William Valores Uttley – 1865-1944

Retirement from News Record in 1919

From the front page of the Berlin News Record on the occasion of Ben's retirement from that paper, October 17, 1919:

BANQUET HELD FOR RETIRING     OFFICER BY BD. OF DIRECTORS

RETIRING MANAGING EDITOR OF RECORD HONORED.

Event Held Last Evening.

    On the occasion of his severing his connections with the News Record the directors last evening gave a complimentary banquet for the former managing editor, Mr. W. V. Uttley. There were also present the members of the staffs of the Record and the Ontario Journal, Mayor Gross, several master printers of the city and a representative of the daily contemporary. The event was held at Wagner's Cafe Restaurant, Bridgeport.
    After partaking of the splendid and relishing spread provided by the house several toasts and addresses followed. A tone of regret over Mr. Uttley's decision to close his active interest in local newspaperdom and in the Record featured the expressions heard at the festive boards.
    The toastmaster for the event was Mr. Oscar Rumpel of the Board of Directors. Mayor Gross who was seated to his left was called upon to propose the toast to the chief guest, Ald. Uttley. The Mayor paid a tribute to the retiring managing editor, emphasising his work as a newspaper man and as an alderman of the city. While he would withdraw from the newspaper life he hoped that he would still serve the city on the Council.
    The chief guest, Ald. Uttley, in acknowledging the words of kindness by the Mayor and the honor shown him by the directors, the respective staffs and others who were present, looked back over his years of connection with newspaper activities in the city and briefly reviewed the struggles and changes in the local newspaper field in past years. It might be stated that it is twenty-seven years since the retiring officer joined the ranks of the local newspaper fraternity as a reporter. A further reference to his subsequent connections with be found elsewhere in this issue.
    On behalf of the Directors, Mr. W.D. Euler, M.P., the new president, spoke. Among other things he said that the Directors would continue to try to give the people of the community a good newspaper. In one respect the only source of education and enlightenment for the public is a newspaper he said. And in endeavoring to fulfill this purpose the aim to give the people only facts and the truth should be kept in view constantly. He, like Mayor Gross, wished Mr. Uttley and enjoyable trip to the south, but hoped he would retain his interest in newspaper work and give the public the benefit of his years of experience as a newspaper man and as an alderman.
    Sheriff H.G. Lackner of the Board of Directors, also was called on. He paid a tribute to the retiring managing director and congratulated him upon being able to retire. As to the future he wished him a delightful trip, a safe return and many more years of usefulness in this city.
    Mr. W.J. Motz, the new managing director and treasurer, also of the Board of Directors, said that his aim in conducting the business of the Record would be to maintain the standard set and maintained by the retiring officer.
    A number of pargraphs from exchanges, which would be leather medal winners, were read by him which were amusing and which delighted the hearers.
    On behalf of the staff, N.C. Helmuth, city editor, and T. Kay, advertising manager, briefly spoke.
    Mr. J. Darwin of the Darwin Press, Mr. E. Donohue, city editor of the Daily Telegraph and Mr. Walter Strub, formerly city editor of the Record staff also were called on. In all the remarks appropriate references to the retiring managing editor were made.
    The toastmaster, Mr. Oscar Rumpel, who filled that post in his well-known capable manner, briefly referred to the good work that a newspaper in a community can do. In this growing city, which would have 50,000 before long, it was essential that a newspaper give its best service. The necessity of co-operation in all things, and between all parties, including the master newspapermen, and also employers and employes generally should be kept in mind. In condlusion he reiterated the wishes and hopes of all in regard to Ald. Uttley, namely that he would find the trip to the south beneficial and that he would return safe and sound and give many more years of useful service to the city.

Echoes from the Banquet Hall.

