____D r a f t C o p y / M a r c h 2 0 1 0 _____
Canada, U.S.A., England
Sweden, Finland, Australia, U.S.S.R. and Beyond
Brian William Hagell
Truro, Nova Scotia
Canada B2N 2B2
brianhagell@gmail.com
Facts and Details
The facts and details in this presentation are, accurate as far as they can be. Please be kind in any criticism of the material. I did the best I could. Many people have sent me information and helped sort out a great deal of personal family data. In this line of business you have to take most things on face value and accept it as the way things were or are. In some year hence there will, with some luck, be someone who will filter out all the inaccuracies and tidy it all up. I hope I am around to see it....and I hope you are as well.
And so concludes the humble attempt to explain who exactly we are and how we got to be here. When I think of how little there is here of what there use to be, it is sort of sad. Perhaps this brief story will encourage others to sit down and write about their families and who they really are. The dates and numbers are important, but it is the people behind the numbers that is the essence of a Family Tree.
With your help as in the past, a new and up dated version might come out. But don't wait for someone else, go ahead and start your own story. You will be surprised at how much fun it can be.
Best of luck to all!
Brian William Hagell
Truro
Canada
B2N 2B2
June 18, 2009
Many thanks go to all those people who helped make this history possible. Without willing souls to share their story a book such as this would not be possible. As I described myself, I am only the compiler. I simply assembled the facts. Listed in no special order. And I apologize to those whose names I have missed here. Please let me know.
Alexander Frederick Hagell, British Columbia, Canada
Barnett Edward Hagell, British Columbia and Washington State, USA
Lesley John Hagell, Ontario, Canada
Colin Hagell, Dover, England
Mrs. Alonzo Hagell of Ontario, Canada
Marie Agnes (Hagell) Ricks of
Lisa Hagell of Vancouver,
Dorothy Guilline of Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada
Darlene Hanson of Clearfield, Utah, U.S.A.
Raymon Naisbitt of Utah, USA
Kathryn Westmoreland, Bountiful, Utah, USA
Katherine
Miller, Utah, USA
Barbara (Whitehead) Hagell of Hantsport, Nova Scotia, Canada
Janis Hagell of Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada
Ronald Albert Hagell Jr., London, England
Dalton Hagell, Canada
The Veary Family of Montreal, Canada
Robert Dennis of South Mountain, Ontario, Canada
Marie H. Rick of Oceanside, California, U.S.A.
Ruby Marilyn Rick of San Diego, U.S.A.
Marilyn Gerney at the Naval Museum in Halifax
Janet (Scott) Hagell of London, England
Paul and Amy Murphrey, Michigan, USA
The Mormon Church in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada
Carmel T. (Knell) Reisinger, Australia
____________________
__________
When my Grandfather and Grandmother died, I was curious about where the Hagell family came from and how did they get to where they are. But it was a bit too late to ask questions, sadly to say.
There must be another way to find out. Dad had received a letter from Paul and Amy Murphrey, of Michigan, U.S.A. that had a good starting point for the Hagell family. It contained the names of my Great Grandfather, Frederick William Hagell and his wife Eleanor Parsley.
The War Medals of Alfred Parsley ab
Now it just so happened that Grampy Fred had in his belongings a Crimean War Medal of Alfred Parsley, ab of the H.M.S. ALBION (the 5th Albion built) with a "Sebastopol Bar" on it. There was also another war medal that went with it.
It was a logical connection to Eleanor Parsley, wife of Frederick William Hagell and the Alfred Parsley on the medal. The facts and details of that connection are still a mystery to me, but one day they will be known to me or a future genealogist. What I did find out about though was much information on the Crimean War and about the H.M.S. ALBION. Not only is my side of the family tree connected to the Crimean War, but other branches are as well.
The
History of the Crimean War of 1853
- 1856
Since the time George 4th of England came to power, Russia was watched very closely. England was very concerned that some part of the British Empire might be attack, overland by Russia. The seizure of Turkey by the Russians was a grave to concern to Britain as it would give the Russian a foothold and staging ground for further attacks.
In 1853 Britain marched her troops into Turkey and in 1854 it declared war on Russia. Britain and France sent an Expeditionary force to the Crimean to capture the port city of Sevastopol.
The city of (Sevastopol) fell to the British fleet and her Allies the Turkish troops and the French on September 9, 1855. (Source: A History of War at Sea by Helmut Pemsel. Library ref. 359.4 P)
There Were Other Battles as Well:
The Battle of Alma September 20,1854
The Battle of Balaclava October 25, 1854
Balaclava was the name for the engagement in a small town 10km south east of Sevastopol. this is the scene of the Charge of the Light Brigade, the British Calvary against the Russian artillery. 673 soldiers took part, with 272 causalities. Balaclava helmets were knitted hoods worn there by the soldiers for the bitter weather.
The Battle of Inkerman November 5, 1854
Inkerman Ridge was a scene of this battle where the Russians were repulsed from attacking the town of Sevastopol.
The H.M.S. ALBION
The "Albion" was the ship that Alfred Parsley sailed on during the Crimean War of 1853 - 1855. There were actually 6 "ALBION" ships on record in the British Navy. The one that Alfred Parsley sailed on was the fifth one, constructed in 1842. She was a 90 gun ship of 3111 tons and carried a crew of 830 men The length of the ship was 204 feet, beam of 60 feet and a draught of 19 feet.
In 1854 the ALBION under the command of Captain Stephen Lushington took part in the Russian War. The Naval Brigade with 2400 seamen, 2000 a marines, 65 officer, 50 shipwrights, and 120 guns were landed to assist the Army in the siege of Sebastopol under the general command of Captain Lushington of the ALBION.
On October 17, 1854 the ALBION caught fire three times after being badly mauled and had to be taken out of the fight after being towed to safety by the steamship paddle boats present.
In 1861 the ALBION was fitted with a steam engines of 1835 horsepower and a screw propeller. And finally in 1884 the ALBION was sold.
1. "The Royal Navy : A History From the Earliest Times to the Present" by: Wm. Laird Clowes Published in 1901 in London, Pages 440 to 444.
2. "The Kings Ships" by Halton Stirling Leckey. Published in London, England in 1913. Pages 54 to 57.
The Medals were taken
to the Maritime Naval Museum in Halifax where Marilyn Gerney helped to identify
the medals and provided new ribbons for them as well. I was surprised that they
would have the same color and style ribbon that was needed. The ribbons that
were on the medals were not the proper size she said. A trip to the Maritime Museum
of the Atlantic in Halifax, gave me information on the "ALBION" on which Alfred
Parsley sailed. She said that medals should have new ribbons on them and presented as they should be.
Frederick David Hagell
Frederick David Hagell was in the Crimean War as well. He sailed on the "HANNIBAL" during the Crimean war and was discharged with a "very good conduct report. Later Frederick David signed on the "WATERLOO," another well used name and renamed ship. This was during the years 1866 and 1867.
Frederick David Hagell receives a letter from the Accountant General of the Navy:
Department of the
Accountant General
of the Navy
Admiralty, Somerset House
W.C.
9, March, 1859
Frederick D. Hagell
I herewith enclose the Medal granted by the Sultan of the Ottoman Empire, to which you are entitled for your Services on board Her Majesty's Ship HANNIBAL
Turkish Medal
I am
Your most obedient servant
R.M. Bromley,
Accountant General
of the Navy.
Your Certificate is herewith returned
8 Union Street
Maidstone
Kent
Information from Janet (Scott) Hagell of London sent to me concerns a letter which was written to help Frederick David Hagell obtain a war pension.
in the hope of getting Frederick David his pension.
