Mary H. TAYLOR-OTWELL (1824-1890)

Edna OTWELL-SIM > Edwin OTWELL > Maurice OTWELL > Mary H. TAYLOR-OTWELL

Mary H. Taylor was born around 1824 in Fayette County, Kentucky.  Her parents were Stark Taylor and Elizabeth McClane.  She came from a large family of 16 children and lived on a hemp-growing plantation in Fayette County that also included slaves.

On December 19, 1844 she married John Franklin Otwell.  Mary had only one child, Maurice Otwell, who was born in 1845.  Mary was found on the 1850 US Census living with her husband and son.  Her father, Stark Taylor, listed Mary in his will on January 20, 1858.  From 1824-1859 Mary was in Fayette County, Kentucky.

In 1859 Mary moved with her family to West Nissouri, Ontario, Canada.  She was listed on the 1881 Canadian Census.  We found many recordings for her husband, John, who was a market gardener and owned a cannery.  However, we found very little on Mary who remained in the background of her husband's business.  Although she had only one child, her home was filled with her grandchildren.  Her son, Maurice, and his family lived with her before and after his being committed to St. Mary's Insane Asylum in 1889.

After her husband's canning business was sold, the family moved to London, Ontario in 1889.  We do not have any information on Mary's death except the date of July 21, 1890 in London, Ontario.

John Franklin OTWELL (1821-1908)

25 Mar 1885
Argus Newspaper, St. Mary's Museum

Edna OTWELL-SIM > Edwin OTWELL > Maurice OTWELL > John F. OTWELL

BORN - In Fayette County, Kentucky on April 29, 1821, John Franklin Otwell was born to William Otwell and Quintilla Garth.  On the 1830 US Census we found John's father in Fayette County.  No family member names are listed on this census, just check marks for ages of those in the household.  In 1839 after the death of his grandfather, Francis Otwell, John moved with his parents to Francis' farm in Scott, Kentucky.  We found the family on the US 1840 Census in Scott, Kentucky.

MARRIAGE - On December 19, 1844 he married Mary H. Taylor.  They had one child, Maurice Otwell, born in 1845.

TIMELINE
John Otwell was found on the 1850 US Census listed as a farmer in Fayette County.  He was also listed on the 1850 Slave Schedule with a listing of five slaves, 4 males and one female.

In 1858 he was listed in the will of his father, William, as an heir and executor.  He was also listed as the husband of Mary Taylor Otwell in the will of her father, Stark Taylor, in 1858.

In the Port Rowan News an article stated that "John Otwell came to Ontario in 1859 to escape from the mutiny and discontent between the North and South, and free his own conscience from his share of the responsibility for a system for which he had no sympathy."  John was now permanently in Ontario, Canada.

Port Rowan News, unknown date
Courtesy cousin Herb OTWELL/Arlene ROLA

Per the 1901 Canadian Census he was naturalized in 1854.

Original Label
Courtesy cousin Herb OTWELL

John was a farmer and gardener who became well-known in the community.  He grew a tremendous amount of vegetables and small fruits on about 25 acres of his farm.  In 1862 he built the first canning factory in West Nissouri.  We found many articles on the awards he won as a market gardener and also in the North Riding Show.  His business flourished.  During the growing and canning season he employed over 20 people.  He advertised for vegetable plants that would be sent by mail. He was a master of the best methods for preserving his fruits and vegetables.  Some vegetables he grew were squash, pumpkins, cabbage, onions, cucumbers, watermelon, corn, beets, carrots, parsnips and peas.  His tomatoes were rated excellent.

John Otwell had sleighs in the winter with wood-burning stoves on them.  He was the envy of many in his town.  He had an excellent reputation and was the head of a prosperous pickling company.  He led an exemplary life and was well-respected in his community.

On January 19, 1882, J. F. Otwell & Son Pickling Factory burned.  On February 22, 1882 he wrote a letter to the editor of the St. Mary's Argus thanking his insurance companies for their prompt payment.

23 Feb 1882, Argus Newspaper, page 6
St. Mary's Museum



Jar circa 1886
Maple Leaf Auctions



15 July 1886
Argus Newspaper
St. Mary's Museum

In 1886 an article stated J. F. Otwell's pickles are fast becoming famous all over the continent.  He began using a wider-neck jar with a screw top so the jars could be reused.



