HomeMy WebLinkAbout2004-00355"Pickering Township Historical Society Pathmaster, winter/spring edition, volume 6,
numbers 1&2.
What's Inside
>The bicycle craze struck Pickering Township in the 1890's. It was both a source of
amusement and a potential source for disaster.
>Much of this issue focuses on the hamlet of Greenwood. Traveller continues his
journeys through the township in search of sales and encounters the citizens of
Greenwood.
>Two of the fixtures of nineteenth-century Greenwood were its Upper Mill and the British
Arms Hotel.
>Progress can have both its beneficial and its down side. Milton Pegg reflected on
some of the disadvantages of the widening of the Seventh Concession Road.
>Edgerton Pegg (1912- 2003)is remembered as a man who lived life to the full - as a
farmer, a sportsman, a musician, a traveller and as a naturalist.
>We begin a series on Victorian-era crime in Pickering Township. In our first episode
George Alger is convicted of insurance fraud. Was justice well served in this case.
""On Sunday afternoon last Mr. Found was driving along the road east of Liverpool
Market. Several bicyclists were racing, and owing to the bend in the road, came upon
him unawares.The horse bolted into the ditch,throwing the occupants (Mr. Found and two
young men ) out, inflicting severe injuries, but not fatal. The horse freed itself from the
buggy, completely destroying the harness. One of the bicyclists received very severe
injuries. The injured ones were taken to Secker's hotel, where medical attention was
secured, and the sufferer's wounds dressed.One of the bicycles was completely
demolished.""1
Such, in 1884 was the first reference to bicycles in Pickering Township of which I am
aware. The bicycle had come to stay in Pickering for good or evil.
The Pickering News from time to time reported an idividuals who took up the sport of
bicycle riding. ""Bicycles are becoming very fashioinable in the village
[Pickering Village]. Ja[me]s Richardson, Jr., is now a cyclist in his own right and title,""
said the News in April 1892.2 And in Greenwood, ""John Gerry now rides a new Massey
Harris Bicycle, so girls look out.""3 NOr was it just the bous to whom the bicycle appealed,
In claremont ""Reeve [George] Gerow and J.H.Jobbitt {shoe store owner]
soent the holiday learning to ride bicycles.""4 We hope they did better tha John Gregg,
also of Claremont, who ""with a wheel too a oerch in a cdear tree near McFarlane's
hill."" But Mr. Gregg must have been a determined soul because the News added: ""
John will yet master the pesky thing."" The ladiews were not to be left out.
In Claremont ""Miss Wlla Patterson has a new bicycle and is now learning to ride.""6
And in Audley, in the spring of 1892, several young ladies were contemplating the
puchase of ""safety"" bicycles.7 As for Miss Reilly, school mistress at School Section
# 4 East, the bicycle was her means of getting to work.8
For a decade the bicycle remained an occasional sighting in the hamlet, and Pickering
Village folk were still quite inquisitive when groups of riders passed through on their way
to Whitby or Port Hope (popular week-end runs). They had the occasional chuckle when
the grand entry did not go as planned. On one accasion ""nine bicyclist came skimming
into our town on their way from Toronto to Monteal. As they soared down the sidewalk,
the wonder and envy of numerous small boys , one very unlucky young gentleman of the
nine, ran his wheel into a crack in the sidewwalk. He was going at full speed, so that
when the wheel stopped short, he turned a complete summersault and lit on his
shoulders some five yards away. The wheel of his bicycle was broken, but not very
seriously"".9
Then, in the mid 1890's it seemed the bicycle was everywhere. Ontario County began
to emulate Toronto. The first reports were of a ""bicycle epidemic...raging in Oshawa
and Bowmanville to an alarming extent"". The News was happy to report, however,
that ""while there have been some light attacks of this disease here, it has not in a
single instance proven fatal.""10 Their smugness was premature, for only a week
later their Claremont correspodent wrote: ""The bicylce craze has strick our lit-
"
"[lit]tle town and shaken her to the very foundations.
The epidemic is rapidly spreading and in a few days few people will have
escaped its ravages. The tornado that has just been reported from St. Louis was
no more effective in its mission.""11 Even in Green River it was soon reported that
""Nearly every youth has a bicycle now.""12
Bicycles became a preoccupation from the spring through the fall months.
Bicycle clubs were formed in almost every hamlet.13 The Cherrywood correspondent
noted wryly: ""It is getting rather dangerous travelling on our streets in the evening.
The junior bicycle club practices always between six and eight o'clock. No accidents
have yet occurred but the ditches are getting filled with disabled wheels. Excessive
use is the only cause.""14 The practices were in preparation for weekend excursions
to places like Toronto and Peterborough.
Some hearty individuals began to use the bicycle for long-distance journeys,
which must have been extremely difficult given the condition of roads in those days.
The News reported a traveller passing through town on a bicycle ""loaded down,
resembling a pack mule on a busy day.""15 He was on his way to Manitoba and
planned to wheel all the way. Pickering Village resident George Varty, in the summer
of 1898, drove his bicycle to Michigan to visit a cousin.16 And the summer before,
Robert Forsyth of Claremont covered some 3000 miles [5000 km] on his bicycle.17
Racing bicycles also became a popular sport. Henry Cowan, who operated a summer
resort at Rosebank, built a track—probably the first in Pickering Township —
on his property in 1896. It created considerable interest, but, at least for that summer,
the number of entries for the races was small.18 That would change in the years to
follow. Henry Wood was reported as winning first prize in the bicycle race at Rosebank
in June 1899, then went on to race at Malvern where he had to settle for second place.
[Footnote 19]
For both the long-distant cyclist and the racer there was soon developed a training
machine—the stationary bicycle. It appeared as early as 1886, as reported by the
News: ""Items of Interest: A machine called the Buffalo home trainer has been invented,
by which bicyclists can train in their own room. It is stationary.""20, found a way to
participate in the sport. The News reported ""A cripple upon a tricycle visited our
village Wednesday evening and was watched with much interest by our more curious
residents. The machine was propelled by the hands."" 21
The introduction of the bicycle was not without its negative side, nor did all revel in its
benefits. Mixed with alcohol, for example, bicycle riding could be disastrous.
In one case a couple of young men from Toronto were riding rather high by the time
they reached Pickering Village. They kept
tumbling over until one fell into a ditch opposite St. Andrews Church and suffered a
dislocated shoulder. Townspeople had to put him on a train back to Toronto. 22
Toronto Bicycle Club members found themselves involved in a case of road rage as
they passed through Pickering Township. A Mr. Graham, who lived in the Rouge area,
refused to make way for them. A fight ensued in which the cyclists appeared to hold
their own until Graham called for
assistance from Mr. Cullis. Graham and Cullis gave chase driving one of the cyclists
to hide himself in the Gordon House in Pickering Village until the burly pursuers had
departed. The Pickering News laid the blame on the cyclists.23
In an incident in Brougham ""Some evil disposed person has distributed tacks upon
our streets for the destruction of bicycle tires.""24 The News theorized that some
juvenile must have been playing tricks, but it could just as easily have been an adult
tired of having to dodge bicycles on the road.
It wasn't long before bicycles became the object of theft. In one case a bicycle stolen in
Markham was found near Claremont. A person was arrested but later acquitted;
the culprit was probably never found.25 On another occasion, a man from Oshawa
attempted to sell his bicycle in Pickering Village. Only later was it discovered that the
bicycle was rented and not his to sell. He was arrested in Toronto and the owner was
able to recover his wheel. 26
The number of accidents involving bicycles increased rapidly as the popularity of the
bicycle grew. Horses and buggies now had to share the road with these two-wheelers;
their meeting on the road sometimes led to disastrous consequences.
If a horse shied from a bicycle it could throw the wagon in the ditch—as in
the incident at the beginning of this article. In that case it was the horse,
the buggy and the buggy's occupants who were prone to injury. If, on the other hand,
a bicycle and buggy collided it was usually the bicycle and rider that suffered the
damage. Numerous incidents of both kinds are reported in the News.27
Careless or reckless cycling could also lead to collisions of other kinds.
Cows in the road were a hazard to bicyclists. In one instance a cow was
tethered on one side of the road, but crossed to the other side to graze.
As the bicyclist neared the tether rope the cow raised its head and the rope with it.
The rider hit the rope and the bicycle collapsed.28 Fortunately the rider was not
seriously injured. On occasion bicycles collided with each other. Such,
The Ruling Passion
Dr. Bones - 'Yes, my good man,
you are dying fast.'
Biker - 'Hurry, then, and give me
my cyclometer. I'll make a record
or die trying.'
Pickering News 25 February 1898
Friendly Advice
She — 'My bicycle has become an old story and I'm tired to death of it. What shall 1
do next?'
He — 'Learn to ride it.'
Pickering News 30 October 1896
T. FANE & Co
TORONTO
COMET No2 $65.00
Pickering News 21 June 1889
E. & D. Bicycles
GENT'S FRAME. LADIES' FRAME.
Pickering News 10 April 1896
Cleveland Bicycles
Are acknowledged to be the best wheels for roading or pleasure. $40 and up.
GEO. PHILIP. Jr., Brougham.
Pickering News 2 June 1899
The John Griffiths' Cycle Corporation Co., L'td.
We sell The best $50.00 Wheel In the Market.
JOHN DICKIE & CO., AGENTS.
The Largest Bicycle Company in the World.
We sell The Humber! Best Wheel In the World.
