The Tomes Family Story

This is the story of the Tomes family, orginally from England and Ontario, Canada--not to be confused with the Kentucky Tomes family, which is an entirely different branch with its own unique history.

No, the Ontario Tomes Family starts its historically recorded story in the county of Gloucester, England in the late eighteenth century. Gloucester seems to be the point of emanation for many different Tomes branches, as it seems the county was overrun with Tomes men during this early era.

Charles and Mary in England

In the the center of England lies a town called Chipping Campden, in the county of Gloucester. This is where my great (x4) grandfather, Charles Tomes was born on November 23, 1795 to parents George Tomes (b. 1757) and Mary (Stanley) Tomes (b. 1768). He was baptized into the Church of England on January 5, 1796 in the same town as his birth. At the age of 23 he wed 21 year-old Mary Rich (b. 23 Jan, 1797), daughter of Thomas and Mary Rich on October 26, 1818. The young couple began their family with the birth of son James Tomes. Two diferent census records suggest that he was born in 1815, but this obviously does not line up with the couple's marriage date. Church records indicate that James was baptized as Charles and Mary's son on August 22, 1819, and it is more likely that he was born earlier in that year. James himself may have been uncertain of the truth.

Their second child, Charlotte Tomes was born in 1818. This was closely followed by their third child, Francis Rich Tomes, who was born in 1823 in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, England. This would be the last recorded child for the family, and given that mother Mary later passed away at the age of 33 (d. 22 May, 1830) of unknown causes in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, one could speculate that she, perhaps, had health problems that had limited the size of her family. There is no evidence of this, however.

In the era after Mary's death, as historical records became better preserved, we know that Charles worked as a stone mason in 1839. By 1841, one record indicates that a widower named Charles Tomes in Gloucestershire wed a widow named Sarah Vivian, of a similar age to our Charles. I find it likely that this was, in fact, Charles's second wife, but have no way of corroborating this, as his two boys were grown and on their own.

Charles lived to the age of 68 (d. 19 Dec, 1863) and was laid to rest in an unknown location. During the year of his death, he had been working as a railway inspector, a trade that his younger son had also taken up.

Francis Tomes: From Gloucestershire to Devonshire

Youngest son Francis married Elizabeth "Eliza" Bradshaw (b. 1820) on July 24, 1845, and over the course of the next several decades, the young couple moved around quite a bit, likely due to Francis's work as a railway inspector. They began their family right away and ultimately had at least five children: Francis Tomes, Jr. (b. 1846), Eliza Tomes (b. 1849), Walter Bradshaw Tomes (b. 1850), Charles Tomes (b. 1852), and Jane "Maria" Tomes (b. 1861). Perhaps fortunately for the family, their lives appear to have been uneventful. In fact, the biggest change that records indicate was a move southwest to the county of Devonshire between 1862-1864. The family settled long-term in Tavistock, Devonshire and remained there at the time of the passing of Francis on August 4, 1890, at the age of 77.

James and Charlotte Depart England

Eldest son, James, age 24, wed Charlotte Phipps (b. 19 Dec, 1816) in the parish of Charlton Kings, Gloucestershire, England on December 9, 1839. James, much like his father, became a stone mason, and was noted to be of that occupation in at least 1847 and 1849. By that point the couple already had several children. James and Charlotte began their family with the birth of Charles "Chas" Francis Tomes on January 1, 1841. Three more sons followed in quick succession: James Joseph Tomes (b. 12 Feb, 1843), Henry Joseph Tomes (b. 12 Mar, 1845), and William Alfred Tomes (b. 28 Sep, 1847). Their first and only daughter, Julia Mary Tomes, arrived on the 9th of May, 1849. Another son, Albert George Tomes, was born August 8, 1854.

By this point, the family was already likely planning a big move across the Atlantic Ocean to Canada. There had been a major European economic downturn in 1848, and though the recovery process had been ongoing since that year, there is certainly a possibility that economic motivation fuelled the family's plans. Some time shortly after Albert's birth--between 1854 and 1859, the family made the voyage to their new home in Hamilton, Ontario.

The Mystery of Walter and Richard Tomes

Now, some versions of the family tree point to there being two additional sons born during this time: Walter J. Tomes (b. 22 Aug, 1855) and Richard Tomes (b. 7 Jan, 1857). However, to date I have found no documentation to verify their existences, and by the time the family had set up household in Hamilton, Ontario in 1861, according to the census, Walter and Richard were not living in the household with the family. Could their inception have been at the hands of poor researchers? Or was it a case of poorly documented births and deaths? There does seem to be a gap in Charlotte's birth record during those years, and it is certainly plausible that two small babies like that could have perished during a lengthy ocean voyage, and may not have been documented due to the transition between nations. On the other hand, maybe Charlotte stopped having babies because the move and ensuing voyage was hardly conducive to procreation.

