Watkins, Benjamin

KILLED NEAR GEORGETOWN.
Sad Death of Mr. Benjamin Watkins,
One of our Esteemed Farmers.
An accident which has thrown this community into the deepest sorrow occurred on Monday afternoon and resulted in the death of Mr. Benjamin Watkins, for the past eight years a respected resident of this vicinity.
As is well known here Mr. Watkins had just retired from active farming and was making preparations to remove to a house he owned at Norval, his former home. In company with Mrs. Watkins he went to Norval a couple of weeks ago to put the house in order. While there Mrs. Watkins was taken seriously ill and he remained with her.
He had driven up to Acton Monday morning and when on his return between the 7th and 8th line, Esquesing, a hound in pursuit of a fox sprang in front of the horse. The animal turned completely round in an instant throwing Mr. Watkins and Mr. George Midgley who was riding with him on to a stump fence.
The buggy fell upon Mr. Watkins, causing internal injuries, and Mr. Midgley had a snag driven into the socket of his left eye. Both were rendered unconscious. Mr. Watkins was removed to the home of Robert McCullough where he died about 8.30 next morning. The remains were removed to the residence of his son above Norval, and the funeral will take place in Norval cemetery this afternoon.
Mr. Midgley went to Georgetown to have his injuries attended to. The sight of his eye is uninjured.
The deceased was about sixty years of age, a well-to-do farmer and a good citizen. He was a member of Knox Church, Acton. He leaves a wife, three sons and four daughters to mourn his loss. The sons are John Watkins, 6th line, Esquesing; Thos., at Acton; and William, a law student at Guelph. The latter was in A. J. McKinnonn's office here for some time.
Mrs. Watkins lies ill at Norval where she was prostrated ten days ago and this intensifies the sorrow of all in the great bereavement of the afflicted family.