J. D. & Co'y.
Pickering News 2 April 1897
2"
"for example, was the case when the Cherrywood senior bicycle club was out
practicing one evening. Two riders ran into each other causing great damage to
both bicycles and a severe cut over the eye for one of the riders.29
Pedestrian-bicycle collisions could also have severe consequences. When Miss Ida
Campbell stepped out onto King Street in Pickering Village late one afternoon in April
she was knocked down by a bicycle travelling at high speed. Perhaps she couldn't see
the bicycle coming in the twilight. Miss Campbell was severely shaken up,
but not otherwise injured.30 On another occasion in the village a child was knocked
down by a bicyclist, but this time not on the road, but on the sidewalk.31 The News
chastised the rider for not confining his riding to the roadway.
In June of 1897 an accident occurred that resulted in the first recorded death in
Pickering involving a bicycle collision. William Howlett was the rider of the bicycle.
As he descended a hill along King Street in the village his front wheel became
entangled with the wheel of a road cart. He was thrown off the bicycle and fell under
the hoofs of the colt pulling the cart. He did not die instantly, but after getting up and
walking for a short distance, he then had to be carried home where his condition
worsened until death took him.32 He left a young wife and two small children.
As may be seen from the accompanying advertisements, by the latter half of the
l890s there were a number of bicycle manufacturers vying for the trade, and several
general dealers in Pickering Village who featured bicycles among their wares.
In addition to selling both new and used bicycles, Henry Savage set up a repair shop
as well. 33
Once the ""craze"" was over the bicycle became common place in Pickering Township
and after about 1900 items regarding bicycles no longer merited special attention
from the newspaper.
Dark Secret
'It is not dark enough yet,' she whispered as she peered eagerly up and down the
street.
'There's no one in sight,' he replied after a careful survey. 'But someone may come
round that corner at any minute and recognize us, and then I should want to die.' '
Well, then, we'll wait a bit.' What dreadful deed did those two contemplate doing?
He was about to give her her first lessons in riding a bicycle.""
Pickering News 28 April 1899
Notes:
1 Pickering News [PN] 30 May 1884.
2 PN 8 April 1892. 3PN5May 1899. 4 PN 29 May 1896. 5PN 19 August 1898. 6PN5
June 1896.
7 PN 22 April 1892.
8 PN 19 August 1898. SS #4 East was located near what is now the intersection of
Harwood Ave. and Kingston Rd.
9 PN 2 July 1886.
10 PN 29 May 1896.
11 PN5 June 1896.
12 PN 16 June 1899.
13 Reference is made in PN to clubs in Pickering Village, Greenwood, Claremont,
Cherrywood, and even Base Line East. See. e.g.. PN 27 March 1896;
15 May 1896; 27 August 1897; 17 September 1897; 14 October 1898.
14 PN 17 September 1897.
15 PN I April 1898.
16 PN 9 September 1898.
17 PN 3 September 1897.
18 PN 19 June 1896.
19 PN 30 June 1899. 20PN5 February 1886.
21 PN 28 August 1896.
22 PN 17 June 1892.
23 PN 29 April 1892.
24 PN 8 July 1898.
25 PN 13 November 1896.
26 PN 12 May 1899.
27 See e.g., PN 17 September 1897; 7 August 1896; 22 October 1897.
28 PN 6 August 1897. Another cow-bike incident was reported in 30 October 1896.
29 PN 17 September 1897.
30 PN 29 April 1898.
31 PN 29 July 1898.
32 PN 11 |une 1897.
33 PN 14 May 1897.
TRAVELLER VISITS GREENWOOD IN 1883
Ross Johnston, travelling salesman for the Whitby Chronicle, continues his tour of the
hamlets of Pickering Townshop in 1883-1884. This account, written under the name
""Traveller"" is from 14 December 1883.
Greenwood's lovely glen, sparkling springs, grist mills, tannery, and minor industries —
Rural post masters, much work and responsibility for little remuneration. Greenwood,
Dec. 10. I was about to close my last with a few words as to country Post Offices,
but suddenly drew rein, lest my team should run away with me. As there is now less
danger, I will resume the subject, giving it brief space. I learned, to my surprise,
from Mr. Burton (postmaster at Green River) that he receives from the Government,
in return for his services, the sum of $24 a year.1 What a miserable pittance for the
important work done. Why, it is hardly enough to pay for the shop-room, leaving other
considerations out of the question. True, the duties of the office are only light, but the
position is one of much responsibility, and requires constant attention, and great care,
and should surely be rewarded with something approaching to a fair remuneration.
I learn, on enquiry at other Post Offices, that Mr. Burton's case is not an isolated one.
More the shame. Surely the scale on which such matters are measured is hardly
constructed on an equitable principle, and sadly needs revision. I think my friend Harry
Chappie would pronounce the system rotten, and say it should be buried, like the path
master system of doing roadwork.2
Went eastward from Green River to Brougham, making as many turns, twists and
wiggles on the way as would have done credit to the big water snakes at Frenchman's
Bay. Staid all night with my good host, Poucher, and in the morning having visited this
neighborhood previously, pushed forward towards the rising sun.3 Took an occasional
run southward, and having reached the residence of Mr. James McCormack about
noon I partook of his kind hospitality by way of a good substantial meal, and after a
friendly talk marched onward.4
Oh! my legs, arms, back, sides and whole corporation. The afternoon's physical
experience in traversing the Greenwood glen was something to be remembered.
The springs of pure, cold, sparkling water, bubbling out of the hillsides, all along the
heights, are also things to be remembered. The water is just delicious along the upper
grounds, and I drank, and drank again. The memory of it will continue to be a
well-spring of pleasure whenever I feel thirsty. I reached the Village about dark,
and sought the shelter of
Green Wood Mills, S.J.Green, ProP, Green Wood, Pickering Tp.Ont.
Illustrated Historical Atlas of Ontario County (Beers, 1877).
3"
"the quiet inn kept by Mr. Gerow, where I received the kindest attention, and arose much
refreshed the following morning.5 By the way, morning does not get down into the glen at
a very early hour. This circumstance was much in my favor. Greenwood, like some other
villages, seems to have seen better days, yet still it is a stirring little place, and the
dwellers in the vale and on the hillsides are a sociable and kindly people. Croquet is a
favorite amusement here, and finds votaries among all classes, and apparently at
almost all hours of the day. That ""all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy,""
is a proverb held in high respect here. The Village lies mainly on the descent of the
hill going westward, and a long hill it is, with quite a valley at the bottom,
through which runs the main branch of what is afterwards known as Duffins Creek.
At the foot of the hill, occupying a prominent business position, we find Michael
Gleeson, Esq., holding forth in the four-fold capacity of Division Court Clerk,
Post master, telegraph operator and general store keeper. Michael is evidently
appreciated as a business man. His many functions remind one of
""Boston's four-fold state."" His store is well filled with general merchandise and
he and his assistants seem to have their hands full in attending the wants of numerous
customers.
Messrs. Shae & Lennon are the coopersof the place, assisted by Mr. Carey
(no relative of that other man), 6 and the mills here give them most of their work,
and good work they do. Mr.John Teefey conducts the shoemaker's department in the
business of Greenwood, and his trade is not confined to the Village.
His fame as a cord-winder is far spread.
There is a Tannery in the place, carried on by Mr. Wm. Pengelly.7 Business seems
dull in his line just now, but he is said to do a fair amount during the year.
There is also that requisite of a prosperous Village, a blacksmith shop.
It has changed occupants lately, having just been rented by the ""Green estate""
(owners), to Mr. Wm. Beaton, a son, (as I am informed) of Hector Beaton, Esq.,
late Pickering Township clerk, whose praise is in every mouth. If the son succeeds
in winning a name as honored as his father's, he will not have lived in vain.
Here, too, is to be found Mr. David Dunlop, long a representative man in agricultural
implements. David is no man's fool. I find him to be a man of extensive reading,
well up in popular authors, and almost as ready as our County Crown Attorney at
quoting Shakespeare and the lesser poets.8
Frederick the Great wanted to build a palace at a distance from his capital,
to which he might resort and forget for a time the cares of king-hood.
A suitable site was selected, plans drawn and arrangements made for building,
when the king discovered an obstacle in the shape of a mill, which the owner refused
to sell even at a very high price. The king sent for the miller, and asked him why he
was so obstinate. Because, said the miller, it was my father's mill, and there he lived
and died, there, too, my son was born, and I will not sell it. I want to build my palace,
says the king. Your majesty forgets that the mill is my palace. But don't you know,
says Frederick, that I can take it whether you like it or not? No, said the miller,
not while there are Judges at Berlin.
That mill was a wind mill, and likely stood on an elevated position to catch the breeze.
Not so with the Greenwood mills, of which there are two, both in the glen, one a short
distance north of the main road, and the other at a little greater distance down stream
to the south.
The north, or upper mill, is a four-storey frame building, owned by the ""Green estate,""
has 3 run of stones, machinery first class, all very complete, but under old process,
has a capacity of 80 barrels a day, is driven by water-power, and gives employment to
about seven hands regularly in its different departments.
The south mill is owned by Frederick Green, Esq. It is a three-storey frame building,
with 3 run of stones, is also driven by water power, machinery in good condition
(old process), capacity 50 barrels a day. Work done here is mainly custom work,
run off about 200 bushels a day in gristing and chopping. I reached this mill by taking
a short cut across the mill race, a very slippery operation which requires me to
""walk circumspectly"" in the literal meaning of the expression. Both mills are leased
and carried on by Mr. John Mitchell, a gen
WORLD'S FAIR AT CHICAGO
We want some of the crowd this way to buy goods.
