The Murder of Kayleigh Ivall

 The sad story of the 2020 murder of Kayleigh Ivall in Thunder Bay, Canada is recounted in the following item in TBnewswatch.com.

https://www.tbnewswatch.com/local-news/youth-convicted-in-murder-of-14-year-old-kayliegh-ivall-10851295

Margaret Ivola Bymoen nee Ivall (1919-2020)

 In 1983, Margaret wrote an excellent book detailing the history of and people in the Ivall family in Canada. It records that they are descended from Alexander “Sandy” Ivall (1831-1911), who emigrated from Scotland to Canada in about 1836. He married Jane Kerr and they had ten children. His sixth child, William Ivall (1860-1940) married Margaret Hawley (1856-1913). Their third child was Edward Leslie Ivall (1890-1987) who married Rea Helen Ratcliff (1902-1985) in 1918. These were Margaret’s parents – she was born on 31 May 1919.

When written, Margaret’s book was a comprehensive listing of the descendants of Alexander Ivall, with family history information about them. It is a notable achievement.

Margaret married Clarence Gerhard Bymoen (born 20 September 1912) on 2 January 1941. This is what Margaret says about herself in her book:

“I am the first daughter of Edward Ivall and Rea Ratcliff. I was born on the farm home at Vesper, Sask. I finished my high school in Swift Current, Sask., in 1938-1939 I took my teacher training at the Moose Jaw Normal School. I love music, played the violin, accordion and organ a bit and have tried my hand at painting. We farmed at Simmie, Sask, 40 miles south of Swift Current, we then sold and eventually bought 11 miles north of Swift Current where my son Terry now farms.

While living in Swift Current I was active on United Church committees, Hospital Board, Pioneer Lodge Board also Hospital Auxiliary. I had a heart attack which caused me to curtail my activities. I enjoy duplicate bridge and Lois (Margaret’s sister) and I attend duplicate bridge tournaments, playing as partners. At present I am chairman of the local Genealogical Society. Clarence and I had six children.”

Clarence died 8 October 1971, aged 59.

“In 1977 I married Walter Penner a retired Superintendent for Patterson Grain Elevators. We go to Mesa, Arizona each winter for three months. Walter has become a bridge player as well and we play in competition.”

Margaret died on 26 April 2020, aged 100. She is buried in the same grave as her husband Clarence in Mount Pleasant Burial Park, Swift Current. The website Find a Grave has memorial to her https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/209523788/margaret_bymoen. It has pictures of Margaret and her grave.

Leslie Robert Ivall (1922-2021)

Leslie was descended from Alexander "Sandy" Ivall (1831-1911), who emigrated to Canada from Scotland in about 1837. Alexander married Jane Kerr and they had 10 children. Their third child, also called Alexander (1855-1922), married Sarah Baldwin and had 6 children including Joseph William Ivall (1880-1957) who married Ann Kolesar in 1907. They had 9 children, Leslie being the third youngest.

An obituary for Leslie is at https://memorials.northridgefuneralhome.com/leslie-ivall/4636368/

George Ivall (1888-1931): Canadian killed with a shotgun.

George Ivall was a grandson of Alexander “Sandy” Ival (1831-1911), who emigrated to Canada from Scotland in about 1837. George’s parents were Alexander’s third son, also called Alexander (1855-1922) and his wife Sarah nee Baldwin (1859-1941). My third cousin Val (who lives in Canada) helped me with the research for this item.

In 1983, Margaret Ivall Bymoen compiled a family history of the Ivall family in Canada. This says that George was born on January 17^th 1888 in the Mille Isle municipality of Quebec, a rural area about 50 miles NW of Montreal. The 1891 census showed Alexander Ival, aged 36, a farmer, living in Morin Flats (now called Morin Heights), near Mille Isle, with his wife Sarah (28) and children Joseph (11), James (6), George (3) and Thomas (1 month). George’s family moved to Rainy River, a small town in NW Ontario, near the US border, sometime between 1891 and 1907. Many Canadians moved westwards in the early 1900s to farm previously uncultivated land.

The spelling of the family surname in Canada seems to have changed from Ival to Ivall over the years. In the 19th century, Ival is the most common spelling in records that have survived. In the 20th century, the name is normally (but not always) recorded as Ivall.

