[Welland Tribune February 13, 1947]
Gas Line Feb. 13- A pretty wedding was solemnized amid ferns and mixed flowers at St. John’s Lutheran church, Gas Line on Saturday, Feb. 1 when Elsie Gertrude Bodner, daughter of Mr. And Mrs. Carl Bodner, became the bride of Donald Arthur Bessey, son of Mrs. Arthur Bessey and the late Arthur Bessey. Rev. Walter Biesenthal performed the double ring ceremony.
Given in marriage by her father, the bride was charming in white satin with net and sweetheart neckline. She wore a quarter length veil and carried a mixed bouquet of red roses and pink carnations with long white streamers and fern, Her only ornament was a single strand of pearls, the gift of the groom.
Miss Dorothy Bodner, oldest sister of the bride, was maid of honor and she wore a gown of blue satin with sweetheart neckline with matching halo and three-quarter length veil. She carried red roses and light mauve asters and her only ornament was a single strand of pearls the gift of the bride.
The bride’s two younger sisters, Misses Freda and Margaret Bodner, were the bridesmaids. They were dressed alike in pink satin, the same as the maid of honor. They carried bouquets of mixed flowers and wore a halo with shoulder length veil. They wore cameos the gift of the bride.
Bruce Mosolf of Port Colborne was the best man and Harold Olm of Humberstone and William Bodner of Welland, brother of the bride, were ushers.
Following the ceremony a reception was held at the bride’s home, Gas Line for 75 guests. The bride’s table was centred with a three-tier wedding cake decorated with a miniature bride and groom. The bride’s mother received the guests, wearing a flowered silk jersey dress and wore a corsage of pink carnations. The groom’s mother wore a black dress with gold sequins and wore a corsage of pink carnations.
For travelling, the bride chose a grey crepe dress with black lace trimming and hat to match and wore a corsage of roses.
When they return from their honeymoon to the United States, Mr. and Mrs Bessey will reside in Humberstone.
Out-of-town guests were present from Fenwick, Welland, Ridgeville, Crescent Point, Toronto and Port Colborne.
[Welland Tribune February 28, 1947]
John Edwards, 11-month-old son of Mr. And Mrs John W. Edwards, of Port Robinson, died at the Welland County General hospital, and three other persons suffered injuries, as the result of a head-on collision between two cars on the Port Robinson road yesterday afternoon, on the outskirts of the village.
Among the injured were the child’s father, driver of one of the cars, who sustained facial lacerations, fracture of the breastbone and shock; Mrs Edwards, lacerations of both legs and shock; and J.C Wright, of 179 Edgar street, driver of the other car involved in the accident, who sustained a fractured kneecap. Mr. And Mrs. Edwards were taken home after being treated at the hospital. Mr. Wright is a patient at the hospital.
According to provincial police, who investigated, driving conditions were extremely bad at the time of the mishap. There were high snowbanks on both sides of the road, and snow was blowing across the road. It is believed that the two cars approached at its worst and that the drivers did not see each other until it was too late to avert an accident. The child, held in its mother’s arms, is believed to have been thrown forward at the impact, and suffered a fractured skull. He died a short time after being admitted.
Following the investigation, Coroner Dr. Malcolm MacLean stated there would be no inquest.
The funeral will be held from the parents’ home at Port Robinson on Saturday afternoon at 2.30 o;clock. Interment will be in Hillside cemetery, Ridgeville.
[Welland Tribune December 6, 1943]
After a lengthy illness, the death of Hartford Webber occurred Sunday morning at his late residence on Hatter avenue, Electric Park, Thorold township, in his 83rd year. The late Mr. Webber was the oldest member of the congregation of First Baptist church, and helped build the present church on West Main street. For the past 15 years he was caretaker of the reading room of the Church of Christ, Scientist, in Welland. He had lived in Electric Park for the past six years, and before that resided in the city.
He is survived by his wife, Dorothy; and five brothers, Deames of Hamilton; Orlin of Crystal Beach; Elden of St. Catharines; John of Buffalo and Gordon of Pelham.
The funeral will be held from the H.L. Cudney funeral chapel, 241 West Main street, on Tuesday, December 7, at 2.30 p.m. Interment will be in Fonthill cemetery.
[Welland Tribune February 28, 1947]
Captain and Mrs. F.C. Mahaffey 140 West street, celebrated their 69th wedding anniversary yesterday and received the family and friends at their home on West street. Many telegrams and telephone messages congratulating the popular couple were received.
