TALBOT TIMES
Newsletter of the
ELGIN COUNTY BRANCH
VOLUME III ISSUE 2 JUNE, 1985
NURSING EDUCATION IN ST. THOMAS
(from the Memoret and school records) — submitted by Brenda Edmonds
The history of hospitalization in St. Thomas dates back to the year 1892. At that time a philanthropic citizen by the name of Amasa Wood realizing the need of hospital care locally purchased land and erected a building at a cost of $14,000. The deed for the AMASA WOOD HOSPITAL was turned over to the city May 18, 1892. In 1903 overcrowding developed and the Hepburn Forsyth building was added.
The New Memorial Hospital wing, at a cost of $216,475 was turned over to the Hospital Trust in 1923, permitting care to 110-120 patients. In the rotunda of the Memorial Hospital is a beautiful stained glass window and the Book of Remembrance containing the names of all the men of St. Thomas and district that served in the First Great War, kept in a glass case, with one page being turned daily.
The deed for 10 acres for the St. Thomas-Elgin General Hospital was received April 5, 1950, with the sod turning ceremony on May 18, 1951 and the official opening on May 18, 1954. The Memorial Hospital was turned into a Chronic Care Unit opening October 1957 under the administration of the St. Thomas-Elgin General Hospital.
The need for a nurses residence and school was soon realized and the St. Thomas-Elgin School of Nursing and the Dr. J. W. Snell Residence were opened in 1959. September, 1973, the school became known as the St. Thomas Campus of Fanshawe College School of Nursing.
Superintendents and Directors of Nursing at these three hospitals:
Miss Amy Pollard (Morford) 1892-1896
Miss Armstrong 1896-1901
Miss Mima Tye 1901-1906
Dr. Jennie Drennan 1906-1917
Mrs. Fenton 1917-1918
Miss Lola Weldon (Brown) 1918-1924
Miss W. Lucille Armstrong (Miller) 1924-1937
Miss Jessie M. Wilson 1937-1944
Miss Rhando Beamish 1944-1944
Miss Isobel Stewart (Reade) 1944-1951
Miss Bernice Lewis 1952-1968
Chairmen of Fanshawe College, Nursing Education, St. Thomas:
Miss Dorothy Markle 1968-1977
Mrs. Beverley (McCann) Robertson. 1977-1983
Miss Eileen Minty 1984-1984
Miss Edith Davis 1985-1986
In September of 1985, Fanshawe College will be moving classes to their Main Campus in London for students entering both the Nursing and Nursing Assistant programs, however the second year students will continue on to finish their year at the St. Thomas Campus. St. Thomas area hospitals will continue to offer clinical placements for Fanshawe’s nursing students, but future classes will be at the Main Campus in London.
AMASA WOOD HOSPITAL
The Graduating Nurses, Class of
1895 Miss Robertson, Miss Robertson
- Miss Margaret Currie, Miss Walker, Miss Fremline
- Miss Lowes, Miss Atkinson
- Miss Miller, Miss White
- Janet McColl, Miss McQuaig
- Miss McLachlin, Eva Birtch, Madge Knight, Annie Whittacker
- Marie Milton (Odell), Julia Sharp (Affleck)
- Edythe Tye, Emma Scarrow
- Alice Kendle, Margaret McLellan, Adella Waugh (McKenzie)
- Gwendolyn Atkin (Watt), Lissa Crane, Rose Brooks (Grant), Nellie Brown
(McDonald),Sarah Rose (Parker)