I can’t find George or his parents in the 1901 census of Canada. The 1911 census shows George as a lodger, aged 22, living at Rainy Lake in the district of Rainy River, Ontario. The census return can be viewed (for free) at the Library and Archives Canada website but the image is poor quality and so some of it is difficult to read. He was a labourer in a lumber camp. He was paid $550 for 50 weeks work in 1910.

On 4^th April 1916, aged 28, George signed on to join the Canadian Overseas Expeditionary Force. He would have done this voluntarily, as compulsory enlistment was not introduced in Canada until 1917. His service record can be viewed (free) on the Library and Archives Canada website. The attestation form gives his address as Rainy River, Ontario, he was a farmer and not married. He had previously served for 2 years in the 96^th Regiment. It seems that George could not write, as he did not sign the form, but a cross and the words “his mark” have been added. His army record gives his height as 5ft 8ins, weight 170lbs, physical development good, complexion fair, eyes blue, hair brown.

George was assigned to the 141^st Battalion at Fort Frances, Ontario as a Private. His record shows that he was soon breaking army rules. On separate occasions in May 1916 he forfeited a day’s pay for being absent without leave, was fined for drunkenness and detained for 24 hours for bringing liquor into barracks. He was absent without leave times four times in July 1916. He left the barracks without permission on 17^th August 1916 and did not return. On September 13^th 1916 he was discharged from the army for “Being illegally absent for a period of 21 days and struck off the strength as a deserter by Court of Enquiry.” It seems that he did not complete his training and did not travel to Europe to fight in the war. George’s discharge papers were not signed by him and his army record makes no mention of a punishment for his desertion. It seems likely that he was not caught by the army – perhaps he crossed the border into the USA ?

The USA declared war on Germany on April 6^th 1917 and The Selective Service Act (enacted May 18th, 1917) authorized the United States federal government to raise a national army for service in World War I through conscription. On June 5th, 1917 all men between the ages of 21 and 30, were registered. Another registration was held on September 12th 1918, for men aged 18 to 45. There is a registration card, dated September 12th 1918 for George Ivall. He registered in Lakota, Nelson County, North Dakota (220 miles from Rainy River). The card gives his age as 33 and his date of birth as January 16 1885. He was actually born in 1888 and probably gave an incorrect year of birth to avoid being included in the first registration (when he was 29). George is listed as a farm labourer. His nearest relative is shown as Alex Ivall (his father) of Rainy River. World War 1 ended soon afterwards (on November 11 1918), so it is unlikely that George was required to serve in the US Army.

I can’t find George in the 1920 US census, but the 1921 Canada census shows George, aged 30 (he was actually 33), living in the town of Rainy River, Ontario with his parents Alec (60) and Sarah (55) as well as his brother Joseph (41) and his adopted sister Mary (5). Their surname is given as Ival. Some of the census return has been overwritten making these parts hard to decipher. The house that the family lived in was owned by them. It was a detached, wooden building with 4 rooms. George was unmarried. He could speak English and French. His religion was C of E. According to the census, he could read and write. George was a labourer in a saw mill and had earned $1,000 in the previous 12 months.

George died on 5 October 1931 aged 43 in East Grand Forks, Minnesota, after being shot by a farmer called August Lickteig. The circumstances are described in an item dated 5 October 1931, printed in The Bismarck Tribune.

A further item, dated the following day, was printed in the same newspaper after the inquest into George's death.

George was buried in an unmarked grave in Potter’s Field, Grand Forks, North Dakota. This is an area the local government provided for graves of strangers, poor, elderly and ill people who died without any relatives to pay for their burial.

A relative of George has contacted me with the following comment : "I read with interest the account of George Ivall's murder.  He was my dad's uncle. The account in our family is that he went there to collect wages owed to him and was murdered by the farmer who owed him back wages. Unfortunately he was dead so the story line was left to the murderer. An interesting sideline to the story is that his mother Sarah Baldwin Ivall knew he was dead and told people before the official notification.  She was the last in our family to speak Gaelic." 

James Ivall (1885-1918), Canadian Soldier Who Died In WW1

This is a revised version of an item posted in 2013. It contains information from James Ivall’s war record (which has recently become available online) and about his homestead in Alberta.

