Deseronto Archives

On this day in 1918 Clarence Dickey, a lumberhand, was conscripted in Toronto. He was born in Deseronto on November 5th, 1896, the son of Adam Dickey and Eliza (née Luffman). The family were in Deseronto at the time of the 1901 census, but by 1911 they had moved to Midland, Ontario, where Adam, Clarence and his brother, Roy, were all working in the sawmill there.

Dickey joined the 1st Depot Battalion of the 1st Central Ontario Regiment with the regimental number 3038583. He was five feet five and three quarter inches tall, with a sallow complexion, grey eyes and brown hair. His service record shows that he arrived in England on June 21st, 1918 and joined the 12th Reserve Battalion there. He arrived in France on September 30th on the SS Cassandra and was taken on the strength of the 75th Battalion. He served in France until May 2nd, 1919 and departed England for Canada on May 31st on the troop ship Mauretania. He was demobilized in Toronto on June 8th, 1919.

Clarence married Viola Salmon in Hamilton on May 12th, 1920. A note on his service file states that he died on April 22nd, 1943.

George Frederick Mowbray was drafted at Camp Barriefield in Kingston on this day in 1918. He was born in Tyendinaga township on September 7th, 1894, the son of William Albert Mowbray and Rebecca (née Anderson). Mowbray was working as a farmer when he was called up. He had married Myrtle Irene MacDonald in Belleville on December 5th, 1917. He joined the 1st Depot Battalion of the Eastern Ontario Regiment, with the regimental number 3059841. He was five feet eight and a half inches tall, with a dark complexion, hazel eyes and brown hair. His service record shows that he was demobilized in Belleville on January 11th, 1919.

The Mowbrays had five children. George Frederick Mowbray died on 5 August 1972 in Napanee. He was buried in the Riverview Cemetery.

On this day in 1918 Arthur Joseph Marlow was conscripted into the Canadian Expeditionary Force in Camp Barriefield, Kingston. He stated that he was born in Deseronto on June 24th, 1894. There is no record of his birth in the Deseronto registrations for that year, although there was a birth of a Gertrude Marlow in Deseronto in 1897. Her parents were Joseph Marlow and Elenora (née Furnier), and it is probable that these were Arthur’s parents, as there is a record of baptism in Loyalist Township, Lennox and Addington for Arthur, son of Joseph and Aldore on January 20th, 1895. An Eldora and a Gerty Marlow died in Deseronto in 1898, while Joseph Marlow died in the town in 1902. They all had tuberculosis.

When he was drafted, Arthur was living in Glenburnie, Ontario, where he was working as a farmer. He gave his next of kin as his friend, George Compton. Marlow was described as five feet six inches tall, with a dark complexion, brown eyes and black hair. He enlisted with the 1st Depot Battalion of the Eastern Ontario Regiment, with the regimental number 3059779. His service record shows that he arrived in England on July 22nd, 1918 on the SS Tunisian. He served with the 6th Reserve Battalion in England and returned to Canada on the SS Carmania in July 1919. He was demobilized in Kingston on July 15th.

On this day in 1918 bank clerk Harry Franklin Miles Benn was drafted under the Military Service Act. He was living in Merrickville, Ontario when he was conscripted and he gave his next of kin as his mother, Mary Benn. His younger brother Redginald had enlisted in October, 1915.

On his attestation form, Harry stated that he was born in Deseronto, but his birth was actually registered in Napanee on May 28th, 1896. His parents were Archibald Benn and Mary (née Morrison). By 1901 the family had moved to Merrickville.

When he was drafted, Harry was described as five feet ten and a half inches tall, with a medium dark complexion, brown eyes and dark brown hair. He joined the 2nd Depot Battalion of the Eastern Ontario Regiment with the regimental number 3322695. His service record shows that he was transferred to the 2nd Tank Battalion in September 1918 and that he left Canada for England on October 4th, 1918.

Harry was admitted to hospital on his arrival in England on October 18th, suffering from influenza. He remained in hospital in Bristol and then in Epsom until January 27th, 1919 and was then discharged to Seaford, Sussex, to serve in the Canadian Machine Gun Depot. He was admitted to the 14th Canadian General Hospital in Eastbourne on February 8th, 1919, again suffering from influenza and pneumonia. He spent the remainder of his time in England in hospital. As a result of his illness, his right arm became paralyzed.

Extract from Harry Franklin Benn’s service file

Obj[ective]. Patient under weight about 20 lbs. 1. Had pneumonia in Oct., 1918, and in Feb., 1919. Examination of chest negative. 2. had paralysis of right arm following pneumonia. Deltoid muscle is improving in strength but it is still wasted. Abduction of right arm is weak. Can raise arm above head with some effort. Other movements are normal.

