DEATH'S DOINGS
All from the "Amherstburg Echo", Friday, August 12, 1898, page 1:
Three Old Citizens of Essex county Pass Away
We are called upon this week to record the death of three old citizens of this county, men who had been intimately associated with one another nearly all their lives and had all nearly reached ages. We refer to George M. Wigle, Olinda; Isaac Thornton, of North Ridge, and John Robinson, of Essex. A strange circumstance in connection with their deaths is that all three were brothers-in-law and that the third death occurred within twenty-four hours after the first one. Mr. Wgle died at 3 a.m. on Saturday last, Mr. Thornton about 10:30 a.m. and Mr. Robinson half an hour after midnight following. Messrs. Robinson and Wigle were married to sisters of Mr. Thornton.
| Name | Age and Date | Particulars |
| GEORGE M. WIGLE | Saturday, August 6, 1898 | In the death of George M. Wigle at his home at Olinda, early on Saturday morning last, after a lengthy illness, that place lost one of its oldest and most respected citizens. Born in Albertville, in Gosfield South, on August 6th, 1819, deceased spent the whole of his life in the County of Essex and the past over 30 years at Olinda. Previous to that time he lived on a farm at what is now the Town of Essex. He was married twice his first wife being Miss Jane Thornton who died about 35 (?...printing blurred) years ago, and his second wife, Miss Catherine Wigle. Of a family of 11 chldren born to the first union, four still survive: Mrs. Esther Smith, of Denver, Col.; Watson Wigle, of Detroit, and Mrs. J. N. Wigle and John Wigle of Olinda. There were no children by the second wife, who survives. Wm. Wigle, of Kingsville, and Raemer, of Gosfield South, are brothers of deceased and Mrs. Euphemia Fox, of Blytheswood, is the only surviving sister. Deceased took part in the rebellion of 1837-38 and also in the Fenian Raids of 1866 and 1870, at which time he was a member of the North Ridge Rifles. The last time he took a pen in his hand to write was to sign his application to the Dominion Government for one of the medals to be issued to the volunteers who took part in these raids. The funeral took place on Sunday last to Olinda Methodist church, services being conducted by Rev. W. McMullen and interment taking place at North Ridge cemetery. A large number of friends paid their last respects to the dead by attending the funeral. |
| JOHN ROBINSON, SR. | 07 August 1898 | It is nearly 60 years since John Robinson, Sr., who passed away shortly after midnight on Saturday last, first set foot in this section. His brother James came here before him, and it was on James' advice that his brother came also. Deceased was born in Ramsay, Huntingdonshire, England on August 7, 1819, and from there went to New Orleans when about 18 years old, remaining there but a short time, then coming to Essex county. James had bought half of lot 284, Talbot road north, which was then covered with timber, and the two brothers hewed out homes for themselves in the then wilderness, later purchasing the other half of the lot. The two brothers passed through all the hardships experienced by the early settlers in this county. Deceased was married to Miss Esther Thornton who died about ten years ago. As a result of the union there was quite a family of children, but all have since died except one son, James, and one daughter, Mrs. Arthur Wilson. Deceased had a bad spell about three months ago, but revived and was getting along apparently all right until he was taken down with peritonitis and in less than a week passed away. The funeral took place on Monday afternoon, services being conducted at the homestead, on Talbot street, Essex, by Rev. W. M. Fleming, assisted by Rev. Dr. Gifford. The interment took place in the North Ridge cemetery, the pall bearers being Wm. Ellis, John Taylor, David Whitney, Wm. Nesbitt, David Hensman and John Walters The funeral procession was a very large one." |
| ISAAC THORNTON | Saturday, August 6, 1898 | About 10:30 a.m. on Saturday last, Isaac Thornton, who lived just outside of Essex, on the Talbot road, passed away after an illness of some years from kidney trouble. He was born on the old homestead, nearly opposite the farm on which he died, on the 5th of February 1833, and has lived all his life in the township. As a member of the North Ridge Rifles he took part in the Fenian Raid of 1866 and had made an application for one of the medals, being issued to veterans, shortly before his death. He was married to Emma King, of Kingsville, who survives him along with six children--Mrs. William Campbell and Miss Esther Thornton, of Detroit; George W., John and Ella, at home and Charles of Highgate. Two children are dead. Only one brother, George, of Essex survives, while two brothers, Harrison and Thomas, and six sisters--Mrs. John Whittle, Mrs. Geo. M. Wigle, Mrs. Sol. Wigle, of Gosfield South; Mrs. John Robinson of Essex; Mrs. J. J. Fulmer, of North Ridge and Mrs. Gale of the U.S. are dead. The funeral took place on Monday afternoon, at 2 o'clock to Trinity Episcopal church at Cottam, interment taking place in the Cottam cemetery. Rev. R. J. Murphy officiated and the pall bearers were J. E. Stone, John Hopgood, Thos. Irwin, George Lapointe, Joseph Townsend and Thos. McCreery. There was a large number of friends and acquaintances present to pay their last respects to deceased.
(Note: Isaac was the son of Richard Thornton, of Yorkshire, England and Esther Harrison, of Philadelphia, PA. Isaac's siblings were: Ann, (married John Whittle), Thomas (married Almira Latam), Eliza (married Solomon Wigle), Harrison (married Mary Jones), Caroline (married Benjamin Dale/Gale), Jane (married George Wigle), Mary (married John J. Fulmer), Esther (married John Robinson...my ancestors), and George (married Emily Fulmer). |