[Welland Telegraph August 13, 1903]
The funeral service of Mrs. Jos. Tobias was held on Monday afternoon at the residence of Mr. Nelson Tobias in the north ward. Mrs. Tobias, who was the daughter of Mr. John Swayze, came here from Buffalo, where she has been living for some time, about a month ago, and has since been ill. On Saturday she took a turn for the worse and died the same evening. She leaves a husband and two small children. After the service. Which was conducted by the Rev. Ira Brown, the body was interred at the Dawdy’s burying ground.
[Welland Telegraph September 17, 1903]
The death occurred on Monday afternoon of Mrs. G.W. Root, mother of Mr. A.L. Root, of this place, Mrs. Root, whose home has been in Geneva, N.Y., came here on her usual summer visit about eight weeks ago. After being here but a short time, she was taken with an attack of pneumonia, from which she had almost recovered, when she suffered a relapse and has since been failing rapidly until the time of her death. Mrs. Root, who was a noble Christian lady and whose influence will long live in the hearts of many friends, was 74 years of age. The funeral service was held here Tuesday morning at 7.45, and was conducted by the Revs. Sneyd and Smith, after which the body was taken to the M.C.R. depot at Welland, and thence to Geneva, N.Y. for burial. The bearers were Messrs, S. Davidson, E. Morris, Geo. Brown, W.H. Rines, D.J. Stone and Fred Kinsman.
[Welland Telegraph October 8, 1903]
Another old Welland county resident passed away on Wednesday, in the person of Christina, relict of the late Henry Miller, of South Pelham. Deceased for some time past has been living with her son-in-law, Mr. W.L. Effrick, in Niagara Falls South. She was in her 79th year. A family of two sons and two daughters, besides many friends, are left to mourn her loss. They are: Adam Miller, of Fort Erie; Samuel Miller, of Niagara Falls South; Mrs. W.L. Efrick, and Mrs James Ray of Niagara Falls South. The funeral will take place from the late residence, Niagara Falls South, at eleven o’clock, Sunday, to the Evangelical church Pelham Centre, where services will be held at two p.m. Interment at Dawdy’s burying ground.
[Welland Telegraph September 10, 1903]
Thomas Willson, of Wainfleet, Meets a tragic death on the banks of the feeder.
Word was received here on Tuesday morning of the death of Thomas Willson of Marshville, one of the former partners of Willson & Reavely, owners of a large tract of marsh land, Mr. Willson was in Welland on Monday evening, and about eleven o’clock left Cooper’s mill for home, with a load of chops. That was the last seen of the unfortunate man alive. On Tuesday morning about nine o’clock his corpse was found beneath the load of feed, which was overturned on the bank of the feeder, about a mile above the lock. Early in the morning a milkman, on his way to town, came across the upturned load, and thinking it was a runaway, he extricated the horses which were still there, badly tangled in the harness, and tied them to the fence, never thinking for a moment that their driver lay dead within a few feet of him. It is supposed that Mr. Willson was asleep at the time of the accident, for in several places the wheel tracks ran very near the edge of a deep ditch which runs parallel with the feeder for some distance on the opposite side of the road. When found the body was in a stooped position, the head being bent down nearly to the knees, and it is supposed that the deceased’s neck was broken in the fall. Messrs. Lawrence & Sutherland, undertakers, were notified; they brought the body to Welland, prepared it for burial, and took it to Mr. Willson’s home on Wednesday morning.
Thomas Willson was one of the best known men in Welland county. In 1882 he and Mr. Reaveley purchased 5000 acres of marsh lands from the county. They put in over fifteen miles of ditching and draining through the land, and a few years ago leased about 4000 acres to the Peat Co., at an annual rental of $1500. Messrs. Willson & Reaveley cleared up about 250 acres of land each, which is now first-class farm property. Deceased was a hard working and enterprising man, and has many warm friends who mourn his demise. He leaves a family of six children all at home. They are; Annie, Joseph, Charlotte, Rachel, Cameron and Cecil. His wife predeceased him. The family have the heartfelt sympathy of all.
