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Note: Notes for James Wellington Outram SOURCE: Page out of the Peterborough OUTRAM Family Bible with all the births, marriages entries are written in Helen Pugh-Outram's hand writing including herself & husband William (Billy) as James Wellington Outram 21 Sep 1900. She didn't enter the baby girl that died at birth on 18 Apr 1903. Uncle Alfred Westcott left all of his Grand- Nephews & Nieces Outram of the Peterborough family $100.00 each from the balance of his stocks. SOURCE: Off Notes written by Helen Pugh-Outram of Peterborough before 1950 Born 21st. September 1900, Delivered at home (616 Union St. Peterborough, Ontario, Canada) by Dr. Anderson Sr. MD. GP.. Son of William James OUTRAM & Helen Pugh (his Father was known as "Billy" most of his life). SOURCE: Birth Certificate Date of Registration: 1900-I-648 (taken off Proof of Age Certificate issued for the benefit of Soldiers issued 15th. January 1920) reads Wellington James OUTRAM, he always said it was wrong. It should have read James Wellington OUTRAM. Also know as James William OUTRAM on some of his First World War papers. Through out his life he was known as Jim, or James. NOTE of interest; Jim's Doctor Anderson was father of Dr. Anderson that delivered Jim's first son Don in 1950, and his Grandson Dr. Peter Anderson was one of Jim's doctor in Lindsay when Jim died. Born with bright red hair till late teens. Nick Name was "Red" during these early years. Married: 1920-1927 May Lawless (D) No children, 1927-35 Common-Law Margaret Smith (a daughter Hazel 1933), 1935-1989 Monetta Phillips common-law till 1967 when they got married. Children... W J Don 1950, Helen D. 1951 & Jack P. 1957. Other information in the record of James Wellington Outram and Mary Ann Lawless from Ontario Marriages Name James Wellington Outram Event Type Marriage Event Date 10 Jul 1920 Event Place Toronto, York, Ontario, Canada Gender Male Age 19 Birth Year (Estimated) 1901 Father's Name James Wellington Outram Spouse's Name Mary Ann Lawless Spouse's Gender Female Spouse's Age 20 Spouse's Birth Year (Estimated) 1900 Spouse's Father's Name Austin Lawless Spouse's Mother's Name Sarah Ann His Health; Dyslexia (double vision, little depth vision, see numbers & some letters backwards), Therefore he did bad in school. Also had Intermittent Dysphagia; a Speak impediment, generative disk disease to the neck & arthritis to the joints in his later years. For the most of his life he had Great Health. 1917 Head & neck injured in Halifax Explosion. Suffered from this all of his life. In & out of Sunnybrook Hospital many times. Wore a head/neck brace from 1961-1978. 1919-1920 Winter of came down with Pneumonia & then T.B. Never bothered him again. Lived all winter in one of the upper bedrooms in his parents home. They took all of the windows out all winter, nurse sat around him 24/7 wraped in fur coats to keep warm. The cold air in the room is what made Jim better. 1949 spent 2 months in Bancroft Red Cross Hospital with hives, early winter. 1950 Quit smoking, said "With a baby on the way they could not both afford to smoke". So gave up and start chewing gum instead. He loved his beer etc. Heavy drinker at times. When this way he bad mood swings ("Mean Drunk"), liked to fight with family members "Black Sheep" of his family, for they did not drink or smoke all of his life. Buddy use to say "He should have been on the Indian List". 1994 Eye sight start to go, by 96 couldn't see to read, watch television, or what was on his plate. He could still see distance. 1996 had heart problems, so they put a pays maker in. It hardly ever got used. Around this time doctors started to treat him for Prostate Cancer. He never had a major operation in his life. He died from just giving up. Complained of being tried of living. Family & friends all dead. A little information on Jim's life.... Was raised in the George Street Methodist Church, Peterborough, in 1925 The Congregations of the Presbyterian & the Methodist Church's combined and renamed their new church "The United Church Of Canada". He only attended church for weddings & funerals. He did know the Bible & believed in God. He only had one bible, the one he was given when he first enlisted in World War One in 1915. He is buried beside his parents & Brother Norman in Little Lake Cemetery, in Peterborough. Section 0, Range 6 South, Lot 19 Grave 5. Reg.# 30147. Has his own marker beside the family marker. Health etc: 5 foot 6 inches tall (tallest one in his family), brown eyes, Red Hair as youth, brown hair, medium build (150 pounds). Most of his life in very good health, winter of 1919 had TB. Recover fully. Had speech impediment due to some sound deafness (some stuttering) & generative disk disease to the neck, (son Don suffers from these as well) wore a neck brace from 1961-86. Died with a full head of hair, his forefathers like wise. Great memory, even up till death. Jim had grade 8 education. Very good in math, bad speller & stuttered, over came this with speech therapies while living in Toronto. After that he only did it when he was really mad. Loved to read. Most of his life he read 2 newspapers a day. The Peterborough Examiner & The Toronto Telegram, after it merged he brought the Toronto Star plus weekly news papers: Haliburton County Echo & The Bancroft Times. The rest of his siblings went to university. Worked with his father as a butcher helper, clean floors etc, as well as helping out his father with his father's prize wining birds (chickens & pigeons) most of his young years. Early Years Hobbies: Collecting native bird eggs, fishing & hunting. He was always interested in nature and taught it to his children. Especially bird names & their calls. Use to hang out with an Indian Friend from Curve Lake (the chief's son). One day while swimming in Curve lake together they tried to swim across it. The friend ran in to trouble, nearly drowning, Jim saved his life by dragging him to shore & jumping on his chest. Stamp collecting, money collecting, going to auction sales, fishing, hiking, hunting, travel & attending Royal Canadian Legion duties. 