Don Blackstock
Don Blackstock’s father, James McNair Blackstock, was born in Collingwood, June 4, 1879. His first marriage was to Janet Kaiser who had lived in Sunnidale. James had a grocery store in Collingwood. After he moved to Stayner, he lived on John St. and made his living delivering milk with a horse and wagon. Later, he went into the grocery business in Stayner.Janet and James had four children. Edward lived in Stayner and later helped in the grocery store. He was killed tragically in a tractor accident in Nottawa. Clarence, who lived in Toronto, worked for Eatons. Later, he moved to B. C. Marion also lived in Toronto. Russell died young in 1924 of diphtheria. Janet died in 1918.
Eventually, Charlotte Walters, born November 6, 1889, came to help look after the family. In 1922, James and Charlotte married.
Their family consisted of Walter (died at 2 years), Don, Isabelle (McMahon in Richmond), Beatrice (Oliver in Georgetown), George (who lives in Nottawa) and Irene (Zilio in Cambridge). The “Blackstock” building still remains, now housing a barber shop on the south side of the west end of Stayner business centre. The family lived behind the store. They all attended school at Byng in Stayner.
The Blackstocks were a respected family in Stayner. James was an elder in Jubilee Presbyterian Church. He died March 19, 1942. Charlotte died April 5, 1976.
Don Blackstock lived all his life in Stayner. He started as a butcher in Brown’s Butcher Shop. While in the Armed Forces, he trained as a plumber. After his discharge, he worked as a plumber in Camp Borden. Stories still exist today about his kindness in helping people with their plumbing.
Later, he returned to Stayner and the butcher shop.
He was also a very dedicated Legion member. He looked after sports for boys and girls - hockey and baseball especially. He often paid to get birth certificates for some who couldn’t afford to buy them. One young man whom he coached, said later that Don kept many young people from getting into trouble.
Don left his home on Main Street and moved to Leimgardt’s Retirement Home where he died in 1997.
(This story first appeared in the Fall 2004 issue of our newsletter)
Subsequent to the publication of the above article, we received the following information from Patricia Blackstock:
There are errors in the account written about Don Blacsktock.
- You have the wrong death date for Don Blackstock. He died 13 October 2001.
- Edward Blacsktock, son of James McNair Blackstock died 26 February 2000 in Port Colborne, Ontario of old age. He was 92 at the time of his death.
- The reference to Edward Blackstock refers to the brother of James McNair Blacsktock, not his son, who died when the boiler of a steam engine that he used on a threshing machine blew up.