To the Lords of Admiralty
Whitehall, London
My lords
Frederick David Hagell of the Parish of Linton informs me he is an applicant for a Pension for his services in the Crimean and has applied to me as a reference. I have much pleasure in stating I have known him the past thirty years and have always found him a steady, honest, and truthful man and of sober habits and I consider him entitled to a Pension from the Government if there are funds available. He is now 73 years of age and is not able to follow his employment as he has done for his maintenance. I warmly recommend his case to kind consideration of your Lordships.
Signed, Joseph Barker
Justice of the Peace for Kent
__________
Much of the information on Frederick David Hagell comes in a letter from Janet (Scott) Hagell dated February 16, 1992. Photo copies of original letters were sent and greatly appreciated.
The Crimean War Medals
There are three medals in the series for men who fought in the Crimean War.
The Crimean Medals were inscribed with the four major operations. It was worn proudly enough by those who had seen the job through. Yet when the medal was first issued, public about the conduct about the war was such that PUNCH published a grim cartoon in which a near naked and frozen Guardsman, knee deep in snow and threatened by vultures, tells his comrade that they are to have a medal - "Very kind", comes the reply, "Maybe one of these days we'll have a coat to stick it on!".
1. The Crimean War Medal
The medals that were impressed with "serif capitals" are the ones that are classified as official. Apparently some regiments carried out their own stamping of names on the medals.
2. The Turkish Crimean MedalThis medal was issued with three different obverses to it. The positioning of the three flags indicated the country of the receiver.
3. The Baltic Medal
This medal was mostly for the sailors of HM ships who were in the Baltic during the years 1854 and 1855. Some of the medals were stamped with the name of the sailor such as the one my Grandfather has from Alfred Parsley.
The medals also came
with a "bar" that reads "Sebastopol". This was one of the
battles that was fought during the Crimean War. The more campaigns you were in,
the more "bars" you had given to you.
First Contact
After sending a letter to the Kent Family Historical Society in Kent Co., England, I waited with great hope for some reply with valuable information. Well, what arrived was not what I expected but it was a great starting place. It was the name of Lesley John Hagell of Dover, England and his phone number. I gave Lesley a call and we had a pleasant conversation and gave to me what information he had on the Hagell Family. He promised to do some looking on his side of the “Pond” and I in turn told him that I would send the information that I had on the Hagell Family.
Well, before long I decided to look in the various Canadian phone books at the local library and search out any Hagell family members.
My first call was to Frederick Alexander Hagell of New Westminster, in British Columbia, Canada. Frederick was surprised to hear from me but was very interested in finding out more about the Hagell family. He has sent several nice letters with lots of information in them.
Frederick Alexander wrote of a family story that had to do with some ancestors. The story goes that King had a great liking for horses and when he came to England to be King, he brought some of his horse handlers with him. One of these was a Hagell. Sounds possible, doesn't it. That would be a great avenue to check out.
Frederick Alexander Hagell of Vancouver, in a letter dated May 24, 1991, wrote that the story in his family was that the first Hagell came to England during the reign of King George of England, who was a German from Hanover. King George had a fondness for the horses and when he came to England brought with him, many horses. The story also goes that several grooms and handlers were brought as well to look after the Kings horses and among those brought over was a Hagell.
In a second letter dated Aug. 4, 1991, Frederick Alexander writes that the Royal Lipizzaner horse show was in town and on the poster advertising the show it stated that the horses date back to the days of George of Hanover in the 1600s who developed the world famous breed.
This being the case, King George must have been King George the First from Austria, Born 1660 - 1727. He ruled England, although he could not speak English from 1714 until 1727.
Janet (Scott) Hagell of London states in her letter of November 7, 1991, that the family rumors of the Hagell family go back to William and Mary Hagell of Holland. Janet states that they were political refugees. They were “ostelers” and later “tanners”. Janet also states that it seems like a natural progression from tanner to bookbinder, which several later Hagells were.
Janis Lynne Hagell of Cobble Hill, British Columbia, Canada, says that her father, Joseph William Hagell, believed that the Hagell family originally came form Germany, then moved to England. In Germany they were known as Von Hagel, but upon arriving in England the "Von" was dropped and an extra "L" was added.
I also got in touch with Joan Hagell of San Francisco. Her Father was Frederick Ernest Hagell. She did mention that her Family History story was that the Hagells came from Utrecht, Holland
A Hagell By Any Other Name....
The origins of the name Hagell has not yet been fully established by the time of this writing although there are many possibilities as there are spellings to the name.
All my life I was told it was a German name. Other people have told me that it is Belgium name and that Hagells were "Walloons". There is more on the Walloons later on in the writing.
Well so far all my work is pointing to the fact that it was or is an English name dating back so far as February 7, 1607 when William Hagill was christened in the church, Saint Martins In The Fields, Westminster, London, England.
There are other early dates and Hagells in England as well:
Jane Hagill born on September 7, 1638 in Leckhampton, Gloucester, England. Her father was William Hagill and her mother as Jane as well.
June 6, 1667 when Christophar Hagell married Elizabeth Wray in Wellow, Nottingham, England.
Magdalena Hagl bor. 1805 in England?
Adam Haegle mar. 1810
in Johnstown, New York, USA
Alfred Hermann Haegele no information provided
Amanda Hagle bor. 1849 in Warwick, Ontario, Canada
Ann Hagile mar. 1823 in ?
Anthony Hagel bor. 1889 in ?
Adamus Haggel bap. 1626 in Kirby Bellars, Leicester, England.
Catherin Heiggell. bap. 1681 in Saint Giles, Durham, England
Charolotte Heggell mar. 1825 in Occold, Suffolk, England
Edey Hagles mar. 1761 in Saint Marys, Portsea, England
Elizabeth Hagil will 1698 Llangadock, Carmarthen, Whales
Elizabeth Heagel bap. 1793 in St. George in the East, London
Frederick Haggle mar. 1830 in St. Mary Major, Exeter, England.
Henry Hagill bap. 1820 in Sherburne in Elmet, Yorkshire,
James Haghall bap. 1720 in St. Bride Fleet St., London
Jane Haggul mar. 1729 in St. George Mayfair, London
Jane Haugell bap. 1785 in St. Matthew, Bethnal Green,
Letitia Hagaell bap. 1780 in St. Peter, Canterbury, England
Robert Hegell bap. 1781 in Saint Savior, Southwark,
Susanah Hagyle bap. 1689 in Crediton, Devon, England
These names come from the Mormon Church computer files I obtained in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia (July 8, 1992). As you can see there is a wide range of spelling of the surname "Hagell". The names listed above may or may not be related to the name HAGELL, but it seems that there might be a connection with some of them at some point in history. The connection to the Hagell family of these names will have to be made by some other scholar as I am too busy with just the one spelling. Of course just because there are different spellings, means that these people actually did have a different name. There is an excellent chance that the person writing the names down simply did not know the actual spelling and went about "sounding it out" and doing the best he could. The very same way most people do today!
The actual spelling of our name is as any good Hagell knows, subject to a great deal variation. In the old records documented by the Mormon Church in their searches the name has been found in the following spelling. Most of them are a "sounding out" spelling and one can easily see how it could be spelled that way:
My relatives are split into two parts of Nova Scotia They are spread apart much more now than they were, but here is the pattern:
The Halifax / Truro
side, that's me and all my family going back to my Great Grandfather, Frederick
Alfred Hagell. (Rev. Alfred)
When Frederick Alfred
(Rev. Alfred) Hagell first arrived in Sydney,
Nova Scotia, with his wife Lavinia Ager, they had several children already. He
had a bake and confectionery shop in Sydney,
Nova Scotia. My father Robert Charles Hagell Sr. says he can remember stories of Frederick Alfred Hagell selling bread to the French Navy when they docked in port of Sydney, NS.He may also have been a landlord and owned an apartment building or set of building in Sydney, NS. This property became known as the Hagell Block on davenport Road, In Sydney, Nova Scotia.