- Zoa Spittler (McArthur), Jane Park, Emma Ray (Johnston), Mamie Palmer (Hagler)
- May Dodd (Moore), Lillian Warren (Johnston), Lottie Kelley (Hearbets), Elizabeth Kennedy
- Annie Patterson, Bessie Conklin, Cora Kier, Ethel Cook (Patterson), Anna McKee (Barr), Alice Nie
- Helen Graham (Ferguson), Olive Venning (McNiel), Iva Stager (Carter), Lottie
McCormick (Leach), Stella Groom
- Hazel Hastings, Katherine Milton, Pearl Pettit, Mary Abel, Estella Stuart
- Mary Slickter, Margaret Clark, Louise Miller, Tressa Vincent (Sherman)
- Della Bannerman (Reavely), Dolly Garnham, Winnifred Barrie
- Grace Teall, Vera MacPherson (Byrne), Marie Hales (Hage), Clara Mathews (Brunner)
- Ida Ferguson (Halliday), Florence McKelvie, Anna Smith, Blanch Nichol (Maddox). Jean Knight, Eva Perley, Elva Wardell, Florence Burtch, Mary Otis (Boomer)
- Mary Malcolm, Ella Anderson (Laidlaw), Rose Brunk (Stevenson), Susie Dickout (Robinson), Lena Ewing
- Mamie Ballah (Cohoon), Mabel Sands (Callum), Hazel Willey (Young), Myrtle Bennett (Westlake), Marie Mills (Schanz), Jessie Bolton, Edna Campbell (Ross)
- Lyla Cook (Thery), Annabell Nichol (Campbell), Ruth MacKey (Pierson), Pearl Dean,
Lillian lonson (Winders), Sadie Couthart (Pierson)
- Hazel Mann, Ruby Claus (Lee), Louise Parker (Reid), Lottie Wells (Gillenger), Jennie Wilson (Gordon)
- Gwendolyn Bert (McGugan), Catherine Giles (Dawson), Pearl Giles (Ryckman) Hannah
King, Anna McLean (Keith), May Sanderson (Crocker), May Dolson (Taylor), Jean Willis
- Isobel Matheson (Kennedy), Edna Simmons (Kerr), Maude Herindeen (Manning), Grace
Bell (Held), Jessie Grant (Wimbush), Berdan (Clark), Jean Killins
- Cora Kirby, Jean Ferguson (Brown), Wilma Brown (Stringley), Anna Weed (Sinclair), Amy Prince (Osherman), Irene Gingerich (Murray), Marguerite Meek (Killins), Ena Malcolm (Attebury).
- Violet Frizell (Davis), Mary Bryden (O’Shea), Olga Oke (Williams), Elva Chaplow, (McCorvie), Nin Sringley (Faulkner), Eva Fordham (Houghart), Gladys Johnson (Ballantine).
- Jennie Smale (Palmer), Verna MacCallum, Etta Dodds, Anne C. Campbell, Ivy Heaver (Pritchard), Ruth Miller (Fowler).
- Gladys Hardy (Smale), Emma Vale (Tyson), Isabella Leadbetter (Saul), Roma Chambers
(Penhale), Edna Walters (Evans), Mary Fletcher (Dent), Clarabel McCorquodale (Richards),
Agnes Hewer (Holborn), Beatrice Graves (Woolner), Annie Gracey (Book)
- Spring Class: Eleanor Reaman (Clark),, Laurine Mathews (Nutter), Eva Joiner (Vary), Estelle Sage (Berdan), Gertrude Trothen (McCrory), Claribel Robertson (Morgan), Mary McKillop, Irene Birtch (Penhale), Bessie Pollock (McManus), Dora McLean (Byron).
- Fall Class: Alice Patrick (Henderson), Jane McCaig (Loveday), Mildred Gregg (Harvey) Alice Flexen (Petrilli), Frances Winters (Clunas), Erma Precious (Kew), Ester Brewer (Burger).
- Irene Garrow (Phetteplace), Daisy Voaden (Coombs), Olive Paddon (Swindells), Mary Oke (Lewis), Mildred Jennings (Burrell), Margaret Benjafield (Dow).
- Jean Saunders (Hodgkinson), lola MacCallum (Young), Florence Trehern (Wisson), Irene McCaffery (Little), Stella House (Goodwin), Mary Gibson (Balkwill), Florence McAlpine (Baker), Bella Mitchener (Dickson), Edna Longhurst.