Can after JF sold the name
Photo courtesy St. Mary's Museum

 
In 1889 John's only child, Maurice, was committed to an insane asylum after many years of crazy behavior. The following year Mary Otwell, John's wife, died.  On the 1891 Canadian Census John is listed as 68 (he is 70), Presbyterian, and listed as a carpenter.  He had sold the farm and moved to London, Ontario.  Maurice's wife and their children are living with John.  He had previously sold his canning business.





2 Nov 1893
Argus, p 5
St. Mary's Museum

Hard times and dementia took a toll on John F. Otwell.  In November of 1893 he confessed to stealing a horse, wagon and harness that he used to steal grain from farmers in London, Ontario.  He confessed to the crimes and on November 9, 1893 he was found guilty and sentenced to two years at the Kingston Penitentiary.  He was 72-years old.  He was interviewed by Dr. Buck from the asylum his son was committed to.  Dr. Buck concluded John suffered from senile dementia and should not be responsible for his actions.  This had no effect on his sentence and John spent two years in Kingston.

We next find John on the 1901 Canadian Census.  He was 80-years old and living in St. Mary's, Ontario with his granddaughter, Mary Haley, and her family.  Some time after this he went to Detroit, Michigan where his daughter-in-law and some grandchildren were living.

DEATH - John Franklin Otwell died June 21, 1908 in Detroit.  He was 87-years old.  His cause of death was paralysis acute ascending.  His remains were returned to London, Ontario, Canada for burial.

John F. Otwell was one of the most interesting ancestors we have researched.  He was so well-respected and accomplished in his Canadian community.  His friends and neighbors signed a petition to try and stop his prison sentence.  This was unsuccessful because John had plead guilty to his crimes.  John Franklin Otwell was Mary Jane's favorite ancestor that we have researched.

Just when we thought John's stealing occurred in his old age, we found several articles in the Louisville Evening Bulletin dated around September 21, 1857.  When he was in Kentucky he stole a horse and buggy of Mr. Wilkes.  He was given bail of $1500 and remanded to jail to await trial at the next term of the criminal court.  He was also listed in a separate article as a person in jail.

21 Sep 1857
Louisville Evening Bulletin
Found on Old Fulton Postcards

Visit his on-line memorial:
http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=115333682
 

5 Jan 1955
Argus
St. Mary's Museum



More children of Maurice and Jane OTWELL

Match Girls courtesy of cousin Janin

Edna's Aunts and Uncles (paternal side)

There was no label on this photo, but it is suspected that these 2 girls were the younger OTWELL siblings (Edith, Ila May or Victoria).  The curator of the St. Mary's Museum thinks that the costumes were from a children's parade.  If you look closely, the costumes are made out of match advertisements.

 

In addition to Edwin OTWELL (our ancestor) and John Franklin OTWELL (the younger), Maurice and Jane had 5 more children:

 

William Charles (1868-1906) married Elizabeth NEAR in 1889.  They lived in Toronto and William was a barber.  He died at age 38.  They had a daughter named Faye.  Elizabeth moved to Chicago and married BIRMINGHAM.

 

Mary Ellen (1873-1939) married Isaac Arthur HALEY in 1889.  They soon immigrated to Detroit and Jane joined them in 1903.  They had 8 children and genealogist Jackie HALTERMAN was a descendant of that line.  Mary Ellen died at age 66 of diabetes and chronic nephritis (inflammation of kidneys).

The HALEY family; photo courtesy of cousin Janin.

The HALEYs; photo courtesy of cousin Herb OTWELL

 

Edith Ann (1875-1955) married Charles PAGE in 1903 and had one daughter.  They remained in Michigan.  She died at age 80.

 

Ila May (1877-1928) married William MCLEOD in 1898.  That marriage didn't last and she immigrated with Jane to Detroit in 1903.  Next, she married George G. YOUNIE.  No children they remained in Detroit. She died at age 51 of chronic nephritis .

 

Victoria Jane (1884-1972) also came to Detroit in 1903.  She married Joseph FREISLEBEN in 1920.  Joseph had a daughter from a previous relationship.  They moved to California.  No additional children.  Victoria was the longest lived of the siblings; she died in 1972 at age 88.

