Blind Stanton Swims Chaffey’s Locks

by George S. Grogan, published in Stanton Stats November 14, 1995

My Uncle Jim [James Lorne Stanton of Treherne] used to tell me stories about his early visits to the Crosby area and one story was about a blind Job Stanton who could swim across the canal at Chaffey’s Locks guided by the voices of the people on shore. Last year [1994], Edith Stanton of Kingston told me that a blind storekeeper Jabe Stanton used to visit her childhood home in Newboro when they lived there for a while and that Jabe had finally died in her parents’ home but she didn’t know how he was related. At the re-union, Arthur Stanton of Alberta, remembered his father talking about the blind storekeeper of Newboro.

I don’t remember if you were with the tour group that visited the Newboro United Church Cemetery. Anyway, there were 2 Stanton stones there. One just said: “J. B. Stanton 1855-1920.”

The other one said: “Nellie Stanton Knellar 1858-1929 wife of Joseph Stanton, 1855-1881 and James Knellar, 1861-1929; Hugh Houghton son of J. & N. Knellar d. 15 Mar. 1893, age 7 mos.”

Since the re-union I have acquired quite a bit of info. from his [Jabe’s] will and from his death registration:

Stanton Jabez B; Male – English – single; 65 yrs. 1 month 2 days; Born in Somerset, England (about 10 Nov. 1855); Trade guild man; Occupation – merchant – (Boot & shoe store); 25 years in Newboro, 50 years in Ontario, 50 years in Canada; Father, James Stanton – English; Mother’s maiden name – Stickary (spelling?) Susan, English; informant – Frank Stedman Stanton, cousin; place of burial – Newboro, 14 Dec. 1920; undertaker R. O. Leggett, Newboro; cause of death – carcinoma of stomach; date of death – 12 Dec. 1920.

He left his money to his girl cousins and to the wives of several of his male cousins, including the widow of Joseph Stanton, Nellie, who later married J. Knellar. There is a little discrepancy in the dates on the stone in the U. C. Cemetery and on the death certificate, i.e. Joseph Stanton deceased died 12 Nov 1880, male aged 27 yrs.; plasterer. Died of consumption; informant Rev. S. B. Phillips, Newboro; registered 14 Nov 1880; Methodist.

It is too bad that the death certificates in Ontario back in the 1800’s had less info than the ones in the 1900’s. It is possible that Joseph was a brother of Jabez, but it would take further research maybe in Census or church records for 1861 in Somerset. Jabez was quite young when he came to Canada so I suppose he was sent over to his uncle Joseph at Clear Lake.