Vivian Eunice Cranstoun
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This is where we reintroduce my cousin Laurie, who had started her own tree and was a few steps ahead of me in the search for the family. Vivian had a child out of wedlock and back in those days a single girl with child was a definite no-no. The father was a man named James Raymond Taylor Alty who wanted to marry Vivian but because his mother thought there was colour in the Cranstoun family she denied her permission and they did not marry. They worked on it and were about to be married and Ada her mother said, “If you weren’t good enough the first time you won’t be good enough now” and denied Vivian. Anyway, Vivian had the baby and Ada found an adoptive mother, her boss, named Lightfoot. My father and I both wonder how much family information Ada took with her to her grave. I contacted Laurie after reading the History of Antigua and finding a pedigree for the Lightfoot family. She told me her family came from the US. I told her I had the proof that some Lightfoot’s went to the Carolina’s and walked up from the US and into Canada through the Underground Railroad but she would not accept my findings. To me it’s all just to coincidental, the name Lightfoot in our family and never ever having heard of it before and finding a pedigree for the family when I am searching for my family, I believe my Grandma Ada knew more than was ever spoken. Vivian then married James Scatterly Booth Ritchie born November 6, 1919 and they had three children. James worked for Avro Canada and when they went out of business, thanks Prime Minister Diefenbaker’s lack of ability to stand up to the American’s, he was offered a position at Boeing Aircraft in California, as were many people from Avro Canada. He accepted the position and off they went to California.
John Victor (Cranstoun-Alty) Lightfoot My father’s eldest sister Vivian Eunice Cranstoun found herself pregnant and unmarried at twenty years of age. In the 1930’s and 1940’s this was a cause of major embarrassment for the family and my grandmother was extremely upset. vivian was a maid for the Alty family and found herself pregnant by one of the sons, James Raymond Taylor Alty. Just before the birth of John, in 1939 the family moved from the neighbourhood they lived in to another and Vivian was sent away under the guise of having “loose kidney” problems, she had been bound up so as not to reveal her conditon. My grandmother and the father’s parents had refused their permission for Vivian to marry the father, James Raymond Taylor Alty and my grandmother arranged for the baby to be adopted by her supervisor at Eaton’s, Nellie Rosina Bryant Lightfoot. Nellie Rosina Bryant was married to Clarence Victor Lightfoot and they adopted James at birth. James grew up in the Lightfoot household and eventually married Bonnie Kent and they had six children, two son’s and four daughter’s. My father being the youngest child never knew that Vivian was pregnant so when Laurie called he was more than willing to provide any information he could to her. He called his brother Alan and he had known and suggested he stay out of this one, too late the cat was already out of the bag. My father called Vivian in California to let her know he had been contacted by her son, and she hung the phone up on him. After the bullshit he had gone through with Vivian when his Auntie Fan died, that was all he needed, so he gave Laurie her phone number. Laurie tried to contact her with the same results, even Vivian’s children would not talk with her, or me either, they wanted nothing to do with the rest of our family. Laurie and I must be related as instead of going off to Antigua she set off to California with her husband and two children in tow and showed up at Vivian’s house. Her husband set up a movie camera across the street and Laurie knocked on the door. Vivian answered and came outside and Laurie introduced herself as her grandaughter and the children were her great grandchildren. Vivan headed to the backyard and would not speak to her. Eventually, John did speak to his mother before she died in 2010. My grandmother unknowingly gave John a rich interesting family heritage. When I started on my quest I found the name Lightfoot in the History of te Island of Antigua, with a few other reference materials and I realized I could trace the Lightfoot’s from Antigua to the Carolina’s to the Underground Railroad into Canada. Laurie didn’t believe but there is no denying that we can trace the Lightfoot’s from Kentucky. In 1955 John’s father passed away. “Toronto Star Newspaper, Monday, March 7, 1955, Funeral Wednesday for C. Lightfoot, 61. Service will be held at 2 p.m., Wednesday, at the A. W. Miles chapel, St. Clair Ave. and Yonge St. for Clarence Victor Lightfoot, 61, who died Sunday of a coronary thrombosis at his Forman Ave. home. Interment will be at Mount Pleasant cemetery. Mr. Lightfoot, a veteran of