Kenora Great War Project

 

Personal Details
Date of BirthMay 22, 1897
Place of BirthDistrict of Rainy River, Ontario
CountryCanada
Marital StatusSingle
Next of KinWilliam Plummer (father), Mount Albert, Ontario
Trade / CallingFarmer
ReligionMethodist
Service Details
Regimental Number3235351
Service Record Link to Service Record
Battalion2nd Battalion
ForceCanadian Expeditionary Force
BranchCanadian Garrison Regiment
Enlisted / ConscriptedConscripted
Place of EnlistmentToronto, Ontario
Address at EnlistmentMount Albert, Ontario
Date of EnlistmentMay 23, 1918
Age at Enlistment21
Theatre of ServiceCanada
Prisoner of WarNo
Survived WarYes
Death Details
Date of DeathJune 24, 1946
Age at Death49
Buried AtKirkwall Presbyterian Cemetery, Beverly Township, Wentworth County, Ontario

Plummer, Albert Neil

Private Albert Neil Plummer was the son of William Ralph Plummer and Sarah Risebrough. William and Sarah were both born in Ontario. They were married in 1891 in Scott Township, Ontario County. William was a farmer and at the time of his marriage he was living in North Dakota. He returned to North Dakota with Sarah and their first three children were born there: William Waverly (1893), Edna Myrtle and Wilbert Oliver (1895). Sometime after Wilbert’s birth the family moved to northwestern Ontario where they continued to farm. Albert was born on 22 May 1897, with his birth registered in Rat Portage (later renamed Kenora), in the District of Rainy River.

When the 1901 census was taken the Plummers were living near the village of Emo, which is about 150 km south of Kenora and close to the U.S. border. By then they had two more daughters, Jennet May (b. 1898) and Olive Matilda (b. 1900). Olive’s birth was registered in the District of Rainy River. Within a few years William and Sarah returned to southern Ontario and they had at least three more children: Charlotte Mildred, Walter Martin and Stewart Nelson. Stewart was born on 8 March 1911 and sadly Sarah died eight days later, at age 39. She’s buried in Hartman Cemetery in Port Albert, Whitchurch Township, County of North York.

At the time of the 1911 census William was living in Whitchurch Township, listed as a farmer and widower. All of his children were still at home except for the oldest son. William was married again in Toronto in September 1913 to Mabel Emily Wells. He was still farming at the time and his residence was Whitchurch Township. The war started a year later and the three oldest boys all served. Wilbert enlisted in November 1915 and William Waverly a month later, both of them joining the 116th (Ontario County) Battalion. They served in Europe and were both wounded but they survived the war. Conscription started in Canada in 1917 and Albert reported that fall as required. He was called up on 23 May 1918, the day after his 21st birthday. He was assigned to the 2nd Depot Battalion, 1st Central Ontario Regiment and classified as medically fit for service in Canada only. He was transferred to the 2nd Battalion, Canadian Garrison Regiment and he likely trained at Exhibition Camp in Toronto. In July he was discharged due to being ‘erroneously ordered to report.’ The effective date of his discharge was 23 May, the day of his enlistment.

Albert’s stepmother died in 1920 and William married a third time in 1921. When the census was taken that year William was still a farmer and living in Whitchurch Township with his wife Mary Jane, who was born in Quebec, and three of his children. Albert was lodging with a family in Scott Township and working as a farm labourer. William passed away in February 1923, at age 54, and he’s buried in Hartman Cemetery with his first wife Sarah. Albert was married in Newmarket, York County two months later, on 21 April 1923. His residence at the time was Kitchener and he listed his place of birth as Emo, Ontario. His wife, Selma Violet Brown, was 19 years old and born in Newmarket, the daughter of John Brown and Sophia Webster.

Albert and Selma settled near the town of Galt in Beverly Township, Wentworth County. Albert returned to farming and also worked as a carpenter. He passed away at home on 24 June 1946, at age 49. Selma died in 1953 and they are both buried in Kirkwall Presbyterian Cemetery in Beverly Township.

By Becky Johnson


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