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Rafton, or Raftan, Canning is one of our major enigmas. No one in the family alive today ever remembers hearing his name mentioned. One matriarch, recently passed away, remembers distinctly the opposite. "He must've been a horse thief or something. No one ever said his name once, and I listened for years."
Rafton is listed on the Family Tree Chart as being the progenitor of the American group of us, being father of three boys --- Achilles Botriune, George and Arthur Rafton --- all born in Paris in the mid-1860's. However, there is much ambiguity in the subsequent records: George Canning's death certificate lists his father's name as "George", not as Rafton, Canning. Achille's death certificate lists his father and mother as "Unknown". Now, George was as meticulous a record keeper as anyone who ever lived. Achilles was a notary public, and likewise meticulous.
George collected the best portraits of everyone in his family to make a very fine album (see George's Album). However, he could not obtain a single photograph of his father. To compensate, he used another photo on which he writes, "One of my uncles, and the likeness to my father so remarkable that my mother frequently remarked the photo from which this is a copy (slightly enlarged) might be considered as that of Rafton Canning, my father."
[Signed] Geo. Canning, Cleveland, December 22, 1936"
(See Baltriune's Page to see the photo and inscription.)
But, by the end of his life, George and his two brothers had seemingly "seen the light" about the identity of their father, in one way or another. Not one of them has left the name "Rafton Canning" on his death certificate. George of Canning's death certificate says his father's name was "George Canning." Perhaps a typographical error? Achilles was a notary public, an accountant, and a meticulous record keeper. His death certificate says, "Unknown," for both his father's and his mother's name. Is this statement the most accurate of the three brothers'? Arthur, after coming to Canada, at some point changed his last name from Canning to "Rafton-Canning." His death certificate, filled out by a stepson we know nothing about and whose signature is (so far) illegible, says his father's name was "Davidson," being understandable because his mother Mary O'Connor remarried a man named Davidson after Rafton Canning's death.
Now, most of us are ready for anything. Give us the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. Was he really that bad? Why didn't anyone speak his name? Many explanations might suffice. English Cannings in France during Napoleon's time, might appear to be on the very wrong side of English law. Or, once his wife Mary Anne O'Connor was widowed by Rafton's early death in 1866, and remarried, perhaps a decision was made not to "look back". Perhaps his name was not Rafton, but George, as is stated on the death certificate of George Canning of Cleveland (father's name, George Canning).
Here are some known facts: Raftan, or Rafton, Canning of London, born circa 1832, died Apr. 3, 1866 at 48 Spencer Street, Clerkenwell, of "Phithisis [sic], Certified"; "Beer and Spirit Merchant" listed on death registry; presumably the same Rafton Canning, owner of "an ale and stout depot in London" who responded to a news article, Nov. 1865, seeking the unknown relatives of George P. Canning of the Confederate Steam Ship Shenandoah, fastest ship in the world at the time.
At the time of the birth of his first child, son Achilles Botriune in 1862, Rafton was living at #4, Rue de Villejust (now Rue Paul Valery). This street was shortly thereafter, if not just then, home to Manet's circle of French Impressionists, plus the famous Collette. It is only a mile or two from the Ecole Militaire Saint Germaine. "Saint Germaine" was the only utterance made by "George P. Canning", as to his family's whereabouts in Paris.
The Saint Germaine Ecole Militaire at Napoleon I's time was perhaps the largest military training operation in the world. Napoleon's army was spread out not only around Europe, but all over the world. After this universe-shattering era, which went through horse-flesh as if it were hamburger, and after the era of royal Restoration that followed, and past that into the era of the Second Empire of Napoleon III, and a mile away from the Ecole Militaire, Rafton Canning was living when his new son Achilles Botriune, appeared in the world.
Achilles, in Ireland, means Eagle. Napoleon chose the Eagle as his universal battle standard. It sat atop the "Tricolor", France's time-honored flag. Achilles Botriune --- "Eagle" on "Tricolor". Did Rafton name his first son in honor of these famed golden Eagles of Napoleon? Just a thought.
"Raftan" was the name of a stallion that was a central link in the creation of the ultra-fine Crabbet line of Arabian horses.
There are very few surnamed Rafton's in the world. In the 1800's most all of them were in Paris and York (England). The ones in Paris are almost all in the Yvelines district, in St. Arnoult. Almost all of these Raftons, since the 1600's, have been a hereditary succession of tonneliers, i.e., wine makers. Also in the Yvelines district (where Versailles is located) is the Maison Lafitte, reknowned not just for its epitomal wine, but more for its fine horses.