- Spring Class: Edna Jewel I, Jean Clark (Cruikshank), Cora Merle Esseltine (Benjafield),
Buryl Pow, Winnifred McClure (Widcombe), Mary May, Jean McDonald (Hutton), Doris Vaughn (Lindsay), Florence York (McNames), Helen Blewett (Davidson), Beatrice Wray (Bogle), Helen Comfort.
- Fall Class: Margaret Anderson, Lila Cameron (Bristow), Nona Mannix (Culver), Laura
Francis (Galloway), Marjorie Gregg, Elsie Warner (Turner), Marian Turner (Barr), Isobel
Lamont (Hodges), Greta Drake (Beherrel), Ida Watson (Turner), Hannabelle Ditchfield (Ponsford), Edna Ward (Dimbleby), Henretta Lowry (Burrows), Daisy Page, Olive Priddle (English).
- Eva Lanyon (Tilden), Alice Fryer, Iva Lanyon (Still), Ethel Clark (Ripley) Jennie
Underhill (Hutchings), Margaret Golden (Cuyler), Alice Claypole, Catherine Mills (Patterson), Ida Havens (Scafe)
- Viola Stansell (Walsh), Ruth McLay (Bacon), Isobel Irvine (Mefford), Phyllis Cameron,
Mary Spriggs (Bain), Grace Weaver (McTavish), Leta Ronson (Trevail), Margaret Douglas (Vair), Margaret Goudian (Pardo) Gwendolyn Hunt (Holborn), Ilene Tisdale (Begg), Doris Oke (Post).
- Esther Miller (Thayer), Jean Baker (Latimer), Dorothy MacDonald (Laing), Katherine
McPherson (Teeple), Ella Mannill (Welch), Virginia Cudney (Hampton), Loretta Smalldon
(Jordan), Jean McCallum (Best), Pearl House (Hayhoe), Aleta Fowler (Thomson), Eugenia Berube (Arlein), Mary McFarlane (Phinney), Joyce Allen (Tillotson), Jean Campbell (Deary), Eileen Tolson (Spurling).
- Myrtle Beattie (Martin) Frances McArthur (Varney), Terry Swainson (Hind), Blanche McGee (Cowan), Alice Stewart (Johnston), Barbara Cole (Possett).
- Ann Beattie (Stollery), Elsie Stoddern, Dorothy Fee (Greenslade), Helen Milton (Clark), Catherine Tunks (Gaibraith), Irva Smith (Nicholson), Ruth Meyer (McGinn).
QUERIES
G1LBERT – lra Gilbert d 1863 bd Frome United Church cem Southwold tnsp. any info on lra or present day desc will be appreciated to R. Brian Pierce.
HODGKINSON – John, $20.00 reward for proof of date of death of John Pember. Hodgkinson 1801- c 1870, lived Lot 20 3rd Con Malahide Twp. Info to Brian Pierce.
GILBERT, John b ca 1800 Eng. or Ire., married Susannah who? b. ca 1800 U.C., ch- Edwin, Jacob Potts, Thomas, Jane m. Joseph Weed, Elizabeth m. George North, Rebecca Ann m. John Weed and John Lemon Gilbert. Lived at Lot 23 Con 9 or #68 North Talbot Rd. Yarmouth. Info to Mrs. Lorraine E. Hodgkins.
GILBERT, Thomas, b.ca 1832 Yarmouth, m Anne Teeple, da of Edward Teeple and Agnes House. Lived Lot 1 Con 6 Dunwich. Thomas d 14 Feb. 1899 Ann said to have remarried? Ch. Susan, John E. m Susan Glover, Thomas, Jane, Emma m. Henry Erskine. Any info welcome. Mrs. Lorraine E. Hodgins.
SLOGGETT– any info to Mrs. V. Rivard.
MINARD– Were David, Job & Samuel who appear in 1842 Yarmouth census brothers? Were their parents James & Abigail? Where in U.S. were they from? R.W. McCurdy.
