An American Family History

Jane Eliza (Jennie) Thomas Belford was born about November 9, 1838 or 1839 in Toronto, Canada. Her parents were John Morgan Thomas and Mary Lewis. She was baptised July 7, 1839. The sponsors were Jane (Attilia) and Alexander Smith.

The Dumfries Reformer Marriages reported that she was married to Charles Belford on November 14, 1864 in New York at the Church of Ascension by the Reverend Edward O. Flag.

Charles Belford was born on June 7, 1834 in Cork County, Ireland. His parents were William Belford and Mary Cook. He immigrated to Toronto in 1857.

Charles and Jennie's children were:
Ethel Jane Belford Fuller (1866),
Edith Louise Belford Beament (1870),
Elizabeth (Lizzie)
Garner Belford (1871),
Maud Alice Belford, (1872),
Charles Audley Belford (1875),
Albert Victian Belford (1877), and
John Alexander Belford (1879).

Charles was the corresponding secretary of the Ontario Literary Society between 1860 and 1861. He was editor-in-chief of his great-uncle James Beaty's paper, The Leader, from 1867 until 1871.

At the time of the 1871 census they were living in the St. David's Ward of Toronto. The household consisted of Charles age 34, Jennie age 31, Jane (Ethel) age 4, Edith age 1, and Jennie (Lizzie) age 3 months as well as Charles' 16 year old brother, Alexander and two servants.

In 1872 Charles was appointed chief editor of The Mail, and in 1876 he co-founded the publishing firm of Belford Brothers, which published a journal of literature and art, Belford's Monthly Magazine, as well as British and American reprints.

Albert died at 3 months in October, 1877.

Charles resigned from The Mail and Belford Brothers in 1878 due to ill-health. In 1879 he was appointed secretary to the Dominion Board of Appraisers and moved to Ottawa. (from the Dominion Annual Register and Review, 1880-1881, p. 392.)

Charles died on December 19, 1880 of consumption which he had had for three years.

In 1881 Jennie and the children were living in the Wellington Ward of Ottawa. The household consisted of Jennie age 40, Ethel age 14, Eda (Edith) age 11, Lizie age 9, Maude age 8, Charles age 5, and John age 2.

The city of York was incorporated as Toronto on March 6, 1834. The city grew and developed significantly during the the 19th century. The Irish famine brought a large number of Irish immigrants to the city and they became the largest ethnic group. Toronto 1856

Children of John Morgan Thomas and Mary Lewis Charles Lewis Thomas Thomas Lewis Thomas Elizabeth Sheppard Thomas Musson Susannah Matilda Thomas Eliza Mary Thomas Treahy Jane Eliza (Jennie) Thomas Belford Francis John Thomas Mary Sophia Thomas Celia Ann Thomas Brodie Mary Sophia Thomas John Joseph Thomas Edward George Thomas