James and Charlotte's Children Leave Home: The First Tomeses in America

James and Charlotte added one more family member after their arrival in Hamilton, Ontario: Edwin A. Tomes (my great-great grandfather) was born on December 7, 1859. Around this time, Canadian records were spotty, as the nation was not officially formed until 1867. For this reason, as well as others, in the decades that followed, it is unclear how many of James and Charlotte's children remained in Ontario, and how many moved across the border to the United States. For instance, all traces of Julia have disappeared. What we do know is that William appears to have stayed in Ontario, while Albert moved to Detroit, Michigan and became a painter. He married a young woman named Jane Price, and they had several children. Youngest brother Edwin joined him, living in his Michigan household by 1880. Interestingly, the 1880 census notes that Edwin suffered from heart disease while living with his brother. Albert and Jane would eventually end up leaving Michigan for Terre Haute, Indiana, leaving Edwin behind in Michigan.

Edwin's Marriage to the Mysterious and Unliked Jennie

According to the accounts given to me by my grandmother--Edwin's granddaughter--based on her personal recollections, everyone loved Edwin. He was, apparently, very easy to get along with and very popular. At some point in his early 20s, he met a young woman named Jennie Ellen Smith. Edwin had worked as a clerk at CF Smith Grocery Stores in Michigan, which was owned by Jennie's younger brother, Charles Frank "C.F." Smith. Whether the job came first for Edwin, and that is how he met Jennie, or whether he met Jennie first and she got him the job is uncertain. Whatever the cicrumstances, Edwin and Jennie wed on November 24, 1882 in Detroit, Michigan.

The couple's earliest attempts to start a family eneded in heartbreak. At least one unknown infant was born and died in 1884. Then in February,

Jennie gave birth to son Frank E. Tomes. Baby Frank would only live until July 18. Shortly after that, Jennie became pregnant again, this time

good luck was on their side. Earle Archibald Tomes was born on June 4, 1887. Two more children followed: Gladys Oxley Tomes (b. 16 Dec, 1889), and Edwin Henry Tomes (b. 15 Mar, 1898).

(L to R) Gladys, Earle, Jennie, Edwin H., and Edwin A. Tomes, c.1908

Sadly, according to personal accounts, Jennie and Edwin's marriage was not a very happy one. While everyone loved Edwin, Jennie was not nearly as popular, to the point that few people liked her. And she, reportedly, hated her husband Edwin. And even though she sometimes babysat her grandchildren while Earle and future-wife Eleanor went out of town, at least one of her grandchildren (Mary) got the impression she didn't very much like children. In order to say something nice about my great-great grandmother, though, I will note that she apparently loved movies and to go for walks--sometimes taking her walks to the Detroit Zoo after its opening in Ferndale in 1928. And in fairness to Jennie, she had a very difficult upbringing with a strange backstory (see: The Smith Family Story).

The couple stayed in Detroit for the rest of their lives, with Edwin departing first on October 20, 1936 at the age of 77 from a cerebral hemorrhage. Jennie lived as a widow for several more years, passing away on May 27, 1952 in West Bloomfield, Michigan. Both were laid to rest in Woodmere Cemetery in Detroit, Michigan. I was recently able to find, and dig through the earth to uncover their headstones, wiping them clean and restoring them to the light of day.

Earle A. Tomes: Sportsman and Story Teller

Earle Archibald Tomes, a first-generation American, grew up in the Metro Detroit area with his two siblings, Gladys and Edwin, Jr. Earle was able to recieve a higher education at Alma College, a small liberal arts school in mid-Michigan with a very prestigious reputation--a school four of his children, two grandchildren, and one great-grandchild (yours truly) would also attend. Earle was a member of the class of 1907 or 1908. At Alma, he played second base for the baseball team and served as captain of the football team.

Earle A. Tomes, Captain of the Alma College Football Team (white sweater), 1907

In Earle's later years, he enjoyed spoiling his grandchildren with ice cream bars and Coca Cola while sitting them down to share his

colorful stories. One of his most common tales was that during college he tried out for the Chicago White Sox, as was arranged by

Dean Mitchell at Alma College. He didn't make the team, but Earle always swore that was because the Sox already had a stellar

infield and didn't need another second baseman. But, according to his stories, the trip was not a total wash. While in Chicago, he

attended service at All Saints Episcopal Church, and after it was over, he met fellow churchgoer Carl Sandburg. The writer supposedly lamented that he was suffering from writer's block, and Earle thought to suggest he write about Abraham Lincoln. What a great idea! Sandburg, of course, went on to write a biography on the sixteenth president and won a Pulitzer Prize for the work. It's a wonder he forgot to thank Earle for the contribution to his career and American literature!

