1.StuartSylvesterHARPER1, born 01 September 1876 in Hamilton, O, Canada2; died Aft. December 1915 in Nova Scotia or At Sea3. He was the son of 2. WilliamFrederick HenryHARPER and 3. SarahN.SYLVESTER. He married (1) MabelClareBLOOD4,5,6 01 May 1899 in Waterloo Black Haek, , IA7,8. She was born 31 May 1875 in Charles City, Floyd, IA9, and died 31 October 1958 in Minneapolis, MN9,10. She was the daughter of Moses BLOOD II and Sarah Batty HAWKINS.
Notes for Stuart Sylvester HARPER:
Stuart went on a Gold Rush to New Zealand. He wrote his family to let them know he had struck it rich, and that he was in Nova Scotia, on his way home. He never arrived.
Stuart always said his parents died young and that he was sent to live with his grandparents, and perhaps that is true. But Grandpa HARPER, Rev. William, was already deceased before he was born. He may have lived with his grandmother until 1890, when she died. He says he ran away with the circus at age 15, so it could be he ran away when his grandmother died, because he had no where else to go.. (SOURCES: Hamilton Library Archives, Hamilton City Directories, Censuses).
He became a famous bareback rider billed as "Red Harper", because of his flaming red hair. Then he had a bad accident, and had to leave the circus. He worked at many things after he met and m. Mabel, from traveling photographer, to movie projectionist, to carnival vendor, never able to quite take care of his family. His last chance for fame was his attempt to strike it rich. (Source: Interviews with his son, Wm. Harry HARPER; Card sent by Stuart from Nova Scotia, Postcard of the family waiting for Stuart's return).
In JUN 2000, I finally located Stuart's baptismal record through the Anglican Archives of the Diocese of Niagra, held by Mills Memorial Library, McMaster U., in Hamilton, O. He was baptised at St. Thomas Anglican Parish, where his parents were m., on 22 SEP 1876, when he was 22 days old. He was b. on the same day, 1 SEP, that his son, W.H. HARPER d. on in 1986.
Notes for Mabel Clare BLOOD:
When she graduated from high school, Mabel became a postal clerk, and kept that job until she m. in 1899. After Stuart left for the Gold Rush, she kept house for Rev. Rice, who had taken them in, and also did washings as long as she was able.
When Rev. Rice d., they stayed in the house for about four years, until the banker found out they were squatters. Then she and the girls moved to a little cottage in town, but Bill had to make his own way by firing furnaces for the Episcopal Church and Guild Hall, as well as a couple of stores downtown. He got an apartment upstairs over a store. Then Rev. Bimson became his foster father, until he was ready to leave home.
Mabel moved to Cedar Rapids with Mabel and Dreda, and later to Minneapolis, where they lived for about 30 years. She was seriously crippled with arthritis by age 40, and by age 60, depended on two canes to hobble about her small home in Minneapolis. She d. at age 82.
Mabel was confirmed in Grace Episcopal Church, Charles City, IA, along with Bill and Dreda, in about 1918. She is bur. at Pleasant View Memorial Gardens, Burnsville, Dakota Co., MN., along with Dreda, her daughter. (Sources: Personal knowledge of her son, Wm. Harry HARPER; "Charles City Directories", 1880 - 1928; "Farm Directory of St. Charles Township"; "Grace Episcopal Church Records", CharlesCity, IA).