Benn was invalided to Canada on the on the SS Royal George on July 21st, 1919. Benn was demobilized on August 16th as medically unfit for general service. He married Anne Elizabeth Wilson in Westboro, Ottawa, on April 26th, 1920.

Harry died on November 19th, 1952 and was buried in Merrickville.

Anthony Moore, a farmer, was conscripted in Kingston on this day in 1918. He was born in Richmond Township, near Deseronto on January 17th, 1894, the son of William Moore and Mary Adelade (née McCaugherty). On September 17th, 1917 he had married Vera Baldwin in North Fredericksburgh.

Moore joined the 1st Depot Battalion of the Eastern Ontario Regiment with the regimental number 3058637. He was five feet five inches tall, with a fair complexion, blue eyes and brown hair. His service record shows that he was diagnosed with having a goitre and flat feet. He was discharged from the army at Barriefield Camp in Kingston on October 13th, 1918.

Anthony died on November 30th, 1973 and was buried in the Glenwood Cemetery, Picton.

On this day in 1918 Hubert Carnahan, a tool designer, was conscripted in Toronto. He was born in Deseronto on February 15th, 1897, the son of John Carnahan and Clara (née Burnup). By 1898, when his brother Kenneth was born, the family were living in New York City. We find them there in the 1900 census, but they were back in Canada, living in Toronto, in 1911. Kenneth had enlisted in May 1917. The Carnahans were cousins of the Vincent Carnahan who enlisted in Belleville in August 1915.

Hubert joined the 1st Depot Battalion of the 1st Central Ontario Regiment with the regimental number 3036654. He was five feet eight and a half inches tall, with a fresh complexion, blue eyes and brown hair. His service record shows that he did not go overseas and was demobilized in Toronto on December 17th, 1918. He was still living with his parents at 788 Euclid Avenue, Toronto in 1921. On September 11th, 1926 he married Louise Rich. He died on October 3rd, 1982 and was buried with his wife and parents in Mount Pleasant Cemetery, Toronto. His brother Kenneth died in 1937 and was buried in Prospect Cemetery, Toronto.

Ross Cameron Watson, a machinist, was called up in Toronto on this day in 1918. He was born in Deseronto on July 18th, 1895, the son of Dexter Wellington Watson and Harriet (née Stafford). By 1901 the family had left Deseronto and were living in North Bay.

When he was drafted, Watson was living in Medland Street, Toronto and he gave his mother’s address as Farnham, Quebec. He joined the 1st Depot Battalion of the 1st Central Ontario Regiment with the regimental number 3036547. He was five feet five and a half inches tall, with a fair complexion, grey eyes and fair hair. His service record shows that he was treated in hospital while in Niagara for influenza and a gastro-intestinal infection. Watson became a member of the Canadian Expeditionary Force to Siberia, leaving Vancouver on the SS Teesta on December 22nd. He was promoted to the rank of sergeant while in Vladivostok on February 24th, 1919.

Ross returned to Canada on the SS Monteagle in April 1919 and was demobilized in Montreal on May 24th. He married Mary Ulala Stewart in Lanark, Ontario, on August 27th, 1919.

Clarence Joseph Johndrew, a munitions worker, was called up in Kingston on this day in 1918. His birth was registered in Deseronto with a date of December 18th, 1893, with his parents named as Matthew Johndrow and Exina (née Marlo). In 1901 he was living with Matthew and Kate Johndraw. (Johndrow/Johndraw/Johndrew are anglicizations of the French name Gendreau.)

Clarence joined the 1st Depot Battalion of the Eastern Ontario Regiment with the regimental number 3058079. He was five feet three and a half inches tall, with a dark complexion, hazel eyes and brown hair. His service record shows that he served in Canada at Queen’s Military Hospital, Kingston, and was demobilized on October 31st, 1919, classified as medically unfit for further service.

This photograph of Clarence (from the Floyd Marlin collection in the Archives) was taken later in life, at Point Anne. A note on the back says that he and his wife Anne ran a gas bar and hamburger restaurant on the corner of Green and Dundas Streets in Deseronto.

On this day in 1918 Peter Powless was conscripted in Toronto. He was born in Tyendinaga on October 22nd, 1886, the son of Isaac Powless and Lydia (née Penn), who were Mohawks. When he was drafted he was living in New Toronto. He joined the 2nd Depot Battalion of the 1st Central Ontario Regiment with the regimental number 3234069. He was described as five feet five and a half inches tall, with a dark complexion, brown eyes and black hair. His service record shows that he was discharged on May 21st, 1918 as having been “erroneously ordered to report” (Indigenous men were exempt from conscription under the Military Service Act).

At the time of the 1921 census, Peter was living in Whitney, near Porcupine, to the east of Timmins in Northern Ontario.