The Descendants of Thomas York and Mary Dickens
Text
A flaxdresser prepared the fibers from the stem of the flax plant to make them ready for weaving into linen. It is analagous to wool-combing, an earlier Long Buckby industry. The steps in the
flaxdressing process are:
The linen threads are thus separated and ready for spinning and then weaving. In 1841 and 1851, Thomas and Mary lived "in that part of the parish of Long Buckby which lies North of the Town Street and Lodgeway road including Great Chequer to the swing gate and East of the West Haddom Road." Their granddaughter, Maria York, later described their cottage:
Return to Descendant Chart.
Return to Descendant Chart.
Return to Descendant Chart.
Return to Descendant Chart.
Return to Descendant Chart.
Return to Descendant Chart.
Return to Descendant Chart.
It was as a teamster that he helped build the first railroad in England, known as the London-Birmingham railway. He saw railroading grow from its infancy. Before this he assisted in the gigantic new enterprise of building a roadbed for the tracks on which to run a locomotive. As a little boy he had seen the first experimental locomotive run in England and he had seen a man killed by the giant engine. In 1841, Henry and Ann lived in the same part of Long Buckby as his parents. However as the years passed and he became responsible for a family of five children besides his wife and himself, his cramped economic condition in England looked less and less promising. He looked to the West which held more promise for his growing family. His parents understood his desire to better himself and though they were saddened to think they would part probably for good, they agreed it was best that the family go to Canada. They left London on 29 Jun 1844 in the Cairo and were two months at sea. Many details of the voyage and the early years of their life in Canada can be found in Henry's letters and are not repeated here. Some additional details and other tales have been gleaned from other sources. One day, not long after they had settled in their first Canadian home, the small house caught fire and burned to the ground, so that when the father returned from his day's work he found his five little ones huddled under a tree. All that he had brought with him from England was gone except a few gold pieces he was able to rake from the ashes. When Henry made his first trip to St. Vincent Township, he carried tools on his back, probably an axe, auger, saw, maybe a drawing knife, no nails. When he returned with the children, they spent the first night with a Mr. Stevenson in a little shack on the waterfront. The next day they walked across the ice in the bay to a settlement and by means of an axe and a little assistance erected a shack out of bark at the foot of an old elm tree on a farm. Henry's residences in Ontario. Henry was lonely after his first wife died. He had long felt the need of a companion but it hadn't been easy to find a suitable partner in this thinly settled country where roads and conveyances were poor and rare. He even wrote back to England, asking them to look for a wife for him. Finally he found someone. When Jacob Prentice married for a second time, his daughter, Elizabeth, had come to Meaford to work for the Whitelaw family, who were devoted members of the Disciples Church. It was there that Henry and Elizabeth met. They rode 20 miles on horseback to Owen Sound where they were married by Rev. John Neeland. The marriage certificate was written in longhand on plain tablet paper and reads as follows:
The second witness to the marriage was the minister's wife who was blind but who scrawled her name as best she could from habits of former years, these efforts being necessary in the absence of other witnesses. With this important bit of paper tucked into the pocket of the bridegroom they again mounted their horses and rode back to what was to be their home. The certificate was placed in the family Bible where it still remains to this day. (These are the words of Nathan Albert3 York. The present location of the Bible is unknown to this compiler. It was in the possession of Ethel4 (York) Kensinger in 1944.)
It was while living on the 50 acre farm, later known as the Sunter farm, that Henry was married the second time. The next move took the family to a 200 acre farm later known as the Robinson Place. There they had a fine stone house.
This place proved the setting for a good bear story. When Henry fed his stock one morning he noticed that several small pigs were missing. He also noticed some blood stains on the side of the pen and they led him to find some bear tracks in the snow outside. He followed the tracks until he came to a half-eaten pig lying on the ground in the woods.
Henry figured that the bear would return when he got hungry so he prepared a trap known as a dead-fall. He felled two trees, one large and one smaller to enable him to handle it alone. The second log he lugged along to the side of the first and propped one end of it up with a stick to which meat was fastened and was certain to give way to let the log down on the bear when he came for the meat.
The trap worked and the next morning the bear was found there dead. Not satisfied to leave the bear there, Henry decided to bring it home and his wife told many times of seeing him approach with the bear's hind legs slung around his neck, dragging the animal behind him. The neighbors came to see, to marvel and to watch while Henry skinned him.
The Meaford (ON) Monitor reported some "advertising" of his produce on Henry's part: 9 Oct 1874 - St. Vincent Fall Show ... Mr. York's display of fruit - all the varieties named - would have done no discredit to the Provincial Exhibition; 23 Oct 1874 - Mr. Thomas York [presumably Henry's son] has put on our table the finest samples of apples and the largest bunches of grapes we have had this season. The apples are the Ribston Pippin and Rhode Island Greening and the grapes are the Clinton variety. Henry's official duties in St. Vincent Twp. included appointment as pathmaster in 1869, 1871, 1872 and 1875 when his responsibility was described as "Side line 21 and 22, con 7 and 8". He was again appointed pathmaster in 1878, but left for Manitoba before his term was completed.
Henry and Elizabeth moved to Manitoba in 1878. Early in 1870 Fred had helped transport the first soldiers to go to Fort Garry (now the city of Winnipeg) to put down Louis Riel's rebellion. He went by steamship to Port Arthur where equipment was unloaded and with heavy wagons and horses helped transport troops and supplies.
Before coming home Fred did a little exploring of that new territory and when he came back he painted in glowing colors the wonderful expanse of rich soil and tall prairie grass native to Manitoba. There were no stones and that to an Ontario farmer who had ruined his plowshares and broken his back on stony Ontario ground, was a luring advantage.
In early 1878, an announcement ran in the Meaford (ON) Monitor: We don't know whether Henry attended the meeting. But Henry, at 68, still had the pioneering spirit and the new country sounded like the land of Canaan to him. Though he had two wholly dependent children and four partially dependent he decided to make the long trek west. So he sold the place in Ontario and with something less than $2600 he left the rocky but dependable East to go to the unknown West.
The Meaford (ON) Monitor reported on their journey: The first leg of the journey was by steamship, the Francis Smith, an old sidewheeler, from Meaford across the Georgian Bay, past Sault St. Marie, and across Lake Superior to Duluth. They just had one stateroom. Henry and Elizabeth slept in the lower berth and the children slept on the floor.
After several days delay in Duluth, a train took them to a branch of the Red River called Fisher's
Landing in Minnesota. There they boarded a steamer called the Manitoba which had a barge
lashed to the side to carry the freight. After about a week, they arrived in Winnipeg where they had to wait for Tom to come with the horses. (He had gone on ahead.)
Henry bought a wagon, then bought canvas and covered it himself, a task he was not accustomed to. As a result, the cover did not close properly. Everything they possessed was loaded in. The girls and mother rode inside, sitting on anything they could find. Henry and the older boys drove from the front seat and Levi and Nathan Albert sat anywhere they could find a place.
They were headed for the Pembina mountains - a distance of eighty miles. They crossed the Assiniboine River on a ferry, then headed south on a road that was very muddy. A snow storm came up accompanied by a high wind when they had traveled about fifteen miles. They pushed on and when night came they found refuge with a French family. The next day was cold and there was ice in the ruts when they left in the morning. The second day they got as far as "Scratchin' River," now the town of Morris.
Next day they turned west to cross the big plain to the Pembina mountain country. There were no roads or even tracks. The ground was covered with 2 to 6 inches of water most of the way. This trackless plain extended for 30 miles. About five in the afternoon they came upon a wagon loaded with squealing shoats (pigs?). The wagon was stuck in the mud and had temporarily been abandoned by the driver, another man headed for the Pembinas.
At last they arrived at the Big Slough, a stream with no banks, about four feet of water and deep
mud. The boys had been walking most of the way to ease the load on the horses, holding on to a rope attached to the wagon. The load was too heavy for all of them to ride through the slough. It was all they could do to get the load through.
The water was too deep for any but a man to wade through. Fortunately a Rev. Ross took Alice across in his buckboard and Lydia rode the horse of James A. Curry while he walked through the mud and water. The younger boys rode Rev. Ross' horses hitched to the buckboard.
A few miles beyond the slough they came to the Phillips' place where they spent Sunday. During
the day Tom, Will and Henry went out to look for a place for them to settle. They found a house that could be rented until Henry, the two older boys, and the two girls could file claims for homesteads. The house belonged to Samuel Stevenson who later married Lydia York. They lived in that house during all their life together.
