Samuel Hill Hodgins Dies in Polling Booth

Today (October 21st) being federal election day in Canada, I thought it would be timely to note that Samuel Hill Hodgins died 100 years ago yesterday while on duty during a provincial election as Deputy Returning Officer.

While acting as a deputy returning officer in a polling booth at Mooresville [just north of Lucan, Ontario] Samuel Hodgins, one of the most prominent men of Biddulph, died of heart failure. Source: Exeter Advocate, 23 October 1919.

Samuel Hodgins died 20 October 1919 and is buried in St. James Cemetery, Clandeboye, north of Lucan, Ontario.

Samuel (also known as "Red Sam" and "Red Samuel") was born 4 October 1846 in Biddulph Township, Middlesex County, Ontario. The article says he was 72 years old but he was 73.

He was the husband of Culbert descendant, Sarah Catherine Crawley (1857-1939), daughter of Susan Culbert (1832-1907) and Philip Crawley.
 

Samuel's widow, Sarah Catherine (Crawley) Hodgins, daughter of Susan (Culbert) Crawley and granddaughter of John Culbert & Mary Ward. Photo courtesy of Judy Luker Massey.

To the best of my knowledge, Samuel resided on Lot 14, Concession 3, and not on Concession 2 as it says in the article. His death certificate says he died at Lot 14, Concession 3 so the polling station must have been set up in his house. There was a time when it wouldn't have been unusual to have a polling station located in a private home.

While it's true that Samuel was survived by his widow and seven daughters, he was also survived by four sons. 

Samuel H. Hodgins served as Reeve of Biddulph Township at various times, including 1901, 1914 and 1915. 

Below is "The autobiography of Mr. Samuel Hill Hodgins" as written up in the Exeter Times on 5 July 1888. "Autobiographies" like these were published in the Exeter Times from time to time about various citizens of Biddulph Township. They were meant to be amusing to their friends and contemporaries.

For more information about Samuel Hill Hodgins and his family, click here.