Matthew Wilks

Other Events:

• FindAGrave: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/18151502
• Eby ID Number: Waterloo-147310
• Occupation: 1861, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Gentleman
• Residence: 1861, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Protestant Church of England
• Gift: 1885, Trinity Anglican Church, Cambridge, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada

Notes:

Gift:
The interior of the church was altered in 1885-1886 and the Norman Tower was added during the same time frame through the generosity of Matthew Wilks

Matthew — Elizabeth Astor Langdon. Elizabeth was born 1818, Manhattan, New York, New York, United States; died 2 Jun 1896, North Dumfries Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; was buried , Saint James Episcopal Churchyard, Hyde Park, Dutchess, New York, United States. [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• Eby ID Number: Waterloo-268334
• Residence: 1861, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Protestant Church of England

Other Events:

• FindAGrave: https://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=159031558
• Eby ID Number: Waterloo-268337
• Residence: 1861, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Protestant Church of England

Notes:

Matthew Astor Wilks was buried in the Astor vault in St. James Churchyard, Hyde Park, NY. In Sylvia's next to last will, dated 1939, she left $20,000 to St. James Church, "for the upkeep and maintenance of the burial vault of Matthew Wilks, and of the plot in which it is located." Admittedly, this was not her husband, but it is a large vault, and I assumed that the reason she left this money to St. James was because her husband was buried there also.

From FaG member Faith Eckler on May 20, 2016 1: 34 PM

_____________________

Betrothal of an Heiress.

MRS. HETTY GREEN AND HER DAUGHTER.

Mrs. Hetty Green announces "the engagement of her only daughter. Miss Sylvia Green, to Mr. Matthew Astor Wilks, of New York, eldest son of the late Matthew Wilks, of Cruickston Park, Galt, Ontario." These are the formal terms in which the American lady banker who has amassed by her own genius for business a fortune estimated at £10,000,000 proclaims the realization of her fondest hope.

Miss Sylvia Green has been reported at various times to be betrothed to different foreign noblemen, but her mother has always declared that a "plain American gentleman is good enough for the daughter of Hetty Green."

When a year ago the eccentric lady, discarding her rusty black dress and coal scuttle bonnet, migrated with her daughter from a modest Hoboken flat to palatial apartments at the Plaza Hotel, where she entertained some of the leading figures of New York society to a grand "gold service" dinner, the curious public immediately expressed the vociferous conviction that Miss Green was about to be betrothed. Mrs. Green, while refusing to confirm the report, profited by the occasion to emphasise that the Greens, far from being of plebeian origin, belonged to a "fine old Knickerbocker family."

After only a month of almost royal extravagance Mrs. Green and her daughter retired to a modest boarding house in New York, and were not heard of again till last month. Miss Green is 36 years of age, and does not pretend to be younger. Her fiance is 57 years old, and is a great grandson of the original John Jacob Astor. He is well known in New York society and has an independent for tune estimated at several million dollars. He has three sisters, one of whom is Mrs. William Keefer, wife of a surgeon-major in the British Army.

The World's News Sydney, NSW Sat 27 Mar 1909 Page 17

_____________________

HETTY GREEN'S DAUGHTER TO WED A NEW YORKER

WHO IS OLD ENOUGH TO BE HER FATHER.

Daughter of the Richest Woman in the World Never Cared for Men or Society, and Now Will Wed an Old Man With Several Millions.

NEW YORK, Feb. I8.\emdash Matthew Aster Wilks of New York City will soon become the son-in-law of America's richest woman.

Announcement of his engagement to Silvia Green, the only daughter of Mrs. Hetty Green, the marvelous female financier, has been made to intimate friends and relatives of the family through his sister, Miss K. J. Wilks, who resides in Galt, Ontario.

The few words, which change him from a comparatively poor young man to a figure that must in the future occupy a conspicuous position in American finance, are contained in the intensely formal announcement, which was received today. It reads:

"Mrs. Hetty Green. New York, announces the engagement of her only daughter. Miss Silvia, to Mr. Matthew Astor Wilks, New York, eldest son of the late Matthew Wilks, Cruickston Park, Galt, Ontario." Mr. Wilks has been out of town for several days, it was said at his home. 110 Madison avenue, tonight. It was impossible to learn the date fixed for the wedding, but friends of Mrs. Green thought it would take place next June, probably.

Though Mr. Wilks can no longer be called a young man and Miss Green is past 30, their romance nevertheless has given lively satisfaction to the limited social circle aware of its progress.

