Event Date : Saturday, September 06, 1958
Event Type : Death

Description : About eight weeks before his death, Mr. Isaac Cairns became ill and was taken to York County Hospital where he underwent an operation. He failed to make a good recovery, and for the several weeks following it was realized that he was failing. He passed away on Saturday, September 6. Although in his 85th year, Mr. Cairns enjoyed remarkably good health until his last illness. He was a familiar figure about town, and a regular spectator at athletic meets, rarely missing games of hockey, lacrosse or ball, and always being an enthusiastic fan for the home team. Born in Nottawasaga Township, near Creemore, he spent his younger years in that area. In 1920 he gave up farming for about a year to operate a grocery store in Collingwood, and when he decided to return to farming he purchased the West Gwillimbury farm where his son, Stanley, now resides and moved to that farm in 1921. Twenty-two years ago last June, with his late wife, he retired to Bradford when Stanley was married.On February 10, 1901, he married Mary Grace Fisher of Stayner. Mrs. Cairns predeceased her husband seventeen years ago last June. Their eldest son, Elmer, died twelve years ago. Surviving are one son, Stanley, on the West Gwillimbury farm; one daughter, Mrs. Eben Sawyer (Myrtle) of Churchill, and several grandchildren. A Presbyterian in religion, Mr. Cairns had been an elder of that church for thirty years. He was a member of the L.O.L. and for 67 years had never missed an Orange walk, this year being his first time absent from the annual celebration since his joining the lodge. In Nottawasaga Township he served as a school trustee for a long period of years. The funeral was held from Bradford Presbyterian Church on Tuesday afternoon, September 9, where the services were in charge of his minister, Mr. Williams, assisted by Rev. F. G. MacTavish of Bradford United Church. Interment was in St. John's Cemetery, Coulson's Hill. The pallbearers were former neighbours and church friends, namely, Milton Ritchie, Wm. Langford, Seward Lee, Harold Scarrow, F. C. Cook and Kenneth Wood.

Event Date : Thursday, April 24, 1975
Event Type : Death

Description : Fred Cook, a man who for many years was a social and political influence in Bradford, died last Thursday in York County Hospital at 73. Mr. Cook was admitted to the hospital April 6 suffering from a heart attack. Funeral services were held in Trinity Anglican Church, Bradford, on Monday afternoon with the Rector, Rev. Jack House and Bishop Hunt, a lifelong friend of Mr. Cook, conducting the service. Hundreds of friends and associates gathered in the little church on Church St. that Fred Cook served so well. Mayor Joe Magani led a delegation of members of council and the town administrative staff. Many officials representing the various surrounding municipalities also attended the special funeral service.Reeve William Gibbins of Innisfil and Simcoe County Warden Edgar Currie and Reeve Orville Hughes of West Gwillimbury attended along with municipal, church and fraternal officials. Pallbearers included George Allison, Bradford Fire Chief Ted Gapp, Chief Constable John Dudgeon, Building Inspector Bert Magloughlen, Deputy Reeve Ken Wood and Ruston Folliott. Interment was in St. Paul's Cemetery, Coulson's Hill.During his 73 years, Fred Cook's life revolved around the town of his birth, Bradford.He was actively engaged in municipal politics and for more than 10 years served as the town's deputy reeve and representative on county council. In last year's election he decided to step down from the deputy reeve's chair. However, Mr. Cook did not leave the political scene and was successful in his bid to gain a council seat.Outside politics Fred Cook immersed himself in a number of community and social organizations. He was a lay reader in the Anglican Church from 1934 until his death and was involved in Christian education serving as Sunday School Superintendent for more than 45 years. In 1962 he received a citation from the Canadian Council of Churches' education department for his outstanding work. He was also a member of the Anglican Synod of the Diocese of Toronto. Mr. Cook was a member of the Simcoe Lodge #79 of the Ancient Free and Accepted Masons. At the time of his death he had achieved the 32nd Degree of the brotherhood. In his service to that organization, Mr. Cook served as district deputy grand master of the A.F. and A.M.'s district C". Mr. Cook also served at a grand master of the Orange Lodge for Ontario West and was a faithful member of Centennial Lodge LOL 209. Until 1957 Mr. Cook operated an insurance business in Bradford. Fred Cook is survived by his wife Leone, one sister Reta (Mrs. T. Gardner) of Bradford and one brother John of Windsor. Bradford Mayor Joe Magani commented on Mr. Cook's death saying: "It would take me hours to talk about Fred Cook. He will be very much missed on council. To me he was a real man and always a real gentleman on council. I served with him on council for 18 years and he was a great worker for the public and for the town. He did everything he could to satisfy the ratepayers at all times. He did a good job in finance. If ever I got stuck for words I could always turn to him for help."The mayor added: "He was a very beautiful man. It will take a long time to find another one like him."

