Deseronto Archives

On this day in 1916, Wallace Brooker, a warehouseman, enlisted in Toronto. He was born in Deseronto on June 23rd, 1897, the son of Robert Booker and Maggie (née Eden).

Brooker joined the 127th Battalion of the Canadian Expeditionary Force, with the regimental number 778653. He was five feet seven and a half inches tall, with a fresh complexion, brown eyes and black hair. His service record shows that he arrived in England on August 30th, 1916 on board the RMS Olympic. Just nine days later he was admitted to hospital suffering from chronic nephritis (a complication of the scarlet fever he had as a child), brought on by “sleeping in wet clothing on first night in England”. He spent most of the following year in hospitals in England and was eventually invalided back to Canada in October 1917 on the hospital ship Araguaya. A medical board held at Whitby Military Hospital on April 23rd, 1918 recommended that Brooker be discharged from the army as medically unfit. He was discharged on May 4th.

In 1921 Wallace was back in Toronto with his parents, living at 98 Earlscourt Avenue and working as a packer. He died at the age of 41 of a coronary thrombosis on June 27th, 1938 in Toronto and was buried in Prospect Cemetery.

On this day in 1916, Jonas Green signed up in Marlbank, Ontario. He was born in around 1873 in Tyendinaga, the son of Isaac Green, a Mohawk, and Elizabeth (née Pearson). He married Jane Boumhower in Napanee on May 3rd, 1912. His younger brother Sampson had enlisted on January 25th, 1916.

Like his brother, Jonas joined the 155th Battalion initially, with a regimental number of 636576. He was five feet six and a quarter inches tall, with a dark complexion, brown eyes and black hair. He had the initials ‘J.G.’ tattooed on his right forearm.

In October 1916 his service file shows that he was transferred to No. 3 Special Service Company, based at Fort Henry in Kingston. In March 1918 Green was discharged from the army for being overage and because he was suffering from kidney disease.

Jonas Green died on August 30th, 1921 of typhoid fever in Belleville General Hospital.

On this day in 1916, Harry Corby signed up in Deseronto. He was born in Deseronto on March 18th, 1898, the son of Louis Corby (a Mohawk born in Kahnewake) and Elizabeth (née Green), who was a Mohawk of the Bay of Quinte.

Corby joined the 155th Battalion with the regimental number 636584. He was five feet seven inches tall, with a dark complexion, brown eyes and black hair. His service record notes that he arrived in England on October 28th, 1916 on the SS Northland. He joined the 4th Canadian Mounted Rifles in France on December 6th of that year.

On May 24th, 1917 Harry was sentenced to one day of Field Punishment Number One and had a two-day pay stoppage for “losing by neglect his forage cap” on May 17th:

Harry returned to England on January 28th, 1919 and left for Canada on March  19th. He was demobilized in Montreal on March 29th, 1919 and was back in Deseronto in 1921, living with his mother in Fourth Street. He married Jemima Brant in Northport, Prince Edward County on August 25th, 1923.

James Nelson Barnhardt joined up in Midland, Ontario on this day in 1916. He was born in Tyendinaga on June 16th, 1887, the son of Robert James Barnhardt and Catherine (née Maracle), who were both Mohawks. The family were living in Deseronto in 1901 and had moved to Midland by the time of the 1911 census. James’s father, Robert, died there in 1913.

James Barnhardt joined the 157th Battalion with the regimental number 644753. He was five feet two inches tall, with a dark complexion, brown eyes and black hair. His service record shows that he arrived in England on October 28th, 1916 and joined the 1st Battalion in France on December 2nd.

James did not come home.

On this day in 1916 James Adamson Wright, a seaman, signed up in Midland, Ontario. He was born on January 9th, 1894 in Deseronto, the son of Richard Wright and Effie (née Sager).

James joined the 157th Battalion with the regimental number 644538. He was five feet three inches tall, with a fair complexion, grey eyes and light brown hair. He married Hazel Elizabeth Peacock (who was born in Michigan) in Barrie on February 21st, 1917.His service record shows that he left Canada in May 1917 on the SS Metagama.

Wright arrived in France on November 19th, 1917 and joined the 4th Battalion. He suffered a shrapnel wound to the left arm in August 1918 and was sent back to Canada in January 1919 (this journey was also on the Metagama). He was demobilized in Toronto on February 7th, 1919. They left Canada, heading for Saginaw, Michigan, in March 1920. James died there on June 16th, 1975.

On this day in 1916 Tom Sager signed up in Shannonville. He was born on June 7th, 1890 in Ameliasburgh, Prince Edward County, the son of Alonzo Sager and Ida (née Johnson). The family were living in Deseronto at the time of the 1891 and 1901 censuses.

Sager enlisted in the 155th Battalion with the regimental number 636548. He was five feet four and a half inches tall, with a dark complexion, brown eyes and black hair. His service record shows that he was discharged on August 23rd, 1916 from Camp Barriefield due to being medically unfit for service: the soles of his feet blistered after marching and he had an ulcer over one toe.

Tom was back in Shannonville, living with his uncle, Oscar Sager, at the time of the 1921 census.

