Frances "Fanny" [Aspell]

Other Events:

• Research Overview: 1846, Harbour Grace, Newfoundland

Notes:

Birth:
The 1921 Newfoundland Census says she was born at Harbour Grace in Nov. 1846.

Research Overview:
This person was identified to me, by my mother, as Aunt Fanny Anthony. My understanding is that she was the sister of my great-grandmother Bridget (Aspell) O'Brien. Based on DNA tests in 2017, of one of Bridget's great granddaughters, Frances and Bridget were verified as being sisters. The surviving records, relative to her marriage to Abraham Anthony, and the subsequent baptisms of their children, appear to do little to clarify her maiden name. She is referred to in associated records as the "widow Aspell". This identification, used in this fashion, would generally indicate that Fanny had initially been married to an unnamed Aspell male before she married Abraham Anthony. However, if she was an Aspell to start with, then, of course, it was also her maiden name.

At Ferryland, in the Holy Trinity RC parish records, there is only one entry with her name recorded as Frances Aspwell [sic]. She is recorded as the godmother of Thomas Joseph Batcock of Brigus [South] who was baptised in Aug 1876. The godfather was Pat Scully [aka Scurrey] who would later marry Elizabeth Aspell, likely Fanny's first cousin. Fanny's mixed marriage to Abraham Anthony is recorded on Sep. 16, 1878 at St. Mary's Anglican Church on the South Side of St. John's. In the marriage register, she is recorded as Frances Aspell, widow.

The baptisms of their children indicates that there was a lack of agreement as to which religion their children would be raised. Although initially baptised in the Anglican faith, there are later records which show that all of their children were also baptised in the Roman Catholic faith. In the Anglican baptism records, where the inclusion of the mother's maiden name appears optional, Fanny/Frances is recorded as the "widow Aspell". In the Roman Catholic records she is usually identified as Frances Aspell.

In 1965, Fanny's youngest daughter,Mary, who was living in Somerville, Massachusetts requested an official copy of her birth certificate from the RC parish in St.John's, Newfoundland. On the certificate, her mother's name is recorded as "Fannie (Aspel) Anthony".

Died:
There are two entries for Frances in the Vital Statistic death records. One gives her age as 88, the other says her age was 86.

Frances married unknown Aspell Yes, date unknown. unknown was born Yes, date unknown; died Yes, date unknown; was buried Yes, date unknown. [Group Sheet]

Frances married Abraham Anthony 16 Sep 1878, St. Mary's Anglican Church, St. John's, Newfoundland. Abraham was born Abt 1852; died 14 Mar 1920, St. John's, Newfoundland; was buried Abt 16 Mar 1920, Forest Road Anglican Cemetery, St. John's, Newfoundland. [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• Baptism: 27 Oct 1878, Anglican Cathedral of St. John The Baptist, St. John's, Newfoundland
• Baptism: 20 Aug 1882, St. Patrick's Roman Catholic Church, St. John's, Newfoundland

Notes:

Baptism:
VITAL STATISTICS - Volume 26: Baptisms 1870-1892 - Anglican Cathedral of St John the Baptist, St. Johns', Newfoundland. - Part 2. Elizabeth ANTONY (ANTHONY) Abraham & Fanny widow Aspell b Oct 20 1878 St. John's bap. Oct 27 1878 fisherman Married 1878.

Baptism:
VITAL STATISTICS - Volume 25: - ST PATRICKS ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH, St John's Newfoundland Part 2 - BAPTISMS 1880-1891
Elizabeth ANTHONY - Abraham ANTHONY Frances ASPELL St. Johns bap. Aug 20 1882.

Elizabeth married Lawrence Connolly 27 May 1900, St. John's RC (Basilica) Parish, St. John's, Newfoundland. Lawrence was born 7 Jan 1878, Kilbride, Newfoundland; died Yes, date unknown; was buried Yes, date unknown. [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• Baptism: 5 Sep 1880, Anglican Cathedral Of St. John The Baptist, St. John's, Newfoundland
• Baptism: 20 Aug 1882, St. Patrick's Roman Catholic Church, St. John's, Newfoundland

Notes:

Baptism:
VITAL STATISTICS - Volume 26: Baptisms 1870-1892 - Anglican Cathedral of St John the Baptist, St. John's, Newfoundland. - Part 2. Mary Julia ANTHONY - Abraham & Frances widow Aspell not given St. John's - bap. Sep 5 1880 fisherman.

Baptism:
VITAL STATISTICS - Volume 25: ST PATRICKS ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH, St John's Newfoundland Part 2 - BAPTISMS 1880-1891 Mary ANTHONY - Abraham ANTHONY Frances ASPELL St. Johns bap. Aug 20 1882.



Died:
Births, Deaths, Marriages in Newfoundland Newspapers (1810-1890) Deceased was the youngest daughter of Abraham and Fanny Anthony.