Capt. And Mrs. Mahaffey are both enjoying good health and are both in their 88th year.
Capt. Mahaffey has been a prominent figure in the town throughout the years as Port Colborne has grown from a nondescript village to a prosperous industrial centre, and has acted in various civic capacities, the last of which was assessor some time ago.
Capt. Magaffey is Port Colborne’s oldest living native son and was born in a house at the corner of Adelaide ad King street in 1859.
Mrs. Mahaffey was the former Mary A. Longley, born in West Seneca, N.Y., March 15, 1860, the daughter of Mr.and Mrs James Longley.
Mr. and Mrs Mahaffey were united in marriage in Vermont Baptist church, Buffalo, N.Y. on Feb. 27, 1878 by Rev. G. Colby.
They raised a family of four boys and one girl, Harry, George, Warren, Charles and Gertrude (Mrs. Harry Ellsworth).
[Welland Tribune January 24, 1947]
The death occurred at Douglas Memorial hospital, For Erie, last evening of Ida Rose Case, wife of George Case, 682 King street, Humberstone, in her 65th year. Death followed an illness of two months.
The late Mrs. Case was born at Hartford, Conn., and had resided in Port Colborne and Humberstone since 1914.
Surviving are her husband, George Case, and a son, Harold Case, Fort Erie.
The funeral will be held on Sunday, January 26, at 2 p.m., from the Dell and Merton funeral chapel, 50 Clarence street, Port Colborne, to Morgan’s Point cemetery.
Funerals Mrs. George Case
The funeral of Ida Rose Case, wife of George Case, King Street, Humberstone, whose death occurred at Douglas Memorial Hospital, Fort Erie, on Thursday, in her 65th year was held Sunday afternoon from the Dell and Merton Funeral Chapel, Clarence Street, Port Colborne, to Morgan’s Point Cemetery. Edward Clemens, reader of First Church of Christ Scientist, Welland, conducted the service.
The pallbearers were Livingston Learn, Harry Hill, Arthur MacDonald, Carl Snider, William Haggerty and George Calver.
Relatives and friends were present from Fort Erie, Welland, Fonthill, Ridgeville, Sherkston and Kalamazoo, Mich.
[Welland Tribune January 22, 1947]
The death occurred at her residence Camelot Beach, Wainfleet township, this morning of Elizabeth Rayner, in her 85th year. The late Mrs. Raymer was born at Radcliffe, England, and had resided in Wainfleet township for about 34 years. She was predeceased by her husband in 1931 and by two sons, John W. Rayner and Fred Rayner, who were killed in action in World War 1.
Surviving are three daughters, Mrs. Wilfred Holt, in England; Mrs. Eliza Anthes, Port Colborne; and Mrs. Jerry Olson of Manistee, Mich,; two sons, Thomas, at home and Harry in Niagara Falls; 16 grandchildren and 17 great grandchildren. She was a member of St. James’ Anglican church, Port Colborne. She had been ill only a week.
The funeral will be held from the Dell and Merton funeral home, 50 Clarence street, Port Colborne, where the body is resting, at 2 p.m. on Saturday, January 25, Rev H. G.L. Baugh will conduct the service. Interment will be in Oakwood cemetery.
Mrs. Elizabeth Rayner
The funeral of Elizabeth Rayner, widow of the late John W. Rayner, whose death occurred at her residence, Camelot Beach, Wainfleet Township on Wednesday, in her 85th year, was held Saturday afternoon from the Dell and Merton Funeral Chapel, Clarence Street, Port Colborne, to Oakwood Cemetery, Rev. H.G.L. Baugh conducted the service.
The pallbearers were Dillon Guinther, Sr., Dillon Guinther, Jr., Donald Bessey, Arthur Kramer, Chester Airhart and John Wilgosh.
Among the floral tributes were those of Maple Leaf Milling Co. Ltd., Electric department, Aluminum Co., of America.
Attending the service were friends and relatives from Manistee, Mich., Niagara Falls, Ont.; Niagara Falls and Buffalo, N.Y. and Welland.
[I found this interview in my father’s files and thought it appropriate to share at this time.]
Date of Interview 1990
Mr. Crouch was a dedicated and well-respected lawyer in Welland. He passed in 2010 after working 43 years at the Flett Beccario Law Office.
Sidor Crouch (Born in Russia 14 May 1895-26 June 1980).My father was one of the founders of the Deere Street Hall.
