WILLIAM NELSON GARDEN

[Welland Telegraph, 3 February 1899]

Only ten days before his death, the writer saw the late W.N. Garden on the street, and remarked to his son how well the old gentleman was looking. A few days later he complained of not feeling well, and from that time out failed fast, death coming to him very gently shortly after midnight Saturday, or rather Sunday morning. His death came as a shock to Welland people, who had not learned how seriously ill he was. The cause of death is given as pleurisy, accompanied by heart failure. The following sketch of Mr. Garden’s life is taken from the History of Welland County.

William Garden Nelson, merchant, was born in the township of Willoughby, county of Welland, on the 20 March, 1821. His father was John Campbell Garden, an officer in the Royal Newfoundland regiment. He died in 1860, aged seventy-seven years. Our subject’s mother was Mary Thompson, a native of Nova Scotia. She died in 1882 at the advanced age of eighty five years. They were both pensioners; the father drawing $400 annually up to the time of his death, his widow receiving half that amount for each year that she survived him. W.N. Garden was liberally educated at a school situated at what is now the city of St. Catharines. He taught school for three years, and afterwards engaged in various employments, getting his first knowledge of his present business while vending teas, &c., from a wagon. Mr. Garden has been a close observer of the world and the changes society has undergone since his boyhood. He describes the roads when one could jump from stump to stump for long distances, the houses when they were supplied with fire-places five or six feet long, the rolling in of the back logs, the baking of bread in the bake kettles of the period, and the cooking of victuals over the fire in vessels suspended in a crane, &c. Mr. Garden was first married on Dec. 4^th 1851 to Melinda, a daughter of Philip S. Mussen of Allanburgh by whom he had three children: William B., Charles A., and Lucy E. His first wife having died, he was again married, March 15^th 1858 to Ann, a daughter of Robert and Sarah (Montgomery) Brown. This union has been blessed with the following: Robert M., Albert Edward and Sarah L.

Mr. Garden served the town at the municipal board, and was also a justice of the peace. He was a member of Merritt Lodge, A.F. & A.M., for the past 30 years, and was also a member of the Orange fraternity. In politics he was a Conservative of the old school, staunch and loyal to the last. He was a strong upholder of the English Church, being a member of Holy Trinity Church, Welland, ever since that church has held service here, and until he grew deaf was one of the most regular attendants. Among the older people of this section he was known and revered as a man whose word was as good as his bond.

The funeral took place on Monday, at 11 a.m., from the house (Division Street) to Holy Trinity church, where the impressive service of the English church was conducted by the Rev. Dr. Johnstone, who in a brief address spoke in eloquent terms of the good man those present were called upon to mourn for. A kind and indulgent father, a loving husband and a man whose whole life had been marked by sterling integrity. His record was one for those present to emulate.

From the church the funeral proceeded to the old English burying ground, where all that was mortal of William Nelson Garden was laid to rest beside the remains of his wife.

The funeral was under Masonic auspices-the brethren conducting their service at the house and grave. The pall bearers were Bros. George Rogers, J. Phelps, J. Ryan, D. McConachie, F. Edgar and W.G. Somerville.

Besides the children mentioned above the only relatives left are Mr. Henry Garden of St. Catharines, a brother, who was present at the funeral, and a sister, Mrs. Carroll, of Newark, N.J.

Died: 29 January 1899
Married: Melinda Mussen-4 December 1851
Ann Montgomery-15 March 1858
Old English Burying Ground
20 March 1821-29 January 1899
Pleurisy
Father: John Campbell Garden
Mother: Mary Thompson