Event Date : Saturday, May 14, 1955
Event Type : Death

Description : Until within less than a week of his death Mr. T. W. W. Evans, senior member of the law firm of Evans & Evans, Bradford, was at his desk conducting the business of his profession as he had done for nearly 61 years. Last week he did not feel well, and, as had happened upon occasions during recent years, he was forced to remain at home in bed. But the rally to fairly good health which brought him back from previous sicknesses did not occur and he passed away early Saturday morning, May 14. The history of the Evans family dates back some 137 years, to around 1818, when George Evans with his wife and family came from Ireland and settled on Concession 10. Their son, James, later married Ann Mitchell and lived on the same farm, and when their son, George M. Evans, married he brought his bride, the former Elizabeth Cooper, to this same farm, and to them, on May 10, 1868, was born a son whom they named Thomas Wesley Whitfield Evans. And so began a life which was to serve a vital role in this community over a very long period of years.After attending the Bradford schools, including the old Bradford Model school, Mr. Evans taught school for a time at Coulson's Hill before entering law school in Toronto. After graduation he returned to Bradford and set up his law practice in October, 1894. Two years later he married Edith Graham, daughter of T. S. Graham and his wife Annie Drifill Graham, and Mr. and Mrs. Evans established their home in the house on Holland Street which had been built by the grandfather of Mrs. Evans, Thos. Drifill, the first reeve of Bradford. That house is still the Evans home. Mr. and Mrs. Evans had a family of six sons and one daughter. Three of the sons are lawyers, namely, Graham, Charles and Brock, and they with their father formed a family foursome of K.C.'s, now Q.C.'s, in the legal profession. Graham Evans, Q.C., is in Toronto. Fred Evans resides in Clarkson. Max Evans is in Toronto. Charles Evans, Q.C., is a member of the Evans & Evans firm here. Joseph Evans is in Toronto. Betty (Mrs. Jackson) and her family have made their home with her father for a number of years., while Brock Evans, Q.C., is a member of the Evans & Evans firm here. Most the grandchildren are now young men and women and friends of the family will be interested in them. The Graham Evans' family includes a son and daughter, Dr. John and Miss Elizabeth, R.N. The Fred Evans' family includes two daughters, two sons, and a grandson, namely Jean (Mrs. Bruce), and her son David, Douglas, William and Barbara. Max Evans has two sons, Thomas and David. Charles Evans' have four sons, Thomas, James, Robert and Richard. Joseph Evans has a son and two daughters, Donald, Sally Jo and Frances. Betty (Mrs. Jackson) is the mother of George and Elizabeth Jackson, while Brock's family is daughter Ann and son Christopher. Mrs. Evans passed away in October, 1945. Mr. Evans is also survived by four sisters and two brothers, namely, Mrs. Strong (Annie), Mrs. Hughes (Florence),Miss Eva Evans and Miss Libbie Evans, all of Toronto; and two brothers, Charles in Southey and Milton in White Fox, Saskatchewan. He was predeceased by three brothers, Dr. James Evans, Matthew and Fred.The history of West Gwillimbury and Bradford and the Evans family have been analogous for a period of around 135 years. Mr. T. W. W. Evans' father was Reeve of West Gwillimbury for a long term of years and was Warden of Simcoe County in 1873. His uncle, Zackariah Evans, was clerk of the township for a very long period of years. Mr. Evans has been solicitor for both the town and the township for, it is believed, over half a century, thus guiding the businesses of these municipalities. He also served on the schoolboard of Bradford for many years and acted as its chairman. In church affairs he always was a valued leader. In his younger days his church was the Methodist church at Mount Pleasant. Later it was the Methodist church in Bradford and since church union his church was the United Church here. He was an elder of the church and a member of several church boards. His presence at the church services always lent dignity to that service. He was also a lay representative on the Council of the United Church of Canada for a long term of years. Mr. Evans was a member of Simcoe Masonic Lodge and served as Master of the Lodge in 1907. A number of years ago he was presented with his 50 year membership medal by the lodge. He was also a member of L.O.L., Bradford. In 1926 Mr. Evans was joined in his law practice by his son, Charles T. S. Evans, and the firm became Evans & Evans. With expanding business, Brock M. Evans joined the firm in 1950. It was his sons' association in the firm, and their deference to him as senior member of the firm, which made possible Mr. Evans' active role in his profession to the last. Always keenly interested in athletics, he was a member of the executive of the famed lacrosse clubs in Bradford in years gone by and even during recent years he was usually an interested spectator at all sporting activities. As a father, as a churchman, as a citizen, and as a gentleman, Mr. Evans was at all times an example for good living to the people of the community. In his profession his integrity was regarded with the highest respect, while his advice was also sought and respected. The people of this district have suffered a loss in his passing. The funeral was held on Monday afternoon. A service for the family was held at the home followed by a public service in Bradford United Church. A long time friend of Mr. Evans, Rev. Dr. Manson Doyle, and a younger friend, and former minister, Rev. Dr. Harold W. Vaughan, joined the minister of the church, Rev. F. G. MacTavish, in conducting the services. Interment was in the family plot in Mount Pleasant Cemetery.The pallbearers were six grandsons, the eldest sons of the six older members of his family, namely, Dr. John Evans, Douglas Evans, Thomas M. Evans, Thomas E. Evans, George Jackson, and Donald Evans.

