Ing Family History & Genealogy

Richard Samuel Ing was born in London, England on the 18 September, 1881. As he grew up, one of his friends was a young lady named Louisa Wright, or "Cissy" as she was called by her family and friends.

Jobs were scarce in London, creating poverty and hardship for many. As a teenager, Dick was hired by a man to sell matches for him. Dick was stopped by a police officer, who told him that if he couldn't get better work than that he should either emigrate or join the army.

Dick decided to emigrate to Canada. His brother Jim (James Alfred Ing) either emigrated with him or else had previously emigrated. According to Dick's obituary he came to Canada in 1895. He would have been only 14 years old, Jim would have been 22 or 23 at that time.

They settled in Ontario and homesteaded in the Rainy River district. Jim married Jane Hatherley in 1902. About 1909 or 1910 Dick and Jim were joined by the rest of the Thomas Ing family. In 1910 they came west and homesteaded at Kirriemuir, Alberta. Dick had been corresponding with Louisa Wright, and now asked her to come to Canada and become his wife.

Louisa Ellen Wright was born in London, England on the 12 December 1884. Her father, Samuel Wright was a Baptist and her mother, Charlotte Eley was Anglican (Church of England). Louisa followed the Anglican church. She knew the Thomas Ing family well. Dick was about three years older than she was. In later years they were often teased about being childhood sweethearts.

As a girl and as a young woman Louisa worked in the homes of some very wealthy families, where she got to see the rich and the titled nobility of England. She was not very impressed by most of them. Some of "society's darlings" turned out to be very petty and selfish people, especially in their treatment of the servants. Others were genuinely ladies and gentlemen by nature, not just by title. Louisa later was able to keep her children entertained for hours with stories of rich people and servants she had known. One favourite story was about a parrot that would imitate the milkman's call of "Milko, milko!", which sent the cooks on many a "wild goose chase".

Those were the days when Britannia ruled the waves, and the call of the sea stirred the English soul. Louisa was engaged to marry a young merchant sailor named Wally. On his last voyage before their wedding day he died. He was returning to his ship late at night with a group of others when the small boat capsized and he drowned. It must have been a terrible shock to Louisa, but life goes on. A painting of Wally's ship, the Montezuma, hung on Dick and Louisa's wall or many years. And throughout her life she enjoyed singing the old songs and hymns of England and the sea.

In 1913 she accepted Dick's proposal and came to Canada to be married. She bought a new suit for the wedding and shipped it to Canada. During her voyage to Canada, Louisa looked after a little girl, Dorothy, and in this way earned part of her fare. (The Salvation Army helped them both, and throughout her life Louisa held a high regard for the Salvation Army.) They had to sit at a table that was close to some of the officers. They all thought highly of little Dorothy. One day she was skipping on the deck, and off went her shoe into the ocean.

On the train, after she got off the boat, they came to a place where the tracks were blocked by a rockfall. The crew worked for hours before the tracks were cleared. That was why it was midnight before the train arrived. Her trunk hadn't arrived yet, so she got married in the clothes she was travelling in. (The trunk arrived two weeks later.) So that is why Dick and Louisa were married at the minister's house at midnight.

Friends and well-wishers treated them to a "chivary", as was the custom at that time. This was a much more elaborate form of hazing than the tin cans, confetti, and white shoe polish that decorated many of our automobiles in a later generation. The following poem, composed by a friend for their 50th wedding anniversary, makes an amusing reference to this incident.

50 YEARS WED
Half a hundred years ago the world was making history.
A world war was about to start, an unforgotten mystery.
Nations fought and thousands fell, Blood ran like flowing water.
Ships were sunk and hearts were broke, a terrible disaster.

But we're not here to bow our heads in sorrow and in sadness,
We're here to have a happy time of joy and smiles and gladness.
Why do we make this a special day, is it for praise or something?
Tomorrow will come and also go; it sets your mind to wondering:

Will people gather for us some day to 'lighten our bewildering
As we have gathered her today to be with Ma and Pa Ing?
That's why we're here 'cause on this day Dick and Louise were married,
I think, at midnite in 1913. Since then they've never tarried.

Those midnite weddings are rather scarce. How often are they secure?
If Macklin, Sask. could only talk, we'd hear of one for sure.
Moonlight is romance and love's abode by stars that shine in the sky,
So why not marry when the clock strikes twelve? It's only a man's 'Good-bye'.

