Kenora Great War Project

 

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The People

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These are the stories of Kenora participants in the First World War.

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Wood, William

William Wood was born on 19 February 1870 in the Ethel area in Grey Township, Huron, Ontario. His parents were John Stephen Wood and Catherine Link, both from the Cornwall, Stormont, Ontario area. The couple likely married around1857 in Cornwall where they were to farm for a number of years. Children born in Cornwall were… Read More »

Baldwin, Clarence Walter

Walter Baldwin was born Clarence Walter Baldwin in Grenville, Ontario on 12 December 1883.  His parents were Eli and Minerva Ann Baldwin.  The 1901 Canadian Census shows his family living in Elizabethtown, Brockville, Ontario with his mother’s parents John and Sarah Mccready.  Father, Eli, is a farmer and Walter is listed as a farmer’s son…. Read More »

Spradbrow, George Ralph

George Ralph Spradbrow began his flying career in the Royal Flying Corps in WW1 and moved progressively through bush flying and general aviation to become one of the first pilots of corporate flying in Canada. George was born on 20 November 1896 in Toronto, Ontario.  His parents were Charles Spradbrow and Elizabeth Locke. Siblings included:… Read More »

Lake, James Alfred

James Alfred Lake was born on 13 January 1873 in Blairton, Peterborough County, Ontario. His father was Wellington Lake who was from Sidney in Hastings County while his mother Ellen Simpson was from Scotland. By the time of the 1861 census the couple was married with one son, John Bidwell, and living in Sidney. By… Read More »

Harvey, Arthur Henry

According to his obituary, Arthur Henry Harvey was born 05 March 1876 in London, England.  His parents were Arthur Henry Harvey (senior) and Amelia Luigard. He had at least one brother, William Charles Harvey. As a young man Arthur enlisted in the British Army serving in Ceylon and South Africa. He recorded previous service with… Read More »

Nickle, John James

Sapper John James Nickle was the only son of Daniel Nickle (Nichol) and Jane Johnston of Ottawa, Ontario. Daniel was from Quebec and his wife was born in Ottawa. They had at least five children, all born in Ottawa: John James (b. 21 May 1878), Mary Ann, Sarah, Agnes and Rebecca. When the 1891 census… Read More »

Dion, Arthur

Arthur Dion was born on 29 November 1893 in Rat Portage (now Kenora), Ontario. His parents were Elziard Dion and Clara Brissette who had married in Rat Portage in 1891. Siblings included Edward, William, Rose Delima, Irene, and Phillip. The family was living in Keewatin at the time of the 1901 census and in Redditt… Read More »

Valentine, David Bowhey

David Bowhey Valentine was born on 8 May 1882, birth registration found for Southwold, Elgin, Ontario. His parents were  David Carson  and Elizabeth (née Bowhey) Valentine who had married on 1 October 1881 in Nichol, Wellington, Ontario. Other children born to the couple were Mabel, Violante, Bessie,and Leighton. Earlier in the 1881 Canada census for… Read More »

Austin, Alfred Philip

Alfred Philip Austin was born on 1 September 1897 in Rat Portage (later renamed Kenora), Ontario. His parents Philip Austin and Marie Cecelia Helena Rochon were both from Ontario, marrying in Fort William, Ontario on 7 November 1894. At the time of the marriage Philip was living in Rat Portage and Cecelia in Fort William…. Read More »

Bradley, Walter

Born in Peterborough, England, Walter  was the son of  Frederick James Bradley and Elizabeth Ireland (maiden name of mother).  Walter’s  siblings were  2  older brothers Ernest and  John (known as Jerry) and 1 younger brother Frank.  His parents remained in England while both Walter and Ernest immigrated to Canada.  The brothers were among a few other… Read More »