Those in the family who were of age could each stake out a claim for free government land. After looking for a month or so, they found 640 acres of fine land which had been taken by a man who failed to make the necessary improvements required by the government. There was a government office in the area where papers could be filed and sent by mail to Emerson which was 60 miles southeast and from there by stage to Winnipeg 80 miles. It was learned that other persons had papers made out and mailed over this route.
In order to get there first Henry and Thomas started with a horse and buggy to drive directly to
Winnipeg - a distance of 80 miles. They arrived in time to get their claim filed first. Alice and Lydia entered claims for 160 acres each. Will entered a claim for 320 acres, 160 of which was
free and the other 160 to be paid for at $1.00 per acre with three years to pay. There were no taxes for three years and then they were only $10-$15.
Their freight arrived a month after they did and it became the duty of the boys to bring it home. Will and Nathan Albert borrowed carts from a neighbor who lived five miles north. They set out with two oxen, Buck and Bright, to ride on.
Tobacco Creek was in flood stage and they had to ford it. Will, being heavier, sat on the upstream side of the cart and Nathan Albert on the other. NA's side went down and he was in water up to his neck. When they got to McGill's they hitched the oxen to their Red River carts (wheels 6 ft high, rims 4 inches across). The shafts were held up by a cart saddle attached to the animals, thus placing the weight of the load on the back of the ox.
They started home and when they got to Tobacco Creek, Will took Buck and went ahead. When he got to mid-stream the current was so swift it carried the cart downstream and Buck was unable to make the opening in the willows. He got caught in the trees and was about to choke from his collar pulling on his neck. Will got out in the water up to his neck and with an axe which he had thought to bring along cut the willow and released the cart.
It was then NA's turn to cross. He started Bright a little farther upstream and though it was difficult he managed to make the opening in the willows safely.
It was too late to plant a crop when they acquired the land so Henry rented 20 acres and planted it to wheat on shares. When it was ready to harvest a hail storm struck and beat the wheat into the ground so that not one sheaf was saved.
During the summer of 1878 with one team of horses, and a good team of oxen, Henry managed to break up enough sod to plant a crop for the next season.
Levi and Nathan were allowed to camp out four miles from home and did the plowing with the oxen. They turned a wagon box over and spread a canvas over it, but one night a heavy wind and rainstorm blew their canvas away and drenched them with water. The only light they had was from the lightning. During the storm their oxen disappeared. There was water everywhere and all streams were running full. They hung up the canvas and the bedding and after swimming two swollen streams they arrived at home hungry as wolves.
The settlers who had been in the neighborhood for a few years had considerable crop to harvest. William Thompson who owned the land where the town of Miami now stands was prosperous enough to buy a thrashing machine - the first one in the Pembina mountain country. Tom had had some experience in this line of work and he was hired to run the outfit. Nathan was hired to tend the horses.
They thrashed over land where the town of Morden now stands and along Dead Horse Creek. There were no roads - only prairie trails. The moves between jobs were long and hard. In many places there were no women to cook and the bachelor quarters were often dirty, lousy and the food poor. For six weeks they did not see home or have a change of clothing.
It was in the winter that fuel had to be gotten out of the timber and also logs for building farm sheds so all the boys were kept busy. Many days NA hauled logs with the oxen over the four miles to the farm and had to walk behind the sled to keep from freezing.
They were fortunate to have a fine boiling spring on their place and it can still be found on maps as "York Springs". This spring furnished water for the stock and in dry seasons farmers came from miles around to haul water from the spring. In winter it would overflow and make a good place for them to skate but the spring itself never froze over.
On the other hand, the eastern part of their land was covered with water each spring and held up the seeding. Their first log house was built near the spring. The timber they had cut in the winter was used for the farm buildings and neighbors helped with the work.
That year they had a good crop and had plenty of hay neatly stacked near the buildings for winter use when calamity struck. They had ploughed fire guards around the buildings but they had not ploughed these wide enough.
One Sunday afternoon they saw smoke in the distance and realized a strong wind was blowing it their way. The fire came swiftly over the dry prairie grass and before they realized what was happening it had crossed their ploughed fire guard and had burned all of their out buildings and the hay stacked near. Fortunately the house was spared, and there was more hay still stacked in the field a few miles away so they were able to keep their stock from starving.
Tom and Will were away threshing so it fell to Levi and Nathan to get more logs. The logs were
about twenty feet long and 15-20 inches in diameter so it was difficult work for two young boys to cut and load them. By dint of hard work they were able to build a reasonably good shelter for the stock before winter set in but the severe winter took a toll of their two oxen who died and had to be fed to the coyotes.
Later they built a new home in a better location and had a well. The new house was built of logs and had a thatched roof. When crops became too extensive to be garnered by hand, Henry bought a large reaper, the first of its kind in the area. The self-binder never worked properly but it was better than doing it by hand and soon neighbors were asking to hire their binder. Horses were plentiful and the machine was kept going night and day during the season. A lantern was used at night to help the driver see where he was going. He has, however, settled the family on a fine farm, and has raised more grain in a year than he could have done in St. Vincent in five. Our visitor informs us his father is yet smart and active and enjoying good health, though now in his 79th year. The other members of the family are all doing well. The girls are all married, and the boys either farming or in other business. The family being old neighbors of ours, we are very much pleased to hear of their prosperity in their new home. See the York Letters for more details of some of Henry's early experiences in Manitoba.
Although many of the children's birthplaces are given as Meaford, there is no record that Henry and Elizabeth ever lived in the town. However, Elizabeth might have gone into town to stay with someone when she gave birth.
One description of him: "Particular about his person. Never over ate, was very temperate, rather emotional. Wore light colored pants and dark coat for second best. He sang well." When he was 26, he took lessons in reading aloud from the daughter of a church elder. He became a good reader and read in church.
He came to Canada in 1844 with his parents and siblings. In Meaford, Frederick York became the local teamster. As of 12 Apr 1871 he had 9 carriages or sleighs, 5 wagons or sleds, and 9 horses. He hauled supplies to Meaford and St. Vincent Twp. Construction of the railroad began at Toronto in 1851. The first train came to the Georgian Bay at Collingwood in 1855, driven by a funnel-stacked, wood burning locomotive. Thus Collingwood, 22 miles from Meaford, became the destination of Frederick's trips to haul supplies.
See his son JHW's Autobiography for a description of Frederick's life as a teamster.
Records of St. Vincent and Meaford Council meetings reported in the Meaford (ON) Monitor often mention payment to Frederick for work he had completed. Details of many items in the Meaford Town Council Minutes. Some were of particular interest: 3 Feb 1882: The Road and Bridge Committee reported on the request of Mr. F. York to have the roadway on Bayfield street protected from the encroachments of the lake, recommending that he be allowed 25 cents per yard for the stonework for a distance of 40 or 50 yards, that is one half the cost of the work, he doing the other half at his own cost. It was approved.
22 Jan 1886: Communication from Fred York asking a grant of $20 in order to provide protection to Bayfield St. from lake storms to which he will be willing to spend a like sum. Referred to road & bridge committee. 5 Feb 1886: The Chairman of road and bridge committee stated that they had visited Fred York as instructed by the council, but were not able to do any work on account of so much snow and ice.
23 Apr 1886: Moved ... the offer of F. York to do certain work on Bayfield and Susan st. be accepted and the road committee be instructed to get the work done. Carried. MEAFORD & COLLINGWOOD
25 May 1875: Quite a sensation was caused in town on Monday evening by the removal from Mr. Pillgrem's yard of the hull of the first tug boat ever built in Meaford.
Friend York was there, of course, with his trucks and a couple of his teams, and the greatest difficulty - turning from the yard into the street - having been safely overcome, the hulk, which would have looked immense to eyes unused to larger craft, moved majestically up the street - an interested crowd eagerly watching its progress.
31 Mar 1876: Fred York brought up on runners yesterday from Collingwood the hull of Mr. Pilgrem's new tug.
30 May 1884: A very serious accident occurred on the wharf here just as the steamboat Pacific was about leaving with the Wiarton excursionists. Mr. F. York was drawing hay on the wharf with his team, which was crowded with people, and when near them, the steamer's whistle was blown, which scared the horses so that they plunged right through the crowd, knocking down and trampling over several.
