Waterloo Region Generations
A record of the people of Waterloo Region, Ontario.

Stephen Wilkins

Male Cal 1840 - 1879  (~ 39 years)


Personal Information    |    Notes    |    Sources    |    Event Map    |    All    |    PDF

  • Name Stephen Wilkins 
    Born CALC 20 Jan 1840  , England Find all individuals with events at this location  [1, 2, 3, 4
    Gender Male 
    Interesting suicide, fire, story 
    Residence 1851  Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  [2
    Methodist 
    Residence 1861  Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  [3
    Methodist 
    Occupation 1871  Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  [1
    Clothier 
    Residence 1871  Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  [1
    Church of England 
    Misfortune 17 May 1879  Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location 
    suicide 
    Eby ID Number Waterloo-61157 
    Died 17 May 1879  Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  [4
    Buried Trinity Anglican Cemetery, Cambridge, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  [4
    Person ID I61157  Generations
    Last Modified 26 Feb 2024 

    Father William H. Wilkins,   b. 14 Oct 1816, Gwennap, , Cornwall, England Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 26 Nov 1888, Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 72 years) 
    Mother Jane Grenfell Kinsman,   b. 24 Nov 1816, Saint Austell, , Cornwall, England Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 5 Jul 1908, Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 91 years) 
    Married 8 Apr 1837  Gwennap, , Cornwall, England Find all individuals with events at this location  [5, 6
    Family ID F16249  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

    Family Christina Rudd,   b. 25 Dec 1843, , Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 28 Jan 1903, Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 59 years) 
    Children 
     1. Richard H. Wilkins,   b. 1862, , Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. Yes, date unknown
     2. Thomas W. Wilkins,   b. 1 Nov 1863, , Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 21 Jun 1916, Cleveland, Cuyahoga, Ohio, USA Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 52 years)
     3. Robert A. Wilkins,   b. 1866, , Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 13 Dec 1903  (Age 37 years)
     4. Stephen R. Wilkins,   b. 1868, , Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. Yes, date unknown
     5. Edgar Wilkins,   b. 1869, , Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. Yes, date unknown
     6. Blanche Evelyn Wilkins,   b. 9 Aug 1872, Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 16 Aug 1913, Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 41 years)
     7. George Clifford Wilkins,   b. 22 Apr 1874, Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 18 Apr 1946  (Age 71 years)
    Last Modified 2 Mar 2024 
    Family ID F15993  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  • Notes 
    • Sad Death in Galt

      I t is with feelings of the deepest regret, that we this week announce the lamentable death of Mr. Stephen Wilkins, so long and favorably known as a prominent business man in the town. The circumstances attending this death are of the most painful nature, and such as to cause the widest sympathy for the family and friends of the deceased. It was only in our last issue that we gave the particulars of the destructive fire in Mr. Wilkins' establishment on the preceding Sabbath evening and little we thought as we wrote the particulars of the fire, that we would this week be called upon to record Mr. Wilkins' sad death. But so it is.

      For a year or so past Mr. Wilkins' health has been anything but good, and it was felt by his friends that he had failed mentally as well as physically. He was perfectly able, however, to conduct his business in a satisfactory manner and of late, in fact, had been thought to be improving. The occurrence of the fire in his establishment however, seemed to excite him very much, particularly at first; but as soon as the appraisers commenced to ascertain the damage to the stock, he joined will them in the work, and appeared more reconciled to his, loss. He continued so at work till it ceased on Friday evening, when he went to his residence, Ker street, retiring to bed shortly after 9 o'clock. In the morning Mrs. Wilkin found it difficult to awaken him but at length succeeded in doing so, she was horrified by his telling her that on retiring to bed taken an ounce of laudanum, and that taking it he had thrown the bottle out of the window. She immediately sent for Dr. Philips, and at that time no serious results were anticipated. As Dr. Philip had to leave town for some time, he requested Dr. Vardon to look after his patient, and upon the latter visiting him during the forenoon he found him lying in his bed, with a deathly palor on his face. Taking hint by the shoulder, the Dr. roused him sufficiently to enable him to speak; but on turning down the bed clothes he found the bed soaked with blood, which was still flowing from several wounds in the body. Upon taking him what had stabbed himself with, the unfortunate man showed the Dr. a small pocket-knife which was still clutched in his right hand, Everything was done that was possible under the circumstances; but about 1 o'clock Mr. Wilkins relapsed into a state of insensibility, from which he never recovered, breathing his last about 8 o'clock in the evening. Mr. Wilkins was in the 40th year of his ago, and leaves a wife and seven children to mourn his untimely death.

      An inquest was held on Sunday before Dr. Vardon and a competent jury, when the evidence bore out the facts as here given. A post mortem examination was held, when it was found that the ventricle of the heart had been penetrated in two places by the knife. The verdict, returned was to the effect that the deceased came to his death by his own hands, while laboring under mental depression. The funeral took place on Monday afternoon, and was largely attended, both by citizens and by members of the Oddfellows and Foresters Societies the bands playing the "dead march" as the cortege passed through the streets.

      Galt Reporter May 23 1879 pg 2

  • Sources 
    1. [S570] Census - ON, Waterloo, Galt - 1871, Div. 1, Pg. 11.

    2. [S313] Census - ON, Waterloo, Galt - 1851, Pg.33.

    3. [S1838] Census - ON, Waterloo, Galt - 1861, Galt 1861 Div. 2 Page 21.

    4. [S2598] Cemetery - ON, Waterloo, Cambridge - Trinity Anglican Cemetery Internet Link.
      [East] In memory of/ Stephen WILKINS/ who died/ May 17, 1879/ aged 39 y'rs/ 3 mo. 27 d'ys/ Christina RUDD/ his wife/ died Jan. 28, 1903/ in her 60th year/ WILKINS/ [South] Robert A./ their son/ died Dec. 13 1903/ in his 37th year/ interred in Ladner B. C./ Blanche E./ wife of William SHAW/ Aug. 9th 1872/ Aug 16th 1913/ [West] George C./ their son/ born Apr. 22 1874/ died Apr. 18, 1946/ his wife/ Catherine LUNN/ born Apr. 27, 1878/ died Nov. 23, 1952/ [North] In memory of/ Harry WILKINS/ July 31, 1954/ Aged 55 years/ His wife/ Anne CAITHNESS/ Jan 21, 1990/ Aged 94 years/ [A] George [B] Catherine [C] Mother [D] Father

    5. [S793] News - ON, Waterloo, Cambridge - Galt Reporter (1846-1973), "Obituary of Jane Grenfell Kinsman," 6 Jul 1908.

    6. [S1803] zzEngland, Marriages, 1538-1973, accessed 14 Apr 2012), marriage of William Wilkins & Jane Grenfell Kinsman; Indexing Project (Batch) Number: I04691-9 System Origin: England-EASy Source Film Number:1595598 Reference Number:p 167.
      William Wilkins married Jane Grenfell Kinsman 8 Apr 1837 Gwennap, Cornwall, England

  • Event Map
    Link to Google MapsBorn - CALC 20 Jan 1840 - , England Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsResidence - Methodist - 1851 - Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsResidence - Methodist - 1861 - Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsOccupation - Clothier - 1871 - Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsResidence - Church of England - 1871 - Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsMisfortune - suicide - 17 May 1879 - Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsDied - 17 May 1879 - Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsBuried - - Trinity Anglican Cemetery, Cambridge, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Link to Google Earth
     = Link to Google Earth