11,2 EmmaHedley and Thomas Splan
 Chapter 11, 2
                           generation (iv)      Emma Hedley (1870 -1921)
& Thomas Splan (1869 -1957)

Emma Hedley, the second child of John Henry Hedley and Margaret Florence Johnston, was born November 4, 1870 near Grey Ox in Kinloss Township.  Emma was fifteen years old when her family moved to Greenock Township and sixteen when her mother died and almost eighteen when her father married Ann Alexander. The 1891 Census for Greenock Township shows Emma, 20, living with her father and step-mother and all eight of her sisters and brothers.

Five years later Emma married Thomas Splan, the son of Elizabeth (Weston) and Thomas Splan.
The 1891 Census for Greenock Twp. shows the Splan family with Thomas, 21, still at home:

Thomas Splan 50 b. in Ont. father b. in Ireland mother b. in Ont. Church of Eng.  farmer
Elizabeth Splan 46 b. in Ont. father b. in Ont. mother b. in Ire. Church of Eng.
Thomas Splan 21 b. in Ont. father b. in Ont. mother b. in Ont. Churchof Eng. farmer 
William Splan  17 b. in Ont. father b. in Ont. mother b. in Ont. Church of Eng
Adeline Splan 13 b. in Ont. father b. in Ont. mother b. in Ont. Church of Eng.

                                      Kincardine Area Marriage - June 9, 1896

                        Emma Hedley, 22                            Thomas Splan, 24
                        Greenock Twp. Resident                 Greenock Twp. Farmer
                        Father: John Hedley                         Father: Thomas Splan
                        Mother: Margaret Hedley                 Mother: Elizabeth Splan
                        Religion: Anglican                            Religion: Anglican
                        Witnesses: Neil McKay and Clorinda Moulton
                        Location: Rectory of St. John’s Anglican Church, Bervie
                        Minister: E.A. Hall

Lynn Collins of Vancouver, whose great, great aunt and uncle were Clorinda (Moulton) and William Splan, a brother of Thomas, recalls comments of her great aunt (Corinda and William’s daughter, who farmed near Portage La Prairie, Manitoba) on the photo of Thomas and Emma Splan: “This is Dad’s brother Uncle Tom and wife Aunt Emma. They had no children and farmed in Manitoba. Nice couple..(We) always enjoyed a visit from them, Emma especially was fun.”

At some point Emma and Thomas must have retired from their farm in Manitoba and moved to Vancouver, perhaps because of Emma’s failing health.  Emma died on Dec. 2, 1921 at age 51 in Vancouver, British Columbia, where she is buried. Thomas Splan, a resident of Vancouver, died 36 years later in June 1957 at age 88. His grave is in Kincardine Cemetery.


  Thomas and Emma Splan



 Headstone of Emma Splan (1870-1921)
 in Oceanview Cemetery, Burnaby, B.C.
(Greater Vancouver Area)

“Thank You” to Lynn Collins of Vancouver and Bill Bennet,
both Splan descendants,  for their kind assistance with this chapter.
  
updated September 10, 2003
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