Hjalmar Dahlgren

       Written as, Hjalmar Dalgren on the death certificate, but I think that  possibly his real name would be Hjalmar Dahlgren.
Born on the 23^rd of April 1880 in Sweden; he died at Essondale, on the 5th of July 1917  home there would have been in the West Lawn building  The certificate states that he was married, worked as an engineer, and lived in Vancouver, and that he was in the hospital since the 14^th of August 1913
Cause of death:  general paresis   and a cerebral haemorrhage  signed off by Dr. A.L. Crease

Final resting place is in a cemetery in New Westminster, probably Fraser cemetery.

        This fellow has proved elusive cannot find a definitive reference to him anywhere, or his wife, whom I assume later remarried,  and his family name is frequently misspelled or has many variations in spelling applied to it.

Here is a small sample of the Dahlgr*/ Dalgr* found in the 1912 Directory

North Vancouver: Helmer Dahlgreen, laborer ( probably the best fit to Hjalmar )
Vancouver: John Dahlgren, laborer 1810 Powell
Knut Dahlgreen, blacksmith  room at 745 Dunsmuir

Possibly a close relative : August Dahlgren ( 1874 – 1947 ) numerous references to this fellow in the Chilliwack newspaper

NOTE:   This is a classic example of the death certificates not providing much information, and the records office at the hospital doing a poor job of documenting the information, and in turn the Births, Deaths, Marriages department of the Province, not asking for more information.

Robert Percival Ogilvie

 
Robert Percival "Nip" Ogilvie  born on the 13th of September 1897  Agassiz, B.C.

Robert, served his country in WWI, signing his attestation papers on the 17^th of February 1917 at Vancouver, B.C.   2203336  Vancouver Forestry Draft, C.E.F., at the time he still lived in Agassiz, and was working as a teamster.

His parents:   Robert Ogilvie ( 1861 – 1903  ) and Annie Ellen Robinson ( 1865 – 1939 )
In 1924  Robert married Dorothy Isabel Gordon  he was a tire builder, and Dorothy was a teacher. 

Robert and Annie, had two daughters, Nancy Ogilvie and Carol Ogilvie
Three brothers:  George Albert Ogilvie ( 1892  --- 1963 )  (drafted WWI:  2140437    No.2 Company, 2^nd Depot Battalion, B.C. Regiment.  )  He was married to, Olla Vaughn Cheyne

Lawrence Fletcher Ogilvie / Laurence Fletcher Ogilvie 1888 --- 1919 ) married in 1916 to Violet Edith Weaver, she remarried in 1921  Violet Edith Nelmes (1894 --- 1987 )

Alvin “Bon” Easton Ogilvie  1900 – 1950   married in 1933 ( Paper announcement ) to Annie “Ann” Alice Stewart 

Four sisters: 
Anne Elizabeth Ogilvie  married in 1928  Charles William Berry ( 1899 – 1968 ) 
Ethel May Ogilvie ( 1890 – 1973  ) married in 1920 to Frederick Albert Wilson
Alice Gertrude Ogilvie ( 1893  - 1964 )    married in 1919 to,  Harry Wilson
Margaret Elmo Ogilvie  ( 1895 --- ? )     married in 1930 to,  Frederick Webster
 

Robert Percival Ogilvie  had a connection to Port Coquitlam for many years, he has the distinction of being probably the longest serving employee of the Gregory Tire & Rubber Company Limited;  and its various incarnations  from  at least 1924 to 1935 when it became the Huntington Rubber Mills.

The Chilliwack Progress 4 March 1942
transcribed below

Robert P. Ogilvie

     The death occurred Saturday evening of Robert Percival (Nip) Ogilvie, in his home at Port Coquitlam. He was in his forty-fifth year.

       Mr. Ogilvie was born and educated in Agassiz and served overseas in the last war. He was an employee at Essondale Mental Hospital.

