James Fenwick^[1]

1846 - 1918  (72 years)

• Name	James Fenwick
  Born	26 Jun 1846	Montreal, Ile De Montreal, Quebec   [2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7]
  Gender	Male
  Interesting	fire, life story
  Occupation	1871	Preston (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [3]
  	Finisher
  Occupation	1881	Preston (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [4]
  	Machinist
  Occupation	1891	Preston (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [6]
  	Machinist
  Residence	1891	Preston (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [6]
  	Anglican
  Public Service	8 Nov 1892	Preston (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada
  	Preston Fire Brigade
  	From Minute Book of Preston Fire Brigade
  Occupation	1901	Preston (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [2]
  	Machinist
  Occupation	1911	Preston (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [5]
  	Machinist, Foundry
  Residence	536 King St. E., Cambridge, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada
  Residence	1911	Preston (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [5]
  	Anglican
  Eby ID Number	Waterloo-351042
  Died	9 Aug 1918	Preston (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [8]
  	Cause: Cause: Cancer of Prostate (6 months) - Weakness
  Buried	Preston Cemetery, Cambridge, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [7]
  Person ID	I351042	Generations
  Last Modified	6 Apr 2024

  
  

  Family	Susanna Maier,   b. 13 May 1851, , Germany ,   d. 10 Nov 1931, Preston (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada  (Age 80 years)
  Married	8 Aug 1870	Ayr, North Dumfries Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [9]
  Children	1. Ida Fenwick,   b. 29 Mar 1871, Preston (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada ,   d. 11 Jan 1916, Preston (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada  (Age 44 years)   2. Nettie Fenwick,   b. 9 Dec 1875, Preston (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada ,   d. 1966  (Age 90 years)   3. Amelia Fenwick,   b. 6 Apr 1878, Preston (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada ,   d. Yes, date unknown
  Last Modified	7 Apr 2024
  Family ID	F251585	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

• Notes

  James Fenwick was born 26 Jun 1846 and took an active part in the affairs of Preston. A machinist by trade he worked for Clare Bros. Ltd. He served on Preston's Light and Water Commission. He raised the electric light wires in 1893 and in 1895 was awarded a 5 years contract to produce electricity for Preston street lights. He set up a water-powered generator in Blair to produce the electricity and was paid 17 cents for the power used each night. Cambridge Mosaic , Jim Quantrell, 1998, City of Cambridge [abbreviated snippet from original text in book] _______________ BLAIR SUPPLIED PRESTON WITH HYDRO, ELECTRIC POWER BY Nonie Beck Pryce James Fenwick owned and operated the first electric light plant in Preston in 1891. Records in the Town Treasurer's office show that the first account in Preston's books was registered in 1891 when they paid $407,00 for street lighting. There were power shortages and the burden fell on the shoulders of the owner. Mr. Fenwick first operated his steam plant and dynamo in Harry Hamacher's Carriage Shop on King Street. The street lights were turned off at twelve o 'clock. I believe that on moonlight nights they did not come on. A steam plant was expensive and waterpower was much cheaper so the plant was moved to Blair on the property of Charles Beck. There was a big stone building on this property which had first been a tannery, run by Bechtels, then a distillery owned by Thomas Reed. Even in those days there were dry speels, and the water power had to be supplemented with steam generated power. In winter storms raged bringing down poles and wires. A Privately owned plant had lots of trouble. Collections were made from customers every Monday morning. While in Blair an opposition plant was started by John Shearer, chiefly supplying light for homes. After a number of years Mr. Fenwick moved back to Preston, renting a room and steam power from Clare Bros. In 1910 Preston built a municipal plant and agreed to take 600 horsepower from Hydro, Community" dances were blacked out at midnight unless arrangements were made to have the power left on, then a fee of a dollar an hour was charged. Grand River Womens' Institute

  
  

• Sources

  [S3002] Vit - ON - Marriage Registration, 015660-99. Henry J. McCurry, 23, occ. Bookkeeper and "Typerator", b. Parry Sound, res. Preston, son of Patrick McCurry and Emily Foley, married Amelia Fenwick, 21, b. Preston, res. Same, daughter of James Fenwick and Susan Maier, Witnesses Were Netta Fenwick and Robert M. Henning, both of Preston, April 17, 1899 at St. Clements Church (R.C.), Preston [S204] Census - ON, Waterloo, Preston - 1901, Preston (Village) F-2 Page 14. [S105] Census - ON, Waterloo, Preston - 1871, Pg. 37. [S297] Census - ON, Waterloo, Preston - 1881, Page 29. [S1669] Census - ON, Waterloo, Preston - 1911, Div. 24 Pg. 12. [S2441] Census - ON, Waterloo, Preston - 1891, Section 1 Page 41. [S239] Cemetery - ON, Waterloo, Cambridge - Preston CC#6335 Cemetery Internet Link . James Fenwick/ June 26, 1846 - Aug. 9, 1918/ Susanna Maier/ His Wife/ May 13, 1851 - Nov. 10, 1931/ Alfred W. Angell/ 1879 - 1960/ His Wife/ Nettie Fenwick/ 1875 - 1966/ Fenwick./ [Footstones] Mother/ Father/ Nellie/ Alfred. [S116] Vit - ON - Death Registration. Name:James Fenwick Gender:Male Birth Year:abt 1846 Birth Place:Montreal, Quebec Age at Death:72 Death Date:9 Aug 1918 Death Place:Waterloo, Ontario, Canada [S4] Vit - ON - Marriage Registration. Name:James Fenwick Age:22 Birth Date:abt 1848 Birth Place:Canada Marriage Date:8 Aug 1870 Marriage County or District:Waterloo Father:Theodore Fenwick Mother:Sarah Durand Spouse:Susana Meier Spouse's Age:18 Spouse Birth Date:abt 1852 Spouse Birth Place:Germany Europe Spouse Father:John Meier Spouse Mother:Elisabeth Blaild

  
  

• Event Map

  Born - 26 Jun 1846 - Montreal, Ile de Montreal, Quebec Married - 8 Aug 1870 - AYR, North Dumfries Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Occupation - Finisher - 1871 - Preston (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Occupation - Machinist - 1881 - Preston (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Occupation - Machinist - 1891 - Preston (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Residence - Anglican - 1891 - Preston (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Public Service - Preston Fire Brigade - 8 Nov 1892 - Preston (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Occupation - Machinist - 1901 - Preston (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Occupation - Machinist, Foundry - 1911 - Preston (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Residence - Anglican - 1911 - Preston (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Died - Cause: Cause: Cancer of Prostate (6 months) - Weakness - 9 Aug 1918 - Preston (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Buried - - Preston Cemetery, Cambridge, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada  = Link to Google Earth