Jane Smart Taylor^[1]

1844 - 1935  (91 years)

• Name	Jane Smart Taylor
  Born	25 Jan 1844	Guelph City, Wellington Co., Ontario, Canada   [2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7]
  Gender	Female
  Interesting	pioneer, story
  Name	Jane Smart Christman
  Residence	1891	Elmira, Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [7]
  	Presbyterian
  Residence	1911	Elmira, Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [5]
  	Presbyterian
  Eby ID Number	Waterloo-96794
  Died	20 Sep 1935	Elmira, Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [6]
  	Cause: hypostatic pneumonia & senility
  Buried	Elmira Union Cemetery, Elmira, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [6]
  Person ID	I96794	Generations
  Last Modified	28 Jan 2025

  
  

  Father	James Taylor,   b. 1 Jun 1808, St. Vigeans, Arbroath, , Angus, Scotland ,   d. 5 Jan 1873, Elmira, Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada  (Age 64 years)
  Mother	Agnes Richards,   b. 26 Sep 1810, Tower Nook, Arbroath, , Angus, Scotland ,   d. 21 Apr 1907, Elmira, Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada  (Age 96 years)
  Married	Aug 1832	St. Vigeans, Arbroath, , Angus, Scotland   [8]
  Family ID	F43311	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	John C. Christman,   b. 13 May 1846, , Ontario, Canada ,   d. 20 Feb 1879, Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada  (Age 32 years)
  Married	1 Jan 1867	Guelph City, Wellington Co., Ontario, Canada   [1, 9]
  Children	1. Henry Victor Christman,   b. 2 Nov 1867, Elmira, Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada ,   d. 28 Aug 1914, Elmira, Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada  (Age 46 years)   2. James Walter Christman,   b. 1 Feb 1869, Elmira, Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada ,   d. 2 Apr 1910, London, Middlesex, Ontario, Canada  (Age 41 years)   3. Margaret Amelia Jane "Maggie" Christman,   b. 3 Jan 1872, Minto Twp., Wellington Co., Ontario, Canada ,   d. 12 Dec 1926, Dillon, Beaverhead, Montana, United States  (Age 54 years)   4. Agnes Mabel Christman,   b. 13 Sep 1872, Elmira, Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada ,   d. 1934  (Age 61 years)   5. John Ferguson Christman,   b. 10 Sep 1874, Elmira, Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada ,   d. 1 May 1878  (Age 3 years)   6. Philip H. Christman,   b. 22 Mar 1876, Elmira, Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada ,   d. 1934, Denver, Denver, Colorado, United States  (Age 57 years)   7. David Lewis Christman,   b. 31 Jan 1878, Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada ,   d. 16 Mar 1899, Toronto, York Co., Ontario, Canada  (Age 21 years)
  Last Modified	29 Jan 2025
  Family ID	F21446	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