      In 1924 he married Miss Dorothy Gordon, New Westminster. He was a well-known baseball player for various lower mainland teams. (his brother Alvin also active )

     Besides his wife he is survived by two young daughters, Nancy and Carol; two brothers, George, Agassiz; Alvin (Bon) Regina, Sask.; and four sisters, Mrs. Fred Wilson, Mrs. Harry Wilson, Mrs. C. Berry, all of Agassiz and Mrs. F. Webster, Regina.

      Funeral services were held from S. Bowell & Son chapel, New Westminster, Tuesday. Internment followed in the New Fraser cemetery. Rev. W.A. Guy officiated.

Died on the 28th of February 1942  Robert is buried in the New Fraser cemetery, in New Westminster, B.C.

B.C. order-in-council  10 March 1942:
     Robert Percival Ogilvie, attendant Essondale employed since 1 March 1937, died 28 February 1942, granted gratuity to his wife of $357, since not enough time in for superannuation.

James Milford Fleming

James Milford Fleming ( Michigan, U.S.A. 15 August 1871-  15 January 1950  Essondale  ). His parents were both born in Ontario:   Robert John Fleming, and Mary Jane Haskett ( 1851census record of M.J. Haskett )

James was a locomotive engineer for the CPR. According to his death certificate he lived in BC for 28 years; immigrated to Canada in 1876, and lived in the municipality( Essondale ) for 24 years, 9 months, and 16 days.

He was married to Ella Brock 1871-  1943 , they had at least two daughters: Edith Gertrude Fleming ( 1903 – 1982 ) 
and, Frances Evelyn Fleming “Boyd” ( 1900 – 1969 )  in 1931 she married: Ian Douglas Boyd ( 1904 – 1968 )

The 1911 Census  finds the family living in Winnipeg, at 863 Bannatyne Avenue.

In the 1924 directory Edith was working as a stenographer for the Bank of Toronto, and her sister Evelyn was a teacher at Selkirk School.

The following information is from the Order-in-Council records of the Province.

1943 July 27
     That arrears for the maintenance of James M. Fleming in the Provincial Mental Hospital, Essondale, amount to five thousand one hundred and twenty dollars and fifty cents ($5,120.50):
      That the Inspector of Municipalities has received the following letter from the Collector of Institutional Revenue, from which it will be seen that the Assessment Committee, after going fully into the case, recommend that the amount in question be written off the books of the Province as uncollectable:

"Re: James M. Fleming,   patient #8627
The above named patient's daughter, Edith G. Fleming was appointed
Committee of her Father's estate on the death of her Mother.
The arrears of maintenance as at May 31, 1943 was $5120.50.

     The patient's only Estate consists of the sum of $54.00 per month being pension from the Canadian Pacific Railway, this amount now being paid the Hospital in full for current maintenance charges, and the balance on account of arrears.
It now appears, as you will see by the attached Statutory Declaration, that when Mrs. Fleming was alive payments were made monthly, and were considered by the Authorities at Essondale as gratuitous payments.

     The Assessment Committee have made enquiries at the Hospital and find that Dr. Steeves told Mrs. Fleming to use the $54.00 for the benefit of herself and family. However, Mrs. Fleming was insistent that a portion of the pension should be paid for maintenance and Dr. Crease reluctantly accepted monthly contributions of from fifteen
to twenty-five dollars.
The Hospital never rendered an account, and the family had no idea a charge other than the amount they were paying would be charged.

     It is therefore recommended, that an Order-in-Council be passed wiping out the old arrears, and that Miss Fleming be only asked to pay the sum of $1.00 per day for future maintenance."
AND THAT the statutory declaration of the said Edith G. Fleming referred to in the letter from the Collector of Institutional Revenue is attached hereto:
AND TO RECOMMEND THAT in view of the recommendation of the Assessment Committee, the said arrears, totalling five thousand one hundred and twenty dollars and fifty cents ($5,120.50) be written off the books of the Province as irrecoverable.

