Version 6.01

11 February 2025

David March © 2014

WILLIAM OLIVER SPRINGER and WILLIAM THOMAS STEPHENS

William Oliver Springer was born on 13 March 1881 in Ontario to Oliver Springer (1848-1925) and Emma Ann Holden (1863). His siblings were: Charles Aaron (1885-1965), Mary Elizabeth (Mamie) (b 1887) and Frances Anny Isadore (Dora) (b 1888). In 1891, the Springer family was living in Clarendon and Miller, Addington County, Ontario. In 1901, William was a farm laborer, lodging with WF and Minnie Hewitt and family in Morton, Manitoba. By 1906, he was living with his grandfather, Marvin Holden in Boissevain, Manitoba.

William married Inez Caroline Jefferson on 16 February 1911 in Winnipeg, Manitoba. She was born on 12 August 1891 in Worcester, Massachusetts to Charles Jefferson and Caroline Wheeler Decker. Isadore Gwendoline Mary (Dora) was born on 13 December 1911 in the RM of Morton, Manitoba. Another daughter, Virginia May was born on 13 May 1915 in Boston, Massachusetts. In 1916, William, Inez and four year old Isadore were living at 229 21st St East in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan where William was a salesman. In 1920, William was listed as a piano tuner in the Saskatoon Henderson City Directory and in 1921, William, listed as a salesman, and Dora were boarding with William's sister Mary Stephens and her family at 716 King St in Saskatoon. Dora was also enumerated in the 1921 census of Boissevain, Manitoba where she was living with her great grandfather, Marvin Holden and his daughter, Frances. William Springer died on 4 May 1944 in Salmon Arm, British Columbia.

Sometime between 1916 and 1922, Inez married Harry Frank Cushing. She died on 23 August 1922 in Newport, Vermont. Both Dora and Virginia lived with their mother in the United States for a while, but when Virginia was 4 or 5 a woman came and took Dora away. Virginia was raised by her step father, Harry and never saw Dora again. Virginia married William C Weatherstone (1911-2002) and died on 25 February 1995 in East Charleston, Vermont. Research has indicated that Dora married Edward Archibald Albert Tweeddale (1907-1982) and eventually settled in Trail, British Columbia.

Virginia's children would very much like to know what happened to Dora, so if anyone reading this has information, please contact us here.

William Thomas Stephens was born in 1914 in Saskatchewan to Percival Stuart (Percy) Stephens (1873-1953) and Mary Springer (sister of WO Springer mentioned earlier). In both 1916 and 1921, the Stephens family was living at 716 King St in Saskatoon. William had at least 2 siblings, Frances Margaret (1916) and Kathleen J (1919). We are quite sure that William Oliver Springer was the person responsible for the W O Springer signature. As his nephew, William Stephens, was also living in Saskatoon from at least 1916 to 1921, he seemed a likely candidate for the W Stephens signature - although it was likely that someone signed his name for him. There were a couple of other William Stephens living in Saskatoon during the time that the quilt was made, so it is possible that the W Stephens signature belonged to one of them.

This family tree can be found on Ancestry under the title 3rd Ave Springer/Stephens Tree.