1908-12 was "Batt & Water Boy" for the Peterborough Men's Base Ball League. They played against other teams from Toronto & Kingston. On the road a lot during the summer months. 1912 Jim chauffeured around the richer people of Peterborough by horse & carriage or in their motor cars. Finally applied for and got his Chauffeur Motor Car Driver License when he was 15, kept it till he was 92, when he gave it up due to age. Had a clean driving record all of his life except for one accident in 1990. Only had 2 speeding tickets, one in 1986 on hwy 115 south of Peterborough. 1913 Shot his first bear near Jackson Creek, where the street car turned around. A rec area now for families to play on. 1913 Enlisted in the Army Cadets in Peterborough, summer of 1915 well stationed at Berriefield, Ontario near Kingston where he was on a training exercise, Jim along with a lot of other young men his age enlisted in the First World War. Jim enlisted in the Kingston 74th. Canadian Field in the Canadian Field Artillery as a horseman on the wheel horse, pulling the 18 pound guns. He rode the right hand rear horse, while diving the 2 teams pulling the gun. You where not allowed to talk to the horses while feeding or stabling them. A note of interest "Horses where worth more than men during the war. So very few where ever shot by either side". 1914 Inlisted in WW1 1st time 1917 12 Mar 2nd time OUTRAM, James William - Soldiers of the First World War -CEF CFA CFE Birth Date 29/09/1900 His #344971 Gnr. Canadian Artillery Regimental SOURCE: Library & Archives Canada at canada.ga.ca Jan 2012 1914, he lied about his age (a lot did, afraid the war would be over before they where of age 16) got to Wittey & Milford Camp in England when his Father's Sister, his Aunt Henrietta informed the forces of his age he was sent home again. His parent's had given permission for him to enlist, but was not to leave Canada till he was 16 for London, England & the war. They did not know that he had lied about his age, saying that he was born 21st. September 1898 until he met up with his Sister Eva's boy friend Norman in England and telling him how he had lied about his age to get there. In his next letter to Eva, he told her about meeting her brother Jim over there. Jim's older brother Howard had also enlisted around the same time. His Artillery (C.F.A.) Battery serial number 344971 Enlisted Twice in WW 1. 1915 got his Motor Car Chauffeured Driver License when he was 15, kept it till he was 92, when he gave it up due to age. Had a clean driving record all of his life. 1917 March 12th Once he got back to Kingston he Enlisted 2nd time. 1917 Dec. 6th. While in Halifax waiting to be shipped over to England he got hit in head when the Port in Halifax blow up when the French freighter Mont Blanc loaded with TNT collided with the Belgian relief ship Imo in Halifax harbor with an explosion that wrecked the north part of the city, killing 1,600 persons. the blast, which broke windows in Truro 50 miles away, also injured 6,000, left 10,000 homeless and caused $35,000,000.00 worth of property damage. He was working in the mess kitchen when the explosion happened. The force throw him against the wall & a large heavy wooden door pined him against it. If it had not been for a hardness peg in the wall he would have been killed between the door & wall. The glass panel smashed, causing prices to embed particles in his face. After leaving the mess hall, an officer asked him if he was able to drive. He said yes, so they took a truck and drove down to wards the docks. Well walking together they came a pond a Canadian Soldier who was in bad condition. The officer ordered Jim to take out his side arm and shoot him, which he did. This bothered Jim the rest of his life. After this he was put on guard duty by the tents which became the morgues for the dead soldiers. He said that they where piled like cord wood on top of one another in rows. During the day if the sun came out and warmed things up, some of the bodies would get warm enough that their limes would move. He did not like this job. He had it till all the bodies where claimed and removed for burial by their families. He left shortly after for England the 2nd. time. SOURCE: Pay Book for use on Active Service (Canadian Forces) #344971 Gnr. page 2.. J.W.OUTRAM Canadian Artillery Regimental Depot. Canadian Reserve Artillery Dated March 12 1917 Religious Persuasion... Methodist page 1.. INSTRUCTIONS FOR OFFICERS & MEN... 1. You will produce this book whenever you require an advance of cash on account. 2. You will give a receipt, on the acquittance roll of the officer paying you, for all cash advances made to you. The Officer making the payment will sign the corresponding entry in this book on page for Cash Payments. 3. You will make no entries in this book, except to sign your name on pages 3 and 7, and to make your will, if you so desire, on page 20. 