Thomas Charles Longboat (1887 - 1949)

Born 4 Jun 1887 in Six Nations Reserve, Brantford, Ontario, Canada

Ancestors

Husband of Lauretta Maracle — married 28 Dec 1908 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Died 9 Jan 1949 at age 61 in Six Nations Reserve, Brantford, Ontario, Canada

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Biography

Tom Longboat is Notable.

Tom Longboat was a Canadian First Peoples .

Tom Longboat served in the Canadian Expeditionary Force in World War I
Service started:
Unit(s): 107th Pioneer Battalion
Service ended:

Tom Longboat is/was a significant Ontarian .

Thomas Charles Longboat (Cogwagee), an Onondaga, was a distance runner and for most of his career, the dominant long-distance runner of his time. He was one of the most celebrated athletes of the early 20th century and his achievements have inspired generations of athletes. ^[1]

Thomas was born 4 June 1887 at the Six Nations Reserve, Brantford, Ontario, to George Longboat, a farmer, and Elizabeth Skie.^[2] He had an older sister, Lucy, and a younger brother, Simon.^[3][4]

When Tom was 12 years old, he was enrolled at the Mohawk Institute Residential School, a requirement under the Indian Act at that time. There he was pressured to give up his Onondaga beliefs and language in favor of Christianity and English. As one might imagine, Tom hated it there. He made one unsuccessful escape attempt, then tried again and made it to the home of his uncle, who agreed to hide him. After he became famous, Tom was invited to speak at the Institute but refused, saying, "I wouldn't even send my dog to that place."

Tom first sport was lacrosse. He subsequently became a runner. His first race occurred in 1905 for the Victoria Day race in Ontario. His first big victory was in 1906, in the Around the Bay Road Race in Hamilton, Ontario. He won by three minutes. The following year, Tom won the Boston Marathon four minutes and 59 seconds faster than the previous ten winners. After winning the race, a celebration for Longboat was held in Toronto, with an estimated 200,000 people in attendance. At the time, North America was in the midst of a “marathon craze.” Not long after the race, he became a household name across the continent and overseas.

He was a leader in establishing marathon running as an international sport and won many marathons in record-breaking times, beating competitors from all over the world. He participated in the 1908 Olympic games. Tom is known for following a training method that was decades ahead of its time. His training schedule alternated between intense workouts, lighter training days, and recovery periods.

From an article in the Wilkes-Barre Times-Leader, Pennsylvania: "Objections by Bishop Sweatman to Longboat's marriage having been swept aside by proof that his baptism in Christianity was orthodox, the wedding ceremony took place in the Church of the Accession at 7 o'clock last night. There were present: Rev. A.H. Croegan, the officiating clergyman: Miss Lauretta Maracle, bride;^[5] Miss Essie Clause, of Albany, N.Y bridesmaid; Thomas Longboat, groom Andrew Maracle, Deseronto, brother of the bride; Bert Maracle, Deseronto, nephew of the bride; Miss Hill, of the Tyendinaga Reserve, a friend of Miss Maracle; Tom Flannagan, manager of the groom and best man." ^[6] At the time of the First World War, Tom and Lauretta lived in Caledonia, Ontario.^[7]

In February 1916, he enlisted in the Canadian Armed Forces for service in World War I. He first joined with the 180th (Sportsmen’s) Battalion, which recruited athlete volunteers. He later served with the 107th (Timber Wolf) Battalion, serving as a dispatch carrier along the Western Front in France and Belgium. A messenger's role involved significant danger. He was incorrectly reported dead at least twice. Initial reports incorrectly stated that he was killed on 2 October 1917. He was twice wounded in action.

After he was mistakenly declared dead, Lauretta remarried. Tom then married Martha Silversmith, with whom he had four children. Sadly their five-year-old son Clifford died in a motor accident in 1932.^[8] Tom died of pneumonia 9 January 1949.^[9] He is buried in Six Nations, Brant County Municipality, Ontario, Canada.^[10]

Highlighted Awards and Recognitions

• He is recognized as a Canadian National Historic Person. ^[11]
• A Google Doodle honoring him was used on his 131st birthday. ^[12]
• June 4th in Canada is known as "Tom Longboat Day". ^[13]
• On his birthday in 2022, he was highlighted in a heritage minute feature. ^[14] The video clip can be found here: [Tom Longboat video]
• In 1951, the Tom Longboat Awards were established in Longboat’s honor. Every year, the Aboriginal Sport Circle presents this award to a female and male Indigenous athlete who demonstrates excellence in sport.
• He was inducted as part of the inaugural class of Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame in 1955, and into the Ontario Sports Hall of Fame in 1996.
• In 2000, Canada Post issued a commemorative stamp for its Millennium Collection.
• Each year, a run is organized by members of the Longboat family and hosted in Six Nations to commemorate Tom Longboat Day.

Sources

1. ↑ https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/tom-longboat
2. ↑ "Ontario Marriages, 1869-1927," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KSZJ-ST7 : 10 April 2015), Thomas Longboat and Lauretta Maracle, 28 Dec 1908; citing registration , Toronto, York, Ontario, Canada, Archives of Ontario, Toronto; FHL microfilm 1,871,870.
3. ↑ Census of Canada 1891
4. ↑ Census of Canada 1901
5. ↑ "Ontario Marriages, 1869-1927," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KSZJ-ST7 : 10 April 2015), Thomas Longboat and Lauretta Maracle, 28 Dec 1908; citing registration , Toronto, York, Ontario, Canada, Archives of Ontario, Toronto; FHL microfilm 1,871,870.
6. ↑ Article in the Wilkes-Barre Times-Leader, Pennsylvania – Tues., December 29, 1908
7. ↑ Library and Archives Canada, Soldiers of the First World War, 862805
8. ↑ "Ontario Deaths, 1869-1937 and Overseas Deaths, 1939-1947," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:JJH5-PMQ : 11 December 2014), Clifford Longboat, 10 Sep 1932; citing Toronto, York, Ontario, Canada, 6107, Archives of Ontario, Toronto; FHL microfilm 2,367,811.
9. ↑ Wikipedia: Tom Longboat
10. ↑ Burial: "Canada, Find a Grave Index, 1600s-Current"
    URL: Find A Grave: Memorial #20628855
    Ancestry Record 60527 #6244 (accessed 8 November 2022)
    Thomas Charles Longboat burial (died on 9 Jan 1949) in Six Nations, Brant County Municipality, Ontario, Canada.
11. ↑ https://www.pc.gc.ca/apps/dfhd/page_nhs_eng.aspx?id=1163
12. ↑ https://www.google.com/doodles/tom-longboats-131st-birthday
13. ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/20161203134500/http://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/lo/tom-longboat-1.html
14. ↑ https://www.brantfordexpositor.ca/sports/local-sports/heritage-minute-features-longboat

• Ancestry.com. 1921 Census of Canada [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2013. Original data: Library and Archives Canada. Sixth Census of Canada, 1921. Ottawa, Ontario, Canada: Library and Archives Canada, 2013. Series RG31. Statistics Canada Fonds. (Ancestry.com link)
• Tom's FindAGrave memorial

See also:

• Wikipedia: Tom Longboat
• Wikidata: Item Q2439830, en:Wikipedia
• http://www.tomlongboat.ca/history.html