World War 1, served overseas with the RCAMC. He joined the Toronto Street railway after the war and became a TTC employee when that organization was taken over. He had been a clerk in the transportation department for 40 years. He was rector’s warden of the Church of St. George the Martyr, and had been working in the rebuilding program of the church, which was destroyed by fire three weeks ago. He was also a member of the brotherhood of St. Andrew, York lodge, A.F. and A.M., and York chapter, R.A.M. He was treasurer and past president of the Home Service association. He leaves his widow, the former Nellie Bryant; two sons, John and Bob, a daughter Julia, and a brother, Herbert.” Let’s go to Josiah Henson to learn of the history of the Lightfoot’s. Josiah Henson, an escaped slave who fled to Canada in 1830. He started the community in Dresden, Ontario, commonly known as the Dawn Settlement, which is now a historic site in Ontario. Henson wrote his autobiography, first published in 1849. He told of his family, his life as a slave, escaping to Canada, and the many things he did until the time of the death of his first wife. Sometime around 1833-34, Henson attended a large meeting in Fort Erie, where “a great number of colored people were present”. He was preaching about the importance of these men to do “all in their power to bring others out of bondage”. James Lightfoot, who had obtained his freedom by fleeing to Canada, was in attendance at this meeting. James had been free for five years at this time. James met with Henson one week later, and spoke about where he was from, and to whom he had belonged, as well as the family he had left behind. He told of his father and mother, three sisters and four brothers, said they lived on the Ohio River, not far from the city of Maysville. James stated that in the short period of his freedom, he had accumulated some property, the whole of which he would cheerfully devote to any measures to release his family. The two men parted, but met again in a few days. Since their last meeting, James stated he had not had any rest, and Mr. Henson, “seeing the agony of his heart in behalf of his kindred”, agreed to help free the Lightfoot’s. Josiah himself, left his own family, and traveled alone on foot, about four hundred miles through the States of New York, Pennsylvania, and Ohio, so called free States, then crossed the Ohio River into Kentucky and found the Lightfoot family. Since he was a stranger to them, he took a token of their brother who was gone. He spoke of Canada, “the land of freedom”, and said he was there “to assist them in making their escape”. His parents had become so far advanced in years that they could not undertake the fatigue, his sisters had a number of children, and they could not travel, his four brothers and a nephew were young men, and sufficiently able for the journey, but the thought of leaving their father, and mother, and sisters, was too painful. They declined going at that time, but said they would leave in a year if Henson returned for them. Henson agreed, and then traveled to Bourbon County where he met about thirty people willing to accompany him to Canada. This was his first successful journey helping slaves reach Canada. The following autumn, Henson once again set out for Kentucky. (I believe this was 1834-35, Henson mentioned the “great meteoric shower” which occurred while he was travelling.) About 14 days after he left home, he reached Maysville, Kentucky. The second person he met on the street was Jefferson Lightfoot, brother of James. Plans were made to leave on Saturday night, since on Sunday’s no labor was done, it was a day they were allowed to visit their families, and they would not be missed until the time they were required to appear in the field. Three Lightfoot brothers left with Henson, without saying goodbye to their father and mother, for fear of beingdetected. They took a skiff a little below the city and made their way down river. Halfway from Maysville to Cincinnati the boat sprang a leak, and they narrowly escaped drowning, but made it to shore before the boat sank. They then took another boat and made it to within ten miles of Cincinnati. It was daylight at this time, so they abandoned their boat and walked three miles before they came to the Miami River. They had to cross this river to reach the city, but the water appeared to be deep. They traveled another mile along the river’s edge where they saw a cow come out of the wood and go into the river and walk straight across. It was snowing at this time, the river had ice in it, and they were soaked with perspiration, the Lightfoots thought it was not a good idea to cross. But since it was a question of life or death, Henson started across and the Lightfoots followed reluctantly. When they were about halfway across, the youngest Lightfoot had violent contractions of the limbs, and was carried the rest of the way. The others used friction