The funeral will be held today from the home in Wainfleet to Willson burying ground.
Tenszen Studio
[Evening Tribune, 24 March 1954]
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Ray L. Beattie, manager of Woolworth’s in Welland, has held that position for 21 years. He is well known for service club and community activities. |
By Robert J. Foley
[Welland Tribune, April 1991]
With the British defeat at the battle of the Thames, Sir George Provost ordered the evacuation of all of Upper Canada west of Kingston. Fortunately Major General Vincent, who had resumed command in that theatre of operations, felt a withdrawal to Burlington would suffice.
The Americans were quick to take advantage of the withdrawal from the Peninsula and reoccupied Queenston and Chippawa. Joseph Willcocks and his Canadian Volunteers also wasted no time in exacting a price from the loyalists who had been left behind. Farms were pillaged and buildings burned by those who had once been neighbors and friends. Willcocks arrested prominent loyalists and had them sent to prisons in the States. Among them was 80 year old peter McMicking of Stamford who had been High Constable of Lincoln County, a coroner and a town warden.
Upon hearing of the arrests and raids, Colonel John Murray convinced Vincent that a small force should be moved back into the Peninsula to protect the inhabitants. Subsequently Murray led a force of 378 regulars of the 8th Regiment and some volunteers including Merritt’s Dragons and established a base at Forty Mile Creek (Grimsby).
Captain William Hamilton Merritt cautiously led his troop east away from their base at Forty Mile Creek. Where were the Americans? The Indians had been in contact with their pickets the previous evening, but now they were nowhere to be found.
A signal from an advance scout brought Merritt forward at the gallop and the tail end of the American column was sighted tramping toward Twenty Mile Creek. Merritt sent his dragoons charging down the road scattering the American infantry and fighting a sharp engagement with some American cavalry who quickly withdrew from the scene. Some of the infantry tried to resist but many quickly surrendered and were marched off as prisoners of war.
With the American Army in retreat Murray pushed his force forward to Twenty Mile Creek and then to Twelve Mile Creek (St. Catharines). The Americans, meanwhile, had pulled back to Fort George. The American commander, Brigadier General George McClure, was in a precarious position. The enlistment of many of his troops was expiring and his force began melting away. Willcock’s raids had further alienated the local population and when one of Murray’s outposts soundly defeated a probing force McClure decided to withdraw to Fort Niagara.
December 10th dawned cold and blustery with snow drifting in the lee of the well-kept picket fences. Joseph Willcocks had been beside himself when told of the plans to abandon the Peninsula. He had at least wrung the order to burn the town from McClure on the pretext of denying shelter to the advancing British troops. Willcocks was determined to punish his former neighbors for slights, real and imaginary; he had suffered since going over to the Americans. The Canadians Volunteers and American militiamen went door to door giving the inhabitants one hour to get out what they could. At dusk the destruction began.
Willcocks mounted the steps of the Dickson house, fire brand in hand, followed by two of his men. The younger of the two had explained that the woman was ill in bed and couldn’t get up. Willcocks ordered the two to carry her out and lay her in the snow. He had arrested William Dickson and had him sent off as a prisoner to the United States and was determined to destroy whatever property he could. The tow lads wrapped her in blankets as best they could and put her in a snow drift while Willcocks fired the house and its contents. He walked away leaving Mrs. Dickson in the snow to watch her home burn to the ground.
Weeping women and children looked on as their world was turned into a pile of ashes. Their immediate concern was shelter. There were 400 refugees who would die of exposure if cover could not be found quickly.
Captain Merritt reported to Colonel Murray. The glow in the eastern sky could only mean one thing and with Merritt’s dragoon they rode off to investigate.
The troop approached Fort George from the south and cautiously reconnoitred the area. The Americans were pulling out and the only troops remaining were the rear guard, which consisted of some of the Canadian Volunteers. Merritt signaled the charge routing the enemy, killing two and taking a number of prisoners.
