(27 March 1896-28 Oct. 1966), lumberman, businessman. (James N. Fitzgerald, J. N. Fitzgerald, in early life Jim, later Jerry) Born at Plantagenet, Ont., a descendant of the Irish settlers of that area. Parents: John H. Fitzgerald and his wife Melissa Erratt. He attended primary school and continuation school. At the age of 14, he went to work in the lumber industry, then after some years in forest and farm work, he did farm work in the Canadian West 1916-1917. Thereafter, he returned briefly to forest work in the River Rouge area of Quebec, then was in the Canadian Army 1918-1919 serving in England, and returned to forest work on demobilization. He was married on 1 July 1924 at Ottawa to Stella S. Graham (6 Jan. 1902-16 Dec. 1998), of the Pembroke, Ont., area. (three children) From 1924, the year of his marriage, till 1946, he was superintendent of an 800 square mile tract of forest in northern Quebec, in charge of a large work force (at times, rising to as many as 700) who were cutting pulpwood for the E. B. Eddy Co. of Hull. During this time, his home and centre of work was at the village of Parent, about 175 miles north of Montreal. He retired in 1946 on account of health problems, and he and his family moved to Maxville, where he operated, first, a combined garage, gas station and farm machinery dealership, and then, a general store (see J. Walter Smillie) 1949-1965. Fitzgerald spoke French with complete fluency. He was reeve of Maxville 1958-1961 and warden of SDG for 1961. He died at Maxville. Presbyterian. His wife, who survived him by more than 30 years, died at Maxville Manor. They are buried in the Franklins Corner cemetery, near Riceville, north of Maxville. Their daughter Velma (Mrs Keith Franklin) has been over many years one of the principal workers for the Glengarry Historical Society. Her writings include a collection of her articles in the Cornwall Standard-Freeholder, called Over the Fence (1997).
Private information * sketch by his wife of the Parent years, The Maxville Centennial (Oct. 1991) * unpublished transcript (16 pp.) of his recollections up to 1930s, prepared by his daughter Velma * Maxville (1991) (portrait) 129-130, 187, 299-303, 412, 558-560 * obituaries of his wife, Vankleek Hill Review 30 Dec. 1998, Glengarry News 6 Jan. 1999, and of their son Barry Fitzgerald (d. 8 Nov. 2001, at Summerland, B.C.), GN 21 Nov. 2001