MOORE– Did either Elias or John Moore who came to Yarmouth Tnsp in 1818 have daus named Phoebe & Rebecca, one or both of whom married Samuel G. Minard. R.W. McCurdy .
GRINDELL, ECCLES, BRANDON, HUNTLEY, HUBBARD – Seeking info on these families which were in the Arkansas and Tennessee areas in the 1930’s and are descendants of Josiah Turk and Sophron(i)a Willson and Mordecai Willson and Rachel VanSickle of Elgin County, Ont. Also looking for Noreen (Turk) Carrier of same line possibly Mich. Info to Mrs. Lloyd G. (Norma) Smith.
GRAHAM, Robert – b. Scotland ca 1845, m 29 Aug. 1870 in West Calder to Janet Smith b. 21 June 1845 in West Lothian. Ch. James, Joann 1872 (Thomas Ritchie), Henry Smith 1874 (Sarah Kennedy) Mary Pollock 1877 (James Wilson), Alexander, Robert (d at age 6) Hume & Robert. Hume and Robert stayed in Scotland, all b in Scotland. Looking for info on their desc and any info on other members of family. Mrs. Sylvia Harvey.
CUMMINS/CUMMING/CUMMINGS – What was the relationship between Elizabeth who married Job Minard 1834 and Hiram Cummins who m. Mary Margaret Minard c 1849? Who were the parents of Hiram b. U.C. c. 1830? Info to R.W. McCurdy.
GRAHAM– James,b Scotland ca 1800, d ca 1887. Came to conc 2, L 21 of Dunwich Tsp ca 1850 (with Peter Graham and fam who had the south half of this lot). James’ wife was Nancy. Ch were Archibald, Catherine, David,and James Jr. (who became a manufacturer in 1889, possibly owning the Dutton Woollen Mill) Any info on these families (where buried, desc. etc) would be most appreciated. David Graham.
GRAHAM – CAMPBELL– William Graham, b ca 1816 in Scotland-came to conc 2, L 19 of Dunwich Tsp ca 1850, d Apr 24, 1889, bd Cowal -McBride cem. wife was Margaret d 1888, one dau lsabella (b ca 1851) who married Malcolm Campbell in 1872. Ch John , William, Archie, Mrs. M. McTavish, and Mrs. Archie Crawford. lsabella d 1939. Any info on these families or desc would be most appreciated. David Graham.
HARRIS – interested in the early Harris families of Bayham Tsp. Were any from N.S.? What connection might they have to Sarah Harris b ca 9 May 1814 who m Richard McCurdy ca 1833? All info to R.W. McCurdy.
SEAKIN, SEEKIN – James b ca 1840 in England, m Dorothy Terryberry in Can. Dorothy b 15 Dec. 1843, d 17 Nov 1919- had dau Rosetta Georgina b 9 Oct 1865 in Wainfleet. All info to Mrs. Joyce Locke.
DREDGE – Thomas Harding and Mary (Catton) Dredge ld in Aylmer and Port Stanley, late 1800’s and early 1900’s. Date of deaths? Buried where? Any children? Ld in Aylmer 1886 – 1907. Mr. Dredge may have died btn 1902 and 1907. Wife in Port Stanley in 1916. Possibly dau named Hilda! All info to Edith J. Harrison.
CAMPBELL – John H. b ca 1839 Paris, Ont, m ca 1866 to Mary ? Ch Robert ca 1867, Archibald ca 1869 to Muskegon, MI, Elizabeth ca 1870, Mary m 1892 Harry Knott, John ca 1874 to Detroit, MI, James David ca 1874 m Augusta Jacob, Alexander 1877 m Sarah J. Baker, Catherine ca 1880 m Henry Rubenstein, to California, Jessie 1881, Mary d ca 1884. Family lived in Dunwich & Elgin. Any info appreciated to Tony Hofstee.