About 12 or 13 persons were more or less injured, Mrs. O. Patrick it was thought fatally. But we are pleased to hear that her injuries are not so serious, and that she will survive. Miss Sophia Emary, daughter of Jas. Emary, it was reported had her leg broken, but we think this is a mistake. But without doubt she is badly hurt, and several others will feel their bruises a good while. The great wonder is that many were not killed.
We cannot say who is most to blame for the distressing accident. It was certainly wrong to drive such a team and load along the dock amongst a dense crowd of people and liable at any moment to be made restive by the steamer's whistle. It has been stated that Mr. York requested the party in charge of the whistle not to blow it till he got off the dock. If that is the case, and the whistle the cause of the calamity, the doer of it deserves the severest censure.
But the driver of the team should not have ventured on the dock, more especially if he knew they might be restive if the whistle was blown. As we were not there, of course we cannot rightly judge of the matter, but the accident is certainly very much to be regretted and teaches a lesson which we hope will not be lost upon those who very reasonably might have been expected to better manage the business.
6 Jun 1884: We are informed by Mr. George Sutherland, wharf manager, that no blame could be attached to Mr. Fred York for the accident on Monday, the 26th May, as he had driven out his load, and was unloading when the crowd came on. He says Mr. York managed his team splendidly under the circumstances or the result might have been much more serious. We willingly make this statement, as our remarks last week in a degree reflected on the teaming management.
20 Jun 1884: During the thunder storm on Wednesday afternoon, a horse belonging to Fred York was struck by lightning and instantly killed. Strange to say its mate standing alongside was not hurt. The driver took shelter from the rain under a culvert at which they were working and escaped without injury. The horse was valued at eighty dollars.
20 Feb 1885: One of Mr. Fred York's large black horses fell from paralysis while in harness, near Rosedale hotel between Meaford and Thornbury, and supposed by many to be dead, but through the energetic and skillful treatment of Dr. Schell, the horse in about ten hours from the time it fell, was able to regain its feet, and is doing well. Mr. York feels much pleased with the treatment awarded to his animal, and takes this means of complimenting Mr. Schell on his skill. - Advt.
15 May 1885: Meaford Town Council - The mayor read communications from A. Thompson, offering to take the old slaughter house on the shore at $10, as the purchaser, F. York, declines taking it.
28 Aug 1885: The 10 ton boiler for the new mills was brought down from the station on Monday evening by Mr. Fred. York on two waggons, drawn by two teams. A pause was made at the Sykes Street Bridge, as evidently there were some doubts whether the bridge was strong enough to take over the load safely. The horses were hitched at long range so they at least would get over safely. However it came over all right, to the delight of all concerned.
6 Aug 1886: Mr. Fred York lost one of his best horses from inflammation on Tuesday last. The animal cost him about $175 some months ago. 10 Sep 1886: Young mare for sale - I will sell my splendid black team Mare, 6 years old, or exchange her on payment for team of Working Horses. The Mare is without fault, gentle and easily managed, but having lost her mate by death I have to make some change to procure another team. Fred. York.
28 Feb 1890: Sale Register - Saturday, 8th March - Horses, harness, wagons, sleighs, carts etc. At Market square, Meaford. Ten months credit. Fred York proprietor. Geo. Brown,
auctioneer.
16 May 1890: The following parties were booked at The Monitor C.P.R. Agency since last week to go via steamers from Owen Sound: Mr. Fred York, wife and three of their family for Que'Apelle, Assiniboia; ...
And further on in the same paper: On Saturday morning last Mr. Fred York and family took the steamer Favorite for Owen Sound, there to take the C.P.R. steamer en route to Qu'Apelle, Assiniboia. A large number of friends and acquaintances were at the dock to bid the party good-bye.
Mr. York has done more than his share of hard work during the last 30 years in and around Meaford, and if he had taken with him a few thousand dollars it would have been no more than he deserved. Instead he took exceedingly little, and no doubt expects to do some work among his family at Touchwood Hills.
We wish himself and family the best of fortune in the "Great Lone Land." The family procured their tickets at The Monitor C.P.R. agency. Frederick and Catherine lived on her late husband's farm for several years, then moved into Meaford, finally building their own house. This house was built in 1876 by Frederick with the assistance of his son JHW. The house was mentioned in the Meaford (ON) Monitor on 24 Nov 1876 - We might note, indeed, that their example has been already followed by Mr. F. York, whose two-storey stone cottage on the lake shore does him credit. ... [list of improvements in 1876] North Ward ... F. York, stone dwelling, Bayfield street, 2 storeys, 30x40, McCann and Sparling contractors, S. Walker mason, $1400. The house was built of stones left over from digging cellars and grading roads. It contains 275 loads of stone, 75 loads of sand, and 500 bushels of lime. The house has 8 rooms, 4 up and 4 down. The walls are 18" thick. It is located right on the Georgian Bay. The children growing up in the house played on the rocks on the shore, pretending that the large rocks were "houses" and each having one for their "house".
Their granddaughter, Verna Perry, later wrote on the back of one copy of the old photo: The big stone house in war time was eventually used to accommodate soldiers.(1914 -1918) In later years Grandmother York visited Meaford and her sister Mary Trout. Grandmother York and her eldest son John and his daughter Florence & other relatives taken in the picture.
In 1890 Frederick and Catherine immigrated from Ontario to take up a homestead on N.W. 24-29-16 in Touchwood Hills SK. After their journey they lived with Charles Perry until they were ready to settle on their own nearby homestead. With them came the Perry children and all the still unmarried York children except George.
Their homestead papers give us a clue to their life in Saskatchewan: a log and lumber house 20 ft. x 24 ft., 10 cattle and 3 to 5 horses. In 1892 they broke ground in 1 1/2 acres. In 1906 they broke 5 more followed by 8 in 1907 and 2 in 1908. The stables were 16 ft. x 70 ft. (larger than the house). Fifteen acres were fenced.
Frederick, 60 years old, was still hearty and strong. At once he began freighting supplies from Qu'Appelle over the Carleton trail for the settlers. His route for the most part was along the old telegraph trail which extended from Qu'Appelle to Prince Albert. There is an historical marker where ruts from the old wagons are clearly visible. Most of the bundles he carried were from Eaton's Mail Order in Toronto. He would leave them at the various homes as he passed by. Frederick also carried the mail, and had a formal appointment as a mail contractor for the Touchwood Hills and Wishart Service. He kept up this work until 1909 when the railroad finally came to Punnichy, making the freighting unnecessary. But he remained active. One winter, when he was 89, he sharpened 400 pickets for fencing. He was weed inspector almost to the last.
A colorful character to those he met on his route, Frederick was a genial, sociable man, and enjoyed his many contacts on these trips but he also encountered innumerable difficulties. There were times when, halted by a blizzard, he was obliged to tie his team to the sleigh and walk around them all night to keep from freezing. Perhaps he would leave home in a sleigh but find it necessary to change to a wagon before reaching his destination. If cold weather overtook him on a trip, perishable food stuffs became frozen, and barrels of apples arrived like bullets.
Gradually he became crippled with rheumatism. At first, he used a ladder to get into his wagon. Later, he required help on and off his high wagon, and as he was being helped into the homes for food, warmth and a bed someone would take the lines and unhitch and stable the tired team. Eventually he became so crippled with arthritis that he walked with two canes.
Dave Nelson's mother told of a time when as a young girl, she went with Fred to help, including driving the team. On one trip they came to a creek and the horses stumbled. Fred fell off the wagon and was unable to get back on without her help. He made her promise not
to tell anyone. She kept the promise until after his death.
Arthritis did not limit his ability to handle heavy loads. He could lift large barrels into the wagon without assistance. One story regarding his strength may have become exaggerated with repeated telling - He was often referred to as JHW. He added Wilford to his name to avoid confusion with another John Henry4 York. The story that has been passed down in the family is that at first he just added the initial W. Then one day, for official reasons, there was a need to put a name with the initial. He glanced at the wall and saw the name Wilford, probably on a calendar, and used that. (There was a manufacturing firm in Meaford called Wilford and Randal.)
Except for about three months in school in winter, from about eleven years old on he was doing a good deal of teaming work with his father. He also began keeping his father's books for the teamster business.
During one of these school terms his teacher became so disgusted with his attempts to write that he told him to stop trying as it was impossible he could ever learn anything in that branch. He had just changed from using his left hand, which explains the teacher's opinion as to his chirographic prospects. He later returned to using his left hand and became a talented penman and a teacher of the art.
