Dr. Alexander Norman Barker (1868-1900)

{Compiled by “S”}

DR BARKER was born November 10, 1868 in Worcestershire, England. Later resided in East Lothian, Scotland. His parents were GEORGE SAMUEL BARKER and ELIZA THOMSON BARKER

On July 27, 1890 DR BARKER married SARAH ELOUISE I SCHELL born in Halton County in 1869. In 1891 he was a medical student living in Dundas.

Around 1891 he set up a medical practice in Fenwick. Not much is know about his practice.

Dr. Barker and his wife had four children. GEORGE SHELDON BARKER was born May 11, 1891 in Fenwick.  He married VERA WINNIFRED HALL on July 28, 1913 in Dundas. Vera was born January 10, 1892 in Dundas and died January 8, 1973 in Simcoe county at age 80. GEORGE SHELDON BARKER died January 14, 1965 in York County. They had  one daughter NORMA BARKER .

DR BARKER’S second child was  JESSIE ELISABETH GLADYS BARKER born March 11, 1895 in Fenwick. She married ROBERT CHARLES RUSSELL JOLLEY. JESSIE died May 1981.

DR BARKER’S third child was ELSIE THOMPSON BARKER born February 6, 1897 in Fenwick. She married JAMES DANE MONTGOMERY January 13, 1916.  Later married JAMES MCKENZIE HASLAM.

DR BARKER’S  fourth child NORMA ALEXANDRIA AMALESE BARKER was born June 11, 1900 in Welland,  few months after her father’s death.

DR ALEXANDER NORMAN BARKER died suddenly from an accident on March 25, 1900. SARAH BARKER moved back to Dundas, she died in 1941.

DR. BARKER OF FENWICK KILLED BY A.T.H. & B TRAIN ON SUNDAY

[Welland Tribune March 27, 1900]

This community was terribly startled and shocked by the news that Dr. A. N. Barker of Fenwick had been killed by the cars on Sunday last, 25^th. The fatality occurred at Moote crossing, about four miles west of Fenwick. The wagon road runs near parallel with the railway for a distance, then crosses. Dr. Barker was out on professional duty, driving spirited span of horses to a covered buggy. It is supposed the horses took fright at the train and became unmanageable. After running a distance ahead of the train they struck the crossing just in front of it. The horses got across the track, but the engine struck the buggy with terrific force, cutting it in two, and hurling the part in which the doctor was seated about 40 feet. The train (the morning express from Toronto, due at Fenwick at 9:14) was backed to the spot. The doctor was found still seated in the part of the buggy, probably retained there by the cover. He was just alive when reached, but expired before the train had carried him to Fenwick. He was cut about the head and in the side—possibly his neck or back was broken. The body was not otherwise mangled.

The horses escaped uninjured.

W.M. German,M.L.A. who was a passenger on the train, recognized him as Dr. Barker and had the remains taken home. The deceased was but 31 years of age, and had one of the best medical practices in the district. He was a native of Scotland, and received his education in Glasgow. About seven years ago he married Miss Sheldon of Dundas and took up residence in Fenwick. He leaves a widow and three children to mourn their appallingly sudden and terrible bereavement, in which they have the deep sympathy of the whole community.

The funeral services will be held at his late residence today, Tuesday at 4pm. The remains will be taken to Dundas for interment, on train leaving Fenwick at 8:51 Wednesday morning. Friends and relatives invited to attend.

JOSEPH F. BURGAR

[People’s Press, 28 August 1900]

Jos. F.Burgar, uncle of Geo. H. and Dr. Burgar, of town, died at his home near Red Bluff, Cal, on Thursday of last week. He was a native of Welland but has lived in the States most of his life and went to California eleven or twelve years ago, where he engaged in the mercantile business. The past few years he has been engaged in farming and fruit growing. Deceased leaves a wife but no children.

d: 23 August 1900

OLIVE ADELE STERNAMAN

Mrs. Sternaman Wants a Divorce

[Welland Tribune, 19 January 1900]

On Friday afternoon of last week a lady and a youth came across on the dummy, and made inquiries as to where the squire lived. The lady proved to be Mrs. Olive Adele Sternaman, who won such notoriety a few years ago, when tried for the alleged poisoning of her husband. Thinking, as is often the case, that they were looking for a marriage license, the courteous conductor directed them to the place where one could be obtained. Judge of the surprise of the issuer when the lady asked for information as to how she could obtain a separation from her present husband. He asked her what brought her here. She stated that she was advised by Judge Murphy of Buffalo to start proceedings for a divorce in Canada, where she had been married. The issuer asked to see her marriage certificate. The certificate had been issued at Niagara Falls, Ont. The contracting parties were Frank Gutenberg and Olive Adele Sternaman. He looked at the lady before him, then back at the certificate, and was dumbfounded, for the moment before he asked: “Are you Mrs. Sternaman?” She smilingly replied, “Yes,” and a tear dropped from her eye. He remarked that she ought to be by this time fully prepared as to how to get through the world, as she had had experience enough. He then advised her to go to the P.M. He would certainly attend to her case and give her all information required, which he did. Mrs. Sternaman alleges that her present husband is a bigamist, with other wife and two children. She wanted a divorce, and to prosecute her husband as a bigamist. The P.M. made out the necessary papers. Mrs. Sternaman threatens to prosecute her husband.