$8000
worth to offer of Dry Goods, Groceries, Boots and Shoes, Hardware,
Ready Made Clothing, Hats, Caps, Patent Medicine, Etc. Everything necessary
to fill a first-class store. Call and examine stock. Space too small to give prices.
All will be disposed of at closest living prices. Some less than cost, some at an
advance of 5 per cent., none offered at more than an advance of 15 per cent.
Average profit 10 per cent. No trouble to show goods. Give us a call we mean
business. Highest prices for all kinds of produce.
MOTTO - ""Good goods, Small profits.""
M. GLEESON & SON.
GREENWOOD.
Pickering News 19 May 1893
Croquet on the front lawn.
Illustrated Historical Atlas of York County (Miles, 1878).
Portion of 1877 map showing Greenwood.
Illustrated Historical Atlas of Ontario County (Beers, 1877).
4"
"tleman of much energy and enterprise, who courteously responded to every enquiry.
Mr. Mitchell buys considerable wheat at Uxbridge during the winter. Supplies for both
mills are at present from local sources. The upper mill is used for merchant work,
and the lower one for custom work. Mr. Mitchell says Fall Wheat this year is a failure
as compared with last year, the yield being little more than half. I learned from
Frederick Green, Esq., of the very sudden death of his granddaughter, Miss Agnes
Edith Meen, a few days before.9 The old gentleman spoke of the occurrence in such
tender and loving words that they went straight to my heart. I must close here,
as my letter is getting too long.
Traveller
Notes
1 George Burton kept the general store and post office in Green River from 1878 to
1888. He was the father of Charles Luther Burton, CEO of Simpson's Department
Stores. See C.L. Burton. 1952. A Sense of Urgency (Toronto: Clarke, Irwin).
2 On Chappie see Pathmaster 5:3 & 4 (2003), p. 20
3 On Poucher see Paymaster 5:1 & 2 (2003), pp. 1-2
4 Concession 4,1ot 17.
5 John Gerow ran the inn at Greenwood for several years before moving to
Brougham in 1885, where he rented the Commercial House for a year,
then purchased the Brougham Hotel from Thomas Poucher.
6 The reference here is to William Carey (1761-1834), a once famous British
missionary to India.
7 William Pengelly is probably the son of John Pengelly, a tanner in Claremont.
See the Tremaine map of I860.
8 The County Crown Attorney was John E. Farewell, L.L.B., K.C.
9 Agnes was probably the daughter of Fred Meen of Lot 12. Concession 5.
The Beers Atlas (1877) Patron's Directory, p. 64, describes him as merchant,
postmaster, and Divisional Court Clerk (the same positions held in 1883 by
Gleeson— see above).
GREENWOOD MILL
By Lex Meunier
This item is from the Pickering News, 4 December 1885, p. 1. Ross Johnston,
in the previous article, had referred to the Greenwood Mills as operating under the
""old process."" In 1885, however, the mill was remodeled according to the new
standard. The News reported the progress: ""We insert this week with a great deal
of pleasure an account of the improvements made at the Greenwood mills,
by our worthy citizen, Mr. John Mitchell. At great expense he has put in the roller
process, so as to keep abreast of the times. This shows enterprise.
The fact that all the largest mills in the township have introduced this new process
within the past year or so speaks well for their owners, because these improvements
have been made at a time when the milling business was suffering severely from unfair
competition by those engaged in the trade across the lines. We trust Mr. Mitchell,
as well as our other millers, will meet with great prosperity in future."" For a history of
the Greenwood Mills, see Mrs. Irven McLean, Greenwood Through the Years, 1960,
pp. 30-37
The Greenwood Flouring Mills have been completely overhauled and remodeled to the
full roller system, under the management of F.L. Green, with I. Courtenay as
superintendent mill-wright.
After a great deal of work and an immense outlay to fit them up in such a manner
as to render them one of the best mills in Canada, they have been started up again
in a most satisfactory manner, reflecting great credit upon Mr. Courtenay for the way
in which he performed his duty. They were first started up Wednesday, 18th ult.
[18 November], and in three hours after first starting flour was sent to several to try
its quality, and all pronounced it as excellent—the writer himself testifying as to the
quality of the bread and cakes it made.
It may be of interest to describe the mill and the various processes the wheat has to
undergo before being ready for the baker: In the first place the mill is driven by a 14
inch [35 cm] ""Little Giant"" water-wheel, under the magnificent head of 36 feet [11 m],
giving 54 horse-power.
The wheat after entering the mill and being weighed is elevated to the fifth floor,
and is from there passed through a separator to take out all foreign material such as
straws, chaff, &c. From this it goes to a smut machine, and is beaten and brushed to
remove all smut and dust and remove the light wheat. It is now sent to a brush finishing
and polishing machine, which ends the cleaning preliminary to grinding.
After leaving the Brush machine it is elevated to the stock hopper over the first rolls,
and is sent from there through the break roll and merely split through the crease
in order to loosen all the crease dirt, which is taken out by passing through a scalper.
After passing through the first scalper it is put successively through four more setts of
rolls, each one reducing it finer, in the meantime being sent through a scalper after
each roll, to separate the flour and middlings from the broken wheat.
The flour and middlings from the scalper are collected and bolted to separate them,
the flour going to the packer, the middlings to the purifiers. After being thoroughly
purified they are ground on stones, except the coarsest, which are reduced on another
sett of rolls; stones being generally accepted as the best for handling purified
middlings. The patent flour comes from these last operations.
The light and branny particles which the purifiers ""tail over"" are sent to another
sett of rolls. The flour, toe., is taken from one machine to another by means of
elevators, conveyors, and spouts. There is almost a forest of spouts; so numerous
that a stranger is almost in danger of being lost in the labyrinth.
The business is carried by Mr. John Mitchell, who expects to do a large business,
and who has the well-known reputation of being a straightforward and in every way a
successful business man. I have no doubt he will be pleased to show ladies or
gentlemen the mysteries of flour-making, and the employees are noted for their civility
to visitors and all.
The machinery was all supplied by the celebrated firm, E.P. Allis & Co., of Milwaukee,
Wis., whose branch works are at Stratford. The machinery is such as to give a daily
capacity of 90 bbls. [barrels].
GREENWOOD ROLLER MILLS
F. L. GREEN, PROPRIETOR.
I have taken the above Mills, and will always keep Flour which cannot be beat.
Try it and you will say it is the best you ever used.
A specialty made of
Exchanging Floor for Wheat,
and am giving more Flour per Bushel than can be got elsewhere.
Bran and Shorts always on hand.
WHEAT WANTED!
Highest price paid for Wheat.
F. L. GREEN.
Pickering News 26 November, 1886
GREENWOOD
MILLS
Are now running at full blast
I beg to inform my old friend and customers that I am now prepared to buy
ANY QUANTITY OF MECHANTABLE WHEAT
BEST GRADES OF FLOUR
Always on hand
Also Bran, Shorts, and all kinds of Mill Feed.
Flour exchanged for wheat.
5tf JOHN MITCHELL.
Pickering News 4 December 1885
Upper Mill, Greenwood
Courtesy of Brian Winter
5"
"IN MEMORIAM
Edgerton Pegg
1912-2003
By Carol and John Sabean
A note from the editor. The interview upon which this article is based was conducted
in the spring of 1985 when we were the editors of the Pickering Naturalist.
It was published in an earlier form in the June issue of that newsletter.
We offer it here, slightly revised, as to tribute to Edge who died this past summer.
Carol was one of the earliest members of the Pickering Naturalists and soon became
a student of Edge's in the identification of wildflowers. I came along a couple of years
later and began my own long association with Edge and Betty. I, too, learned to
distinguish one wildflower from another, but never with Carol's confidence.
On the other hand, I became fascinated by the history of botany in Canada,
and devoted some time to the study of that discipline. Edge was always a fountain
of knowledge on the pioneer uses of plants, on the naming of wildflowers, and on the
local occurrences of rarities (see his discourse on the Osage Orange and Witches
Broom below). In time I was conducting my own wildflower field trips. I often needed
help in identifying plants, but I was then able to offer my own perspective on the history
of those same plants in a Canadian context. Without Edge's great patience none of this
would have occurred, and this part of my knowledge of pioneer life would never have
developed. Republished with the permission of the Pickering Naturalists.
The house across the Seventh Concession Road from Claremont Conservation Area
where Betty and Edge Pegg live is a mecca for naturalists from the Pickering area and
increasingly so for birders from Toronto and further afield. Pickering Naturalist members
have been to the home often to begin one of Edge's popular and well-conducted
wildflower outings. They have also gathered there for the last few years to tally the
results of the annual Christmas Bird Count. For those seeking winter finches what
more could one ask than to view these birds—sometimes from mere inches away—
through the windows of the Pegg's home.
This is Edge's territory. He was born just across the street—within view of the present
house—in what is now the house of the assistant superintendent of the conservation
area. The old farmstead where Edge and his four brothers and four sisters were
raised became the nucleus of the present conservation area. After the Pegg children
moved out onto their own farms the 60-hectare property was sold about 1960 to the
Metropolitan Toronto and Region Conservation Authority. They have since expanded
it to its present 162 hectares which encompasses the whole block.
The homestead which Betty and Edge now occupy is an 18-hectare remnant of the
45-hectare mainly dairy farm that Edge used to operate. After Edge's retirement from
farming they sold all but this small acreage which they have dubbed ""Ponda Nesta""
Here wildflowers and birds — and naturalists — are a major concern. The present
house was planned by Betty and built from logs harvested on their own lot and sawn in
Tyrone at the old mill.