On this day in 1916, Jake Green signed up in Midland, Ontario, where he had been working in a sawmill. He was born in Deseronto on March 8th, 1888, the son of Alexander Green and Catherine (née Maracle), who were both Mohawks. He married Caroline Brant in Prince Edward County on December 29th, 1908.

Jake enlisted in the 157th Battalion with the regimental number 644773. He had formerly served in the Picton Regiment. He was five feet three and three quarter inches tall, with a dark complexion, black eyes and black hair.

Green’s service record at Library and Archives Canada shows that he was transferred to the 71st Battery and spent several weeks at the Base Hospital in Toronto in October and November 1916 undergoing treatment for an infection. He did not return to duty after leaving the hospital and was struck off strength as a deserter on December 4th, 1916.

Jake made a will while he was in the army, leaving his property to his older sister, Emma Maracle, in the event of his death.

It’s not clear where Jake went after leaving the army. His wife, Caroline, married Earl Maracle in Deseronto on December 30th, 1922, describing herself as a widow.

On this day in 1916 Richard Brant signed up in Deseronto. He was born in Tyendinaga in February 1876, the son of Peter Brant and Deborah (née Claus), who were both Mohawks. He married Elizabeth (Bessie) Hill on August 5th, 1897.

Brant joined the 155th Battalion with the regimental number 636550. He was five feet six inches tall, with a dark complexion, brown eyes and black hair. His service record shows that he sailed for England on the SS Northland (formerly called Zeeland), arriving on October 28th, 1916. He was then transferred to the 2nd Battalion, arriving in France in December 1916.

Richard was killed on May 3rd, 1917.

On this day in 1916, Joseph Penn, a teamster, signed up in Hamilton. He was born in Deseronto on August 20th, 1897 (he claimed 1895 on the attestation form) the son of David Penn and Mary (née Powless), who were both Mohawks. In 1911 Joseph was living in the Mohawk Institute Residential School in Brantford.

Penn joined the 129th Battalion with the regimental number 785036. He was five feet four inches tall, with a dark complexion, brown eyes and black hair. His service record shows that this was his second enlistment – he first signed up in Belleville on February 24th, 1915 with the 39th Battalion but was found to have deserted when the battalion was due to embark for England on June 23rd, 1915.

Joseph left Canada for England with the 129th Battalion, arriving there on August 30th, 1916. His record shows that he deserted again in November 1916. He was taken on the strength of the 124th Battalion in April 1917 and arrived in France in that month. The extract below shows that Penn continued to have a troubled career in the army.

4.7.17 O.C. 124th Battn. Sentenced to 21 days F.P. [Field Punishment] No. 1 for
1. W.O.A.S. [when on active service] Drunkeness (3rd.)
2. Creating a disturbance in Camp Lines.
3. Being out of billets after 9.00 p.m. without permission.
Field 3.7.17

2.9.17 O.C. 124th Battn. Sentenced to forfeit 3 days pay, for “W.O.A.S. Being in Ecquoivris, without a pass.”
19.8.17

10.10.17 O.C. 124th Battn. Sentenced to 28 days F.P. No. 1 for “W.O.A.S. Drunkeness 4th Drunk.”
Field 9.10.17

12.1.18 O.C. 124th Battn. Granted 14 days leave
Amiens 11.1.18

2.2.18 O.C. 124th Battn. Rejoined unit
Field 29.1.18

18.2.18 O.C. 124th Battn. Sentenced to 28 days F.P. No.1, for “W.O.A.S.
1.Drunkeness (5th)
2. Loosing by Neglect Govt. Property.
3. Causing by Neglect injury to a mule the property of the Govt.
Field 12.2.18

Things got worse: in March 1919 Penn was tried for being absent without leave for ten days and for committing a civil offence (theft). He was initially sentenced to five months imprisonment with hard labour, but this was commuted to imprisonment at Wandsworth Detention Barrack. Joseph was released on July 18th, 1919 and left England for Canada on September 3rd.

We next find Penn in the 1921 census, when he was a prisoner at the Kingston Penitentiary. He married May Eliza Schuler in Hamilton on May 16th, 1927, at which point he was working as a wood turner. His wife died just over two years later in the Hamilton General Hospital.

Joseph Penn died on May 7th, 1959.

On this day in 1916, James Albert Paul, a barber, signed up in Toronto. He was born in Deseronto on April 4th, 1889, the son of Robert John Paul and Sarah Alma (née Wrightmyer). He married Sarah Esther Thompson on December 7th, 1910 in Toronto and the couple had a son in 1911 and a daughter in 1914. They were living at 63 Eaton Avenue when James enlisted.

Paul joined the 180th Battalion of the Canadian Expeditionary Force with the regimental number 862086. He was five feet five inches tall, with a fair complexion, blue eyes and fair hair. His service record shows that he left Canada in November 14th, 1916 on the SS Olympic. In April 1917 he joined the 123rd Battalion in France. He was admitted to hospital in November 1917, suffering from bronchitis and, in January 1918, nephritis. In April 1918 he was taken on the strength of the 2nd Canadian Infantry Works Battalion

He left England on May 3rd, 1919 on the HMT Royal George and was demobilized in Toronto on May 16th. He died on May 20th, 1945, suffering from chronic bronchitis and emphysema. He had been working as a machinist for the Canadian National Railway.