grave post - White

In Memory of

John White Esq

Attorney General 

of

Upper Canada

died at York

4 January, 1800

Buried in St James Cemetery in Toronto

What this gravestone doesn't mention is that John White was killed in a duel

 

Born in 1761 in Middlesex, England, Mr White was educated at the Inner Temple in London. After being called to the bar in 1785, he had an unsuccessful law practice in Jamaica before returning to England. Still unsuccessful, he was contemplating a new career as a clergyman when a friend from law school recommended his appointment as attorney general in Upper Canada. In 1792 he was in Kingston for a short time until the government moved to Niagara-on-the-Lake (then known as Newark) then on to York (Toronto) in 1797 when the government again changed locations. By then his wife, Marianne, had joined him with their three children, but it was not a successful reunion and she returned to England with their daughter in 1799. But not before getting into a catfight with a certain Mrs Small. 

Mrs Small did not think much of the 'notoriously quarrelsome' Mrs White and snubbed her at an assembly. Mrs White apparently did not think much of Mrs Small's virtue and said as much to a Mr Smith. Perhaps she did not like that Mrs Small's virtue did not stop her from having a fling with Mr White. She already did not think much of Mr White himself, as they had been estranged for several years before she met up with him in York. The scandalous remarks got out into society, as these things do in a small provincial town. Mr Small now did not think much of Mr White who could not control his wife's words (or apparently his own wife's virtue) and challenged him to a duel. Mr Small was charged with murder after Mr White succumbed to his wounds 36 hours after being shot, but was acquitted.

In the end, Mr White would be remembered more for his death than his career, which included the formation of the Law Society of Upper Canada, and Mr Small's reputation would be ruined and his career overshadowed by the duel.

see more notorious graves at Taphophile Tragics at its new home, hosted by Marble Towns

grave post - Bob Jarvis

Robert AEmilius Jarvis comes from a long line of a prominent and storied Toronto family.  It was in honour of his great-great-great-grandfather, Samuel Peters Jarvis that Jarvis Street (a main north-south throughfare) was named in honour. Bob wrote a book about his famous grandfather and the bond scandal to defraud the government which seems to have been in very limited publication. The Jarvises were colourful and in many ways unsavoury characters. But this is about one of the younger generation who was a well admired and loved man. He was a producer for CBC television and became the Head of Network TV Variety during the era of live show. He also wrote a book about his years at CBC (another limited publication). Diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2009, it seems to have been a painful and difficult time until his death late on Canada Day in 2010 at age 80. He and his wife Nadia "had a legacy of 6 children, 15 grandchildren and 2 great children".

More on the Jarvis family in future grave posts for Taphophile Tragics

grave post - Anketell Henderson

Anketell Matthew Henderson died on June 23rd, 1876, at Toronto, in Canada, whither he had gone for rest and change of scene.

edited announcement from The Argus (Melbourne Australia) Friday 4 August 1876

News by cable brings intelligence of the death at Toronto of the Rev. A. M. Henderson, late minister of the Collins Street Congregational Church.

Born in Ireland, he emigrated to Australia where he was requested to help revive the Collins St church which, from various causes, had been greatly reduced in numbers, and stood much in need of a revival of its formerly possessed importance.

His style was not only earnest and forcible, but his extensive reading gave him an advantage in illustration of which he made excellent use. But he was a man of strong will, and had a somewhat despotic manner of asserting it, so that, with no doubt, the best intentions and most praiseworthy purposes, he sometimes made enemies whom a little tact might have converted into friends.

Still, it seems he had enough admirers to have a special monument erected at the St James Cemetery near the home of his nephew John Garvin of 342 Jarvis St (image) where he had been staying when he died.
About a year ago Mr Henderson's health began seriously to give way, and he was recommended to discontinue his duties for awhile. Arrangements were made for a tour to the old country by way of New Zealand, where he derived much benefit from the mineral baths. At Honolulu too, he rested awhile.
The newspaper account does not specify what his illness was, but did indicate that "from the nature of the affection from which he suffered it was hardly likely that any improvement would be permanent".

It seems the Rev Henderson also had some run ins with the press and this newspaper did not shy away from pointing out a few of his faults due to his impulsive and aggressive nature.

It is unknown whether he was travelling alone, but he left behind "a widow and five children, two of whom are married".










see who else has lived and died in foreign lands at Taphophile Tragics

grave post - St James

having a cold in winter is miserable, but there is something that is pure evil about a summer cold. as well as miserable+.

Before I became so miserable I went on a cemetery walk at St James Cemetery in Toronto. It was built in 1844 and is the oldest cemetery that is still in operation in the city. When it was built, it was way out in the country, far away from the (Anglican) St James Cathedral it served. Now it is very much in the downtown at the edge of the ravine that divides the city into east and west.

Here is what can happen when you put gravestones (and graves) on a steep hill.

and because I want to amuse myself, I am playing with the colour balances and special effects to make everything look very much greener....

It is a very pretty place to walk through with its mature trees and meandering paths.














Though, unlike Mt Pleasant up in the north end of the city, it does not lead you from one major street to another.



















The gates with the chapel up on the knoll (although it doesn't look like much of a hill in this view, it is the highest point on the grounds)

The cemetery was designed by John Howard who was the city's first official surveyor and civil engineer.
  A marks where the church is located and B shows where the new cemetery was built after the original became full*. Although it is only a distance of one and a half miles, when it was opened, there was a population of roughly 18,000 and the majority of them lived below Queen Street.

find more grave facts at Taphophile Tragics.
+ I will visit you all when I can breathe easier.....
* the interred were moved to the new site, but there are still apparently some unmarked graves under the parking lot of the church.