The Barrie Examiner, Thursday, Dec. 7, 1905 (page 2)
AN INNISFIL PIONEER. Thos. Jacks Passed Away at the Ripe age of 83.
Death came gently to Mr. Thos. Jacks, one of the old pioneers of Innisfil on Wednesday morning, Nov. 22nd, at 8 o'clock after a short illness as the result of a paralytic stroke.
The deceased came to the township of Innisfil as a boy with his parents from Dalhousie where a number of our oldest families in this township first settled upon coming to this country from Scotland, Innisfil was an unbroken forest when they settled here.
Mr Jacks was a man of fine intelligence and had his time fallen to him during the time of more recent education facilities he would doubtless have been a leader among men, but the axe was more in evidence than the pen in his young days. As it was, he was no mean poet.
The old gentleman had a large and intelligent knowledge of scripture and loved a friendly discussion of its truths with a friend, and it was indeed a pleasure to a younger student of the Book to have a talk with him. He was too liberal and broad minded to be fanatical and could therefore see beauties in other churches besides the one of his choice. Mr Jacks was a life-long Presbyterian. The Golden rule was the one he followed in his dealings with his fellows, and being a kindly, sympathetic man he was more than once imposed upon in trying to help others out of their financial difficulties.
He died at the ripe old age of 83 years leaving a large family to miss his presence from among them. His four sons, William, Thomas, John W. and David own adjacent farms. One son Robert is a merchant in Portland, Oregon. Two sons and one daughter pre-deceased him. Jos. Jacks of the firm of Hood, Jacks & Fraser, barristers was one of those sons. He leaves a widow and one daughter, Miss Mary at home, and they will miss every day the sound of his voice which I am safe in saying was never raised in anger towards any of them.
A very large procession (over 120 vehicles) followed his remains to the Presbyterian Cemetary at the Central Church at the sixth concession. Rev. L. McLean preached a very appropriate sermon, full of hope, to a very large congregation who had assembled to pay their last tribute of respect to the departed.
We know him to have been a staunch friend and an obliging neighbor, inconveniencing himself often to oblige. His hospitality was known to all and if any person young or old, poor or rich, left his place hungry it was not his fault nor the fault of his family who delighted to honor him.
Mr Jacks was a staunch Reformer in politics and was a reader of the Daily Globe from its initial number.