    The 195 cases of whiskey seised by Inspector Winterhalt last week were not intended for the printers' banquet.
    Our two country correspondents, Relue and Lex, met for the first time at the banquet and their handshake was so hearty that all believed two more candidates for North Waterloo had burned up.
    The youngest of the printers' devils didn't believe Herman had Ox Tail Soup till he saw the tailless ox.
    The 2 1/2 percent coffee was too strong for the ladies, but the antidote was stronger still.
    The sporting editor of the Journal claims the squabs were not quite dead when served. He thinks he can hear them coo yet.
    When the three "Bills" of the new Board of directors saw the heading of the Bill of Fare "In Hoc Signo", they gave a combined shout of joy. Translated into English these words mean: "In this sign thou shalt conquer."
    The wedding reporter of the Record was on hand too, but the ladies said: "Nothing doing! To-night we prefer squabs to husbands."
    The doctor was there too, but his professional services were not required.
    The guest of the evening was the only one who got taffy for des[s]ert.
    The Telegraph representative had to eat in competition with two well organised staffs and he is living yet.
    Some drank 2 1/2 and others wished for the beer of the ballot, while those with extra strong constitutions risked water.
    Toastmaster O. Rumpel, wishes to apologize for not announcing when the next printers' banquet will take place.
    The only accident to mar the festive gaity happened when Tony swallowed the A.B.C. guarantee.
    Fritz as usual, took [e]verything hot off the casting box.
    Besserer says it couldn't have been gotten up any besser.
    Herman came near to being arrested for breaking his own record as champion caterer.
    When Lex fell into a hole on the way home he blamed "der holesomm meat" for it.

"IN HOC SIGNO"
Menu.
Ox Tail Soup
With Roller Composition
Olives	Celery	Pickles
Editorial Relish
Entree a la Lancaster
Three Color Process
Roast Squab Composition
Stuffed with Quoins
Mashed Potatoes		Green Peas
A la Monotype Pi		24 Point Leaders
Cauliflower in Cream
Hot from the Casting Box
Cold Slaw		Tomatoes
Island Position
Ice Cream and Cake
A B C Guarantee
Coffee
Two and a Half Per Cent.
"30"

A Milestone in Local Journalism.

    The retirment of Ald. Uttley from the managing editorship of the Record marks another milestone in the journalistic circles, and history of this city.
    Ald. Uttley joined the journalistic fraternity of the city twenty-seven years ago. He was the first verbatim reporter in the then town of Berlin. The paper by which he was first employed was the Weekly Telegraph, edited by the late Alexander McPherson, which was located on East King street. At that time there were four papers in town. The other three were the Daily News, which was begun in 1878 and edited by the late Peter Moyer; the Ontario Journal, owned and edited by the late Rittinger and Motz and the Deutsche Zeitung published by a company, which was located in the block of Mr. Henry Gildner, where now is the Dietrich block on East King street, Mr. Gildner being one of the shareholders identified with the company.
    Some time after joining the Weekly Telegraph, Mr. Uttley joined the publishers of the Deutsche Zeitung, the German Printing and Publishing Company and began publication of the Record. Subsequently the Record took over the News and the News Record came into being.
    Looking back Mr. Uttey notes changes in journalistic style and customs. The writings in newspapers in the earlier days had more of a personal touch. As a result there was many a tilt between irate citisens [citizens] and the editors.

Notes

• The references to 2 1/2 percent are about a referendum at the time to repeal prohibition in Ontario. The Beer for which the population was being asked to vote on October 20th was 2.51%. "The Beer of the Ballot is nothing but a mildly stimulating, healthful and refreshing non-intoxicating beverage containing only sufficient alcohol to make it digestible and nourishing", read the ads.
  Although Waterloo County voted "YES", the proposition to repeal any part of prohibition was defeated province-wide by a million votes.
• The short items reported in Echoes from the Banquet Hall suggest that it was not a dry evening.

He's in the Hall of Fame

Newspaperman Ben Uttley wrote the History of Kitchener

This is one of a series on members of the Waterloo County Hall of Fame at Doon Pioneer Village, Kitchener
By Ernie Ronnenberg

There's no Uttley genealogy. W.V. (Ben) Uttley, a newspaperman, would have been the one to write it. He may have thought of it but he was too busy, even in his retirement, writing about others.

Ben wrote the History of Kitchener. It was published in 1937. He also wrote a historical sketch called Berlin, now Kitchener, In the Beginning, for the Waterloo Historical Society. He wrote the biography of another newspaperman and Berlin postmaster, William Jaffray. And he wrote of countless others during his career as a newspaperman.

The Uttleys came from England. Ben's father was Samuel Uttley; his mother was Mary Taylor. Ben, as he preferred to be known in later years, was born in Elmira, Jan. 1, 1865, one of a family of six, three sons and three daughters. The other members of the family were John and James, Annie, Edith and Mrs. Harry (Mary) Parr.

At some time the family moved to Doon where Samuel was employed at the Doon Twines plant. After his elementary education, Ben attended high school in Berlin for a year and became a school teacher. He taught at the Pine Grove (Limerick) school in the Freeport area.

