Helen Maud Howitt

Other Events:

• Name: Helen Maud Kerr
• Eby ID Number: Waterloo-349208
• Residence: 1911, Hespeler (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Presbyterian

Helen — Allan McGregor Kerr. Allan was born 22 Jan 1884, Whitby, Whitby Twp., Ontario Co., Ontario, Canada; died 1956; was buried , Preston Cemetery, Cambridge, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada. [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• Eby ID Number: Waterloo-349203

Notes:

HOWITT, JOHN ALEX

A telegram to Mrs. Howitt brought the terribly sudden and sad news, that Dr. Howitt had passed away on November 25, 1907, at the age of 43 years, at Etiomani, SK., where he had been boarding at the Temperance Hotel. December 7^th would have been his 44^th birthday. The news of the doctor's demise is the more deplorable, as he had just completed arrangements, whereby his wife and family were to remove to the west to join him during the coming spring (or before Christmas - differing reports), as he had recently been appointed medical advisor to four large camps, numbering a hundred men in each, in the employ of the Canadian Northern Railway Co. His last letter to the family told of his intention to take a twenty mile trip to this camp on the railroad. It was his custom to write every two or three days. Dr. Howitt was born at Puslinch Lake, son of Mr. and Mrs. Alfred Howitt. His mother was a daughter of Alex Parks. Being of a scholarly turn, he entered medical school with his associates, Dr. S. S. Harris, Dr. James Cunningham and Dr. Cormack. He spent a few years at Morriston but finally removed to Hespeler. On Jan. 2, 1906, he went to the Canadian west. Obsequies took place from the family residence on Queen St. on Monday at 2, his body having arrived via Galt on Sunday. Not until the arrival was it known what was the cause of his death, when the medical certificate attached proved it to be uremia. He had been threatened with this in bygone years. He leaves his wife and four children, Alfred, Annie Lee, Douglas. Helen; sisters, Mrs. Douglas Sorby, Mrs. Ireland, Miss Mabel and Miss Ethel. The cortege after the ceremony at the home, in which Rev. J. A. Stewart and Rev. J. D. Morrow of Toronto took part, winded its way to the last resting place in the little cemetery of the Howitt Memorial Church in Puslinch, passing the old homestead, where he had spent his happy boyhood. Among the mourners present were Mr. and Mrs. J. Wesley Parks, Mr. and Mrs. William Hortop, Mr. and Mrs. John Blatchford and Miss McIntosh. The cortege was met at the place of burial by a large concourse of people - friends and acquaintances from Guelph, Toronto, Morriston and the surrounding country. Pallbearers: Dr. H. T. Roberts of Guelph; Dr. R. J. Lockhart of Hespeler; J. W. Parks, William Hortop, James McIntosh and John McIntosh. Others in attendance were Rev. A. Hamilton and Rev. C. W. Cook of Hespeler; Dr. Henry Howitt and Dr. H. Orton Howitt of Guelph; James Anderson of Puslinch, uncle of Dr. Howitt; William Ireland of Puslinch; William Derby of Paisley Block; Dr. McKinley, Dr. R. Charlton and Dr. Henderson of Hespeler.

- There are more details in the article.

A Celebration of Lives Obituaries of Puslinch Township, Wellington Co., Ontario Vol 1, Anna Jackson & Marjorie Clark
Used with kind permission of Marjorie Clark

John married Mary McIntosh 29 May 1889, Guelph Township, Wellington Co., Ontario, Canada. Mary was born Dec 1865, Guelph Township, Wellington Co., Ontario, Canada; died 29 May 1957, Preston (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; was buried , Preston Cemetery, Cambridge, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada. [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• Name: Mary Howitt
• Eby ID Number: Waterloo-349204
• Residence: 1911, Hespeler (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Presbyterian

Notes:

HOWITT, MARY (Nee McIntosh)

A native of Guelph Township, at Preston, on Wednesday, May 29, 1957. In failing health for some time, she was in her 93^rd year. For the past thirty-seven years, she has resided in Preston. Previously, she lived in Hespeler and in Morriston. Her husband was the late Dr. John Howitt, who practised medicine in Hespeler and Morriston for many years. He died in Saskatoon in 1907. Mrs. Howitt was a member of St. Paul's United Church, Preston. Surviving are two sons, Alfred of Toronto and Douglas of Preston. Two daughters Annie Lee and Helen M. both predeceased her. Also survived by four grandchildren and three great-grandchildren; one brother and four sisters, James McIntosh of the Paisley Block; Mrs. Agnes McNair, Miss Bella McIntosh, both of Paisley Block; Kate (Mrs. James Dickieson) of Guelph; and Phoebe (Mrs. James Henderson) of St. Mary's. Service at the H. K. Stager Funeral Home in Preston on Fri., May 31 at 2: 30. Interment Preston Cemetery.

