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Dorothy Elford  (1822 ~ 1904)

 

4.4. Fourth child of William Elford and Elizabeth Johns, Dorothy Elford, was born December 19, 1822, in St. Neot, Cornwall, England, U.K.  

  She married William Souch, son of William Souch and Emlyn Dennis, June 25, 1842, in Solina, Darlington Twp., Durham Co., Ontario and had eight children: 

 

 

  Dorothy Elford Souch died December 2, 1904, aged 82 years, and William Souch died December 28, 1904, aged 87 years in Mount Vernon, Darlington Twp., Durham Co., Ontario and are interred at Hampton Union Cemetery.

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----- ANNIVERSARY -----

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GOLDEN WEDDING AND PICNIC

Mr. and Mrs. William Souch

Many years ago, when the township of Darlington was covered with woods and Bowmanville was a small village, Mr. W. Elford and family settled on the farm at Providence now occupied by his youngest son, Mr. John Elford. After the sons and daughters were married it was always the custom for all the family including the grandchildren to return home on Christmas Day and it was always looked forward to as the greatest treat of the year by most of them. At the time of the death of the grandfather and grandmother, who were both buried in the one grave at the same time, the family had increased so much that the house could not hold them all. The family gathering was dropped at that time but three years ago several of the family thought best to meet again in memory of old times, but with the further increase of the family it was impossible to find a house capable of accommodating the crowd so it was decided to hold a picnic in the summer time when house room would not be required so much. This year it was decided to hold it at Mr. William Souch’s about two miles north of Solina on Saturday, June 25. Mrs. Souch is the eldest living daughter of the late Mr. and Mrs. William Elford and as this was the fiftieth year since Mr. and Mrs. Souch were married some of the relatives decided to celebrate their “Golden Wedding” at the same time. On Saturday the company commenced to arrive about 10 a.m. and continued to increase until noon when a load of twenty seven arrived from Bowmanville in a large wagon with four horses attached, nine of the number having come from Toronto by the morning express and one from Detroit.

  Large tables at which seventy could be seated at once had been placed in the yard and were soon filled and refilled until two hundred had been satisfied. Football, baseball, croquet, swings, besides other games were employed most of the time in furnishing amusements for old and young. About 4 o’clock a change in the proceedings was made when Mr. and Mrs. Souch were seated on two chairs with their brothers and sisters on each side of them and the crowd standing around. Mr. William Foley who acted as chairman made a few remarks and then called on Dr. W. E. Tilley, M.A., to read the following address:—

 

DEAR UNCLE and AUNT,

  Assembled as one family on this our re-union day, we are not unmindful of the near approach of the anniversary of your fiftieth wedding day and united we desire to convey to your our sincere congratulations on, what must be to you as it is to us all, the pleasing prospect of your reaching that day with as large a share of health and happiness as usually falls to the lot of those who are privileged to celebrate together their Golden Wedding.

  The half century of your wedded life has been an eventful one in the world’s history, whether viewed from the standpoint of science, education or religion. You have not been uninterested observers of the world’s progress in all that tends to uplift mankind; but, we feel sure, that when looking backward from the Golden mile post, your minds will revert not so much to these things as to the innumerable instances of Divine guidance and blessings that have marked out and hedged your pathway through life.

  In a country with comparatively few advantages, and perhaps fewer demands upon its sparse population in everything but hard plodding work, you joined hands at the bridal alter with hearts light and loving and a purpose consecrated to be mutually helpful to each other. Your motto then was “Remember now thy Creator in the days of they youth, while the evil days come not,” and all along the journey it has been your prayerful endeavour to live up to the injunction “In all thy ways acknowledge him and he shall direct they paths,” and now as you near the end of the journey, you can with confidence and satisfaction read from God’s word “The Lord they God is a merciful God; he will not forsake thee nor forget the covenant of they fathers which he aware unto them.

  Many old and dear friends of former days have passed over to the other side of the valley, and you are to the margin come; may your remaining days be so illumined by the Holy Spirit that you many be ripened and mellowed for that home prepared; and when life’s journey with each of us is ended, may we, one and all, be welcomed to that heavenly kingdom to spend together an eternity of rest, is our earnest prayer.

  As a slight token of the esteem and loving friendship, not only of the many friends around you to day, but of others whose kindly greetings and good wishes, although unheard, mingle with ours on this occasion, and who would gladly be here but for distance, we ask you to accept these presents, and would express the hope that you many long live to enjoy them.

