From: "Joan (Turner) Trussler"
Date: Tue, 15 Feb 2005

ALLAN FAMILY HISTORY

This history would be from my (Joan) mother Elsie's side of our family, through her father. The info was obtained over the years through our Aunt Alice Milley (Montreal).

My great-grandfather, James Burns Allan, married Elspeth Turner in Scotland. Note the Turner name. This is how my mother became Elspeth Turner Turner (nee Allan) when she married our father, James Francis Turner. (There would be no relation between the Turners, since my father's family name was Turley and only changed it to Turner when he joined the British army).

Their children: William; James; John; Alice; Thomas Leslie (my grandfather).

William, born in Scotland, probably Edinburgh. He married Jessie and had four children, Jessie, David, Mary and Eva. They moved to Montreal sometime before 1907.  Jessie married Thomas Chambers and had three children, Kenneth, Thelma and William.  David married but divorced after serving in World War 1. Mary married but separated and no children.  Eva married Elwood Wray and had two children, Eleanor and Robert. Moved to Winnipeg. Eleanor married but divorced, one daughter and one son (who stayed with the father). Eleanor remarried Ron Anderson. Robert also in Winnipeg.

James, married and moved from Scotland to Edmonton 3 children, John S., James and Elsie. First wife died and James Sr. remarried to Matilda and moved to Los Angeles. Two sons and one daughter, living in California.  Elsie married Leo Ingram (Aunt Alice kept in touch with them).

John remained in Scotland, but little known of them.

Alice married a Mr. Scott lived in Leith, Edinburgh. Three children, Allan, Alice and Adam.  Allan, married and lived in Leith.  Alice married an engineer and lived in India divorced him, remarried and lived in northern Scotland.  Adam was in RAF training program in Quebec City during World War II, and visited Aunt Alice in Montreal on weekends so they got to know eachother. Never heard from him after he returned to Scotland, but believe he did marry, became a dentist.

Thomas Leslie (our mother's father) born August 15, 1887 in Edinburgh. Came to Canada via S.S. Anthenia and landed in Quebec City on May 2, 1907 headed to Montreal and got a job with Canadian Pacific Railway. Understand he knew all the Alexander family (our mother's mother's family name) in Scotland and they emigrated to Canada (although they may have gone to Boston first). Believe Mary Helen Alexander married Thomas Allan in 1909. Four children:  Mary Nesbit (Aunt Mame); Elspeth Turner (my mother); Alice Georgina (Aunt Alice in Montreal); Thomas Leslie (Uncle Les). Thomas Leslie Sr. enjoyed lawn bowling and travelled across Canada to enter tournaments. He was authoritarian and believed that women kept their place I remember visiting with him in Montreal during the 1967 Expo. Mom and Aunt Mame were also there visiting, Mame all the way from Vancouver. We had enjoyed a day at the Expo and were watching television after dinner. It came to be about 10 p.m. and Granddad announced he was going to bed, and he then proceeded to turn off the TV and announced to us (all grown women with children) it was time to go to bed!! Thomas Leslie Allan died November 7, 1988 at the age of 96. Mary Helen died January 22, 1923, just after Uncle Les was born. Thomas Allan remarried November 7, 1925 to Eugenie V. Waid in Toronto. Eugenie (Jean) Waid was the daughter of Charles Waid and Mary Humphrey. She had three brothers, Frank, Bert and John. Les was catered to by his new stepmother, but life was not easy for the three girls. They were expected to do cleaning, laundry, look after the furnace's ashes and get work to contribute to the family. Mame left as soon as she was old enough. Thomas Allan transferred from Toronto back to Montreal October 4, 1933 (just 3 months after I (Joan) was born.). Alice stayed with them but because she had a good career and spent a lot of time travelling.

The children:

Mary Nesbit October 5, 1910; married Reginald Hussey in Vancouver three children Ruth and twins Ronald and Marlene (I wrote to Marlene and asked if she could send me an update on all hers and Ruth's children etc. but haven,t heard back yet). Reg died some time ago, but Aunt Mame is still with us at 94, albeit in a nursing home.

Elspeth Turner July 8, 1912 (our mother); born in Montreal. Married James Francis Turner in Toronto four children Joan, James, Michael and Thomas Leslie. Elsie died in 1982 at age 70. Jim died June 1958 at age 48.

Alice Georgina February 5, 1915; born in Montreal. Had a career in marketing and executive assistant with Aluminum Company of Canada, and travelled the country appearing at exhibitions. Married at about age 40 to Hedley Melvin Milley one daughter, Lois Anne. Posted to British Guiana with the Aluminum company for about 7 years. Lois married Stephen Winston Lehman and they have 3 daughters, Victoria (1988), Laura (1990) and Diana (1992?). They live in Fairfield, Connecticut. Hedley died October 9, 1994 at age 84. We had been visiting Aunt Alice and had spoken to Hedley by phone (he was in a nursing home for a few days) before we left and he sounded great but he died later that night. Alice still lives in her home in Montreal, now age 90, and except for macular degeneration is in good health.

Thomas Leslie January 22, 1923 was in the Canadian Air Force during W.W. II; married Ruth Greenwood in Montreal and they had two children Robert (died Sept. 17, 1996, age 42, 4 children and 2 grandchildren,) and William, both married and living in Ottawa. Les divorced Ruth (died December 30, 2001) in the early 60's and married Barbara and lived in Toronto. Uncle Les died January 11, 2003 at age 79.

I will now work on the Alexander (my mom's mother's family) family.