Haggis
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Fallen, not forgotten
CONST. JOHN ROBERT DAVEY: Cornwall police memorialize officer killed in line of duty in 1892
By DANIELLE VANDENBRINK DVANDENBRINK@STANDARD-FREEHOLDER.COM
Posted 2 days ago
CORNWALL — Two families were brought together in Cornwall Friday for a special ceremony to remember their ancestors who became the subject of a fateful day more a hundred years ago.
On Sept. 6, 1892, about a month after being sworn-in as a special constable with the Cornwall police, 47-year-old John Robert Davey was killed after being shot in the chest attempting to apprehend an armed man.
It was his first day on the job.
A good samaritan who was present at the scene, Louis Lafave, was also shot in the shoulder while attempting to assist Davey during the altercation, which took place at former Grand Trunk Railway yards, in what is now Ninth Street between Pitt and Sydney Streets.
Lafave survived his wounds and lived until 1903, but Davey became the first police officer in Cornwall to be killed in the line of duty.
Sgt. Thom Racine of the Cornwall Community Police Service, who began researching the events surrounding Davey's death last year, has been tirelessly working to recognize his fallen comrade.
Over the past year, Racine has spent countless hours tracking down descendents of both Davey and Lafave, in hopes of recognizing the sacrifices the men made on Sept. 6, 1892.
On Friday, Racine made it happen.
Beginning in the morning, police officers from several local law enforcement agencies began a ceremonial march on Cumberland Street to St. Columban's cemetery on Eleventh Street, where Davey is buried.
Canadian Forces members from the Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry Highlanders were also represented, as Davey served as a captain with the 59th Stormont Dundas Militia Unit before he joined the police force.
More than 200 people attended a ceremony at the site, including more than 20 family members of Davey and Lafave from across North America.
During the ceremony, dignitaries unveiled a tombstone donated by the SD&G Highlander's Association and the Cornwall Police Association—complete with a sketched portrait of Davey by 15-year-old local artist Dominic Cyr.
The SD&G Highlanders and the Cornwall police also honoured Davey with a traditional volley salute, firing their guns into the air.
In the afternoon, a section of Ninth Street where Davey was killed was designated as "Const. John Robert Davey Memorial Way," with local dignitaries unveiling signs placed at each side of the street between Pitt and Sydney Streets.
Catherine Tobin made the trip to Cornwall Thursday from Boston, Mass., to help honour her great grandfather, John Davey.
Tobin's grandfather (Davey's oldest son) and grandmother both grew up in Cornwall before moving to the United States.
Tobin said she learned about Davey through her grandmother, who kept records of the family's history.
When Racine contacted Tobin last year, she provided him with a picture of her great grandfather during his time in the militia.
Once learning of Racine's plan to honour her family member, Tobin said she jumped at the opportunity.
"Just the fact that you always want to learn more about your family and (Racine) just had so much energy and contacts for discovering all of this that I can just be the recipient of it all," she said.
Tobin called the memorial ceremony a "wonderful" way to bring the two families together to remember their ancestors.
"You get to know all of these people who are related through that period of time over a hundred years ago," she said. "(But) also for the city, (it's) some other thing to bring people together and to be proud."
Janice Haer, great granddaughter of Louis Lafave, came to Cornwall with her older sister from New Jersey.
Haer said learning about her great grandfather's past came as a surprise to her family.
"The day that Thom told me (about the ceremony) I was ready to come (to Cornwall)," she said. "I've been excited for over a year."
Haer said she was pleased Racine also acknowledged her great grandfather's role in the events of Sept. 6.
"He was shot too…his (wound) was in the shoulder, and (Davey's) was in the heart, it's just inches. I mean, he could have (died) too. Six inches made the difference."
"It's like we're all family now because we're all connected by the same event," she added.
Racine will be releasing a book on his journey of researching the Davey and Lafave families by the end of the year.
Fallen, not forgotten
CONST. JOHN ROBERT DAVEY: Cornwall police memorialize officer killed in line of duty in 1892
By DANIELLE VANDENBRINK DVANDENBRINK@STANDARD-FREEHOLDER.COM
Posted 2 days ago
CORNWALL — Two families were brought together in Cornwall Friday for a special ceremony to remember their ancestors who became the subject of a fateful day more a hundred years ago.
On Sept. 6, 1892, about a month after being sworn-in as a special constable with the Cornwall police, 47-year-old John Robert Davey was killed after being shot in the chest attempting to apprehend an armed man.
It was his first day on the job.
A good samaritan who was present at the scene, Louis Lafave, was also shot in the shoulder while attempting to assist Davey during the altercation, which took place at former Grand Trunk Railway yards, in what is now Ninth Street between Pitt and Sydney Streets.
Lafave survived his wounds and lived until 1903, but Davey became the first police officer in Cornwall to be killed in the line of duty.
Sgt. Thom Racine of the Cornwall Community Police Service, who began researching the events surrounding Davey's death last year, has been tirelessly working to recognize his fallen comrade.
Over the past year, Racine has spent countless hours tracking down descendents of both Davey and Lafave, in hopes of recognizing the sacrifices the men made on Sept. 6, 1892.
On Friday, Racine made it happen.
Beginning in the morning, police officers from several local law enforcement agencies began a ceremonial march on Cumberland Street to St. Columban's cemetery on Eleventh Street, where Davey is buried.
Canadian Forces members from the Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry Highlanders were also represented, as Davey served as a captain with the 59th Stormont Dundas Militia Unit before he joined the police force.
More than 200 people attended a ceremony at the site, including more than 20 family members of Davey and Lafave from across North America.
During the ceremony, dignitaries unveiled a tombstone donated by the SD&G Highlander's Association and the Cornwall Police Association—complete with a sketched portrait of Davey by 15-year-old local artist Dominic Cyr.
The SD&G Highlanders and the Cornwall police also honoured Davey with a traditional volley salute, firing their guns into the air.
In the afternoon, a section of Ninth Street where Davey was killed was designated as "Const. John Robert Davey Memorial Way," with local dignitaries unveiling signs placed at each side of the street between Pitt and Sydney Streets.
Catherine Tobin made the trip to Cornwall Thursday from Boston, Mass., to help honour her great grandfather, John Davey.
Tobin's grandfather (Davey's oldest son) and grandmother both grew up in Cornwall before moving to the United States.
Tobin said she learned about Davey through her grandmother, who kept records of the family's history.
When Racine contacted Tobin last year, she provided him with a picture of her great grandfather during his time in the militia.
Once learning of Racine's plan to honour her family member, Tobin said she jumped at the opportunity.
"Just the fact that you always want to learn more about your family and (Racine) just had so much energy and contacts for discovering all of this that I can just be the recipient of it all," she said.
Tobin called the memorial ceremony a "wonderful" way to bring the two families together to remember their ancestors.
"You get to know all of these people who are related through that period of time over a hundred years ago," she said. "(But) also for the city, (it's) some other thing to bring people together and to be proud."
Janice Haer, great granddaughter of Louis Lafave, came to Cornwall with her older sister from New Jersey.
Haer said learning about her great grandfather's past came as a surprise to her family.
"The day that Thom told me (about the ceremony) I was ready to come (to Cornwall)," she said. "I've been excited for over a year."
Haer said she was pleased Racine also acknowledged her great grandfather's role in the events of Sept. 6.
"He was shot too…his (wound) was in the shoulder, and (Davey's) was in the heart, it's just inches. I mean, he could have (died) too. Six inches made the difference."
"It's like we're all family now because we're all connected by the same event," she added.
Racine will be releasing a book on his journey of researching the Davey and Lafave families by the end of the year.
