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These are the stories of Kenora participants in the First World War.
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Charles Linklater was born on 26 August 1890 in Rat Portage (later renamed Kenora), Ontario. His father Jacob Linklater had been born in the Northwest Territories and had entered service with the Hudson’s Bay Company in 1868. Jacob served in the Norway House District as runner, midman, and fisherman until 1878 and then renewed his… Read More »
Alexander Carmichael Anderson was born on 24 May 1884 in Glasgow, Scotland. His parents were John Orr Anderson and Alice Roy Houston. John worked as a master joiner in Scotland. Siblings included: John (1875-1949), William (1881-1881), Alice (1886-1961) and Agnes (b. 1890). In 1905 Alexander and some of his family (father, mother & sister Agnes)… Read More »
Private Alfred Davidson enlisted in May 1915 and served overseas with the 52nd Battalion. He was wounded twice, at the Somme in 1916 and the Battle of Hill 70 in 1917, but he survived the war and returned home with a war bride. Alfred was born on 23 July 1890 in Maybole, Ayrshire, Scotland. His… Read More »
Private Louis Romeo Gauthier enlisted at age 16 and served in France and Belgium with the 52nd Battalion. He was seriously wounded at the Battle of Passchendaele and he died three months later, at age 18. Louis was the oldest son of Louis Leonide Gauthier and Josephine Albertine Harrison of Otterburne, Manitoba. According to census… Read More »
John Watson Aston was born in Stafford, Staffordshire, England, birth registered during the third quarter of 1889. His father John Aston was from Ashley in Staffordshire, while his mother Mary Louisa Watson was from Stone, Staffordshire. The couple married on 2 December 1885 in Stone. John had two older sisters, Isabel and Ethel. John Sr… Read More »
Ira Bates was born on 17 March 1890 in Penetanguishene, Simcoe, Ontario. His parents were Robert Bates, a lumberman, and Catherine Quigley. Ira had two brothers, James and Walter; and two sisters, Elizabeth and Nora. Ira’s mother died in Rat Portage (later renamed Kenora), Ontario in 1898, and the family was still living in… Read More »
Viktor Emanuel Häger was born on 25 September 1886 in Sundsvall, Västernorrland, Sweden. His father August Häger was from Färglanda in Г„lvsborg while his mother Brita Christina Johanna Hansson was born in Sundsvall although her parents were from Jämtland. The couple had married 26 December 1878 in Sundsvall. As was common for the time, August… Read More »
Corporal Martin Giving was living in Kenora, Ontario when he was called up under the U.S. draft in July 1918. He served in the U.S. Army for five months. Martin was the oldest son of Ole and Anna Giving (Geving/Gjeving) of Haugen, Aitken County, Minnesota. Ole and Anna were both born in Norway and they… Read More »
Joseph Anton Absetz was born on 02 July 1891. Although Joseph stated in his enlistment papers that he was born in Moose Factory all the evidence proves that he was 1 of 4 boys born in Tower, Minnesota to Austrian immigrants Joseph and Annie Absetz (1900 United States Federal Census). The 1930 Census states that… Read More »
Arthur Joseph Williard Bellefeuille was born on 25 January 1896 in Rat Portage (later renamed Kenora) in northwestern Ontario. His father Ebenezer Bellefeuille (aka Albini, Edward) was from the Pembroke area in Ontario. According to his later obituary Ebenezer relocated to the Rat Portage area in 1884, his parents and some of his siblings later… Read More »