Other Events:

• Baptism: 15 Apr 1883, Anglican Cathedral Of St. John The Baptist, St. John's, Newfoundland
• Baptism: 12 Sep 1884, St. Patrick's Roman Catholic Church, St. John's, Newfoundland

Notes:

Birth:
Birth date recorded as 29 March 1883 in the Roman Catholic baptism record.

Baptism:
VITAL STATISTICS - Volume 26: Baptisms 1870-1892 - Anglican Cathedral of St John the Baptist St. Johns', Newfoundland. Part 2 John ANTHONY, Abraham & Fanny, widow Aspell, b. Mar 27 1883 St. John's bap. 15 Apr. 1883.

Baptism:
VITAL STATISTICS - Volume 25: ST PATRICKS ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH, St John's, Newfoundland Part 3 - BAPTISMS 1880-1891 John ANTHONY - Abraham ANTHONY Fanny ASPELL - b. Mar 29 1883* St. Johns bap. Sep 12 1884.

John married Eliza 26 Oct 1903, St. John's, Newfoundland. Eliza was born Sept 1881, St. John's, Newfoundland; died Yes, date unknown; was buried Yes, date unknown. [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• Baptism: 12 Sep 1883, St. Patrick's Roman Catholic Church, St. John's, Newfoundland
• Baptism: 17 May 1885, St. Mary's Anglican Church, St. John's, Newfoundland

Notes:

Baptism:
Newfoundland Vital Statistics - Volume 27 - St Mary's Anglican Church - (South Side, St. John's) PART 1: BAPTISMS 1859-1891 - Section D (1885 - 1891) ANTHONY William James - ANTHONY Abraham & Fanny (widow Aspell) b. May 3 1885 St John's bap. May 17 1885 laborer (Md. Sep 16 1878 St Marys Ang Ch, she widowed).

William married Lillian Martin Mar 1 1915, St. John's, Newfoundland. Lillian was born Aug 1893, St. John's, Newfoundland; died Aft 1945; was buried Aft 1945. [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• Baptism: 15 Apr 1888, Anglican Cathedral Of St. John The Baptist, St. John's, Newfoundland

Notes:

Baptism:
VITAL STATISTICS - Volume 26: Baptisms 1870-1892 - Anglican Cathedral of St John the Baptist, St. Johns', Newfoundland. Part 4. Margaret ANTHONY Abraham & Fanny (widow Aspell) b. Mar 26 1888 St. John's - bap. Apr 15 1888 labourer (Married 1878).

Died:
Births, Deaths, Marriages in Newfoundland Newspapers (1810-1890) Family listed at Dreelan's Well Road when Margaret died. This obit says the death was 1 Apr 1888, but this appears to be incorrect since the Vital Statistic record says that the child as baptised on April 15, 1888.

Other Events:

• Baptism: 16 Jun 1889, Anglican Cathedral of St. John The Baptist, St. John's, Newfoundland

Notes:

Baptism:
VITAL STATISTICS - Volume 26: Baptisms 1870-1892 - Anglican Cathedral of St John the Baptist, St. Johns', Newfoundland. - Part 4. Eliza ANTHONY - Abraham & Fanny b. June 1, 1889 - St. John's - bap. June 16 1889, labourer.

Mary married Michael Hawkins 28 Nov 1906, Holy Trinity RC Parish, Ferryland, Newfoundland. Michael (son of Robert Hawkins and Lucy Burrows) was born Abt Sep 1877, Island Cove, Cape Broyle, Newfoundland; died 2 Jan 1929, Admiral's Cove, Cape Broyle, Newfoundland; was buried , Immaculate Conception Cemetery, Cape Broyle, Ferryland District, Newfoundland, Canada. [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• Baptism: 18 Apr 1897, St. John's RC (Basilica) Parish, St. John's, Newfoundland
• Residence: 1965, St. John's, Newfoundland

Notes:

Birth:
In the 1921 Newfoundland Census, this individual is identified as an adopted daughter, however, that notation may be incorrect.

Residence:
On Aug. 6, 1965, Mrs. John Spurrell of 15 Skehan St., Somerville, Massachusetts, United States declared that her date of birth was March 12, 1896 n St. John's, Newfoundland. She said her parents were Abraham and Fannie (Aspell) Anthony.

Elizabeth — John Spurrell. [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• Baptism: 21 Sep 1907, Holy Trinity RC Parish, Ferryland, Newfoundland

Notes:

Buried:
Although Lucy was baptised Roman Catholic, her Vital Statistic death record shows her religious affiliation as United Church and as such she was buried in the General Protestant Cemetery.

Lucinda married John Clarke Abt 1931, St. John's, Newfoundland. John was born Abt 1910, St. John's, Newfoundland; died Yes, date unknown. [Group Sheet]