When the Ukrainian immigrants came to Welland, they were fragmented. As in all groups, some were religious some were not…In the case of the Ukrainians, they divided into four parts, as far as I can remember. There were the Greek Orthodox believers…the Greek Catholic believers…there were those who sympathized with Communist regime and the Soviet Union and they ended up with the Ukrainian Labour Temple, together with many others who were basically interested only in the educational and cultural life in the Labour Temple…and then there was another group that didn’t fit into any one of these other categories. They ended up in the Deere Street Hall. My father was one of those.
It was organized about 1920..They were non-believers. They had gone through a period where the Church had not been particularly an attractive influence. It had sided with the feudal aspects in Russia. So they preferred not to be associated with the Church. And also they weren’t comfortable with the sympathizers with the Communist regime. Some were Socialists-social democrats-a very few might have been anarchists-and some were people who weren’t any religious or political philosophy-“Well the Deere Street Hall doesn’t take a strong stand on any of those, let’s go there.”
While you’re in an ethnic group, you want to belong to some group; you want to belong to some group where you can go and dance and see drama. I suspect most of the members were in that last category, without strong religious or political beliefs.
JB: Was your father an anarchist?
PC: I use to be puzzled as a young boy, listening to my father argue. I think my father just liked to ague. My father read a great deal even though he’d had a limited education. He read Peter Kropotkin books a form of anarchy with no violence. My father, when he flirted with anarchism flirted with the non-violent aspect of Peter Kropotkin. I remember we had that book in Russian in our home. It was amazing to me that my father, who was a working man with three years of education, should be reading these philosophical books. My father wasn’t sure what he wanted to be. He finally found his niche when the CCF was founded. I think he thought about anarchism; I don’t think that was a serious part of his life.
Father was born in Ukraine, born in the Eastern Ukraine. 99% or more of the Ukrainians who came to Canada came from the Western Ukraine. That influenced him; made him different from other Ukrainians in Canada. The other ones were Greek Catholics and much more nationalistic. Ones from Eastern Ukraine spoke Russian as well as Ukrainian. Those who came from Western Ukraine were recruited, helped with some financial assistance. My father came from the Tzarist Iron Curtain. My father came as a 17 year old…smuggled himself across the border, in the dead of night, along with several other young men. They came without permission of the Russian government and without financial assistance.
He left Russia because he worked as a lackey for a feudal landowner. And one day, my father was polishing boots for this man-and the man was unhappy with the way my father had polished his boots, and so he threw the boots at my father-told him what a poor job he had done. My father went home to see his father and said he’d had enough. That he understood there was a better country-that was Canada-he knew one person in Welland, Ontario. He asked his grandfather for money and made his way across Europe, country after country, without being able to speak the language. Finally found himself in Hamburg, Germany and took a ship to Montreal. The immigration agent asked him what his name was, he said Krawitz-which means tailor, one of the most common names in the Ukraine. The English immigration agent didn’t know how to write Krawitz, so he put Crouch down. Many immigrants had their names changed.
He had one friend in Welland. He worked and then joined the Canadian army. He served at and was wounded at Vimy Ridge. We were always proud of that. After war, he came back to Welland and helped found the Deere St. Hall.
The hall didn’t really have a specific aim. It’s purpose was not clear And without a purpose, it didn’t continue. Eventually, the members found their way to the three other organizations.
The hall had a band, drama, concerts, masquerade parties. A particularly welcoming place. People could feel at home with each other and enjoy themselves. I was taken to the hall with my parents. There were no babysitters. The immigrants who came wanted their children to retain the Ukrainian language but it was a losing battle. The children would be assimilated.
In my family, it was difficult to retain the language because my mother immigrated when she was eight, father came at 17. Easy for them to switch to English. Mother was of Ukrainian background. She had emigrated in 1913 to the U.S. with her mother. There was a shortage of women in the U.S, and Canada for immigrant men. It was not unusual to invite women over. Mother’s mother-a widow-had been invited over. She went to Pennsylvania. Mother had a Greek Orthodox background. My parents met at a wedding in U.S. and wrote letters but they never dated-he proposed by mail 69 years ago.
Mother came to Welland then which was a great culture shock, plus she had to learn to cook and be a housewife. An older woman helped her out. My mother remembers her kindly.
JB: Did she go to the UK. Halls?
PC: She liked the social part. But soon, they started having children. And there was a lot of work around the house-where she still lives. Mother had too much work to do to go to the hall. The men would go there for meetings.