Rev. Alfred Hagell,
as I have been calling him, to separate him from his son, my Grandfather, was
born about 1860 in England. I do not know very much about his time in England except that he was
probably a baker and a confectionery store keeper. This is the line of business
he went into when he came to Sydney, Nova Scotia. Rev. Alfred and his wife
Lavinia (Ager) lived in Sydney for several years before moving to Halifax. Nova
Scotia. Towards the end of her life, Lavinia was blind.
A letter written to Lavinia by her husband Frederick Alfred Hagell while he
was on board the R.M.S. Allan a Royal Mail Line ship, was addressed to Mrs.
Hagell, Whitney Ave., Sydney, C.B. Canada. (The C.B. stands for Cape Breton, which
is an island that is a large part of Nova Scotia). This letter was post marked London.
The letter is dated April 19, 1904. On the back of a photograph of Rev. Alfred
and Lavinia Hagell taken about 1907, the address is Davenport Road. This road
is still in Sydney. Later this Davenport Road was donated to the church as a
site on which a new church was constructed.
In the 1907 - 1908 "DIRECTORY" for city of Sydney, there are three listings for Hagells:
Alfred, Miss Ellen and Percy, (his children) all of 2 Davenport Road.
It is my understanding that Lavinia was buried in the Fairview Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia, but again, no gravestone is recorded. Lavinia had at least one sister. Her name was Eliza Jane Ager. She married Thomas Veary. Dorothy Veary was one of their children. Dorothy married a gunsmith from Montreal named Brian Gulline.
Then for some reason, unknown to me, the Hagell family of Sydney, NS, decided to move to Halifax, Nova Scotia.
Here the family lived
on Quinpool Road for many years. 297 Quinpool Road to be exact. There are some
photos of it. It is a two story duplex style of house, nothing very fancy but very typical of the day.
Percy E. Hagell decided to stay in Sydney. Percy forms the base of the "Cape Breton
Hagells" of which as you can see from the genealogical lines there are many. Many of
the Hagell members in Sydney worked at the infamous Sydney Steel Mill. Noted to this day for its "Tar Ponds"
The Hagells in Nova Scotia are all descendants of William Frederick Hagell and Eleanor Parsley of Canterbury, Kent County, England. This area of England seems to be the origin of several other Hagell Families.
Frederick William Hagell had the following brother and sisters: There is a chance that he had more, but these family members I am sure of:
Emma, (a picture of Emma and her daughter was sent to me by the Murphrey family which was taken in Margate, Kent Co. England. She had married a Sackett).
Lily,
Letitia,
Isabel,
Jane, and
Frederick Alfred (there is one small reference to a Frederick Hagell in the Sydney, Nova Scotia city directory near the turn of the century.
It mentions a Frederick Hagell working at one of the local hotels as a chef. On the same page it has Frederick Hagell listed also.
Frederick Alfred (Rev. Alfred ) Hagell's children:
1. Percy E.Hagell (stayed in Sydney, Nova Scotia)
2. Alfred Frederick Hagell (my Grandfather)
3. Ellen Lavinia Hagell (died in her early 30s)
4. Eleanor (Lillian) Hagell (married Victor Church and moved to Michigan, USA)
Percy Hagell stayed in the Sydney area and that is where many of his descendants are located to this day. Ellen Lavinia Hagell remained a bit of a mystery to my branch of the Hagell Family Tree. My Father didn't even know about her existence until I was doing the research and came up with her name. She was born in England in 1887. I believe she belonged to the Womens Christian Temperance movement. In the belongings of my Grandfather, was a small lapel pin with WCTC printed on it.
Ellen Lavinia Hagell lived in Halifax until her death in 1918 at the age of 31 years. Ellen was probably born in the Canterbury area of England. She was never married. My Dad has a picture of Ellen Hagell, but for all his life he thought it was a picture of Eleanor (Lillian) Hagell, Ellen's sister. After we found a photo of Eleanor and her husband, Victor Church, we realized that the photo must be of Ellen. Ellen Lavinia Hagell of Halifax, Nova Scotia.
Obituary
Miss Ellen Hagell
Halifax. Dec. 10, 1918. A sad event occurred yesterday when Miss Ellen, the oldest daughter of Rev. and Mrs. Alfred Hagell of 297 Quinpool Rd. passed away after a brief illness of pneumonia. The sympathy of the community is extended to Mr. and Mrs. Hagell and family in this hour of their deep sorrow. For several years Miss Hagell was in the employee of H.H. Marshall and in her death this company has lost a valuable and patronizing employee. Nowhere outside her own family circle will Miss Ellen be more greatly missed than in the West End Baptist Church of which she was a devoted member. Her fine Christian character, her genial disposition, and her readiness to respond to every call for service won her a large place in the life and affections of the church.
The funeral will be held tomorrow (Dec. 11, 1918) at 2 PM
My Dad never knew about Ellen Hagell until we started to do some research in the family tree. Ellen was born in England in 1887 and is buried in Fairview Cemetery, in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Although we looked for her tombstone, we were never able to find it.
Catherine (Hagell)
Peacock (Frederick Alfred Hagell's second wife) says that she was told that Ellen died of pneumonia and that the doctor
who came to the house to see her was no good and failed to give the proper
medicine.
____________________
__________
Lillian Hagell and Victor Church
Lillian Hagell was married to Victor Church and moved
to Michigan, United States.
At some point in time Rev. Alfred and his wife Lavinia moved to Halifax. Their first house in Halifax was probably 297 Quinpool Road, now a major street in Halifax. This house was a duplex type. A large two story wooden house. I have several photos of the house. My Dad remembers Rev. Alfred making pound cakes at his house, his sleeves all rolled up and Alfred kneading he batter.
Rev. Alfred was also a minister as well. He served with the West End Baptist Church on Quinpool Road in Halifax. I have tried to find out if he was an official minister or if he served in some other capacity, but the records were few. I have been told that he use to visit, from time to time the church in Africville and give a service when no other ministers were available. I was also told that he was a chaplain at he Camp Hill Hospital in Halifax. I have tried to verify this but nothing as of Jan. 2, 1993.
Alfred's wife Lavinia, was a well respected woman of the church community according to her obituary. She died in 1925. At the time of her death, she had been in failing health and was loosing her eyesight. Lavinia is buried in Halifax, though there seems to be no headstone to mark her grave.
In 1904 Rev. Frederick Alfred Hagell went back to England for some unstated purpose. He wrote a letter to his wife Lavinia dated April 19, 1904 while on board the "ALLAN" a Royal Mail Line ship.
The letter was post marked "London" and was stamped "Sydney AP 30, 04, NS"
Dear Wife
We are now at (Movill) and I am glad to say that I am quite well, I have not been sea sick, it has been such a beautiful voyage the sea so calm and the passengers so friendly and nice (and ) quiet - a superior class of people. We have two ministers traveling second class, everything is so different to what we ever had on the voyage before, just like first class. There are ten waiters at the tables, we have duck, chicken, turkey, roast and boiled beef and beef tongue, cabbage, peas, and everything that you can think of and cooked so nicely. Apples, oranges, nuts, and three times a day calves foot jelly. So as you can see I am living on the fat of the land.
But my Darling Wife all these things cannot make one forget that nearly 3000 miles roll between us and I do not to think of it. I would much rather be with you and my dear children. Give them my fond love. To Percy tell him I hope he will (look) after the business and make things as light as possible for you. I also send fond love to Sissie & Lilly & Fred. Kiss them all for me.