When he was 17 he passed a teacher's examination, 3rd class. The certificate was withheld a few months because he wasn't 18 yet. That fall he took the teachers model school term at Owen Sound. He began teaching in regular positions in April 1878 at Griersville, a four corners four miles south of Meaford, finishing the year there, then put in the next two years at Public School No. 10, St. Vincent. On 12 Dec 1879, a letter to the editor of the Meaford (ON) Monitor: Before the two year period was quite done he was laid up with what was called congestion of the lungs and fever, and may have been the tuberculosis that later took a brother and at least two sisters.
After a summer of recuperation in outdoor work, he entered the law office of Wilson & Evans as law clerk. From Wilson & Evans, Barristers, Solicitors, etc., Meaford ON: In December 1882, he left for Belleville ON to take a course at Ontario Business College, having already taken lessons in penmanship by mail.
From Belleville, he went to Woodstock (ON) College on trial as assistant to J.W. Westervelt in the Commercial school, and to take some classes in the preparatory dept - main school.
After two years at Woodstock he and Westervelt went into partnership to conduct a school, Forest City Business College, in London ON. They opened there in July 1885.
His work was Junior Arithmetic, bookkeeping, Business Papers, Correspondence, Commercial Law and the Practice Dept. One of his students was his cousin John Henry4 York.
About four strenuous years broke his health. He severed connections with the school and returned to Meaford.
He went to the Touchwood Hills (SK) district and took up a homestead on the S.W. ¼ of sec.36, township 29, range 16, w2, in 1889. JHW says he went there "to build up health and see the folks [i.e., his brother-in-law Charles Perry] and the country." The journey, with his sisters Beth 17, and Ella 15, and brother Stanley, involved a steamer from Owen Sound to Port Arthur, a train to Regina, a stagecoach to Fort Qu'Appelle (in a thunderstorm) and a borrowed horse-drawn buckboard to Touchwood.
He stayed at first with Charles Perry (who was "baching it", his children still in Meaford), working at haying and other chores in summer and hauling and handling hay and stock in winter. In 1891 he began settlement duties on his own homestead by breaking and fencing ten acres of prairie. In May his brother George came from Toronto while he went to Yorkton to take charge of a school at Armstrong Lake about 75 miles from home, south east. He left on October 31st for home again and built a little log house on his own place and stabling for horses and a few cattle.
George was with him that winter but went back east before spring. That winter, from January 24th to February 7th, the thermometer ranged close to 60 below zero every morning, "warming" during the day to 20 or 30 below zero.
That year he returned to the east to live.
After brief employment in Toronto, he went to Detroit where he worked as a bookkeeper and accountant, first with Fee, Brown & Co. and then with the Detroit, Belle Isle and Windsor Ferry Co. which provided transportation between Detroit and Windsor before the bridge and tunnel were built. They also ran excursion trips to Belle Isle.
We didn't do anything much out of the ordinary, as nobody felt up to it, but they did quite a bit of reminiscing. You know they didn't go away on a honeymoon but went right to their house (half of a double house), so their wedding trip consisted of a ride with a horse and buggy around the Fifth Street park, about two and a half blocks from where the family lived then.
They had a grand scramble getting things ready, due to the fact that some of the things didn't come. My father spent most of the day (the wedding was in the evening) chasing around town trying to round up the missing articles, one of them being the window shades. You can imagine the commotion.
They had bought their kitchen things back in the summer, with the understanding that the store was to hold them until they wanted them. The man who waited on them put the purchases up in their storeroom carefully stowed away, and then before October came around he left the store, so when they went to get the things nobody knew anything about them and they had to turn the place upside down trying to locate them. They finally unearthed the whole business up in the attic some place, packed in the wash tubs.
Mother had to boil water in the frying pan and various other makeshifts until the other things arrived. Their stove was a wood or coal range and was supposed to have hot water coils in it. Uncle Will didn't get them fixed on time but did patch them up temporarily.
The Sunday after the wedding Mother and Father went to church and were to go out to dinner afterwards but stopped by at home to see how the stove was behaving, as they knew there was a chance of the pipes leaking, and when they arrived they found the whole kitchen flooded, so my dad had to turn in, all dolled up in a Prince Albert coat, and tip and mop up water.
Wilford was born in that same house, which was owned by people named O'Keefe, who lived in the other half of it. They were quite proud of the O in their name, and when Wilford as a little chap started calling them Keefe they took great pains to impress it on him that he should use the O, so then he got the idea everybody should be O'something or other, and he called Mrs. Sanderson, an old friend of the family, "Mrs. O'Sanderson", and just as a joke she called him "Mr. O'York", and she always kept that up afterwards. She is dead now, as she was not young by any means even then, but the last letter we had from her, written about the time Mother was in the hospital after the accident, when Mrs. Sanderson was quite an old lady, sent her regards to Mr. O'York.
Wilford's birthday was Saturday, the 5th, just the day before the anniversary--he originally arrived just in time to ditch all the arrangements for celebrating their first anniversary. In 1918, the family moved to Santa Cruz CA where they operated a chicken ranch. See Photo story for Ranch photos.
In June 1919, John and Mary were involved in a train collision when a light engine "crashed into the Ford and trailer of the Yorks, hurling the machine and the occupants a distance of thirty feet to the fence at the side of the tracks just beyond the crossing." Thought to be dead at the scene, John did recover from the accident, but was able only to do light accounting, and he taught penmanship. However, he never worked regularly again. One of Mary's legs was permanently injured and she required a crutch to get around.
From his obituary: He was in the U.S. Army in 1918, and spent most of the time in training in California, when he was not hospitalized with the flu. After the Armistice in 1918 he went to San Francisco and worked as a secretary for Celite Products Co (afterwards taken over by Johns Manville). While there he was chosen to go to Celite Products' Chicago office in the advertising Dept. He joined an advertising agency in Milwaukee WI in 1925.
He and Harry Hoffman formed their own advertising agency in 1933, Hoffman & York Advertising. The agency gave Wilford an opportunity to utilize many of his skills. In addition to the technical aspects of the advertising business, he took a keen interest in the administrative side of the business. The agency became a laboratory for testing out new ideas for a business plan called the Ellis Plan.
He was a president of the National Advertising Agency Network, the largest group of affiliated independent agencies in the nation. He also served as president and charter member of the Milwaukee chapter of the American Marketing Association.
Wilford was raised in the church of Christ. As a high school student, he often read the Scriptures as part of the Sunday services. In the 1940s and 50s he became active in the First Congregational Church in Wauwatosa WI, serving as a deacon and then as moderator (presiding officer).
He was chairman of the commission on ministry of the National Association of Congregational Christian Churches, formed by congregations that opposed the merger with the Evangelical and Reformed church to form the United Church of Christ. Wilford preached in the Wauwatosa church several times over the years on occasions such as laymen's Sunday.
Like many of his cousins, Wilford enjoyed the outdoors.
Although he spent most of his life in large cities, as a young man he went on rugged camping trips in Yosemite National Park.
In 1923, after he moved to Chicago, he spent his vacation at a camp about twenty-five miles from the railroad, just on the line between Wisconsin and the upper peninsula of Michigan. It was on the divide between Lake Superior and Manitowish Waters, and in the center of a big chain of lakes, about twenty in all. Just getting to the camp was quite a trip. The first twelve miles was by automobile, then seven miles on the lakes, a portage of a mile, and five miles more on two lakes and a river.
While there he and another man went with an Indian guide on a five-day canoe trip to the Lac du Flambeau reservation. They took a 16-foot lake canoe and two packs totaling about a hundred pounds. The Indian took the stern paddle and the two other men alternated on the bow. On the portages the Indian carried the canoe and the other men each took a pack. The longest portage was about two miles so they did not have so much carrying, but the paddling was quite strenuous at times.
She was greatly interested in the family history. Her records provided a significant contribution to the initiation of this family history.
In 1914, she wrote of a trip that they took: The Indians are provided by the government with houses for winter use but when we arrived we found that they were still living in tents. My aunt was acquainted with the teacher of the school so we went there. When we arrived the Indian boys and girls were knitting. Lessons in knitting are required for the girls but the boys generally wish to take it up, too.
The teacher then gave lessons in reading, spelling and arithmetic. The words were pronounced correctly but expressionlessly. The boys then went out and brought in the wood for the next day's fire, after which they were dismissed.
