Mark Burgess

Picture one is Helena Burgess and son Mark, picture two is Mark Burgess, picture three is Mark, Allan Miloff, and Helena Burgess

Mark Burgess was the youngest of the Burgess Clan. Mark lied about his age and joined the army when he was sixteen years old. Mark went to Europe and was wounded while fighting in Belgium. While in England Mark met and married Marie, a Welsh girl. Marie got pregnant and when the war ended came to Canada, to live with Mark. Marie held out in Canada for about ten years but at some point couldn't take Mark any more so up and went back to Wales with Patricia their daughter. Mark when sober was a very nice guy, but when drunk could turn on a dime, and get very violent. Mark was barred from the Legions, of Port Hope, and Cobourg, and probably many in Toronto. Mark seemed to give the impression, of liking to fight. If Mark couldn't find someone else to fight with he would fight with his brothers, perhaps a by product of being the youngest in a very competitive family.
One day while living in the College St. and Ossington area Mark came out of the apartment to find someone had blocked his car in and when confronting the person, the guy wouldn't still move the car so Mark went and got his shotgun and in effect told the gut if he didn't move the car Mark would blow his head off. That seemed to work, the guy moved the car, but reported Mark to the Police for threatening him, over which Mark was arrested and wound up in court. Mark was given a slight fine and let go , and asked the Judge if and when he could have his shotgun, which, had been seized by the Police back. I as well as everyone else was surprised at that, and so surprised I can't remember what the Judge said. I had gone to the court, and this was my first time in court. I was about 18 at the time so it would have been around 1955.
In around the same time my friend John Brunelle had gone to the car races at the Exhibition Grounds one Easter weekend and when we returned from the races, we found Uncle John, Uncle Mark, Grandfather, and my stepfather George playing cards. John and Mark had brought Grandfather Burgess done for one of his rare visits. They asked me if I wanted to join in and I said no, but John Brunelle said he would like to. I kind of whispered to John don't do it John, their wild. John was addicted to cards himself and didn't listen to me, so sat in on the game. John's nickname at work was " The Brute " the reason being when he was young he had, had polio, and was only a little guy, so it was one of those things when they named the guy the opposite of what he really was. It was a warm day and mother generally had the house warmer than it should have been, and I sat in the easy chair watching TV, and dozing off, when all of a sudden I woke up to a loud scream, and an awful crash, from the kitchen where the game was going on. I ran in to see what had happened and there is the Brute out cold on the floor. It seems Mark thought Uncle John did something wrong and swung at him, but the Brute trying to be a peace maker got in the way and took the punch. As I was helping the Brute off the floor I was giving him shit for not paying attention to me when I told him not to play with these guys and Mark is apologizing for missing his mark. While Mark outlived the rest of the clan he didn't live to be the oldest, that turned out to be his brother John. Mark seemed to have great difficulty in holding onto a job for a variety of reasons, and eventually lived with his mother, and taking care of her, in her later years, in the house at 107 Hope St in Port Hope and eventually inheriting the house, upon her death. Mark probably, like his brother John received a pension from the Army because of his war wounds, and that was how he could survive. After his daughter in Wales got married, at some point he reconciled with her, as they had been previously estranged, he went for a visit, had a good time and eventually sent her the money to help her and her husband to come for a visit, and meet with all of her relatives over here. While Pat enjoyed visiting with her father, Port Hope is a small town with not much going on, and Mark wasn't one to go out much so Pat jumped at the chance to come to Richmond Hill with us for a few days. When she was here we talked Mark into coming down, to Richmond Hill and all the men would go to the cottage at Pickerel River including Pat's husband. Pat went to Niagara Falls with Aunt Shirley, Johns wife her other cousin Debbie, her kids, and our Amanda.
Anne and Allison were in a Majorette parade somewhere. By the time their visit to Canada was over Pat had bonded with our family at least very well and were sorry to have to go. On our 25th anniversary, Anne and I went on a tour of Eastern Europe, which started in England and included, Holland, East Germany, Berlin, Poland, The Soviet Union, Finland, Sweden, and Denmark, and when it was over had about a week left in England. While in England we rented a car and went to visit with Pat in Wales. Pat would eventually divorce and marry again to Neil Price. Pat and Neil would come over for a visit, and we would go on a camping trip after spending a week at the cottage in Pickerel River to Richibucto N.B. where my sister lives. We visited there for a few days and camped back through the States, going through Maine, Vermont and New York State taking them to Niagara Falls, where they went on the Maid of the Mist, to under the falls. The next time we were to see them was after Mark's death when they came over to the funeral and to finalize all the necessary documentation relating to the property.
Marks death was the end of the direct family of the Burgess's, which seemed extra sad, even though inevitable.