Venie Dear I feel it is very mean of me to come without you. I might just as well stayed until we both could come over together. If I get back again in safety, I will never if I can help it leave home again without you. Mr. and Mrs. Pike (are) very glad to me with them and make me very comfortable. Mrs. Hirkenson and the child are well so is Mrs. Lusomme and children. I must say good night God Bless and take care of you all.
With much love
Your Ever Loving
Husband
Alfred
To his Darling Wife
The "Eleanor" may come from her Grandmother on her Dad's side: Eleanor Parsley.
Lavinia Ager's parents were William Ager and Mary Norton, both of England. Dorothy Gulline of Moncton, New Brunswick, tells me that Lavinia's father was poisoned to death from the chemicals in the shoe factory he purchased. It was called the "Blutcher (sp.?) Shoe Company". I have a very nice photograph of Lavinia and her husband Rev. Alfred Hagell taken about 1907. Lavinia died on the 4th of November in 1925. Here is the obituary from the local Halifax paper:
____________________
__________
OBITUARY
Widespread regret will be felt in Halifax with the news of the death last night of Mrs. Lavinia Hagell, wife of the rev. Alfred Hagell, at the age of 69 years. The deceased lady who had a wide circle of friends and acquaintances, had been confined to the house for the past three years, but her death, which occurred suddenly at 9 o'clock last evening, came as a great shock to her immediate family and her many associates. The late Mrs. Hagell was a lifelong member of the West End Baptist Church, and was, during her lifetime, a prominent church worker, devoting herself at all times to social uplift work, and the good of the community in general. She was obliged, owing to failing eyesight several years ago, to discontinue any further charitable practices, and her activities along these lines were greatly missed by all with whom she had ever come in contact. She was also a member of the Ladies Aid Society of the West End Baptist Church, the members of which deplore the loss of one who was a leader in all things, unselfish in the extreme, and a most charitably inclined lady. Surviving the late Mrs. Hagell are her husband, the Rev. Alfred Hagell; one daughter, Mrs. Victor Church, and two sons, P.H. Hagell of Sydney, and A.F. Hagell, of this city.
The funeral arrangements will be made later.
____________________
__________
My Grandfather Alfred Frederick Hagell
Alfred Frederick Hagell moved to Halifax with his parents and other two sisters, Ellen and Lillian. Halifax was the home for all his working career. Fred and Florence Shepard, his wife, moved to Falmouth, Nova Scotia for several years then moved to Truro. I helped Grampy Fred move some of the belongings from Falmouth to Truro. We would drive from Truro to Falmouth to get a load of items and take it to Truro.
Grampy had a black Dodge dart with a trailer on the back. One day we made two loads to Falmouth. I was too young to drive, but I sure can remember it. In Truro they bought a house on Phillip St., where my Dad lives now.
My Grandfather was a man who took his life in the Army and the life around it very seriously. I believe he must have enjoyed the camaraderie and the sense of being and doing something very worthwhile. "Grampy Fred" kept many or perhaps even all his military certificates and records. He saved many of his photographs from the war days. He also took lots of photographs during World War 1. These were always photos of his friends and companions and not the scenes of war.
The collection of certificates record the history of Grampy Fred's history in the army starting with his joining the militia in Halifax.
Based upon his certificates, here is a chronicle of his military career:
1. A "Certificate of Military Instruction" at Infantry School in Halifax, Nova Scotia. This school was from February 28, 1916, to April 22, 1916. At the end of his training period, Alfred Frederick Hagell was given the rank of Lieutenant in the 81st Regiment. This document was stamped Department of Militia & Defense, Adjunct Generals Branch, Ottawa, August, 21, 1916, M.O. 309". It also states that there is a copy of this document in the militia Headquarters in Ottawa, #44257. This certificate is about 12in by 12in in size.
2. One document is an appointment to be an Officer from George the 5th of England. He was given the rank of Lieutenant in the Militia, 81st Regiment, as of March 8, 1916. This document was dated July 1st 1917. the Certificate number is 23535. In the upper left hand corner, the word "Devonshire" is handwritten.
This paper is about 12 in by 12 in size and is printed on a very heavy cloth-paper.
3. While overseas, my Grandfather joined the Canadian Machine Gun Corps. "True and Straight" was their motto. This was from November 20, 1917 to September 4, 1918 and served with the 6th Company and Battalion. The document we have is his Honorable Discharge Papers signed J.C. Weir, Cmdg 2nd Bn C.M.G.C.
4. Canadian Overseas Expeditionary Forces Discharge Certificate. This is to certify that No. 2162310 (rank) Private (Cadet) Alfred Frederick Hagell enlisted in "The Cyclist Platoon" Canadian Overseas Force, on the 7th of February, 1917, served in France, was returned to Canada and was discharged from service at Halifax, Nova Scotia, on the 18th day of March 1919, in consequence of demobilization.
Age: 24 years, 6 months
Height: 5ft 7in
Eyes: brown
Hair: brown
Trade: bookkeeper
Marks or visible: vaccination scar left arm
Signed by: C.W. MacAloney, Captain, O.C. Discharge Section No. 6 District
Depot
Place: and Date: Halifax, Nova Scotia, March 18, 1919
War Badge Service, Class A #237380.
Address: 297 Quinpool Rd. Halifax, Nova Scotia.
5. The Hagell Family of Truro also has a large 3ft by 10in photo of Alfred Frederick Hagell with a group of Officers entitled "R.S. of I. Attached Officers" dated April 1916. This photo was probably of Fred and his fellow Officers in their graduating class at Infantry School between February and April 1916 in Halifax.
6. There is also an 8in by 10in photograph of Fred with a group of Officers standing on a sandy bank wearing a black armband. This could have been taken at the time of his sister, Ellen Hagell's death in December, 1918 in Halifax. There are other photos of Grampy Fred wearing a black armband as well.
Rev. Alfred Hagell of Halifax Remarries
With the death of his wife Lavinia, Alfred Hagell eventually got married again. His new wife was Katherine Gammon from the Eastern Shore of Nova Scotia.This marriage was to cause a giant rift in his family. My Grandfather, Alfred Frederick Hagell was very much opposed to this marriage. For what reasons I am not very sure. I can only speculate:
1. Rev. Alfred did not wait long enough before he got remarried
2. He married someone too young, there was a wide gap in their ages
3. Perhaps Grampy Fred felt that his Dad should not get remarried.
What ever the reason, my Grandfather no longer associated with his Father or his new wife, Katherine. From what I gather, Grampy Fred had few words of kindness to or for Katherine.
My Grandfather kept some letters received from his sister Amy Eleanor, now married to Victor Church, while she lived in Michigan, U.S.A. These letters hint at some of the conflict between Fred and Katherine. Amy Eleanor has some good things to say of Katherine in her letters back to my Grandfather Fred.
A short time after Lavinia's death, Rev. Alfred married a Katherine Gammon. Katherine was very much younger than Alfred and in time they had a daughter: Catherine Hagell. Catherine lives in Lower Sackville, a town just outside Halifax. The Rev. Alfred and Katherine had one child, Catherine Hagell who later on married Thomas Peacock. They live in Lower Sackville, Nova Scotia. Catherine and Thomas have in turn two daughters of their own.
My Grandfather, Frederick Alfred Hagell, must have been very upset to say the least, at the sudden marriage after the death of his mother or because of the age of Katherine. My Grandfather from what I am told and from several letters from Grampy Fred's sister Lillian which I have. My Dad , Robert Charles Hagell, was allowed to visit him only on special occasions and the like. I image I get of Rev. Alfred from the information I have gathered is that he was kind of a nice old guy who cared for people in many ways.