 

 

• It is interesting that 2 brothers died before the age of 50 (William and Edwin). 
• Also interesting that most of the siblings had no children or only one child.  Edwin had 10 while Mary Ellen had 8.
• You may also note that several of the siblings married in 1898 - the year Maurice was committed.



John OTWELL (1866-1941) & descendants

John F. OTWELL
All photo courtesy Herb OTWELL

Edna's Uncle (paternal line)

From an email by cousin Herb OTWELL, 2012:

“He was a 'corker' as my grandmother used to say. He and Vianna lived in the same house with my grandmother and grandfather til both died. My grandfather and an old carpenter built the house in 1933. I sold it when my grandmother died in 1987. It is still standing and people still live in it. My grandmother said John F. would get on the City Bus or street car and ride up town. He would go to the Log Cabin Saloon and drink a couple of beers. Then he would make the trip home with two pails of draft beer, which he would drink while he worked on type writers and adding machines. ...My grandmother said he had a quick temper and would curse a blue streak if something happened he didn't like. Vianna was quiet…. I always wondered how long it took them to make that trip to Canada from Louisiana in the mid 30's. As far as I know they drove but they may have taken the train.”



John Franklin OTWELL
and his nephew John Franklin HALEY
circa 1935

John Franklin OTWELL, born March 1866, was the eldest son of Maurice OTWELL (1845-1915) and Jane ASH (1847-1935). He was named after his grandfather, the elder John Franklin OTWELL (1821-1908). John grew up on the OTWELL Farm near St. Mary’s. 

 

John married Rebecca SAGER on 1 July 1889 in Cherry Grove, Ontario. She was 7 years older than John.

On the 1891 census, John and Rebecca lived in London, Ontario. John’s occupation was farm laborer.

 

On 30 November 1896, John next marries Vianna MURPHREE (1876-1954) in Blount County, Alabama. They had one child named Emmett Dewey.

 


John F., circa 1935

On 19 December 1898, Rebecca filed for divorce in Wayne Co., Michigan on the grounds of desertion. Divorce was finalized 13 October 1899. Rebecca was next found in a 1903, 1904 and 1905 directories living in Detroit, Wayne Co., Michigan. Her occupation was a nurse at St. Luke’s Hospital.

 

John, Vianna and Emmett were found on the 1900 census living in Falkville, Morgan Co., Alabama. On this census, John claims he was born in Ohio. In the 1940 census, John and Vianna were living in Monroe, Ouachita Parish, Louisiana. On this census, John claims he was born in Michigan.

 


John appeared as the informant on the death certificate for his mother Jane ASH-OTWELL in Detroit in 1935.

 

John died 13 November 1941 in Monroe. Birthplace listed was Canada, but his parents are listed as John OTWELL and Mary. He was laid to rest at Riverview Cemetery.

John F. OTWELL

_________________________

Emmett Dewey OTWELL, Sr.

Emmett Dewey OTWELL, Sr. was born 6 May 1898 in Alabama. He married Ludie Mae GODWIN in 1924 and they had one child named Emmett Dewey, Jr. Emmett, Sr. died 18 Feb 1950 in Louisiana and was buried in Mulhearn Memorial Park Cemetery.

More from Herb, 2012: 

"Emmett Sr. grew up in Alabama and served in "Lima" Co. 167th Infantry, 42 Infantry Division "Rainbow Division", Alabama National Guard during WWI. He went to France and Germany and after being overseas for almost 3 years came home."

 “My great grand father repaired typwriters and adding machines. My grand father worked with him. They came to Monroe La. in 1923 and stayed in a rooming house owned by my other great grand mother, Emma Victoria Godwin. He met my grand mother Ludie Mae Godwin and they got married in 1924”

"Emmett went to work for the Monroe Louisiana Fire Department in 1930 and worked there until he was killed in an auto accident in 1951."

 



Herb OTWELL and his grandfather Emmett OTWELL, Sr.

 Herb's daughter Janin, 2017:

"This photo was taken a few weeks at most before Emmett Sr. was killed in a car wreck. My father was always very sad about losing his Grandfather so early. I think because his dad didn't like to spend time with him. The story goes that his grandfather was IN LOVE with his grandson. They lived behind Elva and Emmett Jr.'s house. Elva could see from her house when Emmett Sr. would get home from work. She would immediately get Herbie ready to visit with his grandfather. Emmett Sr. would walk over and get Herbie and sit under a fig tree with him between their two houses. Playing with him and talking to him. That picture in the story was in his wallet when he was killed."