Teachers as well as pupils took shortcuts to school. Mr. Uttley's was one of the most novel. It was a long walk to the nearest Grand River bridge. Ben crossed the river in a basket suspended from a cable.

Oliver Kummer, Preston nonagenarian, in his Doon Reminiscences, recalled that Ben attached one end of the cable to a tree on one side of the river and to a post on the other side. The basket, hanging from the cable, was his conveyance. He sat in the basket and pulled himself across the river.

Mr. Kummer also reported that soccer was a popular sport in Doon and that Ben, with William Marshall and Nelson Wildfong, were among the Doon players. Ben, who also played on a Berlin team with David Forsyth, later principal of the Berlin collegiate, had a slight limp, the result of a soccer injury.

After teaching for three years -- and also becoming acquainted with Sara Matthews of Doon whom he married -- Ben entered the newspaper business with the German Publishing Co.

References to his career appear in the history of Waterloo county newspapers, in his biography and in his obituary, but not in chronological order.

Mrs. Burt (Vera) Tanner of Toronto and Mrs. Walter Wilken of Elmira, daughters, recalled that their father was employed by a St. Louis, Mo. newspaper but the period is not known.

According to the history of Waterloo county newspapers, the first daily newspaper in the county was the Daily News published by P.E.W. Moyer who had been editor of the Daily Times of St. Catherines and previously of the Waterloo Chronicle.

W.G. (Bill) Moyer, assistant news director at Kitchener radio station CHYM, and county historian, said Mr. Moyer was known as Peter X. Mr. Moyer, in all probability is a descendant of Peter X, although in the absence of a Moyer family tree, he has been unable to verify a relationship. He is, however, a great-great grandson of Joseph Schnieder, one of the pioneers who arrived in 1807.

Mr. (Bill) Moyer wrote Waterloo County Diary and This Unique Heritage. Ten thousand copies of the Diary were printed and a reprinting will be necessary soon. Also the final lot of 2,000 copies (of the original printing of 15,000) of This Unique Heritage have been ordered, indicating the necessity of a reprint of this book as well.

After the death of Peter X, the News was purchased by the German Printing and Publishing Co. in January,1897. On Feb. 1 that year the paper became the Daily News Record "and so continued for nearly 23 years under the editorship of W.V. Uttley. Mr. Uttley was continuously identified in a leading capacity with The Record for over 26 years."

Mr. Kummer recalled that Mr. Uttley had hired Clarence Cornell of Blair as a Record business office employee. Mrs. Cornell, the former Mary Matthews, was Mrs. Uttley's sister. Mr. Cornell became Record office manager, serving in that capacity for many years.

During his 26 years in Berlin (Kitchener) Mr. Uttley served on the town and city councils. He was elected mayor in 1908 by four votes over Allen Huber. Dr. Alex Potter recalled the election in one of his Let's Reminisce columns published in The Record about 20 years ago.

"There was general surprise when on election night the results were announced as Huber 896 votes, Uttley 890."
    "Then the town clerk reported an error of 10 votes in polling division No. 9 and certified that Uttley was elected by a vote of Uttley 890, Huber 886. Mr. Huber demanded a recount which Judge Chisholm refused because of numerous irregularities on the part of deputy returning officers."
    "Thereupon Allen Huber applied for a new election. The fight waxed hot and heavy. Allen bluntly spoke his mind, with the result that charges were brought against him. Magistrate Weir found Allen guilty of using grossly insulting language. But sentence was suspended."
    "The issue was brought to a head by the resignation of the council Feb. 3. New elections were called for Feb. 19. There were four candidates. The final vote was Huber 690, Uttley, 493, Jack Eden 454, John Anthes 269."
    "What a hectic year 1908 proved to be for the civic fathers. It was almost like comic opera. Not a council meeting without a flareup, charges and countercharges."
    "The mayor ordered the arrest and removal of an alderman; the policeman on duty refused to obey the mayor."
    "The mayor wrote various elected or appointed town officials summarily dismissing them; those officials refused to accept the dismissals."
    "Small wonder that the council eventually gave the mayor a month's leave of absence for reasons of health."
    "But with it all, Allen did cause Victoria Park to be opened to the general public at all times, free of charge."

In 1919, Mr. Uttley purchased the Elmira Signet from George Klinck. He operated the paper for only two years, however, selling the business to Cameron Kester of St. Marys.