Rev. Alfred Hagell died on May 10, 1938 and is buried in Camp Hill Cemetery, though there is no grave marker. The records at the cemetery indicate that Katherine "Katie" is also buried with Alfred.
Catherine was the only child of Rev. Alfred's second marriage. His marriage to Katherine Gammon. As of Jan. 1993, Catherine is living in Lower Sackville, a town just outside Halifax, Nova Scotia. I met her for the first time in the summer of 1991 when I paid her a visit to her home. Catherine is married to Thomas Peacock and they have two daughters. Catherine worked for many years at Dalhousie University in Halifax in the administration office.
Letters on file from my side of the Nova Scotian Hagells:
There are several sets of letters and post cards in my collection. Some of the letters are originals and others are copies.1. The "Cigar Box Letters".......from Lillian (Hagell) Church to her brother, my Grandfather, Alfred Frederick Hagell
There are 21 letters in all in this series. The letters date from December 20, 1936 to November 6, 1939.
The letters are very interesting and revealing about the times and the family situation of Lillian (Hagell) Church and Alfred Frederick Hagell. These letters were saved by my Grandfather, Alfred Frederick Hagell and I came across them in an old cigar box and decided to keep them.
2. A letter from Rev. Alfred Hagell to his wife Lavinia (Ager) Hagell while on board the "ALLAN" Royal Mail Line going to England. It is dated April 19, 1904. It was received in Sydney on April 30, 1904.
3. Letters from Rev. Alfred to Lillian, some written by Katherine (Gammon) Hagell, his second wife.
There are five letters sent from Rev. Alfred Hagell to his daughter, Lillian and her husband, Victor Church.
a. September 23, 1930
b. January 30, 1934
c. December 15, 1937
d. September 6, 1938
e. September 23,...? Rev. Alfred died in May, 1939,
I think this last letter must have been written in 1938.
This last letter was written by Katie Jane (Gammon) Hagell as the Rev Alfred was just not able to do it.
4. One letter from Katherine on the death of Rev. Alfred to Lillian, Rev. Alfred's daughter.
5. Letter from Alfred Frederick Hagell from overseas to his parents during the first World War.
This letter was written on Y.M.C.A. stationary and is dated August 18. (This was probably written in 1917). It was written from Shoreham Camp.
6. A Field Service Post Card stamped February 22, 1918 saying that he Alfred Frederick Hagell is well, that he received the letter dated Jan. 18 and that a letter follows at first opportunity. This post card was sent in an envelope and addressed to Miss L. Hagell, 297 Quinpool Road, Halifax, N.S., Canada.
7. There is also a post card photo of a house for sale. On the back it reads:
"Dear Lillian, This is our English home. We sold it to come here. That is your dear Uncle Walter and dear niece Gladys. I thought you would like it dear."
The for sale sign reads:
To be Sold
apply to F.G. Rose 12 Catford Hill Near Railway Stations phone 352 Sydenham
All the other letters and cards were sent to me as copies or originals from Paul and Amy Murphrey of Michigan, U.S.A
There are two groups of Hagells in Ontario, Canada. The descendants of the late Alonzo Hagell are located near Aylmer and those of Norman Lesley Hagell is located in Gormley, Ontario.
Norman Lesley and his wife Joanne stayed in Truro one night on their way to Halifax. I went to the motel to meet them. We spent a very pleasant evening talking about our families. Lesley worked for many years with the Roots car company, and for some time lived in Africa.
In British Columbia, Canada the Hagells are located in three main areas.
1. In the interior town of Osoyoos where Barnett Edward Frederick Hagell lives and farms.
2. Vancouver city where Lisa Hagell and Frederick Alexander Hagell live.
3. On Vancouver Island Janis Lynne Hagell is found in Cobble Hill
Obituary
Thursday, April 16, 1953
Edward G. Hagell
Passes at Coast Pioneer Newspaperman Is Dead
Edward G. Hagell, 92, of Vancouver, and a pioneer Lethbridge printer and publisher, died in a Vancouver hospital Wednesday.
In 1942, Mr. Hagell had retired from the newspaper field ending a 66 year career started in his native England and continued in Regina with the Regina Leader Post. He was one of the pioneers in the printing business in Lethbridge, coming here in 1890 from Regina.
Mr. Hagell was born in Maidstone, Kent, England, where he apprenticed as a printer. In 1889, he came to Canada, and with his brother Ernest, started farming in Maclean, Sask., 30 miles east of Regina. When disaster struck their farm efforts, Mr. Hagell went to work as a printer on the Leader Post, under the famed Nicholas Flood Davin. When Lethbridge News, the city's first newspaper, under frontier publisher E.T."Si" Saunders offered him a position, Mr. Hagell came further west.
The following newspaper article comes from a photo copy from an article my brother, Robert Charles Hagell obtained from the Glenbow Foundation in Calgary, Alberta, Canada in the summer of 1992. It is at the Glenbow Foundation that many of Edward Frederick Hagell's works are kept.
A Lethbridge native son who can recall the days when the Lethbridge Herald was not and the Lethbridge News printed once a week, may be returning to reside in Lethbridge after making a very large name for himself as an artist.
"But it will depend on what happens with the proposed cultural centre here", said E.F. Hagell. "An artist needs someplace to hang his work, so I hope the answer to that problem will be the cultural centre". "My wife and I want to make this our last move, and we both love Lethbridge," he said. Mr. Hagell's work will be on display at the centre in any case, whether he makes his permanent residence here or not. Some four years ago a collection of his works was purchased by city council for use in a cultural centre.
STARTED EARLY
The fact that he has been sketching since he was little more than a baby would make one think that his whole world revolved around art. It isn't really so. The west is the big thing to Mr. Hagell. All his work is on the west, and it is his view of the great changes that have been made in one man's lifetime that are the important things to him. "To me, it is fantastic. I can remember looking out from my home in Lethbridge and seeing nothing but virgin prairie land. It is really something now to think that all these trees and beauty have been put there by someone’s spade". To record these great changes - both in art and in writing - is the goal of Ted Hagell. Besides a total of approximately.
1500 art works, he has had one book published and a collection of short stories in which he attempted to preserve the viewpoint of the early western settler. His memories are vivid. he can recall his father putting out the old Lethbridge News and himself delivering the paper to the entire city. "I delivered the complete south side on Friday evenings and the complete north side on Saturdays. In those days I took a big dog with me because the people on the routes had some pretty wild looking animals protecting their
property", he said. His sister, Mrs. Violet Cowie, also got a taste of the newspaper business, writing for both The News and The Herald. It was a visit by his sister, on her way back to her home in Victoria after visiting London, England, that brought him to Lethbridge for the current visit.
Mr. Hagell's reputation as an artist has stretched almost around the world, with one collection hanging in the Beaver Club in London, a collection that has been copied for sale on numerous occasions. The Glenbow Foundation in Calgary............(section missing).....lahoma shortly, a museum that also features a number of selections from the world famous Russell and Remington collection, considered by many to be the top art works of early Western American civilization. He has had some excellent training, studying under top sketch artists in New York and Los Angeles in his early years. Since then he has lived in Ontario and B.C. before moving back "home" to southern Alberta in 1952, to Pincer Creek. He has farmed and ranched along the way, can even recollect having broken many acres of land in the early days of southern Alberta. In those days whole crews moved through the area from farm to farm, to work the fields in an effort that can only be described as a community effort. "And the work didn't stop when the sun disappeared either. We used carbide lamps and went far into the night on a good many occasions, "he said, with an almost wistful gleam in his eye. Some times weren't so good to remember though. Like the days of grasshoppers when a farmer could look at a beautiful green field in the morning and in the evening see the same field completely black. He can remember farmers spreading 40,000 tons of grasshopper bait when the wave was at its thickest, and also trying to shield himself from windstorms. But even bad memories are exciting to relive and help to make the area - 1963 style - even better.