HUNTER – Lucinda b ca 1833 Malahide Twsp. Sister is Mrs. Butcher of Pt. Burwell. Is she dau of Socrates Hunter, g dau of David Hunter UEL? Lucinda m Jacob Berdan ca 1850 where? Any info to Tony Hofstee.
BOOK REVIEW:
GENEALOGY IN ONTARIO: Searching the Records, compiled by Brenda Dougal Merrimen (1984) who is herself a certified genealogical record searcher. This is an extremely useful little book for genealogists researching in Ontario. It should be especially helpful to the beginner, suggesting a line of approach to ancestory hunting which includes, collecting family information from home and relatives, joining a local genealogical society, a list of reference books available at the library, a background history and maps of Ontario and the organizing and filing of your records.
It has an excellent collection of resources for research and includes up-to-date addresses and postal codes of Record Offices, Publishers and Booksellers.
This book deals with sources in our two largest repositories, The Public Archives of Ontario and
The Public Archives of Canada. Readers who pursue their searches in the Toronto and Ottawa areas will find convenient maps inside the front and back covers. As for the armchair researcher a chapter is included on Long Distance Research.
This booklet is deserving of a place in all genealogical libraries. Price: $10.00
LOYALISTS LISTS by E. Keith Fitzgerald
This book contains over 2000 names and families from the Haldiman Papers. It is indexed and contains names of persons quartered in Montreal before moving to Ontario in 1784. In four parts: (1) General Return of Refugee Loyalists in the Province of Quebec; (2) Roll of the King’s Rangers
(Roger’s Rangers); (3) Return of the First Battalion of the King’s Royal Regiment of New York; (4) Return of the Loyal Rangers – Company of Pensioners (Jessup’s Rangers).
It lists occupations of heads of families, number of family members and province, state or country from which each family came. This booklet compliments existing loyalists lists and will be of interest to anyone tracing Ontario heritage. Price $8.00
SURROGATE COURT RECORDS IN THE ONTARIO ARCHIVES: by Catherine Shepard
A general guide for using Surrogate Court Records, (Wills) and a source of information especially for the early period before 1859. These records may fill gaps in information left by other genealogical sources. Locations of Surrogate Court Offices in various counties in Ontario and a glossary of Legal and Records Management terminology are included. Price $3.00
The above mentioned publications are available from the Ontario Genealogical Society, Box 66, Station Q, Toronto, Ontario, M4T 2L7.
Thanks to Kay Fowler for the Book Review.
ELY HERITAGE – a newsletter published quarterly by Theresa Ryan, includes query column, heraldry, military records, ancestral charts, etc. Subscription price is $12.00 yearly. Contact: Teresa Ryan, 501 North Paradise Road, Aberdeen, Md., 21001.
NEW ADDITIONS TO OUR LIBRARY
Diary of John McTaggert, 1881-1925
Diary of Nicholas Carter Brown, from 1859-1914.
History of Methodism in St. Thomas.
Genealogical Research Directory, Regional and International, 1985. Edited by K. A. Johnson and M. P. Saintly. Representative, Mrs. J. Tyson, 94 Binswood Ave., Toronto, Ontario, M4C
3N9. 1985 edition contains the following: (700 pages)
- Over 80,000 research entries from contributors. Each edition contains only newly submitted entries.
- Name and addresses of 5250 contributors in 25 countries.
- A list of all the major genealogical conferences, congresses & tours 1985-88.
- A list of all the major genealogical societies worldwide – their library hours, membership fees, details of journals or newsletters.
- A feature article by Friedrich Wollmershauser entitled “When you write to Germany”.
Entries for the 1986 GENEALOGICAL RESEARCH DIRECTORY close 30 Sept. 1985, although late entries may be accepted. Entry forms can be obtained from Mrs. Tyson (address above).
0.G.S. Library Holdings 1984 Edition – contains bibliographies and catalogues, church histories, historical atlasses, maps and gazetteers, genealogy, family histories and pioneer families, genealogy – sources, heraldry, Scotland – cemeteries, Great Britain, Ontario – history and local history, Ontario and Quebec cemeteries.