_________________________

 

Emmett Dewey OTWELL, Jr.

Emmett Dewey OTWELL, Jr. was born in 1925 in Louisiana. He enlisted in the military 20 April 1943. He married Elva and they had one child named Herb. Emmett died 21 May 1972 and was buried in Mulhearn Memorial Park Cemetery.

James Albert GODWIN, Ludie Mae and Emmett, Jr.

Herb, 2012:

"My father was a police officer for the City of Monroe as was I. He died in 1972 at the age of 47."

 _________________________

Herb OTWELL was born 23 November 1948 in Monroe, Louisiana. He died 14 January 2016 and was buried in Mulhearn Memorial Park Cemetery. He provided a great deal of information to us on his and his daughter's research and research done by cousins Arlene ROLA and Jackie HALTERMAN. 

Herb OTWELL
Photo from on-line memorial

Jane ASH-OTWELL (1847-1935)

Jane OTWELL, Detroit circa 1935
Photo courtesy Herb OTWELL

Edna OTWELL > Edwin OTWELL > Jane ASH

Jane was born on 13 November 1847 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Her parents were William ASH and Anna Maria MARKS. William had died prior to Jane’s birth. When Jane was 1 years old, Anna Maria married John ATWELL and the blended family moved to a farm near St. Mary’s, West Nissouri, Ontario. Jane appears on the 1851 census under the surname ATWELL. She did not appear on the 1861 census.

At age 17, Jane married her neighbor, 19 year old Maurice OTWELL (1845-1915), on 15 July 1865 in Perth, Ontario. After marriage, they lived with Maurice's parents on the OTWELL Farm near St. Mary's and had at least 7 children (John Franklin, William, Edwin (our ancestor), Mary Ellen HALEY, Edith PAGE, Ila May MCLEOD-YOUNIE and Victoria Jane FREISLEBEN).

After Maurice was committed in 1889 (see previous post), Jane and her children remained in the OTWELL household. Several of the older children married and moved away that year. In 1890, Jane’s mother-in-law, Mary TAYLOR-OTWELL, passed away and the OTWELLs sold the farm and moved to London, Ontario by 1891.

Maurice's father, John Franklin OTWELL, was still patriarch of the family.  By 1903 John had senile dementia.  He was caught stealing and sent to prison.  (You'll have to wait for his upcoming post for the full story.)  Just imagine what Jane and the family went through in such a short period of time - Maurice's insanity, Mary's death, loss of the farm, John Franklin's dementia and imprisonment.

Jane must have wanted a fresh start.  She moved the remaining family to Detroit, Wayne Co., Michigan. (One of her daughters had previously moved there.) She first appears in the 1903 Detroit directory offering furnished rooms for rent. In the 1910 census, her occupation is keeper at a rooming house. Her daughters Ila May MCLEOD and Edith PAGE were also renting there.

Jane never remarried.  Maurice died in 1915.  In the 1920 census, Jane was a retired widow living in her daughter’s, Mary Ellen HALEY’s, household. By 1921, she appears in the Detroit directory living at another location.

Jane died of pneumonia at home on 18 January, 1935 at age 87 years. Her son John OTWELL was the informant on her death certificate. She was laid to rest at Oakview Cemetery, Oakland County, Michigan.  Her obituary mentions that she was the niece of England's late Lord Salisbury, but no further information has been found on that information.

Obit courtesy cousin David H.- from his scrapbook

Visit her on-line memorial:
http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=146344726

Maurice OTWELL (1845-1915)

Edna OTWELL > Edwin OTWELL > Maurice OTWELL

Maurice was born about 1845 in Fayette Co., Kentucky and was the only child of John Franklin OTWELL and Mary H. TAYLOR.  He was also known as Morris.  The family worked a 100 acre plantation in Kentucky and another farm in St. Mary’s, Ontario, Canada.  About 1859, the family immigrated to St. Mary’s when Maurice was 14 years old to avoid the impending U. S. Civil War.

