Edgar Nelson Bartlet 1862-1927

With last week’s article about the Bartlet building, some questions came up about who was the building named after? I did some research over the last week and came up with the obituary for Edgar Nelson Bartlet, the man who built the building that still bears his name on University Avenue West to this day.

MR. EDGAR NELSON BARTLET, member of one of the oldest and most prominent Border families, who died early Wednesday night after a lengthy illness. He was a nephew of the late Police Magistrate Bartlet, one of the district’s noted men and was a lifelong resident of the Border Cities. Mr Bartlet was one of the original Canadian Ford stockholders. For many years he was engaged in the realty business, and was a substantial investor in downtown Windsor business properly. The Bartlet Building, London street west, was owned by him.

FUNERAL TO BE HELD FROM HOUSE FRIDAY

Was Born In City 65 Years Ago; Widely Known

Death Comes After Long Illness; Erected Many Buildings

Burial rites for Edgar Nelson Bartlet capitalist, realty man and respected member of one of the Border’s most prominent families, are to be held probably Friday afternoon, following his death, early Wednesday night, from a heart affection of long standing.

DIES AT RESIDENCE

Mr. Bartlet, who was one of the original Canadian Ford stockholders. died at his residence, St. Mary’s Gate, Walkerville. He passed away at 7 o’clock. For the past six months he had been acutely ill; but the ailment was of longer duration than that, and for the past two years he had been in indifferent health.

Rev. H. M. Paulin, pastor of St. Andrew’s Presbyterian church, now summering at Leith, near Owen Sound, is on his way to the Border to officiate at the funeral services. These will be held from the resi­dence Friday afternoon at 3 o’clock.

BORN IN WINDSOR

Mr. Bartlet was born In Windsor July 25, 1862, and was thus 65 years of age. He was son of the late Wil­liam Bartlet and a nephew of the late Police Magistrate Alexander Bartlet, one of the district’s noted men, and for many years a familiar figure on the bench. Most of the deceased’s lifetime was spent in Windsor. For eight years, however, he was engaged in business in California, where he had the exclusive agency for, the San Francisco dis­trict for Smith-Premier typewriters.

Before leaving for the Pacific Coast Mr. Bartlet was engaged in the hardware business, and for some years was associated with the Field Hardware Company of Detroit when that firm maintained an establishment on Woodward avenue.

RETURNED IN 1911

Upon returning to the Border in 1911, he entered the real estate busi­ness. His arrival here from the west was timed with a period in which the city of Windsor and its adjoin­ing municipalities took on a new lease of life, and before retiring from an active business career, Mr. Bartlet carried out many of the most important and largest realty transfers in the history of the Bor­der at that time.

He was always a firm believer in local development, and it is said that he was principally responsible for the building up of old Ouellette square, the site of the Prince Ed­ward hotel, which was a commons not so many years ago.

Mr. Bartlet was a substantial In­vestor in downtown Windsor busi­ness property, and one of the finest office blocks in the city, the Bart­let building, on West London street hears his name.

STAUNCH LIBERAL

Though he never took part in public life, Mr. Bartlet was a keen student of municipal, provincial and federal politics. He was a staunch Liberal in his political leanings. He belonged to few clubs or organiza­tions. His chief recreation was golf, and as long as his health permitted, he was an enthusiastic follower of the game which he enjoyed as a member of the Essex Golf and Coun­try Club.

FOND OF LITERATURE

His hobbies Included motoring. reading and gardening. He was a lover of good literature, and the owner of a fine library. The devotion he displayed in beautifying the grounds of his spacious home in Walkerville made this residence one of the show spots of the Border.

Mr. Bartlet was a lifelong member of St. Andrew’s Church.

Besides his wife, who was a Miss Margaret McGregor, daughter of the late Mr. and Mrs. William McGregor, Mr. Bartlet is survived by a son, Gordon T. Bartlet, Walkerville, who was associated with his father in the management of the Bartlet properties, and a daughter, Mrs. George Carruthers, Jr., of Windsor. Miss Helen Bartlet, of Windsor, is a sister, and Alexander Bartlet, of Detroit, a brother.