THE KILLING OF JUMBO
“St. Thomas?” “Oh, yes, that’s where JUMBO was killed.”
This for years was the sort of greeting that fell on the ears of St. Thomasites when making known their home town to strangers in other places.
Famous on two continents, the death of JUMBO on the night of September 15, 1885, excited the interest of people on both sides of the Atlantic. Throughout England, where he had become a national favorite during his seventeen years’ stay at the Royal Zoological Gardens. Throughout America, where the famous showman, P.T. Barnum, had by liberal expenditures for printers’ ink made the name JUMBO synonomous with his big show, the death of JUMBO was the newspaper topic for weeks.
JUMBO was the largest elephant ever seen, either wild or in captivity. He was brought to the Royal Zoological Gardens in London when he was four years old and remained there for 17 years. Barnum had often looked wistfully on JUMBO, but with no hope of ever getting possession of him. One of his agents in the summer of 1881, in search of novelties for the show was so struck with the extraordinary size of JUMBO that he offered the superintendent of the Zoological Gardens, a Mr. Bartlett, $10,000 for him. The offer was accepted and preparations made for the transshipment of the elephant. When the sale became known, there was a universal outburst of indignation. The directors of the Royal Zoo were denounced in strong terms for having sold Jumbo to the famous Yankee showman, Barnum. After a hearing which occupied two days, the sale was declared valid, and JUMBO was decided to be Mr. Barnum’s property. Finally, after a month’s delay, and when preparations had been completed for shipping JUMBO, Barnum’s agent was offered $50,000, if he would let JUMBO remain in his quarters. This, of course, could not be done, as thousands of dollars had been expended in lithographing and advertising his arrival in America and accordingly he set sail in the Assyrian Monarch on March 25, 1882. After a rough passage he arrived in New York, in good condition, Sunday, April 9th.
On Monday, April 10th, 1882, JUMBO was placed in the menagerie department of the “Great Show,” and exhibited at every performance. After having travelled countless miles over both the old and new world, after escaping all the dangers of travel by land, lake and ocean, after passing safely through the different climates from the torrid to the frigid zone, JUMBO, the greatest wonder of the elephant tribe, died an ignominious death, being run over by a freight train at St. Thomas. The value of the animal has been variously estimated at $150,000. It is a fact, however, that Barnum & Co. were offered $100,000 cash a short time before the death of the animal, which they refused to accept.
The killing of JUMBO occurred very simply. The big Barnum and Bailey show had exhibited on the Mann property on Woodworth Avenue, and the empty circus cars were placed on the Grand Trunk siding alongside the grounds. Following the evening exhibition in the big tent by JUMBO and his companion performer, Tom Thumb, a clown elephant, the loading of the animals was begun. All the other 31 elephants belonging to the show had been safely loaded with the exception of the two mentioned, the most valuable pair of the lot — more valuable than all the rest of the menagerie combined. Just as they were being taken along the main track, about 9:30 p.m. which the circus employees understood was being kept clear, a freight train drawn by engine No. 88, with Engineer W. Burnip and Fireman John Forest appeared from the east. Realizing the impending danger the circus employees made frantic endeavours to signal the engine crew and about the same time Engineer Burnip noticed the elephants in his path and whistled for brakes and reversed his engine, but the heavy down grade at this point prevented the train being stopped. “Scotty”, the keeper of JUMBO made heroic efforts to get his charge to safety. The first effort was to drive JUMBO down into the ditch on the south side, but the big fellow, always docile and obedient to the wishes of his keeper before balked and would not go. Turning him quickly, “Scotty’ started him on the run down the track westwards, keeping close beside, with Tom Thumb was caught first and thrown by the impact into the ditch, and his left hind leg broken. A moment later and the locomotive struck the rear of the mammoth JUMBO. The giant of the animal creation emitted one terrific roar, the like of which was perhaps never heard outside the jungle itself. The impact as the engine struck him was as a great thud and the unfortunate beast being brought to his knees and the engine and parts of the first car passed along his back, inflicting ugly and painful bruises; torn and blood issued from his mouth. He was not instantly killed, living for fifteen minutes after being struck, and expiring while efforts were being made to take him from under the train.