FROM H.B. STRINGER, WHOSE SON IS WITH THE 2ND CONTINGENT

[Welland Tribune, 19 January 1900]

The following are extracts from a letter received by A.L. Pattison from H.B. Stringer, now of Port Dover, whose son has recently departed with the Second Canadian Contingent. Mr. Stringer is a native of Pelham, and his spirit will be applauded by his friends in the township. Mr. Stringer writes:-

“We had always hoped that our son would not offer himself for foreign service. He went to Hamilton on Tuesday morning. On Wednesday he telephoned us that he would be home in the morning, and would leave on Friday.

I said to him a day or two ago: You have no idea what you will have to go through. I pointed out to him the great dangers of warfare, particularly under the circumstances now existing in South Africa. I detailed to him the horrors of the civil war in the United States, He listened attentively, and then said: If I pass the medical examination, I am going.

The people have responded nobly to the spirit of the times. They gave him $75 in cash, insured his life for $1,000, and he also received $50 from the city of Hamilton.

There were thousands at the station to see them off, and many presents were showered on them by the patriotic people.

I said, as the train moved out:-”Shall we see him again-there are one hundred chances against him.”

The empire must be upheld, if all the boys in Canada are required to do it.”

H.B. Stringer

“Huron Lee”

ANN CLARKSON

[Welland Tribune, 19 January 1900]

There passed away on Sunday morning, the 14inst., one of Crowland’s oldest and most respected residents, in the person of Mrs. John Clarkson, at the age of seventy years and six months.

Mrs. Clarkson, whose maiden name was Inman, was born in Yorkshire, England, and came to this country with her parents when four years of age, who settled in Haldimand county. She married John Clarkson, Esq., on December 7^th, 1853, and resided in the township of Wainfleet until the year 1873, when they moved on the farm in Crowland where she has since lived until her death. Mrs. Clarkson had a very wide circle of friends and acquaintances, and was beloved and and respected by all who knew her. She was kind and charitable to all with whom she came in contact, a kind and affectionate mother, and a life-long and consistent member of the Methodist church, by whose members she will be remembered for her many amiable and christian qualities. She leaves a husband, one son and two daughters to mourn the loss of a good wife and kind mother.

The funeral on Tuesday was very large, many attending from Dunnville, Essex and other points in Western Ontario. Burial at Fonthill cemetery.

THE FENIAN RAID OF ‘66

Reminiscences of a Buffalo Attorney

[Welland Tribune, 12 January 1900]

             Attorney Thomas of Buffalo chats interestingly of the Fenian raid of 1866, from which we extract a few paragraphs of interest. The incidents of this raid are still familiar to most persons of middle age in this section, and the reports of another attempt at a “raid” are bringing “Fenian Stories” to the front again.

             “Although I did not see the famous battle of Ridgeway, I was the first prisoner taken by the Fenians,” said Attorney Charles J. Thomas. “I well remember the occurrence. It was June 1, 1866. The Fenians did not land at Crystal Beach, but at Frenchman’s Creek, on the place now owned by Gerhard Lang, to whom it was sold by my brother-in-law, Geo. Pearse.

             My father, Edwin Thomas, removed to New York in 1863, having sold the Church House, which was the Thomas homestead, and went into business in Wall street. He came back to Buffalo in 1866. I frequently went over to Fort Erie gunning. About that time father commissioned me to purchase a house across the river, as he desired to spend the balance of his days in Canada. I did buy for him, with his money, of course, a brick house, the first beyond the Episcopal church down the river shore.

             We were having the house repaired and put in shape, and had a number of men at work. I suspected the men were shirking the work, and decided to quietly watch them. On the morning of June 1^st I thought I would do some investigating. Dr. Elliott, who succeeded the late Dr. Cronyn as village physician of Fort Erie, and my brother, Geo. Truscott Thomas, who lived at Fort Erie, accompanied me to the house. I was sitting on the piazza and the others had gone in for a drink of water, when I noticed the flashing of sunlight on some bright objects, and soon saw a body of about forty armed men marching towards the house.

             I had intended to go to Toronto on the early morning train, and had dressed myself in Prince Albert coat and silk hat. I suppose I must have looked suspicious at any rate I was ordered to go with my captors. They marched me towards the village, through Warren’s Lane, back of the church out to the river front to a saloon run by Barney McNinny. The barkeeper was Jack Gaffney, who was afterwards hanged for murder, and the place was Gen. O’Neil’s headquarters. I was put through a severe process of questioning, and after satisfying them that I was simply over there on private business and was desirous of catching a train to Toronto, I was given a pass and allowed to cross the river. When I left Fort Erie several people gave me their jewelry to leave on this side, but I could not get it through the customs and was obliged to send it back to its owners.

             As you know, there were several killed. If the regular troops could have got there in time, they would have made short work of the Fenians. I sat in the Globe office in Toronto and watched the funeral procession of the killed, and it was a solemn sight. I also succeeded in obtaining admission to the trial of the captured Fenians, which lasted some two or three months, and I never in my life was taught more of the justice of Canadian law, and the fairness of the judiciary. Instead of assigning boys to defend the prisoners, they had the best of counsel.

             Those who were not convicted were given sufficient money to take them home. I went through the jail and recognized one prisoner, Tom Ellis. It cost his sister, Mrs. Mary Ryan, at least $2000 to get him clear.