They joined their hands at the minister's house, not many around at midnite.
Moonlight and roses, a woman and man, the four make a beautiful sight.
Alberta was green, so they headed out west, a homestead was strong in their mind.
Kirriemuir was their landing and they did their best, which is true when two hearts bind.

Dick's mother was with them for many years, and a joy to have her there.
It's treat to the heart when she's near, after all, there's none can compare.
Many districts they have seen, Leduc and Cooking Lake; there's one I'm not forgetting,
The town where I met them eight years ago, and I'm sorry they left, Breton.

A family of six to be blessed with - Myrtle, Marian and Walter,
Dorothy, Violet and Charlie, that's right, they've all been to the altar,
Marian met Albert when she worked for his folks. They courted and soon were wed.
One less to feed and buy clothes for was what Dick thought, but never really said.

Walter was a bushman some years long gone by, met Ann in the old lumber camp,
A lovely and charming daughter-in-law. Walt proved to be quite a scamp.
Dorothy decided that Ing was too short. Buchanan came into her life.
They figured that two could live cheaper than one, so she became George's wife.

Charlie met Mary in the town of Red Deer. Like the rest he sure struck it lucky -
A woman who'll stand by your side through it all, they live at Swan Hills where it's mucky.
Violet and Ray, foolish notion they took and went to the old preacher man.
'Do you take this woman to be your dear wife?' 'You're right my friend, and I can.'

Last, but not least there is Myrtle. Like the rest, she got a nice feller.
Not many know it, but now it comes out, they met in Dad's old root cellar.

The Indians had been gone for many years? Mrs. Ing at the chivary did wonder.
The noise was great and the shouting was loud. She figured there'd been a big blunder.
Dick didn't worry, he wasn't afraid, but his wife was so sure it was Redskins.
A terrible thought to be scalped on this night, to be taken from mattress and bedsprings.

Can we imagine a couple this young who never owned a car?
If we, as young folks could boast of this, I'm sure we'd have gone just as far.
Who in this crowd have handled an ox, much slower than a Lincoln.
Did you ever hear of oxen collide? Could be what Dick was thinking.

A lover of animals he must have been - Old Duke a horse so handy.
Dick's pride and joy was this farmer's friend, this Duke was old Dick's dandy.
Now, look here folks, all things have an ending, but a few more words I'll say.
We miss these folks since they have moved, even though they're not far away.

We hope that as the time goes by this couple will not wander
Out of our minds, forgetting then. For a while just sit and ponder.
When we grow old will people come and wish us a life of ease?
We hope they do, 'cause on this great day we honour Dick and Louise.

May this grand couple be with us in mind and thought and living,
Protected by God's All-mighty Hand, repentance and forgiving.

composed by Norris Lansdill, 1963
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More on this Ing family can be found at

fresh peaches about 2 and a half cups-sliced and stoned- add cinnamon one teaspoon- add one cup of sugar-pinch of salt -stir together put into a flour pie crust and sprinkle on some ground cloves and cover with another pie crust sprinkle cinnamon sprinkle on and a tablespoon of brown sugar and put two pats of butter in center crust cut and bake at 350 for about 25 to 30 minutes and let coast for 10 minutes after you turn off oven

grandma arose early one sunday morning she was cooking breakfast before church. she was making biscuits from scratch and frying sausage in a big fry pan. iwas hungry and really anticipated eating. she sent my out to the henhouse to get a few more eggs because my aunt was dropping off three boy cousins for breakfast and to go to church. so i hurried out to the henhouse. mabel the old hen became reluctant to let me have her eggs. so i put down my egg basket and with one hand i pushed her to the side and took a couple eggs. i then went to the next roosting box and reach under the hen for eggs. i found only one egg. three extra eggs seemed ok to me so i started for the door. i was hurrying to the kitchen door. when grandma came out hurling her broom in the air. i was frightened and said i was sorry to have gotten only three eggs. she passed me and was bashing old mabel. the hen mabel was on her way to peck me. she had her head forward and her wings a batting. grandma had seen this and headed out to protect me from mabel's pecking beak. arville, she yelled for grandpa arville' grab this old hen and wring her neck. she will be sunday dinner.