I, EDITH GERTRUDE FLEMING of the City of Vancouver, in the Province of British Columbia, DO SOLEMNLY
DECLARE:-
1. THAT I am the Committee of the Estate of my father James M. Fleming, who is a Patient at the Provincial Mental Hospital at Essondale, British Columbia.

2. THAT some time after the committal of my said father in the Provincial Mental Hospital my mother, now deceased, discussed the matter of his maintenance with Dr. Crease the Superintendent, and my mother formed the opinion that, no payment was necessary to the hospital for the maintenance of my said father.

3. THAT some time subsequent when her financial position improved she made certain gratuitous payments to the Bursar of the Provincial Mental Hospital.

4. THAT neither I nor my mother had any idea or any knowledge that my father's maintenance was being charged as against him, with the result that upon my mother's death and on my application to be appointed Committee of the estate of my said father, I was amazed to find that the Government were charging a $1.00 a day for the maintenance of my said father.

5. THAT the only income that my father is in receipt of is the sum of $54.00 per month, being his C.P.R. Pension cheque and I am desirous of having this cheque paid to me as Committee of the estate, so that the money can be used to pay for the maintenance of my father and supply him with other necessities that are required by him as a patient of the said Hospital

The council agreed to write-off the debt:

      Writing off arrears for maintenance charges in the sum of $5,120.50, in the case of J.M. Fleming, a patient.
This action, as will be seen by the Order, has been strongly recommended by the Assessment Committee for the reason that Mrs. Fleming, recently deceased, made a point of making monthly contributions towards her husband's maintenance although advised by the Medical Superintendent, in view of her circumstances, not to do so, and the family had no idea that they were being charged over and above the payments voluntarily made.

 

NOTE: This is a fairly typical report found in the Order-in-council records, where the government is trying to recover money from the patients assets, family; and then the debt collectors come to the conclusion that collecting the full government bill is futile, and they give up.   This particular record is unusual in that the family thought that they were doing the correct thing, but they were not. Typical bureaucratic quagmire.

John Arthur Garrett

John Arthur Garrett  was born on the either the 18^th or 20^th of May 1876 at Oso, Frontenac, Bedford Township, Ontario.   His parents: Mathew Garrett, and Elizabeth Knox

Married divorcee, Etta Jane Wilder ( 1888 - 1944 ) in December 1911; her parents Willard Benjamin Wilder ( 1841-1927  ) and Dora Bell Warner ( 1868 - 1932 )

John had at least two brothers:  William Garrett ( 1862 - 1947 ) and, George Garrett ( 1858 - 1931 )

John A. Garrett spent the last eleven days of his life at Essondale, and died on the 15th of December 1953, at the age of 77. He is buried in the Woodlands cemetery, in New Westminster, B.C.

    Home was at 1115 Pacific Highway, Surrey, B.C. ; he worked as a shingle mill operator.  John’s cause of death was attributed to:  cerebral thrombosis; generalized arteriosclerosis;  and an, old cerebral vascular accident.

 

Edward George Wozencroft

Edward George Wozencroft, apparently he went by his middle name, George. 
He served his country in WWI, by signing his attestation papers on the 6^th of January 1916 at Chilliwack, which was also where he was living.
Service Number: 760778  George Wozencroft was born on the 17^th of July 1893 at Walton ,  Radnorshire, Wales.   He listed his occupation as, landscape gardener. He served in the 121^st Battalion (102^nd Battalion) , and the No.11 Special Services Company, C.E.F., reportedly he was a good shot and was a sniper.  E.G. Wozencroft was one of the first residents of Chilliwack to sign up to join the military, and the newspaper made a point of publishing many facts concerning the recruits, and their subsequent status.

The Chilliwack Progress 13 January 1916

The Chilliwack Progress  24 February 1916

Sadly George was wounded and was invalided back home to his adopted country.

