Unfortunately these headlines were a sign of the time in the past. There were cyclical downturns in the mid-1870s, the early 1890s. In the late 1800s people were very concerned about work and their jobs. Most people worked in factories or sweatshops which were very dangerous and unsanitary. In addition, many people did not go to school because their families wanted them to work to earn more money.
Several parents were not concerned that their children did not get a proper education and that the children also ran the risk of losing a body part in the terrible and harmful sweatshops or factories. More than good education for the children and finding a good job to work in there was the differences between females and males; the women couldn’t vote or go to college. In addition, industries were changing life in America a lot; most people lived in slums and there were laws passed to make work fair for both bosses and workers. People changed occupations like underwear.
Canada’s first bankruptcy statute of was known as the Insolvent Act of 1869. This Act, despite the formal name, was a bankruptcy law that provided for a distribution of the debtor’s assets and a discharge. The Acts of 1869 and 1875 only applied to traders. The Canadian Bankruptcy Act of 1919 abandoned the trader rule and widened the scope of the legislation to cover all types of debtors.
Perth Courier, Oct. 15, 1880
The liabilities of Mr. Robert Greenshield’s General Store of Carleton Place, who recently failed, are stated at $5,300 with assets nominally at $1,976. Mr. Greenshields was formerly a saw miller but thought he knew more about general store keeping, in which opinion he has been proved decidedly wrong.
The creditors some time ago offered him a settlement at 65 cents on the dollar which he did not feel able to meet. He himself subsequently offered 57 and one half cents on the dollar, which his creditors refused. He has now made an assignment to Mr. C. H. Fait of Montreal.
Ontario Census of Carleton Place 1881
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Historical Note
Robert Greenshields‘ son Thomas married Margaret Weir, and then moved to Carleton Place, Lanark Co., Ontario.
Descendants of
Robert GREENSHIELDS and Elizabeth “Bessie” MUIR
READ THE PERTH COURIER AT LANARK ARCHIVES
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