• Notes

  Jane Christman Celebrates Her 87th Birthday On Sunday, January 25, Mrs. Jane Christman, one of the oldest residents of Elmira, celebrated her 87th birthday. Mrs. Christman , who is the second oldest resident in town, was born in Guelph, a daughter of Scotch emigrants, the late Mr. and Mrs. James Taylor. The latter, known as "Grandma Taylor" here where she lived for a number of years, reached the ripe old age of 87 years. Mrs. Jane Christman was born on Robert Burns birthday and is of Scotch descent and to her one are better than "our ain folk" and anyone who can relate a good Scotch story captivates her fancy immediately. Before her marriage she visited relatives here and met her husband, the late John Christman and on January 7, 1867, their marriage took place at her home in Guelph, the Rev. W.S. Ball performing the ceremony. After the formalities, the bridal couple, relatives and guests drove by horses and sleighs to Elmira where a fowl supper was served at Vogt's hotel, which stood where the fire station now is. As was the custom then, they danced and made merry in the hall above the hotel till the "wee sma' hours of the morning." Mr. and Mrs. Christman took up residence in their home here, which was a dwelling and is now occupied by Eassy's fruit store. At that time, Mrs. Christman says, there were no lights or sidewalks and in the evenings people carried lanterns. Six children were born to them and they proved a blessing, especially after the death of their father 52 years ago. At the time of Mr. Christman's death, the oldest child was 11 and the youngest less than a year old. Through perserverance and the assistance of a benevolent society for several years the mother gained a livelihood for her family. In keeping with her nationality, her favorite dishes are Scotch and her "Scotch bread" is known for miles. Her own opinion of her friends is "everyone is nice and good and I haven't any enemies." In all her years she never remembered times when there was such a depression as the present one. A number of her old friends for years back gather with her each birthday. This year the gathering took place on Saturday January 24th. Mrs. Christman is enjoying good health, has her second sight, can thread a needle by lamplight, and has good hearing. The Elmira Signet, Front Page, January 29, 1931 ___________________________ MOTHER BEREAVED TWICE IN FEW DAYS News of Death of Last Surviving Member of Family Held Back For Fear of Too Great a Shock The two last surviving children of Mrs. Jane Christman's family of seven children passed away within several days of each other. Word was received this week of the death and burial of her son Philip H. Christman at Denver, Colorado, following a paralytic stroke. He was widely known in mercantile circles there. Mrs. Christman was informed of her son's death this week. Word of the death of her daughter, Agnes Christman, who was well-known in town, reached here on Tuesday but was not passed on to Mrs. Christman immediately for fear that news of the deaths of her last two children within such a short time of each other and so sudden would be too much. The funeral service of Miss Agnes Christman was held at 10: 30 Thursday morning from the Dreisinger Funeral Home. Interment was made in the family plot in Elmira. Rev. J. Ure Stewart conducted the funeral services. The account of the death of Philip Christman as recorded in a Denver paper was as follows: "Mr. Christman was born in Elmira, Ontario on March 22, 1876. He came to Denver 27 years ago and had lived here since. He was a member of Masonic Lodge No. 80 A.F. and A.M. He is survived by his wife and a daughter of Denver, his mother, Mrs. Jane Christman, and a sister, Agnes, of Elmira. Funeral services will be held on Wednesday afternoon at the Olinger Mortuary, Speer boulevard and Sherman street. Burial will be in Fairmont Cemetery." The death of Miss Agnes Christman took place at the Old People's Home in Kitchener. Deceased was born in Elmira on September 13, 1872. Her death followed a short illness of flu which later developed into pneumonia. On Monday she expressed a wish to have her mother come to see her, but owing to Mrs. Christman's age, which is nearly 90, it was thought advisable for her not to go. Elmira Signet, Front Page, January 11, 1934 _________________________________ Celebrates Her 90th Birthday - Mrs. Jane Christman Now Ninety Years Old; Came to Elmira in 1867 Today Mrs. Jane Christman is celebrating the ninetieth anniversary of her birth, surrounded by a group of friends and well wishers. She was born in Paisley Block, near Guelph, on January 25, 1844, the daughter of James and Agnes Taylor, Scottish pioneers. On January 1, 1867, she was married at her home to John Christman of Elmira. After the ceremony the bridal couple, relatives and friends drove in sleighs to Elmira and partook of a fowl dinner at Vogt's hotel, which stood where now is the fire hall. After the wedding feast the company danced till the "wee, sma' hours". Their first home was in a dwelling that rested where the Eassy fruit store stands. Elmira was then a diminutive village of a few hundred inhabitants; had no sidewalks nor street lights, and when the neighbors visited one another they carried lanterns. The people were kind and sociable and welcomed the Scottish lassie to their midst. Mr. and Mrs. Christman were the parents of six children. Her husband passed away in 1879, when their oldest child was eleven years and the youngest fewer than twelve months old. Yet by perserverance and the generosity of friends and a fraternal society she was enabled to raise her brood and live to see them develop into respectable men and women. For sixty-seven years her home has been a meeting place of mothers and of their daughters for the interchange of town news over a cup of tea, at which she often served her famous Scottish "short bread". Many at home and abroad speak of her as "Aunt Jane" and one of her chief pleasures is the receipt of calls and letters from boys and girls who have gone away and made names for themselves in various walks of life. For a number of years her mother, "Grandma Taylor", lived with Mrs. Christman and set her a good example by passing the ninety-seventh milestone of life. While Mrs. Christman's cup of affliction has been full and often brimmed over, she has borne her trials with fortitude. As related by The Signet last week, she recently was bereaved of her last surviving son and daughter. The main purpose of today's birthday party is to console her and strengthen her to say:"Thy Will be done". Many happier returns of the day, Mrs. Christman. Elmira Signet, Front Page, January 25, 1934 ______________________________________ Obituary of Jane Taylor Christman A highly respected resident of Elmira in the person of Jane Taylor Christman, commonly known as "Aunt Jane", passed away early on Friday morning after being ill for some time. She was born in Guelph in 1844 and was married to John Christman in 1867. She had been a resident of Elmira for 68 years. Through her likeable disposition she had made a host of friends who invariably gathered to extend her wishes on her birthday during the declining years of her life. Her husband and seven children, Victor, Walter, John, Philip, David, Margaret and Agnes predeceased her. The funeral was held Sunday afternoon at 2: 00 o'clock from her late home on Mill Street. Rev. G. Little was in charge of the services. Interment was made in the Elmira Cemetery. The pallbearers were Messrs. George Christman, Jacob Conrad, John Christman and Harry Weichel. Among those from a distance attending the funeral were: Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Smith, Mr. Jardine Christman of Toronto, Mr and Mrs. Trimble of Weston, Mr. Jardine and Mr. and Mrs. A. Noxon of Kitchener and Mr. and Mrs. C. Jansen of Kitchener. The Elmira Signet 26 Sep 1935 pg 2 __________________________________ Jane Smart Taylor was named after her step grandmother Jean Smart who married her grandfather John Taylor in 1815.

