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Event Date : Friday, August 24, 1900
Event Type : Death

Description : On Friday last one of the pioneer settlers in this vicinity passed peacefully away in the person of Mrs. John Armstrong, relict of the late John Armstrong. Deceased was born on the 22nd of March, 1810, near the town of Killashandra, County Caven, Ireland, and with her parents came to Canada in 1831. Her maiden name is Eliza Magee. On the 14th of February in the following year she married Mr. John Armstrong, and shortly after settled on the south half of lot 12, in the 6th con. of West Gwillimbury, on the farm now occupied by Mr. Samuel Faris. Some years later Mr. Armstrong purchased, and for 38 years resided on the farm now owned and occupied by Mr. Jonathan Kneeshaw. In the summer of 1882 Mr. Armstrong departed this life and shortly after his widow took up residence in this village, and for the past 17 years has continued to reside on John st. A coincidence worthy of remark is that Mrs. Armstrong died on the same day of the month - 24th of August - as that of her husband who predeceased her just 18 years. Deceased who endured the hardships incident to pioneer life, enjoyed good health during most of her long sojourn upon earth. She was a loving and devoted wife and mother, and for many years was a consistent member of the Presbyterian church. Deceased died full of years and happy in the assurance of a blessed hereafter. Infirmities of old age was the cause of her recent sickness while resulted finally in her death. There was a family of nine children, seven of whom are now living, viz.: Mrs. Simon Armstrong, Toronto; Chas J. Armstrong, Bradford; John R. Armstrong, Ottawa; Mrs. Ingles, Wingham; Miss Martha Armstrong, Bradford; Mrs. B.L. Johnston, Toronto; and Mr. Allan Armstrong, West Gwillimbury. Miss Martha Armstrong resided with her mother and did the part of an affectionate daughter in making the declining years of her mother as happy and as cheerful as possible. The funeral took place on Sunday afternoon to the Old Kirk burying grounds, the remains being laid beside those of her husband. In the unavoidable absence of Rev. Mr. Smith, who attended the deceased during her illness, Rev. Mr. Whaley, of St. Helen's, Ont., conducted a short service at the house and in the church at the graveyard, also improved the occasion by preaching a funeral sermon in the Scotch Settlement church, immediately following the burial service. The sympathy of the whole community goes out to the family and all sorrowing friends in their sad bereavement.

"No cause has yet been determined for a stubborn blaze which broke out in a house at 16 John Street East in Bradford last Tuesday.
The Bradford Fire Department was called out at about 4 pm to quell the blaze which broke out in a back apartment, occupied by Dick Gullinger.
Fire Chief Harold Boyd said the whole apartment was in flamed by the time the firefighters arrived on the scene, and there was no hope of saving it.
The back wall of the house was also badly damaged, and thick smoke made the rest of the house uninhabitable for the occupants of the other two apartments, John Faria Jr., and Louis Dasiba.
"It was a tough one to put out," Chief Boyd said, explaining there were many false ceilings in the old house which had to be torn away to get at the flames.
The chief estimated it took about three hours to put the fire out. The occupants managed to remove most of their belongings during the blaze, and there were no injuries. There has been no estimate of damage."

Full obituary for Mrs. Fred (Catherine Eunice Scanlon) Wood:
"With the passing away at Newmarket Hospital on Friday, February 10, of Catherine Eunice Moore Scanlon, beloved wife of Fred Wood, West Gwillimbury lost one of its most well-known citizens. Mrs. Wood was born and lived all her life on the farm owned by her father, the late Thos. Scanlon, Lot 2, Concession 10, whose father, Mark Scanlon, settled at Scanlon's Creek about the year 1824. Her mother was the late Maria Sloane, whose parents settled on the farm of James Sloane about the same time. The late Mrs. Wood attended school at Mount Pleasant and later attended the High School situated at the northern entrance to the Pine Grove, Bradford. She was an Anglican and during her whole life attended St. Paul's Anglican Church, the church attended by her parents. Having lived her whole life on the same farm, and having a keen mind with vivid recollections of the early settlers, she knew intimately the history of West Gwillimbury and Bradford. Mrs. Wood is survived by her husband; one brother, Allan Scanlon, who wife was a former Bradford girl, Myra Baker; their six sons and one daughter, who attended the funeral. Predeceasing her were Annie (Mrs. Donald McKay); George; Birdie (Mrs. Thos. Wood), and Mark. The funeral was from the family residence to Mount Pleasant Cemetery, part of which was given to the Methodist Church by her grandfather, Mark Scanlon. The pallbearers were six nephews, Lewis Scanlon, Sudbury; Fred Scanlon, Copper Cliff; Douglas Scanlon, Callander; Bert Scanlon, North Bay; Walter Wood, Painesville, Ohio, and gerald Wood, Wyandotte, Mich."

Front page of the first Bradford Witness paper after the Holland Marsh flood due to Hurricane Hazel on October 15, 1954. See Related Descriptions below for individual stories of this edition.

"Immediate credit, to the extent of $100,000 by the Provincial Government, was promised by Premier Leslie Frost within a matter of minutes after his arrival by car to attend a meeting with the Holland Marsh Emergency Relief Committee, held in the Township of West GWillimbury municipal office on Monday. ..."

"Toronto - The Canadian Mobile Home Association has announced an offer to provide more than two hundred mobile homes at cost price to victims of the Ontario flood. The C.M.H.A. has pulled its dealers from Winnipeg to Quebec City. Mobile homes can be made available on twenty-four hours' notice and hauled immediately to the stricken areas. ..."

"To help solve the housing problem for the thousand or more people made homeless by the flood a trailer town is being planned.
Bradford Rotary Club members are in charge of this project and the objective is 100 trailer cabins to be located on the ball grounds. It is proposed to install showers and toilet facilities to serve this big trailer camp.
The search for a sufficient number of trailers is already underway."

"The branch of the Boyne River which crosses the road into Beeton, west of No. 27 Highway, was, like all other streams of the district, swollen to danger proportions last Friday night and at this point a terrific toll in lives was taken. Five bodies have been recovered and some neighbours fear that there may be more. ..."

Two 'notice' articles for home owners and helpers of flood relief.
"Notice to Owners of Dishes at Town Hall
All who have sent pots, pans and dishes to the town hall with food are requested to call at the town hall as soon as possible and pick up their belongings. Workers can't look after the quantity of containers that is accumulating and you will help them by attending to this matter promptly."

"Advice to Owners of Submerged Motors
One of our local garage men has suggested that owners of all motor vehicles and motorized equipment, which has been submerged in water, heed the following advice: 'Do not turn over motors until magnetos and ignition system have been thoroughly dried out.' "

"A Department of Highways bulletin announced the following highways closed as a result of the flood in this area: ..."