4. Should you lose your book you will at once report the loss to your Commanding Officer. A new book will then be obtained from the Paymaster. 5. This Pay Book is only a memorandum of payments and charges. It is not the full account of a soldier, and on discharge from the service, or when required, it must be delivered up to the paymaster. on page 3.. Daily Rates of-- Pay $1.00 Field Allowance $0.10 Total daily rate $1.10 Monthly rate for 30 days at $1.10 = $33.00 Deduct Stoppages on account of assigned pay, amount per month $20.00 Difference, net rate per month of 30 days.. $13.00 Dated Dec 1, 1917 Signature of Soldier J. W. Outram Signature of Paymaster J. M. Hamilton Captain Paymaster, Depot Batteries, C.E.F. Dated and Station KINGSTON Apr 1 1917 on page 5.. 1. Next of kin (state relationship, wife, father, etc.) ..Father James OUTRAM and address 198 Edinburgh St., Peterborough, Ont. 2.. Person to whom Assigned pay is payable... Mother Mrs. Nellie OUTRAM and address.. 198 Edinburgh St., Peterborough, Ont. 3.. Children (if any), number, age and sex.. blank 4 Bank account at.. blank. page 7.. Signature of Officer or Man signed J W OUTRAM Book opens on Apr 1 1917. (For the Daily Rate of Pay see pages 3 and 4, and Note on page 6 list Promotions, Appointments, Reductions, and any casualty affecting the daily rate of pay.) Net balance Creditor or Debtor (latter in red ink) on the date book opens. ..$10.00 signed J M Hamilton Captain Paymaster Depot Batteries, C.E.F. Payouts as follows: Apr 30 Kingston $33.00; May 16 #7330A Do $10.00, May 31 Ptwa (Patawawa, Ontario) $24.10, Jun 14 Do (Do= Ditto) $10.00, June 29 Do $20.00, July 14 Do $10.00, July 31 Do $24.40, Aug 31 Do $32.76, Sept 13 Do $10.00, Sept 29 Kingston $21.85, Oct 15 Do $10.00 all signed by J M Hamilton NOTE at bottom of page "Cash entries to be shown in actual currency paid i.e. Sterling in England-Francs in France. Oct 30 Kingston $24.10, Nov 14 Do $10.00, Nov 22 Do $23.00 next line reads Trans OS 22/11/17 Bal $10.00, Dec 31 Halifax $14.00, Jan 25 1918 Do $10.00, 2-5-18 Halifax N.C. $10.00, Balance $4.45, Apr 3 1918 Wittey $5.00, 26/4/18 Do 10S, 7May 1918 Milford Camp 17S, May 23 do 10S, 11Jun do 10F, 24 Jun do 1.00, 5/7/18 do F2.00, 11/4/18 Hosp. Botts V.D.G. 20/2/18-29/3/18 $22.80, 31/4/18 Final Discharge Balance $12.10 signed by J. W. Outram, next line 19-7-18 Buxton $2.43, 2-8-18 Buxton $2.43, 2-8-18 Buxton $2.43, 16-8-18 do $4.87, 30-8-18 do $4.87, 16-9-18 do $4.87, 26.9.18 At Sea $4.87, 6-10-18 Quebec $30.00, 6.10.18 do $5.00, 10.4.19 $500.00 end of entries in this book. page 18-20 Formal Will blank page 23 last page in book SOURCE: 1918 June 20th. First letter of 2 letters from Militia & Defense dated 20th. June 1918 which reads: M.F.B.440 AHW/MCL. Militia and Defense HQ. no 16-068 Ottawa, Ontario, 20th. June, 1918. No. 344971 Gnr. James William Outram (underlined, all in red) 74th. Battery, C.F.A. Sir:- A letter was received some time ago from Miss Henrietta Outram, 16 Hazel Ave., Toronto, Ont., in which she enclosed a certificate of birth showing that this soldier was born on September 21st, 1900. As a result of this letter the Overseas Authorities were requested to return this man as a minor. A few days ago a letter was received from John C. Rutter, 16 Hazel Ave., Toronto, Ont., in which he stated that Miss Henrietta Outram was an Aunt of Gnr. Outram and had only a sympathetic interest in this man and that his parents, whom he stated resided in Vancouver, B.C. were not anxious to have their son returned. Will you please advise these Headquarters, at an early date, whether it is your wish that your son be returned from England, in order that this matter may be further dealt with. Signed Wm. Bruce Muson (hard to read his signature) Captain for D.A.A.G.(3), for Deputy Adjutant-General. Organization. For A/Adjutant-General. & James Outram, Esq., 198 Edinburgh ave., Peterborough, Ont. 1918 June 28th. 2nd. Letter: same letter head etc. dated Ottawa, June 28th, 1918. Sir:- Will you please oblige these Headquarters with a reply to this office letter of June 20th, concerning the marginally noted soldier. Signed signed Wm. Bruce Muson (hard to read his signature) Captain for D.A.A.G.(3), for Deputy Adjutant-General. Organization. For A/Adjutant-General. & James Outram, Esq., 198 Edinburgh ave., Peterborough, Ont. Because of his age he was sent home again. His parent's had given permission for him to enlist, but not to leave Canada till he was 16 for London, England & the war. They did not know that he had lied about his age, saying that he was born 21st. September 1898 until he met up with his Sister Eva's boy friend Norman in England and telling him how he had lied about his age to get there. In his next letter to Eva, he told her about meeting her brother Jim over there. Jim's older brother Howard had also enlisted around the same time. 1919 Sailed home in from Buxton, England on the Danstyham Castle 22th Sept. Sails 24th. Sept. & landing Halifax, Canada on 8 Oct. taken off back of Cunard Line "Berthing Card Section "E" this card to be held by passenger. Taken off front & back side of ticket. SOURCE: The Canadian Pacific Ocean Services Limited. (form 159) LIFEBOAT ALLOCATION ticket. Boat no. 18. It reads "Please note that unless at any time otherwise directed by the Master or officers of the ship, you are allocated to Boat mentioned at the left hand bottom corner of this card. The Bedroom Steward is instructed, if the circumstance permit, to endeavor to show you the most convenient means of access to this Boat from your Stateroom". Also have Second Sitting, CABIN Table FC No. 24, Breakfast--9:00a.m., Luncheon-- 1:30p.m., Dinner-- 7:00p.m. "Passengers are kindle requested to sign this card on the back, and hand it to their Table Steward at first meal". (over) on back 4th. Sitting stamped across it & Table no. 24 F.C. Signed J. W. Outram 24 1919-1920 Winter of came down with Pneumonia & then T.B. almost died. Married Mary Ann Lawless 1920-21 brought a bicycle & rode all over Peterborough & Victoria Co. to strengthen his lungs & body up. 1922 Brought a one ton flat bed truck & went into the moving business, later moving items people brought at auctions. 