DEATH OF THOMAS LOGAN
RENFREW MERCURY JANUARY 4, 1918
Thomas Logan, son of a pioneer of Renfrew, native of the town, laid down the cares and pleasures of life on Saturday morning and on Monday afternoon was laid to rest on Thomsons’s Hill, where his parents and five brothers and one sister have formerly been borne. It had been known for the past year that Mr. Logan’s health was sadly impaired; and though a journey and rest at Clifton Springs had done him some good, the trouble gradually settled upon him again and for the past week or two it was known that the illness would ere long prove fatal, though the end came somewhat more suddenly than expected. Mr. Logan was the third son of the late William Logan, one of the town’s pioneers and early manufacturers. Away back in the 50’s he established the Logan Woollen Mills down by the riverside. As he grew up to manhood Thomas’ gifts were early indicated and they were a marked ability to get the best results from the machinery of a woolen mill and from the workers therewith. And step by step though set back by fires, the industries grew; and the modest wooden building of limited capacity grew to two large brick factory structures and now have place to the right and left of the north of the “wire bridge”.
For the last few years Mr. Logan’s activities have been devoted to the business of the Renfrew Knitting Co. in the larger and newer of those two manufacturing industries. Aside from the business Mr. Logan in his years of prime took an active part in municipal affairs occupying a seat at the council board in the period when Renfrew and had just donned the gait of a town and was developing waterworks and good roads systems, in both of which he took deep interest. He had a great faith in the Bonnechere river and in the part that was to be played in Renfrew’s development by the waterfall at the foot of Main street whose rushing waters were music in his ears from his earliest days; and the passing years have brought realization of this faith. Mr. Logan was married in 1888 to Miss Ellen MacDonald, daughter of the late Peter MacDonald of Douglas. Mrs. Logan, whose own health has not been the best for some years, survives, along with two sons, Mackie and Charles, who have been well trained to carry on the industry. On sister, Lizzie, also survives. – the last of the generation of the family.
The funeral services at the house on Monday afternoon were conducted by Rev. E.B. Horne and Rev. Dr. Tayler; the services at the grave by Rev. E.B. Horne. The funeral was with Masonic honors, with services at the grave omitted by the brotherhood owing to the severely cold weather. The Masonic services were conducted by Wor. Bro. H. Cox. There were handsome floral memorials – in addition to those from family and friends – from the Town Council and the Masonic Lodge, Canadian Foresters and the employees of the Knitting Mill. The pallbearers were Wm. Dean, Gray Logan, Hugh Livingstone, John Currie (four nephews), Archie McDonald (brother-in-law) and Arthur McNaughton an intimate personal and business friend.