Rafton Canning died in 1866 in the presence of his brother-in-law, John O'Connor, who was a "Theatrical Equestrian Agent." John directed the annual "Arcadia" show in London, the scale of which boggles the imagination. Rafton's only sister, Louise, raised and educated in the Court of Napoleon III, married Louis Pierrot, Postmaster of Luzarches. Readings inform us that the Postmaster at that time controlled a huge amount of horse-flesh. Not just for postal riders, but also the Maire de Poste was required to provide horses for anyone requesting them (upon presentation of their passport). In exchange, he received levies/taxes from all riders upon postal roads. Luzarches is where Rafton's three sons were partly or wholly raised, in Louise Pierrot's home. Also in the home were the two sons of Boatrine Canning, Rafton's brother (this Boatrine, Botrine, Beautrine, Boutrenne was indeed one and the same with "George P. Canning" above) --- Paul Rafton Canning and Alfred Canning. Paul Rafton was 17 when he left Louise's home. He got a job where he loved to be, at the Chantilly racing stables nearby to Luzarches. Rafton's son Achilles and his sons and daughters in Cleveland, remembered the biggest holiday the family regularly celebrated, reconvening from all over the USA, was not Christmas, it was --- Kentucky Derby Days! It was a time of huge celebration in Achilles' home, year after year.
Clearly, the family was more than casually interested in fine horses. Reading behind the lines of our family history, one senses a powerful responsibility toward the government of Napoleon III's France.
The documents we have with the name "Rafton," in order of appearance
I) September 18, 1860. The earliest record of the name Rafton in our family is the birth of young Rafton Boutrenne Canning in Arcis-sur-Aube, 1860. Rafton Boutrenne was the second son of Baltriune and Margaret Phillipis [sic] Hook Canning. The record we have is from the French original record located at the Aube provincial headquarters, and was found only a couple years ago by an adventurous cousin of a descendant of Marinus Francis Alfred Canning in Australia. Aube is 80 miles or so east of Paris. It seems certain that Baltriune never intended this birth to be registered with the British Consulate in Paris.
On this record (which was written by a French person in Aube, not by Baltriune) Baltriune is using the name "Georges Boutrenne Canning." Thus his name corresponds almost perfectly with "George P. Canning," the name he used on the CSS Shenandoah four or five years later. Perhaps the middle initial "P" is actually a Civil War historian's misread of "B."
Rafton Boutrenne was born in the residence of the shire officer of Aube departement. Margrette is 27, "no profession." Baltriune is 26, also "no profession." In those days, "no profession" meant either that one was independently wealthy, or made money off of investments, i.e., was a merchant. It says that both parents were living at Arcis. The witnesses to the presentation of the baby "for inspection" are Louis Victor Nety, 62, employee, and Charles Firmin Keverlet, 41, police officer.
Many whom I have spoken with feel that this in no way indicates that Baltriune and Margaret were in trouble. To me it seems that someone may actually have been in custody! And perhaps the Aube records can enlighten us as to how Baltriune came to have a gunshot wound in his right lung, a wound that occurred sometime in the early 1860's.
II) January 11, 1862. A little over a year later, we find the marriage record of "Raftan" [sic] Canning and Mary O'Connor. This is the man who supposedly is the ancestor of all of us North American descendants. When making out this marriage record, Raftan wrote that his father was "Alfred Canning" and that Alfred's profession was "Civil Engineer." This matches, letter for letter, capital for capital, the name and profession of Baltriune Canning's father as stated on Baltriune's birth record. Raftan makes no mention of the fact that his father has been dead for 11 years by this time.
At the time of their marriage, Raftan and Mary Anne were living at the same address, "4 rue de Villejuste, Avenue de l'Imperatrice" in Paris. This was very close to Baltriune's residence at the time of Baltriune's first son's birth, which was on the "Boulevard de l'Etoile, Ternes." Raftan was 29 (making him born in 1834 approximately), and a "Commercial Agent." Mary was 26, and a Teacher. Her father was Denis [sic] O'Connor, Clerk. The marriage was performed at the British Consul's Office, according to the "Rites and Ceremonies of Act 12 & 13 Vict Cap 68 by without License..." which was an obscure act of English Parliament which we have not yet been able to have an explanation of, nor see the text of. Since Mary Anne was somehow attached to the Court of Napoleon III, there may have been need of special Parliamentary dispensation for her marriage (what do I know?).
III) December 26, 1862. Next, the name Raftan, with an A again, is used on the birth registration of Raftan and Mary Anne's first child, son Achilles Botriune, born August 9, 1862. The informant who filled out the birth record was the father, "Raftan Canning"; the birth was recorded the day after Christmas, Dec. 26, 1862, again at the British Consul's office.
