Sidney John "Jim" Wellsman

Other Events:

• Residence: 117 Grand Avenue S., Cambridge, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada
• Eby ID Number: Waterloo-417519

Notes:

HUSBAND SAVES SONS AND WIFE FROM COAL GAS

Mr. and Mrs. Wellsman and Three Boys Saved From Asphyxiation

A Galt family of five are recovering today from near asphyxiation by coal gas. "Another hour of the fumes and we'd have all been dead," believes the father, Sid Wellsman, 117 Grand avenue south, who awoke in time to save his wife and three sons from the gas.

"I woke up about four o'clock yesterday morning feeling sort of queer and dizzy and sensing that something was wrong. I roused my wife and then when she started to speak she collapsed. My youngest son Donald, 7 was in the same room. I shook him and he fainted away just after opening his eyes," related Mr. Wellsman.

What followed was something that Mr. Wellsman hopes he doesn't have to experience again. "I was scared. I thought I'd lost my entire family," he said.

Gave Them Milk

First he raised the window to the top, then got a bottle of milk and forced some into Mrs. Wellsman and Donald. Then he ran upstairs to where two other sons, Bob, 11 and Bill, 13, were sleeping. He pushed the window up in their room and then gave them some milk. He had to force Bob's mouth open, he said. Sometime during his rush through the house he called out a window to a passerby to telephone a doctor. Mr. Wellsman said he didn't know whether or not milk was the proper thing to give, but "I had to give them something and it apparently worked because it made them all sick at the stomach and seemed to help revive them."

Had Just Moved In

It was the first night the family had passed in the house as they had moved in the evening before. The gas came from a pipeless type of furnace and apparently went all through the house.

Mr. Wellsman and his family were all up and about today but "we all feel rather rocky. The effect certainly hasn't all worn off yet," he said.

The family had worked late the night before arranging furniture in the house but no one had noticed anything unusual. The youngest boy had complained of being cold and his father had wrapped him up in blankets. At the time he thought it strange that the boy should be cold, as the house was well heated. "But after' what happened early yesterday morning I remembered that he had been sitting close to the register in the floor most of the evening., probably breathed He some of the fumes that none of us felt. I remember noticing that he seemed to feel better after I put him in another room."

Were Turning Blue

Mr. Wellsman said that the boys in the upstairs bedroom were beginning to turn blue when he reached their room. He doesn't know just why he happened to wake up when he did except that he had been restless and hadn't been sleeping very soundly, possibly because he had worked at his job all day and then with the moving was overtired, he thought.

About 1940

Sidney — Marguerite Jessie Sparks. Marguerite (daughter of John C. Sparks and Jessie A. Graham) was born 25 Apr 1906, Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; died , Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada. [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• Residence: 117 Grand Avenue S., Cambridge, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada
• Eby ID Number: Waterloo-356829

William — Eileen Fach. Eileen (daughter of Alfred George "Albert" Fach and Hanora Anastasia "Anastasia" McNanney) was born 5 Jun 1925, Cambridge, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; died 9 Aug 2017, Cambridge, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada. [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• Residence: 117 Grand Avenue S., Cambridge, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada
• Eby ID Number: Waterloo-208785

Notes:

WELLSMAN, Robert A lifelong resident of Galt, passed away May 4, 2010 at the age of 81. Beloved husband of Rollande Wellsman, dear father of Susan (Ken), Jim (Trudy), Thom (Flora), Leisa (Gary), and grandfather of Megan, Elizabeth, Jacqueline, Darrell, Thea and Aidan. Survived by brother Don, predeceased by brother Bill. Fondly remembered by his nieces and nephews. Employed as a Field Engineer with Babcock - Wilcox from 1947-1994, his work took him to the States, overseas and to Central and South America.. An avid golfer, gardener and hiker. Robert loved the forests and rivers of Galt and was passionate about his flower and vegetable gardens. The family will receive friends at Coutts Funeral Home, 96 St. Andrews Street, Cambridge, on Friday, May 7, 2010 from 2-4 and 7-9 p.m. Funeral services will be held in the chapel on Saturday, May 8, 2010 at 11 a.m. Cremation to follow. As expressions of sympathy, donations to Grand River Conservation Foundation would be appreciated by the family.

Robert — Rollande. [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• Residence: 117 Grand Avenue S., Cambridge, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada
• Eby ID Number: Waterloo-418088

Other Events:

• Eby ID Number: Waterloo-191930