William D.
Edy, a pioneer photographer, died in London, Ont., Aug. 1, at the home
of his son, E. Leslie Edy.
Deceased, who was a member of
the Plymouth Brethren, was born in Brant county in 1832.
Giving up farming, he and his brother, J. N. Edy, went into the photography business. They soon
became well known in this line and were the first to use the
retouching process in this country.
Besides his photgraphy
busness, Mr. Edy was greatly interested in the telephone, which was then in its infancy, and greatly assisted his friend Alexander Graham
Bell, in his work.
He had the honor of being a
participant in the first telephone conversation ever held when he
talked from his studio to Mr. Bell at the Bell farm, where the
experiments were carried on.
Although the telephone was
looked on as a great invention, the commercial possibilities were
evidently little considered, as is shown by the fact that Mr. Edy
failed to accept an offer of a half interest in the Bell Co. for
$1,200.
Mr. Edy opened his London
studio in 1870 and conducted it until the work was taken over by his
son Leslie.
Mr. Edy was married twice,
first to Milinda Haviland of Boston, Ont., in 1854, and whose death
occurred in 1873, and later to Miss May Howall, daughter of the late
Captain Howall.
He is survived by six children: Mrs. Harry Brown of Toronto; Mrs. W. Bogart also of Toronto; F. W. Edy and E. L. Edy of London; Lorenzo of Vancouver; and Willis of
Brantford.