Eventually the hall was sold and became a church for a very short time. I was amazed when I went back once at how small it actually was. As a child it seemed a sizable hall. I don’t know what’s there now on the north east side of Deere St. It stopped operating by the late 30s’. I think there was a polarization. Some ended up at the two churches, others at the Labor Temple and some went nowhere. In our case, we didn’t go anywhere. We weren’t comfortable in any of the other places. But at times we ended up at all three of the other places, for social events. But we were not members. That accentuated our assimilation.
My father was an atheist. He never wavered. At that time, religious differences seemed very important. Those who were firm believers were not very friendly with those who were atheists. As the years went by, they forgot their differences.
Politics is important to [ post-war immigrants], politics in the sense of nationalism, of an independent Ukraine. That was their most important political belief. There wasn’t an active interest in Canadian politics. They were looking back to Ukraine. Among those who came in 1913, there was a great longing for an independent Ukraine, for a long time.
JB: Where did your father work?
PC: Page Hersey, Inco, Welland Electric Steel Foundry, he was an assistant melter. He became the melter and was the second man in Canada to make stainless steel. And that’s quite an achievement. He worked there the rest of his life. He was also a self-taught electrician.
The other immigrants looked up to my father as a very intelligent person, “book person”-he read newspapers. He became the president of the Crowland Tenants and Ratepayers Association. He organized concerts, after the Deere St. Hall had ceased.
Father believed all nationalities were important, not just Ukrainians. All of his children married non-Ukrainians, which was not typical. None of us married within the Ukrainian community. That was highly unusual.
JB: The RCMP, did they watch your father?
PC: If they did, I really wasn’t aware of it. There were all kinds of rumours at that time, that the RCMP was watching people who weren’t the conventional people but there’s no way I would know.
Asked my mother if she knew of any anarchists-mother said she would be hard put to think of anyone who was an anarchist. They had speakers who would come to the Hall. Who came and spoke on anarchism. Well. I suppose once you‘ve had a speaker-at that time-that was enough to set off the RCMP, the name of the organization would be blackened. I knew many of the people there. I think they belonged to the hall because it was a social place to be. I don’t really think that they ever really read an anarchist book in their lives. I think an anarchist was a very rare people indeed.
There was no military in the Deere St. Hall. They would bring in speakers. There was more an attempt at an intellectual approach to these things. You didn’t find union organizers there. You found that at the Ukrainian Labour Temple. The labour leaders from the Welland area emerged from the Ukrainian Labour Temple, not from the Deere St. Hall. Although the name “labour” appears there [in title of hall]-they weren’t militants.
My views on discrimination. I remember as a child the discrimination, acts of discrimination felt by the Ukrainian community and by all ethnic groups. It was difficult for n ethnic to get a job as a foreman or a supervisor or a teacher. I was very conscious of that. As years have gone by, what I’ve realized,-and I was a little bitter about that at one time-but as years have gone by, I’ve put it in perspective. And it’s this. Whatever country there is, there will be discrimination. It’s a natural course of action. Had the English immigrated to the Ukraine, they would have been as discriminated against as the Ukrainians were when they came to Canada. It’s a natural thing, and in a short period of time-how can I possible complain about discrimination when in a very short period of time, ..I have had this upward mobility in this country. Where else could you go, with a mother and father hardly educated when they came-and there their children prosper and we have prospered? My initial bitterness has changed to an appreciation of the country. Best jobs wen to English speaking. Only the poorest jobs went to the ethnics. We were called Hunkies, but it happens in every country. Now we’re a country where we still have decimation of course, but it’s a country where you can come as an immigrant and still achieve considerable status and prosperity, perhaps much better than any other country. I’ve always been grateful that my mother and father decided to come to Canada. They had a hard time but it’s a wonderful thing for their children that they decided to come to Canada.
Father had a great belief in education, he believed I would go to university, not work in a factory. None of us [siblings] went to work in a factory. And that was unusual in the Canadian/Ukrainian community. Father was an intellectual in a working class environment.
We don’t celebrate Ukrainian holidays. We became assimilated more readily. I can read and write Ukrainian and Russian, to translate letters when they come from the Old Country-I have twenty first cousins there-but we don’t go to the Ukrainian Church, or any other church. Sometimes go to the one near my mother, All People’s Church. My brother is active there. My children can hardly speak a word of Ukrainian.
My father died 10 years ago. He was 85 then. We were very proud of his accomplishments. On his tombstone it says “A good husband, father, grandfather and citizen.” He was extremely well regarded in the community. Initially, it was not so because there were those divisions in the community. But as the years progressed as people decided the political and religious differences were not that important, and as my father became active in the community-concerts and ratepayers association-he achieved quite a status.