At age 19, Maurice married his neighbor, 17 year old Jane ASH (1847-1935), on 15 July 1865 in Perth, Ontario.  After marriage, they lived on the OTWELL Farm and had at least 7 children (JohnFranklin, William Charles, Edwin James (our ancestor), Mary Ellen HALEY, Edith Ann PAGE, Ila May YOUNIE and Victoria Jane FREISLEBEN)

Maurice and his father, John Franklin, were farmers who grew crops for sale at farmer’s markets in surrounding cities.  Eventually, they began canning the produce and started a cannery at the farm.  The business was named “John F. Otwell & Sons”.  Maurice became a travelling salesman selling canned goods throughout the region.

In 1884, Maurice patented his invention of a match safe (a container to protect matches).

3 January 1884, The Argus, page 3
From St. Mary's Museum

In the late 1880s, Maurice began a campaign to repeal the Scott Act (Canada’s temperance movement).  He would give speeches in the town square and wrote letters to regional newspapers in hopes of publication.  He called this campaign the “Maurice Act” and the speech and letters (1885 and 1889) can be found on-line from the Canadian Archives. 

It has been recorded in medical records that sometime in his 30s, Maurice developed epilepsy.  This was likely caused by a blow to the head.  (Another possible cause of epilepsy this late in life is a brain tumor, but it is unlikely since he lived to age 69.)  Seizures cause scarring typically in the region of the brain that when damaged, can cause schizophrenia.  The “Maurice Act” may indicate that he was self-medicating with liquor to control his seizures.  Soon after that letter written in 1889, he tried to burn the house down and tried to kill his father.  Maurice was found insane and was admitted to St. Mary’s Lunatic Asylum 16 April 1889 at the age of 43.

Dr. Richard BUCK was the superintendent of the asylum between 1877 and 1902.  He favored humanitarian treatment of patients and he attempted to improve their mental health by providing beautiful surroundings and many social activities.  The asylum had a working farm and an amusement hall.  Dr. BUCK limited the hospital’s use of mechanical restraints.  The family did the best for Maurice by placing him here.  There were no drugs at that time to treat his condition or reduce the frequency of seizures.  In the early years, the Asylum used liquor to control patients.  Maurice never improved.

Maurice died 6 Apr 1915 of epilepsy.  He was 69 years old and had spent nearly 26 years in the asylum.  His body was retrieved by the local funeral home Smith, Clark & Sons.  We do not know in which cemetery he was buried.

Visit his on-line memorial.

 

MEDICAL RECORD TRANSCRIPTION

The following is Maurice’s St. Mary’s medical record 1889-1890 (case #2909).  The footnotes designated as, for example, [1] are my research notes. If you want a copy of the original for purposes other than research, contact the Canadian Archives and request it under the freedom of records act. 

-Folio 20-

History: Abt 43 yrs. Married. 7 children. Bk-keeper. U.S.[1] Has been eccentric. Has been insane for years. Says he is going to revolutionize the world and fancies he is going to the sun and that he is annexed to Christ, etc. Is an Epileptic[2] – has threatened himself and attempted to injure others. Fair English education.

Dr. Sinclair- St. Mary’s Certifies: At times very talkative and again melancholy. Makes public speeches and imagines people are envious to hear him altho he talks nonsense. Opposes the Scott Act[3]. Says Maurice Act is better tho there is no such Act. Has a glass case in the post office here where he puts advice for the benefit of the people. Fancies he has business to attend to where he has none. His wife alleges that he set fire to the house and has attempted to kill his father. Got out of bed to get axe to use on someone.

Dr. James J. Hall- St. Mary’s Certifies: Reasoning faculty is disturbed & confused. Frequently he is violently excited and mischievous. Has had Epileptic Fits for 10-12 yrs[4]. Neglects his family.

Admission: Apr 16th 89. He is today admitted to the Asylum clean and alright.

Fit: Apr 18th. Had a severe Epileptic Fit this afternoon.

North Building[5]: Apr 19th. Had another fit this AM and he was very much excited. Attacked Royce (Attendant) violently and tried to choke him when he asked him to go to Hall. He is today sent to North Building. 

Bromides: Apr 23. Has been having fits but has been quiet and well behaved: is today to consume Bromides[6]. 

May 1. Quiet and well behaved most of the time. 

June 1. Rarely excited and only after fits.

Main Building: June 28. Has been well behaved of late and is today sent to Main Building to make room for a worse patient.

