ALEXANDER THOMAS (1869-1924)
MARIE HELENE (nee THOMAS) MORRISSEAU (1876-1927)

(Last Updated: June 23, 2015)

Alexander THOMAS was born Jun 10, 1869 in St Andrews Parish, Red River, son of Mary THOMAS and Richard THOMAS (1834-1923). ** MORE ABOUT RICHARD THOMAS

By 1891 this THOMAS family had settled in Balsam Bay on the east side of Lake Winnipeg.

Marriage to Marie Helene (nee THOMAS) MORRISSEAU
1906

In 1906 Alexander married (common-law) Marie Helene (nee THOMAS) MORRISSEAU in Fort Alexander, the daughter of Adelaide MORIN and George “Geordie” THOMAS (1852-1927). ** MORE ABOUT GEORGE THOMAS

Helene (Ellen, Eleanor) was the widow of Joseph MORRISSEAU who died around 1905, son of Catherine GUIMOND and Jacob MORRISSEAU (1831-1934) with whom she had two daughters; Alice (age 8) and Frances (age 4).

In the 1911 census Alexander and his family were recorded twice, once with Alexander’s widowed father, Richard THOMAS in Balsam Bay as Alexander THOMAS (age 42), his wife Eleanor (age 35) and their children as Alice (age 14), Frances (8), Philip (5), Mathilda (3) and baby Alexander Jr.
In the same census Widow Ellen MORRISSEAU (age 48) was recorded in Fort Alexander with her daughters Alice (age 16) and Francoise (age 8). ** Note the erratic age discrepancies in this record. My guess is that Ellen was in Fort Alexander because her youngsters were probably at the Residential School at that time.

World War I
1914-1918

On Aug 4, 1914 Great Britain (Canada on Aug 5) declared war on Germany and Austria-Hungary to uphold treaties with France and Belgium which were under German attack. This marked the beginning of World War I.

In 1915 step-daughter Alice MORRISSEAU married Isaac ORVIS, son of Isabella IRVINE and John Benson ORVIS (1844-1930). ** MORE ABOUT JOHN BENSON ORVIS

Census of 1916 in Balsam Bay:Alexander THOMAS, age 47; wife Ellen, age 38. Children: Philip (age 9), Matilda (7), Alexander (5) and Agnes (age 2). ** Alice and Frances were probably still at the Residential School.

November 11,1918, Armistice Day (Remembrance Day) marked the end of the First World War.

Census of 1921 in Balsam Bay:Alexander THOMAS, age 49; wife Ellen, age 43. Children: Frances (age 17), Phillip (age 14), Delphine (13), Alexander (age 10), Agnes (7), Mary Ida (5) and Albert (age 1).

In 1924 step-daughter Frances MORRISSEAU married her brother-in-law Samuel ORVIS, youngest son of the aforementioned Isabella IRVINE and John Benson ORVIS (1844-1930). ** MORE ABOUT JOHN BENSON ORVIS

St Lukes Anglican Church in Balsam Bay

In 1924 Alexander THOMAS died in Balsam Bay; buried in St Luke’s Anglican Church Cemetery.

In 1927 Marie Helene THOMAS died in Balsam Bay.

In 1936 son Alexander married Doris GRANT in St Boniface, daughter of Frances Molly NORTON and John Nelson GRANT (1878-1946).

Around 1939 when World War II broke out, daughter Agnes married Stanley NANOWIN of uncertain origins.

In 1940 youngest daughter Marie Adele married Gabriel GUIMOND in Fort Alexander, son of Margaret JOHNSTON and Antoine GUIMOND (b-1863).

In 1859 daughter Agnes (nee THOMAS) NANOWIN married a second time to Clifford Edwin SETTEE, son of Elisabeth JOHNSTONE and Charles Gilbert SETTEE (1867-1944). ** MORE ABOUT CHARLES GILBERT SETTEE

Comments and queries at this link: FORUM DISCUSSING THE ALEXANDER THOMAS FAMILY

========================= Family Details =========================

Children of Ellen and Joseph MORRISSEAU:
1. Feb, 1897 ALICE MORRISSEAU (m. Isaac ORVIS)
2. Mar, 1903 FRANCES “FANNY” MORRISSEAU (m. Samuel ORVIS)
Children of Ellen and Alexander THOMAS:
1. Aug 8, 1906 PHILIP JOSEPH THOMAS (Died age 24)
2. Oct 5, 1908 DELPHINE (MATILDA) THOMAS (Died age 17)
3. Mar 31, 1911 ALEXANDER GEORGE THOMAS (m. Doris GRANT)
4. Jun 14, 1914 AGNES THOMAS (m1. Stanley NANOWIN, m2. Clifford Edward SETTEE)
5. Jan 19, 1917 MARY ADELE (IDA) THOMAS (m. Gabriel GUIMOND)
6. Jun 14, 1920 ALBERT JAMES THOMAS (Died age 5)

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