James Taylor Uttley – 1875-1937

James Taylor Uttley -- 1875-1937

James Taylor Uttley was born on May 30, 1875. He was the sixth of seven children born to Samuel Uttley and Mary Baxter Taylor. James' middle name was taken from his mother's family name but apparently he preferred to use just "T." as a middle initial. The Woolwich Township Assessments for this period place Samuel in Elmira so it is certain that this is where James was born.
From the 1901 Census, James was living with his parents in Doon. He was a bookkeeper earning $260 per year which was about the wage of an experienced labourer. The Census records that he could both read and write which would be a prerequisite for his job as a reporter at the News-Record. The 1901-1903 Vernon Directory for Berlin records JT Uttley as a reporter for the News and boarding at the Market Hotel in Berlin. James' older brother William V. "Ben" had purchased the News-Record in 1897. It would seem that both Ben and James had developed an interest in the publishing business.
In 1906 James held the office of Assistant Secretary of the Old Boys' Committees. The group of ten Officers and Chairmen of these committees were photographed to mark a Berlin event held August 6-7-8 of 1906. James was front and centre and the picture of him was taken from it.
The Vernon Directory of 1907-1908 lists Jas T Uttley as a newsagent on King Street West in Berlin and still boarding at the Market Hotel. The following year he is a "repr" (reporter) and living at 72 Foundry Street South (Ontario Street today) which is downtown and scarely a block from the News-Record building. In 1912-1913 he is still a reporter of the News-Record and rooming at 19 King West still in the heart of downtown Berlin.
In 1921 the Vernon Directory does not mention James or his older brother William V.. We know that William V. had sold the News-Record and moved to Elmira by this time. When their father Samuel dies in September of 1921, Samuel's obituary lists James of Kitchener as a member of the immediate family that survives him.
The Vernon City Directory of 1925 lists James as a clerk at PO (Post Office), owning a home at 90 Alma Street downtown. His younger sister Edith is living with him. Five years later James is a clerk living at 20 Alma Street and after another five years in 1935 he is a border at 42 Alma. The next year, 1936, finds James next door at 18 Alma and now he is a reporter for the Toronto Star. Perhaps James T. moved to Toronto, but at age 61 that doesn't seem likely. In any case this was the last entry in the city directory for the man.
Death
In the DEATHS column of the Kitchener Daily Record of Thursday April 22, 1937, page 15:

UTTLEY, James T., Kitchener,
April 22.

On the same page we read his obituary:

----- James T. Uttley James T. Uttley, well-known in Kitchener and district for many years, passed away at St. Mary's Hospital, Kitchener, at 3.30 o'clock last Thursday morning. He had been in ill-health for some months, but his death was unexpected.
Born, in Elmira, a son of the late W. S. and Mrs. Uttley, he spent the greater part of his life in Kitchener. He was a local reporter at various times for different newspapers including Toronto, London, Hamilton, Montreal and Kitchener. His latest association was with Toronto journals. As a result of his long connection with the papers, he was widely known in the county. For many years he was a familiar figure in numicipal circles, wity which he kept a close connection owing to his newspaper work. For some years he was a member of the Kitchener post office staff. He was a member of Benton Street Baptist church.
Mr. Uttley is survived by two brothers, W. V. Uttley, Elmira, a former editor and proprietor of the Kitchener News-Record, and John H. of Big Valley, Alberta, and three sisters, Mrs. Harry Parr of Detroit, and Misses Annie and Edith Uttley, Kitchener.
Funeral services were held at Dreisinger's Funeral Chapel, Elmira. The body was interred in the Elmira Cemetery. The services were in charge of Rev. G. D. Little, pastor of the Presbyterian church, Elmira.

The records of the Dreisinger Funeral Home in Elmira recorded in their ledger that he was buried in the Elmira Cemetery.
The Kitchener News-Record in a Saturday April 24, 1937 funeral item reported the interment at the Union Cemetery in Elmira which was then the Elmira Union Burying Ground and now part of St James Lutheran Cemetery. The grave would be near those of his parents and is unmarked.

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