Version 6.01

11 February 2025

David March © 2014

WILLIAM MELVIN STONEMAN

William Melvin Stoneman was born on 2 August 1884 in Hensall, Huron County, Ontario to William C Stoneman (1855-1932) and Martha J Johnston (1858-1916). His siblings were: Eva Louisa (b 1879), Wilfred Herbert (1881-1969), Nellie Mabel (1886-1970), George Erwin (b 1889), Charles Edwin (1894-1987), John Harold (1896-1926) and Robert Ross (1898-1984). In 1891, the Stoneman family was living in Hay, Huron County, Ontario and in 1901, Hensall, Huron County, Ontario.

In 1911, William Melvin was a boarder in the home of Fredrick and Edith Browning in North York, Ontario while the rest of the family remained in Hensall. William must have married Ethel May Morrison in about 1915. Ethel was born on 20 January 1895 in Prince Edward, Ontario to Manly J Morrison (b 1871) and Jessie Esther Markland (b 1876). Ethel had one brother, Charlie (b 1900). William enlisted for WWI on 26 March 1915 in Winnipeg, Manitoba. He named his wife, Ethel May, as his next of kin and her address as 734 Main Street, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.

By 1916, the William Stoneman Sr. family had moved to 413 Ave B South, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. Oddly William Jr was enumerated with them as a single soldier. William and Ethel had two children, Marjorie (b 1916) and Donald Markland (1919-2002). In 1921 they were living at 411 Clarence. William died on 20 August 1922 and Ethel on 1 April 1986, both in Saskatoon. William's mother, Martha, died on 24 June 1916 in Saskatoon and his father, William, on 20 April 1932 in Vancouver, British Columbia.

There are possibly two interpretations for the Stoneman signature on the quilt. It may read Mr Stoneman or M W Stoneman. If it was Mr Stoneman, either William Sr or William Jr could be the signer. If it was M W, the signer was most likely William Melvin. Some doubt is cast on the latter as William Melvin signed his signature W M Stoneman on his WWI enlistment papers and not WM. Also, the initials on that document do not look at all like the ones on the quilt signature. As there were no other Stoneman families found living in Saskatoon at the time the quilt was signed, it is very likely that the signer was someone in the Stoneman family discussed above.

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