The Fifth Child of George W. Baker & Ann Cole:

George William Baker

George William was born August 30, 1824, baptized in Swaffham, Norfolk, England. He married Catherine Ann Cory on October 1, 1851 at Wellington, Prince Edward County: "Baker, George William, Jr., of Hamilton, third son of Captain George W. Baker of Bytown, late Royal Artillery, to Catherine Ann, eldest daughter of Benjamin Sayre Cory, M.D. of Wellington, by Rev. R.G. Cox, Oct. 1st at Wellington, Prince Edward County". (Canada Christian Advocate Methodist Marriage Notices).

Mrs. T. C. Mewburn with mother and sisters (Archives of Ontario)

This portrait is also entitled, "Portrait of a Mother and five daughters." From left to right, Mrs. Albert Tuttle Chapman (Frances Harriet or Fanny) (1840-1922), Mrs. James Richard Thomson (Catherine Ann or Kate) (1830-1896), Mrs. Francis E. Kilvert (Nancy Young) (1838-1921), Mrs. Dr. Benjamin Cory (Frances) (1807-1891), Mrs. Joel Littleton Stewart (Sarah Isabella) (1852- 1933), Mrs. Thomas Chilton Mewburn (Rachel Amanda) (1834-1917).

Catherine was a sister to Amanda Cory, who married Sydney Bathurst Baker.

Dr. Benjamin Sayre Cory had a sister, Rebecca Cory, (1798-1884) who married Dr. Pitkin Gross, a highly skilled surgeon known for his ingenuity in performing operations when the proper instruments were unavailable. Dr. Gross was appointed surgeon to the 2nd Regiment Prince Edward Militia, 1822 and he died at the age of 82 in September, 1873. It is also interesting to note that one of Dr. Benjamin Cory's ancestors was Sir Francis Drake. Dr. Benjamin Cory died in December, 1885 and his wife Fanny died April 17, 1891.

George and Catherine had one child, a daughter, Fanny Cole Baker, who was born November 30, 1852, and baptized at the Church of the Ascension, Hamilton, Ontario, on Feb. 4, 1853. Sadly, the only child of George William Baker and his wife Catherine, died as an infant. Her death was reported as follows: "At Hamilton, March 26th, Fanny Cole, infant daughter of George W. Baker, Jr., Esq., aged three months, 26 days, on March 26, 1853." (Vol. 1, Birth/Death/Marriage Notices from the Bytown Packet and Ottawa Citizen Oct. 1846-Dec. 1963)

George William Baker of Hamilton, Ontario, died soon after on May 25, 1853. His death was the result of a kick from a horse. George William Baker was described by the Cory family as "an athletic man and a great favourite". The inscription on his grave in Sandy Hill Cemetery, Ottawa, said "Sacred to the Memory of George W. Baker, who departed this life at By Town May 25, 1853, age 28 years, 9 months. Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright, for the end of that man is peace."

Catherine Ann Cory Baker; later Kate Thomson

Catherine (Kate) later remarried James Richard Thomson, barrister, from Hamilton on October 15, 1857, in Waukegan, Illinois. By her second marriage, she had three children: Catherine Cory Thomson, who wass born 1858, and who died at the age of 6 of scarlet fever December 18, 1864; Frederick Cory Thomson, who was born July 1860, and who died at 18 months of age, January 21, 1862; and George Cory Thomson, born in Hamilton, Ontario, December 12, 1862. George Cory Thomson was the only child who survived childhood and went on to have a family of his own.

Obituary of James Richard Thomson

Spectator Clippings, May 1869 : Died At his residence here, on Hess Street, in the city of Hamilton, on Saturday, the 22nd inst., James Richard Thomson, Esquire, Barrister, of this city, aged 39 years. Funeral will take place from his late residence on Tuesday afternoon next at 4:00 p.m. Friends and acquaintances are respectfully requested to attend without further notice----It is with deep regret we have to record the death this afternoon, after a long illness, of James R. Thomson, Esq., for a number of years a leading Barrister of this city. The deceased was born in Fort Erie in the year 1830, where a number of his relations reside. He was educated in Upper Canada College, and after serving in term as a law student in the office of Messrs. Morrison & Connor, in Toronto, came to this city and entered into partnership with the late George S. Tiffany and was made Solicitor of the Gore Bank. His early death will be mourned by a large circle of friends and relatives, to whom he was endeared by his kind and affectionate disposition. His brethren at the Bar will long regret his absence from their midst, and his familiar appearance among our citizens will be deeply and sadly missed.

