Thomas Harrison
Beauregard Donly was the eldest of four children of Augustine
James Donly and his wife Maria Harrison. He was born in Simcoe on 4
Jan 1862.
His father was a book seller and his home surroundings gave him a
splendid opportunity to obtain a good education. Naturally a clever boy,
and having exceptional chances to see and read books, he became a
student early in life and practically with many of the great writers of
history. His mind became a regular storehouse of the finest literature.
His early academic training was
obtained in the public and high schools of his native town. Though
deprived of a university education, the majority of his associates
however learned, found it difficult to believe that he had not graduated
from one of our great colleges. His assiduous reading, coupled with the
fact that his post graduate course was in a newspaper office, tended to
make him one of the best educated and informed men in Canada.
Takes Over Reformer. In
1883, Mr. A. J. Donly, the then owner of the Norfolk Reformer, believing
that he had enough to look after in his book and stationery business,
turned the newspaper and printing offices over to his son Hal, as he was
familiarly known from childhood. Henry Johnson entered into partnership
with the latter and for five years the Reformer was conducted by them.
Hal Donly had charge of the news and office end of the business while
his partner attended to the practical work. Mr. Donly assumed full
control, and continued as editor and publisher of the Reformer to the
year 1922, when he disposed of the business to the present owners. For a
total of 40 years he was editor of this publication, and made it one of
the outstanding weeklies in Canada.
The Reformer, under his
guidance, always had the reputation of being above average in its
make-up and typographical appearance, but more particularly, in the
quality of its reading matter. While Mr. Donly could write local news in
a most creditable manner, it was more by virtue of his editorial page
that the paper became famous throughout Ontario, in fact throughout
English-speaking Canada.
A thinker, a reader and an
enthusiast in his profession, and possessing in marked degree the
ability to cleverly set forth his views, it was not remarkable that he
succeeded in bringing the Reformer to the very front rank of
Canadian weekly newspapers. He was known to and esteemed by a great
number of newspapermen. It is a fact that Hal Donly and the Reformer
brought the town of Simcoe more desirable advertising than any other
agency ever did. It was no uncommon thing for a Simcoe resident in
talking to a stranger, to hear the remark, "Simcoe! Oh yes, that's
Hal Donly's town."
Cycling Enthusiast. When
the bicycle came into being, Mr. Donly was one of its earliest devotees.
He was a rider of one of the old high-wheeled contrivances that will be
remembered by the earlier residents of Simcoe. In co-operation with a
number of kindred spirits he helped form the Canadian Wheelman's
Association and became its first secretary, a position he held for many
years; and when the Association commenced the publication of a journal,
The Canadian Wheelman, he became its editor and publisher. Having a
tremendous circulation throughout Canada, this paper naturally served as
an instrument to bring the editor and the town of Simcoe before the eyes
of a great part of the Dominion. Ont one occasion, Mr. Donly made a
business trip in the interest of the Association to Budapest in Hungary.
In the palmy days of the late
Porfirio Dias, the then president of the Mexican Republic, an invitation
was extended by him to a number of prominent newspaper men from the
United States and Canada, to visit Mexico. He hoped in this way to have
the condition of his country brought to the notice of the world. Mr.
Donly was chosen as one of the men from Canada and for several weeks he
and his companions were guests of the Republic of Mexico and its
distinguished president.
Many years ago Mr. Donly became
connected with the Canadian Press Association and was always recognized
at a leader among its members. He was its president in 1913. Many of his
old associates in that organization have passed on, but those who are
still with us will remember with a tear and a kind thought the big man
with whom they labored for many years. At one time he was president of
the Porter Advertising Association of Canada.
His Civic Leadership. As
a leader in community enterprise it is certain that Mr. Donly
accomplished more for Simcoe and Norfolk Coutny that any other single
individual. His tremendous vitality and vigorous personality brought to
him many offices and great responsibility. That he fully measured up to
this load will be evident from the following review.
It was certain that soon or
later Mr. Donly would be a member of the Simcoe Board of Education. Not
only was he a trustee, as his father before him, but he served a term as
chairman of the Board and at the time of his death he was the senior
ex-chairman of this body. Being a lover of books, he always evinced the
keenest interest in the welfare of the Simcoe Public Library and was
chairman of the Library Board.
Naturally Norfolk's agricultural
interests were always uppermost in his mind. For many years he was one
of the chief pillars of the Fair Board, having been secretary for a long
time and also its president. It was while attending his duties at the
fair several years ago that he was first stricken. This was the
beginning of the trouble that ultimately resulted in his death.