  
  

• Sources

  [S7] News - ON, Waterloo, Kitchener - Berliner Journal (1859-1917), 10 Jan 1867. Married 1 Jan 1867 By Rev. W.S. Ball, John Christmann of Elmira was married to Jeanie Smart Taylor of Paisley Block. [S161] Census - ON, Waterloo, Elmira - 1901, Elmira (Village) B. Page 15. [S130] Census - ON, Waterloo, Woolwich - 1881, Division 2 Page Number 36 Household Number 162. Jane CHRISTMAN W Female Scottish 35 O. C. Presbyterian Henry CHRISTMAN Male German 13 O. C. Presbyterian Walter CHRISTMAN Male German 12 O. C. Presbyterian Margareth CHRISTMAN Female German 10 O. C. Presbyterian Agnes CHRISTMAN Female German 8 O. C. Presbyterian Philip CHRISTMAN Male German 5 O. C. Presbyterian David CHRISTMAN Male German 3 O. C. Presbyterian Agnes TAYLOR W Female Scottish 70 Scotland C. Presbyterian [S130] Census - ON, Waterloo, Woolwich - 1881, Div. 2 Page 36. [S176] Census - ON, Waterloo, Elmira - 1911, Div. 49 Pg. 6. [S713] Vit - ON - Death Registration, death certificate 34380 (1935), Jane Taylor Christman. Jane Taylor Christman, b. 25 Jan 1844 Guelph, d. 20 Sep 1935 Elmira, Ontario, d/o James Taylor (b. Scotland) & Janet Bexter (b. Scotland) buried Elmira Cemetery, cause: hypostatic pneumonia & senility [S2057] Census - ON, Waterloo, Elmira - 1891, Pg. 38. [S2123] Church Records - Scotland, Angus, Arbroath - Church of Scotland. [S55] Vit - ON, Wellington - Wellington County Marriage Register 1858-1869. John Christman Born: Canada Res: Woolwich Township Age: 22 Born: abt 1845 Father: Henry Christman Mother: Catherine Christman Spouse: Jane Taylor Age: 21 Born: abt 1846 born: Canada Res: Guelph Father: James Taylor Mother: Agnes Taylor married 1 Jan 1867 county: Wellington

  
  

• Event Map

  Born - 25 Jan 1844 - Guelph City, Wellington Co., Ontario, Canada Married - 1 Jan 1867 - Guelph City, Wellington Co., Ontario, Canada Residence - Presbyterian - 1891 - Elmira, Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Residence - Presbyterian - 1911 - Elmira, Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Died - Cause: hypostatic pneumonia & senility - 20 Sep 1935 - Elmira, Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Buried - - Elmira Union Cemetery, Elmira, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada  = Link to Google Earth