Who was the father?

[Ken S.]

Interesting story about the remains of a Canadian girl who died in London in 1917 being identified. Unfortunately they are a little vague about the father, who was serving in the war and died a short time later.

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/new-brunswick/sto...#socialcomments

[regimentalrogue]

The 1911 Canadian census shows the Fowler family living in Sussex, New Brunswick. The daughter's initial is incorrectly transcribed as "E" rather than "G"; the scanned page image does look like a "G".

Fowler Geo W Head Feb 1862 49

Fowler Ethyl G Wife Feb 1876 35

Fowler E Winifred Daughter Jun 1898 12

Fowler Eric McLeod Son Dec 1900 10

Fowler Cedric ?coles Son Mar 1905 6

The Canadian Virtual War memorial lists 19 soldiers named Fowler who died after 1 Jan 1917. Of these only one is named George, but he was only 22 years old, so he's not the father.

From the Soldiers of the First World War database:

Name: FOWLER, GEORGE WILLIAM

Rank: LCL

Reference: RG 150, Accession 1992-93/166, Box 3246 - 52

Date of Birth: 24/02/1861

Attestation paper - http://data2.archives.ca/cef/gpc004/333062a.gif

Lieut-Col Fowler was from Sussex, New Brunswick. Born in 1861, he's certainly old enough to have a daughter in her late teens in 1917.

Note the census gives a year of birth for George as 1862, but his attestation paper says 1861.

Now, is this him? Right place of birth, about the right age (b. 1859). Birthdate given is the same day, different year.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_William_Fowler

George William Fowler (February 24, 1859 – September 2, 1924) was a lawyer and political figure in New Brunswick, Canada. He represented King's County in the Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick from 1895 to 1899 and King's then King's and Albert in the Canadian House of Commons from 1900 to 1908 and 1911 to 1917 as a Conservative member. Fowler went on to represent Kings and Albert division in the Senate of Canada from 1917 to 1924.

He was born in Hammond Vale, New Brunswick and was educated in Saint John, at Dalhousie University and at Boston University. Fowler was admitted to the New Brunswick bar in 1884. He served on the council for King's County from 1886 to 1890 and served as warden in 1889. Fowler was Grand Master for the Orange Lodge in New Brunswick from 1890 to 1893.

After the Conservatives were accused in the House of improprieties by a Liberal member, Fowler responded:

I shall allow no man to make an attack on me or my character without retorting. I shall discuss the character of honourable Members opposite, whether they be ministers or private members, and their connection with women, wine and graft.

[1]

He was defeated in a bid for reelection to the federal seat in 1908. Fowler was a lieutenant-colonel in the Canadian Expeditionary Force during World War I. He died in office in 1924.

[Ken S.]

Yes, indeed it is him; I googled his name and came across a query posted on a message board several years ago:

http://www.new-brunswick.net/new-brunswick...hive3-2007.html

[Guest MickeyMacks]

Yes, indeed it is him; I googled his name and came across a query posted on a message board several years ago:

http://www.new-brunswick.net/new-brunswick...hive3-2007.html

I'm a reporter in the area from which George William Fowler and his daughter Gladys originated. I wrote the original article on the mystery which was published in the Kings County Record May 26. Here is a link - there is more information on the military and Loyalist history than appears in the articles written by CBC and the Canadian Press once they picked up on my article.

http://kingscorecord.canadaeast.com/friend.../article/678542

I am currently researching George's son Eric McLeod Fowler (sometimes spelled as MacLeod), who was born in 1900 according to census records but gave his birth date as Dec. 3, 1897 on his attestation papers, making his apparent age 18. He joined the 104th Over Seas Battalion of the Canadian Expeditionary Force Oct. 5, 1915 at Thorncliffe, Kent. His father signed the papers as his commanding officer.

He indicated on his form that he served in the 137th N Ashbury Cadet Corps. (Am wondering if I'm reading the handwriting correctly - N could be No or W, Corps looks like Corks). I'm looking for information on what happened to Eric after he signed up in October 1916 - I have reason to believe he has living descendants!

[ian turner]

MM - good luck with your research.

Just to correct - it is SHORNCLIFFE in Kent - a large army camp near Cheriton and Folkestone where indeed Canadians were stationed.

As to the Cadet Corps - His "N" and "W" are not like the letter(s) after 137th - might be "The" Ashbury Cadet Corps?

[auchonvillerssomme]

Hold on I'm confused. She wasn't unidentified she was in the cemetery register and who has decided she was missing...missing from where?

Mick

[ian turner]

Don't think anyone is saying missing, just that it is a mystery as to why her remains were not repatriated to Canada.

[avidgenie]

I think you might find that the other son Cedric W. Fowler, born in 1905, has descendants. I don't know for certain but there is a Cedric W. Fowler born in Canada in the 1930 US Census living at New York. His estimated age is out by two years, though. His wife's name is listed as Eleanor. I wonder if Cedric's middle name is family name Weeden? I found one reference to a Cecil Weeden Fowler with a wife named Eleanor Woolley at Google.

Son Eric arrived back in Canada on the Aquitania in November 1918. He died in Toronto in 1930 and his death registration states that he was married but it did not give his wife's name.

[Ken S.]

He indicated on his form that he served in the 137th N Ashbury Cadet Corps. (Am wondering if I'm reading the handwriting correctly - N could be No or W, Corps looks like Corks). I'm looking for information on what happened to Eric after he signed up in October 1916 - I have reason to believe he has living descendants!

I happened to pick up a book about the college a few years back "A Character of its Own". There's not much on the cadet corps, aside from a few pictures (1909 & 1918) and a few passing remarks. I would agree that the "N" is really a "The" as suggested in another post. There is a group picture from 1915, with a "Fowler" standing in the front row. Perhaps the younger brother?

There is an entry in the "Ashburians on Active Service" list that reads:

Fowler,E.M.'01 Lieutenant,C.E.F.