[Welland Tribune, 23 April 1897}
Died, in Crowland township, on Tuesday, April 13th, 1897, of lagrippe and peritonitis, Elizabeth, daughter of John and Annie (Wier) Gemmill and relict of the late Robert Robertson, aged 80 years and 2 months. The deceased was born at Cumnock, Ayrshire, near Glasgow, Scotland, on February 14, 1817. The parents and family came to Canada and settled in New Lanark, Ont., during the year 1821, excepting the eldest brother, Andrew, who remained at home and practiced law very successfully in Glasgow for a number of years, reaching a ripe old age. During the year 1842 he came to Canada, when a family reunion was held at Lanark, there being present of the family: The parents, three brothers, six sisters and forty-three grandchildren, our subject being the last one of a family of nine children, all of whom attained their majority.
Having married in 1837, their union was blessed with a family of 13 children, all of whom became of age and married, except two who died in infancy. They removed to this county in November, 1870, settling upon the farm on which she died. Three sons and five daughters still survive: Robert of Lanark, Ont.; Mrs. David Young, Bayonne, N.J.; Mrs. Alex. S. McGregor, London, Ont.; Andrew B., Mrs. M.B. Misener and Mrs. W.D. Misener of Crowland township; Wm. And Mrs. George Stark, Port Robinson, Ont. Also 29 grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren.
The funeral took place on the Thursday following, being largely attended. Burial beside her husband at Doan’s ridge cemetery. The TRIBUNE joins in heartfelt sympathy of the whole community, in which the deceased will long be remembered for her Christian example as exemplified in such a peaceful and quiet ending of useful and upright life. She had loved her allotted time and was only awaiting the call to him in whom she had always trusted. The pallbearers were: Alex Reid, Courtland Carl, Harmon H. Kottmeier, Jas. W. Vanalstine, Jno. W. Hagar and Wm. Everingham. Rev. Mr. Grey of Merritton conducting the service.
[Welland Tribune, 23 April 1897]
Matthew Overholt, the subject of this sketch, was born at Fonthill, April 11, 1813, on the farm now owned and occupied by his son Dexter. His ancestry were of German extraction, having emerged from Germany to the United States when that country was still a dependency of the British crown; his grandfather, Abram, a U.E. Loyalist, coming direct to the future location of Fonthill from Pennsylvania, during the struggle for independence of the thirteen original States. He received from the crown a homestead of 700 acres. Most of this land is still in the possession of his descendants. Some has passed into other hands. The deceased, however, by hard work and strict economy managed not only to retain his inheritance but to buy out a number of his co-heirs. Suitable buildings have been erected from time to time, and the property otherwise so improved as to place it today among the finest and most valuable in this vicinity.
Mr. Overholt was twice married. On May 13th, 1834 to Miss Elizabeth Winger of Stevensville. After sharing each other’s joys and sorrows during six years of an industrious and prosperous married life, the angel of death entered the home and bore away to her reward the dearest earthly treasure of the sorrowing husband and grief stricken children. The two daughters resulting from this union-one afterwards married to W. Bradley, teacher, the other to Chas. Sisler, farmer, Gainsboro-have long since followed their mother to the eternal home of the righteous.
After a period of nearly two years, Mr. Overholt was again untied in wedlock-this time to Miss Hannah Fulsom of Caister, on the 15th of May, 1842. For early rising, hard work, thrift and economy, Mrs. Overholt has not been surpassed by her husband. To her good management and unflinching perseverance may much of his success in life be attributed. By a long life of industry, aided by his equally industrious wife, he succeeded in accumulating a large share of this world’s goods than falls to the lot of the average man. Mr. O. was never a speculator, his estate representing either so much hard labor or interest.
He leaves a widow, well provided for, and two children, Dexter D’Everardo, now in possession of and residing on the old homestead, and Eliza M., wife of Dr. Shupe, Bridgeburg, Ont.
About fifty years ago Mr. Overholt assisted by his own hands, as also financially, in building the first Baptist chapel in Fonthill. He was also one of the then few spiritual props upon which the success of the good cause depended. With the Master’s work in general, and the Baptist church in particular, his interests have ever since been identified. For many years a deacon, in October ’95, being too feeble to attend to the active duties of the office, he was made an honorary deacon, so continued until the summons; “Well done, thou good and faithful servant, enter ye into the joy of thy Lord,” summoned his spirit away to his glorified and eternal home, which crowning blessing to a useful and completed life took place April 12th, at the age of 84 years and one day.
