Bernard "Bernie" Sisco Fenton, Research Report, the As It Is Series

Copyright 2022, CABS for Reflections From the Fence

This continues a series of posts, done in a very efficient (make that speedy fast) manner to share some research on the ancestors.  This is NOT intended to be the end all to end all report.  It's a work in progress, to show you what I have found, right or wrong. Kind feedback is welcomed via comments.

Let's begin.

Meet - - Bernard "Bernie" Sisco Fenton.

Born as Bernie Sisco, on May 8, 1911, record courtesy of the Nova Scotia Archives:

We find him enumerated at one month old with his parents Alvin and Edna May (nee) Fenton Sisco.

Bernard Siscoe

in the 1911 Census of Canada

Name: Bernard Siscoe

Gender: Male

Marital status: Single

Race or Tribe: Negro (Black)

Nationality: Canadian

Age: 1/12

Birth Date: May 1911

Birth Place: Nova Scotia

Census Year: 1911

Relation to Head of House: Son

Province: Nova Scotia

District: Yarmouth

District Number: 53

Sub-District: 22 - Yarmouth

Sub-District Number: 22

Place of Habitation: Clements Ave

Religion: Baptist

Other Occupation: NG

Language: E

Family Number: 314

Neighbors: View others on page

Household Members:

Name Age

Alvin Siscoe 23

Edna Siscoe 21

Muriel Siscoe 2

Alice Siscoe 1

Bernard Siscoe 1/12

David Siscoe 18

Arthur Siscoe 17

By the time the 1921 census rolls around, Bernard, is living with his mother's father, William, and William's second wife.  The census indicates he is adopted.  We note:  That Dolly Sisco, is the mother of Harold Sisco, also indicated as adopted.  

By 1921 Bernie's father Alvin had passed and we have no clue as to where his mother, Edna may be.  She is missing in action between the date of Alvin's death in 1913 and the date she marries her second husband, near Detroit, Michigan in 1918.

Barnage Sisco  **Image reads Bernard, granted it is very hard to read.

in the 1921 Census of Canada

Name: Barnage Sisco

Gender: Male

Racial or Tribal Origin: English

Nationality: Canada

Marital Status: Single

Age: 9

Birth Year: abt 1912

Birth Place: Nova Scotia

Residence Date: 1 Jun 1921

House Number: 185

Residence Street or Township: Main St

Residence City, Town or Village: Town of Yarmouth

Residence District: Yarmouth and Yale

Residence Province or Territory: Nova Scotia

Residence Country: Canada

Relation to Head of House: Adopted Son

Father Birth Place: Nova Scotia

Mother Birth Place: Nova Scotia

Can Speak English?: Yes

Can Speak French?: No

Religion: Baptist

Can Read?: Yes

Can Write?: Yes

Months at School: 7

Municipality: Yarmouth & Clare

Enumeration District: 64

Sub-District: Yarmouth (Town)

Sub-District Number: 50

Enumerator: R B Horton

Neighbors: View others on page

Line Number: 35

Family Number: 193

Household Members Age Relationship

William Fenton   56 Head

Ida May Fenton   45 Wife

Barnage Sisco 9 Adopted Son

Harold Sisco   5 Adopted Son

Dolly Sisco   25 Daughter

Percy Fenton   21 Son

William Henry Fenton   19 Son

Bernard dies August 2, 1934, as Bernard Fenton:

His parents are stated to be William Fenton and Ida Jarvis Fenton.  Also note, the informant, is William Fenton, "Grandfather".  

Now, as a researcher of this Fenton line, I know there are a number of William Fentons.  

1.  William Franklin Fenton, the patriarch, 1833-1922

2.  William Franklin Fenton, son of the patriarch, 1861-1931

3.  William Henry Fenton, son of # 2 above, 1901-1982

4. William Andrew Fenton, son of William Henry, 1925-2001.

We note that # 1 has passed by the time Bernard passes.  So, he was not the informant.  William Henry and William Andrew are too young, and are not the grandfather/informant.

That leaves, William Franklin Fenton # 2, son of the patriarch, alive and well at the time of Bernard's death, and indeed, Bernard's grandfather.

So, why he is recorded as the father?  Possibly because he "adopted" and raised Bernard?  Or, due to stress at the time of Bernard's death, just misunderstood the questions.

We probably shall never know. 

I have not found an obituary for Bernard, there may be one, yet to be discovered.  Bernard is not memorialized on Find A Grave.

* Disclaimers, I use Find A Grave, Ancestry dot com, FamilySearch, several newspaper subscriptions, free sites, such as Virginia Chronicles, Virginia Chancery Cases online at the Library of Virginia and more to research my ancestors.  I pay for subscriptions, full price.

** My judgements may or may not be correct.  Transcriptions may or may not have errors.

*** Links, URL's, for the most part will not be included henceforth on my posts, as so many of them change and then I have to come back and try to re-discover and relink.  Frankly folks, I have no desire to spend my limited time here on this side of the sod with those kinds of do overs.  As researchers, or just members of the internet community, sites such as Find A Grave are easy to find, some are free to use and with the information I am sharing with you, hopefully, you can duplicate the research/findings. That said, I have seen memorials at Find A Grave be removed.  If you have questions, I suggest you leave a nice comment for me. OR find the method I have outlined on my blog for contacting me.

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