Deborah Armanella Kerfoot ^{1 2 3 4}

   Another name for Deborah was Armanella Kerfoot.

  Research Notes:

Her name appears in the 1910 U.S. Census as Deborah A. Healey. She usually went by Armanella.
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Transcription of History written in March, 1950, by Miss Florence Healy [her daughter], Ontario, Calif.:
Deborah Armanella Kerfoot, Daughter of Robert G. Kerfoot and Elizaberth Jane Foster Kerfoot, Irish Canadians moved to Drayton, Dakota Territory in April 1881 at the age of sixteen. She was born at Franktown, Ontario, Canada, July 31, 1864. The eldest of a family of seven children. Her brothers and sisters were John Brewster, George Osbon, Luena Alma, Newman Jackson, Myrtle Erma, and Freeman Foster.

On coming to Drayton they first lived in town until a house could be built on their farm six miles south west of Drayton. No neighbors the first year, or school. No time for play as her mother was not well and all the mittens and socks, underwear, overalls, etc. had to be made by hand for a family of nine. No house could be seen in any direction that first year. Large flocks of ducks, geese, and brant flew over in the spring and fall.

Mr. Kerfoot immediately began effords [sic] to have a school organized in the late fall of 1882 school began. Families were moving in fast so there was a fair sized attendance. This school has since then been known as the Kerfoot school, and then the teacher boarded and lived with the Kerfoots, or until they later moved to town.

The school was the social center for the neighborhood, also church and singing school in the winter months. Families attending this school were Fergusons, Allens, Heneys, Dunbars, McLeans.
Armanella Kerfoot was married on Dec. 15, 1886 to Geo. W. Healy who was the founder of Drayton, or one of the group of Twelve. To them was born Three children:
Roy Harvard, June 1, 1888. Died Dec. 15, 1891 in Vancouver, B.C. on his way to California.
Russell Kerfoot, April [5] 1893. He married in June 1923, to Geneiveve [sic] Hodgson. Their Two sons, George Robert, May 31, 1923 who married Dorothy Kopli, they have one son David George, June 3, 1949. John Russell born Jan 14, 1926. married Patricia Rust, Aug 3, 1946
Florence Healy born April 26, 1895

Armanella Kerfoot Healy came by train to St. Vincent, Minn. and by wagon from there to Drayton. Household goods came by boat on the Red River from Fisher's Landing.

Mrs. Healy died in Ontario Cal. Jan 23, 1945, and her husband died Sept. [5] 1948. Both are buried there.

  Birth Notes:

Her daughter Florence gives her birthplace as Franktown, Ontario. Another source has Beck, Ontario. They are in the same county.

  Noted events in her life were:

• Immigrated: from Canada to the United States, 1875.

• Census: U.S, 22 Jun 1900, Drayton, Pembina, North Dakota, United States. ⁵ Household:
George W. Healy, head, W, M, Sept 1857, 42, M, 13, Canada, New York, Canada, imm. 1878, farmer
Armanella Healy, wife, W, F, July 1864, 35, M, 13, Canada-Fr., Canada, Canada, 1876
Russel K. Healy, son, W, M, Apr 1893, 7, S, N Dakota, Canada, Canada
Florence Healy. daughter, W, F, Apr 1895, 5, S, N Dakota, Canada, Canada
Fred Oxby, servant, W, M, Feb 1881, 19, S, Canada, Canada, Canada, 1900, farm laborer
Rachel McElistea, servant, W, F, Jan 1879, 21, S, Canada, Scotland, Scotland, 1882, 18, servant girl

• Census: U.S, 2 Jan 1920, St. Paul, Ramsey, Minnesota, United States. ⁶ 1486 Minnehaha St., St. Paul, Minnesota
Household:
G. W. Healy, head, M, W, 62, M, imm. 1878, Na 1883, Canada Eng, Vermont, Canada Eng, Caretaker, church
Armanella Healy, wife, F, W, 55, M, 1878 Na 1883, Canada Eng, Canada Eng, Canada Eng
Florence Healy, daughter, F, W, 25, S, North Dakota, Canada Eng

• Census: U.S, 1930, Ontario, San Bernardino, California, United States. ⁷

Deborah married George Washington Healy, son of Rev. Almon Healy and Lucy Wood, on 15 Dec 1886 in <Drayton, Pembina, North Dakota, United States>. (George Washington Healy was born on 21 Sep 1857 in Canada, died on 5 Sep 1948 in Ontario, San Bernardino, California, United States and was buried in Bellevue Memorial Park, Ontario, San Bernardino, California, United States ⁸.)