It blossomed and grew under the eye of the Countess Annie Leary, who introduced Miss Green into society nearly a dozen years ago. Mrs. Leary has been on terms of intimacy with the descendants of John Jacob Astor. Her father was the fashionable hatter of Old New York and his store in Astor house was the resort of the beaux and merchants early in the last century. He bought his furs and pelts from the original Astors.

Miss Green has never cared for gay society and when she was under the chaperonage of Miss Leary appeared at receptions and teas more frequently than at dinners, balls or the opera. She has been reported engaged to the Earl of Yarmouth, the Duke de La Torre and one or two others, but the reports have always been denied. Her mother, who is nothing if not plain spoken, has declared she would rather her daughter wed a plain American than a foreign nobleman. Her sensational though short-lived plunge into tho giddy whirl of fashionable hotel life was ex plained last May by a friend at the Plaza.

"Mrs. Green is anxious that her daughter marry into some well known and honored family, and it is only natural that she should move into a fashionable place." Although lie lives in a modest brown stone front dwelling at 440 Madison avenue, he is believed to be worth several million dollars, inherited from his father, who died in 1899. Mr. Wilks is about 57 years old.

The Saturday Blade, Volume 21, Number 39, 20 February 1909

________________

HETTY GREEN'S DAUGHTER IS NOW MRS. WILKS

WEDDING PARTY PURSUED BY A MOB.

Bride 43 Years of Age, Groom 65 and Said to Have the Gout - Mother's Fear of Fortune Hunters Scared Away Daughter's Many Suitors - Hetty Bosses the Affair.

NEW YORK, March 4.\emdash Miss Sylvia Green, daughter of Mrs. Hetty Green, and heiress to $75,000,000. was married last week at Morristown, N. Y., to Matthew Astor Wilks of New York City and Galt, Ontario. The ceremony was performed in St. Peter's Protestant Episcopal Church by the rector, the Rev. Philemon F. Sturges. There were no ushers or bridesmaids. Howland Pell gave the bride away and Woodbury Langdon Jr. was best man.

A great crowd had gathered in front of the boarding house where Hetty and her daughter lived, waiting developments. Suddenly a one-horse carriage appeared on the scene. As it stopped at the curb Hetty Green, dressed in a black gown, black satin wrap, and black veil, suddenly came out. Miss Sylvia Green accompanied her. She wore a heavily embroidered gown, a white picture hat. and as soon as the young woman in blue opened the door of the cab Mrs. Green. with surprising agility for a woman of her age. and Miss Sylvia; ran down the steps, jumped into the cab the door slammed, and the horse started it needed some energetic coaxing on the part of the driver to get the stiff legged horse to move quickly, but he finally succeeded, and the cab rattled away.

The newspaper men who were watching were for a moment handicapped, but there happened to be a grocer's wagon and two delivery wagons standing in the street, and these were quickly chartered and the chase began. The cab headed for the Lackawanna depot, about a mile away.

It was an odd chase and attracted much attention. Errand boys, clerks, workingmen and others ran after the wagons until, a mob of about 200 was in hot pursuit, cheering for the bride and for everything else.

The Morristown express had attached a private car. Some of the guests were already in the car and welcomed the bridal party. There were no more incidents until Morristown was as reached at 10:20 o'clock.

Mr. Wilks, his best man. and his sister. Miss Katherine L. Wilks, were waiting there, and carriages soon took the party to the Morristown inn. There the party waited until noon, when all walked across the street to St. Peter's Church. The interior of the church had been decorated and the local organist began to play the Mendelssohn wedding march as the bridal party entered. Miss Green, leaning on the arm of her cousin, Howland Pell, led. The next was Mrs. Hetty Green alone. The bridegroom walked with his best man, Woodbury Langdon.

As the party left the church there was a battery of cameras, and the bride shrank back behind an umbrella. Her mother pushed the umbrella to one side and said: "If they want a picture let it be a good one."

Then the bride and bridegroom posed with her on the church steps.

The bride is 43 years of age. The groom is a great-grandson of the first John Jacob Astor, is 65 years of age, worth $2,000,000, and has the gout.

