Portion of File from: RG10. Volume/box number: 7509. File number: 25,032-23. Copied container number: C-14793. - Library and Archives Canada
Indian Soldier Settlement
Lickers, William Foster (27220) 15th Battalion
Department of Indian Affairs – Preliminary Information Form – Indian Soldier Settlement
Date Enlisted: August 10, 1914
Date Overseas: September 15, 1914
Returned: April 23, 1919
Discharged: April 23, 1919
Reason: Demobilization
Department of Indian Affairs Canada, Ottawa,
October 17, 1919
Memorandum,
Mr. Scott
I beg to enclose the application of William Foster Lickers, a returned Indian soldier of the Six Nations Indian Reservation.
Lickers wishes a loan of $3200.00 to pay for the mortgage which is held by W.R. Telfer of Smithville, Ontario, on lot 8, Con. 1, Tp. Of North Grimsby, which Lickers purchased for the sum of $4700.00 some time ago, and made a payment of $1500.00.
Lickers was taken prisoner by the Germans at the first battle of Ypres and spent two years and a half in the salt mines in Germany. He married a Scotch girl who was raised on a farm, and who I believe will be of great assistance to him on the fruit farm which he now owns.
I would recommend that the application be approved as outlined in the accompanying forms.
R.H. Abraham
Agricultural Representative
Department of Indian Affairs Canada
Ottawa,
July 3, 1920
Chatham, Ont.
Dear Sir,
I beg to submit the following report on Foster Lickers, a returned soldier of Grimsby Ont.
Mr. Lickers has a 4-acre fruit farm containing 200 peach, 5 plums, 36 cherry and 18 apple trees; also 240 black currant bushes. He has 2,000 raspberry bushes that he set out this spring. He has no current crop this year, but his peach, plum, cherry and apple trees are all heavily laden with fruit which is in good condition and free from worms so far. This is due to the thorough spraying they received and he reports having sprayed his peaches once, apples twice, cherries and plums three times. He also has 2,000 plants in for the factory and they are looking very fair.
His cherries are about ready to pick and he reports having 200 baskets already on hand for the work.
He has one horse and 44 hens. He reported buying 5 pigs, 1 last fall to feed during the winter but owing to high price of feed found that here was no profit in the business and disposed of them when he had a chance to break even.
Mr. Lickers has been in the military hospital at Burlington since April 28th, where he is taking treatments for rheumatism. He is still suffering very much and does not know when he will be able to leave the hospital entirely. Since he has been away his brother-in-law has been doing the work on his farm. He reports his neighbors always ready to help him during the spraying season or any other busy time. He is very enthusiastic over his place and only asks for his health to make a success of the farm.
Indian Office
At Brantford, Ont.
November 11, 1920
Mr. W. Foster Lickers,
Grimsby,Ont.
Dear Sir,
I enclose certified copy of Order-in-Council enfranchising yourself, wife and son which you should take good care of.
I also beg to notify you that the amount coming to you $476. 73 has been applied towards your Soldier Settlement Loan as follows:
Receipt on land $364.73
Encumbrances $112.00
Yours truly,
Gordon J. Smith,
Supt.
BX April 19, 1938
William Foster Lickers Died at Toronto – Mohawk Warrior Gassed in War and Taken Prisoner at St. Julien
The only Six Nations Indian to experience the terrors of an isolated German prison camp during the Great War, William F. Lickers of Grimsby, better known by his enfranchised name, Walton Foster, died in Christie Street Hospital, Toronto, after two decades of intense suffering consequent to permanent injuries suffered by ill-treatment in the ill-famed salt mines of Germany.
Crippled by Hardship
Permanently crippled after three years spent as a prisoner of war, he was released in June, 1918, but since that time he had never known a day of good health. He bore his sufferings with remarkable fortitude, but last summer his condition became so grave it was necessary to remove him to the military hospital at Toronto.
Claiming direct descent from the famous Indian chiefs, Brant and Tecumseh, deceased was born on the Six Nations Reservation and educated at the Mohawk Institute. He was working in Saskatoon in 1914 but had returned to Lake Lodge School at Grimsby on vacation when war was declared. He enlisted August 10 with the Second Dragoons, left Grimsby a few days later and joined the 48th Highlanders at Valcartier. He proceeded to France with the 15th Battalion in February, 1915.
Brutally treated
Reparation records, citing the experiences which resulted in him being given a cash award in addition to full pension, indicated that he appeared to have aroused the special vindictiveness of his captors because of his race – they would not condone his voluntary enlistment to fight them. Witnesses testified he was singled out for brutal treatment, that he was beaten, knocked down and kicked at one camp, tied to a post and whipped at another and struck with rifle butts and chunks of salt when he could not perform his tasks set him in the salt mines. Allied authorities did not know of the salt mine camp until two prisoners escaped and bared the story.
Several years ago, Walton Foster planned to write a book of his experiences, principally to give a message to younger Indians whom he hoped to have ended the division between themselves and white men. Illness prevented him from carrying on with the task.
Deceased was a member of Union Lodge, A.F. and A.M., No. 7 Grimsby Chapter of the Royal Arch Masons, Hindoo Koosh Grotto at Hamilton, West Lincoln branch of the Canadian Legion and the Pensioners of War Association, Toronto. He also was a member of St. Andrew’s Anglican Church at Grimsby.
He is survived by his wife and one son, Livingston. Funeral services will be held at Grimsby Wednesday afternoon, with burial in the Soldiers’ Plot of Queen’s Lawn Cemetery. It is expected that Rev. Sidney Lambert, padre of Christie Street Hospital, will participate in the services.