We were invited by the teacher to go to her home nearby and see the beadwork and the drawings. One picture of a racing auto was remarkable, considering the fact that the auto depicted was the only one ever seen by the artist. We then returned home in the sleigh.
Later, on the train, when we were going through Saskatchewan, a trainman came in and called a station. In a few moments, the train stopped at a very small station, too small for a passenger. There was, however, some mail.
The mail clerk alighted and passed the bag of mail to a very plainly dressed young woman who transferred it to a like bag which hung over her arm. Behind her was a team of oxen, hitched to a lumber wagon. The nearer one was lying down, contentedly chewing its cud, while the other stood behind, likewise engaged. Meaford (ON) Monitor 26 Sep 1884: Her illness began in June last, and the disease, though slow at first soon firmly rooted itself. On the 30th of August, the family consisting of parents and two children left their home and drove ninety miles to Qu Appelle [sic] to take the C.P.R. train for Port Arthur.
The long journey (about 1600 miles in all) was a tedious and difficult one and was prolonged six days on account of floods on the track, and sickness of all the family but one. It was finished on the steamer Algoma to Owen Sound and a drive to Meaford which was reached on the 11th inst.
Her older brother wrote the following letter to his sister Ada upon Selina's death (transcribed by Don6 Perry): When they took the train the men returned and the family came on. And oh, such a trip. Mr. Perry sick with the motion of the train, Verna ill, and poor Lena so ill. They stayed at Wilton's 3 days and then were delayed 3 days more between Winnipeg and Port Arthur where the track was washed out.
They got home last Thursday the 11th, having driven from Owen Sound where they left the steamer. Such a time as they must have had, no one can understand but those who took it.
Lena seemed to be improved by the trip but we think she was buoyed up so by the hope of getting home that she did not fully realize her condition. She could only speak feebly and a few words after reaching home. She breathed heavily, and lived only two days and three nights. Of course it was impossible to have much of a conversation with her.
I got telegram on Monday morning but too late for the train until noon. Travelled all afternoon and night. Got to Collingwood Tuesday morning at 4:15 o'clock and hired a rig to bring me to Meaford.
You see I did not meet her alive. She was buried on Tuesday. The funeral was not a very large one owing to the suddenness, but it was a fair size.
Walter Saunders is here farming, and he proved a very acceptable friend to Mr. Perry. Poor little Verna and Freddie. They are lovely bright little children, but they will never remember their Ma.
She was buried alongside of Louise. When she died she sat in the rocking chair with her Pa on one side and husband on the other. She threw up her hands, one to each of them, said all is well and died.
I shall stay till Saturday morning. Mr. Perry intends going back next week. He will leave the children. What a trial - to lose Lena and leave the little ones here to go back there alone. It is terrible.
The children are to stay for another year. We all feel very badly. George fainted when he first found that she was dead.
Eliza Pye felt it very much. Mackie spoke at the house, and did very well. Charlie liked him. ...
But it is all for the best. If it will make us more humble and upright we will be the gainers, and she gains all. ...
Your affectionate brother, J.H.W. Selina taught in Meaford in 1878 and 1879 at an annual salary of $225. In November 1879 she resigned and soon after that went to Manitoba to teach. It was popular for teachers to go to Manitoba where new schools were opening as settlers moved in to homestead. She taught in the rural district of Pomeroy MB, about seven miles south of Carman MB.
She was remembered by old timers as an accomplished organist, playing all by ear. Charles served in the U.S. Army, as a First Sergeant in Company F of the 20th North Dakota Infantry Regiment. He enlisted on 30 Jun 1870, shortly after his arrival in the United States, and was discharged on 30 Jun 1875 at the expiration of his term of service. On his discharge papers, under character is written At the time of his enlistment his occupation was given as clerk. In Canada he became a farmer.
They lived for a time in the Pomeroy district, on the E1/2-6?-5-4-1. On 26 Jul 1881 the Manitoba Mountaineer reported that the North Dufferin Council paid Charles $45 for assessment work. They also reported on 27 Sep that he won a prize at the Dufferin fair for "fine arts and leather work."
Many farmers at that time favored going west and Charles and Selina Perry also decided to leave Manitoba and go west to find suitable farming land. In 1882 they set out from Tobacco Creek, near Carman MB, for Edmonton AB where Selina had a cousin.
They went on a government road built for travel to Edmonton. They travelled in an old type "demicrat," took out the back seat, and made a bed there at night, tethering the horses with a long rope to feed on grass. A young man was hired to ride a horse and drive a few cattle for them. Their progress with such an outfit over mere trails was necessarily slow, and they only reached Touchwood Hills SK in the fall, on 22 Sep 1882.
They were induced by a Mr. Wishart to build a homesteader's shack and put up feed for their stock so they could spend the winter there. They never went further, instead homesteading there in Wishart. They erected a cabin but afterwards discovered that section had been acquired by the C.P.R. (Canadian Pacific Railroad). This was corrected by building a cabin farther over, on the
east half of 24-29-16. One of the first settlers in the Round Plain district, he worked his land with yoke of oxen.
Their two children, Verna and Fred, were among the first white children born in the locality. News of a white baby caused some to come to see. It was especially interesting to some Cree Indians who lived not many miles farther west. Indians camped on a knoll near their house and demanded food. Mr. Perry was always on good terms with other settlers and treated the Indians kindly.
But in some districts farther on there arose a feeling of distrust, and hostility arose between white people and Indians. Fear was felt as rumors of growing hostility became frequent. Disturbance among the Indians and clashes between whites and Indians caused fears among the settlers of the Wishart community.
He arrived back at his land on 6 Oct 1884. Returning alone to Saskatchewan, Charles was not yet free from misfortune for his house burned down on 23 Apr 1888. And he was living through the Riel rebellion.
Due to the Rebellion, there arose considerable unrest among the Indians on neighboring reservations. A group, looking angry and carrying some weapons would camp on a knoll near a settlers home. Some of the newer settlers became panic stricken and moved away. Mr. Perry and his neighbors, hiding their misgivings, approached their visitors in a friendly manner, giving them anything requested (some matches on one occasion). The Indians decided the settlers were kind friends, and returned to their homes.
Time passed without Charles being able to be reunited with his family, until Frederick and Catherine came out to homestead and brought his children (and his future second wife) with them.
After his second wife's death, Verna continued to help care for the children. When she married, Charles became housekeeper for his older boys. Lynn and Pearl went to live with Verna.
Charles Perry originally made his bare existence from stock, mostly cattle and sheep. The cattle had to be herded to Regina to be sold. Horses that they raised were sold to new settlers as they arrived in the area. Some of the sheep provided meat for the family and others were sold.
The railroad was then nearly a hundred miles away. Other lines were coming closer and Charles thought they should get more land broken and try to raise more horses. He had only a small field for oats, some distance from the building, so the sheep would not find it.
Charles knew very little about farming and his son Austin, who was helping him, knew even less. The first breaking was with two horses on a walking plow. However, they decided that they needed four, but hardly knew how to hitch them. Their equipment was nearly nil. There was no protection for the horses from flies and bulldogs so it was very hard on Austin's patience. Gradually they got more land broken and better equipment. They kept doing this for about eight years.
Though not a very large man, Charles enjoyed good health. At one time, his eyes failed so he could not read for a time, which was a real trial for him as he did love to read. Then eventually there was an improvement and he could read again. The last four years of his life were spent in a wheel chair, due to injuries from a fall in which he broke his hip.
He served on the council of the Kutawa Municipality for 24 years, 20 of those as Reeve. He was also school secretary for 30 years. He was an avid reader and always took a keen interest in the livestock and land. His interest and curiosity sometimes ended up with a mishap. His son Walter recounted an incident that occurred when Charles was 90 years old. Saskatchewan did not become a province until 1905, so the children were actually born in the North West Territory of Assiniboia.
Return to Williams Descendant Chart (first marriage).
30 Mar 1899 Bates - Miss Verna Perry is laid up with an attack of sore throat. 6 Apr 1899 Bates - Miss Verna Perry, who was reported last week to have been ill with sore throat is now confined to bed with diptheria. There seems to be an epidemic of sore throat going through the neighborhood, which, if not attended to, is apt to develop into diptheria. 20 Apr 1899 Bates - Miss Perry is quite well again. She was living with her aunt and uncle, the Will Campbells, in the Garnett school district, a few miles east of the town of Carman MB, preparing for the July Public School Leaving and College Entrance Examination. She passed the Examination in July 1899.