1923-1926 brought a modal T Ford car & did the fall fair from Trenton-Markham, up to Minden & Bancroft. Owned & operated a gaming tent of chance, did very well at it. Each November he brought Christmas Trees & hired young boys to cut & bale them. Then load them onto Railroad cars for Toronto where he sold them. 1925 Jim & Mary divorced, she staying in Peterborough the rest of her life. Never married again. 1927 He was a Chauffeur for Lady McLaughlin (GMC founder) in Oshawa, Ontario. 1927 He was a Chauffeur for Lady Eaton owner of Eaton's Store in Toronto. A NOTE of interest; At a dinner party that Lady & Mr. Eaton was attending at the McLaughlin Home in Oshawa she & Lady McLaughlin got talking about their Chauffeurs. Lady Eaton wanted to meet James, so Lady McLaughlin had him come to the kitchen. Their the ladies got in a bidding war of wages they where going to pay James. Lady Eaton won, next day James was working for the Eaton's in Toronto. Their estate was where Seneca College is now in Scarborough. The Eaton's had everything, but each afternoon Lady Eaton would have him drive to either their store, or to Simpson's store to go shopping. Mr. Eaton sometimes came along for the outing. After Lady Eaton would get out of the car he would move up to the front seat to visit with Jim (James). When Lady Eaton came out she would be have brought a box of chocolates, or something small. Mr. Eaton would say "You could have brought me a tie or something." 1927 lived with Miss Margaret (Peggy) Smith who he had grown up with in Peterborough. Miss Smith worked at Eaton's as a fur buyer. Before moving to Toronto Miss Smith had a son who she named Wallace (Wally) Smith by another man who also lived in Peterborough, out of wedlock. Wally has always lived in Peterborough, being raised by his Grandparents. 1933 Jan 8th Peggy had a child by Jim out of wedlock that they named Hazel Lorraine Outram born in Toronto. He raised her till 1938. While vacationing with the Hunt family at Driftwood Lodge on Balsam Lake between Coboconk & Fenelon Falls Hwy 35 he met Monetta Phillips. That fall Jim & Monetta (Buddy) moved into an apartment together. 1928 till the spring of 1946 worked as a Chauffeur for Mr. Tommy Hunt President of the Gestetner Copy & Duplicator Machines Company Ltd., North America Division Mr. Hunt always had expensive cars, Nash, Buick, Packard's etc. Some with 16 cylinders. He loved power & speed. But He never drove himself. The companies Head office was in London England, the North America Division Head Office was in Toronto, Ontario. The office was across from Maple Leaf Gardens. Jim watched it being built from their 3rd. floor office windows. His job also included looking after their fleet of 45 cars, & trucks which they traded in every 2 years, even during the war years. Every 2 weeks he brought a new car for them. He could always buy new tires & gasoline even when they where rationed for the company. He also attended court for the company when ever one of the drives had an accident or a speeding ticket. Most times he got the off. 1935 He left Margaret Smith & Hazel when he met Monetta Phillips at her brothers lodge near coboconk. They where soon living togetrher in Toronto. 1939 He wanted to enlist in the Second World War, but Mr. Hunt didn't want him to, gave him a big pay increase. He was lucky to have a good paying job during the "Great Depression" didn't need for anything. Always owned a car. 1939 He had a letter from Buckingham Palace asking him if he would drive King Edward & his wife of England though Toronto on his first visit here. He said "NO". Afraid of hitting a spectator. (it has since got lost). Mr. Hunt had given his name to head office, which in turn gave it to Buckingham Palace. Mr. Hunt would attend business meetings in Montreal, Atlantic City, New York. Jim would take him to Union Station in Toronto, drop him off and then drive to which ever city he was headed for. Most of the time Jim beat the train at least an hour or two, sometimes by half a day. During the winter months when Lake Ontario was frozen over he would drive across the lake to buffalo and Hamilton. Back then the Great Lakes froze over every winter. Very little pollution in the water to keep it warm like they are now. The big winter sport was Ice Boating (like a large sail boat on skis, or skates). Some could hold 10 to 12 people, and move very fast. You had to keep an eye out for these, for they moved very fast over the snow & ice. On one occasion Mr. Hunt was with him, as they passed a car out on the lake a wheel passed them. Mr. Hunt said "Some poor fellow had just lost a wheel". Jim's reply was "I think it's one of ours." It was! In those days you always carried spare wheel nuts with you. The ruts would jar them lose, and sometimes you didn't know till a wheel fell off. By all accounts it was no big deal, you just jack