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BENJAMIN BRUCE (1770-1823)

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gnstill
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BENJAMIN BRUCE (1770-1823)

Post by gnstill » Tue Jul 28, 2015 9:29 am

New Family Page: BENJAMIN BRUCE (1770-1823)

Please post comments and queries about BENJAMIN BRUCE AND HIS DESCENDANTS here.

ChrisBruce
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Joined: Thu Jul 23, 2015 1:46 am

Re: BENJAMIN BRUCE (1770-1823)

Post by ChrisBruce » Sun Oct 25, 2015 6:04 pm

Benjamin Bruce is my great-great-great-great grandfather. I have heard a story that Benjamin and Mathilda adopted Chief Peguis' daughter. I'm unsure of the sources, and I apologize for that, but here's what I have heard. Benjamin and Mathilda adopted Jane from Chief Peguis, and she later used the Bruce surname in homage to them. Chief Peguis was baptized as William King after he converted to Christianity, and his children were given the surname of Prince. There are records of Jane using either Bruce or Prince as her surname before she married. The dates in this theory would also check out as Peguis was only 4 years younger than Benjamin Bruce. (Benjamin Bruce also arrived in Canada in the early 1790s.) I hope that this helps some people understand the confusion. And I am still not sure on the veracity of this idea, but it seems to be the most logical to me.

gnstill
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Re: BENJAMIN BRUCE (1770-1823)

Post by gnstill » Sun Nov 01, 2015 5:52 am

Tell us more about your lineage Chris.
Who were your grandparents, great-grandparents, etc. and when/ where were they born?

ChrisBruce
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Joined: Thu Jul 23, 2015 1:46 am

Re: BENJAMIN BRUCE (1770-1823)

Post by ChrisBruce » Thu Mar 03, 2016 5:41 pm

Sorry I took so long to reply, I guess I forgot at some point. Just to let you know I admire the work you're doing, it's a big help because it has a lot of my ancestors in it.

My father's name is Robert Bruce, born 1959 in Victoria, BC.

My grandfather, also named Robert Bruce, was born in Duck Lake, Saskatchewan, in 1918. (although his birth certificate says Prince Albert, so I'm not sure which he was born in.) He's 97 years old, and I'm afraid he may pass away any time now. Growing up, he faced many struggles from being Métis. (or half-breed, if you will, because there is no French ancestry on that side.) I believe they lived right on the edge of a reserve, because they were part Cree. He had about 11 siblings, but I believe him and my great aunt, Winnifred, are the only two alive.

His father, or my great grandfather, was William Bruce, and he was born in 1879 in Poplar Point, Manitoba. He married Christina Robertson, born 1890. As I said, they had about 12 kids. My great grandfather served in World War I, in fact I have his records from when he enlisted in the military. He was a farmer/cobbler. He would always tell his kids that they were part Spanish, because Métis people were hated back then. My grandfather though his family was Spanish for a long while. He was gassed in the Great War, and ended up dying when my grandfather was 16, in 1934. My grandfather remembered walking in on him collapsed on the kitchen floor.

My great-great grandfather, Benjamin Bruce, was born in 1842 in Kildonan. I would like to politely tell you that the photo that is on Benjamin Bruce's page is not a photo of the Benjamin Bruce born in 1770, but of my great-great grandfather, Benjamin Bruce (His grandson). I don't know that much about Benjamin Bruce. He married Maria Cook, son of Samuel Cook.

His father, my great-great-great grandfather, was James Bruce, born 1801 in North West Territories. James Bruce married Mary McNab. James Bruce is the son of Benjamin Bruce.

I managed to trace my Bruce lineage back to Donald Bruce. A number of sources were needed to determine his birth date. He had multiple children. His son Robert Bruce had a son named William Bruce, who was Benjamin Bruce's father.

I also found Benjamin Bruce's Hudson's Bay Company records. There's not much, but a few dates. I also found William Hemmings Cook's Hudson's Bay Company Records.

I hope I was a help for any curiosities you have. Again, thank you for making this website. It's made my research a heck of a lot easier.

gnstill
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Re: BENJAMIN BRUCE (1770-1823)

Post by gnstill » Fri Mar 04, 2016 4:56 am

Thanks very much Chris – I have removed the photo and will save it for a Page for your great-great grandfather (b-1842) which isn’t really a priority for me at this time. In that regard I might remind you that I do Special Family Pages with/for people who make donations. More about that at this link:
SPECIAL FAMILY PAGES
I also have those HBC records, and many more, but I usually condense the information into brief summaries in my narratives.

DougBruce
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Joined: Mon Apr 10, 2017 6:25 pm

Re: BENJAMIN BRUCE (1770-1823)

Post by DougBruce » Thu Apr 20, 2017 8:21 am

Benjamin Bruce (1770) was my great, great, great grandfather, and Patrick Bruce (1848) my great grandfather. Patricks son James Arthur was my grandfather. I would love to be in touch with any cousins.

gnstill
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Re: BENJAMIN BRUCE (1770-1823)

Post by gnstill » Fri Apr 21, 2017 5:09 pm

Doug - I presume you have already seen the Page for your Great Grandparents at this link:
PATRICK BRUCE (1848-1933)
I also have information about your lineage down to Rev James Arthur BRUCE (1941-1945). I don’t however know which of their children your parent was or who they married. Can you provide that information?

DougBruce
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Joined: Mon Apr 10, 2017 6:25 pm

Re: BENJAMIN BRUCE (1770-1823)

Post by DougBruce » Wed Apr 26, 2017 6:54 am

My father was James Harold Bruce (B 1910, Dinorwick, Ont, D 1974, Copper Cliff Ont) and my Mother Janet Maria Jessup (B 1909, Sturgeon Falls, Ont, D 2003, Sudbury, Ont). I had 2 sisters, Janet and Carol, both deceased.

Yes, i saw the Patrick Bruce info on RR Ancestry. What is your reference to (1941 - 1945) for James Arthur?

My father was always very proud of his native ancestry and a family link to Louis Riel. A cousin told me that a relative (James Bruce) was a Riel lieutenant and his name is on a Riel plaque in Winnipeg but I find no info on this and think this is John Bruce who is from a different family of Bruce's. I have not been able to find such a link to my Bruce family.

Thanks for your help.

gnstill
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Re: BENJAMIN BRUCE (1770-1823)

Post by gnstill » Wed Apr 26, 2017 9:10 am

Sorry Doug, I screwed that up, should be Rev James Arthur BRUCE (b-1874). I don’t have his death date.

The 1941-1945 actually refers to his years of services in parishes throughout Algoma and Gore Bay. (This from Algoma U Archives).

Thanks very much for the other info.

DougBruce
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Joined: Mon Apr 10, 2017 6:25 pm

Re: BENJAMIN BRUCE (1770-1823)

Post by DougBruce » Wed Apr 26, 2017 12:25 pm

I have his death date here somewhere......plus his full parish listings from the Anglican Church

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