Oh well. Earle took the train back to Alma and was then offered to try out for the Philadelphia Athletics, but somehow nothing ever came of it.

Earle Starts a Family

Earle had initially studied to be a preacher at Alma College, visiting many Detroit-area churches in the course of his pursuit. But whatever his aims may have been, he dropped out of college after his third year--allegedly for some type of family emergency--and went on to make a living as a salesman. Something special came of his studies, though, as he met a young woman who caught his eye at a church in Port Huron. On February 22, 1913, Earle married Eleanor M. McGregor in Essex, Ontario--why in Essex is a bit of a mystery, as both families seemed well-settled in Michigan. Whatever the reason, Eleanor (pictured at right with her groom) did appear to have her family

with her on her wedding day, and the couple seem to have celebrated their nuptials at someone's private residence. Thankfully, the couple seemed to have more matrimonial bliss than Edwin and Jennie had, and theirs was said to be a loving marriage.

Earle and Eleanor Tomes, wedding day, February 22, 1913

Just under nine months after their marriage, the couple welcomed the first of seven children: Eleanor Jane Tomes (b. 10 Nov, 1913). For the next 11 years, mother Eleanor brought babies into the world almost constantly. The children that followed were: Earle Archibald "Bud" Tomes, Jr. (b. 26 Dec, 1915), John Edwin Tomes (b. 29 Mar, 1918), Clara Elizabeth Tomes (b. 30 Aug, 1919), Barbara Ann Tomes (b. 12 Mar, 1921), Mary Ellen Tomes (b. 4 Feb, 1923), and Helen Joyce Tomes (b. 23 Dec, 1924).

While Eleanor was known to be sweet and loving, Earle became the enforcer with the children, and they often called him "Terrible Mr. Bang". Though it was clear that the parents loved all of their children well, it was often observed that the eldest, Eleanor, was always the apple of Earle's eye.

Through the Lean Years

By 1910 Earle working as a purchasing agent and salesman for an auto parts distributor, which must have been pretty innovative given the earliness of the technology (the earliest version of the Model T began production at the end of 1908).

We know from historical records that Earle was able to serve in WWI (perhaps explaining how wife Eleanor was able to get a brief reprieve between children Bud and John), but not overseas. His role is unclear.

Post-war, Earle worked for Swann Chemical (631 14th Ave. Detroit), which was later bought out by Monsanto. He sold phosphates, mostly to mills around Michigan. His wife frequently accompanied him on his sales outings, since most of them brought them home the same day. Sometimes the children were asked to go along instead. With all of his travels, apparently if Earle became weary, he would pull over to the side of the road, fall asleep completely for five minutes, and then wake up refreshed to keep driving.

(L to R) Helen, Mary, Eleanor, Clara, and Barbara Tomes, 1929

As his daughter Mary (my grandmother) remembers, the family never had a lot of money during the years that the children were at home, but, as she remarked, no one seemed to have a lot of money back then. For a myriad of reasons, Earle kept his family moving around Metro Detroit quite regularly. The family was known to have resided at the following addresses:

1911: 115 Englewood, Detroit, MI

1917: 66 Churchill St., Detroit, MI

1919: 298 Dexter Blvd., Detroit, MI

1920-1923: 140 LaSalle Gardens N., Detroit, MI

1928: 1932 Pinecrest Dr., Ferndale, MI

1929: 17563 Ohio, Detroit, MI

1930: 17379 Santa Barbara Dr., Ferndale, MI

1932: 18940 Oak Dr., Ferndale, MI
1935: 18095 Fairfield, Ferndale, MI

1942: 20010 Picadilly Ave., Detroit, MI

Mary recalled that the house on Pinecrest was foreclosed upon as Earle and Eleanor could not keep up with payments, and beginning with the house on Ohio, they became renters. Once daughter Eleanor became a teacher in the late 1930s, she contributed to household expenses.

