Early Years

Edwin Reuben Elcome was born 14 October 1858 in England. He was a son of Absolum Elcome and Lydia Townsend. In 1881, as a young man of 23 years, Edwin came to Canada. He settled in the town of Peterborough, Ontario and here established a business as a taxidermist.

Emigrants from Scotland

Mary Chisor, daughter of John Andrews and Elizabeth Smith, was born in Aberdeen, Scotland on 18 May 1856. She came to Canada in 1876 with others of her family traveling to Peterborough to set up their home. Elizabeth Andrews, now widowed, had much to do, managing a family of five young adult children, for Mary and her siblings all still lived at home. Mary’s older sister, Elizabeth, was born in 1851. She became a dressmaker while Mary found employment as a ladies maid. Olivia, a younger sister, obtained a job as a weaver and Robert, born 1857, was a school teacher. George the youngest of the Andrews children, was born in Scotland in 1859. He took employment as a clerk.

Edwin and Mary Wed

Within a couple of years of arriving to Peterborough, Edwin married Mary Chisor Andrews. Their wedding took place on 2 September 1884. Edwin was already working at his trade of taxidermy. Fairly soon the couple had a home at 176 Harvey Street in Peterborough. There in 1886, a daughter was born to them. Named Nellie Kate, this little girl lived less than two years. She took ill with cholera and died on 31 July 1887. Her tiny body was laid to rest in the family plot at Little Lake Cemetery.

That same month and only a couple of weeks previous, the Elcome’s second daughter had been born. She was named Lydia Elizabeth, and would be known in later years as Bess. She became a piano teacher and gave lessons to students for many years. Since Bess always lived at her parents’ home, the lessons were also given at that location.