Version 6.01

11 February 2025

David March © 2014

LEO EUGENE SNIDER,

NETA “PEARL” WOOD, JAMES WOOD and

JAMES BROOKE WRIGLEY

James Brooke Wrigley was born on 2 October 1892 in Normanton, Wakefield, England to Benjamin Wrigley (1872-1897) and Annie Brooke Woodhead (1875-1897). James had no siblings. Following the death of his parents, James was placed in “The Orphanage”, Savile Park, Halifax, Yorkshire, England. This large institution was a boarding school for orphans founded by three brothers, Francis, John and Joseph Crossley which opened in 1864 with six boys. In 1901, James was one of 149 boys and 96 girls aged 7-15 in the care of 43 domestic and teaching staff. See Crossley and Porter School. Evidently James was a member of the school cadet corps as this service was mentioned when he later enlisted for WWI, see below.

James sailed for Canada on SS ‘Tunisian’ on about 7 March 1911 and arrived in Halifax, Nova Scotia on 17 March 1911. His destination was described as Pence, Saskatchewan where he intended to take up farming. James returned to England in 1912 aboard SS ‘Megantic‘ and arrived in Liverpool on 1 December. Just over a month later, he left Liverpool aboard SS ‘Canada’ and arrived in Halifax, Nova Scotia on 17 February 1913. His destination was Saskatoon, Saskatchewan and recorded information included that he was single, a stock broker and that his last permanent residence was Saskatoon. He gave his next of kin as Mrs Wrigley of Bradford St, Bolton.

James Wrigley married Eleanor Bowlt, who was born on 23 December 1893 in West Hartlepool, Durham, England, sometime in 1913 or early 1914. Eleanor was the daughter of John Bowlt (1869-1938) and Eleanor Gray (1883-1960). She had three sisters, Beatrice (1899-1971), Olive May (1909-1961) and Mabel (1914-1986). James, Eleanor and baby Gwendolyn Fanny Brooke aged 4 months sailed in SS ‘Megantic’ from Liverpool to Quebec arriving on 1 May 1914.

On the 28 September 1915, he enlisted for WWI at Camp Hughes, Manitoba. He gave his next of kin as Eleanor Wrigley, his wife. He arrived back from the war in St John, New Brunswick on 4 December 1916 aboard SS ‘Missanabie’ which had sailed from Liverpool, England. This ship’s passenger list contained mainly military personnel. James was listed as a private with the 53rd Battalion. All seem to have an ailment beside their name, in his case, flat feet. Perhaps they had all been discharged from military duty as medically unfit.

In 1916, James, Eleanor, Gwendolyn (1914-2006) and Grace (1916-1916) were living at 514 Ave G North with Eleanor’s parents, John and Eleanor Bowlt and her siblings, Olive (1909-1961) and Mabel (b 1914). Other children born to this union that have not already been mentioned were: Marjorie Brooke (1919-2012), Gordon Francis (1920-1981), Kenneth (1921-2011), Beatrice Amy(1926-2010) and Roy “Neville” (b 1928).

The family was living at 914 Ave D North in 1921. In 1916, James was still a stock broker, but by 1921, he was the clerk of the Saskatoon Industrial Exhibition. James ran a grocery store at 210 33rd St W in the 1920s and later was an accountant and then notary public. James died in Saskatoon on 28 March 1986 and Eleanor on 10 September 1985. Both are buried in Woodlawn Cemetery.

James’ daughter, Beatrice Amy Wrigley was born on 29 July 1926 in Saskatoon. She married George Leo Snider in about 1948 in Saskatoon. George was born on 22 May 1926 in Saskatoon to Leo Eugene Snider (1884-1950) and Neta “Pearl” Wood (1889-1988).

Leo Eugene Snider was born on 22 October 1884 in Deseronto, Hastings County, Ontario to George Edmund Snider (1859-1938) and Ida Theresa Wartman (1862-1921). His siblings were: Clarence Edmund (1890-1972), Olive Marguerite (1893-1969) and Ruth (1904-1904). He lived in Deseronto until at least 1901. By 1911 the rest of his family had moved to Vancouver, British Columbia, but he was not listed with them in that census.

By 1917, Leo was living at the Barry Hotel in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan while working at McLaughlin Carriage Company. He enlisted for WWI on 13 October 1917. In 1921 he was living in the same household, 319 4th Ave S, as another bachelor, John Oliver Ross. John was working in a livery stable and Leo was a Methodist, employed as a salesman. Although the surname was spelled Snyder in that census, the address matched the one given for Leo Snider in the 1922 Saskatoon Henderson Directory. Leo married Neta “Pearl” Wood (1889-1988) in about 1924. They had two children: George Leo (1926-1986) and Muriel J (b 1928). Leo died on 19 January 1950 and Pearl on 17 May 1988 both in Saskatoon and they are buried in adjacent plots in Woodlawn Cemetery.

If the name on the quilt was for Leo Eugene Snider, it must have been added by someone else as he would not have spelled his own name incorrectly. Perhaps someone signed his name while he was at war as a tribute to him and was unaware that they were spelling it incorrectly.

This complex family tree can be found on Ancestry under the title 3rd Ave Snider/Wood/Wrigley Tree.

Neta “Pearl” Wood was born the 2nd of July 1889 in Newburg, Ontario to Harvey (Harry) James Wood (1865-1934) and Josephine Files (1867-1953). It appears that she was an only child. She and her parents lived in Newburgh until 1913 when, according to the obituary of Josephine, they moved to Saskatoon.

The 1916 &1921 census records have the family living at 216 8th St E in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. An 18 year old nephew, Harold File, is living with them in 1916. Harvey was a traveler for an implement company (International Harvester in 1921). Pearl is listed as a music teacher in 1916 and in the 1918 Henderson’s Directory, but no occupation is given in the 1921 census.

The family is listed as Methodist in 1916, but by 1921, Pearl was identified as Presbyterian.

It is possible that both Pearl and her father signed the quilt as there is a James Wood signature. However her father was never identified solely as James in any known record. In many records his name was given as Harvey or Harry James Wood, but never just as James, so it is unlikely that he would have signed his name James Wood on the quilt. Had Pearl signed in the same square, there would have been some support that he was the James Wood signer, but they signed in different squares.

The obituary of Josephine, states that Pearl married L E Snider and had two children, Muriel and George. Leo Eugene Snider who died on 19 January 1950. Although her birth was recorded under the name of Pearl Wood, the cemetery record gives her name as Neta Pearl Snider. She died on 17 May 1988 and both she and Leo are buried in Woodlawn Cemetery. It is possible that Leo’s name is also on the quilt but it is more likely that this signature is for Levi Snyder. See Candidate 2 here.