Person:Elmer Irwin (4)

Name	ELMER Enoch Stewart Irwin
Gender	Male
Birth^[1]	10 Nov 1905	Magnetawan, Parry Sound, Ontario, CanadaBorn at home? Lot 97 Concession B, Chapman
Marriage	17 Oct 1935	Sundridge, Parry Sound District, Ontario, CanadaMarried at a ceremony at John Harper's home on Barrie St to MARY McLean Thoburn
Death`^?`	15 May 1987	St. Catharines, Lincoln, Ontario, Canada273 Vine St., St. Catherines, Ontario
Burial`^?`	18 May 1987	Magnetawan, Parry Sound, Ontario, CanadaChapman Cemetery

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Name and Relationships

Name: Elmer Enoch Stewart Irwin. Source is Elmer's 1905 birth registration. He was called Elmer Irwin. He usually signed his name as Elmer E Irwin or E. E. Irwin. Source is personal knowledge.

Parents: William ROBERT Irwin and Georganna Stewart. Source is Elmer's 1905 birth registration. Elmer called them Mamma and Papa, even into his 20's. Source is original notes in Elmer's accounts book.

Spouse: Mary McLean Harper (Thoburn). Source is Elmer and Mary's Chapman Cemetery grave markers.

Children: Living.

Siblings: WILLIAM Robert, Ella Maria GRACE, James ROYAL, Kenneth, George Edward VICTOR, Florence EDITH, and JESSIE Lavina.

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Personal History

1905 - Birth: Elmer Enoch Stewart Irwin was born on November 10, 1905 ^[1] probably in his parents' house on a farm just outside of Magnetawan, Ontario (although this latter part is not confirmed).

1911 - Census: On June 23, 1911, Elmer 5, was living on the family farm (Lot 97 Concession B, Chapman Township) with his father, Robert 36, his mother, Georganna 28 and his brother Will 4 and sister Grace 2. Source is 1911 Census of Canada ^[2]

1921 - Census: On June 30, 1921, Elmer 15, was living on the family farm with his father, Robert 47 and mother, Georganna 38 and 3 brothers (Will 14, Roy 10, Victor 6) and 3 sisters (Grace 12, Edith 4 and Jessie 1). Source is 1921 Census of Canada ^[3]

1926 - On January 10, 1926, Elmer 21, went to the Guelph Agricultural College and started a 2 week course in Stock and Seed Judging. His accounts book show that this cost $15.00. Source is his original diary detailing each day and his original accounts book.

1928 - On January 3, 1928, Elmer 23, was notified by the Department of Agriculture that he had won a prize in the Provincial Championship Class of the Essay Competition. The prize paid his expenses for the two week course 'Farm Power' at the Agricultural College, Guelph. Source is a photo of the original letter from the Dept of Agriculture, Ontario. The essay was called 'One of the Five Hundred'. His grandfather, George Stewart, paid for an additional two weeks in Guelph and the Magnetawan town council gave him a watch in recognition. His eldest son, Neil, has this watch. Source is notes written on the edge of a copy of Elmer's winning essay.

1929 - Death of Father: On March 10, 1929, Elmer's father, Robert Irwin 54 died in Magnetawan, Ontario from lobar pneumonia following influenza. The doctor described his death as sudden since he was sick for only 3 days. Source is Robert Irwin's 1929 death registration. Elmer was 24.

1930? - Residence: In 1930?? or so, when Elmer was 25?, he moved to the partially cleared Lot 11, Concession 10 at Pearceley, Ontario. This lot was previously owned by Jordie Beakes who cut all the poplar then sold it to Elmer's uncle, James Stewart. (Source is My Irwin Family by Donnabel Smythe.) Elmer cleared more of the land for his uncle. Then, he bought the land from him (when?) and continued to clear it with his younger brother, Will ^[4]. NOTE: Lot 11, Concession 10 is shown on the 1879 map of Chapman Township ^[6] as being across the road from J.G. McCulloch and, at that time, was owned by Margaret Porter. Moving date is unknown and purchase date is also unknown. Source is Mary M Irwin Memoirs, unpublished.

1931 - WORKING FOR THE GEORGE WESTON FAMILY IN WOODBRIDGE, ONT. PROVIDE MORE DETAIL ON THIS IF POSSIBLE

1935 - Marriage: On October 17, 1935, Elmer 29, farmer, bachelor, of Township of Chapman, born in Magnetawan, United Church of Canada, married Mary McLean (incorrectly spelled Maclean) Harper 27, spinster, of Sundridge, Ontario, born in Quill Lake, Saskatchewan, United Church of Canada, in the bride's home on Barrie Street in the Village of Sundridge. Reverend Lautenslager of Magnetawan was the minister. Jean Christie and Victor Irwin signed the register as witnesses. Source is their 1935 marriage licence in Ontario Canada Marriages, 1801-1935, Parry Sound District, Ancestry.ca image No. 247 and 248. Licence No. H9776.

