1004 SPECIAL EDITION THE TIMES TRAVELLER by BARNEY MOORHOUSE For Reproduction Rights call Access 1.800.893.5777
WILLIAM PATTISON 1878-1911 A SPECIAL MEMORIAL
The June edition of the North Hastings Advertiser published the following report from St. Ola:
The community was greatly shocked at the news of the terrific calamity at The Ridge in which Mr. Patterson (Pattison) and the two Bird children lost their lives by fire. The heroism of the late Mr. Patterson is deserving of some tangible recognition in the form of a fitting memorial. We are sure that all friends and acquaintances would gladly contribute to the erection of a suitable monument in the memory of the man who in attempting to save life lost his own.
And so, the Biblical theme – “Greater love hath no man than this; that he lay down his life for his friends,” celebrated William Pattison’s heroic efforts.
A True Hero Buried At Zion The Ridge Cemetery
Some 40 people attended this service. It was a sunshiny, bluebird sky type of day with sufficient wind to keep the flies at bay. Purple and white lilacs filled the church with their aromic fragrance.
Layne Moore welcomed all to this, the first memorial for William Pattison. Some Ridge History
The first settlers on The Ridge were Henry Bird and his brother-in-law John Stanley. They were hunters and trappers. (Bird’s Creek was named after Henry Bird.) They shot deer and sold them for $1.00 a piece to the lumber camps, miners and railroad men. Henry built a log cabin at The Ridge in Lake Township and his barn on Lot 21 Concession 1 in Wollaston.
Henry married Mary Jane Read and they raised a family. Their son, Bill Bird, stayed on the homestead and farmed, eventually marrying Lizzie Pattison. They built a house where the Herb Moore house stands to-day. Bill and Lizzie had three boys – Clifford, Freddy and Clayton.
Layne Moore heard the following account of what happened from his grandfather Herb Moore.
Bill Bird had a stallion and he travelled throughout the countryside with this stallion. On one such occasion he was away so William Pattison was on hand to help his sister Lizzie with the chores. On the morning of May 26, 1911, William Pattison and Lizzie Bird were at the barn doing their morning chores, milking the cows, when they discovered that the house was on fire.
William entered the house through a window prompting Layne Moore to speculate that the fire had blocked off the doors. Pattison found the eldest boy, Clifford, and passed him out the window to Lizzie and returned for the two brothers.
“Lizzie said that she could see William walking towards the window with a boy under each arm.”
But, before they could make good their escape, all three disappeared from sight, never to be seen alive again. Whether they were overcome by smoke or the floor gave way is not known. In the meantime, tragically, mother Lizzie and son Clifford witnessed this, all alone, for noone else knew of the fire. How they must have felt watching brothers and sons perish before their eyes.
Coroner P.G. Brown recorded “Burned to Death” on all three death certificates.
Contributions from this service were dedicated to the Wollaston Fire Department in memory of William Pattison. Following the service the congregation sang “Mine Eyes Have Seen The Glory” while proceeding outside to lay a wreath at the gravesite of William and his nephews Fredrick and Clayton. (From the notes of Layne Moore.)
Photos – William Pattison – courtesy of Helen (Bird) McCormack, daughter of Clifford; Allen Bird, great grandson of William & Lizzie; grandson of Clifford, the boy rescued by William Pattison from the fire – at the graveside.