James Frederick Presley

Other Events and Attributes:

• _FGLINK: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/157678513
• _FGRAVE: 157678513

Notes:

Died:
The Almonte Gazette
Almonte, Ontario, Canada
Thursday, March 4, 1943, p. 1

HELPED TO FOUND TOWN OF COBALT

Fred Presley Was Postmaster And Pioneer Store Keeper In Silver Centre

James Frederick Presley, who died on Friday, Feb. 26th, was widely known throughout the province as one of the early pioneers and founders of the town of Cobalt.
Born at Ashton, Ont., in 1870, son of the late William Presley and his wife, Catharine Whyte, settlers from Ireland, the deceased served as clerk and lumber scaler for Shepherd and Morris and Gillies Ltd., in many of their camps on the Upper Ottawa [River] and in Temiskaming County.
It was while acting for the Gillies Company, that Mr. Presley was on the ground floor within a few miles of the original discovery, at the moment the rich silver find was made.
He opened one of the first general stores of the mileage post on the T. & N.O. [Temiskaming & Northern Ontario Railway] that afterward became the town of Cobalt, and watched the wild stampede of a boom town grow about him. His general store was located on the square at Cobalt above the railway station. Mr. Presley was appointed Cobalt's first postmaster in 1904, a position he held until ill health forced his retirement in 1918. Then he left the north country and purchased a farm on the outskirts of Almonte, where he lived until two years ago, when he moved to town.
He was twice married. His first wife, Isabella M. Drummond of Ashton, predeceased him in 1924.
His second wife, the former Mary Ann McDonald of North Temiskaming, survives, in addition to three daughters and three sons, namely: (Muriel) Mrs. E. Thompson of Ottawa; (Winnifred) Mrs. R. Wallace of Alliston, Ont.; (Hazel) Mrs. J. A. Garrett of Brockville; Lorne of Brantford; Raeburn of Finch and Cecil at home. Of his own immediate family, one brother survives, William Presley of Toronto.
The funeral took place on Monday afternoon from the Comba Funeral Home, Church street, at 2.30 p.m., to the Auld Kirk Cemetery. Service was conducted by Rev. W. J. Scott of Bethany United Church. Pallbearers were Lester Jamieson, Ernest H. Robertson, Wm. Andrews, Stuart Whyte, Greig Presley and N. S. Lee.
Among the floral tributes were wreaths from the employees of the Brant Hotel, Brantford; P. A. Schultis, Brantford; and the staff of the Ontario Hospital, Brockville.

James married Mary Ann McDonald on 13 Apr 1925 in Cobalt, Timiskaming District, Ontario, Canada. Mary was born in 1887; and died. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

James married Isabella Mary "Bella" Drummond on 8 Aug 1900 in Ashton, Goulbourn Township, Carleton County, Ontario, Canada. Isabella (daughter of Malcolm Drummond and Elizabeth McLinton) was born on 15 Sep 1874 in Ashton, Goulbourn Township, Carleton County, Ontario, Canada; died on 11 Aug 1924 in Elizabethtown, Leeds and Grenville United Counties, Ontario, Canada; was buried in Auld Kirk Cemetery, Ramsay, Mississippi Mills, Lanark County, Ontario, Canada. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. Lorne Frederick Presley was born on 9 Mar 1903 in Buck Township, Nipissing District, Ontario, Canada; died on 18 Apr 1979; was buried in Mount Pleasant Cemetery, Toronto, Toronto Municipality, Ontario, Canada.
2. James Earl Presley was born on 12 Dec 1905 in Goulbourn Township, Carleton County, Ontario, Canada; and died.
3. William Rayburn Presley was born on 15 Apr 1907 in Cobalt, Nipissing District, Ontario, Canada; and died.
4. Cecil Presley was born in Jul 1909 in Ontario, Canada; and died.
5. Muriel Edith Presley was born on 20 May 1911 in Cobalt, Timiskaming District, Ontario, Canada; died on 24 Aug 1961 in Ottawa, Ottawa Municipality, Ontario, Canada; was buried in Auld Kirk Cemetery, Ramsay, Mississippi Mills, Lanark County, Ontario, Canada.

Other Events and Attributes:

• _FGLINK: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/79131100
• _FGRAVE: 79131100

William married Mary Catharine Whyte in 1870. Mary was born on 28 Jan 1851 in Ontario, Canada; died on 12 Mar 1912 in Ontario, Canada; was buried in Dewar Cemetery, Beckwith Township, Lanark County, Ontario, Canada. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Name: Mary Catharine Whyte
• _FGLINK: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/136376389
• _FGRAVE: 136376389