William Edward Atkinson (1872 - 1916)

Born Dec 1872 in Ailsa Craig, North Middlesex, Middlesex, Ontario, Canada

Ancestors

Husband of Margaret (Ford) Atkinson — married 10 Aug 1892 in Middlesex, Ontario, Canada

Descendants

Died 14 Nov 1916 at age 43 in Chicago, Cook, Illinois, United States

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Biography

William was born in 1872. He was the son of Frank Atkinson and Rebecca Symons. He passed away in 1916.

In about 1914, my grandfather died... When I researched his death it beomes apparent that he was murdered by hoodlums. The family story is that he was accosted by hoodlums who attempted to extort protection money from him and he refused to comply. He was severely beaten, returned home on a trolley and collapsed in the street as he deboarded. Hospitalized, he died four days later of extreme external violence. A coroner's inquest was held but it did not identify any details of the incident and it was recorded that he fell at work but we know this not to be factual. Family members observed the hoodlums but were fearful and they feared telling the truth. His widow was left with a large family and no assets and the family seemed to try and "disappear into society." Some changed their names, and most left home at an early age. Twin sons died of influenza at about the same time as their father's death. When all of the children were established, his wife, Margaret returned to Ontario Canada and died in 1948 living with a lady that she had known her whole life... Courtesy of Bill Banbury

Sources

• Ancestry.com, Brown/Stubbs Family Tree, virtuelake
• Ontario Marriages, 1869-1927, William Edwin Atkinson, Marriage, 10 Aug 1892, East Williams, Middlesex, Ontario, Canada, Male, age 10, b 1872. Father: Frank Atkinson. Mother: Rebecca Atkinson. Spouse: Margaret Ford, female, age 24., b 1868. Parents: George and Margaret Ford