Thomas "Tom" Colwell

1824 - 1886  (62 years)

• Name	Thomas "Tom" Colwell
  Born	1824	Lackan, Townland, Monaghan, Ulster, Ireland   [1, 2, 3]
  Gender	Male
  Residence	1850	Ayr, North Dumfries Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada
  Occupation	1861	North Dumfries Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [2]
  	Inn Keeper & Cooper
  Residence	1861	North Dumfries Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [2]
  	United Presbyterian
  Business	1864	Ayr, North Dumfries Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [4]
  	Wellington Hotel
  Injury	story, hotel, business
  Name	Thomas Caldwell
  Occupation	1864	Wellington Hotel, Ayr, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [4]
  	hotel proprietor
  Occupation	1867	Ayr, North Dumfries Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [5]
  	hotel keeper - Colwell's Hotel
  Occupation	1871	Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [3]
  	hotel keeper
  Occupation	1881	Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [1]
  	Hotel Keeper
  Eby ID Number	Waterloo-251561
  Died	5 Oct 1886	Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada
  	Cause: Heart Disease 1 month
  Buried	Mount View Cemetery, Cambridge, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada
  Person ID	I251561	Generations
  Last Modified	12 May 2025

  
  

  Father	Caldwell,   b. CA 1790, of, Northern, Ireland ,   d. Yes, date unknown
  Family ID	F3072	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	Jessie McDuffy,   b. 1816, , Scotland ,   d. 15 Feb 1883, Owen Sound, Grey Co., Ontario, Canada  (Age 67 years)
  Children	1. Thomas Colwell,   b. 20 Oct 1848, Ayr, North Dumfries Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada ,   d. 23 Oct 1848, Ayr, North Dumfries Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada  (Age 0 years)   2. John Charles Caldwell,   b. 25 Jun 1852, Ayr, North Dumfries Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada ,   d. 1 May 1926, Dundas, West Flamborough Twp., Wentworth Co., Ontario, Canada  (Age 73 years)   3. William Caldwell,   b. 1867, , Ontario, Canada ,   d. Yes, date unknown
  Last Modified	13 May 2025
  Family ID	F228346	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

• Notes

  Death of Mr. Thos. Colwell Intimate friends have known for the past few months that this well-known resident of the town was suffering from an affection of the heart; but few thought until a week or two ago that there was any immediate danger. Within the past month, however, Mr. Colwell has failed rapidly, and notwithstanding every care and attention and end came on Tuesday afternoon, when he quietly sand into that sleep which knows no waking. Mr. Colwell was probably one of the best known hotel-keepers in the county. He was known far and wide in this respect; and there are but few who knew him but liked him for his hearty and genial manner. As a hotel-keeper he was always successful in doing a large business; but there was that born liberality about "Tom" Colwell that ever prevented him laying by of this world's goods. Among the farmers he was ever the ideal hotel-keeper; and there are hundreds in this county today who will feel that in his death they have lost one whose place it will be hard indeed to fill. Mr. Colwell was born in Lacken, Monham Co., Ireland, in 1824, and was consequently in the 62nd year of his age. He came out to Canada when quite a young man, and about the year 1849 or '50 made his appearance in the village of Ayr. At this time Mr. Colwell was a cooper by trade, and at first worked for Mr. D. Manley. He afterwards rented the shop from Mr. Manley and carried it on his own account; and shortly after this he went into the hotel business carrying on what is now the "Hilborn House." He was proprietor of this house for several years, and then rented it; and while it was so rented it was burnt down, and although Mr. Colwell held that it was insured he was never able to collect the insurance, and lost every dollar he had put in the house. About the year 1860 Mr. Colwell removed to Galt and assumed charge of the Commercial hotel, afterwards taking the Queen's then the Central and more latterly the Galt House. In all these hotels he retained the character of being a capital landlord and a big-hearted man; and although we are compelled to admit that our old friend had his faults, and serious ones, too, memory will do its best to blot them out and to dwell only on his many virtues. The funeral took place yesterday (Thursday) afternoon and was largely attended. The deceased being a mason the members of that fraternity took charge of the funeral, and over the remains in Galt Cemetery paid the last tribute of respect the living can render the dead. Galt Reporter Oct 8 1886 pg 1 ____________ In Galt, on Tuesday afternoon, Oct. 5th, at 20 minutes past 1 o'clock, Thomas Colwell, aged 62 years. Galt Reporter Oct 8 1886 pg 1 ______________________ "This well-known hotel-keeper died in Galt on Tuesday afternoon last, in the 62 year of his age. Mr Colwell had been in poor health for several months and his death was not unexpected. The deceased was one of the oldest hotel-keepers in the county. He kept hotel in Ayr over thirty years ago, and was afterwards landlord of the Queen's, the Central and the Galt hotels in this town. Being possessed of a genial and generous nature, he was very popular with the traveling public. He was twice married and leaves a widow and two sons. The funeral will take place to the Galt Cemetery this (Thursday) afternoon." DUMFRIES REFORMER, October 7, 1886

  
  

• Sources

  [S336] Census - ON, Waterloo, Galt - 1881, Galt Division 2 Page 22. [S1778] Census - ON, Waterloo, North Dumfries - 1861, Div 2 Page 5. [S2430] Census - Canada - 1871, Canada, Ontario, Waterloo, Galt div 3 pg 27. [S330] Directory - ON, Waterloo - 1864 - County of Waterloo gazetteer and general business directory for 1864. [S1668] Directory - ON, Waterloo - 1867 - Gazetteer and directory of the County of Waterloo. 1867, pg 50. Colwell's Hotel From 1867 Directory of Waterloo

  
  

• Event Map

  Residence - 1850 - AYR, North Dumfries Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Occupation - Inn Keeper & Cooper - 1861 - North Dumfries Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Residence - United Presbyterian - 1861 - North Dumfries Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Business - Wellington Hotel - 1864 - AYR, North Dumfries Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Occupation - hotel proprietor - 1864 - Wellington Hotel, Ayr, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Occupation - hotel keeper - Colwell's Hotel - 1867 - AYR, North Dumfries Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Occupation - hotel keeper - 1871 - Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Occupation - Hotel Keeper - 1881 - Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Died - Cause: Heart Disease 1 month - 5 Oct 1886 - Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Buried - - Mount View Cemetery, Cambridge, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada  = Link to Google Earth