A Celebration of Lives Obituaries of Puslinch Township, Wellington Co., Ontario Vol 1, Anna Jackson & Marjorie Clark
Used with kind permission of Marjorie Clark

Other Events:

• Eby ID Number: Waterloo-57612

Notes:

DARBY, ALICE MAUDE HEWITT (Nee Howitt)

At her home on the Waterloo Rd. in Gourock on Thursday, July 19, 1923, aged 54 years. Daughter of the late Alfred Howitt. Born in Puslinch, she lived there all her life. Previous to her marriage, she lived with her sister, Mrs. Douglas Sorby. She married thirteen years ago to William Darby, who survives her. There were no children. She had been in failing health for the last five months but hopes were held out for her recovery till the last, when she slept peacefully away. Her illness was due to goitre. She was a devoted member of the Methodist Church and always took a great interest in Kirkland Memorial Church and was a member of the choir for some years. Besides her husband, she leaves three sisters, Mrs. Sorby of Waterloo Rd. ; Mrs. W. Ireland of Hespeler; and Mrs. Robert Fyfe of Paisley Block. The funeral, which took place on Saturday, was largely attended. The obsequies were conducted by Rev. Green of Freelton, a former pastor at Zion Methodist Church. Six brothers-in-law acted as pallbearers: R. Fyfe, C. Darby, W. Friendship, F. Barber of Salem, M. Colling of Lovell and E. Holm. Interment Guelph Cemetery.

-Information from the death certificate: Born on March 3, 1869, daughter of Alfred Howitt and Elizabeth Parkes. Informant - her husband, Alex Darby of R. R. #6, Guelph.

A Celebration of Lives Obituaries of Puslinch Township, Wellington Co., Ontario Vol 1, Anna Jackson & Marjorie Clark
Used with kind permission of Marjorie Clark

Alfred — Elizabeth Ann Parks. Elizabeth (daughter of Alexander Parks and Mary Ann Eagle) was born CALC 29 Oct 1843, Puslinch Twp., Wellington Co., Ontario, Canada; died 29 Apr 1892, Puslinch Twp., Wellington Co., Ontario, Canada; was buried , Howitt Memorial Cemetery (formerly Kirkland Cemetery), Puslinch Twp., Wellington Co., Ontario. [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• Name: Elizabeth Ann Howitt
• Eby ID Number: Waterloo-40309

Notes:

HOWITT, ELIZABETH ANN (Nee Parks)

At "Wingfield Farm" in Puslinch, on Friday, April 29^th 1892, aged 48 years and 6 months. Wife of Alfred Howitt. She was born in Puslinch and was well known in the township. She had been ailing for several months. Funeral from her residence on Sun., May 1^st at 2. Pallbearers: A. J. Brewster, William Parks, James Eagle, William Day and James Anderson.


A Celebration of Lives Obituaries of Puslinch Township, Wellington Co., Ontario Vol 1, Anna Jackson & Marjorie Clark
Used with kind permission of Marjorie Clark

Other Events:

• FindAGrave: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/208342286
• Eby ID Number: Waterloo-81983

Notes:

PARKS, ALEXANDER

It is our painful duty to record the death of another old Puslinch settler, Mr. Parks of Puslinch Lake, at his residence, on Thursday morning, February 5, 1880, quietly, after a short illness, being at the time nearly 62 years old. He was buried in Hespeler Cemetery on Friday afternoon. About 400 people followed the body to the grave, and after the committal, they went to the Methodist Church in Hespeler, where Rev. E. Holmes preached a funeral discourse. He was born in Preston in 1819. His father, a native of Ireland, emigrated at an early period and died a few years ago, aged 99 years, after falling in a creek. When quite a young man, he removed to Beverly where he resided for several years. He came to Puslinch Lake in 1843 from Beverly and lived here thirty-seven years. He was a carpenter, a keen and successful hunter. Speaking of Mr. Parks early life, a Guelph Mercury correspondent says: Puslinch Lake was then surrounded by an almost unbroken forest, with here and there a settler struggling against great difficulties and endeavouring with uplifted axe and hard continuous toil to obtain the necessaries of life and carve out a home in the wilderness. In those days, the woods were full of game, the lake with fish. Bear and deer were numerous. At this period, packs of wolves were often heard in the stillness of the night, howling in dismal chorus on the banks of Puslinch Lake. The successful hunter was then an important member of society. All these things, then so common, are now unknown and nearly forgotten. In a few short years, all the old settlers will be gone, all the living actors in the early history of Canada will have disappeared from the scene and we shall be left with only a traditional knowledge of backwood life and pioneer's difficulties and hardships, which our fathers passed through in the early settlement of our country. He is survived by his widow and six children, four of whom are married and two remaining at home. Mr. Parks was justly respected by his friends and neighbours for his great kindness of heart and for his obliging disposition. He was generous almost to a fault and no one ever applied to him for assistance or help in any shape in vain.