In the death of our departed friend Fonthill loses its oldest resident, deceased having resided here during the whole period of his life, the reform cause a life-long supporter, the Baptist church a strong pillar, and the community a useful citizen.
Interment in Fonthill burying ground on Thursday, April 15th. The funeral was largely attended, many relatives and friends from a distance, together with his more immediate neighbors, coming in to show their last sad respects to their departed friend and brother.
Rev. Mr. St. Dalmas officiated, preaching a very appropriate and eloquent sermon from the words, “Blessed are the dead that die in the Lord.” We shall meet again.
[Welland Tribune, 23 April 1897]
Martha, wife of Asa Howell, formerly of Welland, died at their residence, 227 Fifteenth street, Buffalo, on April 12th, aged 62 years. Deceased leaves a husband; two sons, James and Asa Howell, Jr.; and five daughters-Mrs.Hoffman, Mrs. Howell, Mrs. Pannebaker, Mrs. Corbett and Mrs. Vosburgh. Deceased was also a sister of Mr. Harmon Dutcher, Welland. The funeral took place on Thursday, 15th inst., and was largely attended.
POLICE COURT
[Welland Tribune, 23 April 1897]
The Police Court officials have been enjoying their Easter holidays, but business is on again at the old stand…John Abner Crysler and David Crysler have laid an information charging Jas. Dougherty of Allanburg with taking chickens from their premises in the early hours of last Saturday morning. The matter will be investigated next Monday before Squire Hellems….John Hines who was arrested by Officer Mains of the Ontario Police, is awaiting trial on the charge of having killed a horse belonging to Mr. Potter, a resident of Pelham, and which is noted elsewhere. Hines was arraigned on Tuesday and remanded for a week, no evidence being taken. The case promises to be a very interesting one.
[Welland Tribune, 23 April 1897]
Mrs. Anna B. Motley, wife of Jay Motley, Shotwell street, died at 7 o’clock on Friday morning last, leaving a husband and family of three small children to mourn her untimely death. Mrs. Motley had been complaining of a pain in the head for some weeks, which was followed by a severe attack of lagrippe. The disease finally reached the brain and death from meningitis ensued. Deceased’s maiden name was Pettigrew. The remains were taken to her old home near Canfield on Saturday morning for interment on the following day. Mr. Motley and his helpless family of little ones has the sympathy of the community.
[Welland Tribune, 30 April 1897]
Died, at his late residence in the township of Gainsboro, April 18, 1897, Cyrus Robins, of heart failure, which for many years had rendered his life more or less unpleasant, and death a long expected calamity that became a sad reality in the early hours of Easter Sunday-a day well-befitting the occasion of the death of one whose exemplary life and Christian integrity had served to stamp upon the minds of his acquaintances an image which the hand of time cannot efface. To the church of his adoption {Canada Methodist} he was a living epistle, read and known of all men. He had no fear of death, at the very door of which he could exclaim: “Oh, death where is thy sting; oh, grave where is thy victory!” “May my last end be like his!” And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, blessed are the dead which die in the Lord, from henceforth yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labors and their works do follow them.” The subject of his obituary was born in the township of Wainfleet in 1834. His birthplace was approximate to the scene of his demise. His wife, previous to their marriage, was Miss Huldah Putman (daughter of the late Albert Putman of Wainfleet), who with seven sons and daughters survive him, as follows: Orlando, Amos P. and Mrs. Wm. Goss of Gainsboro; Alvin A. and Mrs. Cyrus H. Brown of Pelham; also Cyrus E. and Mrs. N.F. Johnson of Wainfleet. In politics Mr. Robins was a staunch Liberal, but always willing to accord due regard for the opinions of those whose views of the situation placed them in the ranks of his opponents. He served his municipality more than a score of years as councillor and deputy-reeve, with few intermissions, having been elected almost continuously during that time. His funeral, at Salem church on the 20th inst., was largely attended. His friends in the locality where his whole life had been spent were legion, his enemies few. This terminates the life of a kind father, a faithful and affectionate husband, until the last trump of God shall sound to call forth the dead from their graves to judgment. We will all be there.
