Port Dover Maple Leaf : Francis Marr senior, was born 18 Feb 1825, on the north part of the same farm he occupied at his death. 

Where Port Dover now stands was then a forest. The village was then over a mile north of the harbor. There was a small clearing on the farm just west of the present "Globe Park," and also on the north part of the farm. 

Wolves, bears and other wild animals were plentiful then. As a small boy, he often had to get the sheep at night, the wolves following up closely, and only by swinging the lantern could keep himself, his dog and his sheep from being devoured by them. 

When he became large enough he attended to matters on the farm. His father being a builder was away a great deal of the time. When he was 14 years old, his father, Robert Marr, and others went into lumbering at Black Creek, now Marburg, so he spent a portion of his time there, but always made his home here.

When quite a young man, he and others took the contract for the stone work of the pier for the first harbor here. They used scows and grappling irons and cleared the stone out of the edge of the water for perhaps two miles west of the present harbor, and placed them in the pier.

He was married twice. His first wife was Miss Phoebe Matthews. She left two children, Cynthera [sic] and Phoebe, since deceased. 

His second wife, Esther J. Buck, left five children; William and Dollie, who died in childhood, Frank on the farm, George of Toronto, and Bertha, the present 
Mrs. Jaques [sic], also of Toronto.

He was a Liberal in politics, a member of the Methodist Church for a great number of years, a trustee and steward, and was one of the most liberal supporters of it.

He did not seem to have any particular disease, was just a little poorly for a few days previous to his death, and was taken suddenly worse Saturday at noon and slept peacefully away at 10 p.m.

The funeral was largely attended on Wednesday last. The remains were interred in Woodhouse Cemetery. Much sympathy was expressed for the relatives of the deceased