Death
of Aged Port Rowan Lady
(Port Rowan News)
Mrs. J. H. Backhouse died
Thursday morning, 7 Feb 1918, at her residence on Henry Street,
after an illness of about 10 days. She was 89 years old.
The funeral was conducted on
Saturday afternoon, 9 Feb 1918 at 2.30 o'clock.
Mrs. Backhouse was a
daughter of the late Cornelius Dedrick, one of the seven charter
members of the Port Rowan Baptist Church, and a grand-daughter of
the late Lucas Dedrick, the second settler in Walsingham, who came
from Pennsylvania in 1793, and the first man to grow wheat in the
County of Norfolk.
She was 89 years old last
August, and was the senior member of the Port Rowan Baptist Church,
both on account of her actual age and the number of years of her
membership.
In her youth she married the
late John H. Backhouse, Esq., and went to live at the old homestead
at the mill, where she resided for 65 years before coming to Port
Rowan.
Mr. Backhouse died in 1912
and soon after his death he came to her new home in Port Rowan to
spend her remaining years with her daughter.
She is survived by her three
children: Dr. Annie Backus, wife of Mr. Albert Backus, K.C., of
Aylmer, and mrs. Minnie Swayze, wife of Dr. Swayze of California,
and John C. Backhouse of the Mill, and a granddaughter and two
grandsons, children of Mr. J. C. Backhouse.
One sister, Mrs. Jerusha
Smith, also survives, and numerous nephews and nieces here and
scattered over the wide world.
Mrs. Backhouse held a high
social position, and for 70 years and more has been admired for her
grace and charm by a wide circle of friends. During all that time
she has been a leader in her own community and a familiar favorite
in the best circles of Norfolk.
She took an interest in
everything in education, in farming, in politicis and in religion,
and was always intelligent, tolerant, hopeful and kind. Everyone
knew her, everybody loved her. She will be greatly missed, not alone
by the few who are left of her own generation, but also by the
vigorous men and women and the children of our own time.