Event Date : Friday, February 12, 1954
Event Type : Death

Description : One of the district's most elderly, well known, and highly respected residents, Mr. John Henry Lee, passed away on Friday, February 12. About a year ago his health began to fail. He spent six weeks in Southampton hospital where expert medical opinion was sought. In September he returned to Bradford where, at the home of his son, Mr. Seward Lee, he was cared for through a long illness by his granddaughter, Miss Charlotte Lee, while his family and his old friends came and went. The week before his death he was removed to Newmarket hospital where he passed away in his sleep early Friday morning. Born almost 93 years ago on Lot 3, Concession 11, West Gwillimbury, a son of Samuel Lee, who was also born on the same farm, and of Alice Burns of Mount Pleasant corner, who was of Scotch descent from Nova Scotia, John Lee was the third generation of Lee on that farm, his Irish grandfather having come from County Derry to settle there. In 1887 he married the late Charlotte Hodgson and they took up residence on the 12th concession of West Gwillimbury. With their family of nine they resided there until 1916 when they moved to the farm north of Bradford where their son, Seward Lee, now resides. In 1928, when their son married, Mr. and Mrs. Lee moved to Bradford. In 1937 Mr. and Mrs. Lee celebrated their golden wedding anniversary with a complete family circle. Three years later, in 1940, after Mrs. Lee's death, he returned to make his home on the farm where he was a favourite with old and young alike, remaining mentally keen to the last. For 74 years the late Mr. Lee was a member of L.O.L. No. 209, Newton Robinson, and during that long period of years he never missed an Orangemen's walk. He was also a member of the Black Preceptory. He had been at times District Master and County Master of the Orange Lodge. Several decades ago he was associated with the public life of the township and county. He and his family were also a vital part of the little Anglican Church at Pinkerton for many years. Orangeman Conservative and Anglican to these three convictions he remained staunch. Mr. Lee is survived by one son Seward of Bradford; eight daughters Mrs. Thos. Brown (Flossie) of Bradford; Mrs. R. Watt (Minnie) of Raymore Sask.; Mrs. J. Fraser (Luella) of Port Elgin Ont.; Mrs. E. Fennell (Isabelle) of Bradford; Mrs. J. Hamilton (Christine) of Ormond Florida; Mrs. P. Haller (Mina) of Ann Arbor Mich.; Mrs. Morrow (Clara) of Murillo Ont.; Mrs. K. Jack (Henrietta) of Clarkson Ont.; 28 grandchildren and 16 great grandchildren; and one brother Christopher Lee of Bradford. A brother Sam and sisters Misses Jennie and Agnes predeceased him during recent years. All members of his family were here for his funeral with the exception of Mrs. Watt who visited her father last fall. The funeral service was taken by his rector Rev. W. Johnson on Monday afternoon and interment was in St. Paul's Cemetery. The pallbearers were members of L.O.L. No 209 namely John Robinson, Robt. Webber, John Parks, Ben Steers, and D. K. Harvey.

Contains items regarding the various organizations in the Bradford area. Headings include: Gun Clubs Jr. Farmers LOL (Loyal Orange Lodge) New PATH Old Boys Association Women's Institute