John Sidney Aylsworth

  General Notes:

IN MEMORIAM - John Sidney Aylesworth was born May 21st, 1846, on a farm one mile from Odessa, being the youngest son in a family of eleven children. Their parents were of U. E. Loyalist descent, being Robert Aylesworth and Hannah Fraser. John received his early education at Odessa Academy, and was a clever student.

At the age of twenty he attended the School of Military Instruction, Kingston, receiving his certificates in 1866. He recruited a company in that year to assist in quelling the Fenian Raid. For this he was granted script for 166 acres in New Ontario, but he failed to claim the land.

His great life work, and the one he was most fitted for, was that of Civil engineering. He qualified in Toronto and joined the Ontario land Surveyors’ Association on January 7th, 1871, and for forty-six years he worked as such. He was Drainage Engineer for some three or four townships in Lennox at different times and did a great deal of private work. No one came to him for help or advice that it was not given freely.

He was a Liberal in politics, and a Methodist in religion. A strong, quiet, able man, who will be greatly missed in the home and community. His brothers, sisters and wife predeceased him by several years. There are left to mourn his loss, two daughters, Mrs. Schuyler Windover, Kingston, and Mrs. J. W. Humphrey, at home. Also one grandchild, Mrs. Kenneth Brebner, Newark, New Jersey.

He fell asleep on January 17th, 1928 and his funeral services were held from his late residence in Richmond, to Selby United church, the Rev. Mr. Batstone officiating.

There is no flock, however watched and tended

But one dead lamb is there;

There is no fireside, howso’er defended,

But has one vacant chair. ¹