James Ivall was a grandson of Alexander “Sandy” Ival (1831-1911), who emigrated from Scotland to Canada in about 1837 and had ten children. James was a son of the third child, also called Alexander (1855-1922) and his wife Sarah (1859-1941). James was the third of their six children. He was born on July 11^th 1885 in Morin Flats (now called Morin Heights), Quebec, about 50 miles north-west of Montreal. He was baptised by the Church of England in Quebec in 1886. The baptism record reads

James, son of Alexander Ival, of the township of Morin, Argenteuil County, Province of Quebec, farmer and of Sarah his wife was born on the eleventh of July in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and eighty five and baptised the fifth day of December one thousand eight hundred and eighty six. 

The 1891 census showed Alexander Ival, aged 36, a farmer, living in Morin with his wife Sarah (28) and children Joseph (11), James (6), George (3) and Thomas (1 month). I can’t find James or his parents in the 1901 or 1911 censuses. Other evidence indicates that James’s family moved to Rainy River, a small town in NW Ontario, near the US border, sometime between 1891 and 1907.  

The spelling of the family surname in Canada seems to have changed from Ival to Ivall over the years. In the 19^th century, Ival is the most common spelling in records that have survived. In the 20^th century, the name is normally recorded as Ivall.

On November 6^th 1905, James married Katherine McCarthy in St Patrick’s Church, Montreal, which opened in 1847 and is known for its links with the Irish Canadian community. Katherine was a Roman Catholic born in Quebec and of Irish descent. She and James were both aged 20. 

Many inhabitants of Quebec, Ontario and the Maritimes moved westwards in the early 20th century in order to take advantage of the opportunities offered by the development of the Canadian prairies. In June 1911, James applied for a homestead grant in Alberta and was given initial permission to farm 160 acres of previously uncultivated land (NW Section 31 Township 59 Range 3 Meridian W5) at Glenreagh, a small settlement 3 km from the town of Barrhead, about 120 km north-west of Edmonton. A local history book (called “Links with the Past”) records that James was one of the first homesteaders in the district. The Canadian Encyclopaedia says that homesteading was a late 19th- and early 20th-century phenomenon in which immigrants were attracted to the Canadian West by government advertisements of "free" land. Under the Dominion Lands Policy, 160 acres cost only $10, but the homesteader had to build a house, often of log or sod, and cultivate a specified area within 3 years. A new homesteader required basic agricultural implements. Since horses were expensive, most used oxen to clear and break the land. A fireguard to protect farm buildings had to be ploughed, and a vegetable garden planted and game hunted to supplement the food supply. Homesteaders and their families were often separated from friends and relatives, and many suffered years of hardship and loneliness. One of the greatest difficulties was the absence of roads and bridges. Most trails were impassable when wet. In the autumn homesteaders waited until the ground was frozen before transporting their produce to the railhead.

The Alberta Provincial Archives contain documents relating to James’s homestead grant. They include sworn statements made in August 1914 by two of his neighbours detailing the progress he had made in cultivating his land. They say that James built a house out of logs in October 1911 and had lived there since November 1911. In 1912 he broke 6 acres and cropped 3 acres, in 1913 he broke 12 acres and cropped 10 acres and in 1914 he broke 12 acres and cropped 22 acres. In 1912 James had 2 cattle, in 1913 he had 6 cattle and 3 horses, in 1914 he had 9 cattle and 4 horses. By 1914 he had built a barn and cow barn, as well as drilling a well on his land. This progress resulted in a patent for the homestead being granted to James in October 1914.

The 1916 census shows James and Katherine, both aged 30, living at Glenreagh, Edmonton, Alberta. It seems that James and Catherine had no children, as none are listed with them. The census return says that James was a farmer, spoke English and French but could not read or write.

James joined the Canadian Overseas Expeditionary Force in Edmonton on 10^th May 1916. He must have volunteered, as conscription was not introduced in Canada until 1917. His attestation paper describes him as a carpenter and farmer. His height was 5 foot 11 inches, complexion ruddy, eyes grey, hair dark brown. James was given army number 231524. His war record can be viewed (free) on the Library and Archives Canada website.