IV) November 7, 1866. Louisa Butler, living at 117 Faubourg St. Honore, Paris, very close to where Baltriune had lived in 1858, becomes the informant on the birth registration of Arthur Canning, who was ostensibly born a year and a half prior to the date that his birth was registered at the British Consul's office. By this time, the name is now spelled 'Rafton' again. Louisa apparently made a mistake when filling out the column "Rank or profession of father" which followed the name of the mother, Mary O'Connor, so Louisa put Mary's father's profession, which was Clerk. Thus we do not get information on Rafton's profession at that time.
The Butler name is prominent in our family, as it was the name of the father of Annie Angel-Butler Canning, wife of George Canning who was purportedly (we have no birth record) the middle son of Rafton Canning. Annie "could make a man's suit from scratch, without a pattern," my grandfather often told me as I was learning to sew. Louisa Butler's profession was "Dressmaker." It seems to me she must have been closely related to Annie, my great grandmother.
One speculation would be that Louisa was a sister or cousin of John Butler of Montreal, Canada, Annie's father. John Butler's family, rumor has it, were big silk merchants from Ireland. With Mary Anne's attachment to the Court of Napoleon III, I would imagine the informant on her son's birth record may have made clothes for the French nobility, if not for the Emperor and Empress themselves. Perhaps Annie learned from her. Conversely, there are many Butlers in the world; Louisa may have only been only a close friend of Mary Anne's.
After 1866, the name is apparently hushed up. In 1877, in a letter to Mary Anne in Toronto, Canada, Aunt Louise Canning, writing from Luzarches, France, refers to young Rafton Boutrenne, nephew of our mysterious Rafton, as "Paul." Louise, Rafton and Baltriune's only sister, has raised Baltriune's and Rafton's boys, all five of them. When she writes Mary Anne, her husband has recently died. Also, she has just evicted 17-year-old Rafton Boutrenne from her house, for hanging out to the wee hours of the morning with his friends. Louise lambasts Boutrenne's two boys (Alfred, though a good worker in an accounting office, has epilepsy, therefore can't hold a job, which Louise finds damnable), while she praises Mary Anne's three boys to the skies.
Louise and Mary Anne were apparently adopted and raised together in the Court of France, becoming closest of sisterly friends. Based on this friendship, perhaps, Mary Anne comes to marry Raftan Canning.
And that is how the name Rafton appears in documents. See The Rafton Mystery for a discussion about the possible false identity of Rafton Canning, and an hypothesis about why his name was anathema to the family.
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Louis L'Amour's Raf Mystery
Existing Records
Achilles Botriune Canning (1862 Paris-1937 Cleveland): (Raftan's 1st son)
(1) Consular birth registration.
Document Number: 102
When & where born: 09 August 1862 at Paris
Name: Achilles Botriune
Sex: Boy
Name of father: Raftan CANNING
Maiden name of mother: Mary Ann O'Connor
Father's profession: Commercial Agent
Informant & his residence: Raftan Canning, father [of] 4 Rue de Villejust, Paris
When registered: 26 December 1862
Consular Officer performing registration: T Pickford HBM Consul, Paris;
Consular district of birth: Paris
(2) Certificate of Death from the State of Ohio, Div. of Vital Statistics, obtained from the Cleveland Historical Society. In this, his name is spelled Achille Botrium Canning, but this is explained by the fact that the convalescent hospital filled out that part of the certificate, and "botrium" is a microbial term, thus the confusion. The family always spelled it Botrine, and Achille himself was a Notary, so we take Botrine to be the correct spelling as he intended it. Date of birth: blank. Age, "About 75 years." Birthplace: "Paris, France". Father: "Unknown". Mother: "Unknown". Wife: Anna. Trade or Profession: Collector. Date of death, July 30, 1937. Place of death, Cleveland, Ohio. Address at time of death: 925 Roanoke Rd., Cleveland Hgts. Informant: Henry Canning, Son (same address). Cemetery: Calvary Cemetery. Funeral Director: R. S. Mcllurch (McColloch?), The Millard (Milland?) Co. lic. # 1237. Body was embalmed.
