MILITARY HISTORY
PRIVATE NORMAN MITCHELL BOLTON – No. 3057103 – Active Service (World War I)
On March 6th, 1918, Norman Mitchell Bolton was drafted under the Military services act for the Canadian Active Service Force (CASF) at Kingston, Ontario.
He was 24 years old when, as unmarried man, he was taken on strength for the duration of the War. Norman was born in Burleigh Falls, Ontario and gave his birthdate as July 28th, 1893. He listed his present address Burleigh Falls, Ontario. His next of kin was Fred Bolton (father) of Burleigh Falls Ontario.
Norman indicated that he had no previous Military experience and he had not served in an Active Formation or Unit of The Canadian Army. He was taken on strength with the 1st Depot battalion E.O. regiment.
Norman indicated he had previously worked as a farmer. He was described as standing 5 feet 10 inches with dark complexion and hazel eyes and dark brown hair. He was trained in Kingston Ontario and England.
Private Bolton was sent to England with the 1st Depot Battalion and arrived in England on August 15th, 1918 on board the HMS Bellerophon.
In England he was transferred to the 6th Canadian (reserve) regiment for training. Private Bolton had not completed training by the end of the war and was never sent to France.
On October 23rd, 1918, Private Bolton was admitted to hospital with Spanish flu. He was released from hospital on December 14th, 1918. He returned to Canada on July 19th, 1919 and was discharged from service. He had served 122 days in England and no time in active combat.
He died on June 9th, 1975.
PERSONAL HISTORY
NORMAN MITCHELL BOLTON
Norman Mitchell Bolton was born on a farm near Big Cedar, Ontario on July 28, 1893, the oldest son of Margaret Matilda Stone and Frederick Bolton. He received his education in the local schools and later worked as a farm labourer and carpenter. During the great War, Norman took all his savings from farm work, carpentry work and prairie harvest excursions to make a down payment on his uncle William Bolton’s farm and to buy livestock and machinery. In March of 1918, when Norman went to Kingston and enlisted to serve his King and Country, he had to leave his farm in the care of his fifteen year old brother. Some of the livestock died and crops failed so times were tough by the time he returned home from England in July 1919.
On October 29, 1919, Norman married Isabella May “Bella” Darling in St. John the Baptist Anglican Church in Lakefield. She was born on November 6, 1889, the daughter of Margaret Elizabeth Middleton and Francis “Frank” Robert Darling. Norman realized that the income from the farm would not support a family so he took on extra carpentry work, built many barns, houses and cottages in the area and was one of the first distributors of metal roofing. Norman and Bella had a family of six children – Harold Edward, Isabelle Frances, Orval Glenn, Everett Francis, Milford Frederick and Doris Annabelle Bolton.
Norman embraced new inventions that made life easier and he became a distributor for electric water pumps once hydro was available in the area and installed water systems in barns and plumbing in homes and cottages. The family eventually moved to a farm closer to Stoney Lake but kept cattle on their original farm. Norman had a sawmill and planing mill on the new property so he could provide most of the materials required for his carpentry constructions. Norman was a tax assessor and census enumerator. He was elected to the township council and was chairman of the local school board as well as church warden for many years.
Hunting and fishing provided food for the family and a fishing trip meant cutting a pole, attaching a line and hook baited with worms and fishing from his camp on Big Cedar Lake. Deer hunting season in the fall was the time to enjoy getting into the woods and providing venison for the family. Norman didn’t belong to the Lakefield Legion as it was too far for him to attend frequently, but he often said how bleak Christmas would have been some years without the hamper and gifts for his children.
Norman was an advocate of formal education in schools and self education. He believed that women should be educated so they could support themselves. He paid for room and board so his daughters could attend high school in Lakefield and later nursing and secretarial schools in Peterborough. When his third son, Everett was ready to go to high school, Norman built a small house for his mother near the school so Everett could live with her and attend school. (Dr. Everett Bolton became a research scientist at the Harrow Research Station and was the National Director of the Agricultural Institute of Canada). Norman liked to give his grandchildren advice and his most frequent phrase was, “If you get a chance to learn something, pay attention because you never know when it will come in handy!”
Norman enjoyed reading and had a large collection of books. History was his favourite subject and he had an amazing memory for dates, names of battles and the politicians, monarch, and other people involved in these events. Music was an important part of his life. He learned to play the fiddle at an early age and encouraged his children to learn to play music. The family band played for many dances at pavilions around Stoney Lake with Doris on the piano and his sons playing the fiddle or guitar. His brothers or friends would bring their instruments when they came for a visit and music was always part of an evening’s entertainment.
Norman passed away on June 9, 1975 and Bella died on October 2, 1976; both are buried in the Hillside Cemetery in Lakefield, Ontario.
FAMILY HISTORY OF NORMAN MITCHELL BOLTON
The paternal great-grandparents of Norman Mitchell Bolton were George Bolton born in 1800 and Elizabeth Hiscox born in 1800. They married in 1820 and had a family of eleven children. George passed away in 1883 and Elizabeth died in 1886; both are buried in the Christ Church Cemetery in Lakefield.
The paternal grandparents of Norman Mitchell Bolton were Matilda Staples born on February 18, 1839 and Thomas Bolton born on November 24, 1834. They were married in the Wesleyan Church on December 21, 1859. They made their home in Lakefield and had a family of ten children. Sadly Matilda passed away on January 18, 1882, age 42 years and is buried in Christ Church Cemetery, Lakefield. Tom spent his working days at the Cavendish Lumber Mill keeping the saw blades sharpened. Tom married Jane Watson, daughter of Rebecca Coulthard and Isaac Watson, in Peterborough on November 14, 1882. He worked at the mill right up until his death on January 29, 1892, age 57 years and is buried in the Hillside Cemetery, Lakefield, ON. Jane would later marry John William Madill in Lakefield on January 11, 1893.
The maternal grandparents of Norman Mitchell Bolton were Matilda Mathews born on June 10, 1840 and John “Jack” Stone born on August 27, 1823. They were married on December 21, 1855 in Dummer Township. They made their home in Burleigh Township and had a family of eleven children. Jack farmed in the Burleigh area. John passed away on October 27, 1910 and Matilda died on March 26, 1911; they are buried in Burleigh Township, Peterborough County, ON.
The parents of Norman Mitchell Bolton were Margaret Matilda Staples born in September 1871 and Frederick Bolton born on March 20, 1868. They were married on April 27, 1892 in St. John the Baptist Anglican Church in Lakefield. They made their home in Burleigh Township and had a family of ten children – Norman Mitchell, William “Alfred” James, Florence, Reginald Harold, Wilford Arthur, Chloe Adeline, Percy Clarence, Albert Edward, Daisy Iola and Charlotte “Lottie Geraldine Bolton. Fred passed away on December 15, 1939 and Margaret died on April 16, 1968; both are buried in the Hillside Cemetery in Lakefield, ON.