The Saturday Blade, Volume 21, Number 41, 6 March 1909

Other Events:

• Eby ID Number: Waterloo-268336
• Residence: 1861, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Protestant Church of England

Other Events:

• FindAGrave: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/64999303
• Name: Alice Eugenia Keefer
• Eby ID Number: Waterloo-46946
• Residence: 1861, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Protestant
• Residence: 1890, Cruickston Park, North Dumfries Township, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada

Alice married Dr. William Napier Keefer 31 Dec 1889, Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada. William (son of Peter Keefer and Jane Angela Christie) was born 1844, Thorold, Thorold Twp., Welland Co., Ontario; died 27 Dec 1922, Toronto, York Co., Ontario, Canada; was buried , Mount Pleasant Cemetery, Toronto, York Co., Ontario. [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• Eby ID Number: Waterloo-268339
• Residence: 1861, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Protestant

Other Events:

• FindAGrave: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/91697586
• Possessions: 1490 Blair Rd., Cambridge, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada
• Residence: 1 Langdon Dr., Cambridge, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada
• Eby ID Number: Waterloo-92072
• Immigration: 1861, , Ontario, Canada
• Residence: 1861, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Protestant Church of England
• Occupation: 1911, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Farmer
• Residence: 1911, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Anglican
• Possessions: 1936, 1490 Blair Rd., Cambridge, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada
• Award: 1981; The Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame Members
• Hall of Fame - Waterloo Region: Bef 2012, , Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada

Notes:

Possessions:
Katherine Wilks purchased this home in 1935 and it was part of the Cruickston Park estate until 1950 when it was purchased by James Johannes.

Other Events:

• FindAGrave: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/159027737
• Name: Langdon Wilks
• Residence: 1 Langdon Dr., Cambridge, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada
• Eby ID Number: Waterloo-92062P
• Immigration: 1856, , Canada
• Immigration: 1861, , Ontario, Canada
• Residence: 1861, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Protestant Church of England
• Occupation: 1901, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Farmer
• Occupation: 1911, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Income
• Residence: 1911, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Anglican
• Retired: 1911, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada

Eugene — Pauline Kingsmill. Pauline (daughter of John Juchereau Kingsmill and Julia Dickson) was born 18 Jul 1867, , Ontario, Canada; died 28 Apr 1914, Tours, Puy-de-Dôme, Auvergne, France; was buried , Saint James Episcopal Churchyard, Hyde Park, Dutchess, New York, United States. [Group Sheet]

Eugene married Marguerite Roberta Briquet , France. Marguerite was born 16 May 1880; died 28 Apr 1961, Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; was buried , Trinity Anglican Cemetery, Cambridge, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada. [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• Interesting: wealth, farmer, philanthropy
• Military: WW1
• Eby ID Number: Waterloo-65648P

Notes:

MATTHEW WILKS KEEFER - 1891-1971

Married: Margaret Scott Hamilton - 1935

Matthew Wilks Keefer was the nephew of Katherine Langdon Wilks and upon her death in 1948 he inherited the Cruickston Park estate that had been built by Matthew Wilks. Mr. Keefer was born in Galt in 1891, the son of William Napier Keefer and Alice Eugenia Wilks, another daughter of Matthew Wilks. Mr. Keefer has been described as a strong-minded and level headed man who studied law at Osgoode Hall in Toronto and then studied finance in England. He served in the Home Guard during World War II and came to Cruickston Park in 1947 to assist Katherine Wilks in the operation of the farm. When he assumed control of the farm in 1948 he phased out the breeding of the horses for which the farm was famous and re-introduced beef cattle as the primary livestock. In addition to building the quality of his own herd, he encouraged and assisted small local farmers in building the quality of their own herds. Mr. Keefer died on March 23, 1971 leaving the farm to the University of Guelph.


Cambridge Mosaic, Jim Quantrell, 1998, City of Cambridge

Matthew — Margaret Sommerbys. Margaret was born 5 Oct 1897, Duffield, , Derbyshire, England; died 11 Sep 1990, Cambridge, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada. [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• FindAGrave: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/245344663
• Name: Catherine Claude "Cay" Haywood
• Name: Catherine Claude "Cay" Thomson
• Name: Cay Wilks
• Eby ID Number: Waterloo-389179
• Residence: 1962, Scarborough, York Co., Ontario, Canada

Notes:

THOMSON, Catherine Claude WILKS, HAYWOOD

On Monday, Jan. 13, 2003, at St. Luke's Place Nursing Home, Cambridge, in her 86th year.

