| Notes |
- Forbes Murder
Prudence & Alex Forbes & Prudence Norton 1843:
. 1882 was the 4th of 8 children of John Norton & Elizabeth Clark of Tapleytown, Saltfleet Twp., Wentworth Co.
3 of her siblings, Louisa, Hiram & Demarius married Wilkinson siblings of Palermo, Trafalgar Twp. Halton Co. They were Robert, Elizabeth & James "Andy"respectively. It is family lore that Hiram Norton, the 2 times great grandfather of the author Alan Norton, was a hired hand of Francis Wilkinson & Clarissa Simons & that is how he met their daughter Elizabeth. They married in 1867. How he got to be in Palermo is not known, a distance of 35 kilometers. Interestingly though, Robert W & Louisa N married in 1865. So who actually first made the Wilkinson-Norton connection & where is open to speculation. But obviously there was a close relationship between the 2 families, regardless of the distance which likely took 3 or 4 hours by horseback.
Prudence, the 4th Norton to be connected to Palermo, was married to Alex Forbes about 1864 in Hamilton, Canada West. Very little was known of Prudence's life however, for today's family historians. This all changed very dramatically in October of 2009 thanks to the author's fourth cousin, Catherine Richards of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. She was able to determine that a Prudence Forbes had been killed in Hamilton, Ontario in June of 1882.
Further investigation in the Hamilton Spectator archives by Alan Norton at Burlington Library, showed that she had been shot to death by her husband Alex Forbes. He also murdered Prudence's employer George Ralston before taking his own life. The date was 21 June 1882.
From the first article on 22 June 1882 it became immediately apparent that this was Prudence Norton, sister of Louisa, Hiram & Demarius. As stated in the newspaper, Prudence's father John Norton had been visiting her only an hour before & while on his way home to Tapleytown was overtaken at Bartonville by someone on horseback with the horrible news that his daughter had been shot & killed.
Over the course of 3 days, in detail to rival today's sensationalist reporting, the Hamilton Spectator carried the story. On Thursday 22 June 1882 the headline was:
"THREE CORPSES. Horrible Double Murder & Suicide. A SHOCKING SCENE.
In reading the articles, Alan Norton was able to confirm Prudence's family lineage & find information pertaining to herself & her children.
. Prudence was the daughter of John Norton of Tapleytown & had a sister connected with Walker's confectionary store on King Street west.
. Alexander "Sandy" Forbes was the son of Alexander Forbes Sr. & lived with his father in Hamilton until he married Prudence Norton. After marriage, Forbes & Prudence removed to Palermo & carried on a potash factory, which they later sold & moved to the USA. Prudence & Alex Forbes had lived in Pittsburgh & Erie, Pennsylvania. Prudence & her children had left their home in Allegheney, NY as a result of her husband Alexander Forbes' continued drinking & ill treatment. . She had been separated from her husband for about 6 years at the time of the killings.
. The house where the murders took place was on Bold St. at the rear of Central School.
. She had been employed by Mr. Ralson for about 6 months as a housekeeper & nanny.
. There were 3 Forbes children: a daughter Kate & 2 boys Erney (sic) & Willy.
. Kate was recorded as both 17 &19 years of age at the time. Ernie was 9 & Willy 7.
. Kate Forbes was living with Mr. Bateman on Victoria Avenue at the time of the murders. The verdict of the coroner's jury was that Prudence's murder was premeditated. Prudence was buried at Tapleytown.
. DIED, FORBES - In this city, on Wednesday, the 21st inst, Prudence Forbes, aged 37 years, second eldest daughter of John Norton, Esq. of Tapleytown. Funeral will start at 10am from 71 Cathcart street north on Friday, the 23d inst, for Tapleytown M. E. Church. Friends & acquaintances will please accept this notice.
Ref: The Spectator's 23 June 1882.
In the summer of 2010, Debbie Havens, great granddaughter of Kate Forbes visited the author in Burlington, from her Colorado home. Debbie had been unaware of the tragedy surrounding her 2 times great grandparents until Alan Norton's investigation the year before. The author was able to show Debbie where the murders took place & the locations where the bodies now lay:
Prudence in Tapleytown Cemetery beside her mother & father, while Alexander is in Hamilton Cemetery, in an unmarked grave. From any indications in Debbie's family, her great grandmother Kate Forbes was a kind loving woman but not surprisingly, never discussed having witnessed the violent death of her mother Prudence. The author has never been able to ascertain where the Forbes potash factory was in Palermo & would welcome any information from readers.
Ref: Written by Alan Norton in Trafalgar Twp. Historical Society, Winter Newsletter 2014. - - -
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