Attempted to Elope: July 17. Was sent out to work with the garden gang this afternoon and eloped about the middle of the afternoon but was recaptured by D. ROSS & brought back before he got off the grounds.

Aug 1/89. Very bad tempered of late. He made an attack on attendant because he did not give him his medicine at the time he wanted it. Tore attendant’s shirt.

Aug 5/89. Transferred from 4B to 4 North Building.

Carried forward to next page.

-From Folio 20-

Insinuating to Kill: Aug 30 1889. Yesterday, he wrote to BUCK a letter[7] in which he said he would take the Doctor’s life if he were not liberated by tomorrow evening at six o’clock. This morning he still maintains that he will kill the Doctor unless liberated. The Colleagues and all the attendants have been cautioned to be very careful of this patient while Dr. BUCK is in the hall. 

Secreting Stones: Sep 2. Was found with half a dozen stones in his pockets on coming in from airing court yesterday.

Excited and Breaking Glass: Sept 3. Was excited last night and thru a number of flower pots through a window. Broke 18 panes of glass and two window sash. Said he did it so that the Dr. would notice him: patient afterwards complained bitterly that the attendant, who took him away from the window, hurt him severely. But upon examination, no bruises were apparent. 

Oct 1. Quiet and well behaved since last note.

Nov 1. Attends amusements sometimes and is quiet and well behaved.

Dec 1. Unchanged.

1 Jan 90. Quiet and well behaved but does not improve mentally: good bodily health except fits occasionally

Feb 1. Remains unchanged.

Mar 1. Remains unchanged: thinks at present to be a great orator and wants to give a lecture in the Amusement Hall on Temperance.

Apr 1. Remains unchanged.

Main Building: Dec 1. Has been quiet and well behaved of late and is today sent to Main Building to make room for a worse patient.

Dec 2. Has been very quiet since coming to this building

 Jan 7/91. Unchanged.

 Mar 15. Has been a little excited lately. Has a great scheme of starting a pickling factory here and another in Winnipeg. Will talk by the hour on the subject giving minute reasons for his selection of London & Winnipeg.

Violent: May 7. Struck Att WRIGHT- because he wanted him to run rubber[8].

Aug 5. Has been very quiet and well behaved lately.

1891 Feb 2nd. Is in good bodily health. Improved mentally.

Nov 30. While in a fit today he fell against a radiator and burnt his left hand severely.

Dec 1. Two large blisters on palm of hand show themselves which will likely result in sloughing ulcer. 

-N.B. See page 20 of this case book.-

-Page 201-

1 Jan 1893. His hand is improving under application of bitamic oint[9]. Occasionally has fits. Is unchanged mentally. 

Jan 10. The right side of face is today attacked with Erysipelas[10]. Painted it with Collodion[11].

Jan 14. The erysipelas has involved the whole scalp. He is on Ferri Mur 8th x and Quinine as T every 2 hours[12].

Mar 23. Came up behind an att today with a chair and struck him on the head and arm without provocation. 

Dec 6. Commenced to use today on Sycosis of Face & Head a sol of Soda Hyposulphite 3T/3T frequently mopped on at night to be smeared over with Icthyol oint 388 in 3T of Lanolin.

1894 Jan1. His head is improving slowly under the above tr. Always fanatically inventing. Is quite excited at times. General health fair.

1895 Jan 8. Unchanged

July 11th. He has been very violently and struck and cut a patient badly and sent to North Building today.

1896 Jan 1. In good bodily health; is very delusional, harried, great inventive powers, is getting out patents, etc. Is quarrelsome and lecherous at times.

1897 Jan 1. No particular change mentally or physically; has occasional fits and is wonderful inventive genius, especially with direction of Railway motors, flying machines, etc.

1898 Jan 1. Continues much the same mentally and physically since last noted.

1899 Jan 1. Is very fair bodily health; no change mentally; has epileptic seizures more or less frequently.

1900 Jan 1. No change

1901 Jan 1. No change

1 May 1902. In fair bodily health, is getting more quiet and reserved in manner but still displays his “inventive genius” occasionally. Subject to epileptic fits now and then.

1903. No material change. In Main Building now. N.B.

(That is the end of the medical record.)

 Research Footnotes

[1] To date, no documents have been found to support that he was a book keeper in the US. 

