Note that you can look up non-living people WITHOUT LOGGING IN by clicking on "People", and  then on "Last names". To see living people, you have to log in.

The Fortescue family on this site goes back to the Battle of Hastings in 1066, when William the  Conqueror invaded England. One of his knights, Richard LeFort, saved William with his shield,  and was awarded lands in Devon, after adopting the name "Fort Escu" (Meaning "strong shield").  Downings intermarried with Fortescues, and their descendants intermarried with Passmores in  Buckland Brewer and other parts of north Devonshire. In many cases the Fortescue name was kept  alive in middle names in later Downing and Passmore generations.

Peter Passmore (1784-1828) was a Customs officer, who married Maria Downing, a daughter of  Thomas Downing and Joanna Fortescue. The first Passmore to arrive in North America was  Frederick Fortescue Passmore, who became a prominent land surveyor in Toronto, and who brought  over his widowed mother and three sisters from Devonshire. There was a family scandal, hushed  up for decades, involving Frederick's marriage with his wife Isabella.

Among other family connections detailed on the site are McClures, Frasers, Rankins and McGills  from Ireland, and Dewars from Scotland. The Dewars are related to two United Empire Loyalists,  who left New York State to settle in Quebec after the American Revolution. One of our  Passmores, Marian (Passmore) Engel, achieved fame as an iconic Canadian novelist in the 1970s  and 1980s.

There are extensive notes and pictures of many of the individuals on this site. As for most  families, there are interesting people and events. I hope that you enjoy reading the notes and  looking at the photos and portraits.

Nonliving persons' histories are accessible to all visitors to this site without a password.  However living persons' data are accessible only to family members who have been invited.

RECENT UPDATES

Jan. 29, 2014 Updates to Devon Passmores, Downings, Fortescues etc. from Buckland Brewer and                  Parkham parish records. New pictures of Maria Downing Passmore, F.F. Passmore,                Lola Passmore and David Ray Falconer

Mar. 8, 2014  Updates to families of James Johnston McGill and Sarah Jane Graydon, of John                   Henry Hunter and Elizabeth Jane Fraser and of William McGill and Mary McClure.

Aug 17, 2014 Updates to family of Thomas Passmore (1820-1892) and Jane Vanevery (1827-1908).               Thomas emigrated to Canada on same dates as his 3d cousin Frederick Fortescue               Passmore!

Oct 12, 2014 Possible revision to parents of Thomas Downing (17??-1837). Mortgage document              concerning Maria Downing Passmore (1791-1873). Rent records of Richard Pasmore              (1708-1784). Wills of Henry Downing (1783-1846) and Thomas Downing (17??-1837)

Jun 6, 2015  The turbulent marriage and separation of Frederick F. Passmore and Isabella H.               Rankin, from Frederick's "separation papers", found in the Toronto Archives

Oct 20, 2015 Possible father of James Frazer and grandfather of John Fraser (1832-1895)               revealed by autosomal DNA testing.

Oct 23, 2015 Updates to descendants of John McClure (b. 1799) and of John H. McClure (b. 1883)                and Mabel A. Hunter (b. 1886). Will of Mary Mahaffey Rankin (b. ca. 1801).

May 30, 2016  Updates to descendants of George Cunningham and Mary Ellen Rankin

July 10 2016  Updates and photos of burial plots for Frederick and Isabella Rankin Passmore,                   Blanche Passmore, and Marian Passmore Engel. Isabella Rankin's birthplace               established as County Antrim, Ireland.

Sep. 20 2016  Early McClure records added: 1723/1737 lease between Wm. McClure and Sir               Robt. Adair. Later records of other McClure tenants on the Adair estate.               1811 will of John McClure (1740-1818) and of another JohnMcClure in the                same area. Records of a William Rankin and other Rankins in Dunluce Parish,               County Antrim.

Oct. 18 2016  Birthplace of John Fraser (1832-1895) found. Details on his sister Sarah Fraser                Cassidy. Thanks to anne3061 for pointers to this information.

Mar. 7 2017   Updates to Mary McGill and David Wiggins. Updates to James Fraser family.

Jun. 14 2018  Photos added of Frederick F. Passmore and John Fraser families' descendants,               including only known photo of Isabella Rankin Passmore.

May 17 2019   Ancestors of Florence Hattibel Fraser, including William Fraser (1745-1826) who                was a United Empire Loyalist, and his grandson Thomas Fraser, who was a surveyor for the Rideau Canal.

Jan 7 2020     Edit of writeup of Alfred C. Passmore. Obituary of Helen Passmore Crawford added.

May 30 2022  Updated family of George I. Dewar and added photos of their gravestones.

Jun. 8 2023    Updated information about the United Empire Loyalist Lieut. William Fraser (1745-1826)

Feb 20, 2024  Updated information on Marian Ruth Passmore and on John Bell Fraser.