When schools were opened again in September 1899, Verna went to Carman MB for high school, where she stayed with Aunt Lydia Hill. While at Aunt Lydia's, Verna had whooping cough and was not allowed to go to school. However, a Bible School was being held at Carman at the time and those attending were not afraid of whooping cough, so Verna attended Bible School during the time she was not able to attend high school.
She received her third class teachers certificate in Manitoba in July 1900 and her second class certificate in Jul 1901. At some point she went to normal school in Regina for teacher training.
She taught in the Perryville (Touchwood) school for two years, but was accused (she thought unfairly) of favoring her father's second family, so she decided to apply for schools in other places and eventually went to teach in the Fernley School District. She taught school in that area for seven years before her marriage.
Verna and Walter had planned a June wedding, but her father's second wife died on the 25th of April. Walter agreed to wait until the year ended for the marriage.
Verna wanted flowers for her wedding, and as real flowers were very difficult to obtain in that day away from the city, she got narcissus bulbs and managed them so well that she had the blossoms for a bouquet.
After they were married, Verna continued to care for the two youngest children, the older boys all being in school. They lived for a few months in what was Walter's homestead shack until a new house was built.
Medical care was so distant that Verna went to stay with Aunt Lydia at Carman for the birth of Lavina.
There were no school buses and few members of their faith anywhere near them in Saskatchewan (they had worship services at home). These two factors influenced Verna and Walter to move to Carman in 1921, renting their farm in Saskatchewan. Their household belongings, milk cows and some of the horses were loaded onto a box car for the move.
The farms were small, a different type of farming than Walter was accustomed to. He bought sheep and liked them well enough to raise sheep the rest of his life. In 1925, their tenant on the farm in Saskatchewan left, and they returned there. When Bert was born, the doctor had a livery bring him out, but there was no highway, just a trail, and the driver got lost. Bert was born before he arrived. The doctor came in a thunder shower and got so damp in the buggy that he died a few days later.
Verna was always very interested in her children's education. She would hitch a horse to the buggy and visit the school once or twice during the year. In addition, she would invite their teachers to her home for a family dinner several times during the year. If the children had homework, she would make time for them to do it, sometimes excusing them from some of their chores.
Lavina was sent to Regina SK for high school, but by the time Bert was ready for high school, the great depression was in progress and he could not be sent away. However, Verna assisted him in taking grades 9, 10 and 11 by correspondence courses.
Walter was killed when a tractor overturned and crushed him. Verna remained on the farm for a while after Walter was killed. Finally her Aunt Verna York Constantine asked her to go and take care of her. She went and stayed until her aunt's death. In 1962 she resided in Whittier CA, where her son, Bert, lived. That year Verna bought a little house in Wawota SK where she lived for 13 years. In 1975, she went to live with her sister, Pearl Orr. In 1983, she went back to the farm to make her home with her son George. From her obituary: The Perry Family: Fred married a girl in Winnipeg, and then came home to look after his grandparents, the Yorks, until they died.
When Nellie and Fred met, she was running a boarding house and he lived there as a boarder. He began taking her to church meetings, and some months after she was baptized, they decided to marry. Before they were married, she took driving lessons, got her license and bought a car (at age 70!).
They moved from there to Morden MB where Joseph was the wheat buyer for Ogilvie Milling Co. and they built a home in 1887. But only months later he was transferred to Manitou MB. He was elected reeve of the Municipality of Carlton in 1887. They returned to Morden in 1888. Soon after their arrival they were nearly burned out, through some cinders falling from the chimney flue and setting fire to the carpet. In late 1889 they moved to Carman. In September 1892 he was appointed manager of the Carman Farmers' elevator.
By 1 Jun 1893 he had opened a lumberyard near his home on Villard Avenue. On 26 Jul 1894 he was elected to the Carman School Board. In his "campaign speech", he stated that he had always taken an interest in school matters, and if elected would endeavor to keep down expenditures where practicable without interfering with the efficiency of the school. Immediately after the election, he was elected chairman of the board by the members of the board.
The following year, he was defeated in his reelection bid, but complemented as having been a good trustee. That was not the end of his public service. In May, 1897, he was appointed to a committee that was establishing the Victorian Order of Nurses.
He obtained third class teacher status in 1908. In 1910-1915 he lived in Brandon MB where he was a tinsmith. He built the house that they lived in at Palmer SK where he was a grain buyer for Dominion Elevator Co.. He was certified in Portland in 1943 as a journeyman plumber. Later he was a metal fabricator in the shipyards in Portland. He was known as Clayton.
Dufferin (MB) Leader 20 Jul 1911: About a year and a half ago, while a bank employe in one of the western towns, he had an attack of diptheria during which he caught a severe cold which settled on his lungs. This developed into consumption, and he gradually lost strength.
He bore his sickness with cheerfulness and fortitude, and for some time past seemed to show improvement, but a little overtaxing of his strength during the early part of last week brought on an acute attack and he sank rapidly. In December 1906, at a school concert he played Antonio in the trial scene from Merchant of Venice. In 1907 he played on the school hockey team and in 1909 he is probably the V. McGill who played on the Carman baseball team. In 1909 Vere resided in Newdale MB, but he was "of Saskatoon SK" in 1910 when he returned home because of illness.
In December 1906, at a school concert he gave a recitation, "Happy Johnny Burns". In 1909 at a skating carnival he won the prize for the best boy comic, dressed as "Happy Hooligan." He missed the last day of high school entrance exams in 1909 "being poisoned with poison ivy." (He passed the exams.) He was a farmer and composer of religious songs. He lived in the Lonesand district near Sundown and Steinbach MB.
15 Mar 1894: (local news column) Miss York, Carman's music teacher, left on Thursday for Toronto, where she intends to take a course at the Conservatory of Music. Miss York was a splendid teacher, and very popular with her pupils, and will be greatly missed.
Meaford (ON) Monitor, 6 Jul 1894: Miss Angy York, of Toronto, is visiting relatives and friends in town. She still played the piano until shortly before she died. Sister Campbell was born Sara Angeline York in Meaford, Ont., on March 13, 1864. She passed away on May 11, 1955, making her pilgrimage here on earth more than 91 years. She obeyed the gospel at Meaford early in life and was faithful to her Lord from that day forward.
The York family has played a very important part in the church work in Western Canada. It was a large family but most of them have answered that summons that comes to all. There were three brothers and eight sisters. One brother and three sisters tarry this side of Jordan's turbulent stream. ...
For some years Sister Campbell has made her home with her daughter Merle. She had been in failing health for some years and gradually weakened. The end came peacefully. Despite her advanced age her mind was active until the last few days of life here. ...
The church record says that she died of senile decay. However, her granddaughter Eleanor6 (Bulmer) Henderson was present at the time and says Angie was "smart to the end."
They lived 12 miles northwest of Carman, near St. Daniel. In a later letter Angie referred to her residence in 1902 as Bates.
He preached at the church of Christ in Carman. After his marriage, he returned to Toronto where he was a street car conductor.
On 25 Jul 1895, the Carman (MB) Weekly Standard reported the arrival of George and his wife from Toronto for a visit, staying at the home of Mr. Jos. McGill. In his obituary in their 21 Nov 1895 issue, they explained that he had returned to Carman in the hope that his health might be benefitted.
Not long after her parents arrived in Saskatchewan, they sent to Carman for Mary whom they had left at Carman on their way west. The older folks depended on Mary for their help and care. After Mary was married, she became again the one to care for the two young children who had come from Meaford with their grandparents in order to live with their father.
After Selina's death, Charles' house on the east half of 24-29-16, Wishart SK, and most of its contents were burned on a windy day. Another house was erected near the same site. Here he lived with Mary and the children. When this house became too small, a bee was held to begin construction of a fourth log house. These two houses were built from logs obtained from 'the mountain' - a big hill west of this area. A carpenter was hired to put the roof on. It wasn't square and the rafters had to be cut differently so they would fit.
In the winter of 1908 Mary had contracted a severe cold which developed into a very serious illness. Verna Perry gave up her teaching and took on the work of housekeeping and caring for the family. It was thought by Charles Perry and his eldest daughter Verna that Mary was in need of a doctor's advice and help. In the spring Mary went to consult a doctor in Carman MB. She stayed with Aunt Lydia Hill. She never returned home, but died at Aunt Lydia's. The doctor told her friends to take good care of her for she would never return to her home.