The engine was badly damaged, the cowcatcher, headlight and bell knocked off, and the side gearing twisted. It was first gotten out of the way and then begun the big task of getting the huge body of JUMBO off the track. Some conception of the undertaking may be gathered from the fact that his carcus weighed close upon ten tons. The problem was a new one for the railroad men, and the members of the wrecking crew which had been called out did much conjecturing before finally concluding that the only thing that could be done was to roll the huge mass. Great rope cables were thereupon procured and fastened to him, one to the front and another to the back part of his body, and though perhaps a hundred circus employees and spectators were on the ropes at the first pull, with others endeavouring to assist with planks and pries behind the body, it did not move. Then other scores of men were added to the forces on the ropes and when the “yoh heave!” of the master of ceremonies sounded, the big mass of inert flesh and bone began to move, and was soon clear of the tracks, while Mr. Hutchinson, one of the proprietors and other managers of the show stood by plainly showing their grief for the loss of their favorite, JUMBO.
While all this was taking place the veterinary surgeons with the circus were attending to JUMBO’s companion, Tom Thumb, who had escaped with a broken leg. This was set after which he was lifted into his car and taken away with the rest of the animals to London, where the circus appeared the next day.
Matthew Scott was the devoted and constant companion of JUMBO from the time he entered the Royal Zoological Gardens, twenty years before, and had naturally become greatly attached to his charge. As the inanimate remains of the giant of the African wilds lay beside the tracks the following day, “Scotty” wept like a child. He had lost his best and truest earthly friend.
The following day thousands from city and townships flocked to the scene to see the last of JUMBO.
JUMBO’s body was dressed by Peter Peters, butcher, and his hide and frame turned over to the Smithsonian Institute at Washington.
A damage action was afterwards begun against the Grand Trunk Railway Company by Barnum & Bailey, claiming $100,000 for the killing of JUMBO. A settlement out of court was reached, just before the trial was to begin at New York City. Included was free transportation over the Grand Trunk for the following year. Among those from St. Thomas who went to New York as witnesses were Station Master Stewart, Despatcher Fred Arnum, Conductor Wm Algie, Engineer D. Brown & W. Burnip, and well-known jeweller E.H. Flach who with a companion John Rowe, were the only ones other than the circus and railway employees to witness the accident. As a memento of the affair Mr. Flach prized one of JUMBO’s toe-nails which he secured at the time.
JUMBO is REMEMBERED
The St. Thomas Jumbo Foundation and residents of the city have helped make Jumbo’s statue, to be unveiled during Jumbo Days, June 27 – July 1st, a reality.
Winston Bronnum, one of Canada’s leading animal sculptors, built the monument at Animaland in Sussex, New Brunswick. The statue, commissioned by St. Thomas businessmen and residents, was constructed after a month of studying Jumbo writings and memorabilia by the Canadian artist. Made of steel and cement with six tons of cement, the monument stands 20 feet high and has a span of 10 feet between its ears. After its arrival, the statue will be placed at the ‘western gateway’ to St. Thomas, overlooking Highway 3.
An outstanding commemorative coin has been minted and is available at a cost of $1 for the nickel plated and 14K gold coin boxed for $625.
JUMBO DAYS will see the downtown section of St. Thomas transformed into a parade of fun and frolics. Among the events planned are free street entertainment, dinner theatre, Wintario draw, Super Circus, Miniature Circus, street dancing and a Jumbo Parade.
Visitors are invited to join St. Thomas residents celebrate Jumbo Days – June 27 – July 1st, 1985.
The Killing of Jumbo was extracted from St. Thomas and its Men of Affairs, originally published in 1914. Submitted by Brenda Edmonds.