Manchee Immigrants to North America

Daniel was an exceptional man in his own right.  According to the birth certificate of his youngest son William, he was a weaver by trade. And more significantly he was a minister of religion.

He instead emigrated to Canada in 1872 with his wife Mary Habens and children Leonard, Eustace and Alice, where he pastored at the Trinity Congregational Church in Guelph, Ontario for 7 years.

In 1880 William resigned his post there and immigrated to the US. By this time there were  four more children, Ethel, Wilfrid, Alliston, and Stanley. The 1880 US Census found them in Passaic New Jersey. William then pastored at the Reform Church of Passaic, New Jersey. In 1881, he was engaged as a 'stated supply' to a movement considering the creation of a new church in Clifton, New Jersey. By 1872 he appparently had become a member of the Reform Church Classis, and was instrumental in founding the Reform Church of Clifton, N.J in that same year. He authored a chapter of the book, "The History of the Classis of Paramus", which documented the history of  each of the churches of the Classis of Paramus.  Williams chapter documented the events leading to the formation of the Reform Church of Clifton.

Willam's sons, Leonard, Wilfrid and Stanley had offspring that eventually spread across the continent,including California,Texas,Toronto,Florida and New England, possibly even Louisiana,

Martha appeared in the 1871 British census, with six of her children at 5 Rosebank Rd, Poplar, Middlesex.  Eleanor Sarah was a scholar living in the home of uncle Nathaniel.  Sydney resided at Spurgeon's Orphanage, Clapham Rd, Lambeth, while Oliver resided at the Asylum for Fatherless Children at Coulsden. 

Martha and 6 of her children then emigrated to Canada, arriving by ship at the Port of Québec, Ontario on 11 Sep 1872, following brother-in-law Rev William. Sydney and Oliver remained behind, apparently to finish schooling.  Laetitia Annie also remained behind, perhaps to look after her brothers. Oliver immigrated in 1878.  Sydney's crossing has not been located.  Laetitia Annie apparently chose to not immigrate.

It is not known where Martha and her family first settled in Canada.  There is no further record of them until Ernest, her oldest son, appeared in the 1880 US Census with uncle William in Plainfield, Union, New Jersey.
Ernest was living in the home of Rose Gausby, head of household, in a house adjacent to the home of Rev. William.  (This was the year that Rev William immigrated to the US.)

Martha next appeared in the 1880-1881 City Directory of Toronto, Ontario.  Martha was also listed in the 1881 Canadian Census, Toronto Ontario, apparently reunited with 8 of her children, including Ernest.

I found no record of sons Ernest or Frank leaving Canada, although they did spread their seed widely in the Toronto area and elsewhere.  Ernest's family reaches as far as Michigan, and Norwich, Norfolk, England. 

Martha eventually returned to her former home in England where she died in 1889.

Sydney appears in the Chicago City Directory beginning in 1891, through 1909.  He had 4 children. Sydney's son Herbert remained in the Chicago area.  Herbert adopted Charles E. Manchee, nee (Gilmore) whose son's Patrick, Michael, and Scott, moved west to Texas, California, and Alaska, respectively. 

Percy appears to have immigrated to the US in 1894 also to the Chicago area.  He eventually moved his family to New Jersey, where both of his children died.  He was a witness at the wedding of my parents.  

Oliver Manchee also immigrated to the US in 1899, settling in the Chicago area as well, with his seed scattered widely from St. Louis, MO to Naples FL.

Arthur appears in the Toronto City Directory from 1891 through 1896 living in Toronto, and working at the Nordheimer Piano Co in Toronto as a piano finisher and action finisher. No further record of Arthur appears in the Toronto City Directory.  

Family records suggest that the family remained in the Toronto area since Lillian was born in Toronto in 1897.  From there it appears the family had moved to Ingersol, Ontario, where son Ralph was born in 1899 and all of the children were christened in 1890.
  
Arthur was a very independent man. He strongly resented working to make someone else rich. I suspect he felt trapped at this point and decided to return to a simpler life.

Family folklore tells us that Arthur moved west to build a log cabin and start a farm in the wilderness near Ouimet Ontario.  Both tasks proved to be too much for Emily who was pregnant at the time.  They were advised that Emily would not survive if they stayed where they were.  Based on that they gave up the farm and moved on to Port Arthur, Ontario in time for my father John William to be born.  Ralph eventually moved to Western Canada.  Lillian moved to Michigan, as did John.   Emily eventually followed.  Arthur moved west with Ralph,  Evelyn remained in Port Arthur, later renamed Thunder Bay, Ontario