
         22 years later, at age 79 on July 27, 1992 in Napa (Cal. Death Index) or St. Helena
         (Esparza family tree). Dorothy & Edgar Adams had one child:
                [1] (female) Adams m. (-?-) Robinson (gen. vi)
                        {1} (female) Robinson m. William Esparza (gen.vii)
                                1 - (male) Esparza (gen. viii)
                                2 - (female) Esparza (gen. viii) m. (-?-) Esparza
                                     ( son of (-?-) Esparza (male) and (-?-) Holm Female).
                                     Three children (ix):
                                        <1> (female) Espaza
                                        <2> (female) Esparza
                                        <3> (male) Esparza

5 - Mary Joe Jane Hedley was b. Feb. 12, 1888 in Cal. (b. Feb. 19 on Esparza family tree) She may have been named after her aunt Mary Jane, her father's sister, who would have been about 36. Mary Jo Jane married Guy L. Green in 1909. Guy was b. abt. 1887 in Illinois, the son of Charles Green (b. abt. 1860) and Etta Green (b. abt. 1865) of Vallejo, Solano. (1900 U.S. Census for Vallejo Ward 1, Solano, Cal.)

    (1) Cheryl E. Green was born Jan. 24, 1911 in Napa Twp., Cal.(Cal. Death Record) Both
         the 1920 U.S. Census (when Cheryl was age 8) and the 1930 U.S. Census for Vallejo,
         Solano, Cal. (when Cheryl was 19) show Cheryl living with her paternal grandparents,
         Charles and Etta Green.
         Cheryl married Emmet J. Kennedy b. Jan. 23, 1911 in Cal. Emmet was the fifth child
         of William J. Kennedy (b. abt. 1871) of Vallejo, California. Other children of William
         Kennedy (Emmet's five siblings) were the following:
                1)William H. J. Kennedy b. about 1903
                2) Loretta V. Kennedy b. about 1904
                3) Gladys M. Kennedy b. about 1907
                4) Marcus N. Kennedy b. about 1909
                5) Cecilia L. Kennedy b. about 1915
      The 1880 U.S. Census for San Francisco, San Francisco Co., Cal. lists William J.
      Kennedy, age 8, b. about 1872, living with his parents Bartholomew Kennedy    
      (born in Ireland) and Ann Kennedy (Emmet's grandparents).
      Emmet Kennedy d. May 3, 1977 at age 66 in Solano, Cal.
      Cheryl (Green) Kennedy died June 11, 1988 at age 77 in Solano, Cal. (Cal. Death Index)
      (d. 1980 in Yountville, Cal. on Esparza family tree)
      Cheryl and Emmet Kennedy had two children (gen. vi):
            [1] Robert Emmet Kennedy b. Nov. 25, 1935 in Solano Co. Cal. (Cal. Birth Index)
            [2] Mary Kathleen Kennedy b. Aug. 26, 1943 in Solano Co. Cal. (Cal. Birth Index)

6 - Pharaoh Nicholas Hedley born June 22, 1890 in Napa, Cal. (W.W.1 Draft Registration)
    (b.1889 on Esparza Family Tree)
Pharaoh was no doubt named after his uncle (his father's youngest brother) and a first cousin also named Pharaoh and Nicholas after his grandfather
Pharoah married Erma Clara Goetze (Erma Gaetze on Esparza Family Tree). "Erna Clara Goetze" was born in 1903 in Sacramento, Cal. She died about 1982 in Santa Cruz, Cal. (Family Search Ancestral File; Submitter: Michael R. Plechaty, 20369 Thelma Ave., Saratoga, CA 95070-4946
Note: This birth date may be in error, as it would indicate that "Erna" was only 13 when Eleanor was born.)
As recorded on his Draft Registration (June 4, 1917) Pharaoh was 27, medium height, medium build, light brown eyes, dark brown hair, farming on his own ranch in the Carneros District, Napa County, married and the father of a six-month-old daughter. On the final section asking, "Do you claim exemption from draft (specific grounds)? Pharaoh has written, "No one else to harvest my crops." Pharaoh Hedley was killed in action in W.W.I. The following entry appears in the Book of Gold, listing every Californian killed in the Great War, now on display at the California Palace of the Legion of Honor in Lincoln Park, San Francisco:
United States Army, page 24, Hedley, Pharaoh, Napa
Pharoah and Erma Hedley had one daughter (gen. v):

    (1) Eleanor Ida Hedley born Dec. 12, 1916 in Napa (California Birth Index); married
         (-?-) Phillip; Eleanor died Dec.1, 1990 at age 74 in Aptos, Cal., bur. Clovis Cemetery
         (Family Search Ancestral File-see above submitter ).

7 - Chester Alexander Hedley (Chester Alic Hedley born Sept. 25, 1891 on draft card) (Chester Hedley b. 1893 on Esparza Family Tree) Chester was born in Napa, Cal. Chester Hedley's draft card, signed June 5, 1917, lists him as age 25, single, medium height, medium build, light brown eyes, dark brown hair, farmer, working on a ranch in Napa Co. In reply to question, "Do you claim exemption from draft (specific grounds)?" Chester has replied, "Mother partially dependent."

The 1920 U.S. Census for Carneros, Napa, Cal. shows Chester living with his brother Bert (b. abt 1898) and sister-in-law Hilda (b. abt 1898) and their first two children Bert P. and Gladys R., ages two and one. Also in the household is Eliza Hedley, b. about 1859 in Ohio (the mother of Bert and Chester) and Erma Hidley (or Erna Hedley) b. about 1896 in Germany (possibly the wife of Chester).
Chester died at age 68 on June 27, 1959 in Oregon (Oregon Death Record).

8 - Bert Ralston Hedley was born Aug. 24, 1897 in Solano, Cal. (Cal. Death Index). He married Hilda M. Phillip ("Phillips" on Esparza Family Tree) about 1917. Hilda, born about 1898, is listed with her birth family in the 1920 Census for Township 3 in Placer, Cal. She is also listed the same year on the Census for Carneros, Napa (above): married; daughter-in-law of head of household (Eliza); born in Cal.; father b. in Germany; mother b. in California.

Bert's Draft Registration Card, signed Aug. 7, 1918, Solano Local Board, states that he had grey eyes and dark hair, lived in Vallejo, Cal. where he worked as a "wood worker's helper" and was employed by the U.S. Govt. He had a wife and child solely dependent on his support. His reply to the question, "Do you claim exemption from draft (specify grounds)?" Bert replied "Support of dependents."
In 1930 Bert and his wife Hilda were living with their children in Twp. 3, Placer, California.
When the U.S. entered the Second World War, Bert was 44. He enlisted in the army Aug. 15, 1942 (U.S. World War II Enlistment Records, California).
Bert died at age 52 on April 24, 1950 in Napa, California. (Cal. Death Index).
Bert and Hilda (Phillip) Hedley had four children (gen. v):

    (1) Bert Phill I. Hedley born April 1, 1918 in Solano, California. (Cal. Birth Index);
         Bert died at age 52 on Oct. 15, 1987 in Agana, Guam, USA.
         (Social Security Death Index Record, Civil: California)
    (2) Gladys M. Hedley b. Aug. 9, 1919, Napa, California.(Cal. Birth Index)
    (3) Betty Jane Hedley b. April 4, 1926 in Placer, California.
    (4) Phyllis Louise Hedley b. July 17, 1927 in Placer, California.(Cal. Birth Index)