The Chilliwack Progress 20 Sept., 1917

The 1913 directory for Chilliwack finds George in  a farming partnership with,
Walter James Preddy (1884 —) he later married Daisy Lotta Baker 1884 — 1976
George and Walter appeared to have been good friends with Archibald "J." Hamilton ( 1873-1948) . The newspapers latter reported that Walter was back in Ontario; and I guess that the partnership had changed, or failed.
In the 1923 Report of the Auditor General, it was reported that George was given $217.33 for destruction of his hogs due to hog cholera. That would have hurt him financially, since the entire herd would have been destroyed.

The Chilliwack Progress 29 April 1925

       In April 1925 George attacked John Ewen, lawyer ( 1867 — 1931  ) 
John Ewen, moved to Chilliwack in 1911, and passed the B.C. Bar exam in 1912,  and practiced law until his sudden death    The  legal after-effect of the assault found George committed to the Provincial Mental Hospital, at Essondale

The Chilliwack Progress 5 Nov., 1914

        Edward George Wozencroft, spent the last 70 months of his life at Essondale, dying of pulmonary tuberculosis  and Dementia Praecox on the 21st of February 1931

The Chilliwack Progress  26 February 1931

George is buried in the Fraser Cemetery, New Westminster, B.C., his headstone reads:

760778 Pte. E.G. Wozencroft
1898 — 1931
102 battn., C.E.F.
Lest we forget
mother: Martha Francis, Herefordshire
father: John    b. Walton, Wales

At least three sisters:
      Rosetta Wozencroft   1881  —    7 May 1940 Saanich  Rosetta was married to
            Robert Holdcroft ( 1887 — 1969 )
Arthur Mann ( 1878 — 1952 )   400143   Was married to two of George’s sisters,   Francis "Fanny" Margaret Wozencroft  1890 — 7 March 1920  she was six months pregnant, and contracted influenza; they were married in August 1919 .
Then Arthur Mann, on October 1921 married another of George’s sister’s,   Gertrude May Wozencroft   1883 — 29 April 1961 Victoria, B.C. 

NOTE:  I am fairly certain that there are more siblings that I have missed.  The Wozencroft, Wosencroft, Wozencraft family name is very common in the Radnorshire area of Wales, but not common here, and the BC Archives has a few that appear to be related; or better yet, the LDS Family Search website
 

Arthur Mennell

       Arthur  Mennell was born on the 7^th of July 1868 in England; he was christened in 1870 at Rillington cum Scampston, Yorkshire, England so there is a high probability that he was born in Yorkshire, since his friends were also from there. 
      His parents were Charles Mennell, and Jane ( Haxby ? )

Arthur immigrated to Canada in 1888, the 1891 Census captures him living in Chilliwack,  22 years old, and his occupation: farmer; 1891 was also the first time that Arthur is mentioned in the directories.  

           He settled in the Chilliwack area and worked for J.C. Henderson for many years, then later moved to Vancouver for a short period of time, where he received his Teachers Certificate, and then he moved back to Chilliwack and began his teaching career.

J.C. Henderson, is John “Jack” Calvin Henderson, a successful commercial merchant in Chilliwack.

      John Calvin Henderson
   ( photo from  1 Nov., 1911 Chilliwack Progress )

           John Henderson was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on April 27, 1847. He moved to British Columbia in 1876 and operated a general store at Chilliwack. Latter opening the first hardware store in Chilliwack, and found the time to also do undertaking. He sold his businesses in 1900 and began raising cattle and thoroughbred horses and carried on with it until 1910, when he retired.  Jack died on the 7th of July  1925.
  His parents: Arthur Colter Henderson, and Rebecca Hunter.  Jack was married to  Elizabeth Jane Stevens.
His story is fairly well documented in the Chilliwack newspapers:  A 1986 Article ---  And also Page One --- Three of a more complete biography.  A Photograph of Jack and his father with a group of people

