WALLACE MAYO (1893-1965)
Wallace MAYO was born Mar 13, 1893 in St Peters (baptised there on Dec 11, 1893), son of Caroline SUTHERLAND & Charles Edwin MAYO (1840-1917). ** MORE ABOUT CHARLES EDWIN MAYO
World War I
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.
Two of Wallace’s brothers enlisted for war service, Charles Edwin MAYO JR. on Dec 31, 1915 in Selkirk, and William MAYO on Mar 11, 1916, while a ‘homesteader’ in Wynard, Saskatchewan.
In the Censuses of 1916 Wallace (age 22) was still with his aging parents, this time on Main Street in Selkirk.
Wallace Marries Agnes KENNEDY
On June 10, 1917 Wallace’s father (Charles Edwin) died in Selkirk at the age of 83.
On May 30, 1917 Wallace married in Selkirk to Agnes Matilda KENNEDY. Agnes (born 1894 in St Peters) was the daughter of Juliet THOMAS & John George KENNEDY (born 1870), a Treaty Indian.
Manitoba Free Press, Feb 19, 1919: Wallace MAYO, West Selkirk, is Winner of Dog Team Race. Wallace MAYO, West Selkirk, won an easy first in the Manitoba Grand Championship dog team derby, held yesterday afternoon from Lower Fort Garry to the Hudson’s Bay store, corner of York Avenue and Main Street (Winnipeg).
On Aug 31, 1917 Wallace’s brother, Frederick MAYO enlisted for war service at Selkirk.
On Aug 9, 1918 Wallace’s brother, William MAYO died a soldier in France at the age of 27.
November 11, 1919, Armistice Day (Remembrance Day) marked the end of the First World War.
I have almost no information about Wallace and his activities during the next 40 years and would be very grateful to any of his descendants who could provide further background. It would also be great if someone could provide some family pictures for this page.
One of my own (Gary STILL) pet projects over the last 10 years or more has been tracing the ancestors of my sister-in-law, Yvonne (nee SHAND) STILL whose very complex and interesting family history includes her biological mother, Winnie SHAND, daughter of Rachel THOMAS & James SHAND (1890-1956).
1922-1928
My understanding of the Winnie SHAND story, insofar as it relates to Agnes and Wallace MAYO and their family, began in 1922. Winnie was only four years old when her mother died that year at Fairford, MB. Her mother, Rachel (Agnes’ sister? or Agnes’ niece?) at the time of her death had been in a common-law relationship with Winnie’s father, the aforementioned James (Jim) SHAND.
Herein lays the source of a problem that is putting my old brain in a state of total confusion!! There appears to have been two different ladies named Agnes (one born c1888, the other born c1894), and I’ll be damned if I can understand the difference. It seems that one of them was also the grandmother of Lina SIMARD who married a Stanley SINCLAIR whose origins are just as difficult to ascertain. Someone please help me sort this one out by going to the following links!!
** FAMILY PAGE FOR LOUIS SIMARD (1855-1920)
** FORUM DISCUSSING THE FAMILY OF LOUIS SIMARD
In 1922 the widowed Jim SHAND was left with two young children, Winnie (age 4) and Raymond (age 7). He was out of work and had no close relatives in the area to turn to except Wallace’s wife Agnes (however they were related). Agnes and Wallace came to his rescue. While staying with the MAYO family, Jim SHAND began a relationship with Wallace’s 24 year old sister Eleanor MAYO.
In July of 1923 Eleanor MAYO and Jim SHAND married. Their first child, Caroline, was born in 1924. It seems that for the next couple of years Jim and his second family were living part of the time in Fairford where he was attempting to develop his farm, and part of the time in Selkirk and Winnipeg where he did carpentry work. Winnie and Raymond remained with the MAYO family in Selkirk so they could begin their schooling. We know that Raymond began his schooling in there in 1925. Here’s the link for the Jim SHAND story: FAMILY PAGE for JIM SHAND (1890-1956)
The Great Depression, the Dirty Thirties
Throughout the years of 1929 to 1939, there was a world wide Depression and Canada was one of the worst affected countries. Financially and economically the country began to collapse regardless of what was done by political power.
It has been said that Jim SHAND was living on Boyle Street (near the Louise Bridge) in Winnipeg when he applied for a parcel of land at Point du Bois, MB. He and Eleanor undoubtedly stayed with the MAYO family in Selkirk some of the time as well. In 1930 Jim moved to Point du Bois, without Winnie who was presumably left in Selkirk with the MAYO family.
In February of 1933 Winnie would have been yet 14 years old when she had a sexual affair in Selkirk with a 17 year old classmate/ neighbour named Howard OIG. On Oct 27, 1933 she gave birth to a baby daughter (Yvonne); about 3 months after her 15th birthday. It is not surprising that Yvonne soon became a ward of the Children’s Aid Society in Winnipeg. That story in continued at this link regarding Howard’s parents: JOSEPH ALBERT OIG (1894-1929)
World War II
On Sept 4, 1939 Canada and Britain declared war on Germany, and almost immediately new recruits began pouring into Winnipeg to sign up with the Winnipeg Grenadiers and the Royal Rifles of Canada.
Around 1940 daughter Lenora married John Martin “Mugs” McCUMBER, son of Katherine KNAUS & Milton “Mike” McCUMBER (b-1877) a soldier and railroad engineer from Ontario. ** MORE ABOUT MILTON “MIKE” McCUMBER
In the spring of 1941 Howard OIG enlisted for war service as a member of the Winnipeg Grenadiers. He was sent overseas where he was captured by the Japanese in the Battle of Wong Ne Chong Gap. On Nov 28, 1942 he died in a P.O.W. camp.
I’m guessing that it was during the war years that Wallace MAYO’s daughter Ruth married Frank FRASER. These are Darrell’s grandparents; perhaps he will provide us with some more information.
Daughter Cora married John Paul LAMOUREUX. Again, I don’t know when and where.
Son Joseph married a lady named Signa (Kennedy/Thomas on the Forum.).
On May 7, 1945: Germany surrendered and the war in Europe ended; the next day, May 8, is declared VE Day. On August 14, 1945 Japan surrendered - VJ Day; the Second World War was officially over.
Wallace moved to Winnipeg
In 1957 Wallace moved to Winnipeg where he died on June 4, 1965.
Wallace’s obituary states that he was survived by his wife (Agnes); four sons, William, Charles and Joseph of Winnipeg and Ralph of Vancouver; and three daughters, Mrs Cora LAMOREAUX and Mrs Frank (Ruth) FRASER, both of Winnipeg and Mrs Martin (Lenora) McCUMBER of Calgary; four brothers, Jim, Cecil and Fred of Selkirk and Robert of Winnipeg. Wallace was buried in the St Clements Cemetery (Mapleton).
On May 23, 1981 Agnes Matilda (nee KENNEDY) MAYO died at the Tache Nursing Home in Winnipeg at the age of 86.
Darrell: I have my great Grandmother's obituary and it lists in 1981 as her surviving brothers Charles, Roddy and Gilbert and one surviving sister Mrs. Millie SANDERSON. I was fortunate to be able to know my great Grandmother. Later in her years she ended up living with her daughter Cora. I can remember her at our many family gatherings such as Christmas.
Please post comments and queries at this link: FORUM DISCUSSING the WALLACE MAYO FAMILY
========================== Family Details ==========================
Children: 1. Aug 1, 1917 LENORA MAYO (m. John Martin McCUMBER)
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