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Victims of 1916 Matheson fire

Victims of 1916 Matheson fire

Posted: 7 Mar 2010 6:06PM GMT
Classification: Query
Surnames: McClinchey Watson
Margaret (Watson) McClinchey and her daughter Pearl both died in Walker, Timiskaming, Ontario on July 29, 1916. I ran across the story of the Matheson fire of 1916 that occurred on this date, so I suspect they died in the fire. I have seen some notes on the web that suggest they may be buried in Haileybury.

I am curious if there is a listing anywhere of all the victims of this fire? I have not been able to find one on the internet, but I have seen that a book was written about the fires. Also, where exactly is Walker, Ontario?

Re: Victims of 1916 Matheson fire

Posted: 8 May 2010 5:06PM GMT
Classification: Query
There is a list of who died and who survied the 1916 fire at the Matheson library Its in a little bookcall the matheson fire along withe little boks abount othe towns and the fire.

JOliver

Re: Victims of 1916 Matheson fire

Posted: 8 May 2010 5:10PM GMT
Classification: Query
There is a list of who died and who survied the 1916 fire at the Matheson library Its in a little book call the matheson fire along withe little books about other towns and the fire.

JOliver

Re: Victims of 1916 Matheson fire

Posted: 8 May 2010 7:06PM GMT
Classification: Query
Their death registrations just say they died 29 July 1916 in Walker Tsp. Informant was Wm McClinchey, husband and father of Monteith.
There are 3 deaths on the page and the other lady died same day in Walker Tsp, cause of death: burning.
I am assuming then that Margaret and Pearl also died of 'burning'.
I think the doctor, W A Lowe of Matheson, just filled out the first death with the cause.

Most [99%]of the deaths given on 29 July 1916 in Timiskaming were from 'burning'.

Walker Township is in Cochrane District.
Perhaps the library in one of the towns affected by the fire would have a list of the victims.
I think you can safely say that Margaret and Pearl were victims of this fire.

Re: Victims of 1916 Matheson fire

Posted: 9 May 2010 4:40PM GMT
Classification: Query
Thanks for all the answers. I should have updated this posting because I found a list on the internet after I posted here:

http://www.iroquoisfallschamber.com/web-content/Pages/nushka...

This list comes from a link on this page that has a good description of the fire:

http://www.iroquoisfallschamber.com/web-content/Pages/nushka...

And, I found an obit for Margaret and Pearl in their hometown paper that describes the circumstances of their death. I am still trying to find the location of their burial. The obit suggests they were buried in Haileybury, but I have yet to see them listed in an online transcript.

Re: Victims of 1916 Matheson fire

Posted: 23 Nov 2010 12:39AM GMT
Classification: Query
This post was deleted by the author on 21 Mar 2014 11:25PM GMT

Re: Victims of 1916 Matheson fire

Posted: 23 Nov 2010 2:16PM GMT
Classification: Query
I have read "Killer in the Bush" which is a good description of the fires, but it leaves out most of the details of the dead. I did find the local paper in Shelburne ran a series of articles on the deaths of individuals with ties to that region. They are very detailed and if you are interested I have put the account for Margaret here:

http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSln=mc...;

If memory serves me correct I believe I was told that there is a Hillcrest cemetery by a person at this organization:

http://www.nt.net/~timetrav/#stats

They were not very forthcoming with free information, but if you can afford their references maybe they would have answers about Hillcrest. Or maybe you will have better luck communicating with them than I did.

Re: Victims of 1916 Matheson fire

Posted: 23 Nov 2010 6:26PM GMT
Classification: Query
Wow, you were lucky to find such a detailed and personal account. The memorial you posted is just beautiful. I love the picture.
I too have a copy of a personal account of the fire which was told to a cousin of mine who wrote a book on our family genealogy. It was very emotional to say the least. The stories of how people survived that day are just incredible aren't they!
Thanks for the links - will keep pursuing this line of research!

Re: Victims of 1916 Matheson fire

Posted: 23 Nov 2010 6:59PM GMT
Classification: Query
Yes, it was lucky that the Shelburne paper carried the story and I had a good contact with the archives there that found it for me. I still have a lot more research to do because I really want to find out where she and her daughter are buried. But, I live on the other side of the continent and it is very difficult to get the older documents that are sitting in an archive somewhere back east.

Re: Victims of 1916 Matheson fire

Posted: 23 Nov 2010 8:21PM GMT
Classification: Query
Have you tried this resource? http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~murrayp/

It contains pictures of headstones from cemeteries across Canada. It is not a complete listing as of yet (am still waiting for a cemetery I need) but it is an ongoing project and moves fairly quickly in the big scheme of things!

If I do decide to make the trip North next summer for my own cemetery research, I shall be sure to contact you to see if you have found what you needed by then - if not, I shall take details and look for your headstones in my travels.

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