Just wanted to post these two newspaper articles for whoever might wander past this topic of James NOSWORTHY someday in the future. As you can see, James' date of birth and place in the below article, are simply not even slightly close to that on the memorial stone, suggesting the informant was ill-informed. I did ask on the Devon-list for comments about the inscription and received some very, very thoughtful responses. On the whole there was little doubt that it was TAWTON and not TANTON. While a very careful comparison of the letter "O" in all words on the stone might suggest that the stonemason had been instructed to carve "DOVER" (and not "DEVON"), albeit, not even the name of a county, and a mistake.
DIED ON THE STREET. Mr. James NOSWORTHY Succumbs To An attack of Heart Disease.
He fought against the Rebels. Varied but Successful Business Career. Interesting Particulars.
"Scarcely had the excitement occasioned by the untimely death of Alex. Harris on Friday morning last subsided, when the people of this community were at noon today shocked with the announcement that Mr. James NOSWORTHY had fallen dead on Pinnaole Street a few minutes before.
Mr. NOSWORTHY, who was one of the oldest inhabitants of Belleville and one of the best known figures on our streets, was about town as usual this morning, attending to business, but complaining, as he had been for some time past, of weakness and an unpleasant feeling about the heart.
At about 11:45 he was seen by Mrs. Kenny, who lives on the corner of Pinnacle and Campbell sts., to be standing on Pinnacle st. leaning against the fence near Dr. Walker's gateway. A few moments later he fell to the ground, when Mr. Reid, (an employee of Belleville Business College), Mr. W. W. Lee, Mr. Hugh Walker, jr., and Mr. T. Stevenson, who were in the near vicinity, carried the stricken man, who was gasping for breath, into Dr. Walker's residence.. The Dr. was not at home, but Dr. McColl, who was summoned, responded and was followed in a few minutes by Dr. Walker. It was too late for human aid. The vital spark had fled from the venerable gentleman's breast; his heart had ceased to beat. The visitation of death was to him a painless one, as there was not the slightest contortion of his features.
James NOSWORTHY was born in Plymouth, England, on April 27th, 1815, and was consequently in the 79th year of his age. He came to Belleville in 1833, and after learning the trade of a harnessmaker carried on business in that line for several years, when he sold and became captain of the steamboat Prince of Wales, which he ran for a long period. Subsequently he became a contractor for supplying the Grand Trunk with wood for fuel, and during late years he has furnished ties to the Grand Trunk and other railways, amassing a handsome competency.
It should be mentioned that he served his country against the rebels in 1837-8, and also during the Fenian raid. In politics heas a Conservative and in religion a Methodist. His record was a highly favorable one, and he died respected by the entire community. His death, though shocking in its suddenness, was not unlooked for by himself, as he remarked upon the subject tomany friends of late that he expected to be cut off quickly, owing to heart trouble.
Mr. NOSWORTHY married, 53 years ago, Harriet FURNIVAL, daughter of the late Mrs. APPLEBY, who survives her husband. Six children were born to them, of whom but two survive, namely Mrs. Henry BLEECKER, of Los Angeles, California, and Mr. Charles W. NOSWORTHY, of this city.
Daily Intelligencer, Monday, June 5, 1893.
Old Belleville Resident Dead.
Mr. James C. Dale, banker of Madoc, was in Belleville on Wednesday attending the funeral of his cousin, the late Mrs. Jas. NOSWORTHY, who died in California at the residence of her daughter, Mrs. Harry BLEECKER, in November last. The body was kept in the vault at Los Angeles during the winter and was brought to Belleville to be lais beside her late husband, James NOSWORTHY, who died several years ago, and who was well known in Madoc and this section years ago as the owner of valuable mineral and timeber lands in North Hastings. The deceased was over 80 years of age, and left Belleville for California shortly after her husband's death.
North Hastings Review, March 1908
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