Fenner

(submitted by Dennis Fenner, with additions from Doris Hughes)

The history of the Fenner family in Lambton County begins with my great, great, great grandfather George Fenner. A soldier in the 64 Regiment of Foot, he retired after 26 years in the British Army. Upon retirement, George chose a land grant in Upper Canada over a monthly pension in Ireland. He emigrated with part of the family to either Boston or Philadelphia in 1832. Then the family made its way to York, where George was given 150 acres in Warwick Twp., the E ½ of Lot 22, Con. 3 NER. In 1847, the rest of the family — wife Fanny Blake, seven boys and three girls — came over from Caven County, Ireland. The three girls were: Ann, who married Chancey Howard and moved away; Elizabeth, who married James Bryce and moved to the United States; and Rebecca (–1901), who married Jacob Utter (–1897) and stayed in Warwick Village. The seven boys were Theophilus (–1878), John, Thomas, George, Robert, William and my great, great grandfather Joseph.

The Fenners were like gypsies; they traveled all over Lambton and Middlesex Counties and many places in the United States. While in Lambton County, John, George Jr. and Joseph worked on the construction of the Egremont Road. The oldest son, Theophilus, owned and operated a pharmacy and store in Warwick Village. His youngest brother Joseph was at his bedside when he died. The second oldest, John, went back and forth from Ontario to Michigan several times, but finally settled in Port Huron, Michigan. Where the rest of the boys went is unknown.

Rebecca’s husband Jacob Utter was very respected in the community. He owned three or four farms, a mill, several small pieces of property, a store and was involved with many township and community positions of authority. Jacob was respected for his honesty, fair prices and civic involvement.

Joseph (1822–1910), my great, great grandfather, came to Lambton with his father in 1832. He married a local girl, Jane Hume (–1861), whose family had emigrated from Ireland. Shortly after getting married, Joseph and Jane moved to Monguagon Town (now Trenton), Michigan, where they had four children: Joseph Jr. (–1861), Irene (–1861), William (1857–) and my great grandfather George Henry (1859–1930). Mother Jane, Joseph Jr. and Irene died of an unknown ailment within days of each other. Since Joseph could not farm and look after two small children, he returned to Warwick Village. There, Joseph’s in-laws, the Humes, and his sister Rebecca Utter helped to raise the children. Joseph never left Warwick again. He owned five properties in or around Warwick Village.

Joseph’s son William married a woman by the name of Stillwell, but there is a report of him married to Caroline Madquick in 1884. This is a mystery but William left Lambton and moved to several places in the United States.

Fenner family, 1900: Boy in front Roy Fenner. l to r: Jay Fenner, George Lewellvn Fenner, Bruce Fenner, George Henry Fenner (father), Herb Fenner, Will Fenner (behind Herb), Joseph Fenner (grandfather). Courtesy D Fenner.

My great grandfather George Henry Fenner was brought up by his father and the Utters. George Henry married Emma Fowler (1860–1953). They had eight children, seven boys and one girl. All were born on the Fenner farm, except Lewellyn, who was born on the Barrett farm west of the Fenner farm. Six of them moved away, mainly to the United States. George farmed in Warwick Twp., but, in about 1904, he and his sons Herb, Roy and Jay moved to an area near Coronation, Alberta. The area became known as the Fenner area and my family started a village called Fenner, located near Kirkpatrick Lake. George Henry was postmaster at Fenner from 1922 to 1932. While farming in this area, Herb had sons Francis (Frank) and George, and Francis (Jay), my grandfather, had three children born in Coronation. My uncle Lorne and my father Bruce John were also born at the hospital at Coronation. The only person to be actually born at Fenner was my Aunt Marion.

In 1922, due to bad weather, poor soil conditions and the stock market failure, the Fenners were forced back to Warwick Twp. The only person to stay in Alberta was Roy, but he finally gave up and came back to Warwick in 1929. George and Emma must have had some sort of a disagreement because they lived apart.

George started a little gas bar and refreshment stand on the curve at 9 Sideroad and London Line. He had a tiny bedroom in the back of the little building. In the summer of 1930, a man named Alfie Smith saw George and a friend having an alcoholic drink in the tiny back bedroom and reported it to the police. The Sheriff put my great grandfather in a Sarnia jail. Ten days later, George’s son Lewellyn was told of his father’s arrest. Lew traveled from his home in Detroit to the Sarnia jail, where he found his father very sick. George’s skin was completely yellow; after three days he passed away.

The following is a short biography of George and Emma’s children.

The oldest was William Albert (1881–1952) who went by the name of Will. He became a medical doctor in Detroit. Will lived and died in the Detroit area. He had a son William Jr. who was a doctor as well.

The next was George Lewellyn (1883–1965), who went by the name of Lew. Lew was a dentist who also worked and lived in Detroit. Like his older brother, the Utters paid for his education. Lew was never married or had any children. When he retired, he moved back to live and die in Warwick Village. He was the last Fenner to live in Warwick Village.

The third child was Herbert Alfred (1885–1962) who lived in Warwick or Fenner for most of his life, until his death in London, Ontario. Herb worked as a technician at a medical school and as a carpenter mostly. Herb had two sons Francis (Frank) and George, both born at Coronation, Alberta.

The fourth was my grandfather Francis Jay (1887–1949) who went by the name Jay. Jay worked all his life as a farmer, except for a stint in a grocery store owned by the Nash family in Detroit, Michigan. For four or five years, Jay lived at Fenner, Alberta with his father and brothers. In 1916, Jay married Alma Jane Leggate (–1973), who lived on a farm near Watford, Ont. They had four children: Lorne George (1917–2001), Bruce John (1918–2004), Marion Helen (1921–) and Doris Amy (1924–). The first three were born in Alberta, but Doris was born in Warwick Village. Jay died of cancer. Lorne was the only one to stay in Warwick. He married twice, first to Bernice Irwin, with whom he had seven children, and then to Dorothy Hariton. My father Bruce went to Chatham, Ontario to enlist in the army during World War II and came back to Chatham after the war. Marion married Orval Irwin and lives in Niagara Falls, Ont. Doris married Floyd Hughes of Fort Erie, Ontario and resides there. This leaves my Uncle Lorne and his family who remained in Lambton County.

The fifth child born to George Henry and Emma was Roy (1889–1965), who grew up on the Fenner farm in Warwick Twp. and also farmed at Fenner. Most likely in the early 1930s, he moved to Detroit, Michigan to work at Ford.

After Roy came another son named Joseph Sherman (1891–1893).

The last son to be born to George Henry and Emma was Arthur Bruce (1895–) — the 7th son, born on the 7th day of the 7th month. He served in World War I as a Royal Canadian Engineer. He lived at Pontiac or Plymouth, Michigan and had no offspring. He worked as a carpenter for many years.

The last child of George and Emma Fenner was Rebecca Maude (1897–1993), who went by the name of Reba (Reeb). She was never married, nor had offspring. She worked at the accounts department at Chevrolet, Ford and United States Rubber in Detroit, Michigan and retired to Fort Myers, Florida.

Lorne lived in Forest most of his life and so have most of his daughters. His only son James (Jim, 1943–2003) married Bev King and lived on a farm near Camlachie, Ontario. Jim and Bev have three children: Brenda (Saunders, 1969–), James (1971–) and Jonathon (1974–).

There have been Fenners living in Lambton County from 1832 until the present — 175 years. How nice it would be if we all could come back to that beautiful little village in the Township of Warwick!

Chapter 24 of 25 - Fenner Family

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