Annie Matthew Lawrence
ID # 9342, (1876-1957)
| Father | George Lawrence (1840-1904) |
| Mother | Catherine Jenkins (1845-1923) |
| Birth | Annie Matthew Lawrence was born on 5 March 1876 at Toronto, York Co., Ontario. |
| Death | She died on 2 July 1957 at Great Duck Island, Manitoulin District, at age 81. |
| Burial | She was buried on 5 July 1957 at Greenwood Cemetery, Owen Sound, Grey Co., Ontario. |
| Note | She Birth reg. 036582-76 Toronto, York Co. Annie Matthew Lawrence born 5th March, 1876. Parents George Lawrence, cabinet maker, and Catherine Jenkins. Physician Dr. James Ross. Informant George Lawrence, 247 King St. East. Annie M. Lawrence, age 81, is buried in the family burial plot in Greenwood Cemetery in Owen Sound. This per an index of persons buried therein, with the age of the decedent as well as dates of death and of burial. 1957 is, for the moment, past what is available for death registrations, but it may be safely said that this is Annie M. Lawrence who died on Great Duck Island in 1957. This is confirmed by a family member with reminiscences of the event. Annie never married, but in her youth had a boyfriend who spent some time on Great Duck Island (located off the south coast of Manitoulin Island) and she always wanted to see it. Her sister Ethel was married to Peter Donaldson. In turn, their daughter Jean was married to Cecil Wismer. Cecil spent some time as the assistant lighthouse keeper on Great Duck. And so it happened that in the summer of 1957 Jean was there and so Annie went as well to visit. They all stayed in the lighthouse keeper's house. Came an evening when Annie thought she'd go for a walk. The Wismer family dog went with her. A violent storm came up and Annie never returned. The family was frantic and went out and searched, but couldn't find Annie. Here, the story gets taken up by Orland Wismer who farmed at Silver Water. The family got ahold of the Ontario Provincial Police and the next morning they organized a search party, of which Orland Wismer was a member. The officer had them set out in a line as they moved through the woods. At some point they heard the dog barking. The police officer had the search party circle toward the sound of the barking dog and they found Annie where she had died. The dog never left her. Another family member tells that Annie had sat down under a tree, perhaps to wait out the rain, and simply died there, and that is how she was found. And for anyone who is interested, the dog's name was Mitch. Her remains were taken back to Owen Sound and buried in Greenwood Cemetery. Note: When this was originally written, your researcher showed Annie as visiting with her sister Ethel Marion Lawrence Donaldson. This is wrong. Ethel was deceased by this time. The logic is that Annie was visiting with her niece, Jean Donaldson Wismer. Cecil's mother was there as well. She and Annie may have been more of an age and were probably company for each other. |
| Last Edited | 20 Oct 2023 |