[2] Epileptics had a higher incidence of schizophrenia. At this time, there were no drugs to control the seizures and brain damage occurred that led to schizophrenia. 

[3] The Scott Act was the Canadian temperance act. 

[4] Maurice began having seizures late in life; in his mid 30s. They may have been acquired through a head trauma. 

[5] The hospital segregated the violent patients to the North Building (N.B.) and Maurice spent 2 months in the N.B. after his first attack. Then returned 2 months later (Aug “89) for a 1 year 4 month stay. And again, returned to the N.B. in 1895 through 1903. 

[6] Bromide or potassium bromide is a sedative. Originally, the hospital administered liquor, but by 1887, Dr. BUCK had removed all alcohol in patient treatment. 

[7] There is an asterisk here with a note to “See Fyle”; the letter must have been kept in the file, but it no longer exists according to the Canadian Archives. 

[8] Pulling rubber was an activity designed to keep mentally ill patients calmed and focused. This might have been what they were talking about. 

[9] I could not find a reference to bitamic ointment and think this may have been botanic ointment. 

[10] Erysipelas is a bacterial infection producing large raised red patches on the face and legs. 

[11] Collodion is a flammable solution of pyroxylin (AKA nitrocellulose) in ether & alcohol that was used in treatment of skin infections. 

[12] Likely Muriated Tincture of Iron and Quinine sulfate

Edwin James OTWELL (1871-1920)

Edwin OTWELL, Buffalo 1919

Edna OTWELL-SIM > Edwin J. OTWELL

 Edwin James Otwell was born on October 11, 1871 in St. Mary's, Ontario, Canada.  His parents were Maurice Otwell and Jane Ash.  At the age of ten, his family was living in West Nissouri, Ontario with his father's parents.

Edwin was 18 when his father, Maurice, was admitted into an insane asylum in April 1889.  Maurice spent the rest of his life, about 26 years, at St. Mary's Asylum.  His father had been insane and neglected the family for years.  This had a great impact on the entire family.

In 1891 Edwin was living with his mother and siblings in London, Ontario.  He was 19-years old and a pickle maker.  His Grandfather Otwell owned a cannery and Edwin worked for him.

On March 31, 1892 Edwin Otwell married Mary Jane Charnock in St. Mary's, Perth County, Ontario.  He was 20-years old and a baker; Mary was 18.  In 1892 Edwin and Mary immigrated into the US.  While the majority of Maurice's family moved to Detroit, Michigan, Edwin moved to Buffalo, NY.  We do not know if it was for job opportunities or because some of his wife's siblings also moved to Buffalo.

1902 Buffalo Courier
(Old Fulton NY Postcards)

In 1898 the Otwells lived at 798 Exchange Street, Buffalo.  Two years later he lived at 818 Seneca Street, Buffalo with his wife and four children.  His occupation was day laborer.  In 1902 Edwin was accused of stealing liquor while on the job as an oiler on the Steamer North Land.  He denied this allegation.

The 1904 Buffalo Directory reported Edwin lived at 584 Perry Street and in 1905 he lived at 221 Seymour.  In 1910 he lived at 34 Lord Street, Buffalo with his wife and eight children.  He was a pipe fitter in a ship yard.  In January 1920 he was a rigger in a mill and lived at 33 Lord Street, Buffalo.

We found ten Otwell children.  They were Lillian, Irene, Gertrude, Marian, Harold, Olive, Frederick, twins Edwin Jr. and Edna, and Dorothy.  Marian and Dorothy died at age one.  Edwin was struck by a car and died at age ten.  Edwin's death completely shocked the entire family.

On all the US Census reports, Edwin claimed he was born in Kentucky.  Kentucky was the birth place of his father and grandfather.  Even on his children's census reports they recorded their father as being born in Kentucky.  This was probably done to claim US citizenship when he entered the US in 1892.

Edwin James Otwell died June 2, 1920 at the age of 48.  His cause of death was pernicious anemia (lack of Vitamin B12).  He was buried June 5, 1920 at Ridge Lawn Cemetery, Cheektowaga, NY.

Edwin's Obit, Buffalo Courier
(Old Fulton NY Postcards)

Visit his on-line memorial:
http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=92371106

1902 Buffalo Morning Express
(Old Fulton NY Postcards)