Born: 12 June 1873, Brantford, Brant County, Ontario, Canada Died: 5 September 1922, Calgary, Alberta, Canada Burial: Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Margaret Melissa “Maggie” Crombie was born into the Crombie–Ellis family of southwestern Ontario and lived through the major east‑to‑west migration that carried many Ontario families into the Prairie Provinces in the early 20th century. Her life reflects the Crombie family’s pattern of mobility—Brantford to Kent County, then onward to Alberta—while maintaining strong kinship ties across provinces.
She married Joseph Henry Bishop in 1895 and became the matriarch of a large family whose descendants spread across Ontario and Alberta. Census records consistently show her as a stable household center: daughter in Kent County, then wife and mother in Chatham, Balzac, and Calgary.
Father: Robert James Crombie Sr. (1832–1895) Died 7 May 1895 in Dover Township, Kent County, Ontario.
Mother: Elizabeth Ellis (1849–1920) Died 21 August 1920 in Essex County, Ontario.
Maggie was one of at least seven children, with births spanning multiple Ontario counties—evidence of the family’s frequent relocations.
Arthur Samuel Crombie (1875–1950) — born Dover Twp., Kent County
Elizabeth Jane Crombie (1879–1954) — born Oliphant, Bruce County
Wilhemina “Miny” Crombie (1881–1962) — born Bruce County
Robert James Crombie Jr. (b. 1882) — born Ontario
Eva Crombie (b. 1884) — born Harwich Twp., Kent County
Spouse: Joseph Henry Bishop (1872–1939) Marriage: 10 April 1895, Dover Township, Kent County, Ontario.
This marriage marks the transition point where Maggie’s life shifts from Ontario to the emerging Prairie settlements.
Maggie and Joseph Bishop raised six children, born across Ontario and Alberta—mirroring the family’s migration path.
Beulah Mae Bishop Bootilior (1896–1975) — born Ontario
Nellie Arena Bishop (1898–1982) — born Chatham, Kent County
Clifford Alberta Bishop (1903–1988) — born Calgary, Alberta
Hattie Margueritte Bishop Oldfield (1905–1961) — born Balzac, Rocky View, Alberta
Harold Arthur Bishop (1912–1967) — born Balzac, Rocky View, Alberta
1881: Brock Township, Ontario North
1891: Chatham, Kent County — unmarried daughter
1901: Chatham, Kent County — married, age 27
1911: Calgary, Alberta — wife, age 38
1916: Calgary East (District 25) — married
1921: Beddington Municipal District, Calgary East — married
These records show a clear east‑to‑west migration pattern typical of Ontario families seeking agricultural and economic opportunities in Alberta.
Maggie died on 5 September 1922 in Calgary, Alberta, at age 49. Her burial in Calgary confirms the family’s permanent settlement in Alberta by the early 20th century.
Census, marriage, and death records from 1881–1921, Ontario marriage registers, Alberta death index, and Find A Grave entries support the chronology and relationships above.