At the time of the 1881 Census of Canada, Kate Thomson is age 50, English origin, living in Hamilton, Ontario with her son George, 18, a law student, and one servant. Kate Thomson died January 11, 1896.

George Cory Thomson

George Cory Thomson, the only child of Catherine Ann Cory Baker Thomson and James Richard Thomson who survived, went on to marry at age 26, Mona Louise Bunbury, age 21, on October 23, 1889 at Hamilton Ontario. Mona was born in Chicago Illinois, May 25, 1868, the only daughter of Henry T. Bunbury, Esq. and his wife Jane. George and Mona Thomson had three children: Catherine Daintry Thomson, born August 12, 1890; Henry Richard Thomson, born May 30, 1894; and Elsie Mona Madeleine Thomson, born February 9, 1896.

At the time of the 1901 census, George Cory Thomson and his family was living in Hamilton, Ontario. George was a barrister, aged 38; his wife Mona was aged 32, born in U.S.A. and in Canada since 1869; their daughter Kate D. was aged 10; son Henry R., aged 6; daughter Elsie M. was aged 5. A domestic named Sarah Plank also lived with the family.

At the time of the 1911 census, George Cory Thomson and his family lived at 44 Herkimer St., Hamilton, Ontario. George Thomson was a barrister, and gave his age as 45; his wife Mona gave her age as 40; daughter Catherine was aged 20; son Harry was aged 17; daughter Elsie was aged 14. Two domestics also lived with the family.

Catherine Daintry Thomson, who was born 1890, married Francis Gibson Malloch (1886-1965) on Oct 17, 1925. Catherine, who was known as Kate, died April 13, 1967 at the age of 76. Elsie Mona Madeleine Thomson, who was born 1896, married Lester Birely Husband (1893-1972) on Oct 11, 1922. Elsie died June 19, 1987 at the age of 91. The only son of George Cory Thomson and his wife Mona, was killed in action at Passchendaele during World War 1. Lieutenant Henry Richard Thomas was a student at Trinity College from 1914-1915. He was appointed to the 58th Battalion in June 1915, and reached France in the spring of 1916. He was wounded in Sanctuary Wood, Ypres Salient on May 6, 1916 and came home on leave. On his return, he served for a time at Headquarters, Shorncliffe, and then rejoined his battalion in June, 1917. After serving on the Lens and Passchendaele fronts, he was ordered to return for duty in England. On October 25, 1917, he was proceeding to the transport line when he was wounded in the head by a shell, and died an hour later. Lt. Henry Richard Thomson was only 23 years old, and is buried near Poperinghe, Belgium in Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery. A bronze memorial plaque in his honour is located in Church of the Ascension, Hamilton, Ontario.

Judge George Cory Thomson K. C.

The caption under this portrait, which was published in the Hamilton Spectator reads, "PASSING WIDELY MOURNED - Judge George C. Thomson K. C., former senior member ofthe bench for Wentworth County, whose death occurred on Sunday. He was 79 years of age." Judge George C Thomson died on November 1st, 1942.