1939 - Birth of Child: At about noon on July 12, 1939, Elmer and Mary's first child, Barbara Jean Irwin was born in John Harper's Barrie St house in Sundridge. She was named after her maternal grandmother, Barbara Matilda Thoburn. Aunt Ellie and Dr. Gallaugher and his wife were there. To provide extra income during these hard years of the depression, Mary did the books for the Superintendent of the township roads. Source is Mary M Irwin Memoirs, unpublished and personal communication with Barbara Irwin.

1942 - Birth of Child: At about 9 PM on August 10, 1942, Elmer and Mary's first son, Robert Neil Irwin was born in the hospital in North Bay. He was named Robert after his paternal grandfather, Robert Irwin. Mary was in the hospital for 12 days. Source is Mary M Irwin Memoirs, unpublished.

1943 - Residence: In April, 1943, Elmer 37 and Mary 35 moved to a rented farm at Phelpston (about 10 miles from Barrie) with their two children Barbara 3 and Neil 8 months. This rented farm was shared with Ted and Edith Hall (Elmer's sister) and their daughter Patsy. Source is Mary M Irwin Memoirs, unpublished and Elmer Irwin's diary, unpublished.

1945 - Residence: In March, 1945, Elmer 39 and Mary 37 moved to the 100 acre Dure farm at RR#3 Reach Township, about 4 miles northeast of Uxbridge with their children Barbara 5 and Neil 2. They purchased the farm for $12,000 including a house and 50 acres on the other side of the road. They promptly sold this house and land to Ted and Edith Hall. Source is Mary M Irwin Memoirs unpublished.

1946 - Birth of Child: At about ?? on August 10, 1946, (Neil's birthday) Elmer and Mary's second son, George Stewart Irwin was born in the hospital in Stouffville, Ontario. He was named after his paternal great grandfather, George Stewart. Elmer was 40.

1951 - Birth of Child: At about 11 AM on March 5, 1951, Elmer and Mary's third son, Elgin Elmer John Irwin was born in the hospital in Lindsay, Ontario. He was named Elmer after his father and John after his adopted grandfather John Harper. Source is Mary M Irwin Memoirs, unpublished. In naming his son, Elmer's daughter Barbara said that Elmer wanted one of his sons to have the same EE initials as himself. Source is personal knowledge.

WHEN DID HE START AND STOP THE VENETIAN BLIND BUSINESS?

WHEN DID HE START AND STOP WORKING AT THE ONTARIO MENTAL HOSPITAL IN WHITBY?

1965 - Residence: In 1965, Barbara's husband, Ron Noble, bought the 100 acre farm for $35,000 and Mary, Elmer, Stewart and Elgin moved to the newly built house on the 2 acre lot on the hill at the corner of Reach Rd and Concession Road 13. Source is Mary M Irwin Memoirs, Unpublished.

1971 - Retirement: In November, 1971, Elmer 66 and Mary 63 went to Florida for the winter. They purchased a lot at Sunnybreeze Harbour within sight of Lawrence and Elma Wagg's winter home. Source is Mary M. Irwin Memoirs, unpublished.

1972 - Residence: In 1972, Mary 64 and Elmer 67 purchased a mobile home in Arcadia in Florida. This began their winter stays in Florida from January 1973 to April, 1984. Mary M Irwin Memoirs, unpublished.

1977 - Residence: In 1977, since they were living about 6 months of the year in Florida, they sold the house on the hill to the Clarke's for $75,000 and moved to St. Catherines and lived in the first floor of their daughter Barbara's two story house on Vansickle Rd. They lived in this house for 8 years. Source is Mary M Irwin Memoirs, Unpublished.

1984 - Residence: In 1984, Elmer and Mary sold the Florida mobile home as the trips down and back were becoming too exhausting. Source is Mary M Irwin Memoirs, Unpublished.

1985 - Residence: In 1985, Elmer and Mary moved to an apartment on Vine St in St. Catherines when their daughter sold her house. Source is Mary M Irwin Memoirs, unpublished.

1987 - Death and Burial: On May 15, 1987, Elmer Irwin 82, died from prostate cancer at St. Catherines General Hospital, St. Catherines, Ontario. Source is his 1987 death certification, George Darte Funeral Home. The funeral service was held in the chapel of the Dempster Funeral Home, Burk's Falls, Ontario on May 18, 1987 with interment in Chapman Valley Cemetery, Magnetawan.

Grave Marker: IRWIN Elmer E 1905-1987 Mary M 1907-1993. Chapman Community Cemetery, Magnetawan, Ontario.

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