Mr. Donly was a golf player of
considerable ability. He was one of the founders of the Simcoe Golf
Club, now the Norfolk Golf and Country Club, and until his physical
infirmities compelled him to resign, he was one of the most enthusiastic
and hard-working directors of the Club. Large to him does Simcoe owe its
present post office and customs building. One of the first members of
the Phoenix Social Club, he was also its president for a term.
In
his younger days, he was a most enthusiastic and faithful Oddfellow. He
was a Past Grand of Simcoe Lodge No. 161 and perhaps the oldest living
Past District Deputy of Long Point District No. 18. the present
Oddfellows' Hall on Robinson Street is largely the fruit of his energy
and perseverance. For many years he was the representative of his lodge
to the Grand Lodge of Ontario, where he served with distinction on
important committees. He was also a P.C.P. of Simcoe Encampment No. 63.
He was selected to deliver the address at the first Oddfellows
decoration service in Oakwood Cemetery and never since that occasion has
his message been excelled.
Political
Life. Of course he was a politician; it would be hard for a son of
A. J. Donly not to be. Liberalism was born in him and with his early
training and his position in the newspaper world, he was bound to be a
leading man in his party. Upon him descended the mantle of his father
who was for so long the faithful and efficient secretary of the
Norfolk Norfolk Reform Association. As the elder Donly dropped the
torch, the younger one picked it up and kept blazing. One of his chief
duties was the revision of voters' lists in several municipalities. He
maintained the standards of efficiency set by his father. He was a hard
fighter, but a fair one, and his opponents in their dealings learned to
trust him implicitly. If he said a certain name should go on the list,
his Conservative co-worker never doubted or questioned. In politics, Hal
Donly's word was as good as a Bank of England note. Once or twice he was
misinformed and names got on the list which were not entitled to be
there. As soon as this was discovered, the fact was disclosed to his
opponents. In this way he earned the complete confidence, not only of
his own party, but of the Conservatives as well.
Twice
he contested the Dominion election in Norfolk; the first time
against Colonel
David Tisdale, in November 1904, and again in October 1905, in
opposition to Honorable
Alexander McCall, being defeated on both occasions by a very small
majority. In addition to being a clever writer, he became a platform
speaker of no mean ability and eloquence, but he did not possess the
"catchy" manner that is so essential to the successful
politician and many who realized his outstanding qualifications for
office were not brought to the point of voting for him, although they
believed he would made an excellent representative.
War
Activity. During the war years he was very prominent, giving freely
of his time and effort to travel up and down the country in fair and
stormy weather to secure recruits for the 133rd battalion. His services
were recognized by the conferring of a commission from His Majesty as
Honorary Lieut.-Colonel of this unit.
Today
the beautiful Norfolk
Soldier' War Memorial stands as a perpetual memorial to Mr. Donly
himself. It was he who conceived the idea of a carillon of bells as a
fitting memorial to those Norfolk sons who laid down their lives in
Flanders fields. His abounding energy and resourcefulness, his courage
and his pertinacity, already exemplified in countless previous community
undertakings, were again to the fore and the present carillon tower
sponsored valiantly through the Reformer, and costing about $10,000, was
built entirely by subscription.
Mr.
Donly became president of the Brook Woollen Company in 1906 and when he
retired from the Reformer in 1922 he began to take a very active part in
the conduct of the company's business. Don-a-Brook fabrics have become
famous throughout Canada with the result that while many woollen mills
were forced to close down, the one headed by Mr. Donly was maintained at
full running capacity night and day.
A
Lover of Books. Mr. Donly was a great lover of books. Having a
thorough knowledge of the printing business, he could appreciate not
only the printing and illustrations, but the bindings as well. He was a
omnivorous reader, possessed a marvellous memory and so retained a great
share of what he read. It is extremely doubtful if there is a
larger or finer library owned by a private citizen within a radius of
many miles, than that collected by Mr. Donly. Books were his friends and
he obtained great enjoyment from them.
A
Tribute. And so passes one of Norfolk's most outstanding sons. He
was not as easily approached as some, in fact, many people thought him
cold and unapproachable, but really he was not that way. He was a real
friend and dearly loved the companionship of his boyhood chums.
He
was a thinker and having thoughts knew how to cleverly express them
either in the columns of his paper or on the platform. True that by no
means all of his readers thought as he did. But when one read where he
had written, even though not in agreement with what he said, one could
appreciate his thought and the manner in which it was expressed.
But
now he is gone, one who did so much for his town and country, who was
loved by his family and friends, who was so well and favorably known
everywhere, has passed on -- not really old, but still one who
approximated the allotted three score years and ten who enjoyed life and
wanted others to do likewise.