James was assigned to the 202^nd Battalion. He spent 46 days in hospital between 26 June and 10 August 1916, suffering from otitis media, an inflammatory disease of the inner ear. On 23 November 1916, his unit sailed from Halifax, Nova Scotia on board the RMS Mauretania, a Cunard Liner that was used as a troop ship at this time. They arrived at Liverpool on 30 November 1916 and James was sent to Witley Military Camp (near Aldershot), which had been set up by the Canadian Army. James was transferred to the 28^th Battalion, Canadian Infantry and arrived in France on 25 May 1917. On 19 November 1917 he was admitted to a field hospital with bronchitis and discharged to duty on 4 December 1917. In February 1918, he was granted 14 days leave in the UK, after which returned to his unit in France.

On 25 May 1918, the 28^th Battalion were in Divisional Reserve at Bellacourt, a village 10 kilometres south-west of Arras. The Battalion’s war diary says that the enemy shelled the village, causing 14 casualties, 4 killed and 10 wounded, of which one (this was probably James) went to hospital. A Brigade sports event in Bellacourt went ahead that day, in spite of the shelling.

Extract from the war diary of the 28^th Battalion, Canadian Infantry

James’s service record says that he sustained shrapnel wounds to his face and left shoulder on 25 May 1918. They were probably caused by a shell that exploded near him. He was taken to No 56 Casualty Clearing Station, which was located at Gezaincourt (30 km south-west of Bellacourt) at that time. He died of his wounds on 28 May 1918 aged 32. Private James Ivall is buried at Bagneux British Cemetery, Gezaincourt. His gravestone is inscribed "Gone you may be but never forgotten by me."

The gravestone of James Ivall

619,636 Canadians enlisted with the Canadian Expeditionary Force during the war, and approximately 424,000 served overseas. Of these men and women, 59,544 members of the CEF died during the war, 51,748 of them as a result of enemy action.

Records indicate that James was one of two Canadian born Ivalls who enlisted to fight in the First World War. The other was James’s brother George Ivall (born 1889), who deserted before being sent to Europe and survived the war (there is item about his life on this blog).

James’s wife continued to live in the same district for many years after his death and was highly respected and admired for the assistance she gave to others in the community (this information is from “Links with the Past”). 

Meredith Alyssa Ivall (1990-2015), Pharmacy Student

Meredith Ivall was descended from Alexander Ivall (1855-1922), a son of Alexander “Sandy” Ival (1831-1911), who came to Canada from Scotland c 1837. She was born in 1990 and went to school in Atikokan, a township in the Rainy River District in Northwestern Ontario, Canada. Sadly, Meredith’s life was cut short by cancer. She died in 2015 aged 25, before she was able to complete her doctoral studies in Pharmacy at the University of Waterloo, Ontario.

An obituary for Meredith is at http://obits.dignitymemorial.com/dignity-memorial/obituary.aspx?n=Meredith-Ivall&lc=3771&pid=175408112&mid=6538398

Ken Ivall : Second degree murderer

A report dated June 30th 2013 in the Kenora Daily Miner and News http://www.kenoradailyminerandnews.com/2013/06/28/second-degree-murderer-sentenced-to-serve-minimum-16-years-in-prison begins

" Convicted of second degree murder, Ken Ivall, 43, will serve a minimum of 16 years in jail for causing the death of Kenora resident Ed Wilson more than four years ago."

The report contains information on the crime and a picture of Ken.

Kenora is a small city (population about 15,000) situated  in Northwestern Ontario, Canada, about 200 km east of Winnipeg.

I believe that Ken is descended from Alexander "Sandy" Ival (1831-1911, who emigrated to Canada from Scotland in 1837) via his third son Alexander (1855-1922).

As far as I know, the Canadian Ivalls are not related to the British Ivalls.

Alexander “Sandy” Ival (1831-1911), farmer and ancestor of Canadian Ivalls

There are a significant number of people with the surname Ivall who live in Canada. They are descended from Alexander (also known as Sandy) Ival. This profile of his life is based on research done by Margaret Ivall Bymoen and published by her in 1983. As far as I know, Alexander is not related to me or to other English Ivalls.