The article in the Hamilton Spectator was printed as follows: Hamiltonians mourn the passing yesterday of George Cory Thomson, K.C., former senior judge of the county of Wentworth, at his home, 44 Herkimer Street. He was 79 years of age and since 1938 lived retired. Widely known in judicial and church circles, Judge Thomson gave many years of splendid service to the bench and to his church and his death will occasion a feeling of sadness whereever he was known. Since 1933 he held the office of chancellor of the diocese of Niagara. He became senior judge for Wentworth on September 4, 1930 in succession to the late Judge Walter T. Evans, his appointment being warmly approved by the general public and the legal fraternity of this city and the county. Of a quiet and genial disposition, he upheld the dignity of the bench and brought to the position the wealth of experience he had acquired in many years of legal practice. Always fair and just, his judgments stood the acid test of the court of appeal, which is accepted as the measuring rule of judicial ability. A native Hamiltonian, he was the son of James Richard Thomson, also a barrister, and Kate Cory Thomson. Having received his early education in private schools and the Hamilton Collegiate Institute, he entered Osgoode Hall, Toronto, to receive the legal training which ws to fit him for his career. His last year as an articled student-at-law was served in the office of Sir Charles Moss, afterward chief justice of Ontario. Prior to this he had been articled to the firm of McKelcan, Gibson & Bell, of this city. After he was called to the bar in 1885, he entered partnership with the late William Bell, K.C. but after two years formed a new partnership with J.V. Teetzel, K. C., practising until the latter was created a judge in 1903. Judge Thomson's next partnership was with the late George S. Kerr, K.C., the firm continuing under the name of Kerr & Thomson until the former's death in 1925, when he continued in practice with Alexander C. McFarlane under the name of Kerr, Thomson & McFarlane. Immediately after taking office, Judge Thomson resolved to do what seemed to him a paramount need in the interests of the administration of justice, the selection of a better quality of jurors. He found that the reason that juries had previously not always been composed of the desirable type of men had been a proclivity among the desirable men to run to the authorities immediately they were chosen and secure an exemption. Judge Thomson let it be known that every one who was selected for jury service must give that service unless sickness or some other reason of the greatest importance made it impossible. The result of the ruling was soon apparent, and the better type of juries which ensued often brought comment from visiting justices of the surpreme court presiding at the assizes. When in 1933, the Morgagors' and Purchasers' Relief Act came into force, the deceased elected to administer the act himself and so maintain a consistent policy in the judgements. As a result, he heard over 800 cases under the act and the settlements which he made nearly always ended in the homes of the unfortunate mortgagors being retained for them. As a county judge, Judge Thomson was a member of the Hamilton police commission and a great deal of intricate and beneficial work was done by him, in connection with Magistrate H. A. Burgidge and the Mayor of the city at the time, in straightening out the jitney embroglio of several years ago. His duties also include the hearing of appeals from the court of revision and it will be remembered that some years ago, he gave a reduction of from 10 to 5%, en bloc in the assessment of property on the west end of Mountain brow, and was also instrumental in reducing assessments on east end Mountain property. Among the members of the legal profession, Judge Thomson was always held in affectionate regard. He had been particularly kindly disposed to those young men who had just entered the profession and to whom assistance from the bench is such an encouragement. Judge Thomson was a lifelong member of the Church of the Ascension, where he was baptized and married. He took at all times a most active part in the life of the church and served in the capacity of warden. In 1933 he had the distinction of being appointed chancellor of the diocese of Niagara, a post he held at the time of his death. He frequently attended service at Christ's Church Cathedral. In 1925 he acted as chairman of the Hamilton branch of the Moderation league. He was a member of the Temple lodge and the I.O.F. and an ex-chairman of the Hamilton Club, and a member of the Caledon Mountain Trout Club, the Hamilton Golf and Country Club, and was a former treasure of the Hamilton Law association. Riding, fly fishing and golf have been his recreational hobbies. A prominent worker for the Conservative Party for many years, Judge Thomson acted as an agent for the late C.W. Bell, in the federal election in 1929. During the last war he was actively interested in all patriotic movements. Surviving are his widow, Mona, only daughter of the late H. T. Bunbury; two daughters, Kate Daintry, wife of Col. F. G. Malloch, M. C. (at present overseas), and Elsie Mona, wife of Major L. B. Husband, M. C. His only son, Lieut. Henry Richard Thomson, was killed in action at Passchendaele on October 25, 1917. The funeral will be held at the Church of the Ascension on Tuesday afternoon at 3:30 o'clock with interment in Hamilton Cemetery.