Below follows an article written by my grandmother, Mary Vogt Duval. I never new I had ancestors from Hamilton, Ontario!
A kind, loving, thoughtful, caring lady with a wonderful
sense of humor are the words to describe our grandmother, all
five feet, three inches of her. She was a brunette with very
fair skin and bright, clear blue eyes, inherited from her
Scottish parents, who came to Canada in 1858/59, In 1886 the
family moved to Florida.
Her parents, William and Margaret Russell Vassie had ten
children born while living in Hamilton, Ontario, where William
owned a sewing machine factory. Maggie was their fourth child
and second daughter. All the Vassie’s were musical. Maggie
played the piano. She also taught school in Dunnellon, where
she met her husband.
Maggie was a loving, devoted wife to John Walker Vogt,
and a loving mother to their five children. A daughter and two
sons survived, the last two children died in infancy. She lost
a daughter and a son and her 43—year—old husband within a four
year period of their twelve year marriage.
Secondly, Maggie married John’s widowed brother, Albertus
Vogt. Two sons were born to them. She was a devoted wife for
twenty years, until Albertus’ death on December 13, 1921.
She was a special grandmother to ten children. She helped
to care for them, make clothes for them, laughed and played with
them and read to them. To those of her grandchildren who can
recall her happy disposition and playful ways, she is remembered
with love for all the happy memories she gave to them.
Maggie’s calm, sweet, and gentle ways offered a feeling of
strength to her loved ones through their many trials and tribu-
lations. It was a gift given to her by her Scottish parents.
When she died on March 17, 1938, she was buried beside her
parents in Evergreen Cemetery in Jacksonville, Florida. Her
daughter, Adelaide Thomasson, and son, John Walker Vogt, Jr. are
buried near her. Her brother. Will Vassie, and sister, Annie
Vassie, are also buried there. So, as in life, Margaret Vassie
Vogt is still surrounded by her family.
Mary Vogt DuVal
Granddaughter