Aged 73y 19d
Husband of Matilda Stitt his beloved wife

The Listowel Banner, Listowel, Ontario, 24 November 1904, Page 1, Column 4

"Mr. William Stevenson's Sad Death. Resulting From a Train Accident at Harriston Last Wednesday Night.
On Wednesday evening of last week Mr. William Stevenson was killed at Harriston by being run over by a train. The circumstances are very sad and the shocking news has cast a gloom over the whole community. Mr. and Mrs. Stevenson were on their way to Clifford to visit their daughter, Mrs. Scott, but intending to pay a short visit to an old friend in Teeswater, Mr. Stevenson got off at Harriston to purchase a ticket for Teeswater via the C.P.R., while his wife went on. In the evening after a long wait he started, as he thought, for Clifford, but got on the Owen Sound train by mistake. He then attempted to get off while the train was in motion and fell between the train and the platform and was drawn in under the wheels, the wheels passing over his right leg above the ankle and part of his right hand crushing two of his fingers. His head and body was also badly bruised. He remained conscious, however, and told those who picked him up who he was and where he came from, and was able to speak to the doctors who were hastily summoned. The doctors found that an amputation was necessary at once as he was losing a lot of blood, but he never rallied after the operation. His daughter-in-law's father, Mr. W. Taylor, lives in Harriston but as there was no room in his house he was taken to Bingham's Hotel. His son Robert B., who is attending Knox College, Toronto, arrived from Palmerston on the next train and was present at the operation. Mrs. Stevenson was summoned from Clifford but did not arrive until after they had begun the operation. Mr. Stevenson's father was a native of Armagh, Ireland, and when he came to Canada he settled in the County of Carlington, near Ottawa, where Mr. Stevenson was born over seventy-three years ago. Mr. Stevenson himself came to the Queen's Bush 45 years ago and took up land in Elma and retired some 10 years ago. He was for many years the manager of the Elma Cheese Factory at Britton, and is widely known in this part of the country. His ability and integrity have earned him many positions of public trust, all of which he filled in an able manner and to the satisfaction of his fellow citizens. He has been a councillor and school trustee, but lately retired from public life. The deceased leaves to mourn his loss his wife and three sons and seven daughters. They are: Robert and William of Toronto; Howard of London; Mrs. Scott, Clifford; Mrs. J. Gilkinson of Elma; Mrs. W. Gilkinson of Chicago; Mrs. Geo. Fennel, North Bay; Mrs. Blake of Victoria, B.C; Sara and Adeline at home. His eldest son, John James was killed a year and a half ago. The funeral took place from his late residence, Victoria Street, to Fairview Cemetery. It was one of the largest funerals seen in Listowel for some time. the services were conducted by Rev. J. S. Hardie of Knox Church, of which the deceased was a lifelong member. All the members of the family were home to the funeral except Mrs. Blake of Victoria, B.C."