A woman named Isabel, whose great-great-grandfather was Donald McDonald (yep, real name) and his sister, Margaret McDonald, married Joseph Fenton. Joseph and Margaret McDonald Fenton were the grandparents of Alexander Fenton. So Donald McDonald and Alexander Fenton were apparently good friends as well as cousins.
Isabel's family has done a ton of research relating to the Fentons as well as their ancestors, including the Wright Family and the McDonald Family. She also has sent what we believe to be the earliest known photograph of Alexander Fenton (it's on the Fenton family page but I'm happy to email it to anyone who wants it). I'm hoping to be able to upload those files in the near future but be forewarned, there are A LOT of pages.
And I am trying to track the origins of an old wedding veil that Jean Fox gave me that has been in the family for years. The note with the veil says: "Mrs. Todd's wedding veil worn in 1823, given her by her daughter." We believe the veil came into the family at some point in Scotland but we're not sure when or to whom the veil was given. All we know is that Alexander Fenton had it with his possessions that he moved from Canada in New York around 1928 when he married Lucy Ethel Comando.
I have a genealogist who is familiar with researching families with the Todd surname and he is helping me to try and track down any descendants of Alexander Fenton's brothers and sisters. If any are living, they might have some additional information on the veil or at least they could have information about those branches of the tree and shed light on where Alexander's family ended up.
As of now, this is what I know about Alexander Fenton's siblings:
1. Margaret Jane Fenton - born in Logie Buchan, Aberdeenshire, Scotland around 1886; nothing further known about her yet
2. James Scott Fenton - born in Bilbo Park, Logie Buchan, Aberdeenshire, Scotland in May 1887; he was originally believed to be the James Fenton who served in WWI and died in Ypres, France but that James was born in Blackpool. I have not been able to find a man who fits our guy serving in WWI so it's possible he didn't serve; however, I haven't been able to find him elsewhere yet
3. Elizabeth Minnie "Lizzie" Fenton - born April 1890 in Ellon, Aberdeenshire, Scotland; immigrated from Glasgow, Scotland to Quebec Canada with her parents and some siblings in June 1911; married Thomas Campbell Steele in Port McNicoll, Simcoe County, Canada on April 10, 1919; not known if they had any children
4. Robina Copeland Fenton - born about 1891; Robina C. appears in the 1891 census as 4 months old but she is not on the 1901 census. Did she die sometime before 1901?
5. William W. Fenton - born March 26, 1892 in Logie Buchan, Aberdeenshire in Scotland; he was originally thought to have served in WWI and died in Ypres, France and placed on the Scottish Honor Roll but I've since discovered that the man on the honor roll is not our guy - birthplace and parents aren't a match; So this means one of three things:
1. William Fenton never served in the war
2. or William Fenton served and he didn't die
3. or William Fenton served, died and his death wasn't recorded - it happened.
I haven't been able to trace him past 1901 Scottish census; he is NOT listed as traveling with the family to Canada in 1911
6. Robert Wright McDonald Fenton Jr - born May 22, 1893 in Waulkmill, Logie-Buchan, Scotland; immigrated with his parents and some siblings to Canada in 1911; in 1915 he served in WWI; he served one year in the 2nd V.B.G.A. (or V.B.G.H.?), 2 years in the 5 Batt Territorials; I have not found him listed as dying in the war and just recently learned that his wife may have been Eva May Cuffe; not known if they had children
7. Harry Stewart-Wynne Fenton - born June 13, 1896 in Ellon, Aberdeenshire, Scotland; he immigrated with the family from Scotland to Canada in 1911; Private Harry Stewart-Wynne Fenton served in the Army for the Canadian Infantry (Western Ontario Regiment), 1st Battalion (service #407114); was killed in action on August 17, 1918. He is memorialized by The Commonwealth War Graves Commission (www.cwgc.org), Veterans Affairs Canada's Book of Rembrance (www.vac-acc.gc.ca) and the Maple Leaf Project (www.mapleleaflegacy.ca); he is buried in Cerisy-Gailly Military Cemetery in Somme, France
8. Mary Ann Fenton - born Dec. 1898 in Ellon, Aberdeenshire, Scotland; she immigrated with the family from Scotland to Canada in 1911; I haven't traced her past the 1911 Canadian Census
9. Alice Fenton - born July 1900 in Ellon, Aberdeenshire, Scotland; she immigrated with the family from Scotland to Canada in 1911; on Dec. 16, 1918, she married William Henry Biggar in Port McNicoll, Simcoe County, Ontario, Canada; she was living in Detroit, Michigan in 1920 and had a son, John. Recently learned she may have had other children and there could be living descendants