Edge is modest about his knowledge of wildlife, but his knowledge—
largely self-taught—is deep and his enthusiasm boundless. But it was not always so.
He says his mother probably started it all when she had him put out a bird feeder in the
winter of 1929. ""I thought that was kind of stupid,"" he admits now. That first year the
feeder was visited by two Gray Jays, but unaware of the significance of this he
remained unimpressed. Nevertheless, he continued to put out food for the birds
for the next several years. Then he drifted away from it, becoming more interested
in other activities.
Farming, of course, occupied much of his time. But he enjoyed sports as well.
He played baseball and hockey in the local township leagues. He says that in those
days he had to pay 25¢ to get into the park in order to play ball. Often they would play
double-headers, which might not end until midnight. When the games were over he
would have to hurry home to milk the cows and complete his other chores.
In spite of this he continued to play both baseball and hockey past the age of 40.
As if these activities were not enough, Edge, along with Betty and their two children,
Kathy and Hal, formed a musical troupe that played at church garden parties around
the countryside. Betty played the piano. Edge the banjo, the ukulele, the xylophone and
even a musical saw. They presented Western and hillbilly shows which Betty wrote and
directed. This continued for years until the children grew up. Looking back on it now
Edge confesses he doesn't know how they managed it all.
Meanwhile, during the 1950s, Edge got back into feeding the birds again.
For this he credits Pat Kingstone. Pat pointed out a Field Sparrow that Edge
could not identify without the aid of a field guide. This aroused his curiosity.
He began to pay more attention to the birds attracted to the feeder. In 1961,
he and Betty joined the Durham Region Field Naturalists Edge paid close
attention during walks with this club and learned a lot from the association with other
6"
"members. Eventually his observations led him to write wildlife articles for the
Ajax Advertiser when R. D. Lawrence was its editor.
Betty was originally from Toronto. How does a city girl fare surrounded by wildlife on
the farm? Very well, thank you. When one encounters Betty and Edge bird watching
in the field you see Edge with binoculars around his neck but Betty is toting a camera
and sometimes a lot or heavy photographic equipment. She is a superb photographer.
Even as a child she had a box camera. In high school she belonged to the camera club
and learned to develop her own film. Her mother before her was also a photographer.
""Mother never had her picture taken,"" Betty says, ""because she was always behind
the camera; I'm exactly the same.""
Betty used to take wedding pictures. Then Edge suggested she try nature
photography. She has never looked back. She has had many of her photographs
enlarged and either hung on their wall or sold (or given away as presents).
She once took a framing course and now does her own picture framing. She also
makes buttons out of some of her photos. Last year she submitted some photos to the
Markham Fair for judging. She received prizes in three areas including first prize in
the seniors' class.
In recent years Betty has had a lot of opportunity to use her camera. She and Edge
now travel widely to observe nature. Their first birding trip was in 1968 to Bonaventure
Island. Since then they have been across Canada twice, to Alaska and the Pribilof
Islands, to Churchill, to Texas (three times), to Arizona (twice), to California,
to Florida and even to Scotland in 1983.
During the years when Edge was farming Betty was teaching school along with raising
her family. In the beginning she taught music then took time out to have her two children.
When she went back it was to teach kindergarten at West Rouge. Now she has retired
from teaching after twenty-two years. But Betty, like her husband, never seems to slow
down.
Her retirement gave her the opportunity to learn a craft she had always held an interest
in—weaving. She has taken courses, joined a guild and has developed into a creative
and talented weaver. Now this craft competes with photography for her attention.
She also continues the music tradition in the family. She is organist at the Greenwood
United Church. She is also active as a member of that church in other capacities such
as serving as president of the United Church Women's group.
Both Betty and Edge are collectors. They enjoy wildlife art and display a number of
prints of such well-known artists as Robert Bateman and Marc Barrie, both of whom
they number among their friends. They have exceptional collections of barbed wire,
automobile licence plates, maple sap spigots, bottles and jugs among other things.
Edge and Betty were among the founders of the Pickering Naturalists.
We value greatly the contributions they have made to our club. They have also made
valuable contributions to the interest in, and preservation of, wildlife in the whole
Pickering area. They have taught about wildlife in the schools and in the field.
They have encouraged many to join naturalist clubs. And Edge's journals, which
record the wildlife of the Claremont area over many years, will stand as an important
documentation for future generations.
ADDITIONAL NOTE
from the editor— 2004:
I credit Edge for arousing my interest in Pickering's history. He became a mentor for
me in many ways—in identifying wildlife, in researching pioneer history, and in living a
full life in general. His stories about the Pegg family, his collections of pioneer artifacts,
his models of fence types, and his documenting of area wildlife all encouraged my
probing even deeper into other aspects of our past. Edge was a man I much admired
and from whom I learned a great deal. 1
Note:
1 Edge and Betty have appeared several times in Pathmaster. See 1(1): 4; 1(4): 32-33;
3(3*4): 26-27.
Edge building his home mi the Seventh Concession Road, 1946..
Photograph by Betty Pegg
Home of Andrew and Essie Pegg and family, c1954. The home is now occupied by
the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority.
Courtesy of Alfred Pegg.
7"
"OSAGE ORANGES AND WITCHES BROOMS
By Edge and Betty Pegg
The Osage Orange
Many years ago, Osage Orange Trees were planted south of Concession Five,
along Sideline 16, in Pickering. It is a mystery how they grew there, since they rarely
survive a severe frost. They are native to Texas and Arkansas, home of the Osage
Indians. Having many thorny branches, they were planted as living fences,
before barbed wire was invented around 1872. The wood was used in making bows;
the boiled chips yielded a yellow dye.
Flowering in June, Osage Orange trees have green, wrinkled grapefruit-sized fruit by
October. The orange is not edible for humans, but is full of seeds favoured by
Cardinals and many other seed-eating birds.
Witches Broom
I have seen a number of Witches Brooms in the Durham Region,
and am surprised that many people to whom I have spoken have never
seen one and the few that have, have no idea of what causes them.
I overheard a man, who was looking at one, tell his son, ""That's an Eagle's nest.""
A Witches Broom may be started by some irritant such as a fungus, but in most cases
by a parasitic plant known as Dwarf Mistletoe. The seed of this plant is likely carried to
the tree by a bird. It sends a penetrating root into the living layers of the host, which,
over the years, grows around it, sending out many parallel broom-like side suckers.
They are most frequently found in Spruce or Pine trees. There are two along the
Seventh Concession in Pickering in Spruce trees. The one high in a tree just west of
Brock Road is two and a half metres in width — the largest I have seen.
Plant breeders have propagated Witches Brooms by grafting. Many of our dwarf
evergreens came from them originally. Medical researchers working on cancer have
studied Witches Broom and other similar growths on plants for any clue these may
shed on unusual production rates of cellular materials.
Witches Broom on the Seventh Concession Road
AN AMUSING EPISODE
Pickering News 12 May 1893, p. 8
An amusing little episode is reported by the teacher of Greenwood's public school.
A few days ago two little fellows—twins—started to school for the first time.
Upon presenting themselves the teacher asked the first little fellow his name,
to which the child answered Tom. His instructor informed him that he should say
Thomas, as Tom was not a proper name. The second boy was paying strict attention
to this conversation, and when asked for his name promptly replied Jackass.
He was generally called Jack, but in this instance was anxious to make no mistakes.
This story is vouched for by the teacher.
|Editor's note: The teacher in question was W.J. Marquis. I haven't yet identified the
twins.]
A WONDERFUL FISH!
They tell of a singular thing that happened at Greenwood lake the other day.
The little son of Mr. Wishbone, seven years of age—the son, not the old man—had
been in the habit of feeding the pickerel that abound in the lake, especially one of
enormous size. One day the little fellow, while engaged at this from a boat in front of
his father's residence, fell overboard, and this identical pickerel, with a memory of the
pact worthy of all worth of all praise, swam to the boy, took the lapel of his jacket
tenderly is his month, and swam with him to the shore. Then seeing that the lad was
unconscious it ran up to the house and brought the family down. It waited only long
enough to see the boy resuscitated, and then struck across the intervening country for
Pickering, and is now on exhibition at Greig's tailor shop. Call and see it.
J. GREIG, TAILOR.
THE HERMIT OF BROUGHAM
Pickering News 14 October 1892, p. 4
Miss Hinch, a mysterious resident of this place was conveyed to her last resting place
on Monday afternoon. She has been a sufferer from lung trouble for some months,
and on Sunday morning died. Although Miss Hinch has been a resident of this village
for a number of years past, but few of us have seen her and no one was intimate with
her. In short she lived the life of a hermit. Nothing is known of her relatives,
she emphatically refusing to speak of her life previous to coming here.
During the last few weeks of her life, she admitted Mrs. John Cowan to her humble
abode, and that lady nursed her with the utmost care and attention.
The deceased lady had money besides the dwelling, which she occupied
but nothing is yet known as to how she disposed of her property.
In her death the mystery that surrounds her career is rendered all the more obscure.
The funeral on Tuesday was largely attended by our villagers, and Rev. L. Perrin
conducted the services in connection therewith.
8"
\"1969
ENLARGING THE SEVENTH CONCESSION ROAD IMPROVEMENT OR
DESECRATION?
by Milton N. Pegg Originally published as ""Past memories remain despite men and
machines,"" Stouffville Tribune 28 August 1969.