The old trails and
the old wagons that were drawn by 40 head of cattle, a profession so large that
present Galt Gardens were laid out to provide a place for the wagons to turn
in. It's all worth preserving, says Mr. Hagell.
Janis says that her Father had the ability to "witch" for water. She states that he also had the "premonitions". He sensed that his brother , Grant Hagell, was going to die, and three days before his plane crashed in WW2 over the English Channel, he went to visit the family minister. Janis says that she has it as well at time and doesn't like.
There are branches of Hagells in the United States:
Joan Hagell in San Francisco
and
______Hagell, brother of Barnett Edward Frederick Hagell of Osoyoos, British Columbia, Canada.
There are several groups of Hagell descendents living in the States now.
In Utah the descendents of Catherine Hagell have flourished. While in California the descendents of _________Hagell can be found in the Oceanside area of Southern California.
Descendants of William Hagell and Elizabeth The Hagells in England
JOSEPH FREDERICK HAGELL
(Confectioner) of Canterbury, Kent
DAVID FREDERICK HAGELL
(Boot Maker) of Maidstone, Kent
FREDERICK DAVID HAGELL
(Book Binder) of Maidstone, Kent
The following indenture is a contract between Frederick David Hagell, thirteen years old, his father, David Frederick Hagell and Henry Asstier and Walter Keeley. It was drawn up on April 13, 1872.
The following are some quotes of the contract:
"This Indenture made the thirteenth day of April, one thousand eight hundred and seventy two-------BETWEEN Frederick David Hagell of Maidstone in the county of Kent. Bookmaker (Father of the aforesaid Frederick David Hagell) of the second part and Henry Asstier and Walter Keeley of Maidstone Aforesaid Bookbinders and Carpenters of the third part"
It goes on to say that the indenture....
"doth put and bind himself Apprentice unto the said Henry Assiter and Walter Keely to learn their art as a Bookbinder and with them after the manner of an apprentice to serve from the eight day of April Instant unto the full end and term of seven years, during all which time the said Apprentice shall serve their secrets, keep their lawful commands, and he shall do no damage to his masters."
The list of rules continues:
Frederick David must not:
--Waste the Masters goods nor lend them
--Commit fornication
--Contract matrimony for seven years
--Play card or Dice or unlawful games
--Frequent Taverns or Playhouses
For all this, plus 20 Pounds from his father, David Frederick Hagell, Frederick David Hagell was going to be taught the secrets of the bookbinding business for seven years
Here is a list of his wages for that time period:
1st year 2 shillings / week
2nd year 3 shillings / week
3rd year 4 shillings / week
4th year 5 shillings / week
5th year 7 shillings / week
6th year 10 shillings / week
7th year 14 shillings / week
Young Frederick David's Father and family also had to " find and provide for him good and sufficient meat and drink, clothing, the washing and repairing of the same, medicine and medical attendance, lodging and all the other necessities during the said term. "
David Frederick Hagell also had to undergo an apprenticeship much like that of his son's. For on January 1st, 1824, David became an apprentice boot maker, under the direction and service of William Arman. Like his son to come, David had to behave himself in the same strict manner as listed in the indenture, and his father Joseph Frederick Hagell, confectioner, had to support him with money and proper food and clothing.
Although Janet (Scott) Hagell mentioned a Fred and Hilda Hagell in a letter, it was not until the fall of 1992 that it dawned on me that there was another Hagell family in which I had not been in touch. A friend of mine from Truro, Betty Kelly, on Robie St. was going to tour England and I asked her if she would mind keeping an eye open for the name Hagell. When she came back I was told about a Frederick James Hagell in Bath. Needless to say, I was very excited and proceeded to call Frederick.
The Descendants of JOHN and MARY HAGELL
This is the other branch of the Hagell Family tree that has given rise to many Hagell members. Most of the known descendents are now living in Canada
Frederick James Hagell has a career that has been devoted to the Royal Navy. Joining the Ministry of Defense in 1938, Frederick James was a Lt. Cmdr. during the war in India and the Far East, returning to Bath to manage Naval affairs. He joined the Naval Staff College in 1960. In the late 1960s,
Frederick James was involved with the "POLARIS MISSILE" project from the early stages. This allowed him many trips to the United States.
Hilda, Frederick's sister told him that their Grandfather had a brother (or cousin) whose daughter, Nellie, (died in 1970 at the age of 90) sang in the local church choir for 75 years. This was in Bromley, Kent Co. England.
The Hagells of Far Away Places
I'm including some maps of Finland and Sweden to show the location of some Hagells of long ago. These names came up in the Mormon computer. I don't have any connection to anyone yet but it is interesting to know about the existence of this branch. Janet Hagell of London, England mentions about the Hagells being religious refugees form Holland. Well Holland is not too far from Sweden or Finland. This would mean that not all the Hagell members came as there are Hagells living in these two countries in the early part of the 1800s.
The earliest Hagell that is with our spelling of the Hagell name, that I have on file is "Christophar" Hagell who married Elizabeth Wray on June 6, 1667 in Wellow, Nottingham, England. There is also Susanna Hagell who married John Brock on June 1, 1686 in Crediton, Devon, England.
No parents are listed for these two Hagells.
I am still looking for the Ancestors of Colin Hagell of Sutton Valence, England. His Father was Robert Baden Hagell.
Also on the list of "needing help" are the Ancestors of Lesley John Hagell of Dover, England. His Father was Ethlebert Hagell and his Grandfather was Stephen Hagell.
While at the local mall the other day with my two kids, I happened to notice a display about "Family Surnames". Naturally my curiosity was peeked to feverish pitch as I dragged Kevin and Scott over to the display. The name Hagell was there and for $11.95 plus the taxes, I got a copy of the computer printout. The gentleman running the operation seemed to be in the know and said that the name Hagell was from the Holland and Belgium area and that Hagells were Walloons (a French speaking ethnic group in Belgium.)
According to the "World Book of Knowledge" 1926 edition:
Walloons: The people of southeast Belgium of Alpine stock, who are descended form from the Belgae of Caesar's time. Many came as Protestants refugees to England, and helped to establish the silk and cloth industries. They have worshiped in Canterbury Cathedral since 1600."
This ties in with Janet (Scott) Hagell's story of the Hagell family being political refugees.
The Flemmings are the Dutch speaking Belgiums who are descend from ancient German tribes.
The Walloons are descended from ancient Gallic tribes and the Romans who conquered the Gauls in the first century B.C.
The gentleman in charge of the display also mentioned that many of the Walloons were craftspeople who were very much needed in other parts of Europe. "Paper making" was one of the crafts that was mentioned. We know that there were Hagells in the "book binding" business and in the "boot and shoe" business as well as in the "confectionery" trade.
I know you will be interested in reading the scroll.
And speaking of theories on the Origin of the name Hagell.......I have my own.
Have I mentioned it to you?
Well here goes:
While looking through some old "Who's Who" books at our local library last year, I stumbled across the name... ....AGELADAS. But the interesting thing about the entry in the book was that this name was also spelled
HAGELADAS and HAGELAIDAS. Now it doesn't take too much imagination to come up with the name HAGELL from these names, does it.
According to the book, this gentleman was a Greek sculptor and native of Argos who is thought to have been the instructor to Myron, Phidias and Polycleitus. It is believed that none of Hageladas's works have survived.
This was all taking place during the time 520 - 460 BC.