Anne and James Dey emigrated from Scotland to Canada c 1837, bringing with them Alexander Ival, who was then aged about five years old. The name Ival / Ivel was quite common in the Moray area of Scotland at this time and this is probably where Alexander was born in about 1831. Anne Gauld had married James Dey in Botriphinie, Banff County, Scotland in 1833. Alexander could (as Margaret Bymoen suggests) have been Anne’s son from an earlier marriage, although there is no marriage, birth or baptism record to support this theory. I think it more likely that he was Anne’s brother. Anne is shown (with James Dey and their children) in the 1851 Canada census as “Anny Ivell”, aged 40. This census records married women under their maiden names. The Dey family (and Alexander) settled in the Cote St Gabriel area (near Saint Jerome) about 50 miles NW of Montreal in Quebec.

On 16th December 1850 Alexander (aged about 19) married Jane Kerr (aged about 17) in a Scottish Presbyterian Church at Chatham, Ottawa River, Quebec. Jane was born in 1833 in Quebec, the daughter of Patrick Kerr, a farmer from Ireland. Alexander and Jane went on to have ten children (eight boys and two girls), namely John (1852-1918), James (b1853), Alexander (1855-1922), George (1856-1947), Robert (1858-1929), William (1860-1940), Samuel (1863-1919), Mary Ann (b1865), Jane (b1868) and Edward (1870-1955). John, their first son, was born on March 10th 1852 and baptised in September 1852 at St Andrews Wesleyan Methodist Church in St Jerome.

The 1861 census shows Alexander Ival (aged 30, a farmer) living at Mille-Isles, County of Argentueil, Quebec with his wife Jane (aged 27) and children John (11), James (9), Alexander (7), George (5), Robert (3) and William (1).

In 1871 the family were still living at Mille-Isles and consisted of Alexander Ival (40, a farmer), Jane (37), John (20, a blacksmith), James (19, a farmer), Alexander (15), George (14), Robert (12), William (8), Mary Ann (6), Jane (3) and Edward (6 months).

Margaret Bymoen writes

In those years the men used to go to the bush in the winter or to build roads in the summer to make extra money. In the 1870’s the Carillon dam (on the Ottawa River) and canal was built (the work was done 1873-82). Sandy (Alexander) and one of his older boys went to work on this dam one summer. When fall came he sent his son home with the horses and said he would follow in a few days. He did not come home and it was assumed that he had met with foul play or in some way lost his life.

Many, many years later Percy Ivall (son of William Ivall) who was a conductor on the CPR (Canadian Pacific Railway) heard that there had been an old man by the name of Sandy Ivall at Sutton, Quebec. He went there and did some enquiring but found nothing.

In 1967 I decided to write to the minister of the United Church of Canada in Sutton, Quebec and to my surprise I got a photocopy of a death certificate of “Sandy” Ivall, died in 1911. His age and all corresponds with our ancestor and I think there is little doubt it was he.

In 1881, Jane Ivall (55) was living in Mille-Isles with her children George (23, a farmer), Robert (21, a farmer), William (19), Samuel (17) Mary Ann (16), Jane (14) and Edward (11). Jane is shown as a widow. Alexander Ival (50, a farmer, born in Scotland) is shown in the 1881 census as living in Sutton, Quebec with Bell Ival (39). In 1891, Alexander (60, a farmer) was still living in Sutton with Arbelle Ival (49) and also their daughter Susan (6). Alexander and Arbelle are listed as married. It seems therefore that Alexander decided to leave his first wife and ten children to set up home with a younger woman ! If he married Arbelle, it must have been bigamously (quite possibly he told others that he was married to her, but was not). Sutton is about 70 miles SE of Montreal, about 110 miles from Mille-Isles (which is about 50 miles NW of Montreal).

Jane Ivall nee Kerr

The 1901 census shows Alexander Ival, aged 75 (he was actually about 70), a farm labourer living in Sutton township with his wife Adeline Ival (nee Hopson), aged 75 and her sister Mandy Hopson, aged 55. So it seems that by 1901, Alexander had a third wife/partner ! 

Alexander was aged about 80 when he died on 14th March 1911. This was just before the 1911 census was compiled. It showed Adeline Ival, a widow, aged 60 (born Nov 1851 in Canada), living with her sister Mandy, aged 64. It seems that Adeline's age in the 1901 census was incorrect, it should have been 50.

Alexander's first wife Jane died 18th March 1917 aged about 84.