the car up and put the wheel back on then you where on your way again. While working for Gestetner Jim would buy grain & soak it in cheap wine, then taking it up onto the office roof where he would feed the pigeons. They would soon be drunk, then he would pick them up and put in a feed bag. Take them down to China Town and sell them to the restaurants. He maintained that he caught thousands over the years and one knew. 1941 brought his first NEW CAR. A 1941 2 door Plymouth Coup with jump seats in the back, 6 cylinder engine, & a 3 speed standard transmission. He had a friend that made Moon Shine (whiskey) in Toronto, and to pay for the car he made two trips to Buffalo. He installed a second gas tank under the car, which held the whiskey. He used this car up till the late 50's when he took it off the road to be used as a work horse around the lodge. In 1973 he sold the car to Glen Smith of Haliburton who wanted to restore it, it still had the second tank on it. 1964 Don & Helen learned to drive it around the lodge. During the time he spent in Toronto he got into gambling. He played Poker with some of the most famous, & wealthiest men in the city. (Gord Sinclair a news reporter with the Telegram News Paper & later CBC Radio & then TV was very good friend of his, along with the man that owned Maple Leaf Gardens), knew most of the well to do men & women of Toronto. Judges, Lawyers, Newspaper people etc. By all accounts he was pretty good at play, made a lot of money, But lost a lot too! Last game he played was at his lodge in 1947 when he nearly lost it to the cards, so quit playing any games where betting was in evolved. When he quit this job in spring 1946 there was no such thing as pensions in most companies back then. 1945 May 28th. James Wellington Outram (44 years old) & Monetta Dorathea Phillips (29) & Edward Outram (Jim's lawyer had him include his brother Ted's name on the deed, even though he had put no money into it, and had no claim to any of the property. Just in case there were any problems. (I think he knew about Jim's gambling. Also I think over the years that Ted regretted putting his name on the deed. For every time Jim got in a drunken fight over the property and was charged, Ted got a notice of it.) brought 42 acres of land in Haliburton County, Ontario, Canada, being part of Lot 2 Con 1 of Harcourt Township, comprising of 2300 feet of shoreline on the south end of Grace Lake, half a mile of Farquhar Creek running east to west, and a small creek over flow from Farquhar Lake to Grace in the northern end of the property. (Later on the beaver dammed it and a small lake was formed. Jim called it Birch Villa Pond.) Also included was 4 log cabins, 1 frame built cottage, log ice house, and a small work shed. They bought this property from Clarence W. Godfrey of the township of Monmouth for the sum of $3500.00 (1100.00 down, & the rest over3 years). 28th. May 1945 registered in the Registry Office for the Registry Division the Provisional County of Haliburton, at Minden, Ontario. Book 2, # 469 for the township of Harcourt at 10:20am, the 4th. June, 1945. Mr. Godfrey had built these cottages over the years begin in 1932 for his son's to vacation in. He rented them out to fishermen & hunters for a bottle of liquor or two a week. (The only whiskey around was "Moon Shine" & Clarence & his brother had their own still to make it in, the whiskey that these men brought up was from the city). The nearest liquor store was either in Bancroft, or Minden. But most came in on the train from Lindsay. At one time he owned most of the south, and south eastern sides of Grace Lake, & the south, western sides of Farquhar lake. But slowly sold off lots on each for a bottle or two, a few dollars. Four lots in the middle of what the Dad brought had been sold this way to a Mr. Morris. of Toronto (300ft. by 200ft. deep on the lake). Jim had been coming up to this area hunting & fishing etc since the early 20's. so knew the area well. Monetta worked as a live in maid for different families in the Toronto area before moving up. 1946 they opened it as "Birch Villa Lodge", catering to the American people till the mid 60's when the Vietnam War broke out & the states got into it big time (Canada stayed out of it). Mid 70's closed the dinning room, re: Birch Villa Trailer Park & Cottages, re: Birch Villa Trailer Park, re: "Birch Villa Trailer Park & Cottage Resort Ltd." Address was Post Office Box 46, Wilberforce, Ontario. He furnish the lodge by buying one floor of used furniture out of the King George Hotel in Peterborough (real feather mattresses). He had all doorways raised by building dormers over them. Mr. Godfrey was under 5 foot tall, so all doorways where 5 feet in height. The cottage in the middle was a frame cottage, the last one Mr. Godfrey built on the property. The first summer there they lived in a 2 bedroom log cottage (later know as cottage #2 or green cottage) till they had repaired the roof on the framed cottage and made alterations to it so they could live it as well as serve meals there. This became the dinning room and office in 1947, till 1951 when they built the lodge. Grace lake became known for it's over 2300 feet of clean sand beach which was advertised by the Ontario provincial government as the longest private beach in Ontario. Most summers she was the cook for the dinning room, hired 2 local girls to help out there as well as clean the guest rooms & cottages & look after the children. Pay was $2.00/day with room & board. You can wade out