Alfred (D.?) Canning (c. 1797 where? -1851 Rotherhithe, London) Proposed father of the Mystery Generation (Rafton, Marinus, Baltriune, Louise, Arthur who "went to Spain"), husband of Anne Powell Canning;
(1) death registration Rotherhithe 1851, "Found dead in bed" written right on it, and coroner's inquest held, age "about 54," Occupation "Engineer," died of "Natural Decay", living at 5 Surrey Place, Lower Queen Street, Rotherhithe, London;
(2) marriage of his son Raftan Canning to Mary Anne O'Connor in Paris, January 1862, lists Alfred as "Civil Engineer";
(3) birth of his son Baltriune in 1837 lists Alfred as "Civil Engineer";
(4) Marriage Alfred D. Canning and Anne Powell on June 2, 1817, Saint Martin, Worcester, Worcs. (not conclusively ours; no parents' names, places of birth; but date of marriage corresponds well to our records)
Alfred Canning (1858 Paris - France?): Eldest son of Baltriune Canning. Consular Birth Registration, Paris; Info reads Alfred, boy, born Nov. 16, 1858, Father Botrinne Canning, Gentleman, Mother Margaret Hook, Informant's signature "B. Canning", residence L. Boulevart de l'Etoile Fernes [=Ternes], registered Dec. 23, 1858
Arthur Rafton-Canning (1865 Paris -1915 Vancouver): (Rafton's third son) --
(1) Birth Registration from British Consulate at Paris; Name, Arthur Canning; Date of birth, May 7, 1865; Father, Rafton Canning; Mother, Mary O'Connor; Profession of mother's father, Clerk; Informant, Louisa Butler, Dressmaker [Note: possibly related to our Angel-Butlers of Guernsey], 117 Faubourg St. Honore, Paris; When registered, Nov. 7, 1866 [Note: months after Rafton's death].
(2) Death registration from the Archives at Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, Died Dec. 15, 1915 at Age 86, at Vancouver
Baltriune Canning (1837 Rotherhithe, London -1865 died at sea): Rafton's brother (see "George P. Canning" following).
(1) Birth certificate in Rotherhithe, London, born July 15, 1837, in a "Cottage on the Rector's Island" (=Seven Islands, now Southwark Park), father Alfred Canning, Civil Engineer, mother Anne Canning formerly Powell, residence of informant (father) "Cottage on the Island", registered August 25, 1837;
(2) birth certif of his first son, Alfred Canning 1858 Paris (qv), listing him as "Gentleman";
(3) birth certif of his second son, Rafton Boutrenne, 1860 Arcis-sur-Aube, Champagne, France, "no profession"; both boys' mother is Margaret Hook (Hucks).
Eugene Hilary Davidson (1839 Calcutta - 1918 Toronto?) Marriage certificate to Mary Anne O'Connor Canning, July 9, 1869, Kensington, married in the Register Office, both then living at 48 Ledbury Road, Bayswater, London, his father Charles James Collie Davidson, Colonel in the Indian Army; her father Dennis O'Connor, Clerk.
George Canning (c. 1864 where? -1938 Ft. Worth, buried Cleveland): (no birth record; supposedly Rafton's 2nd son) ~~~ death certificate from Ft. Worth, Texas, (certified copy) d.o.d. March 31, 1938, d.o.b. August 27, 1863, saying his father's name was George Canning, mother's name Mary Ann O'Conner, and that he, (George) was born in France. We have found no birth registration for George, in the British Consul's records.
George P. Canning (1837-1865): (Rafton's brother Baltriune Canning, which fact is established by an officer's journal from the CSS Shenandoah, wherein it is described how Rafton Canning, owner of an "ale and stout depot in London," responds to newspaper ad seeking George's relatives in Nov., 1865) ~~~ evidence consists of historical military documentation from the journals of the officers of the CSS Shenandoah (photocopy of stamped official photocopy), the warship which destroyed the US whaling fleet in the Bering Sea, 1865, with George P. in charge of the Marine group and the guns ~~~ the crew learned he had a wife in Paris (but he would tell no one of her name or whereabouts), a brother in Australia, and that his friends were in "St. Germain"; he was accompanied on board by an older Negro servant named Edward Weeks/ Wickes to whom he was very close and for whom he insisted on equal pay; he said he was wounded at Shiloh, as an Aide de Camp for General Polk (but no record exists of him there); he died on board ship Oct. 30, 1865, of phthisis, and was buried at sea with a Roman Catholic ceremony.
Marinus Francis Alfred Canning (c. 1828 where? -1911 Perth): (proposedly was Rafton's brother) -- (1) Death certificate from Perth, Western Australia (certified copy): Date of Death, Nov. 13, 1911, at 83 years of age; Father's name, Francis Canning (deceased); Mother, Ann Powell; Born in Paris, France; Buried, Anglican Cemetery at Kerakatta (?) on Nov. 15, 1911; followed by a listing of his issue [children] in order of birth w/ ages: Ada 5(4?), Letitia 52, Arthur 50, Edmond 45, Eleanor 44, Blanche 42, Algernon 40, George 38, 1 male 4 females (deceased).
