An
outstanding figure of the Township of Houghton has recently been
removed by death in the person of Mr. Fred Mtichell of Cultus.
This
event took place in Tillsonburg
late on Tuesday night, January 26th, at the home of his daughter, Mrs.
Chas. S. Waller, with whom he had been staying since Christmas.
Mr.
Mitchell was in his 74th year. His health had not been sound for some
time, and for a few days he had complained of not feeling well; but
his condition did not give any cause for alarm until a few hours
before death ensued, the result of an acute attack of dropsy.
Deceased
was born in Glasgow, Scotland, and came to Canada when a lad. He first
settled at Burford,
but later removed to Cultus,
where for thirty-five years he successfully carried on farming and
dairying. He acted as salesman for several of the cheese factories in
his district for a lengthy period.
In
politics he was a staunch Liberal, and he took a warm interest in the
fortunes of the party of his choice. He was looked upon as one of the
most prominent men of the party in his township, and was always to be
seen at the county and riding conventions as a delegate from Houghton.
He
was a man of extensive reading and had a more than ordinary capacity
to grasp the basic facts of any question. On his feet he could express
himself with force and clarity, and many Simcoians will remember him
as the man who made what was unanimously voted "the speech of the
evening" at the Warden's dinner given by his fellow-citizen from
Houghton, Mr. George Walker, a few years ago.
His
wife was a Miss Ruth Kipp of Gobles, but she predeceased him four
years. Their children, three son and two daughters, survive: Edgar of
Woodstock; Arthur of Renton;
Lyman of Cultus; Mrs. D. E. Sturgis of Ingersoll; and Mrs. Chas. S.
Waller of Tillsonburg.
A
short service was held at Mrs. Waller's residence last Friday morning
by Rev. T. B. Howard, thence the remains were transferred to his
former home at Cultus, from which place the funeral was held to Cultus
cemetery.
The service
was in charge of Revs. J. W. Chapman and A. Woolley, and the
pall-bearers were Messrs. M.S. Williams, W. Harries, T. Ravin, J.
Brayley, F. Ostrosser and G. Blazer.