over a 100 feet before your in 6 feet of water. This lake has been dam control since 1908, dam is at south end of Dark Lake. The dam was operated by the Trent Water Ways, and the lake raised and fell about 8 feet each year. The logs (8 x 8 inches by 8 feet long hemlock, or tamarack) where started to be taken out about mid June, and all would be out by mid October. Then in January they would all be put back in again. There was also a dam on the south end of Farquhar Lake dumping into the Farquhar lake Creek. By July we would have a beach about 25 to 30 feet wide, and by October about 90 feet or more. The lake was filled with large lake trout some over 35 pounds, average over 5 pounds plus speckles, small mouth bass, & pan fish. To our knowledge there has never been a drowning in this lake. There was no ice fishing so Lake Trout opened 1st. day of May every year. Dad had brought 3 cedar strip 16 foot row boats from the Peterborough Boat Works in Peterborough, Ontario that first year. By the mid 50's they had 14, plus two flat bottom 14 ft. punts. Very threw people own boats at this time, always rented where they wanted to fish. Mostly American's came up, rented either by the week, or month. Rent was $25.00 a week per cottage (2 adults, 3children) plus $3.00 per week for a boat. Business was good for the most part. Borrowed $2000.00 every fall to see them through the winter, then paid it off during summer. This went on till well in the sixties. If Dad did not get a deer, or bear during the hunt then we had little meat over the winter, and no fish. Dad would not hunt or fish out of season like a lot did in the area. Up till the early 60's when the C.N.R. pulled up the rails, a lot of the guest would come by train. 1945- 46 Winter the small creek at the north end of the property became a small pond, known as the Birch Villa Pond (1989 called Mud Lake). This pond was formed by a lumber company owned and operated by Aylmer Aldridge located on the east side of the Grace River in a large field. That winter they where logging up north of Grace Lake in what is now know as Harcourt Park. His men put a logging road in all the way from the mill to where they were logging. This road ran over a mile on the Outram's property, as well as over this small creek. They did not put a bridge in so come spring water backed up, and with the weight of it on the surrounding mash it turned into a small lake. By the time the Outram's came back up in the late spring there was nothing they could do about it even though they put a bridge in. This road became know as the Old Lumber Road. They couldn't sue because Aldridge had no real money. Some history about this small creek: in the early years of lumbering in the area this creek had been used in log drives. There was a corduroy path on one side of it made out of small logs laid side by side. The men would walk on these and pull, push, & drag the logs about three quarters of a mile from Farquhar lake to Grace Lake every spring. Then the logs would be floated down to the south west end of Grace Lake, down the Grace River, into Dark Lake and onto the Wilberforce Lumber Mill on the south end of the lake in the village of Wilberforce. Mr. Aldridge was the first man to have a bulldozer in this part of the county, he also was one of the first lumbermen to haul his logs to the mill over land. He did this by using Second World War motorized trucks, and half tracks carriers (these where meant to carry men over almost anything in the war & where build with wheels or skis on the front for steering and wide tracks on the back for driving traction). With these he pulled large trains of bob sleds loaded with logs. When he pulled out in the mid fifties these where left behind in a field just off the Outram's property and not far from the mill and as kids we use to go and play with all this equipment. Even though the motors didn't run we had a great time pretending. 1946-51 During the fall Jim worked for the Ontario Lands & Forest netting fish in different lakes in the county. 1948 Ontario Hydro put hydro into Wilberforce and area. Part of the deal of getting power was that you helped dig the post holes, and help put poles up while they crossed your property labour free, plus pay for 4 meters for everyone you had for 5 years (the lodge had 3). The lines ran beside the old lumber road from Grace River northeast up the south, and east side of Grace Lake, over a mile and a half across the property. 1951 Hydro at the resort. 1953. March 26th. Jim brought 10 acres of old farm fields in Cardiff Township adjacent to their other property being comprised of part of Lot 1, Con 2 Cardiff for the sum of $200.00 from Mr. John C. Mangan & Mrs. Agnes Mary Mangan of the township of Monmouth, Haliburton County registered in the Registry Office Minden, Ontario Number 2084. 1953 Summer he built a new driveway in from highway 648, only half a mile long and all on their own property except for a small parcel which they brought 1960 June 30th. from Ms. Olive Fellman Standen of Township of Etobicoke, York County, (Dad brought though an estate) comprising of 2.95 acres fronting on highway 648 for the sum of$400.00 being part of Lot "A" Con 22 Cardiff Township. Registered in Minden, Ontario. Number 16925. Paid $ 3500.00 for Harcourt part, & $600.00 for Cardiff part. .The property now comprised of 72 acres. Water frontage comprised of 2200 feet of beach on Grace Lake, a mile of Farquhar creek, & 3/4 mile on Mud Lake. 1963 May Dad inherited $2000.00 from a distance cousin living in British Columbia that he didn't even know. With this money he went to Eaton's in Toronto & brought 7 used electric refrigerators for the 5 cottages & 2 for the main kitchen in the lodge. Before that they use to cut ice blocks out of the lake every March & store it in an Ice House. 