Island LettersLETTER FROM BRUCE KEILL TO CLAUDE MARIAN KEILL IN WISCONSIN RE ALEX KIEL’S DEATH. Notes: Alex Keill lived (and died) on Bear Point, Wolfe Island and is buried in Horne Cemetery there with his wife Lovina Cool Kiel. Birth: 22 Jan 1819 in Dores, Invernesshire, Scotland Death: 28 Oct 1892 in Wolfe Island, Frontenac Ontario Burial: 31 Oct 1892 Horne Cemetery, Wolfe Island, Ontario Letter submitted by Stuart Keill Note 2: Spelling and grammar as in letter. More notes on content from Stuart Keill below letter. Dear Brother, Know doubt you have heard the sad news of Fathers death before this. I’m sorry that none of you got word in time to get to the funeral.. It was good we got him a nice coffin and the herse and it went over on the boat to the island. We put Pa in the ….………we had the sermon preached at the house and it was good we had a smart littler minister to preach it and they sang safe in the arms of Jesus for the last time. We had lots of friends to sympathize with us. The funeral was large and the house was full from the time he died till after the funeral both day and night. for fear that you don’t see Deviller* I will let you know how he died I was away from home had started to take a trip up to the head of lake Superior on a boat that carried from there in to the bay here. Pa was well, when I left home and when I got to portcolburn just two days after I left home I got a telegram that he was dead so you see it was pretty sudden. I left home on Thursday noon and Friday morning Mary** says he eat his breakfast as usual and went out with the cows and when noon came he didn’t come to dinner as usual as he always worked till noon and then come in. So she didn’t miss him till noon and when he didn’t come she sent frank*** to call him and he came back and said he wasn’t in the garden so she sent another boy that was here and when she saw him coming back and didn't see Pa coming she started and met and they went back to look for him and Mary was the first to see him. after he put the cows in the pasture, he started back but before he got to the gardens he sat down on a rail along the fence to rest and smoke and when Mary found him he had his pipe in his hand and he had just straightened out and laid his head back against the fence and from the looks he never moved.. he didn’t suffer much he died easy now that is all I can tell you about it now you from this that life is very uncertain so you must be very careful how you live and be ready at any time to meet your God do not work Sundays and go to church don’t forget the start you made in the right way before you left here This is all for this time as it is after ten oclock and I have to get up early morning and work hard. I will close with and best wishes to you and your wife and a kiss for the baby**** from your loving brother Bruce Please answer this as soon as possible so I will know that you got it Notes from Stuart: * ”AD” Keill Bruce’s oldest brother (1855-1939) ** Mary McMaster Keill (1858-1925) his wife ***Francis Alexander Keill (1886-1946) Bruce and Mary’s oldest son age six **** Ornton Keill, Claude’s oldest son.(1891-1974) nb Grammar was not big in the elementary schools then. Copyright
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