A Celebration of Lives Obituaries of Puslinch Township, Wellington Co., Ontario Vol 2 Anna Jackson & Marjorie Clark
Used with kind permission of Marjorie Clark

Alexander married Mary Ann Eagle 8 Dec 1842. Mary (daughter of Samuel Eagle and Anne Cook) was born 24 Sep 1827, , Norfolk, England; died 4 Feb 1908, Hespeler (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; was buried , New Hope Cemetery, Hespeler (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada. [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• FindAGrave: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/208342338
• Name: Mary Ann Parks
• Eby ID Number: Waterloo-81981
• Immigration: 1835

Notes:

PARKS, MARY ANN (Nee Eagle)

Another of our oldest and most respected residents, relict of the late Alexander Parks, in her 81^st year. On Tuesday morning, February 4, 1908, at the home of her daughter, Mrs. William Hortop. She had been quite infirm for a few years but was always able to be more or less about, until some few weeks ago, when she was taken seriously ill at the home of her daughter. Born in Norfolk County in England, she came to Beverly with her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Eagle, when she was 11 years of age. After a time, they removed to the head of Puslinch Lake, to the farm now occupied by Marvin Eagle. Mrs. Park's mother was one of the earliest schoolteachers in these parts. She taught school in her own home. Archie McAllister was one of her pupils. Mrs. Parks remembered when Galt was so small that it could boast of nothing but a blacksmith shop, hotel and one store. After the grist mill was built at Galt, her husband would take the flour home on his back. Her nearest relatives lived in Blenheim Township and there, she would sometimes visit, taking her children on horseback, following the blazed trail through the woods. Great excitement prevailed when the macadamized road was being built to from Hamilton to Guelph. The next epoch of the kind was when the railroad was being built through Hespeler. The late A. J. Brewster, while filling a contract for railway ties, lived at her home. Her father, on one occasion, was extra late getting home, as a consequence of having to await moonlight to get home safely, for a pack of wolves were in the neighbourhood. Mother and daughter went in search of the father and the wolves passed them by, on the side that the wind protected them from detection. A panther was in the vicinity on one occasion. These are some of the thrilling stories that she was able to tell to her grandchildren. She was married to Alexander Parks on December 8, 1842 by Rev. William Meldrum. Mr. J. W. Parks is the proud possessor of their marriage license, which is properly considered an heirloom of the family. Printing was out of the question; it was neatly written with pen and ink. They settled at Puslinch Lake (at Barber's Beach), on property now owned by Mr. J. Wayper, having paid for the property with a goose and a gander. For many years, they conducted the Park's Hotel, now the property of Josh Wayper. Mrs. Parks was a member of the Methodist Church for upwards of sixty years. That she always inculcated righteous living in her family may be known by the godly walk of those, who are following in her footsteps. Since the death of her husband twenty-six years ago, Mrs. Parks made her home with her children. She was blessed with no less than forty grandchildren and twenty great-grandchildren. Her daughter, Mrs. Alfred Howitt predeceased her sixteen years ago. Survived by Mrs. John Blatchford, Mrs. Hannah Brown, William Parks, J. Wesley Parks and Mrs. William Hortop. The funeral took place on Wed. , Feb. 6 at 2 from the residence of her son- in-law, William Hortop and was largely attended. Interment Hespeler Cemetery.

- Information from marriage certificates: Elizabeth Ann Parks married Alfred Howitt. Mary Ann Parks married John Blatchford.

A Celebration of Lives Obituaries of Puslinch Township, Wellington Co., Ontario Vol 2 Anna Jackson & Marjorie Clark
Used with kind permission of Majorie Clark