1963 June he brought our first Shetland pony who was in fold, & a cart & harness. In October he brought a Shetland gelding pony while out getting hay in the Lindsay area with Ted Sheehey. April 1964 he brought another mare pony for the children to ride & drive. He loved to ride as well as drive them with a buggy in warmer months & a 4 seat bob-sleigh, or a 2 person cutter in the winter. He sold them in 1974. 1967 August 9th he married Monetta Dorathea Phillips of Coboconk, Ontario. They had 3 children out of wedlock (1950, 51 & 57 out of wedlock), William (Don), Helen & Jack). 1968 Roy Hunt, Tommy's son was President asked Jim to come back to the company for 1 year. For they where having a lot of accidents well the cars where not on company time. So he want Jim to over see & fix the problems. When Jim had the job before he would not let the men drive the cars home in the evenings or on weekends. They had to be parked in the companies parking lot. Also to train 2 other people how to do it right. If he would go back at the end of the year they would give him a pension with the company. He refused the offer. 1969 Started to turn the Lodge/Resort into a trailer park & sold new & used travel trailers till 1988. Known as Birch Villa Resort & Trailer Park. Incorperated it in 1887 as Birch Villa Resort Ltd. 1976 August finally got the telephone in, before that Bell wanted thousand's of dollars to run a line in a half a mile. Phone number was (705) 448-2252. Before they used the pay phone in Wilberforce. 1986 He always loved fishing & hunting. Gave up deer hunting after the 1986 hunt. Last time out got a 10 point buck. It took him all day to drag it out of the bush to the highway. 1989 Sold all of it to Chris Hodgson of Haliburton for the sum of $450,000.00 cash. He divided the property up into cottage lots. The lake shore lots 120 X 240 ft. went from $85,000.00 up to $ 135,000.00 (total 15 lots). Sold them all the first year. Back lots sold for 35,000.00 to $ 45,000.00 ea. 400 foot highway frontage went for $30,000 for 3 acres. 1989 They brought large home at 35 Maple Cres. Lindsay Ontario Canada K9V 2R8 for $140,000.00 cash. Soon after his wife Buddy pasted away (Oct. 11, 1989). Leaving him in this large home by himself till his passing on Nov. 10 1998. The home over looked the Lindsay Golf Coarse. He enjoyed watching people play on it from his back sun porch. In the winter he watched the town children sleigh ride down the small hill. He got so that he could not see what was on his plate, but one day while Don was visiting him he spotted a white snow shoe rabbit out on the coarse. Don had trouble spotting it till it moved. He also had a in ground pool, which for many summers he enjoyed wading in. He loved have his grand children Racheal, Shane & Aaron visit him & go swimming. Quite often he had Buddy's only sister Bea over for the afternoon when we where visiting. He cooked most of his own meals up till towards the end. Jenny would take him shopping a couple times a week. He would get upset if you offered to do the dishes well visiting with him. He would say" It will give me something to do after you leave". 1989 brought his second New Car a 1989 Ford Mustang, 1990 had his first accident wrote the front end off. 1991 Ford Mustang, gave up driving it in 1992. Hired other people to drive him till his death in Nov 1998. 1994 Eye sight start to go, by 96 couldn't see to read, watch television, or what was on his plate. He could still see distance. 1996 had heart problems, so they put a pays maker in. It hardly ever got used. Around this time doctors started to treat him for Prostate Cancer. Jim had called son Don only a few days before saying "That he was tired". Asking if he was not sleeping well ? He reply "I'm sleep great, I'm just tired of living." All his family where gone, as well as most of his friends so he had nothing to live for. He told Don not on planning to do anything for him at Christmas, for he would not be around. He and Jenny where out driving around every day, no matter the weather he liked to get out and go for a drive. Some days they would go as far a way as Belleville, Trenton etc. Just for a drive & lunch. They always visited a Legion on their outings. If Don wanted to visit with him in Lindsay, he would have to call the night before asking him to stay home the next day. 1998 November 2nd. Got sick, Lung infection. Doctor Peter Anderson M.D. his family doctor was planning on letting him go !home on November 9th. On the 9th. the doctor called his driver to come and take him home. By the time Jenny Power's got to the hospital he was very sick again, so they kept him in. By Saturday he had gotten worst & was in a coma. All the family was called in. November 10th. Died in Ross Memorial Hospital room 227, Lindsay, Ontario, Canada in daughter-in law Della Outram arms at 9:10am. He was in his 99th. year. He always said that he didn't want to go to an old age home or suffer along time before death. At time of his death he was worth over $450,000.00 Canadian. LEGION: 1919 one of the founding members of the Peterborough Branch #52 of the G.W.V.A. (Great War Veterans Association). They brought the former Murray Street Baptist Church & covert it into the meeting hall. Official opening was 11th. November 1921. 