Mr. Uttley was a resident of Elmira for 25 years. He was described as "an outstanding writer in his time." He was one of the original members of the Waterloo Historical Society, making valuable contributions to the society's historical records.

A member of the Masonic Lodge for 50 years, he was presented with a 50 year membership jewel by Grand Valley Lodge, Kitchener, a week before his death.

That his only grandson, John B. Weichel, became a newspaperman may well have been the fulfillment of a dream of Mr. Uttley's. Son of Mrs. Wilken, formerly Mrs. Harry Weichel, Mr. Weichel is now managing editor of the Stratford Beacon-Herald.

Mr. Uttley's History of Kitchener has been widely read. It covers the gamut of life in the community up to 1937 when it was published. Liberally illustrated, it contains articles on municipal devleopment and organizations, industrial plants, educational institutions, churches, community leaders, musical and recreational facilities.

Under the caption, Pioneer Times, he wrote:

"When the pioneers came up from Niagara there were few roads. Accordingly they drove their conestogas in and out between the trees which accounts for the crooked roads. Trees were blazed with single cuts of the axe as guideposts for late comers."
    "A home was made of rough logs, dovetailed at the ends and the chinks stuffed with moss. The roof was of split logs. Some of the furniture was home made."
    "Into the big fireplace the settler rolled a log. The mother crushed wheat on a stone with a hammer and baked the dough in an iron pot hung over the fire. Potatoes were roasted in the ashes and barley or wheat scorched for coffee."
    "The settler at first used a wooden plow. He did not have harrows, but used a treetop which scratched the ground a little. Grain was cut with a 'cradle' (a scythe with a frame) and hay with a scythe. Cattle feed was scarce. Cows 'ran a mile' when they heard a treee fall and ate the leaves, liking them better than hay. Wild pigeons flew over the township in tens of thousands. With a blunderbuss a young farmer named Shantz once shot 84 wild pigeons as they rose from shocks of wheat."
    "Money was rarely seen. Battered brass buttons passed as coppers and in a pinch were cut off a coat for the purpose."

The history is sprinkled with philosophy. One teacher, Elizabeth Shoemaker, impressed upon her pupils: "Manners make the man; to forget a wrong is the best revenge; he that hath not patience, hath nothing at all."

He quoted Mrs. Moses Betzner, who died in 1936 at the age of 91: "Sunrise has a virtue no other part of the day has. Work is a blessing."

"This community", she added, "was based on practical Christianity. The people were honorable and in business matters no writings passed among them. It was all done by word of mouth and a man's 'Yes' was binding."

By way of illustration, Mr. Uttley related the story of Isaac borrowing money from Jacob. Isaac suggested they draw up a promissory note. Jacob was willing, but asked, "Who keeps the note?"

"Why you do," said Isaac.

"No," said Jacob, "you keep it, then you know when to pay me the money back."

Mr. Uttley died May 25, 1944, at the age of 79 years.

He is one of three writers honored at the Valhalla Inn where three dining areas are named the Uttley, Dunham and Reaman rooms - the other two for Dr. Mabel Dunham and Dr. G.E. Reaman, authors.

The original name of the hotel, the Inn of the Black Walnut, was derived from Dr. Reaman's book, The Trail of the Black Walnut.

William Valores Uttley was born in Elmira on January 1st, 1865 and died May 26th, 1944. His father was Samuel Uttley and his mother was Mary Taylor.

Mr. Uttley received his early education in Kitchener and qualified as a teacher. After three years of classroom work at Doon he entered the newspaper business as an employee of the Berlin Publishing Company, later becoming the editor of the News Record.

He developed the publication as a daily paper and in time became majority stockholder of the company. It was through his efforts and business administration that the News Record became a daily twenty-five years ago.

In 1919 he sold his controlling interest and moved to his native Elmira where he purchased the Signet from George Klinck and became editor and proprietor for a few years before going into retirement. In his later years he completed and published a history of Kitchener.

While living in Kitchener he took an active interest in civic affairs, serving as a member of the City Council for a number of terms.

Mr. Uttley, during his years of retirement, was intensely interested in collecting historical data. He was one of the originators of the Waterloo Historical Society. He was a Past Master of the Masonic Order. In politics he was a Conservative.

Surviving are his wife, formerly Sara Matthews of Doon, two daughters, Mrs. B.H. (Vera) Tanner of Toronto and Mrs. Harry (Kathleen) Weichel.

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Most recent revision January 2003