Now my Roman and Greek history is pretty rusty, but the Roman Empire was vast indeed, stretching all the way to the British Isles at one time.
Well it is only a theory. But just think of the possibilities! Now here is another interesting piece of information concerning Roman names and their connection to the Family Tree:
In Agnus Wilson's book "England", on page 68, it discusses the old Roman road in Blackstone Edge, West Riding, Yorkshire. Here it tells about the design of the road that allowed the water to run off it. The Roman name for it was "agger". My Great grand Mother's maiden name was Lavinia "Ager". Now tell me there is no connection!!
Janet Hagell of London, England, has sent me the name of another descendant of a Hagell. Mrs. Marie Agnes (Hagell) Rick's Grandson was in London visiting and looked up the name "Hagell" in the phone book. They had a nice visit and Victor passed on information to Janet that she has passed on to me. Mrs. Marie (Hagell) Rick lives in Oceanside, California. Her Father was Edgar Hagell. He and some of his brothers came to Canada near the turn of the Century.
This is another branch of the Family Tree that had no information on it and now it is starting to fill out thanks to Janet and her interest in this project.
THE HAGELL FAMILY of FINLAND, SWEDEN, and RUSSIA
While going through the file on the Mormon Church computer, I came across listings for Hagells in Finland, Sweden, and in the U.S.S.R. I was surprised and pleased to find these names.
Hagells of Sortavala, Viipuri, Finland,...( U.S.S.R.)
1. Jeremais Hagell was married to Maria Zacharia Bolstrom
Children:
1. Jobb Hagell...............................baptized: January 13, 1779
2. Lachias Hagel..........................baptized: December 4, 1804
3. Anna Hagell..............................baptized: January 20, 1808
Hagells of Muolaa, Viipuri, Finland1. Joh. Hagell was married to Hedv Stromborg
Children: 1.Petter Hagell........................baptized: July 25, 1787
Hagells of Saaminki, Mikkeli, Finland
1. Alexander Hagell was married to Helena NymanChildren: 1. Carl Hagell..........................baptized: November 30, 1797
2. Carl Hagell was married to Agneta Hagert
Children: 1. Wilhelm Hagell................ .baptized: October 5, 1818
3. Alexand Fred Hagell was married to Catharina Akerlund
Children: 1. Wilhelm Hagell...................baptized: June, 1819
Hagells of Kemin Mlk, Lappi, Finland? Hagell was married to Maria (Hagell?)
Children: 1. Eva Marie Hagell........................... baptized: July 29, 1827
Hagells of Alatornio, Lappi, Finland
Matthss Hagell was married to Anna Greta Hagell
Children: 1. Johannes Hagell baptized: October 30, 1778
I telephoned the Finnish and Swedish embassies to get information on genealogical research in these countries. Both sent me helpful information that someone should pursue some day. I also asked the lady at the Finland embassy if she could check the phone book for Helsinki to see if there were any Hagells there now. She replied that there were several one "L" Hagels there but no two "L" Hagells there.
The Hagell Family Tree in England
One branch of the Hagell family tree lives on in Utah, in the United States. I came across this fact when I was doing some research in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, at the Mormon Family Centre in July 1991.
The computer records there had sixty some records for "Hagell" from various parts of England and over several generations. One particular branch started from William and Elizabeth (Hodges) Hagell.
William and Elizabeth were from Canterbury, England. According to the information from the computer, William was born in 1742 and died on November 30, 1800, and Elizabeth was born in 1744. No death date is given.
It is from William
and Elizabeth that nearly all the present day Hagells come. Raymon Naisbitt is one
of these descendents. His Grandmother was Catherine Hagell of Canterbury, England
and Catherine Hagell whose diary follows, was their Granddaughter.
Mrs. Hanson mentioned she had a short history of the life of Catherine Hagell.
This diary of Catherine Hagell was sent to me by her Grandson, Raymon Naisbitt of Bountiful, Utah, U.S.A..
Catherine Hagell Story
Sketch of the Life of
Mrs. Catherine Hagell Naisbitt
[ More Details of Catherine's life ]
I was born in London, England, March 28, 1849, the second child of a family of eight. My parents names were John Hagell and Eliza Mary Lee. I was barely 13 years of age when my mother died, leaving a family of eight children, ranging in age from one week to 14 years, I being the oldest girl naturally felt the loss most keenly.
We had planned on immigrating that year, but mother's death prevented our starting on so perilous a journey, especially with such a young baby. However, the following year, father sold his business and we started on what we children thought would be a pleasure trip, but alas, the first night aboard the ship proved to be anything but pleasant. We begged father to take us home, but his reply was "we have no home". We are going to make one in Zion. Little did we realize the hardships we would encounter before we reached there.
Shortly after we set sail, the baby who was only one week old when his mother died, took suddenly sick and died soon afterward. He was buried at sea when he was just fourteen months old. We all felt this loss very keenly, especially father.
The name of the ship we sailed on was the "Belle Wood". We set sail on the 30th day of March 1865. We were six weeks and three days on the ocean. When we arrived in New York, word had been sent from Utah that no trains would be sent from there as had been the custom in other years. Therefore, only those who had the means could go on. These gave their money to Brother Taylor, who had charge of immigration, and he was delegated to purchase oxen to take us on. Father had enough money to send one, though he did not have sufficient for the whole family. He was therefore advised to send me, which he decided to do.
He had a wealthy brother in New Jersey who was willing to help him in any way, provided he would give up his religion and keep me with him. When he found father would not do this, he refused to help him in any way.
I will never forget the homesick feeling I experienced when they bade me good - bye. We were detained in Castle Gardens ten days after this, and I can assure you I would have gone back. I did not know his address, however, so heartsick and weary, I started with the company, feeling that I was leaving all worthwhile behind me.
When we arrived at the frontiers I found a letter from my uncle asking me to return to those poor motherless children. I was overjoyed at the prospect, but it seems I was destined to disappointment, for when I told the captain I was going back with the missionaries who were going east from Utah, he said, "No, my girl, there is no going back in this church." So that once more I was headed towards Utah with no prospect of returning to my family in New Jersey.
Being young and able bodied, I, with the other children was forced to walk nearly all the way across the plains. We soon became footsore, weary and homesick, thinking of those we had left behind, especially did I think of my father with such a family of small children struggling to make a living in a strange land.
We buried many on the way. We were also delayed on the road as the oxen which we had been given, were not broken in. When we were about half way across the plains we found ourselves nearly out of rations with a foot of snow covering the ground. Our captain, L.L. Willis, told us to try to keep warm by lying in bed, for he had not a pound of flour in camp nor could he see the trail, so that unless we had help from the Lord we would perish. We had been living on 4 cups of flour 1/4 lb of bacon and ship crackers, that's was a weeks rations--It kept us alive but we were always hungry.
President Young had heard of our predicament and sent train with provisions to meet us, and much to our joy they reached us about four o'clock p.m. of the day above mentioned.
They took to the sick and the old people, leaving a few provisions for those of us who were more able and moved on to Utah.
In a few days another mule train arrived which picked up the married people and the small children, we young people had to wait until the third train came and took us up.
We did not arrive in Utah until the 15th of November, so you may form an idea of what we passed through, due to hunger and cold that we experienced.
My father came out the following year with the children, and although it was only a year since I left them, I hardly recognized them. They had not such a hard journey as I had, but it was hard enough and they were so thin and worn as to be almost completely unrecognizable. But their lives were spared and we rejoiced to be together again. Father being a baker by trade, commenced making meat pies, taking them from house to house, disposing of them so rapidly that he decided to open a shop, which he did, opposite the Salt Lake Theater. This soon grew into a flourishing business and there are perhaps some living now who will remember having tasted Hagell's celebrated meat pies.