1926 the G.W.V.A. was renamed to the Royal Canadian Legion. Jim held many positions over the years. He belonged to the Peterborough, Lindsay, Kinmount, Cardiff (President), Haliburton, Coe Hill, Apsley (President), Wilberforce (President) Branches over the years. His last being Lindsay. Where ever help was needed Jim was there along with his wife Buddy, together they ran Bingo's, and other money raising events for each of the branches they where in. Well in the Haliburton Branch Jim would truck his 4 ponies over there for their annual summer money raising event, to sell pony rides. His son Don looked after the ponies while there. 1973 Jim organized the Wilberforce Branch #624 & was 1st Branch President. He worked hard for over a year to get enough members. He convinced almost everybody in the area that had been in the forces to join. 1977 Jim & his eldest son Don attended a National Legion Convention in Manitoba, where over 5000 members attended from all across Canada.. 1977 Jim was asked to be a Canadian Delegate with the Federal Veterans of Affairs Minister to attend the celebration of the 60th. anniversary of the battle of Vimy Ridge. They toured England, France, & Holland. 1987 Jim & Buddy (Monetta) was again asked to be a Canadian Delegate with the Federal Veterans of Affairs Minister to attend the celebration of the 70th. anniversary of the battle of Vimy Ridge. They toured England, France, & Holland. It was the first time over seas for Buddy. (march 22-April 10th. SOURCE: Letter from Minister of Veterans Affairs House of Commons Ottawa, Canada K1A 0A6 dated February 26, 1987 to Mr. James W. Outram General Delivery Omemee, Ontario K0L 2W0 Dear Mr. Outram I will be leading an official delegation to France in April to mark the 70th anniversary of the capture of Vimy Ridge by the Canadian Corps on April 9, 1917. This stands out in the history of Canada as one of our most significant military accomplishing. It is my pleasure to invite you to join this delegation. The principal ceremony will take place at the Canadian Memorial at Vimy on April 9, 1987. Other activities will take place at nearby sites in France and Belgium in accordance with the attached tentative schedule of events. The date of departure from Canada is April 6 and the return is April 13. You are also invited to be accompanied by a companion or assistant who can make the trip less stressful and disruptive on your daily routine. An overseas trip can be tiring and I thought you would appreciate the presence of a companion who is familiar with your needs. It is understood that all travel and living expenses throughout the trip for you and your companion will be the responsibility of my Department. I trust it will be possible for you to join the delegation for this historic pilgrimage. Please let my Director General of Public Affairs know as soon as possible if you will be able to be with us on this pilgrimage. The person to contact and his address are as follows.. page 2 has been misplaced. From Affairs Minister George Hees James W. Outram was 1 of 10 Vets from the 1st.WW picked to go on this trip. 4500 Vets still living. Picture of Canadian First War veterans Jim Outram (left) and Arthur Beriault (right) visit the war memorial in Vimy, France, with George Hees. SOURCE: The Globe and Mail Toronto, Ontario 144th Year, No. 42,851 Metro Thursday April 9, 1987. entitled VIMY "We had to do what we did. Some died. Some didn't. That's it." front page continued on A2; Pierre Berton's Vimy--page A7 1993 Jim was again asked to be a Canadian Delegate with the Federal Veterans of Affairs Minister to celebration of the 75th. anniversary of the battle of Vimy Ridge. They toured England, France, & Holland. He went by himself. None of his 3 children could get away, so he went by himself. Buddy had passes away in 1989. Jim & son Don did a lot of car traveling in Ontario, & Manitoba together. And visited all most all of the legions in both provinces over the years. Even the out of the way ones. He was a life time member & was an active member for over 79 years. 1997 Nov 11th he was honored in the Peterborough Remembrance Parade, & Luncheon afterwards for his years of service. He never missed a Remembrance Parade. 1998 Sept 21 During a Drum Head Service in Fenelon Falls on his Birthday September he marched most of the way, before getting into a car for the older vets. It was a very hot humid day. They held a large Birthday Party for him at the Legion afterwards. This was the last parade that Jim marched in, he was 98. Jim died on November 10th. 1998 in Lindsay, and had a Legion Funeral. At one time or other we visited every Royal Canadian Legion in Ontario. And there are lots. Jim loved animals. He always owned a cat & a dog or two. During the winter he got around with a 2 to 3 dog team & snow shoes. He use to shovel snow off cottage roofs up at the top end of Grace Lake. One after noon he fell off one and broke some ribs. If it hadn't been for the dogs he may not have got home alive. He taught his son Don how to hitch up and drive a dog team & snow Shoe at a very early age. His last animal was a cat, "BOO". Had her right up till his death. He owned a Russian Wolf Hound in the late 30's. It was always sick. Good job he lived next door to Doctor Siecord a famous vet. SOURCE: James Wellington Outram & son William James Donald Outram 13012 Cty Rd 503, Tory Hill, Ontario Canada K0L don_outram@hotmail.com
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