Created by the Capital City Museum, this timeline demonstrates the power of a story. In this instance, that story is a single family, the Canadas. ;xNLx;;xNLx;In 2014, the museum accepted a donation by Craig Potts, who located a collection of images and documents inside an abandoned home on E. Second. These images clearly told the story of a family. The documents were the first piece of the puzzle. Listed on the marriage certificate, funeral registration booklet, and a graduation certificate was the same surname: Canada. Winona Fletcher and Russ Hatter originally did research on the images and family in the late 2000s. This timeline revives that project and takes advantage of new research access and capabilities to paint a picture of the Canada family. John and Mary, the parents, had rich and meaningful lives in Frankfort, Kentucky, where they raised their children. ;xNLx;;xNLx;You're welcome to view their story chronologically, by individual, or by available data from census records. Images that were donated to the museum by Craig Potts have a listed accession number in the caption. ;xNLx;;xNLx;Please contact us if you'd like more information or to share you own story of this branch of the Canada family.
We don't have records which point to an exact, consistent, year of birth. Thanks to information available, we know that she was born between 1872 and 1873. Mary was born to parents George Robinson and Adeline Buckner.
John Robert Canada was born to parents Thornton Canada and Harriet Smith. He is the second child of siblings: Bessie Canada (1874), Finni Canada (1885), Mollie Canada (1889), Millie Canada (1890), Mattie Canada (1893), Emily Canada (1895), and James Canada (1897).
John is living at home with his family. His father, Thornton works at the saw mill. His mother, Harriet, is listed as "keeping house". John is aged four.
Mary Jessie Robinson graduated from the Frankfort Colored Public School. This graduation certificate was located in a home on E. Second Street and was donated to the museum by Craig Potts. 2014.14.2
Mary Jessie Robinson and John Robert Canada marry at First Baptist Church. Their marriage certificate was found in a home on E. Second street. 2014.14.2. Gift of Craig Potts.
The back of this image provides our biggest clue: "To Jessie, from Mother." We can tell from the type of image, that it's most likely a tin type photograph, which dates it to the late 19th century. This indicates that the young child pictured is most likely Mary Jessie's eldest, James, pictured with a family elder like a Grandmother.
James Robert is born to parents John and Mary Jessie.
Christine is born to parents John and Mary Jessie. She is sometimes listed on census documents as "Anna C."
A very difficult record to find! Listed as "Ranida" by the census taker, the young Canada family is living with Mary Jessie's maternal uncle on the north side of Third street. James and "Annie C." (Christine) are living there, too. John is employed as a day laborer.
Clifford Washington Canada is born to parents John and Mary Jessie.
