Eaton family (Toronto)
The Eaton family is a prominent family in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Members of this family were the owners of Eaton's, a national chain of department stores that was founded in 1869 and became bankrupt in 1999. At the family's height, their net worth was around $2 billion. After the store's demise, "The Boys"—John, Fred, Thor and George—were collectively worth around $450 million.
The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation and author Rod McQueen have dubbed them as "Canada's royal family",[1] with the CBC describing the Eatons as "homegrown aristocracy", which drew comparisons to the influential Kennedy family.[2] The Eatons were well-known for their lavish lifestyle and generous philanthropy. Today, they and their wives and children continue to hold prominent positions in Toronto's society circles.
Significant family members
- John Eaton (1784–1834), m. Margaret Craig (1796–1848)
- Robert Eaton (1816-1893)
- Eliza Jane Eaton (1819-1861)
- Mary Anne Eaton (1821-1841)
- Margaret Eaton (1824-1900)
- John Eaton (1827–1895), m. Margaret Herbison (1833–1907)
- William Herbison Eaton (1873-)
- (3) Robert Young Eaton (1875–1956),[3] m. Hazel Ireland (1889–1965)
- Margaret Craig Eaton (1912-1988),[4][5] m. John Hubert Dunn (1897-)
- John Wallace Eaton (1912–1990)[6] (twin brother of Margaret), m. Phyllis Finlayson (1915-1997)
- Edith Elisabeth Nora Eaton (1913-2010),[7] m. Paul Robert van der Stricht (1908-2004)[8]
- Erskine Robert Eaton (1915–1942) (died in Dieppe Raid)
- Alan Young Eaton (1916-2000), m. Diana Fishleigh
- Nancy Eaton (1829-)
- Sarah Eaton (1831-)
- James Eaton (1832-1904)
- (1) Timothy Eaton (1834–1907),[9] m. Margaret Wilson Beattie (1841–1933)
- Josephine Smyth Eaton (1865–1943), m. Thomas David Meldrum Burnside (1835–1900)
- Iris Margaret Burnside (1894–1915) (died on the RMS Lusitania)
- Allan Eaton Meldrum Burnside (1898-1937)
- Margaret Elizabeth Beattie Eaton (1867-1952), m. Charles Eldridge Burden (1863-)
- Margaret Beattie Eaton Burden (1898-), m. Billy Bishop (1894–1956)
- Henry John Burden (1894–1960)
- Edward Young Eaton (1871–1900), m. Tillie Robinson (1869-1895)
- Marjorie Tillie Eaton (1892-1952), m. Harold Simcoe Coulson (1884-1936)
- Alice Eaton (1894-), m. Edward Browse
- Edward Eaton, m. Nancy Leigh Gossage (1926-2007)[10]
- Nancy Alice Edward Eaton (1961-1985) (murdered)
- Edward Eaton, m. Nancy Leigh Gossage (1926-2007)[10]
- William Fletcher Eaton (1875–1935),[11] m. Gertrude Nora Cook (1877-)
- Josephine Norah Eaton (1900-), m. George Edward Leishman (1897-)
- Noel Beattie Eaton (1910–1996), m. Julia Isabell Fleming (1912-1989)
- (2) Sir John Craig Eaton (1876–1922),[12] m. Flora McCrea (1880–1970) (formally known as Lady Eaton)
- Timothy Craig Eaton (1903–1986)
- (4) John David Eaton (1909–1973),[13] m. Signy Hildur Stefansson (1913–1992)
- John Craig Eaton (1937-) m. Sally Horsfall
- John David Eaton (1961-)
- Signy Eaton (1962-)
- Henry Eaton (1965-)
- (5) Fredrik Stefan Eaton (1938-)[14]
- Fredrik D'Arcy Eaton
- Flora Catherine Eaton Coakley
- Thor Edgar Eaton (1942-2017),[15][16] m. Nicole Courtois (1945-)
- Thor Eaton
- Cleophée Eaton
- (6) George Ross Eaton (1945-)[15][17]
- John Craig Eaton (1937-) m. Sally Horsfall
- Edgar Allison Eaton (1912-1988), m. Mildred Jarvis Page (1915–1968)
- Gilbert McCrea Eaton (1915-1985) m. Marjorie Ann Maston (1913-1988)
- Florence Mary Eaton (1919–2012),[18][19] m. Frank Flavelle McEachren (1918-1995)
- Evlyn Beatrice Eaton (1919?–1989) (adopted), m. Russell Payton (1915–1976)
- Josephine Smyth Eaton (1865–1943), m. Thomas David Meldrum Burnside (1835–1900)
- Notes
- Not exhaustive - listing is generally restricted to siblings of Timothy Eaton, his children, spouses, and significant descendants.
- (#) - order of succession as the head of Eaton's.
References
- Rod McQueen (1998). The Eatons: The rise and fall of Canada's royal family. Toronto: Stoddart. pp. 320. ISBN 0-7737-3120-2.
- "Eaton's: Canadian royalty". CBC Digital Archives.
- President of Eaton's, 1922–1942
- (Director-General, Canadian Women's Army Corps, 1944–1945) Barbara Dundas and Dr. Serge Durflinger. "The Canadian Women's Army Corps, 1941-1946". Canadian War Museum. Retrieved 11 February 2013.
- Henry B. M. Best (2003). Margaret and Charley: The Personal Story of Dr. Charles Best, the Co-Discoverer of Insulin. Toronto: Dundurn Press. p. 260. ISBN 1-55002-399-3.
- worked at Eaton's; managed Montreal store
- "van der Stricht, Edith Elisabeth Nora Eaton". The Globe and Mail. 7 August 2010. Retrieved 11 February 2013.
- "Paul Robert van der Stricht". The New York Times. 14 August 2004. Retrieved 13 February 2013.
- President of Eaton's, 1870–1907
- "EATON, Nancy Leigh (Snubby) (nee Gossage)". The Globe and Mail. 27 August 2007. Retrieved 14 February 2013.
- worked at Eaton's; managed textile manufacturing plant (Oshawa 1903–1916)
- President of Eaton's, 1907–1922
- President of Eaton's, 1942–1973
- President of Eaton's, 1977–1988; High Commissioner of Canada to the United Kingdom, 1988–1994
- promoter of the Festival Express in 1970, as depicted in the 2003 film.
- Langan, Fred (April 20, 2017). "Eaton's department store heir Thor Eaton loved horses and rock music". The Globe and Mail.
- President of Eaton's, 1988–1997
- "McEACHREN, Florence Mary (nee Eaton)". The Globe and Mail. 26 April 2012. Retrieved 13 February 2013.
- Rod McQueen (27 April 2012). "Florence Mary Eaton McEachren 1919-2012". Retrieved 11 February 2013.
Further reading
- Joy L. Santink (1994). "Eaton, Timothy". In Cook, Ramsay; Hamelin, Jean (eds.). Dictionary of Canadian Biography. XIII (1901–1910) (online ed.). University of Toronto Press.
- Joy L. Santink (2005). "Eaton, Sir John Craig". In Cook, Ramsay; Bélanger, Réal (eds.). Dictionary of Canadian Biography. XV (1921–1930) (online ed.). University of Toronto Press.