until he partially recovered and they proceeded on their way. They reached Cincinnati about eleven Sunday morning, and hid themselves with friends until Monday evening. They continued on, increasing their distance from home to about 100 miles. They went out of their way to travel among the Quakers. While in the woods, the boy mentioned earlier became alarmingly ill, and they carried him on their backs. After a while, they made a litter with their shirts and handkerchiefs laid across poles for the young one. Their next stop was in the State of Indiana, where they could now travel by day if they kept in the woods. The youngest Lightfoot became increasingly worse, and they thought he would soon die. He begged to be left in the woods to die alone, since he thought if they continued with him, they might all be caught. With considerable reluctance they granted his request, expecting death would soon put an end to his sufferings. “Sad, indeed, was the parting; and it was with difficulty we tore ourselves away.” After about two miles, one of the brothers said he could continue no longer, knowing he had left his brother to die alone. The party returned to the young one, the other two brothers “literally danced for joy”. After resuming their journey they saw a wagon approaching. The brothers hid. After determining the driver was a Quaker, Henson led the man to the Lightfoot brothers. When he saw the young one suffering, this man was moved to tears, and he took them all to his home. After spending the night, it was agreed the young one would stay with the Quaker, and the rest would continue on for Lake Erie. They were determined to be at the lake by morning, a distance of forty miles, so they walked all night. They met another man along the way and traveled with him. He was of great help to them since the slave hunters were now on their trail. By morning they reached a wayside tavern. Their companion ordered breakfast for six. While Henson and the Lightfoot's were at the side of the house washing themselves with snow, they heard the tramping of horses and The landlord served them their breakfast and offered to take them across to Canada in his boat. They sailed towards the shore of Canada, where they “danced and wept for joy, and kissed the earth on which they first stepped, no longer SLAVES-but FREE". After a few months, Mr. Henson had the pleasure of a visit from the young Lightfoot who was left with the Quaker. He was healthy and surrounded by his family. This brought Henson great joy, and he was instrumental in the delivery of one-hundred and eighteen slaves to freedom. “Mr. Frank Taylor, was the last owner of the Lightfoot brothers, became ill and quite deranged shortly after they escaped. After his recovery some friends persuaded Mr. Taylor to free the rest of the Lightfoot family, which he did at length, and a short while later they were reunited in Canada.” James Louis Lightfoot was born about 1811. On the 1842 census for West Flamborough, he is listed as being in On the 27th May, 1845, Josiah Royce, yeoman, and Mary Royce, his wife, sold 50 acres, consisting of the northeast quarter of Lot 9, Concession 4, Township of Flamborough of Flamborough West to James Lightfoot, of the same place, yeoman. Mr. Royce was paid 75 pounds, and Mrs. Royce was paid 5 shillings. The witnesses were Mr. James Durand and his wife Maria Durand of Dundas, ON. (The Durand family lived on Lot 8 and half of Lot 9, Conc. 4, next to the Lightfoot’s. These properties are all part of a massive limestone quarry operated by Lafarge-Dyment now. (1998) The only traces of our ancestors that are left there are the driveways which are still visible.) On the 4th of December, 1845 James Lightfoot of West Flamborough married Jane McKeever of Beverly. The wedding was in Dundas, Ontario, Gore District, by license, by the minister of the Baptist Church, Joseph J. Clutton (sp.) with Harriet A. Clutton (sp.) as witness. By the 23rd of February 1846 James and Jane were selling 25 acres, which was the east half, of the north east corner of lot 9, concession 4, with all houses, outhouses, buildings, etc., to his brother Samuel Jackson Lightfoot for 37 pounds, 10 shillings. In the transaction James and Samuel did not sign their own names. By 1865 the directories list Jefferson Lightfoot as the owner of Lot 9, Concession 4 (Jefferson Lightfoot was The Lightfoot family expanded with many siblings and cousins, as we are talking about Clarence Victor Lightfoot we will follow his line. His father was Levi Wilson Lightfoot son of Samuel Jackson Lightfoot. Levi married Hannah Elizabeth Casey and they had five sons and four daughters. Levi had five brothers and three sisters. This is the family of Vivian's son, John.
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Vivian Eunice Cranstoun, the eldest daughter of Langford was born on December 8, 1919 in Toronto, Ontario and died on August 15, 2010 in Torrance, California. 