There has been a great commotion going on this summer up on the seventh concession
of Pickering north of Greenwood and west to the Brock road. There were violent
explosions making nearby houses tremble as the cement bridge over Duffin's Creek
was blown to pieces. There was the snorting and clattering of bulldozers, the rumbling of
great earth movers and adding to the din, the moving in and out of trucks and big cement
mixers. Rasping chain-saws cut down trees rat and small, while powerful machines dug
out the stumps and loaded and removed them. Wire fences, rail fences,
and stone fences were removed. The road allowance has been almost doubled in
width and new steel fences and gates erected.
Old timers who have used this road for over half a century see these changes with a
nostalgia tinged with sadness as its whole appearance is being changed. Much of this
road was lined with fine old maple and elm trees. As one passed eastward from the
Brock road and descended the three hills to the bottom of the valley of Duffins Creek,
a fine view was to be seen from the top of each hill. Many of the trees are now gone,
the hills cut down and the valleys filled. Near the old bridge at Duffins Creek where the
branches of the trees almost met overhead the scene was one of idyllic pastoral charm.
From the north came the clear sparkling water to flow under the bridge. Here many a fine
trout was lifted from the shadowy depths and here many a farmers' lad came for a
cooling dip on a hot summers day. The songs of the woodthrush, robin and many others
could be heard from the dense woods to the south. To the north until recently stood the
old Boyer mill belonging to the late John Bayles, mute reminder of the days when the
farmers hauled their grain with horses and wagons to be ground into meal for their
livestock. East of the bridge was the crossing place for the birds and animals of the
forest as they clung to the sanctuary of the bottomland woods. Squirrels, rabbits,
foxes, partridge, wild turkeys and deer have been seen to pass over the old road here.
It is hardly to be expected that the creatures of the wild will willingly cross over this new
wide highway.
Viewing this area recently, the writer and his son Edward saw where a bulldozer had
made a few passes over the site of George Graham's old blacksmith shop which over
a century ago stood at the top of the hill, west of the bridge. A few minutes search
revealed many artifacts including blacksmith-made bolts, hinges, links of logging
chains, an iron wedge, pieces of horse shoes, a front caulk for a horse shoe,
horse shoe nails, a broken file made into a chisel, a nut with a handle used to tighten
wagon box end rods, clinkers and bits of coal from the forge, and most nostalgic of all
the porcelain arm and part of the head of a doll that probably belonged to one of
George Graham's little daughters. 1
As one thinks back it is hard to realize that in a place of such quiet charm and beauty
there have been grim tragedies. At the old bridge, and near to it, five persons met
sudden and violent death. One evening about a hundred years ago
Mrs. Graham was milking the family cow, when their dog which had been
tormented by some boys at the blacksmith shop, rushed to her side for
comfort and protection. The cow turned and lunged at the dog and one of the
cow's horns entered Mrs. Graham's eye and pierced her brain. Six children were
left motherless. Later George married again and had ten more children making a
family of sixteen children raised.
On a cold January morning in l904
The Seventh Concession Road under construction, l969.
Stouffville Tribune 28 August 1969. Photograph by Harry Hooper.
Bayles Dam, 1916
Courtesy of Betty Pegg
9"
"Abe Boyer, who was 69 years old, was working alone in the mill.
The heavy coat he wore caught in a projecting key on a heavy steel shaft.
He was thrown violently around striking his head on a beam. His body fell into the open
millrace below and was not discovered until several hours later by his anxious wife and
neighbors.
In 1905 Thomas Bayles, a brother-in-law to Abe Boyer took over the mill. In 1907 he too
was accidentally killed while moving a pile driver up to the dam to do repair work.
Just before the outbreak of the Second World War, two young lads who lived in Brooklin,
Jack Maynard and Bill Cassidy, had tinkered with an old Chrysler car, stripping it down to
the chassis, with only the motor, front seat and a box on the rear for ballast remaining.
One evening with the joyous exhilaration of youth, they sped westward along the seventh
concessions of Whitby and Pickering townships, with open muffler, travelling at a high
speed. Several persons heard the noise as of an aeroplane passing. As they neared the
bridge over Duffins Creek, owing to some loose gravel on the road, the machine went out
of control, going into the
north ditch and turning over. The cellar tree on the north side of the Bridge bore the scar
from the impact until it was cut down this year. Both young men were instantly killed and
the water flowed red under the bridge.
It is true of almost every locality where human beings have travelled or lived that there
have been tragedies. Some are recorded, many are soon forgotten. And so,
as we reminisce, some of us older folks wonder why this road should be widened,
levelled and paved at an expense of hundreds of thousands of dollars to make more
speedway into this quiet place, which to those who have lived here since childhood,
is one of the fairest and loveliest places on earth. Are the powers that be defeating
their own purposes? We wonder.
Note:
1 George Graham was formerly a blacksmith in Claremont. See Traveller in Whitby
Chronicle, 14 November 1884. The shop near Greenwood is indicated in the Beers
Atlas of 1877 on Lot 12, Concession 6.
Pegg boys—probably Milton, Lloyd and Will—skinny dipping at Bayles Dam,
July 1916.
Courtesy of Alfred Pegg
BRITISH ARMS HOTEL, GREENWOOD
From Tavern in the Town: Early Inns and Taverns of Ontario, by Margaret McBurney
and Mary Byers (Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 1987, p. 118)
[I]n the appealing village of Greenwood, the British Arms Hotel was by 1870 one of
two hostelries serving a population of about five hundred people. This establishment's
grandiloquent name was belied by its modest appearance, for it is a simple frame
structure, set a few steps back from the main street. At the west end of the building a
separate door led into the taproom. The British Arms boasted a spring in the
basement. Water was piped to a trough at the front, where horses were watered.
Perhaps, on occasion, patrons inside drank the water as well, sometimes to their
sorrow. One newspaper of the day reported the death of a man whose demise was
the direct result of ""drinking cold water in a tavern.""
British Arms Hotel as it looks in recent years.
Photograph by John W. Sabean (1999).
10"
"CRIMES OF A CENTURY: THE ALGER CASE
by John W. Sabean
In Victorian times then were some notable criminal cases involving Pickering Township
people. Since none of these made the history books they are now all but forgotten.
They are, however, very much a part of our history and serve as a reminder to us that
""the good old days"" were not as benign as we sometimes portray them.
This is the first in a planned series of articles about sensational crimes in nineteenth
century Pickering.
In a cloudy Tuesday afternoon in September 1895, six men gathered at the Christian
Cemetery in Brougham where for the first time in Pickering's history they exhumed a
body for the purpose or investigating an alleged crime.1 The body was that of Mary
Ellen Hubbard, wife of George Elisha Alger.
The exhumation was made at the behest of the Equitable Life Insurance Company and
the Home Life Association who had strong evidence that a fraud was being
perpetrated against them. A year previous to Mrs. Alger's death Equitable had
issued a policy on her life, and on 11 July an additional $5000 policy was applied
for with Home Life, but Mrs. Alger died before the application could be properly filed.
While several people were suspected of participation in the alleged fraud, the primary
suspicion fell on the husband. To protect his interest, Alger hired the law firm of
Macdonald and Fitch of Stouffville. Macdonald and Fitch were also present at the
exhumation and did everything in their power to prevent it. Having failed that they
insisted that doctors of their choice be admitted to the post mortem.
When interviewed by the press Mr. Fitch firmly stated: ""Mr. Alger is a
perfectly innocent man and this action of the authorities to-day in dragging the body of
his wife out of the grave we consider a scandal and an injustice to him.""
On the other hand he admitted that there was ""undoubtedly a conspiracy to
defraud the insurance company, butour client had no knowledge of it."" 2
The post mortem examination proved that Mrs. Alger died of pulmonary tuberculosis,
or as it was then called, consumption. The fraud claim hinged on who knew that she
suffered from this dread disease and when they knew it.
We know very little about the Alger family. Mary was a member of one of the oldest
families in Pickering Township, but George was a relative newcomer.
They lived in the Sixth Concession of Pickering Township, somewhere to the west of
Brougham. They had five children. In late July, Mrs. Alger left
with her mother and two sons to visit friends in Belleville. She was planning to stay for
two weeks, but died on the 12th of August before she could return. She was 41 years
of age.3
The Pickering News stated on the 16th of August that Mrs. Alger's death came as a
surprise to everyone. While she had ""not been entirely robust for some months ...
[she was still] able to attend to her household duties."" While down east she took
suddenly ill and her husband was summoned. He stayed about a week, but assured
by the attending doctor that there was no danger, he returned home to look after
business. No sooner had he arrived home, however, than he received a telegram
stating that his wife was dying, and by the time he arrived back in Belleville she had
passed away. According to the News the funeral was a large one.
In the month that followed, the insurance company that held the policy on Mrs. Alger's
life began to get wind that not everything was above board in the application for
insurance. An agent named Salls, who does not otherwise figure in the subsequent
events, had the matter investigated. In the course of that investigation the actions of
Dr. Charles Henry Francey, of Whitevale, in supporting insurance applications came
into question.
The insurance company thereupon reexamined all those policies in which Dr. Francey
had been the examining physician, and cancelled a number of them. Dr. Francey,
fearing the scandal that was bound to erupt, ran off to Buffalo, New York.
In the meantime the legal process was initiated that led to the exhumation.
A preliminary hearing of the case against George Alger was held on 8 November
at the Ontario County Courthouse in Whitby before Police Magistrate Harper.4 The
prosecutor was J.E. Farewell, Q.C., Ontario County's Crown Attorney. Alger was
represented by T.H. Lennox , of Newmarket, and S.A. Jones, of Toronto.