(L to R) Barbara, Mary, Clara, and Helen Tomes, 1929

The Tomes Children Go to College

The family grew up well and stayed close together. As the country's economy struggled to pull out of the Great Depression, the children went off to college, in an era when a college education was not highly emphasized--especially for women. In 1940, only 5.5% of men were college graduates and 3.8% of women did the same. Yet, in the Tomes house, all of the children were taught to value education. The young Tomes women chose from the limited career path options available to them at the university level: secretarial work, nursing, teaching, or home economics.

Largely due to Earle's legacy and his connectioned with a bank president in Alma, many of Earle and Eleanor's children went to Alma College for higher education. Eldest daughter, Eleanor, went off to Alma College in 1931. Brother John followed in her footsteps, also becoming an Alma College Scot in 1936. There, he gained quite the reputation for being a trouble-maker (a reputation that was remembered on campus as future generations attended). Apparently, charming John even went to the Bank of Alma to get a loan for some personal money, and when he failed to repay it, the embarrassed banker had to call Earle and ask for the money--which John's father accommodated.

Clara Tomes decided to blaze her own trail by attending nearby Wayne State University starting in 1937. Barbara joined John on the Alma College campus in 1938, and Mary Tomes, my grandmother, went off to Alma College in 1940. Youngest child Helen opted to attend Wayne State University, majoring in home economics, beginning in fall, 1941. Little did any of them know that their future plans and dreams would be put on hold with the coming of a World War.

The Tomes family on Christmas Eve, 1941:

(Front row, L to R) Jean Merrill, Bud Tomes, Clara Tomes, Susan Walsh (in arms), Helen Tomes;

(Second row, L to R) John Tomes, Barbara (Tomes) Walsh, Eleanor (McGregor) Tomes, Earle Tomes, Eleanor (Tomes) McCaughna;

(Top row, L to R) Jack Walsh, Mary Tomes, Pete McCaughna

Families Interrupted: A Second World War

The youngest generation of the Tomes family was coming of age. On June 22, 1940, Barbara departed Alma College to marry John "Jack" Walsh in Alma. Just shy of four months later, her eldest sister, Eleanor Jane married Peter McCaughna in Detroit on October 15, 1940. Then, in January of 1941, Barbara and Jack welcomed the first of the next generation: Susan Walsh (oops, was that just about 7 months after she dropped out of school and married Jack?)

Then the bombing at Pearl Harbor happened on December 7, 1941. The family gathered around the radio, and understood immediately that the young men of the family would be enlisted to fight in the war. Reportedly, the Christmas celebration that year (as captured in the photo above) was not quite as cheerful as it normally would have been.

In January of 1942, Bud Tomes joined the Navy and left for training in Chicago where he wanted to become a "ninety-day wonder"--which meant going from midshipman to ensign in ninety days. John Tomes also joined the Navy as an aviator, training in Atlanta, Georgie and Jacksonville,

Florida.

Helen and John Tomes, summer 1942

Bud Tomes with grandmother Jennie and father Earle, 1942

Meanwhile, the blossoming Tomes family came to a halt. Mary left Alma College to be closer to home, and daughter Eleanor decided to live at home while her husband, Pete, served in the army. The women sent piles of mail to the loved ones overseas, and packages of cookies, peanut butter, toilet supplies, pictures, and more. In return, they eagerly awaited "V-Mail"--single miniature sheets of paper with greetings from the enlisted men (which, of course, was heavily censored). As Helen continued her home economics studies in college, her classmates (whom were predominantly female by this point) turned their focus to "quantity cooking" lessons in order to feed visiting Army trainees.

The men of the family were able to visit home at rare intervals On November 11, 1942, John was able to wed his girlfriend, Jean Merrill, whom he had been with since before the war. Helen sadly found out that one of her beaus was shot down over the Pacific and never returned home.

The Tomes boys were luckier.

Bud served on a minesweeper ship. He told a story that one day his ship was working in tandem with another minesweeper ship--as was normal protocol--and Bud's ship was set to take the lead in the sweeping operation. But the sister ship's captain pulled rank on the captain of Bud's ship and insisted on taking the lead instead. Very shortly after, the lead ship struck a mine and sunk, losing all hands. At least, this is the story that Bud always told (and sometimes enhanced). Bud thankfully survived the war without injury.

John flew a B-24 on reconnaissance missions over Japan. At the start he was issued a 45 caliber pistol and was instructed that if he was shot down, he should use the pistol to dispatch himself rather than be captured by the Japanese. According to what John later told his nephews, he saw the bomb detonation at Hiroshima. "I didn't drop it", he assured his nephews. But he did describe a huge bright orange ball of light and said that he had no idea what it was at the time. When he reported the ball of light, he was instructed not to speak of it, and he did not realize what it was until news of the bombing spread days later.

