Person:John Whitty (5)

Jack's early OPP career overlapped that of Howard Jackman at Wardsville, Ontario. Jack and his future bride Rhea McRae attended Howard's 1934 wedding to Nora Henderson, probably not yet as fiances because they didn't sign the guest book together. Late in 1940 when Jack married Rhea at Wardsville, Howard's sister-in-law Lorine Henderson was Rhea's bridesmaid and the wedding reception was held at the Henderson large Wardsville home which was operated as the Six Pines Inn at the time.

Not all duties of the officers were serious. The March 21st, 1934 Globe and Mail reported that Howard and Jack visited the farm of Walter J. Cryderman, village clerk of Thamesville, Ontario to confirm that Mr. Cryderman had a horse that could pump water from a well to get a drink. Somehow it had learned to push the pump handle down with its neck. Sometimes an officer had to deal with a belligerent individual such as the drunk driving ex-boxer near Wardsville who thought his pugilistic talents would take care of Jack only to find that he was no match for Jack and his baton - Globe & Mail, May 31, 1935. The policeman's own motorcycle could be a problem. In May 1934, after a chase of 10 miles at speeds of 85 to 90 mph, Jack burned out his motor in an attempt to catch a speeder near Wardsville. The speeder was nabbed later in Melbourne by Officer Law who was waiting after receiving a telephone call from Jack.

Nora Henderson and John L. Whitty, OPP Officer at Henderson home, Wardsville

Dapper Jack Whitty towering over Emma Barritt-Staples

1. ↑ Canada. Canadian Births and Baptisms 1661-1959. (FamilySearch Record Search).

   John Leo Whitty, male
   Birth Date:13 Jun 1909, Place: Godrich, Huron, Ontario, Canada
   Registration Year: 1909
   Father's Name: Augustine Leo Whitty, Mother's Name: Florence Mc Donald
   Reference ID: 022198 , GS Film Number: 2394024 , Digital Folder Number: 4529958 , Image Number: 01570 , Indexing Project (Batch) Number: C05680-7