Charles

Other Events:

• Eby ID Number: Waterloo-8380

Notes:

Potter's Field is Practically No More - Waterloo County was the first in the province to establish a County House of Refuge. Today, it is pointed to as a model and since its establishment many delegations from outside places have visited it to secure pointers.

The first person admitted to the House of Refuge - (after it was completed) - then known as the Poor House - Was committed by the Reeve of the Township of Waterloo on June 17th, 1869. His name was James White and he was a laborer and grogger. He died of consumption on the next 18th of July at the age of 55. He found his last resting place in the Potter's field set apart on the property. The first admitted was thus the first to die. In connection with this, one can do no better than quote the words of Wm. Janray, now deceased, who is giving a lecture in Berlin in 1871, said - "the oldest woman to die in the House was a Scotch lady. Her name was Jean Kay, 92 years. She was sent in by Dumfries Township.

The youngest was a foundling known only as Charley. He was but eleven days old. His mother sank quietly into her grave from natural causes.

Little Charlie - he was very little weighing but three pounds, with his clothes on - was left at the farmer's door between Breslau and Fisher's Mills. Eleven days of weary battling with convulsions and the three pounds of forsaken mortality crept into the little grave in the Potter's field, also.

Now there is practically no Potter's Field in connection with the House of Refuge. Nearly every person there is provided for when the end comes and in the case of those who are not, the remains are sent to the School of Anatomy at Toronto to advance the interests of science. But there are now very few such cases from the Waterloo County Home.

House of Refuge Cemetery Mar 5 1913 Berlin News Record