By this time Dr. Francey had returned to Canada having secured immunity from
prosecution presumably for his promise to testify against Alger.
After hearing testimony from several witnesses the magistrate committed
Alger for trial on a charge of having conspired with Dr.
The site of the Alger exhumation. The large stone is the Hubbard memorial,
which contains the inscription to Mary Ellen (Hubbard) Alger.
Photograph by John W. Sabean
MARY ELLEN HUBBARD.
WIFE OF
C. E. ALGER
DIED AUG. 12TH 1895.
AGED 41 Y'RS 4. MO. 9 D'S.
Gone to be with Jesus
Inscription carved into the Hubbard memorial stone.
Photograph by John W. Sabean
11"
"Francey to defraud the Equitable Insurance Company.
In a related hearing, Alger, Francey, and two insurance company employees were
charged with conspiring to defraud the Home Life Insurance Company.
The result of this hearing was that Alger and the two insurance agents were to
stand trial in December.
For reasons not recorded in the Pickering News the Grand jury trial, presided over by
Mr. Justice Falconbridge, did not occur until March 1896.5 When it finally got under
way the two insurance agents were dismissed and Alger alone was left to face the
charges. Farewell was again the prosecutor, but the defense was conducted by
R.C. Clute, Q.C. After all the witnesses had testified the judge made his charge to the
\jury concluding with the comment that ""the charge was strongly against the prisoner.""
The jury took about an hour and a half to deliberate and returned a verdict of guilty.
His Lordship then thanked the jury for their ""just"" decision and then pronounced
sentence upon the prisoner. ""Seven years in the Provincial Penitentiary at Kingston,""
intoned the judge to a stunned courtroom.
Was justice, indeed, served? Was Alger the chief conspirator, or even a party to the
conspiracy at all? Even if guilty was the sentence appropriate? The Pickering News
answered in the negative and I am inclined to agree for the most part. But you be the
judge.
Here are the facts in the case as they were elaborated in the various trials.
The conspiracy began, it would appear, when Henry Trull, an Oshawa agent for the
Equitable Insurance Company, visited Whitevale and asked Dr. Francey for his
assistance in finding people who might wish to purchase life insurance.
For his efforts Dr. Francey was to get 25% of the premiums.6
One of the farms the two visited was that of George Alger. Francey was not expecting
a favourable reception because Alger had previously indicated a ""prejudice against
insurance,"" and, indeed, on this occasion Alger told them he was too busy to discuss
the issue. Francey claimed that Alger later came to see him about taking out an
insurance policy on his wife. Francey's response was that Alger's wife's condition
was such that she was not an acceptable risk. After an examination he had
determined that Mrs. Alger was suffering from consumption and this he said he
reported to Alger.7
Having told Alger that his wife was probably not insurable, Francey went on to say
that if they could pass her, a policy on Mrs. Alger's life could prove profitable for both
he and Alger. Alger suggested they put through a policy for $5000, of which Francey
would get $1000 after Mrs. Alger's death. Francey testified that he suggested
Equitable because if Mrs. Alger lived for more than a year the policy would be
incontestable. In saying this he ""knew that they had committed a fraudulent Act,""
and told Alger that if any questions arose about the policy no claims should be pressed.
With this agreement in hand Francey went to see Trull to get the necessary forms.
Francey testified that the ""replies made to the questions in the medical report were in
most cases false."" He said that Mrs. Alger was not a party to the fraud, but that Alger
himself ""was thoroughly aware of it."" In the course of preparing the application
Francey upped the ante to $7000, of which he would carry the extra $2000 himself
and pay the premiums on that portion. In order to divert suspicion, a policy on Alger's
life was also applied for, but it was rejected
At a later time. Dr. Francey, finding himself in the Toronto office of the insurance
company, took a medical certificate blank and filled it out—making application for a
further $5000 policy on Mrs. Alger from Home Life.8 Knowing that Mrs. Alger by this
time refused to have anything to do with insurance, Francey had her signature forged.9
Somehow, after Mrs. Alger died, the Toronto World learned of the second policy and
published an article questioning its legitimacy. In response to this Francey went to see
Alger's bank manager and then his lawyers, MacDonald and Fitch. At first he denied
doing anything wrong, but eventually he admitted the whole scheme, including the
forgery. He wanted Alger and the lawyers to back out of the deal believing that the
insurance company would then have no further interest.
The lawyers told Francey that Alger had not been part of the deal in the first place
and that they were prepared to press the claim. Francey then ""begged them not to
take any legal proceedings, and asked if they did that he be given a month to enable
him to dispose of his practice and leave."" Fearing that he would be caught in the
middle of a scandal Francey then fled to Buffalo and there waited ""till Alger should
come to his senses and give up all claims."" When he did return it was under a
safe-conduct, but who had granted it to him he would not reveal and the judge
allowed him to demur.
In giving his testimony both at Life preliminary hearing and at the trial, Dr. Francey
revealed how deeply he was involved in the conspiracy. He had lied about
Mrs. Alger's condition, he had falsified his medical report on the application, he had
had Mrs. Alger's name forged on the second application, he erased from his account
books any entries that might incriminate him, and he fled the country when reports of a
possible scandal began to circulate. But with regard to the conspiracy to fraud he
insisted he was not acting alone.
Dr. William E. Eastwood, of Claremont, was another witness in the case. His
testimony in part substantiated Dr. Francey and in part incriminated him.
He said that as early as the summer of 1888 he had diagnosed consumption in
the deceased and had told her husband and several of her relatives of her condition.
In 1894, Dr. Eastwood was approached by the defendant to support an insurance
policy he wanted to take out on his wife. Alger told him that Dr. Francey had already
approved the policy. Dr. Eastwood, not wanting to offend the family agreed to
recommend Mrs. Alger as a risk in the application, but at the same time he notified the
company that he was rejecting her. Dr. Eastwood also testified that Dr. Francey had
falsified information about Mrs. Alger's physical condition, and that Alger had asked
him (Dr. Eastwood) to claim she died of pneumonia if she died before the full year
necessary to substantiate the policy. While Dr. Eastwood does not seem to have been
Ontario County Court House, c1895
Brian Winter, Chronicles of a County Town (1999).
12"
"a party to the fraud conspiracy, it strikes me that he could have saved Alger from later
grief had he been more honest and forthright with him. Mr. John Ferguson, of Toronto,
who had conducted the post-mortem after the exhumation, gave testimony as to his
findings in his examination. He said that beyond any doubt death was due to tubercular
consumption. He was then asked if, in his opinion. Dr. Eastwood had acted properly.
He responded that he ""thought that the course of Dr. Eastwood was perfectly
justifiable under the circumstances in which he found himself.""10
When the defense was mounted at the trial in March 1896, George Alger was
called as the first witness. Essentially he denied knowing that his wife suffered
from consumption—thereby contradicting the testimony of both Dr. Francey and
Dr. Eastwood. He also denied that he was part of a conspiracy to fraud the
insurance company or that he even knew about the forged second application to
Home Life. He adamantly insisted, in response to Farewell's questioning, that ""in his
mind ... his
wife was in good health until a very short time before her death.""
Testifying on Alger's behalf were a number of his neighbours and relatives.11 All of
them swore on oath that they were unaware that Mrs. Alger suffered ill health until the
Spring of 1895, in fact, several declared that she was still cleaning house until May of
that year. Nellie Alger, the 18-year-old daughter of the accused and Mrs. Alger,
not only agreed with the above testimony, but also declared that she was present
when her mother had been examined in May by Dr. Francey. Francey, she said,
told her mother that her lungs ""were weak but not affected, and if she took care of
herself for a year or two she would be all right.""
As difficult as it is to unravel the truth at the time a crime is committed it is even harder
looking back after 100 years and the only source is newspaper accounts of the trial.
Nevertheless, there are a number of circumstances that seem to point to Alger's
innocence. Not only did his neighbours and relatives testify that Mrs. Alger remained
active until just a few months before her death, but even the Pickering News' gossip
columns—before the exhumation took place—made reference to her fulfilling her
household duties.12
Although both Dr. Francey and Dr. Eastwood testified that they had told Alger his
wife suffered from consumption, Francey later admitted that he had not recently
communicated that information to Alger. And even if they had told him that his wife
had consumption he may not have realized the gravity of the condition,
especially since Francey himself said she should recover.
There is no evidence, apart from Francey s implication, that Alger intended fraud
when he sought to take out insurance on his wife. He seems to have believed that
she would still live for many years. As to the second application—the one completed
in July 1895— there is just as much reason to believe that Alger was unaware of its
existence as there is to believe that he conspired with Dr. Francey to falsify the
information. It was, after all, Francey who filled out the form (falsely), had the signature
forged, and submitted it to an insurance agent (who made no attempt to verify the
information).
And finally, had Alger known the applications were fraudulent, would he have been
so insistent upon making a claim on them after his wife's death, especially after
Dr. Francey admitted to his lawyers that the applications were full of lies and that
one was even forged. Only someone who believed he was acting in good faith
would still want to proceed at that stage.
The editor or the Pickering News, much closer to the affair than we are today,
emphatically sided with Alger, and argued that Dr. Francey was the one who
should be on trial. The News published an editorial on the 15th of November 1895,
just as the second day of the preliminary hearing was getting underway.
