Phone: 519-736-2511 Email: info@parkhousemuseum.com
Photography at Park House Part 2
Brining History to Life: Part 2
Bringing History to Life Through Photographs is a working exhibit, and we will continue to add new videos that feature past Amherstburg residents, buildings, and stories of interest.
Click on any of the images to enlarge them.
Russel J. Fox
Corporal Russel J. Fox was a fireman with brown hair and blue eyes. He was 5’ 8” tall and was good friends with Robert “Bobbie” Fryer and liked baseball.
He joined the 99th Battalion in 1915 and arrived in England on June 8, 1916. He was transferred to the 35th Battalion and then the 87th Battalion.
By August 1916, Russell was in the fields of France. He was appointed as an acting lance corporal in December of 1916 and was promoted to acting corporal a month later.
He was awarded the Military Medal for bravery in the field. He was admitted to the hospital on April 14, 1917, but on April 22, 1917, nineteen days after his 24th birthday, he died of complications to his wounds received at Vimy Ridge.
Photo Source: Marsh Historical Collection.
Letters Home 1914-1919
Library and Archives Canada
Theodore James Park
Theodore James Park was born April 19, 1856, at the Park House. He was the second child and second son of Theodore Jones Park and Caroline (Kevill) Park.
He lived in the house for the majority of his life. His only absence was during a stay in Toronto to complete his education, where he graduated with a Ph.D. in medicine and completed a residency at the Toronto General Hospital. He returned to Amherstburg in 1880 and opened a General Practice in the north end of the family home. He died here on January 1st, 1936.
Dr. Jim was an active member of the community. He served a short term as Mayor of Amherstburg in 1888. Dr. Park was also the Medical Officer of Health for the county, the examiner for the leading life insurance companies in the area, an advocate for vaccines, lobbied for the expansions of sewers/ indoor plumbing as a means of Cholera prevention, and was at the helm of 1918 Spanish Flu.
Dr. Park never owned the Park House; the residence was owned by his sisters ( Caroline, Adella, and Elizabeth) as per their mothers’ will.
Photo Source: Park House Museum Collection
Park Family History
Amherstburg Echo, 1881, 1918, 1936
Orville Leland Fox
Pvt. Fox served in the 87th Battalion, C.E.F.
Orville was the son of Esrias and Harriet. He was of fair complexion with brown eyes, auburn hair, and stood at 5′ 7.5″. He was born in September of 1893 and was a Machinist by trade. He enlisted with the 99th Battalion of the Canadian Expeditionary Force on December 4th, 1915.
He left Canada in May of 1916 and arrived in England on June 8th, 1916, where he was transferred to the 35th Canadian Reserve Battalion. On August 16th he was transferred to the 87th Battalion and was taken-on- strength eight days later in France.
A report on May 5th, 1917 listed Fox missing in action following the first day of the Battle of Vimy Ridge, but a May 16th report changed his status to killed in action. He was 23 years old and rests at his burial site in France: F548
Corporal R. Fox, also killed as a result of the Battle of Vimy Ridge, was Orville’s first cousin.
Photo Source: Marsh Historical Collection
1881 and 1901 Canada Census
His military record can be viewed at the following link:
Library and Archives Canada CEF personnel record