(2) Much biographical information from the Battye Library in Perth, Western Australia, where he was Member of Parliament, including records of voyages, stating (possibly from a passport) that he was born in England, and
(3) Obituary [the West Australian, Nov 14, 1911] stating "Mr. Canning was a son of Mr. Francis Canning, a member of an old English county family, the Cannings of Foxcote, Warwickshire, famous in English history. He himself was educated at l'Ecole Charlemagne, Paris, and privately in England. He had always been a politcal student, was a classical scholar..." and
(4) Biographical Register of MP's of WA: "Canning, Marinus Frederick [sic] Alfred: Educ. priv. in Engl. and at Ecole Charlemagne, Paris. arr. Q 1855; storekeeper in 1856; bank mngr early 1870s to Tahiti; 1875 joined Bank of NSW; 1877 to Noumea office and later possibly to Tas.; 21 Feb 1883 arr. in WA to found Perth br. of bank; 1884 left bank and founded WA Mortgage & Agency Co., 1888-95 mngr; sec. AMP 1886, Comm. agent 1887-89. founded WA Stannaries; 1893 JP: 1891-1911 member Perth Public Library Cttee."
Mary Ann O'Connor Canning Davidson (1832 Rathkeale -1925):(Rafton's wife) ~~~ (1) unreferenced newspaper obituary clipping (photocopy) titled "One in the Court of Napoleon III Dies," describing her sons (steel brokers in Cleveland), her adoption at age 16 into the court of Napoleon III by a French duchess, "many years of colorful court life", and her escape from France at the fall of the Court of the Second Empire, "...as a friends drove her to the coast from which location she made it safely to England" (2) death certificate, 92 years old, died March 2, 1925 in Cleveland, Ohio, was widow, wife of Eugene H. Davidson, born in Rathkeale, Ireland, father Jeremiah O'Connor (b. Ireland), maiden name of mother Unknown (b. Ireland), informant George Canning of 16861 Homer Ave. East, Cleveland, died of broncho pneumonia.
Rafton Canning (c. 1832 where? -1866 Clerkenwell, London): (1) Death registry from London, Apr. 3, 1866 (certified copy) age "about 34"; address at time of death at 48 Spencer Street, Clerkenwell (which is a baker's establishment - home? shop?) on a street containing several jewellers and goldsmiths; Occupation "Beer and spirit merchant"; person in attendance -- his brother-in-law John O'Connor of "14 Denmark Terrace, Islington"; cause of death -- "Phithisis, Certified [sic]". (2) Consular birth registry of his son Achilles Botriune in 1862 (see below), which lists father "Raftan" (not "-ton") Canning, residing at 4, rue de Villejust, Paris, Profession -- "Commercial Agent." (3) Consular birth registry of his third son, Arthur, in Paris, 1865, (4) Marriage record to Mary Ann O'Connor, January 1862, Paris -- spelled Raftan in this record, (5) reference to a letter received from a Rafton Canning, "owner of an ale and stout depot in London," by the officers of the CSS Shenandoah, when they advertised seeking George P. Canning's family; See the
Rafton Mystery
Rafton Boutrenne ("Paul") Canning (1860 Arcis-sur-Aube - France?): Son of Georges Boutrenne Canning and Margaret Hook
mentioned in letter (original, ink on thin paper, 8 pages) dated Aug. 3, 1877, from Louise Canning Pierrot to "sister" Mary Ann (O'Conner Canning). As Louise thinks she is dying ("I cough blood"), and Mary Ann has left for America, mention is made of every male child, of the generation following that of Rafton and Marinus, whom Louise has cared for. No mention of the father of Paul and Alfred is made. However, Paul is described as one who must have been a teenager "feeling his oats" and gets kicked out by Louise, preferring to lodge at the Chantilly stables where his heart lies. And Alfred is mentioned with him, as of good character, but hindered by his epilepsy, which is described as being serious. These two are contrasted by Louise with the "good" boys, sons of Mary Ann; Have 3 documents: (1) French birth record, 1860, Arcis-sur-Aube, parents Georges Boutrenne Canning 26, no profession, and Margrette Phillipis [sic] Hook, 27, no profession, born in the residence of the shire officer; (2) Letter, 1877, from Aunt Louise Canning Pierrot to Mary Anne O'Connor Canning, delineating "Paul's" behavior and mentioning all the boys she is raising (see above); and (3) 1881 census in England, Rafton Canning age 20, working in Sussex as a servant ("Boots") at a hotel in East Grinstead, Sussex, born in "Arrusn Aube" (Arcis-sur-Aube), France
For fuller details, see the Biographies
To see scans of the complete set of all documents found to date Click Here. WARNING: Very large file!
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