On day one of the proceedings most of the weight of the testimony was directed
against the defendant George Alger, but the News — while not able to comment on
Alger's complicity because the case was still being heard — felt obliged to comment
on the role that Dr. Francey played. Because Francey, on his own testimony,
was guilty of insurance fraud in this one case, all of those policies in which he had
been the medical examiner were now open to question, and the Toronto World
""officially and officiously announced,"" as the News put it, that ""proceedings will be
taken against other prominent residents of Pickering.""
Whatever role others may have played in the insurance fraud, the News proclaimed,
the prime offender was Dr. Charles Henry Francey. ""When one is examined for life
insurance, the doctor is all-powerful….
No corruption, no swindle or any diversions can be put through without the connivance
of a swindler physician."" The News was very harsh with Dr. Francey. He was
""from the first the living principle of whatever conspiracy or organized swindling may
be discovered in this district…. He alone had so bad a conscience that he fled the
country."" He admitted lying about Mrs. Alger's condition, that he was to share in the
plunder, and that the application he prepared could not have been more dishonest.
The News concludes: ""Dr. Francey may enjoy immunity from prosecution but he has
not been granted the respect of honest men. He has forfeited that more completely
than any other man connected with these cases, for, be he the arch-conspirator or not,
he was, by training and education in a learn[ed]-profession, more responsible morally
than any of his clients or patients."" The News did not buy Dr. Francey's claim that he
had been led astray by Alger.
When the trial was over and the sentence read out, the Pickering News did not try to
second guess the jury's decision of guilt, but it did question the severity of the
punishment. It predicted that attempts would be made to shorten the term.13 Indeed,
a petition for early release began as early as the following October.14 In the end Alger
served 19 months in the Kingston Penitentiary before being released in November
1897. The News commented: ""The seven year sentence was, when imposed,
considered out of all proportion to the charge, and his liberation is generally conceded
to be proper at this early date."" 15 Not all agreed, however; some Toronto papers
groused about the early release, but the News made this rejoinder: ""Only those
who live in Pickering township know how complete and sufficient a punishment it is to
be sent elsewhere for nineteen months.""16 At this point in time we have no knowledge
of what happened to Alger and his family after his release.
Notes
1 The date of the exhumation was 15 September 1895. The six men were:
Detective John Murray, Dr. John Ferguson, and Dr. George A. Bingham, of Toronto;
Ontario County Crown Attorney J.E. Farewell and High Constable Calverly of Whitby;
and Mr. Hilts, Pickering Village's undertaker. See Pickering News[PW] 13 September
1895.
2 PN IS September 1895.
S PN 26 July & 16 August 1895.
4 The preliminary hearing was reported in PN 15 & 22 November 1895.
5 The trial was reported in PN 10 & 27 March 1896.
6 This was the amount as stated in the preliminary hearing. At the Grand Jury trial
Dr. Francey claimed it was only 20%.
7 This occurred in December 1894.
8 This was in July 1895.
9 The forger was the wife of insurance agent N.C. Brown. On Dr. Francey see the
brief note in T.F.. Kaiser led.). 19S4. A History (if the Medical Profession of the
County of Ontario. Oshawa; Mundy-Goodfellow Printing Co., p. 112.
10 This was also the opinion of H. Hal Brown of the London and Lancashire Insurance
Co.
11 They included neighbours Daniel Forsyth, Isaac Littlejohn, Alice Connor,
Alpheus Hoover, William Hagerman, Charles Brodie and Alexander Burrell;
Dr. H.H. Alger (defendant's brother), Mary Hubbard (defendant's mother-in-law),
and Nellie Alger (defendant's daughter).
12 PN 26 July & 16 August 1895. IS PN 27 March 1896.
14 PN 2S October 1896; 14 May 1897.
15 PN 12 November 1897.
16 PN 19 November 1897.
CHRISTIAN CHURCH
A. D. 1859
Corner stone from the Christian Church, which formerly stood on the cemetery grounds.
Photograph by John W. Sabean
13"
"I had finished writing the previous account of the Alger case when Allan McGillivray
the curator of the Uxbridge-Scott Museum introduced me to the life of detective
John Wilson Murray. Murray (1840-1906) was the first detective to be appointed by
the Province of Ontario, and from 1875 until his death in 1906 he was the most famous
policeman in Canada. His editor wrote of him: ""A tireless investigator who never gave
up on a case, Murray was far ahead of his time in scientific criminal detection. He was
one of the first detectives in the world to realize the importance of footprints;
to regularly have an autopsy performed on murder victims; and to regularly have
clothing and murder weapons chemically tested for signs of
blood or hair or any other clue they might contain. He spent hours reconstructing the
crime, and in checking and cross-checking alibis and motives. These procedures,
common now, were a revelation in their day.""1
Murray's Memoirs were published in 1904. They were written partly in first person when
Murray was narrating, and partly in third person when his editor, Victor Speer was
adding his commentary. The Toronto publishing firm, Collins, later republished the
Memoirs in two volumes in 1977 and 1980.
Twice in these Memoirs Murray was called to Pickering Township to solve crimes and
bring the perpetrators to justice. One case involved a violent rape and murder in
Brougham — we will write about this case in a future issue. The other was the Alger
fraud case. As we have said above we believe in this instance Murray went after the
wrong man. However, the outcome for Murray
was successful in that the attempted fraud of insurance companies was thwarted.
It is obvious, however, that George Alger was not the mastermind of a grand
conspiracy in the township. Dr. Francey, on the other hand, who may have had a
part in several fraud attempts, was free to carry his misdeeds to another location.
We reproduce below Murray's own account of the Alger case side-by-side with the
full text of the commentary by the editor of the Pickering News on the comparative
roles of George Alger and Dr. Charles Francey.
Note:
1 John Wilson Murray, Memoirs of a
Great Canadian Detective (Toronto:
Collins, 1977), p. ix.
Photograph by George Prince, Washington
JOHN WILSON MURRAY
John Wilson Murray, Memoirs of a Great Canadian Detective (1977), frontispiece
GEORGE ALGER'S GRAVEYARD POLICY
From John Wilson Murray, Memoirs of a Great Canadian Detective: Incidents in the
Life of John Wilson Murray (Toronto: Collins, 1977), pp. 187-189.
Graveyard insurance is as old as the insurance of life itself. On a small scale it is
practised year after year with varying degrees of success. Occasionally a big raid is
planned on the insurance companies; but the larger the amount involved, the less apt
the plan is to work out. In Canada, however, in the year 1895, a scheme to mulct the
insurance companies out of many thousands of dollars was engineered and was
beginning to materialise, when it was detected and broken up. A number of persons
doomed to die were insured by fraud and misrepresentation, through a conspiracy
involving agents of some companies.
""The case that brought the whole conspiracy to collapse was located in the township
of Pickering, in the county of Ontario, ten miles from Whitby, the county seat,"" says
Murray. ""A farmer, named George Alger, and his wife lived there on a fine, big farm.
Mrs. Alger was a delicate woman. In the same neighbourhood lived Dr. Charles Henry
Francey, who was medical examiner for a number of insurance companies,
one of them being the Equitable. In 1894 Alger and Dr. Francey effected an insurance
on the life of Mrs. Alger in the Equitable for $7,000, and on July 11th of the next year
application was made for $5,000 in the Home Life. The application was approved,
as it was regular and favourable, owing to the conspiracy. Before the policy could
arrive Mrs. Alger was dead. She died on August 13th, 1895, and, while she lay in her
coffin in the parlour, the $5,000 policy on her life came to her husband.
""Alger set out to collect the insurance. An action was begun, and finally came to trial in
Toronto. In the meantime the Home Life policy, so closely connected with her death,
led to an investigation. I had the body of Mrs. Alger exhumed in Brougham cemetery,
and had it examined by Dr. Ferguson and Dr. Bingham. They found death had been
due to consumption. She had been ill for several years I learned from others.
Alger went on the stand in the trial in Toronto, and gave evidence clearly contrary
to the facts. I was satisfied there was a conspiracy afoot. I arrested him and took
him to Whitby, where he was committed for trial for conspiracy. Dr. Francey,
who had acted in the dual capacity of medical examiner for the insurance companies
and Alger's physician, had left the country. He went to Buffalo. After staying there some
time I located him and saw him, and he was persuaded to return and give evidence
under the protection of the Crown. When this had been accomplished,
it simplified the whole matter. We needed Francey to prove other cases.
""We showed at the trial of Alger that Dr. Eastwood, in 1888, had examined
Mrs. Alger, and had told Alger that his wife had consumption and would die in a
few years, if she did not have a change of climate. The years passed.
Mrs. Alger grew worse. Her husband sat by as she coughed her life away,
and as the end drew near took out insurance by fraud and then waited for her to die.
It must have been a pleasant household where this weak woman sat suffocating day
after day, each day being harder than the day before, while the man with the big farm
and perfect health sat quietly by, waiting for her to smother to death so that he could
grow richer by her dying! His so-called friend came and went, but the woman was left
to die. Instead of sending her to the mountains or to California to live, as he could have
done, he speculated on her death, cheating her in her life and endeavouring to cheat
the companies by her death. But, by the irony of fate, after lingering so many suffering
years, she died too soon. She was very patient and brave during her agony and
endeavoured to make her husband as little trouble as possible. She never knew of
his villainy.
""Alger was tried in March 1896, and was convicted and sent to Kingston for seven
years. Dr. Francey not only testified against Alger and revealed the entire dastardly
plot, but admitted his own part in it and acknowledged he was a rascal.