In April 1909 it became evident that Mary had not long to live. Charles Perry came to talk with her about the boys in their family. Mrs. Perry wished more educational efforts made for them and desired to begin with the oldest boy going away to school when winter was coming on. She hoped all the boys would in time enjoy more opportunities for further education.
When his aunt Verna York (later Constantine) and his sister Verna Perry (later Husband) went to Normal, Ernest went along to take them to the train at Qu'Appelle. On the way home Ernest and his mother rode in the buggy and grandfather Frederick York had the freight wagon.
They camped out, but it rained. They rounded up the horses and travelled a short way to a half-breed's house. His mother thought they couldn't stay there, so they went on hardly knowing where they were. They arrived at Misscaugan Reserve near Touchwood where they stayed overnight with friends. The next day they went the rest of the way home.
On her deathbed in 1909, when he was 16 years old, his mother requested that Ernest attend the Beamsville (ON) Bible School. The founder of this school was a classmate of her relatives at Nashville (TN) Bible School. Ernest travelled to Beamsville and spent four and a half years studying in the Bible school. He returned to the West only once in those early years, to take his fiancee to meet his family.
Having learned carpentry and cabinet making during this period, Ernest settled down as a farmer, eventually moving to the Spring Creek farm in 1924 where he was to live for the next 50 years (Lot #10. Conc. #10, Clinton Twp.).
When his son Charles was old enough to do the farm work, Ernest worked steadily at the carpenter trade.
There is no evidence that Mary expected her son to become a preacher as a result of his schooling. In fact, the Nashville and Beamsville schools were designed not as preacher schools, but where a basic education could be gained while receiving a thorough grounding in the Scriptures. Ernest was a quiet person, steady and faithful in his deeds, satisfied to let others do the talking. During the difficult 30's when, it is said, there was only one full-time preacher in Ontario, Ernest's faithfulness
kept the Tintern congregation alive.
During his many years in the Wishart District he was a school trustee for the Perryville School District for 27 years, many of those years as chairman. He was a Secretary-Treasurer and Elder at the Perryville church of Christ, and Secretary-Treasurer of the church of Christ in Yorkton for 10 years. He received recognition as a 50 year member of the Saskatchewan Wheat Pool.
He bought land through the V.L.A. in 1920, but when the grain prices went very low, he left this and homesteaded near Archerwille, leaving this to go to Powell River where he worked until he retired. In 1934 he left his home at Burton and went up to the Bridge River district to a mineral claim he had there. In January 1935 he was in Vancouver BC, but was hoping to go to a placer claim in the mountains as soon as the snow broke up in the spring.
When he was 16, he started to work out. His first job was for Walter Fee, and then he went to work for Mrs. Fred Smith his future wife, whose husband had died in 1912. Her brother John Wightman had taken over her farm, but he joined the army in 1916.
Like his brothers he was an active community worker. He was councilor for 30 years and then Reeve of Kutawa municipality for two years. He was the first President of the Wishart Savings and Credit Union and a director of the Wishart Co-op. He also was a trustee for the Perryville school district.
He and Gladys lived in the old log house built in 1905 until 1947 when they moved into Wishart. Like his father and brothers, he was active in community affairs, serving on the board of directors for both the Credit Union and Co-op. He made the ice in the skating and curling rinks for many years.
When something went wrong on their farm, he and his brothers fixed it themselves. When their 75-foot well went dry in January 1938, it was natural for Walter to go down to do something about it. He was 37 years old and, according to all who knew him, was as strong as an ox. He was going to need that strength.
Walter had rigged up an endless rope so that he could lower and raise himself in the well. It was a long loop that ran through a pulley at the top of the well and that reached right to the bottom of the shaft. He had rigged a chair on it so that he could sit and pull on the rope to go up, or let it carefully slip through his hands to descend.
It wasn't a big job, and Walter anticipated little trouble even though the well shaft was less than 30 inches in diameter. When he looked up toward the sky, the entrance far above him looked smaller than a dime.
Walter put a sand point into the base of the well to see if he could restore the flow of water. He was in luck. The next step was to get piping down there to pump the water out. At the top of the well was a rod 18 feet long and 7/16 of an inch thick. The rod was attached to some twine waiting for Harvey, Walter's brother, to lower it.
Suddenly the twine broke, and the rod was transformed into a lethal missile rushing toward the man at the bottom of the well.
Walter was still sitting in his improvised chair and working when he heard the rod rattling along the well cribbing toward him. With less than 30 inches of space wall-to-wall, he had nowhere to go and very little time in which to do anything. He pressed himself against the side of the well and hoped the rod would miss him. It didn't.
The initial impact was a glancing blow to the head, as the rod pierced Walter's cap and gouged the flesh of his skull. From there it hurtled downward, striking him in the right shoulder and entering his body. Since he was leaning to one side, the rod travelled diagonally through his entire torso, stopping when it struck the wooden seat after exiting his left hip.
It had all happened so suddenly that Walter had no time to think. But now he quickly took stock of his situation in the quiet of the well, so far below that pinpoint of light that was the well mouth.
There he was, 75 feet underground, with a steel rod right through his body, about 15 feet of it still in the air above him. He called to Harvey to help haul him up and as he got near the top explained that the rod was stuck in his shoulder. Amazingly, the rod had not caught on the side of the well on the way up. As the end of it emerged from the well, Harvey pulled it out. He said afterwards that it was quite a struggle. When Walter was finally out of the well and Harvey realized that the rod had pierced right through his brother, he said that he would not have been able to pull it out had he known.
Walter was now out of the well and the rod removed from his body, but he was still in danger. He was placed on an old mattress in a sleigh box and taken to Wishart, seven miles away. The doctor there put a patch on the entry and exit wounds and then telephoned Saskatoon. Arrangements were made for Walter to be shipped to Saskatoon in a baggage car on a train, from Lestock, several miles to the south.
The victim caused quite a stir at City Hospital, where medical staff waited for him to arrive at 2 a.m., after a four-hour journey in the middle of a prairie winter. Yet, even there, all they could do was wait and see what toll the injuries would take. Walter's later memories of the next few days are few, since he was running a high fever. But within three days he was up and walking around, within 10 days he was allowed to go home, and within three weeks he was playing hockey. It wasn't long before he was back to full-time farming.
He loved sports and was instrumental in developing the curling and skating clubs in Wishart, was ice maker for years and helped many children learn to skate, curl and play ball.
He was baptized through the ice in 1931 and from then, except for 2 1/2 years of full-time service with the Carman MB church of Christ, was involved in teaching and preaching along with his employment at farm-related work. He served the Selkirk ON church of Christ for 19 years and was elder and teacher of the adult Bible class at Tintern ON until he gave it over to others because of age and infirmities in his mid-eighties.
From Harold Orr: Sister Lillian Torkelson wrote of him in "Radburn's Memoirs", an Annual diary of Western Christian College "Claude B. Perry made his debut with the topic 'The Good Shepherd'. ... I will never forget that speech. I believe I have never heard anyone so nervous on the public platform. However, Brother Claude did not give up. Several years later I was pleasantly surprised to hear him preach a very good sermon." From the eulogy read at his funeral: In 1927 she went to Carman and stayed with her Aunt Elizabeth York and then went to Normal School(Photo) in the fall. She taught at the Perryville School in 1928-9.
She helped found Radville (SK) Christian College, now Western Christian College. She also taught the mentally retarded in Biggar SK for 15 years, before her retirement in 1976. She resided in 1985 at Wawota SK where she and her husband had gone to live so that they could care for Verna Husband.
In 1988, she received the "Golden Heart Award". Sponsored by the community newspaper association and Air Canada, it was given to only a dozen citizens out of a province of one million. One of the prizes was a free round-trip ticket for two to any place Air Canada flew.
That same year, she decided to go to Papua, New Guinea, as a missionary. Since the airline didn't have flights to Papua, she flew to Singapore and made her way to Papua. She did some medical work, counseling and teaching of women's Bible classes. She also taught English.
In 1931, the first Bible School of the churches of Christ in Saskatchewan was held in his home in Minton, and he and Pearl were both teachers. He was in charge of numerous Bible schools and many, many young people were strengthened in their faith because of his teachings.
In 1946 when Radville Christian College was established, the first building was constructed on land he donated, and he provided a major portion of the labor for construction. He served on the first Board of Directors. In 1946 he began preaching the Word on CHAB Radio from Moose Jaw. The program, which was called, "the churches of Christ Salute You," continued into the mid-fifties. Some of these radio sermons were published by J.C. Bailey in a book entitled "Preach the Word."
