The Caradoc, Ontario Ansteys

by Gary. M. Anstey, chief researcher of the Anstey story project.

Overview of the Caradoc, Ontario Ansteys

The Caradoc, Ontario Ansteys of Middlesex County Canada are a sub-branch of Kennford Ansteys of Devon, headed by John Stokes Anstey (b 1834 Kennford). As such, the Caradoc, Ontario Ansteys are an ‘Anstey evolved from Anstis‘ sub-branch, originally part of the ‘Anstis’ family, and thus do not connect to the wider Anstey pedigree descendent from Hubert de Anstey.

In the analysis of this sub-branch we include activities in the next door town of Strathroy.

John Stokes Anstey (b 1834 Kennford)

John Stokes Anstey was born in Kennford in 1834 to parents William Anstey and Mary Stokes. He emigrated to Canada in 1857 (according to the 1901 Canada Census) and married Fanny Acland [Ackland], probably in c1860. They had children:

  • Eva Stanley Anstey (b 1861 St Thomas, Devon. She married William Marsden Fleming in 1895 in Caradoc – “Wilfred Marsden FLEMING, 25, Accountant, Chatham Twp, Chatham, s/o Samuel and Harriet, married Eva Stanley ANSTEY, 34, England, Caradoc Twp, d/o John and Fanny, witness John S. and Florence A. ANSTEY of Strathroy, 28 August 1895 Caradoc Twp.“);
  • Florence Ackland Anstey (b 1863 St Thomas, Devon, died in November 1895 in Caradoc – see below);
  • Rupert Louis Anstey (b 1873 Caradoc, Ontario, Canada, married Annie Trot?. He was living in Caradoc in the 1901 Census with his wife and brother Stanley John Anstey but died later in 1901 in Caradoc);
  • Bessie Anstey (b 1875 Caradoc, Ontario, living with her father in Strathroy in the 1901 Census); and
  • Stanley John Anstey (b 1885 Caradoc, was living with his brother Rupert in Caradoc in 1901. He married Anna Maria Ramsey in 1906 in Ontario, having children John Ramsey Anstey (b 1907 Caradoc); Avis Mary Madeleine Anstey (b 1912 London, Ontario); and Alice Anstey (b 1919 Michigan, America). He was as a farmer in 1907 at Lot 3 Con 5, Caradoc. In the 1911 Canadian Census he was a conductor in London, Ontario, living at 11 Bellevue Ave. In 1919 the family emigrated to Detroit, Wayne, Michigan, America; Stanley John Anstey was a broker. He was naturalised as an American in 1938. Stanley John Anstey died in 1966, the ‘United States Obituary Notice‘ stating “Stanley was born on January 5, 1885 and passed away on Tuesday, February 1, 1966. Stanley was a resident of Detroit, Michigan.” He is remembered at Cook’s United Cemetery in Caradoc, the inscription on his gravestone reading “ANSTEY: Annie M. Ramsay 1886-1960 Beloved wife of Stanley J. Anstey 1885-1966“).

In the 1871 Census, John Stokes Anstey was already a farmer living in Caradoc, religion ‘Baptist’. After his first wife Fanny died in 1887, John Stokes Anstey married Elizabeth Lewis on 22 September 1890, in Ontario, Canada. In the 1901 Census John Stokes Anstey was living with his second wife and daughter Bessie in Strathroy – he was a farmer.

John Stokes Anstey was buried in Strathroy Cemetery in 1906. The inscription on his gravestone reads “ANSTEY: At Rest: John Stokes Anstey born Mar 6th 1834 Died Apr 15th 1906. His wife Fanny Acland born Dec 18th 1835. Died July 4th 1887. Their daughter Florence A. born May 5th 1863 died Nov 2nd 1895. Natives of Devonshire, ENGLAND“

Further Details on the Caradoc, Ontario Ansteys

We are actively on the lookout for Caradoc, Ontario Anstey experts alive today who are willing to add their findings and knowledge to this project. We are particularly interested in research regarding Caradoc, Ontario Ansteys who fought in World War One, preferably with personal souvenirs such as letters sent by the soldiers or military photos etc. 

Anybody who has such expertise and inclination, please contact us at research@theansteystory.com.

We have already uploaded bits of information and documentation about the Caradoc, Ontario Ansteys, and continue to upload more all the time (see Project Updates), however it is spread over various segments of the website.

The best way to find said information is to enter ‘Caradoc, Ontario’ in the search box at the bottom of this page and a list of relevant pages will appear.

Anybody who finds any mistakes on this page, please contact us at research@theansteystory.com and we will correct it.

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