MARY ANN (ALDIS) EBERTS 1825-1892

From Norfolk England to Chatham Canada

Since what is now the first part of this account was completed some 2-3 years ago, further information has come to light. Two descendants of Alfred ALDIS (1823-1896), both retired physicians still living in Canada, have confirmed that Mary Ann ALDIS, born 1825, did indeed survive the journey to Canada and settled with her family in Chatham; in due course she married and raised her own family. So another line of Canadians owes its existence, in part, to Mary Ann’s emigration to Canada in 1837.

EBERTS were well established in Canada long before the arrival of Mary Ann ALDIS and her three children. They go back at least two further generations in the persons of Dr. Hermann Melchior EBERTS and Euphemia Bush BAKER (Effie). Dr. Eberts (1753-1819) was married to Marie Francoise HUCQUES or HUC or COUTELLIER (1765-1813) with whom he had 11 children, including Joseph (1785-1838) also a doctor. Mrs Baker, bc 1765, died at the family home, Orchard Park, in January 1858, aged 93, and her daughter, Ann BAKER (1785-1850), married Joseph EBERTS the 24th July 1810. Joseph and Ann had 7 children, 3 sons including Henry Eyeverute, known as “Yve”, who married Mary Ann ALDIS, and 4 daughters.

A journal kept by Joseph EBERTS, and still in family possession, records his proposal of marriage: “I made a demand of Miss Ann Baker to her Father and he agreed”. He also records the birth of each of his children, including Henry Ewart, the North American mutation of the original German immigrant name. The journal switches between English and French, Henry’s birth being recorded as: “Henery Eyeverute Eberts…ne le 10 Avril 1816 a 9 heur du Soir et Batisse le 23th de Juni a Quatre Heurs Aprais Midi. Il et nee a La Riviera La Tranch sur la Terre No. 3, dans Township de Chatham. Batisse par Mr. Marchand, Pretre a Sandwich.
Par sont Pere Joseph Eberts"

Joseph’s spelling, both in English and French, is eccentric. A note appended to this entry in the handwriting of Jessie EBERTS reads:

“Died 11th April, 1880”.

Joseph records Henry’s marriage as follows:

“Chatham, 18th March, 1849
Henry Eberts was married by the Rev’ent Francis Sands at Orchard Place on Sunday Evening, 18th march, 1849, to Mary Ann Aldis.
Present at the wedding:
Joseph Woods (Later Mr . Justice Woods)
Duncan McGregor
Dr. Robertson (Married Effie Eberts, and their son married his cousin Margaret, daughter of William)
John Wadell (Sheriff of the Western District)
Robert Holmes
John McUon (John McEwen, brother of Mary Bell)
Samuel Arnold
Walter Eberts (brother)
Ann Eberts, Mother
Catherine Knight (Aunt, wife of Wm. B. Knight)
Effie Baker (Grandmother)
W.D. Eberts
George Robertson
    And others
        (Signed) Henry Eberts

Portrait of Joseph Eberts (1785 – 1838) reputedly painted by Mary Ann Eberts. He was her father-in-law.

Portrait of Ann (Baker) Eberts (1785 – 1850), reputedly painted by Mary Ann Eberts. Ann Eberts was her mother-in-law.