The scene that greeted them in the town was beyond belief. Every building except one was a pile of glowing embers and the streets were littered with furniture that some had been able to save before their homes were torched. People were desperately seeking shelter. Some moved toward the fort and Butler’s Barracks, which had been spared for some inexplicable reason, others began the bone-chilling trek to farms in the neighbourhood.
The dawn brought the misery of the town to full bloom. Many a snow drift yielded up the frozen bodies of women and children who could not find their way in the bitter cold darkness of that December night in 1813.
*General McClure was relieved of his command and dismissed from the army for his part in the burning of Newark.
[Welland Tribune January 12, 1945]
The funeral of the late Mrs. Anna Greene, who died at 301 Beatrice street, Crowland on Thursday, January 4th, was held from the J.J. Patterson and Sons funeral residence, 19 Young street, to St Peter and St Paul’s church where requiem high mass was sung by Rev. S. Cassin. The late Mrs. Greene had been father Cassin’s housekeeper for the past several years. Interment was in Mount Calvery cemetery, Buffalo.
[Welland Telegraph September 17, 1903]
Immediately after buying a ticket at the Michigan Central depot last Friday evening about five o’clock, Mrs. E. McMahon dropped dead. Mrs. McMahon had been visiting her niece, Mrs. Arrowsmith of Stamford for about a month, and was about to return to her home in Boston. She had received her ticket and was walking across the floor towards Mrs. Arrowsmith when she collapsed. Drs McGarry and Walker were immediately summoned but nothing could be done, death came instantly. heart failure being the cause, brought on probably by the excitement of leaving. Mrs. McMahon was 67 years of and had enjoyed the best of health for the last two or three weeks. A son who resides in Detroit was telegraphed for and arrived Saturday afternoon. Undertaker Morse took charge of the body. The remains were afterwards taken to Somerville, a suburb of Boston for interment.
[Welland Tribune October 12, 1943]
Services were held yesterday for the late Ada Diver Born, wife of Thomas O. Born, 107 West Main street, who passed away Saturday at the Welland County General hospital in her 52nd year. The funeral, which was largely attended by relatives and neighbors, was held from the Sutherland-Thorpe funeral home, 152 Hellems avenue to Woodlawn cemetery for interment. Rev. A,J. Thomson, curate of Holy Trinity church, conducted the service and Mrs. H.B. McIntyre officiated at the organ.
The pallbearers were Clarence Ort, Joseph Thomas, Thomas Grant, John Fuller, Tony Mate and J. Brennan.
[Welland Telegraph July 3, 1903]
Elizabeth Walker, widow of the late Samuel Horner, passed away at her late residence, Stratford, Ont., on Saturday night at twelve o’clock. She had been unwell for some time, and this, together with her advanced age, made death not altogether unexpected. Deceased was born in Portadown, County of Armagh, Ireland, in the year 1819. When only twenty years of age, she in company with some relatives, came to this country settling in the United States, spending a year in the Southern States. One year after coming to this country, in 1840, she was married in New York, to the late Samuel Horner, for many years a school teacher in Niagara district, after which they moved to Brockville in Eastern Ontario. In the year 1866 her husband after a short illness passed away. Two years later, she, with her children and relatives went to Stratford, where she has since resided. Her whole life has been one of retirement, always living among flowers and plants. By her own enterprise, she had grown flower gardens and trees, where before was a vast bed of weeds.. Her late residence is now a very pretty one, adorned with ferns and flowers and surrounded with trees, all of which she herself planted and looked after. Her casket was covered with beautiful roses of her own cultivation. She was eighty-three years of age and is survived by five daughters and four sons.
The remains were taken to Brockville for burial, and were accompanied by Mr. and Mrs. Homer, son and daughter of the deceased of Reed City, Mich. Mrs. J.H. Ball of this town is a daughter of the deceased.
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