One of the items on my “19 for 2019” list was to visit the Tom Thomson Art Gallery in Owen Sound, which I did in November. The gallery is conveniently located next to the library and features some of Thomson’s art as well as memorabilia (and rotating exhibits showcasing other artists). Admission is by donation. I plan to visit again (but only when someone else is watching my kids — they aren’t quite ready to appreciate an art gallery, at least not all four of them together!)

Tom Thomson (1877-1917) grew up near Owen Sound and became one of Canada’s most important and influential artists. His mysterious death adds to his allure.

According to the Tom Thomson Art Gallery’s biographical sketch:

“Tom Thomson died sometime between July 8, when he was last seen, and July 16, 1917, when his body was found floating in Canoe Lake.  The cause of death was recorded as accidental drowning.

“On Monday, July 16, Dr. G. W. Howland, a Toronto physician and professor of neurology at the University of Toronto, saw an unidentifiable object lying in the water some yards from the shore. Dr. Howland asked two local guides, George Rowe and Lourie Dickson, who were on the water at the time, to investigate. They found Thomson’s body.

“Thomson would have celebrated his fortieth birthday on August 5.  His watch had stopped at 12:14.  Dr. Howland was asked to examine the body before burial and reported a bruise about 10 cm across the right temple, air issuing from the lungs, and some bleeding from the right ear.  And though his death was officially recorded as accidental due to drowning, his demise has become one of Canada’s greatest mysteries.“

What really happened to Tom Thomson?

1. Accidental Death. The leading theory is “that this accomplished canoe tripper somehow fell, either on shore or in the canoe, perhaps hitting his head, and it was the motion of the waves and currents that wrapped his fishing line around his legs.” (Source)

2. Murder. Some have suggested that Thomson was shot by Martin Blecher, a German-American who argued with him over who would win the war.

3. Manslaughter. Others have raised the theory that he died after a drunken brawl with Shannon Fraser, a friend who owed him money.

4. Suicide. The fourth theory is that Thomson killed himself because he didn’t want to marry Winifred “Winnie” Trainor, who was pregnant with his child.

According to Gregory Klages, author of The Many Deaths of Tom Thomson, most of the theories “are based on flimsy evidence or outright speculation.” (Source)

If you want to dig into the firsthand evidence yourself, check out “Death on a Painted Lake: The Tom Thomson Tragedy,” part of the website Great Unsolved Mysteries in Canadian History.

What do you think about Tom Thomson’s untimely death?