Register entry 256 - William Wesley Fox Member of the 1887 Eastern Media Tour
Visited the Bell Farm on Oct. 5, 1887. During the autumn of 1887, a group of 11 Eastern Canadian newspaper representatives undertook a cross-Canada excursion to inspect and report on agricultural activities throughout the Dominion, including daily attendance at local agricultural fairs, and, at Indian Head, a visit to the famous Bell Farm. For an unknown reason, two of the visitors – William Weld and Professor William Saunders, did not sign, and hence their entries are included in Album 600 – Other Bell Farm Visitors – 1882-2006.
William Wesley Fox (18__-1915) was a reporter with the "Toronto Mail", living at 301 Bathurst in 1883; and at 58 Woolsley in 1886. He was also a photographer and a war correspondent during the North-West Rebellion of 1885.
In the 1891 Canadian Census, William Fox, resident in Toronto, Ontario, was listed as a "photographer". He was then 39 years old (born in 1852 in the United States).
Fox might also have been a member of the Ontario Historical Society, as his death is recorded in the 1916 Annual Report for that organization. He lived at Cochrane, Ontario at that time. That report also mentioned that he was holder of the cross of the Legion of Honour. [This might have been an error, as there was another William Wesley Fox who served in the Canadian military in Europe during World War I.]
SOURCES:
"Montreal Gazette", Oct. 8, 1887 - Spying Out The Land
"Montreal Gazette", Oct. 5, 1887 - List of Eastern Press
1891 Census - photographer - https://www.ancestry.ca/discoveryui-content/view/1214181:1274?indiv=1&tid=&pid=&queryId=d7bffb15783d1b1ed9fbb76fcb8bc302&usePUB=true&_phsrc=Rlg31&_phstart=successSource
"Toronto Mail" reporter, 1884 - https://www.ancestry.ca/imageviewer/collections/3789/images/30819_104085__0005-00209?usePUB=true&_phsrc=Rlg22&_phstart=successSource&usePUBJs=true&pId=1187382
"Toronto Mail" reporter, 1886 - https://www.ancestry.ca/imageviewer/collections/3789/images/30819_104087__0005-00242?usePUB=true&_phsrc=Rlg34&_phstart=successSource&usePUBJs=true&pId=2152391
"Qu'Appelle Progress", Oct. 13, 1887, p. 1 - The Fall Shows - https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=HOg0WoviCygC&dat=18871013&printsec=frontpage&hl=en
Death of William Wesley Fox – Ontario Historical Society Annual Report, 1916, p. 31 - - http://archive.org/stream/reportsofannualm00ontauoft#page/n271/mode/2up
Toronto Directory, 1885, p. 400: “Fox, Wm W. - reporter Mail , bds 301 Bathurst" - http://static.torontopubliclibrary.ca/da/pdfs/tdc1885.pdf
“The Photographic Times”, Vol. 17 - "Mr. W.W. Fox had an exhibit of between 60 and 70 pictures, including views of the recent north-west rebellion, pictures from the West Indies and Gulf of Mexico, scenes from lonely Labrador, and others from amongst the ice and Eskimo of Hudson's Bay. One of his groups, a party of Indians, took first prize."
“The Oswego Daily Times Express”, Friday evening, April 10, 1885 - "Mr. Fox, war correspondent of the Toronto Mail, accidentally shot Lieut. Morrow,10th Royal Rifles. The wound is dangerous, and Mr. Fox is prostrated with remorse. The accident occurred on the Canadian Pacific Railway."
“Winnipeg Free Press”, June 24, 1885 - "Lieut. Morrow, shot by Fox, the newspaper correspondent, is about on crutches"
Lieut Morrow shooting - pg 124 - http://archive.org/stream/historyof10throy00chamuoft#page/124/mode/2up
Lieut. Morrow shooting - pg 75 - http://archive.org/stream/royalgrenadiersr00chamuoft#page/74/mode/2up
Lieut. Morrow Shooting - “The Canadian Illustrated War News" “Lieut. Morrow: Royal Grenadiers" - April 25, 1885, p. 9; sketch of Morrow on p. 4
Winnipeg Free Press: Eastern Canada”- April 13, 1885
RESEARCH BY:
Michelle Cabana, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan and Frank Korvemaker, Regina, Sask.