Edith Emma (Coe) Warren (abt. 1862 - 1934)

Born about 22 Nov 1862 in Brent Eleigh, Suffolk, England

Ancestors

Wife of Falkland Fitzmaurice Warren — married 18 Jan 1888 in Lethbridge, Northwest Territories, Canada

Died 3 Oct 1934 at about age 71 in Alberta, Canada

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Biography

Edith was the first school teacher in Lethbridge, Alberta (then the Northwest Territories), preceding the Lethbridge school district. ^[1] Her school opened in 1885, and she taught her pupils in a coal miner's cottage.^[2] In 1885, Lethbridge was called Coalbanks, named for the coal deposits being mined there.^[3]

1862

Many online biographies of Edith Emma Coe, report that she was born in 1863, however her birth was registered in Cosford, Suffolk, England, the final quarter of 1862. Census data, although the years vary, report that she was born in November in Brent Eleigh, Suffolk, England, the daughter of James E Coe and his wife Elizabeth.^[4] 1862 is also the date reported on her memorial plaque.

1883-1888

At 20, when Edith immigrated to Canada, she had already been a governess in France.^[5] In 1883, her brother went to Canada, and encouraged his family to travel to Canada also.^[6]

13 October 1883, the Coe family embarked on a major adventure. James Coe, age 45, his wife Elizabeth, 46, and daughters, Edith, 20, Daisy, 11, and Ruby, 9, sailed from London aboard the S.S. Scotland. They arrived in Quebec 17 days later on the 30th.^[7] From Quebec, they traveled overland, by rail^[8] to Calgary and then stage coach to Fort MacLeod, and beyond to Porcupine Hills. After about a year the family returned to Fort Macleod, a North-West mounted police barracks where James would become the veterinarian.^[9]

Experienced working with young children, Edith opened a private school at Macleod for the indian and half-breed children around the fort.^[9] When the family resettled in Coalbanks/Lethbridge, she again taught school. Her school room was a miner's cottage.^[2] After her marriage in 1888, Edith was no longer allowed to work for the school district - no married women were allowed.^[5]

1888

"WARREN-COE-On Wednesday, Jan. 18th, [1888] at St. Augustine's Church, by the Rev. Mr. Matheson, Falkland FitzMaurice Warren, eldest son of Col. F. Warren, C. M. G., Chief Secretary of Cypress, to Edith Emma Coe, daughter of Mr. Jas. Coe, late of Brent-Eleigh, Suffolk, England."^[10]

Edith and Falkland had two children Herbert and Gundred.

1903-1934

Twenty years after encouraging his family to move to Canada, Ernest again encouraged his family to make another move, this time from the town to the country. Ernest filed for a homestead on the north side of the Belly River (later known as the Lethbridge River) in 1903. He and Edith's son, Bert, became ranchers and cowboys. Edith and her sister Ruby visited the ranch in 1906, and Edith took a homestead adjoining her brother's.^[11] She farmed there (near Iron Springs, Alberta) until her death. ^[12]

In 1906, Edith lived in Lethbridge, Alberta with her brother Ernest. The census listed her as a widow. (Presumably someone in the household thought Falkland long gone, or the enumerator assumed that a woman with children living away from her husband must be widowed.) Later censuses reported that she was married. ^[12]

Edith's husband Falkland lived in Langham, Saskatchewan, in 1906, and stated that he was a married man. Falkland, returned to Lethbridge, living on his own in 1911, but before 1914, he went to Oregon, in the United States, met Rose Atchison, had three children, went to Washington state, and eventually married Rose in 1936, after Edith's death.

"Heavy Loss in Farm Home Fire" was the headline that reported the loss of Mrs. Edith Warrens home in Iron Ridge. She was next door with Bert at the time. He made a valiant effort to save some valuables and was burned somewhat in the process. Loss estimates were $2000 to $2500. Mrs. Warren was not insured. It was reported that Mrs. Warren was popular as an entertainer, doing comic readings and recitations.^[13]

Edith died Oct 3, 1934.^{[citation needed][14]}

The Legacy Ridge area of north Lethbridge named all it's streets and parks after women, especially those who had achieved something first. Edith Emma Coe Road^[15] in Lethbridge is named for her.^[5]

Photo of Emma
Photo of Emma
Memorial for Edith in Lethbridge
Photo of James and Elizabeth Coe's house in Lethbridge

Sources

1. ↑ Warren, Falkland F. http://www.pioneersalberta.org/profiles/w.html
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1} Edith Emma Coe at galtmuseum.com
3. ↑ Lethbridge, Alberta at CUUG
4. ↑ Census data 1881, 1911.
5. ↑ ^{5.0 5.1 5.2} Lethbridge Herald May 7, 2015. "Remembering Lethbridge’s ‘mother’ and first teacher"
6. ↑ The James and Elizabeth Coe Home at galtmuseum.com
7. ↑ Library and Archives Canada. Passenger Lists for the Port of Quebec City, 1865-1900. Quebec City Passenger Lists Index 1865-1900. Edith Coe: Microfilm Reel Number: C-4533. Reference: RG 76. Item Number: 518225.
8. ↑ "Manitoba and the Northwest Territories", immigration pamphlet, 1880
9. ↑ ^{9.0 9.1} Warren, Mrs. S. E. "The Life of Elizabeth Tiffen Coe: To the Porcupine Hills in 1883" The Lethbridge Herald. Tues. 22 April 1952. p. 4.
10. ↑ "Married", Lethbridge News, 26 January 1888, p. 3, col. 3; digital image, University of Lethbridge Library, Southern Alberta Newspaper Collection
11. ↑ Warren, Mrs. S. E. "The Life of Elizabeth Tiffen Coe: Home On the Range." The Lethbridge Herald. Weds. 23 Apr 1952.
12. ↑ ^{12.0 12.1} Census data as listed in sources
13. ↑ "Heavy Loss in Farm Home Fire" The Lethbridge Herald. Thurs Apr 5, 1923.
14. ↑ This is the unsourced date reported on Edith's Find a Grave Memorial.
15. ↑ http://cartographic.info/ca_street/map.php?p=ab&id=8624

