-----------------------------------
SAMUEL UTTLEY HAS
CROSSED THE DIVIDE
-------
CALL CAME MONDAY AT DAY-BREAK
-------
On Monday morning at 5:30 o'clock dissolution came
to Samuel Uttley.
Three weeks ago he suffered a slight stroke and grew gradually weaker.
On Saturday and Sunday mornings he suffered additional attacks.
Sunday afternoon he had brightened and conversed cheerfully with members
of his family and friends.
He realized that the sand in his hour glass was running low and
had words of confort for all.
The end came peacefully at daybreak Monday.
He had reached the advanced age of 83 years, 8 months and 13 days.
He was born in 1837, near Norwich, in Norfolk County, England.
His father was a shepherd on a large estate and three of his sons,
Jonathan,
Nathan and
Samuel emigrated to Canada and located in Elmira.
Samuel came over when a youth of 17 years.
An uncle, the late Mr. George Girling, had previously settled here.
He came to their home and afterward was given employment by the late
Mr. William Howlett.
After learning to do farm work as practised in Canada, he engaged himself
for some years to Mr. Wm. Wright near Guelph and to Mr. Hardy
of Winterbourne.
In 1858 [actually four years later in 1862] he married
Mary Baxter Taylor
of Paisley Block,
near Guelph, and they took residence in Elmira.
For many years he was employed as stationary engineer by the firm
of Winger and Weaver, who conducted a woolen and saw mill, which stood
where now stands the Elmira Planing Mill.
The late Henry Winger afterward purchased these and reengaged him.
Some years later he was employed by Ratz and Winger, who then
conducted a flour mill and sawmill, and continued there when the
late John Ratz purchased and conducted that business.
Among other later duties was the teaming of flour to Waterloo.
Elmira had then no railway communication.
Having a family of six and being desirous of doing his utmost for them,
he next undertook farming, first on Henry Winger's farm,
on West Church street, and later at Yatton and Parker.
After a number of years he decided to go to Doon and enter the employ
of the M. B. Perine Co. There he remained until six years ago,
when he returned to Elmira. Mrs. Uttley passed away while preparations
were being made to move. He used to relate that his father,
who had a family of a dozen, was anxious to see his children obtain
some education. But in those days, public schools were unknown.
Families desiring to give their children a schooling had to engage and
pay the teacher. His father asked the squire for whom he worked,
to use his efforts to extend the benefits to families in humble circumstances.
The old squire replied: "No! No! Give birds feathers and they'll fly."
Samuel could neither read nor write when at seventeen he reached Elmira.
Being ambitious he managed to learn to read at Sunday school and to write
by studying in his spare hours in the evening. This acquirement seemed to him
a valuable possession and made of him, in his modest way, a friend of education.
Many were the sacrifices he made to give his children that which
he was denied.
While he was rearing his brood, Canada was young and money was scarce.
The topmost wage paid was $1 a day. One marvels how parents with a family
of six managed to feed, clothe and educate them on this slender income.
Indefatigable effort and self denial may furnish the explanation of how it
was accomplished.
He was during his long life credited with being an industrious man.
Whomever he served he served to the best of his ability, and gave good measure.
It is a tribute to his worth that he never in the dullest times
lacked employment.
While working in Elmira it was one of his duties to measure the logs brought
to the sawmill. He tried to do the square thing for both buyer and seller
and the farmers called him "Honest Sam."
This sobriquet pleased him greatly.
His has been a long and arduous life and he lived it cleanly and earnestly.
His days were many and he liked to say were largely due to the intimate and
friendly terms on which he and Work stood and to his having early adopted
the habit of "early to bed and early to rise."
In the army of industry he never gained higher rank than that of full private.
A more accurate description might be to place him in the list of men portrayed
by Robbie Burns in his "Cotter's Saturday Night."
The immediate members of the family who survive him are:
John of Big Valley, Alberta;
Mrs. Harry Parr of Providence, R. I.;
James of Kitchener; Miss Annie and Miss Edith
and W. V. Uttley of Elmira.
He was on Wednesday afternoon laid to rest among his kith and kin
in the old Elmira Cemetery.
Rev. J. A. Jewitt officiated at the house and grave.
The pallbearers were Messrs.: A. Jeanneret, W. W. Martinson, John Small,
Wm. Bearens, Menno Wilfong and W. C. Quickfall.
Among the floral offerings contributed were a wreath of roses from the family;
a spray of asters from Miss V. Cleghorn; a spray of gladioli
from the Ladies' Aid of the Presbyterian church;
a bouquet of gladioli from Mr. and Mrs. Louis Fischer;
a bouquet of asters and ferns from Mr. and Mrs. L. Fulcher;
a bouquet of daisies from Mr. and Mrs. John Schaefer;
a bouquet of Cosmos and asters from Mr. and Mrs. A.Werner;
a bouquet of clematis and daisies from Mr. and Mrs. John Small;
a bouquet of asters from Mr. and Mrs. James Somerville and
a bouquet of asters and daisies from Mr. and Mrs. J. S. Weichel.
|
![[Samuel]](PICS/UTTLEY_Samuel_1837-1921.jpg)