20) Crowell Hull Reilly: Elected mayor for the Town of Welland in 1901 & 1902

Vital statistics

Birth: October 19, 1859 at Fonthill, Ontario, Canada

Death: January 25, 1936 at Welland, Ontario, Canada (age 76)

Burial place: Fonthill Cemetery (Find a Grave)

Parents: James D. / Eletta (née Hull)

Spouse: Elizabeth Ellen (née Johnson)

Children: Hugh Johnson / J. Reginald

Occupation: Shoemaker

Religion: Methodist

Community affiliations: Town Councillor / Board of Park Commissioners / Welland Horticultural Society / High School Board / Independent Order of Odd Fellows / Central United Church Steward

Profile

Crowell Hull Reilly was born October 19, 1859 in Fonthill to James and Eletta (née Hull) Reilly. As a child he was educated at the Fonthill grammar school, and then went to high school in St. Catharines. He first went into business with his father James at his shoe business. Then he moved to Welland (living at 157 West Main Street where he spent the rest of his life) to open up his own shoe and boot store on West Main Street in on April 13, 1878, this when he was only 19 years old. His own son J. Reginald later joined him in his business which came to be known as Reilly & Reilly.

In addition to his successful business, Crowell turned out a meritorious civic career. He was councillor eleven times between 1890 and 1913, and was acclaimed twice as mayor, in 1901 and 1902. At the end of his second term as mayor in 1902, the council gave him an extensive note of gratitude, saying “He was a business man but had sacrificed business in many cases to attend to matters for the town… The mayor had been affable to each member of the council, has made the business of the board a pleasure to all, and each one owed him a debt of gratitude.” Some accomplishments credited to him were getting options on the site for the steel works, and saving the town hundreds of dollars by getting free gas for the furnace. He thanked the council for their words and said his connection with the municipal council had always been pleasant.

He married Elizabeth Ellen (née Johnson) on December 5, 1888 and had two sons, Hugh Johnson and J. Reginald. An interesting anecdote in Crowell’s life occurred when his son Lieut. Col. J. Reginald was severely wounded in WWI, this occurred in May of 1915. To visit him at his bedside, Crowell crossed the ocean on the ship Transylvania, only after he had been too late to book passage on the ship Lusitania. This ship was famously sunk by a German submarine and thus Crowell narrowly avoided being a casualty in that disaster.

His wife Elizabeth died in 1927 at their house on West Main Street, the house Crowell lived in for over 50 years while a citizen of Welland. He died there as well, at 3 o’clock in the morning on January 25, 1936 from pneumonia.

An editorial in the paper after his death gave Crowell’s character and work for the city glowing praise, it’s worthy to quote verbatim: “Welland is the better for such men as this. Upright, industrious, public spirited and of a friendly disposition, Mr. Reilly could not help but be of benefit to those with whom he lived. His progressive outlook was not dimmed by the weight of years and, up to the last, he could be relied upon to support ideas that would further the development of the community. He has finished his course but it may be said of him that he accepted his full chare of responsibility as a citizen and did what he could to leave the world a little better than he found it.”

Sources

“C. H. Reilly is Called by Death.” Welland-Port Colborne Evening Tribune, January 25, 1936.
“C. H. Reilly Laid To Rest.” The Standard, January 27, 1936.
“A Good Citizen’s Devoted Service.” Welland-Port Colborne Evening Tribune, January 25, 1936.
“Mayor Vacates Chair.” The People’s Press, December 30, 1902.