John Tomes, Central Pacific, March, 1945

Mother Eleanor was understandably very proud of her two sons overseas. She was so proud that, during the war, if she encountered a young man on the street who was of service age and not in uniform, she would not hesitate to put him on the spot about why he wasn't serving his country.

On September 22, 1944 during a visit home, Helen's beau, Don Healas, proposed to her before leaving for the Pacific again. According to Mary, Don was a Marine who fought in hand-to-hand combat inthe Pacific islands. So the family story goes that one night on a Japanese island, Don's unit was ordered that there would be no talking; anyone who talked would be killed. That night, Don was on guard duty

under a very dark sky. Someone walked up to him and asked, "Hey Joe, got a light?", presumably holding up a cigarette. Don replied, "sure", and reached down for his bayonet, quickly placing it in the guy's gut, killing him. Don dragged him to the bushes

and spent the rest of the night panicked that he had killed a fellow Marine and not sure if he could justify it. At the break of day, they went to investigate and found that he had killed a Japanese soldier. The family's luck held, and Don safely returned to wed his fiancee.

After the war, John was awarded with the Distinguished Flying Cross and Air Medal with gold star, with the citation reading:

"For extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight as Patrol Plane Commander of a Navy Liberator plane on eleven combat photographic flights from 23 March 1945 to 11 August 1945. Eight of the flights were over home territory of the enemy and much of the area photographed was heavily defended by anti-aircraft concentrations and fighter bases. Heavy anti-aircraft shells burst near his plane on three occasions and on another occasion sixteen enemy fighters were observed near his plane which was then unescorted except for one other photographic plane. His resourcefulness and skillful airmanship were responsible for securing many high-quality photographs of great value to the allied cause and were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service."

Tomes Family Baby Boom

After the war ended, and the Tomes family welcomed home their two sons, one husband, and one fiancee, and the family resumed growing. While Barbara and Jack Walsh (it is unknown why Jack didn't serve) had welcomed baby Ted Walsh during the war in 1943, it wasn't until 1945 that the family resumed its future plans. Barbara and Jack went on to have James Walsh (b. 1945) and Patricia Walsh (b. 1948).

On May 19, 1945, Clara married Robert D. Weed, and the two soon after welcomed babies Pamela Weed (b. 1946), Robert Weed, Jr. (b. 1947), Linda Weed (b. 1950), Mary Weed (b. 1953), and William Weed (b. 1960).

John and Jean Tomes, finally reunited after the war, welcomed Michael Tomes (b. 1946), Timothy Tomes (b. 1950), and Charlotte Tomes (b. 1955).

Eleanor and Pete McCaughna added a single daughter to their family, Kathleen McCaughna (b. 1947).

Helen Joyce married Donald Healas, and the pair welcomed children Meg Healas (b. 1956), George Healas (b. 1960), and John Healas (b. 1964).

Daughter Mary Tomes was the last to marry. Mary wed the devilishly handsome Robert Stevens on February 4, 1950. The couple had four children: Robert Stevens, Jr. (b. 1951), Richard Stevens (b. 1953), William Stevens (b. 1955), and Karen Stevens (b. 1959).

For privacy reasons, details of the modern family are not included here. Sadly, most of the Tomes children and grandchildren scattered across the United States, including Florida, Washington, and Idaho. Several have remained in the Michigan area, however. I am the daughter of William Stevens, and after attending Alma College myself and marrying David Schumm, an Alma College classmate, my family has settled near Ann Arbor, Michigan.

BACK ROW: Mary (Tomes) Stevens, mother Eleanor (McGregor) Tomes, Clara (Tomes) Weed

FRONT ROW: Barbara (Tomes) Walsh, Helen (Tomes) Healas, 1978

Saying Goodbye

Earle and Eleanor both lived to see their eldest daughter, Eleanor Jane (Tomes) McCaughna pass in September of 1966. Father Earle lived until February 23, 1973. He was laid to rest in Woodmere Cemetery in Detroit. Just over a year later, widow Eleanor said goodbye to another of her children when Bud Tomes passed away in July, 1974. Mother Eleanor Tomes departed six years later in November of 1980.

The remaining five siblings lived well until Barbara Walsh passed away on June 29, 1991. John Tomes followed on March 20, 2001. Clara Weed lived until April 25, 2004. Youngest child Helen Healas passed away recently on December 21, 2012. Of the seven children, only my grandmother, Mary Ellen Stevens survives, living as a widow in Michigan, and very much loved by her family.

More Tomes Family Photos