On April 13, 1867 I was married to Henry W. Naisbitt, being his third wife, I, at the time being 18 years of age.
His first wife was a true Latter - Day Saint and when on her death-bed, she called me to her and asked me to take care of her family (seven in number ranging from 7 months to 14 years) I felt that I was called upon to go through another case like that of my own mother.
As I had no children of my own at the time, my love naturally went out to them, for I felt in a sense that they were my own. The baby especially seemed dear to me. However, she died six months later. Six weeks after her death my first baby girl was born, an event which helped to reconcile us to the loss.
I have eight children, six boys and two girls, all of whom are living except my oldest girl who died soon after her marriage, and my second boy who died when he was 15 months old. The family that was left from the death of my husband's first wife, are now grown and married. The have always shown me love and respect and they are almost as dear to me as my own. I lived with them for three years before their mother died and we were a happy family. Of course it was not all smooth sailing but it was not harder, it seems, than it is in a good many present day families in which the principal of plural marriage does not enter. Personally it seems to me that polygamy is a glorious principle when lived up to properly, but it is not one that every one can live up to.
My father lived to see his family grow up and married in the Church, so he felt repaid for all that he had passed through in leaving the old country and journeying to Zion. A year after he reached Salt Lake City his oldest son died at the age of 21 years.
He was married at the time to Elizabeth Irvine. Then soon after that another son was shot while acting as deputy sheriff in Silver Reef, Washington County. This took both my brothers from me. There are a few incidents that happened while we were living on the farm in Hooper, Utah which stands out in my memory; especially well do I remember how at the time I had four small children. The Saints were being persecuted for their religious beliefs and deputies were scouring the country. They arrived at eleven p.m. demanding admittance, which was denied them on account of my condition, having been sick in bed for several weeks.
But finally after seeing how sick I was they decided to leave me. They did not seem to realize that the shock had upset me seriously-- those matters seemed to concern them very little.
When my oldest boy was about six years of age, he fell backwards into a tub of boiling water. For weeks and weeks he lay almost helpless. There was not much medical assistance to be had in those days so he suffered very greatly, but the Lord spared his life and when he grew to manhood he filled a mission in the southern states. His going was quite a trial to us as he was the oldest boy and was much needed on the farm, but the Lord blessed us during his absence so that we did not suffer for the necessities of life.
However, as his father was on a mission in England at the same time I felt I had about all the responsibility I could carry.
I feel that the Lord has blessed me and that the children I have-- they have caused me very little trouble.
While living in Hooper, Utah, I was secretary of the Relief Society for five years, president of the Young Ladies Mutual for three years, besides being a teacher in the Religious Class and in the Relief Society.
I have always been interested in Red Cross work or some other activity, until a few years ago when I fell and broke my hip, which laid me up for a long time. This in a measure has prevented me from performing much in the Church or in a public way since.
It has been a big trial to me, but I am thankful that I am not bedridden, that I am still able to help myself and in a small way to be of service to others.
_______________________________
______________
In his letter, along with the story of Catherine, Raymon also sent the names of:
Mrs. Kathy Miller
RFD 101 - B
Logan, Utah 84321
and
Mrs. Kathryn Westmoreland
2525 Neff Lane
Salt Lake City, Utah
84109
Mr. Naisbitt says that these two people listed above, have more information on the descendents of Catherine Hagell and her husband, Henry William Naisbitt.
Kathleen Miller sent a letter and information on the descendants of Catherine Hagell in a letter dated March 27, 1993. She sent a complete list of descendants of her Grandfather Arthur Lee Naisbitt.
The rich brother in New Jersey Catherine writes about in her letter could have been either William Hagell, born 1809; William Hagell born 1815 - 1870; or Henry Hagell born 1819 - 1880. Other brothers to her father, Thomas and Frederick had died before Catherine left England.
Castle Gardens was a landing point for immigrants to the United States. It was located at the southern end of Manhattan Island in New York city and was the main processing site before Ellis Island was used. The switch was made to Ellis Island because Castle Gardens was too small to handle the volume of people after 1880s.
More information about Castle Gardens and Ellis Island can be found in the magazine put out by the Knights of Columbus entitled "Columbus", June, 1992 edition as well as in many other publications.
The Scroll from the Hall of Names Company states that the name Hagell goes back to the times of King Edward the First of England in 1291AD. There is a record of a Hagell in Somerset.
The scroll reads as follows:
"The family emerged as that of a notable family in Somerset on the south west coast England. Here we find William and Gilbert Haghel registered in the 14th century. These two men were either brothers or father and son, and were the scions of their respective branches of the family tree. Out standing in the family at this time was William Haghel of Somerset, a distinguished landholder during the reign of Edward the 3rd".
The history in the scroll also tell that Holland and Belgium are the origins of the Hagell name and that many were trades people including paper makers.
The Great Split In The Hagell Family
Another interesting story that seems to come up on a semi regular basis is the idea that there was a serious family split in the Hagell family before the turn of the century. No one is able to say exactly just what it was, but there appeared to be a problem. Perhaps it was over business, religion, or various family members moving away to various parts of the world. One day some old letters might turn up giving details of the situation. Until then it is all speculation.
In a letter from Lesley Hagell from Dover dated may 1991, he states that his Grand father or his Great Grandfather ran a confectionery shop in Canterbury, Kent Co., England.
Lesley goes on to state that there was apparently a rift in the family about this time. Again no details concerning this are given. Most of the people who write of a rift in the family say they were too young to know much about it and that it is just a Hagell story passed down through the years.
The following is a list of the addresses for various
Hagell family members in 1990.
1. Brian William Hagell
RR #3 Truro New Address: 103 Queen St., Truro, Nova Scotia, Canada B2N 2B2
Canada
B2N 5B2
Yes, that's me, the guy who has been sending you all the letters. My Great Grand Father was Frederick Alfred Hagell or as we call him "Rev. Alfred". His Father was Frederick William Hagell. These men were from Canterbury, Kent County in England and possibly in the Confectionery business.
2. Brian Hagell
Hantsport
B0P 1P0
This is the other Brian Hagell in
3. Barnett Edward Frederick Hagell
Osoyoos
Canada
V0H 1V0
Barnett is an organic farmer in
4. Frederick Alexander Hagell
New Westminster
V3L 2A8
Frederick Alexander was one of the first "Hagell"
members I called to start the Family Tree.
5. Colin Robert Hagell
22 Laurel Grove
Kingswood
Sutton Valence
England
ME17 3P5
6. Janet (Scott) Hagell
14 Owens Mansions
Queens Club Gardens
London
England
W14 9R5
Janet has provided me with much information regarding the Hagell family. Her late husband was Ralph Hagell. Ralph was descended from ...................
7. Lesley John Hagell
Dover
England
CT16 3LQ
8. Norman Lesley Hagell
RR #1 Gormely
Canada
L0H 1G0
I met Norman and his wife Joanne when they were passing
through to Halifax
in July of 1991.
If you have updated addresses, you would like to share, please let me know and I will update this information.
Just a Little Poem I Wrote One Night While Working on This Document Many Years Ago
Just like a tree, the family grows,
With branches reaching, never slows.
Begins way back, with one tiny seed,
Then grows and grows, with increasing speed.
And like the tide, that ebbs and flows,
With waters rushing, never slows.
Time it marches, faster it goes,
Until one day, the torch is passed
from one generation, on to the last.
And like the torch, that flickers or flares,
Our time on earth, full of worries and cares
Will soon be through, over and done.
But stories passed on, Father to Son,
Will stay for ever, the battle won.
The End
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