Lillian Snook

Lillian Snook (about 1903 - ??) was a possible daughter of George Snook and his wife Anna Parsons.

Summary of evidence

1. She appears with the family as the daughter and an 18-year-old tailoress in the 1921 census, but strangely not in the 1911 census, when it's just George, Annie, their namesake children, and George Sr.'s brother Edward Langley Snook living together. George and his wife are listed in the 1921 census as living at 230 Algoma Street, Port Arthur, with an income of $1550, living with an 18-year-old daughter called Lillian. All three are listed as methodists, he is an Engineer at a "Powerhouse", his wife has no job, and his daughter is a "Tailoress" at a "Tailor shop".

2. Another possible reference to her is in George Jr.'s obituary, which mentions his being survived by a sister, "Mrs. Don McLeod" of Fort William.

3. In George's 1930 obituary there is no mention of her! She is not listed as a surviving child, or at all.

4. Other possible references to her are a Mrs. Lillian McLeod living at 290 Argyle Street on two voters' lists in 1935 and 1949, as a widow, with Mr. and Mrs. Lorne McLeod, the Mr. being a truck driver in 1935 and a fireman in 1949. (possibly her brother-in-law).

Lillian at her uncle's wedding

5. At the wedding of her mother's brother Joseph Parsons in Port Arthur on 20 April 1911, a "Miss Lillian Snook" is cited as accompanying the bride:

"The bride... was attended by Miss Lillian Snook, who wore a dress of negre brown trimmed with cream point lace and beads, with a corsage bouquet of pink carnations"

— Port Arthur News-Chronicle, April 1911

6. Bill Currie, great-grandson of George Snook, remembers:

There were a number of my Grandma Currie's (by the way, you keep using "Annie" as her name while I have it as "Anna" Bryant - what is your source for the name?) relatives living in Thunder Bay (Port Arthur) when my family moved there in 1954 and whom I met but, unfortunately, never clarified their exact relationship. Lillian, whom I believe my Dad referred to as his Aunt (which would make her Anna's sister - I don't recall any mention of what happened to George Jr.), was one. I can imagine census taking in 1911 missing or losing details so that could explain Lillian's absence in that edition.

7. Marilyn Hermiston, great-granddaughter of George Snook, remembers this: "Besides her brother George, I’m not sure. Think Dad had a relative by name of Lillian but that could have been his Uncle George’s wife, or the baby that died. Just know the name Lillian mentioned sometime. Sorry I can’t give you anything more"

Future research

8. About 10 "Don McLeod" entries appear in the Thunder Bay obituary index. Searching these might find a man with a wife Lillian and a story of their life.

9. A Mrs. Lillian McLeod, age 63, died 2 February 1953, appearing in the Port Arthur newspaper on 3 February 1953, on page 3. Looking at this article might reveal something, although this Lillian appears to be about 13 years too old to be our Lillian (and this might also exclude our 290 Argyle Street evidence above as well). Furthermore, if Bill Currie met Lillian after 1954, this would also not work.

10. Her putative mother, Anna Parsons, had an obituary on Page 6 of the Port Arthur newspaper on 4 February 1924, and an "In Memoriam" entry the following two years on the same date and page. These entries might mention Lillian.