UNKNOWN TRAMP DIES BY WAYSIDE
[Welland Tribune, 30 April 1897]
Early on Tuesday morning as August Thomas was going along the road running east and west past William Hixon’s farm on Thorold township. He was startled to discover the body lying in the ditch by the roadside. There was only about 18 inches of water in the ditch, and the man’s body lay on his back in it, his head being a few inches under water. The man was dead. The body was recognized as that of a tramp who had been about Port Robinson the day before. In fact he had passed through Port during the past two summers, but no one knew his name. His tracks had led from Mr. Hixon’s barn, and it is supposed after passing the night there he had come out on the road very early in the morning and had been seized with a fit or paralysis and had fallen into the water, either dying from the effects of the fit or being drowned whilst insensitive under the stroke. The case was referred to Coroner Cumines who did not consider an inquest necessary.
The body was that of a man of about 70 years of age, apparently well nourished, but poorly dressed. Rather a heavy built man; with sandy complexion. He had two sticks with him, one of which had belonged to a piece of machinery in Mr. Hixon’s barn. The sticks he used to assist in walking, being slightly lame. There was no money found upon his person, nor anything by which the man might be identified, and the body was sent to the Toronto school of anatomy.
Brain Trouble Carries Off the Well-known Methodist Minister
[Hamilton, Spectator, April 9]
[Welland Tribune, 16 April 1897]
Rev. James VanWyck, B.A., died last evening after a brief illness, aged fifty-one years. He had not been in his usual good health for some months, but it was only ten days ago that he was forced to take to bed. From the first the doctors held out little or no hope of his recovery. He became unconscious some days ago, and never rallied, and the end came at the hour stated. Tubercular meningitis was the cause of death. Mr. VanWyck had enjoyed unusually good health all his life. In his pulpit address he frequently expressed gratitude that he had never, in all his somewhat lengthy ministerial career, been forced through ill-health to neglect his church duties, and his complete collapse, in view of his strong constitution, is surprisingly and startling sudden.
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[Welland Tribune, 9 April 1897]
Frank Duly, a painter living in the third ward died on Sunday morning last, after an illness of about three weeks, of pneumonia. Deceased was about 40 years of age. He leaves a wife and three children in destitute circumstances. The funeral took place on Tuesday, interment in the English church burying ground in town.
{Toronto Globe, Nov. 20}
[Welland Tribune, 26 November 1897]
A pioneer of Ontario who has seen much service in connection with that important highway of commerce, the Welland canal, and who has established an honorable record for life-saving, is William Walker of Port Colborne. His father, Alexander Walker was born at Aberdeen, Scotland, and when fourteen years of age was bound as apprentice aboard a ship. When it arrived at Quebec he left and came to Bytown, now Ottawa. He worked in a lumber camp, and then came to Lake Simcoe, working at the task of bringing supplies for the transportation of Government stores from Barrie to Penetanguishene. He married Elizabeth Swayze of Holland Landing, and they lived on the site of what is now Barrie, being at first the only inhabitants of the place. Three sons and two daughters were born to them, of whom Mr. William Walker was the second, he being born in 1832. In 1838 the family moved to St. Catharines. Mr. Walker has given a graphic sketch of his entry upon canal work: “At fifteen years of age,” he says, “I was appointed bridge-tender at Hamilton bridge in the town of St. Catharines; this made me the first bridge –tender on the Welland canal. The bridge was but 50 yards from William Hamilton Merritt’s house, and he often took a step down hill to inquire about the doings of the canal. This was my best hold. I could always give a satisfactory answer. If I was a barefoot boy at that age, I was quite a canaller, and while the locks were building between St. Catherines and Thorold for two seasons I would walk up to Thorold every Saturday, and if the weather was bad I would play truant some days in the week and go up there, and so understood the canal from bottom to top.
“Some time before I went on the canal I went aboard the first screw boat that ever swung a wheel, built in Oswego by the name of Vandillia. There were not many who boarded her besides myself, Mr. Arnold and Mr. W.B. Robertson, superintendent of the canal at that time.”
“The third season in 1849, I was placed on lock No. 3, and remained there until 1870, close of navigation. I had other work to do, measuring timber in raft, copying clearances, detaining vessels for damage done to the canal, taking out old gates and replacing them with new.”
While on the canal Mr. Walker saved no less than twelve persons from drowning, having to jump into the canal for seven of them. Growing tired of the canal, he bought and sailed the schooner Almina for one season, working on repairs in 1872, and in 1873 working on the late T. Street’s mill at Niagara Falls. After nearly two years the mill was burned, and then Mr. Walker moved to Clinton, where he carried on a flour and feed store for three years. He is at present in the grocery business in Humberstone. In 1871 he married Miss Fanny Merritt, daughter of Edward Merritt, ship-builder, St. Catharines.
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