• Galt Museum, Lethbridge, Alberta.

• "England and Wales Census, 1871," Database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VFN7-DYR : accessed 22 June 2015), Edith E Coe in household of James Coe, Brent Eleigh, Suffolk, England; from "1871 England, Scotland and Wales census," database and images, findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com : n.d.); citing PRO RG 10, folio 30, p. 7, Cosford registration district, Lavenham subdistrict, ED 3, household 43, The National Archives, Kew, Surrey; FHL microfilm 830,761.

James Coe Self M 38, birthplace: Long Melford, Suffolk

Elizabeth Coe Wife F 35 birthplace:Acton, Suffolk

Edith E Coe Daughter F 8 birthplace:Brent Eleigh, Suffolk

James E Coe Son M 5 birthplace:Brent Eleigh, Suffolk

Hephzibah Sach Visitor F 20 birthplace:Great Tey, Essex

• "England and Wales Census, 1881," Database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XQZ2-GRB : accessed 25 June 2015), Edith E Coe in household of James Coe, Great Coggeshall, Essex, England; from "1881 England, Scotland and Wales census," database and images, findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com : n.d.); citing p. , PRO RG 11/, The National Archives, Kew, Surrey; FHL microfilm .

James Coe Head M 48, birthplace: Long Melford, Suffolk, England

Elizabeth Coe Wife F 45, birthplace: Acton, Suffolk, England

Edith E Coe Dtr F 18, birthplace: Brent Ely, Suffolk, England

Ernest J Coe Son M 15, birthplace: Brent Ely, Suffolk, England

Jessie M Coe Dtr F 9, birthplace: Brent Ely, Suffolk, England

Beatrice M Coe Dtr F 8, birthplace: Brent Ely, Suffolk, England

Alice R Coe Dtr F 7, birthplace: Brent Ely, Suffolk, England

Edmund Edgar Farm Servant M 17, birthplace: Preston, Suffolk, England

• Census of Canada, 1891. Ottawa, Ontario, Canada: Library and Archives Canada. Series RG31. Statistics Canada Fonds. Northwest Territories District Name: Alberta District Number: 197 Sub-District Number: C Division Number: 1 Family Number: 339 Page Number: 68. digital image

• Fourth Census of Canada, 1901. Ottawa, Ontario, Canada: Library and Archives Canada. Series RG31. Statistics Canada Fonds. The Territories District Name: Alberta District Number: 202 Sub-District Name: Lethbridge South Sub-District Number: P2 Division Number: 1 Family Number: 139 Page Number: 14. digital image

• Census of the Northwest Provinces, 1906. Ottawa, Ontario, Canada: Library and Archives Canada. Series RG31. Statistics Canada Fonds. Alberta District Name: Alberta District Number: 18 District Description: being the electoral district of Alberta together with that part of the electoral district of Assiniboia West which lies within the province of Alberta south of the line dividing townships 17 and 18 Sub-District Number: 16 Family Number: 272 Page Number: 24. digital image

• Fifth Census of Canada, 1911. Ottawa, Ontario, Canada: Library and Archives Canada. Series RG31. Statistics Canada Fonds. Alberta District Name: Medicine Hat District Number: 4 Sub-District Number: 28 Sub-District Description: Townships 10, 11, 12 in ranges 16, 17, 18, 19, 20 west of the 4th Meridian Family Number: 287 Page Number: 19. digital image

Warren, Edith E b. Nov 1867 age 43 (five years off actual date)

Herbert, EF b. Aug 1888 age 22

Gundred b. Oct 1891, age 19

Coe, James b. June 1832 age 78

Coe, Elizabeth b. March 1836 age 75

James E b. May 1865 age 46

Alice R b. Dec 1876 age 34

• Census of the Prairie Provinces, 1916. Ottawa, Ontario, Canada: Library and Archives Canada. Series RG31. Statistics Canada Fonds. Alberta District Name: Lethbridge District Number: 38 Sub-District Description: Townships 10 and 11, ranges 20 and 21, west of fourth meridian, including the town of Diamond City Meridian: W4 Range Number: 20 Family Number: 72 Page Number: 6 Line Number: 49. digital image

• Ancestry.com. 1921 Census of Canada [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2013. Original data: Library and Archives Canada. Sixth Census of Canada, 1921. Ottawa, Ontario, Canada: Library and Archives Canada, 2013. Series RG31. Statistics Canada Fonds. Reference Number: RG 31; Folder Number: 7; Census Place: Lethbridge, Alberta; Page Number: 21. digital image (free registration required)

• Find A Grave