Born on Nov. 2, 1917 at Chateau des Brosses, Oest Coste, Tours, France to Margurite Roberta Briquet Wilks and Eugene Langdon Wilks. Attended Branksome Hall in Toronto, married Robert Alfred Haywood (1918) in September 1941, went overseas with the Red Cross during the Second World War and was sent home to Vancouver in March 1945 due to pregnancy. Robert Haywood killed in May daughter, Lynn, born in September. Came east in 1949 to Langdon Hall, moved to Toronto in 1961, married Garth Osborn Thomson in February 1954, son Graham born May 1955. Active in St. Leonard's (Toronto), St. John's and Trinity (Cambridge) Anglican churches, Toronto General Hospital Women's Auxiliary, Red Cross, Red Feather, Canadian Cancer Society and various other charities.

Cay Thomson sold Langdon Hall in the mid 80's and remained in Blair at Fallbrook House until 1992 when she and her family moved to Brant Street South, Cambridge. Husband Garth Thomson died in February 1998. Cay Thomson moved into Queen Square Terraces in March 1999 where she lived until December 2001. After a three month stay in Cambridge Memorial Hospital she then went to St. Luke's Place Cambridge

The complete funeral service will be conducted at Trinity Anglican Church 12 Blair Rd, Cambridge on Saturday Jan. 18, 2003 at 11 a.m with Rev. Robert Grisdale officiating.

In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to the charity of your choice. Cards available through the Barthel Funeral Home, Cambridge, 653-3251.

The Globe and Mail from Jan. 16 to Jan. 17, 2003.

https://www.legacy.com/ca/obituaries/theglobeandmail/name/catherine-thomson-obituary?pid=189768536

Catherine married Robert Alfred Haywood Sep 1941, Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada. Robert was born 16 Aug 1919, Montreal, Ile De Montreal, Quebec; died 13 Mar 1945, Portlethen, , Kincardine, Scotland; was buried , Longside Cemetery, Longside, , Aberdeen, Scotland. [Group Sheet]

Catherine — Garth Osborne Thomson. Garth was born 5 Sep 1916, Toronto, York Co., Ontario, Canada; died 6 Feb 1997, Cambridge, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; was buried , Cremated. [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• Name: Marion Lucille Willison
• Eby ID Number: Waterloo-83009
• Misfortune: 1952; sucide

Notes:

"At Home" For Daughter

Langdon Wilks of "Langdon Hall", Blair, arranged an "at home" at her spacious residence Saturday afternoon in compliment to her debutante daughter, Mss Marion Wilks, whose coming out party will be a smart event at the Royal York hotel on Nov. 23. Large numbers of guests were present from the Twin City and Galt and they were received by the hostess and Miss Wilks in the drawing room where chrysanthemums in yellow and rich sumac tones lent touches of glowing color to the backgrounds. Mrs. Wilks wore a gown of copper velvet and Mas Wilks chose poudre blue velvet. Miss Anne Wilks and Miss Catherine Wilks were also present minging with the guests, the former wearing Royal blue velvet and the latter in brown crepe. Mrs. Wilks and her daughters all wore dainty corsages of tea roses. Assisting in the tea room were Miss Sally Peppler and Miss Carolyn Peppler of Toronto.

Waterloo Chronicle 8 Nov 1938, p. 5

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Canadian Heiress From Galt Found Dead in Gotham Hotel

NEW YORK, (CP)-Mrs. Marlon Willison, 32, found dead in bathroom of her hotel room here Tuesday, was reported in Galt Ont, today to be the daughter Mrs. Langdon Wilks of Galt and member of the family of Hetty Green, famed American recluse heiress. It was said she inherited
$25,000 of the Green fortune. New York police reported that Mrs. Willison apparently had taken an overdose of a sedative.

A note was found saying that she couldn't go through another day" and asking "please watch over my the daughter, Toni." Mrs. Willison was said to be the widow of a Toronto , soldier, Lieut. William Willison, of missing in the 1941 evacuation of a Dunkerque. Her daughter, 12, is living with an aunt in Canada.

Mrs. Willison was reported in Galt to be the niece of Mrs. Matthew Astor Wilks, the former Howland Green and daughter of the heiress Mrs. Wilks died in New York Feb. 5, 1951, leaving a small part of her $125,000,000 fortune to Mrs. Willison.

Marion — Second Lieutenant William Archibald "Bill" Willison. William was born 20 May 1917; died 27 May 1940; was buried , Dunkirk Memorial, Dunkirk, Departement du Nord, Nord-Pas-de-Calais, France. [Group Sheet]