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                  First reference to Arthur living in Chilliwack is in the Chilliwack Progress 1896 November 4^th edition:  
....Mr. A. Mennell has also some fine fruit, and he is quite a practical man in the line of fruit growing, doing all his own orchard work. He is preparing more land, intending to make fruit growing his chief business hereafter, believing that there is barrels of money in it. He has a very fine root crop. Mr. Mennell appears to be of a very progressive turn. But what a pity he is living all alone, with no life companion to cheer his long and lonely winter evenings.
      The newspapers continue to report about Arthur;  he passed his entrance exam for his teaching certificate in June 1900.   And the 1901 Census, finds the now teacher, Arthur lodging in Vancouver with the Thomas and Margaret Carrall, family
       The paper in January 1901 reports that Arthur is at the Normal School in Vancouver, studying; and by July he had his Normal Teaching Certificate, and by the end of July he now had passed his Second-Class Certificate, by the end of August 1901 he was teaching in East Chilliwack. In July 1902 at the East Chilliwack School, Arthur presented the top three students with an honour roll, and a Chamber's dictionary. 
On the 25^th of February 1903 Mr. Robert Harrison of Vancouver paid Mr. Newby a visit last week. Mr. Harrison knew Mr. Newby and Mr. Mennell in England. 
In September 1904 it was reported that Arthur was the principal of the South Chilliwack public school.
In June of 1906, reported that the Royal Templars of Temperance,  past councillor(AKA Past president) was Arthur Mennell; he was a founding member( Honourable Brother ) in 1896 of the local branch of the Royal Templars of Temperance, RTT Chilliwack council No. 14 which started with 23 members.  ( Three records of the society ) 


One of the numerous emblems that the R.T.T. used in its existence.  The Royal Templars operated a mutual benefit fund from which heirs of deceased members received a kind of insurance of about $2,000. They were strong supporters of the Temperance movement
Sadly on the 28^th of January 1908 he was admitted to P.M.H. in New Westminster, and later transferred to Essondale when it was completed. The 1911 census  captures, Arthur Mennell age 42, Methodist. living at the Asylum. 




On the left is the two lots identified in the Tender call advertisement, of Sept.,9, 1908 ( see below)  Arthur Mennell farm 56 99/100 ac of Lots 279 and 280 Group II, NWD tender for sale. This would probably be what was previously mentioned in the  1907 January 9^th edition of the Chilliwack Progress:   A portion 57 acres of the Stevenson property at Sardis, to Arthur Mennell.  Also to Mr. L. McDonald, 20 acres of the same estate.  Of course the land in question is a small portion of the outlined area.
 
On the far right is the lots ( Stump farm ) that Arthur received through the Crown Grant process it is today located along  Ryder Lake Road. South of  E½ of SW Section 10  Townplan 26 ECM  80 acres +-
LS 14 and 15  Section 3  Townplan 26 ECM  north of Lot 499   all told 109.5 acres. Granted on January 10, 1903.  No idea what happened to these properties, best guess would be that he sold them to acquire the better land on the floodplain.  

And the Lot outlined in blue is the farm of his friend William Newby.  William came to Chilliwack in 1884, he owned 115 acres of the NE¼ of Section 16 Twp 26 Group II. In 1885 he married Mary Lucinda Bicknell, they had 12 children .
William Newby  ( 20 July 1862 Yorkshire, England - 6 May 1945 Sardis, B.C. ) The farm was off of McGuire Road, and was sold in 1950.   ( Photo of William and Mary Newby )
 

Tenders for Chilliwack Property
  9 September 1908

Carman United Church Chilliwack cemetery  

Note that Newby is across the top of the headstone. Newby would have ordered the headstone to be made, and apparently no Newby family members are in this cemetery.
Arthur Mennell    ( Death Certificate ) The document states that Arthur’s death was:  suicide from drowning
He had been missing since May 15^th, 1914  and was found June 18^th, 1914.  And was buried on the 20^th of June 1908.   He had been in Canada for 26 years.