He confessed also that he had acted with equal dishonesty in a number of other
instances. There was considerable excitement over the revelations.
""The result was a wholesale overhauling of a number of policies. The Equitable
cancelled two policies on the life of A.E. Thornton of Whitevale; a policy on the life of
Donald Beaton, a policy on the life of J.H. Besse, and a policy on the life of James
Sadler, of Greenwood. Other companies cancelled other policies and the conspiracy
collapsed.
""Nicholas L. Brown, an Ontario agent of the Home Life, came to me and told me how
he got into it. He got off. Joseph Hortop, agent for the Ontario Mutual Association,
also got off. In the trial of the case, Crown Attorney Farewell prosecuted,
while Alger was represented by G. Smith Macdonald, T. Herbert Lennox, C. Russell
Fitch, and S. Alfred Jones. The case marked the end in any concerted efforts in the
Province to mulct the insurance companies on an extensive scale. Alger's seven
years stands as a powerful deterrent to others. Dr. Francey left the Province.
He went up into the North-West, and later I heard he was practising medicine in the
western part of the United States.
""Mrs. Alger developed consumption in 1888 and died in 1895. That was seven years
of suffering. Alger went to the penitentiary for the same length of time— seven years.""
14"
"LIFE INSURANCE TROUBLE
From Pickering News 15 November 1895, p. 5
It is not the privilege of a newspaper to comment too freely upon any case that is
before the courts, and so we refrain from saying some things that might well be said
in regard to the crown proceedings at Whitby against George E. Alger charged with
trying to defraud. But as the Toronto World has officially or officiously announced,
in apparent behalf of Government detective John Murray, that proceedings will he
taken against other prominent residents of Pickering, we feel at liberty to discuss
this phase of the question—action not having been actually begun.
The World of Saturday adroitly handles this matter, following up the threat that other
arrests would be made in a few days, with the statement that Mr. Broughall,
of the Equitable Life stated that his company had cancelled a number of policies
(giving the names of the insured). The same paper had a list of local agents who were
interested in the affair. The inference intended to be conveyed, apparently,
is that these persons are to be proceeded against, or at least that those of them
who had their policies cancelled had obtained their insurance improperly.
We all know, however, that certain insurance companies reserve and exercise the
right, without in many cases stating any cause, to cancel policies and return such
premiums as have been paid. Dr. Francey was the medical examiner in all of the
above cases, and the Equitable company, in view of its suspicions in the Alger case
and in view of Francey's admissions in regard to that case, no doubt fell into an
indiscriminate panic and cancelled all policies with which the discredited doctor
had any connection. We are not afraid to predict that the Crown will hesitate to
proceed against the persons so mentioned and against other persons whose
names are being noised about so freely, as having conspired to swindle insurance
companies.
No man, unless he be confined to bed with death closing in upon him, can tell how
long he may live, or what his pains or ills may really amount to. The consumptive.
even as he grows worse and worse gains confidence and fancies that he is recovering.
A man depends upon his doctor. The Government imposes doctors upon us,
so that every year we are put more and more at the mercy of the medical profession
and know less and less of our own bodies. We are not allowed to prescribe for each
other—we are encouraged to know nothing of each other's health.
We must call in a doctor; we must believe in him.
When one is examined for life insurance, the doctor is all-powerful.
He can pass one or he can reject one. The only duty that devolves upon the
applicant is to abstain from lying as to his past. All other responsibilities rest upon the
doctor. No corruption, no swindle or any diversions can be put through without the
connivance of a swindler physician.
Dr. Francey has been from the first the living principle of whatever conspiracy or
organized swindling may be discovered in this district. His own evidence is sufficient
to warrant this statement. Therefore we incline to the opinion that the Crown,
as it proceeds with its researches, will become so convinced of this and so shamed
at having granted immunity from prosecution to the prime offender, that it will abandon
the matter.
Dr. Francey came voluntarily back to Canada and was not induced to come by a
guarantee of protection. This statement is definitely made and there is no reason to
doubt it. Why was an order of protection granted him while his doings were
uninvestigated and the extent of his guilt unknown? He alone had so bad a
conscience that he fled the country. No others ran away. He now admits that he
knew Mrs. Alger to be dying when he certified to her sound health; that he was to
share in the plunder; that the application prepared by himself and the prisoner was
no honest, that he ""could not imagine anything more dishonest."" But he represents
himself as being led astray by the prisoner.
If there are other cases—if the other policies cancelled are or were dishonest,
does he pretend to say that Alger went about leading him astray in all parts of the
township, or did every man he meet lead him astray? Is it not easier to believe that
he was the corrupt person, since so much of his insurance business has to be
cancelled? Dr. Francey may be a Crown witness, but he presents a sorry spectacle.
He was apparently prepared to, at least ""share in,"" any scheme to swindle insurance
companies, yet when discovery threatens him his cowardice proves phenomenal.
It will not be forgotten by the trained judges before whom these cases may come,
that he is confessing more through fear rather than because of repentance.
It remains for judge and jury to decide what value may be put upon his evidence,
where hitherto honorable men are besmirched in character by his testimony.
We all desire to see the guilty punished.
If, however, the prime offender in these cases is allowed to escape through a hasty
promise of safety granted him before the facts were known (before the case fell into
the hands of the Crown and was yet but a civil action) it will not tend to increase
popular respect for the process of law. It may suit the insurance companies to catch
or terrify the sprats, but the Crown administers justice to all.
Dr. Francey may enjoy immunity from prosecution but he has not been granted the
respect of honest men. He has forfeited that more completely than any other man
connected with these cases, for, be he the arch-conspirator or not, he was,
by training and education in a learn[ed]-profession, more responsible morally
than any of his clients or patients.
John Edwin Farewell (1840-1923),
Ontario County Crown Attoney.
Brian Winter, Chronicles of a County Town (1999), p. 155.
J. E. FAREWELL, Q. C, BARRISTER, County Grown Attorney, and County
Solicitor. Court House, Whitbv.
Pickering News 7 December 1894.
HILTS & DILLINGHAM'S
Furniture Establishment is replete with the latest styles in BEDROOM SUITS at $12.
PARLOR SUITS.
EXTENSION TABLES and
CHAIRS of all descriptions. We have a lot of new styles in Picture Framings on hand.
UNDERTAKING : Our Undertaking Department is also complete in every respect.
Coffins and Caskets in all sizes constantly on hand. Embalming made a specialty.
HILTS & DILLINGHAM, Pickering.
Pickering News 26 July 1895."
"So far the PTHS has looked at few historic trades. But in June 2003,
we had Ray Fugeman, a longtime clock- and watchmaker address us on the function of
timepieces in the course of history—from the sundial through the hour glass to digital
clocks and watches. As a Liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Clockmakers of
London, England, and a former employee of Hamilton Watch Canada and the Elgin
Watch Company, Fugeman is a mine of information about clocks and watches and
manufacture over the years. Fugeman was gracious enough to comment on the
history and manufacture of clocks brought by members to the meeting for his analysis.
We began our seventh year in September with Brendan O'Brien, author of Speedy
Justice: The Tragic Last Voyage of His Majesty's Vessel Speedy. In 1804, the Speedy,
under Captain Thomas Paxton, disappeared in a storm off Presqu'ile Peninsula with
twenty persons aboard. The ship was bound for Newcastle (a new town being
established at Presqu'ile) where an alleged murderer was to be tried. Not only the
prisoner, but also the Judge, the Solicitor-General of Upper Canada, the defence
counsel, and a number of witnesses were among those who lost their lives in this
early tragedy of the young province.
Our October speaker was now frequent visitor Paul Arculus who had just completed
his book on the history of the Markham Gang: Mayhem to Murder. This story continues
to fascinate us because of the number of Pickering connections to the gang's activities.
The descendants of several of the victims of the gang still reside in this area.
One of our conservation areas once served as the site of one of the gang's hideouts.
And one of our hamlets is named after a prominent member of the gang.
When we invited Rob Leverty of the Ontario Historical Society to be our November
speaker—on the subject of preserving historic cemeteries—we had no idea how
popular this topic would be. Rob told us how he and the OHS have been struggling
for a number of years to prevent the desecration of old cemeteries to make way for
new developments. The cost of defence has been high, not only in money,
but also in time and energy, but they have made some notable successes.
There are a number of people in Pickering and Ajax who would like to make sure
our heritage cemeteries are protected as well as properly cared for.
D'Arcy Jenish, our December speaker, presented a succinct summary of his latest
book Epic-Wanderer: David Thompson and the Mapping of the Canadian West.
A much-neglected explorer and mapmaker, Thompson may be finally getting his due
with this first full-length biography.
PICKERING
TOWNSHIP
HISTORICAL
SOCIETY
Editor: John Sabean
Editorial Assistants: John Cormier
Tom Mohr
Design: John Cormier
Hands On Art & Design
Pathmaster is the newsletter of the Pickering Township Historical Society and is
issued quarterly: September, December, March, and June. Address correspondence
to PTHS, c/o 928 Reytan Blvd., Pickering, Ontario, L1W 1Y7. E-mail:
johnsabean@rogers.com.
Board of Directors:
Honourary Presidents: Dr. William McKay
Donald Gibson
President: John Sabean 831-3811
Vice President: Tom Mohr 839-1221
Recording & Corresponding Secretary: Carol King 509-2744
Membership Secretary: Pat McCauley 427-8128
Treasurer: Carol Sabean 831-3811
Advocacy x Preservation Chair: Itrry Paris 839-5474
Publications Chair: Temporarily vacant
16"