By 1867, it was reported that Solomon Wigle was “worth between one and two hundred thousand dollars.” It was the same year that he was “elected to the first provincial legislature of Ontario” representing Essex County. Together with is wife, Ann (Iler), Solomon had six sons and two daughters. Unfortunately, after 32 years of marriage, Ann died at the age of 50. Two years later, in 1878, Solomon travelled to Pennsylvania and married Maria Jane Schwarts and they lived in Kingsville until his death in 1898. Solomon’s youngest son, Ernest S. Wigle had this house built in 1900 for his step-mother and Maria was granted a life lease for the property. In addition, Ernest was responsible “to pay all taxes and keep up repairs in accordance with the terms of the will of the late Solomon Wigle.” Maria remained in this home until her death in 1912 at the age of 79.
Our readers will call to mind the case of Mrs. Kirby, whose husband was killed while in the discharge of his duty on board a steamboat, last summer, and who was left with a family of little children. Various have been the means devised to assist the widow and at length Mrs. Solomon Wigle and other ladies interested themselves to procure a home for her. A lot has been purchased and a very substantial small residence has been erected thereon, under the superintendence of Freeman Bertrand. On Monday evening of last week, by invitation, a number persons were present at the residence of Mrs. Solomon Wigle to consult as to the best way of securing the house and lot in order to perpetuate its being used for the same purpose and the conclusion come to was that the property shall be deeded to the Corporation of Kingsville, as a home for a needy widow. Mrs. Kirby to have the use of it, rent free, till she remarries or till she dies, in either of which events, the council shall put another needy widow in possession on the same terms.
Amherstburg Echo, May 20, 1887 p.6
ANOTHER PIONEER GONE.
The Late Solomon Wigle Laid at Rest
The funeral of the late Solomon Wigle took place on Monday from his late residence, Main St. east, to Greenhill cemetery.
. . . He was the first to start a stage line between Windsor, Amherstburg and Blenheim, which continued until railroads arrived . . . He was a provisional director of the company which built the woollen mills, and a director of the Kingsville Natural Gas & Oil Co., of which later he was vice president at the time of his death. . . His family, all by his first wife, consisted of six sons and two daughters. The sons are Lewis, ex-M.P., Leamington; Gordon, Mayfield, California; Alfred, postmaster, Windsor, Elihu, deceased; Ernest S., barrister, Windsor; and Angus, on the old homestead. The daughters were Esther (Mrs. Dr. King), deceased, and Ella, who died at sixteen years.
The Kingsville Reporter, May 5, 1898 p.4
The Late Mrs. Maria J. Wigle
. . . She was a very cultured woman, a kind neighbor, and very pronounced in her ideas on all the great moral questions of the day. . . . Her life in Kingsville was one of helpfulness, and in her home she had practically been mother to two families, that of the late Solomon Wigle and of the late Dr. S.A. King. She never had any children of her own and has no living relatives excepting some cousins in Philadelphia. . . . The funeral took place from the home, Division street south, yesterday at 2.30, Rev. Mr. Martin and Rev. W.H. Ebersole officiating. The pall bearers were five step-sons and one step-grandson. Interment being made in the family plot, Greenhill cemetery.
The Kingsville Reporter, June 13, 1912 p.4
Herbert Scratch of this place was quietly married in Essex yesterday to Mrs. Douglas of that town. They will occupy the house recently purchased by Mr. Scratch from the Mrs. Solomon Wigle estate.
The Kingsville Reporter, September 19, 1912 p.5
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