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of ContentsWilliam Hampdon Tenner, who leaves as a memorial the finest complete
collection of photographs of early days in the District of Rainy River,
passed away at his home in Devlin on June 10, 1948.
He was an ardent and artistic photographer and many pictures of steamboat
navigation on the Rainy River as well as many other scenes of early pioneer
life remain as a token of his memory. Hundreds of his glass plates portraying
these early scenes, have been preserved by W.G. Bartley and Pat Kerr of
Fort Frances.
Mr. Tenner was born in County Tyrone, Ireland, on December 3, 1860, and
came to the United States at the age of 23. He travelled extensively in
the United States, recording his progress with his camera, before coming
tot the District of Rainy River where he took up farming in Roddick township
on May 10, 1898. After farming for two years, he moved to Emo and shortly
thereafter to Devlin where he engaged in farming until illness forced him
to retire. He continued to reside in Devlin until his death.
On May 7, 1924, he was married to Miss Rhoda Abbie Lodder of Devlin, who
survives. Other survivors include a sister, Mrs. Feachtinger of Chicago
and a cousin John Kinley Tenner who served as Governor of Pennsylvania from
1911 to 1915.
Funeral Services were held at the Devlin United church on Saturday, June
12, at 1:30 p.m. with Rev. A.B. Schulte of Fort Frances officiating. Internment
took place in the Devlin cemetery. Pallbearers were Thomas Cornell, A. Steel,
Fred Patterson, William Pope, John Richardson and William G. Bartley of
Fort Frances.
NOTE:
The Fort Frances Times obtained Tenner's photo collection in 1972. Willard
Price gave a collection of glass plates bearing Tenner's photos to the Times.
The Times reproduced the photos and the glass plates were sent to the Royal
Ontario Museum in Toronto, Ontario where they can be better preserved.
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