I have written many stories about those dastardly gentleman of Lanark County that loved to dally their toes into bigamy. So I was very shocked when I found out the ladies were too on occasion. But this case was one for the Murdoch Mystery files.
It began innocently with this newspaper article:
January 18 1895 Almonte Gazette
Brockville—Mrs. James Dempster was arrested at Gananoque today on a charge of bigamy, and the circumstances of the case are somewhat romantic. The woman’s name was formerly Annie Graham, and in 1890 she married a man named Sherman Dowsley, a resident of Mallorytown, a village a few miles west of Brockville. She was only 17 at the time and the bliss matrimonial was conspicuously absent in this instance. After a month’s life in double harness the pair separated.
The woman travelled under the name of Dowsley until she recently assumed the name of McDonald and took up her residence in Gananoque. Here she ran across one elderly man named James. Dempster, a man of comfortable means and had been in search of a life partner for a long period of time. Marriage was the result, and everything went happily along until a few days ago, when the first husband, Dowsley, turned up.
The angry husband, threatened to expose the pair unless given the deed to the Dempster’s farm, and when this was not forthcoming, carried his threat into effect. The arrest of the woman was the result. She was given a preliminary hearing before a magistrate and later the woman was committed to trial.
So what made her jump into such an early marriage only to desert it months later? In other newspaper articles I found out that on July 4th, 1890, Annie Graham, along with three friends (2 male) were in a boat in Alexandria Bay most likely to catch view of American festivities. One of the gentlemen stood up and rocked the boat in fun and the boat capsized and they were thrown into the river. John Mayer and Annie Graham were rescued, but the other two drowned in 10 feet of water and their bodies never found.
So what happened to dear Annie? One thing is for certain- thankfully she was not sent to the Kingston Insane Asylum where many convicted were sent. On February 18, 1895 Annie, Mrs. Dempster or Dowsley was sentenced by Judge McDonald to two years, 6 months in the Kingston penitentiary. I was beginning to feel really sorry for her until 4 hours later I pieced it all together. I have posted the following newspaper reports- so I won’t be challenged of making it all up. 🙂
But there is more to the story …
January 14 1895 Ottawa Journal
Then this…
February 12 1895– So who was W.A Williamson? Another one of Annie’s aliases? NO, not so sweet Annie was in cahoots with yet another man Williamson, a local marble dealer, to try and get Dempster’s estate.
The End or was it? Willamson received a suspended sentence for his part in the crime to defraud “old man Dempster”while Annie got 2 years and 6 months. Rev. E. Thomas was furious and it became his sermon on February 25, 1895.
Amen
February 25, 1895
| Name | Sherman Dowsley | |||
| Event Type | Marriage | |||
| Event Date | 15 Oct 1890 | |||
| Event Place | Brockville, Leeds, Ontario, Canada | |||
| Gender | Male | |||
| Age | 21 | |||
| Birth Year (Estimated) | 1869 | |||
| Father’s Name | George Dowsley | |||
| Mother’s Name | Susan Giles | |||
| Spouse’s Name | Annie Graham | |||
| Spouse’s Gender | Female | |||
| Spouse’s Age | 17 | |||
| Spouse’s Birth Year (Estimated) | 1873 | |||
| Spouse’s Father’s Name | Wm Graham | |||
| Spouse’s Mother’s Name | Dannie Ferguson | |||
Actual certificate –From Ontario Marriages data base:
Sherman Dowsley Marriage 15 Oct 1890 Brockville, Leeds, Ontario, Canada Male 21 1869 George Dowsley Susan Giles Annie Graham Female age 17
7026-1890 (Leeds Co) Sherman DOWSLEY, 21, Farmer, Mallorytown, same, s/o George DOWSLEY & Susan GILES, married Annie GRAHAM, 17, Caintown, same, d/o William. GRAHAM & Dannie FERGUSON, witn: Susan EMSLEY, Emma LONG, Brockville. 15 Oct 1890 Brockville
Here are some punishments I found for bigamists:
15/1: Six weeks hard labour
15/1: One day imprisonment
30/4: One day imprisonment
30/4: One month hard labour
30/4: twelve months hard labour
31/5: Five months penal servitude
25/6: Five months penal servitude
James Watson– Bigamy and Shoes
Bigamy–The Story of Ken and Anne and Debby and Cathy and…
Bigamy–The Story of Ken and Anne and Debby and Cathy and…
Come and visit the Lanark County Genealogical Society Facebook page– what’s there? Cool old photos–and lots of things interesting to read.
Information where you can buy all Linda Seccaspina’s books-You can also read Linda in Hometown News and now in The Townships Sun
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