[Welland Tribune February 15, 1947]
Ridgeville, Feb. 15-Funeral services were held Wednesday afternoon for the late Georgianna Beaudry Johnson who passed away on Sunday morning at her late home in Pelham Township.
Mrs. Johnson was the daughter of the late Mr. And Mrs. Frank Beaudry, and was born 73 years ago at East Brookfield, Massachusetts. She married Charles N. Johnson in 1904 and has been a resident of Pelham township for the past 34 years.
Deceased is survived by her husband, one daughter (Ruth Claire) Mrs. Lester Drenkhanhn of Buffalo, N.Y., and one son Windle F. Johnson of Washington, D.C. Two brothers and one sister predeceased her several years ago.
Mrs. Johnson was a member of the Church of Christ but as a resident of this community has attended the North Pelham Presbyterian church for many years.
Dr. Albert V. Brown conducted the funeral services at the Drake and Barron Funeral Home in Fonthill. His text was “We Sorrow Not as Those That Have No Home.” Dr. Brown also spoke of the high esteem in which Mrs.Johnson was held by her many relatives and neighbors. Chester Metler sang “Trusting in God”, a favorite hymn of the deceased.
Many beautiful floral tokens including pieces from the William Hengerer Company of Buffalo, N.Y., and the Willing Workers and Sunday School of the North Pelham Presbyterian church denoted the affection of the community for the late Mrs. Johnson.
The following men were pall bearers: D.H. Horton, Arthur Metler,William Johnson, Chester Metler, William Hicks and Claire Johnson.
Interment took place at the North Pelham Cemetery and Dr. Brown read the committal at the graveside.
[Welland Tribune February 14, 1947]
The death occurred early this morning at the home of his son, Joseph Balsowitz, 30 Harriet street, Crowland, of Frank Balsowitz in his 70th year. Deceased was born in Lithuania and came to Canada 36 years ago, and spent 17 years in the employ of the Electro-Metallurgical Company of Canada Limited, until he retired in 1938. His wife, Mary Balsowitz predeceased him some years ago.
He is survived by a son, Joseph residing on Harriet street; two daughters, Miss Stella Balsowitz of Brooklyn, N.Y. and Miss Mary Balsowitz of Rathbury, Mich.
The remains are resting at the J.J. Patterson and Sons funeral residence, 19 Young street, but formal arrangements has not yet been completed.
Frank Balsowitz
The funeral of the late Frank Balsowitz, who died on Friday February 14, at the home of his son, Joseph Balsowitz, 30 Harriet street, in his 70th year , was held this morning from the J.J.Patterson and Sons funeral residence, 19 Young street, to the church of St Peter and St. Paul, where requiem mass was solemnized. Interment was in Holy Cross cemetery. Rev. S. Cassin chanted mass. The pallbearers were Steve Runka, George Repaski, Anton Hungit, Jack Bubam, John Horagich and George Njari.
[Welland Tribune February 13, 1947]
Port Robinson, Feb. 13-Many from the district gathered Friday afternoon at the home of the late Mrs. Edna Best, wife of Reginald Best, whose death occurred on Tuesday, Feb 4, as a last mark of respect for member of the community, who, when she enjoyed good health, was active in Institute work and Red Cross work.
Rev. W.E. Long, pastor of the United church, officiated and brought a comforting message to the bereaved family.
Many floral pieces betokened the esteem in which deceased was held. Included were tributes from the Standard Steel, Owen Sound Order of the Eastern Star, Joseph Stokes Rubber So., Employes of the Stokes Rubber Co., United church L.A. and teachers, pupils and Mr. Shaffer of S.S.4.
The United church choir sang a favorite hymn, “Peace, Perfect Peace.”
Pall bearers were all relatives of deceased: George Youngblutt, Eric Youngblutt, Louis John Irwin, Wilson Jalbert, Percy Best and Howard Best of Fonthill.
Relatives attending from a distance were her father Wilson Griffith of Owen Sound; her sisters (Naida) Mrs Eric George and (Mary) Mrs. Albert Baker of Owen Sound; a brother Leonard Griffith and wife of Owen Sound and their son David of Osgood Hall Toronto; Miss Gladys Best, Fonthill; Mrs. Nettle of Welland; Mr. And Mrs. Gordon Brown of Chippewa and Mrs. Oscar Eade of Niagara Falls, Ont.
Antombment was at Fonthill Mousaleum.
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