In the July 13th issue of the Carleton Place and Almonte papers the folks of 1900 were besot with what was going to happen to Gertie Nixon. Gertie did not live around these parts but lived in Orangeville, Ontario. People followed her story as she was on death’s door for days.
Ottaway Hunter, whose name was Herman Ottawa Hunter and not Ottaway loved Gertie Nelson like not other. Ottawa was 17 at the time but had fallen in love with young Gertie who had barely turned 15. For two years, even though they came from different areas he pursued her relentlessly.
By the time of the shooting, Gertie was 17 and had moved to Toronto, and Ottawa the infatuated followed her. She had found work as a dressmaker and they had returned separately to Orangeville the day before the Dominion Day festivities.
On Dominion Day in 1900 he went for the gold at Idylwyld Park in Orangeville, Ontario and demanded her love in return. Gertie wasn’t having of the sort and so when he said he was going to shoot her, she told him to go ahead., so he did, in the back, and then shot himself. The young stalker shot himself immediately and Gertie… well read at the bottom what happened to her.
.The Ottawa Citizen
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
04 Jul 1900, Wed • Page 3
Windsor, Ontario, Canada
13 Jul 1900, Fri • Page 5
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
14 Jul 1900, Sat • Page 9
Windsor, Ontario, Canada
20 Jul 1900, Fri • Page 5
No matter what the media said the paralysis never left Gertie and she needed a wheelchair. But where had she gone? Had she ever given her heart to another after all that? Betty Franklin, a volunteer researcher at the Dufferin County Museum & Archives who is familiar with the story, discovered an obituary. Gertie passed away in Toronto on July 28, 1948. She was 65. She had continued in her career as a dressmaker, used a wheelchair all her life, and never married. Do you blame her?
| Name: | Herman Detawa Hunter [Herman Ottawa Hunter] |
|---|---|
| Gender: | Male |
| Age: | 19 |
| Birth Date: | abt 1881 |
| Birth Place: | East Gerafreld |
| Death Date: | 1 July 1900 |
| Death Place: | Dufferin, Ontario, Canada |
| Religion: | Congregationalist |
| Cause of Death: | Suicide |
1891 Census
| Name: | Hermon Hunter |
|---|---|
| Gender: | Male |
| Marital status: | Single |
| Age: | 9 |
| Birth Year: | abt 1882 |
| Birth Place: | East Garafraxa Ontario |
| Residence Date: | 1891 |
| Residence Place: | Caledon, Cardwell, Ontario, Canada |
| Relation to Head: | Son |
| Religion: | Free Church |
| Can Read: | Yes |
| Can Write: | Yes |
| French Canadian: | No |
| Father’s Birth Place: | Ontario |
| Mother’s Name: | Elizabeth Hunter |
| Mother’s Birth Place: | Ontario |
CARLETON PLACE MYSTERY— Moulder’s Body Found With Bullet in Chest 1905 Part 2
Just Like a Clue Game –“Who Dun it” in Beckwith?
The Boy Who Disappeared From Beckwith–Gordon Taylor
The Media Then and Now–Johnny Gillies Had a Gun
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