Skeletons and Chains II
by F.E. McConvey
Published 13 July 1988
One zealous worker, Maria Rye, brought over five thousand children, mostly girls, to Ontario. It was she, rather than Annie Macpherson, who actually came with the first contingent of children to this country. Just a short time before the Macpherson expedition, Maria Rye had journeyed to Niagara-on-the-Lake accompanied by 68 children, 50 of whom had been taken from workhouses.
A very determined and domineering woman, Maria Rye's works were constantly dogged by controversy and rumors. Even though all the women involved received government aid plus contributions from benefactors on both sides of the ocean, the smears of taint and fingerpointing were always directed at Maria Rye.
Ottawa assisted her one year with a grant of $1,000. Later from that government she received a bonus for each child brought to Canada, which at the beginning was $2 per head. Ontario also contributed a bonus of $6 for each child over the age of 12. There were other benefits to be reaped such as reduced passenger rated on ships and free rail travel from Quebec to Niagara-On-The-Lake where she had established "Our Western Home."
A breakdown of her figures revealed "it was apparent to some that she was making, on the average, just over 12 dollars per child." Although she emphatically states that all monies were put back into her work, I do not believe she ever produced any proof that would either substantiate her claim or repudiate her accusers.
In a circular distributed by Maria Rye to promote the work of her home, it was declared, "the children vary in age from nine to 12 years, all are Protestant, and nearly all are absolute orphans, are bound (when not adopted), till they are 18 years old, on the following terms; up to 15 to 17 they are not clothes but paid three dollars a month wages and four dollars a month from 17 to 18. If through any unforeseen circumstances, it is necessary for a child to be returned Home, due notice of the same must be given in writing, a full fortnight before the child is removed; and if the child has been away from Home for six months, her clothes must be returned new and whole in the same number as they left the Home.
Forms of Indenture were drawn up which were signed by each farmer who accepted a child. The purpose of these agreements was two-fold. In addition to outlining the responsiblity of the farmer, they bound the children so tightly that they could not leave until they had attained the age of 18.
Thus the children were signed away to their fate and, in most cases, forgotten by the ones who had delivered them. The selection process was very simple - lined up like cattle, or slaves on the auction block, the children were viewed then taken away to their lives of servitude.
George Green was described as shy, bashful lad when he arrived in Canada. He went to work for a farmer who returned him a short time later. He was a "good boy; but one who was not cut out for work on the farm....I don't wish to keep the boy you sent on account of defective eyesight." Less than a year later George Green was dead at the age of 15.
here is evidence presented by the Coroner, Allan Cameron who had examined his body:
"The room...smelled more like privy than anything else. In the corner there was a straw mattress with a large hole in the cenre about 10 inches deep - like a nest into which someone had burrowed in order to keep warm. The hole was caked with excrement. The room was dirty in the extreme, with excrement that had been there for many days creating an atmosphere so foul that he could recall nothing in his career that could even approach it."
"As for the body itself, he described it as severely emaciated....the result of acute starvation. The skin was covered with welts, scabs, abrasions and flea-bites...the abrasions were the result of direct violence."
William G. Dow, one of the physcians who performed an autopsy stated "that the boy's internal organs were all normal...death was the result....of violence and starvation. The excrement that covered the lower part of his body and the bed in which he died was the result of diarrhea, brought on by the pittiance of good he was given - a cirtual starvation diet, consisting of little else than bran porridge."
George Green had been sent to the farm of Helen Findlay. After the death of her parents, then her brother, she decided to continue working the homestead. There were about 30 acres of hay, oats and vegetables, 18 head of cattle, 12 hogs, 11 sheep and 3 horses - far too much work for a long woman. Therefore she sent a request for a "home child" to one of the Toronto agencies.
After George's death she was charged with murder, later reduced to manslaughter.
She told the court that "she did not think too much of the boy...he was weak on his feet and did not work well in the field picking stones. She had tried to teach him to mow - he, of course had never seen a farm or its machinery - but he could not even do that...he was a sickly person...causing her a lot of extra work and she admitted that when he was deathly ill..she did say...'I wish the brute would die or get better'." In spite of her dissatisfaction, she did not return the boy to the angency at the termination of the trail period but signed a three-year agreement in which he was to be provided with food, lodging, washing and $75 in return for his work.
What a sorry day that was for George Green!
At her trial several neighbours testified they had seen her physically abuse the lad. "She kicked him with her boots...struck him with an axe handle...prodded him with a pitchfork...blue and cold in the fall, crying as he was chased by Helen Findlay, a pitchfork high over her head... he was a good boy but not quick enough to please....in the fields he could not work fast enough and she struck him with the prong of the forks and said if he didn't hurry up she'd run the pitchfork through him."
Naturally Helen Findlay denied all the accusations. Her description of George is as follows:
"...the boy was useless...George Green was to her a kind of primative and partial being, a boy who had no feelings and knew no dreams and perhaps had no soul. He was...defective in the head to oot....crosseyed...humpbacked. His right hip was drawn in and he sidled along with his right side forward. His mouth was at the side of his head and his lower jaw stuck out a quarter of an inch beyond the upper so that his teeth did not meet. Also...he was left handed."
The body was exhumed and a second autopsy performed by three physicians called in by Helen's lawyer. One November 16, 1895 they lifted the body from a water-filled grave and coffin and reported they had discovered "a body so defective it was almost degenerate." C.M Lang recounted "that he was suffering from struma (goiter) or scrofulous conditions )scrofulaculous milk, does not appear today) associated with tuberculosis...the struma...could not be acquired, it was a....taint of heredity."
The jury, divided by the testimony of the physicians split and could not produce a verdict. "The case against Helen Findlay simply dissolved."
One newspaper absolved Helen Findlay by its story entitled, "A Repulsive Boy. Disobedient, Dirty, Unable to Work, But a Big Eater."
Rest in Peace, George Green.
GENEALOGY MEETING: MBGS - Charlotte County Branch will hold its monthly meeting on SATURDAY, JULY 16 at the ST. CROIX LIBRARY, STEPHEN at 1:30. ALL WELCOME. Anyone wishing to help transcribe the ST. STEPHEN RURAL CEMETERY, meet there at 9:00 a.m. Bring a lunch.
Note: In-Laws, Outlaws and Kinfolk articles have been published on this site with the permission of the St. Croix Courier. Special thanks goes to the Courier for allowing me to reprint my mother's articles.