  Mrs. Geo. Munroe and Mrs. Samuel Allin, sisters of the bride, then uncovered a table of which a large Dinner Set and one dozen silver knives and forks had been placed. While they were standing to receive the presentation Mr. C. Rogers and Mr. A. Allin removed the chairs on which they had been sitting and in their place put two fine large arm chairs. After resuming their seats they were again given a pair of gold rimmed spectacles each and in order that their Golden Wedding should be as binding as the first one Mr. Souch was handed a gold ring and asked to place it on the bride’s finger. Mr. and Mrs. Souch each made a very suitable reply thanking all for their kindess. Short speeches were made by Messrs. Wm. Elford, and W. J. Souch, Mr. J. C. Vanstone read letters from Mr. John Hoar, Lindsay; Mr. C. Elford, and Mrs. Norris, Dakota; Mr. W. H. Elford, Carman, Man.; Mr. A. B. Elford, Evanstown, Ill., A. F. Munroe, Detroit; Wm. Elford, Essex; J. H. Willis, Whitby; all conveying congratulations and expressing regret that they could not be present closing with one from Mr. and Mrs. John Elford, Dakota, who sent two five dollar gold pieces which Mr. Vanstone presented to the bride and groom.

  Rev. R. McCullough having just arrived made a short speech followed by Messrs. C. Souch, G. Munroe, J. Joness, W. H. Foley, S. Vanstone, S. Allin, J. E. Souch, Dr. Mitchell, Chas. W. Smith, James Heatlie, A. Hayes, G. Argue, J. Pascoe and the presentation ceremony was brought to close by singing “God be with you till we meet again.”

  When Mr. Heatlie and Mr. Pascoe were asked to speak they said they offered to give a small offering toward the present but the committee refused to take it, as they wished to confine it strictly to the relatives, so they would not be shut out in that way and brought presents of their own one giving Mr. Souch “Golden Slippers” and the other gave Mrs. Souch a silk handkerchief. The following list comprises the heads of most of the families represented besides a few others:

  Messrs. John Elford, S. Souch, John Souch, S. Vanstone, S. Allin, R. H. Souch, J. Wight, J. M. Joness, W. J. Souch, J. C. Vanstone, Dr. Tilley, W. Foley, W. H. Foley, A. C. Allin, F. Souch, Albert Allin, Mrs. Northcote, W. Morrison, F. Morris, Bowmanville; Messrs. Geo. Munroe, R. Munroe, Mrs. Mason, Miss E. E. Elford, Toronto; J. Munroe, Detroit, Mich.; Messrs. F. and T. Western, Mariposa; Mr. J. E. Souch, Newmarket; Messrs. J. Gilbert, J. Pye, Jr., J. Pye, A. Hayes, W. Gilbert, Dr. J. C. Mitchell, and Mrs. T. Elford, Enniskillen; Mr. W. Elford, Hampton; Mr. C. Pearn, Port Perry; C. W. Smith, Esq., Whitby; T. Souch, Mrs. Luxon, Kendall; Jas. Souch, Rev. R. McCulloch, Tyrone; Messrs. C. Souch, Jas. Berry, Orono; Messrs. J. Pascoe, A. Cox, Geo. Argue, W. Werry, Solina; Sam Souch, Jas. Heatlie, Miss Trewilliger, Enfield. Misses Hall, Coleman, and Mr. H. Sanderson.

  After the presentation the tables were again filled and tea served to the large crowd followed by music from organ, violins and the “Comb Band” until dusk when farewells were said and every person returned to his home well pleased with the day’s enjoyment and hoping to meet again. Bowmanville, Statesman, June 29, 1892.

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----- OBITUARY -----

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Mr. and Mrs. W. Souch

Two well-known residents of Darlington recently passed to their reward in the persons of Mr. and Mrs. William Souch. Mrs. Souch whose maiden name was Dorothy Elford, was native of Cornwall, England. She came to Canada with her parents when eight years of age and settled near Providence. After 64 years of happy married life with Mr. William Souch, she died December 2, 1904, at her late residence near Mt. Vernon, aged 82 years. Mr. Souch was born in 1818 at Hartland, Devonshire, and came to Canada in 1832. He was a very industrious honest and faithful citizenand was a Bible Christian local preacher for many years and he and his wife were highly respected. He passed away December 29, 1904, in his 87th year. A family of three sons and four daughters survive—Mr. S. E. Souch, and Mrs. John Gilbert, Bowmanville; Mrs. Charles Pearn, Port Perry; Mr. Jabez J. Souch, Langdon, North Dakota; Mrs. John Pye, Enniskillen, and Miss Eva Souch and Mr. C. W. Souch on the homestead. Bowmanville News, Jan. 12, 1905.

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