During his stay in Moose Jaw he served as minister and an elder for the local congregation. His life exemplified the spirit of Christ by his kindness to many. His sense of humor brightened many a situation. He loved to sing and had a beautiful strong voice. He loved people, particularly little children and little children loved him. During his years of preaching, he supported his family by doing carpenter work. They lived in houses that he built.
Wilfred and Pearl sponsored refugee families. Once they arrived in Wawota the families stayed in the Orr residence until more permanent accommodations were found. While there, Pearl taught them English.
In 1889 Elizabeth moved from Meaford to Carman and lived with her sister Mrs. Joseph McGill. For the past year she has been under the matriculation of Mr. Johnson Watson, Carman's efficient teacher. We are informed that the examinations this year were more than ordinarily severe. On 10 Aug 1893, the same paper announced that she had passed another examination and received a 2nd class certificate.
She taught school for more than 40 years in Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Alberta. For 13 of those years (1913-1920), she taught at Carman. In 1920, her father died and her mother had pneumonia and pleurisy. Catherine recovered but was "not as smart as before", so Elizabeth moved to Saskatchewan and taught at the nearby Touchwood, Round Plain (1899-1900, 1902) and Kutawa Schools; at the latter her salary was $1,200 per year.
When the Perryville (SK) School opened in March 1921 with an enrollment of 12 students, Elizabeth was the first teacher. She taught for the first three years, from March 1921 through December 1923. Her salary was $125 per month. She returned to Carman in 1924 and taught for two years, then retired but still taught occasionally. She bought her own cottage in Carman which she sold to Thomas4 Laycock in 1947.
The show rooms were a mass of flowers and presented a very pleasing appearance. The display of hats comprised all the latest designs in the millinery art, and a pleasing feature was the fact that extremely high-priced goods were avoided. An extremely pretty child's hat was shown in fancy straw, trimmed with white chiffon and white taffeta silk. A fine display is made in sailors, the leaders being the Winston, the Corono and the Regatta. Miss York reports a heavy run on sailors and leghorns, and has found it necessary to already repeat her orders in these lines.
9 May 1901: Miss Breckenridge and Miss York, Carman's leading milliners, are in Winnipeg this week buying new stock and looking up the latest designs in ladies summer head gear. 26 Sep
1901: Miss York will hold her millinery opening on Saturday, and the ladies of the town and country are invited to call and inspect the latest styles shown by her at Hill & Mallory's.
14 Nov 1901: We understand that Miss York, the popular and artistic milliner for the firm of Hill & Mallory, has accepted a similar position with the new firm, G.R. Hannah & Co. [who had purchased the Hill & Mallory Store]. As the season is now pretty well advanced, goods in her line will be sold at straight cost.
13 Feb 1902: Miss York, our artistic milliner, will be in attendance every Saturday and will trim your hats in the latest style. Also we have on hand a large number of hats already trimmed in the latest styles. Sure to please. Prices very low. Butter and eggs taken as cash at G.R. Hannah & Co's.
6 Mar 1902: Miss York, late milliner at the Golden Lion Store, left yesterday for Regina, where she has accepted a position. The store later failed.
Marjorie resided for many years at Kindersley SK, where beginning in 1964 she was the director of nurses at Kindersley Hospital until she retired in 1973. She was president of the Kindersley Nurses Home Auxiliary from 1934 to about 1940. Later she was president of the Kindersley Registered Nurses Association.
She was also in charge of the Kindersley Red Cross Chapter Blood Transfusion Service until 1971. Beginning in 1958, she served three terms on the Town Council. Committee appointments included being the Chair of the Kindersley Recreation Board and the Board of Management. In 1985 she resided in Calgary AB.
Travelling west from Ontario in 1889, he settled at Carman MB for a time. It was from Carman that he travelled in 1899 to study at the Nashville (TN) Bible School. That was apparently not his only activity during that time for after reporting his return from Nashville in their 11 May issue, the Dufferin (MB) Leader reported on 27 Jul 1899: Stanley is remembered for his way with a violin and his share in social affairs. He continued to play his violin until the time of his death.
Continuing his travels west, he lived in Saskatchewan during the time of the Riel Rebellion. From here he continued on to Alberta. Other residences included High River AB,(Photo) Nanton and Innisfail AB, where they raised horses(Photo) and cattle, Medicine Hat and Lethbridge AB. They also lived in California, first at Hayward, where they raised chickens,(Photo) and later at Turlock where they raised hay and fruit.
Return to Williams Descendant Chart.
Keith followed in his father's footsteps in his love of music and his ability with the violin and harmonica. He did not, however, travel as extensively. He lived in High River, Innisfail, Calgary and Seven Persons in Alberta and in California.
Shortly after the birth of their first child in 1931, the woes of the depression caught up with the family, resulting in Keith losing his job in the steel mill. The family then moved to the Seven Persons area and took up farming. The dry land at Seven Persons was never very conducive to successful farming; however, various sidelines proved to be more lucrative, and the family survived the depression. Florence York described a visit to their home in a 1951 letter to her nephew: Keith's place is 7 miles from there on a dirt road, which was in very bad condition the day we were there because of heavy rains the night before, and we slithered and slid all the way in. We couldn't turn back and wait for it to dry, there was no way to get out of the ruts and no place to turn. Keith rode out to his gate to meet us and drove the car in himself to save Uncle Stanley the strain.
Keith's place is normally very dry, in fact part of it is the northwest corner of the Assiniboian Desert. He had had eight years in a row of crop failures (wheat). If the rain just before we were there had come in May instead of August, he thought he would have had a crop last year, but as it was he said he would be lucky if he made enough to equal the seed. At that, he is better off than most of the people in the area because he has a creek on his place.
You will note the trees or tall shrubs in the pictures. It seems to me they said they were Saskatoons, which have an edible berry on them. We were unable to get around the place very much on account of the mud.
The family seem to like the life, even if they do have a struggle. They ride quite a lot. They used to have cattle but when they came down to visit Uncle Stanley in 1946 when he was at Turlock, Keith sold his cattle, thinking that the prices were going down, and he would buy more later, but instead of that they have kept going higher and he hasn't been able to replace them. Lydia Hill and her husband visited Meaford after Selina Perry's death. Verna went home to Carman with them and stayed for two years, then returned to Meaford. When her parents moved west in 1890, Verna returned to Carman, and in 1891 she was living with the Hills, attending Boyne school, and later, schools in Carman and Winnipeg MB. The Carman (MB) Weekly Standard for 13 Aug 1896, reported that she had successfully passed her examination for second class.
Verna was a teacher. Among the schools where she taught were MacGregor MB, Carman MB (1905), and Touchwood SK. In 1901 she was on the teaching staff of the Carman Bible Institute.
Like her brother, she was a student from Meaford at the 1898-99 session of the Nashville (TN) Bible School. When her parents moved west in 1890, she stayed in Carman MB, and in 1891 she was living with the Hills, attending school. She and her sister Verna attended Boyne School, about 4 miles from Carman. Maude later returned to Meaford where, in 1901, she was living with another aunt, Mary (Williams) Trout, while she was attending high school. In 1902 she went to Saskatchewan where she was a teacher until her marriage.
In a letter to her "Uncle" John (actually her brother, John Henry Wilford York) and Aunt Mary dated 25 Apr 1913, she described the trip from their home in Wishart to Regina where she was to have her baby. If the baby was full term, she would have been about 7 months pregnant at the time. We left Punnichy about 8:25 PM and arrived at Nokomis about 10 o'clock where we got a comfortable room. We stayed there till 10 the next morning and then came on to Bulyea. We had to change trains again but there was no wait so we arrived here at 2:40 PM. We found Ed's sister, brother, brother-in-law and nephew at the depot. I had a ride up to his sister's in their motor and then went to bed for a rest. From her home in Wishart to Punnichy is about 25 miles. From there to Regina is about 65 miles as the crow flies but probably over 100 miles by the less direct train route.
Ed and Maud took over the old York homestead, built a frame house, and assumed the responsibility of caring for her parents in their declining years. Ed was one of the first trustees of the Perryville School when it opened in 1921. After the death of his wife and child he returned to Perryville where he remained for the rest of his life.
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Home
For further information e-mail
© 2003 Shirley York Anderson