NOTE:  No mention of his underlying mental health diagnosis.  It was interesting to note that Arthur had only been in the hospital a few months, before the Government in their ruthless ways, sold his land, and probably his other assets to pay for his incarceration. And I would venture that Arthur probably was also the teacher for some of the Newby family children, since the school was very close to their farm. 

Gilbert Mathewson

undated photograph of Gilbert Mathewson (source)

Gilbert Mathewson was born on the 12^th of January 1866  at Londonderry, Ireland.  He died on the 8^th of November 1933 of a coronary thrombosis in his staff home on the Essondale hospital grounds; his body was cremated. He was the Chief Male Attendant of the hospital
His parents: Hugh Mathewson, and Hully Matilda Mathewson (16 June 1830 – 1907 ) were married in 1865

The 1881census  finds the family living in West Montreal .
    His father Hugh Mathewson was 60 years of age, his mother Hully 40, and Gilbert was 15 years of age. 
[ There is some confusion over his fathers death since there is a Record of a Will for a Hugh Mathewson who drowned 5 July 1866, giving his effects to Hully Matilda Mathewson. Yet here we have a Hugh Mathewson listed in the Census ]
By the 1891 Census  Gilbert is on his own in the RNMP, and stationed at Regina, Saskatchewan.
Gilbert’s RNMP 1280  service file  tells some of his story: He joined the RNMP at Guelph, Ontario, after graduating from the Ontario Agricultural College. The RNMP had him serving the force at Killarney, Manitoba;  Wood Mountain, Saskatchewan; Regina, Saskatchewan, and Maple Creek, Saskatchewan. Saskatchewan was known as the North West Territories at the time.
     He was promoted to corporal in 1887 then sergeant in 1890, he retired from the force in 1897; and latter in 1931 he was given $300 in lieu of scrip for his service during the 1886 rebellion. Following his discharge he started work on the 1st of June 1897 at  the Provincial Mental Hospital, in New Westminster, and became the Chief Male Attendant in 1905 and when Essondale was completed in 1914 he moved there where he continued as Chief Male Attendant, and Librarian , he worked  36 years for the Provincial Hospitals.
The Hospital Annual Report in 1934 gives a better than normal obituary :

…He was one of the oldest employees on staff started 1 June 1897....he was a man of many attainments. He was an extensive reader, had more than usual knowledge of literature, and for many years was librarian at the institution, in addition to his other duties as chief supervisor of attendants. He worked very thoroughly and always did more than was actually required. From the experience gained in his life's service and his intensive reading in mental hygiene, he had few peers throughout the world; in fact, the Mental Hygiene Commission asked him to write a book on his work, but, unfortunately, during the latter years of his life he was very busy and was not able to commence the task, and this must always be a matter of deep regret, as the work would have been quite unique as well as intensely interesting and instructive.

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Gilbert Mathewson, married on the 1st of November 1897 at New Westminster Margaret Ann Simpson

Margaret Anne Mathewson 1867 – 1954  (photo Source)

The 1901 Census and the 1911 Census captures the growing family, living in New Westminster.
Upon Gilbert's death Margaret  recived a pension of $81.95 per month from the Province.
  
The family at one time had a road named for them Mathewson Road, sadly changed in 1986 to Mariner Way. The family had a home and property at 2627 Mathewson Road for many years; it appears that the home may still exist at 308 Mariner Way, it is hidden from view along Mariner Way, but partially visible along a back road, and  it appears to be cared for.

Children:  Hugh Patrick Mathewson ( 1901 – 1956 ) he became an RCMP supt. (RCMP 8594), married to Wanda Brintnall
Philip "Pete" Lavens Mathewson ( 1907 –1998 ) 
Mary Gilberta Mathewson ( 1899 – 1987 )  who was married in 1919 to Richard Arthur K. James