shortly before or soon after her husband’s emigration, she gave birth on March 6, 1880, to their first child, Simon.26
Aaron Meretsky came to Windsor without his wife and child. Having brought with him enough money to get established, he did not have the financial hardships other immigrants had to endure. Although he had only a limited knowledge of English, he must have had some education as he could read and write Yiddish.27 Trying to fit into his new surroundings, he soon decided to change his first name to Joe, sometimes using it in conjunction with his family name, but mostly calling himself Adelman, because he thought it was easier to pronounce and spell than Meretsky. He began to work on his own as a peddler, but also appeared to have been in business with William Englander for a while. He then moved to Wallaceburg, where he pursued two occupations — as a junk merchant in the summer and as a fur dealer during the winter. He also carried on business in Sarnia, briefly returning to Wallaceburg before permanently settling in Windsor.28
Meretsky family home in Windsor, Ontario (n.d.).
After being in Canada for seven years, Aaron sent for his wife, Catherine, and their young son.29 She also must have brought a great deal of money with her,30 since the couple soon was able to bring over her parents, her sisters, and one of her brothers, as well as Aaron’s brothers, Abraham, Jacob, and Michael, and his three sisters — Annie, who later married Joseph Mintz; Gishe (Jessie), who eventually became the wife of Orke Williams; and Ete Rive (Rebecca), who came together with her husband, Max Bernstein.
Between 1894 and 1903, Katherine Meretsky gave birth in quick succession to five more children — Tibe, born in 1894; Harmon Cem, born in 1896; Libby, born in 1898; Edsel, born in 1900; and Israel (Slaw) born in 1903. Being an astute businesswoman in her own right, Catherine soon acquired properties in Windsor, including seven houses on Mercer Street; she and her family lived in one of them, while a second became the home of her parents.31
Aaron established a lucrative junk business in Windsor and became a wealthy man.32 In his mid-fifties, he began to take an interest in municipal affairs. Having announced his intention to run as an alderman in the 1910 election, he conducted an active campaign and won a seat on Windsor’s City Council.33 Supported by Mayor Hanna, he was immediately appointed to the Board of Public Works, as well as to the fire and parks committees.34 The Evening Record gave the following colourful account of the first session attended by Alderman Meretsky:
The manner in which the business of the evening was dispatched, the newly elected Alderman will give the city a good and business-like administration. Mayor Hanna was in exceptionally good humour and radiated cheerfulness everywhere. Ald. Meretsky and the Mayor seemed to be getting along famously. The mayor asked Meretsky to fill the big leather-backed chair on the dais during part of the reading of a by-law. Meretsky was somewhat backward in coming. The 1911 City Council got fairly underway last night at its meeting in the City Hall chambers and, judging from the forward, and explained that he was “green at the business,” but he finally took the throne, with Mayor Hanna nearby to coach him on “council etiquette.” Meretsky was loudly applauded when he took his seat in the mayoralty chair.[sic]
Alderman Aaron Meretsky is one of the leaders in Windsor’s Jewish Colony, and is full of native shrewdness. He is said to own about 20 houses in the city, and gives his business as a real estate man.35
Described by the local newspaper as a man who spoke “at a rate of 300 words a minute,”36 Aaron became known for his “joking” manner, despite the fact that he sometimes appeared dogmatic, strong-willed, and opinionated during Council meetings. Partly because of his charismatic personality, he subsequently received several other political appointments, including the chairmanship of the committee that selected the members for the Board of Health. Supporting among others, such amendments as making New Year’s Day the official date for municipal election, and establishing six wards instead of four, he voted against withholding a billiard license to a local business, despite complaints from neighbours. Not afraid to tackle controversial issues, he took a strong position on a matter concerning payment of certain rental fees. That brought him into conflict with a Mr. Applebe whom he accused of driving thirty families out of Windsor by serving the needs of the Erie Tobacco Company. The ensuing violent argument between the two gentlemen received the following coverage in the June 20, 1911, issue of the Evening Record:
After the county buildings question had been dealt with, Ald. Meretsky repaired to the lobby. Later, Mr. Applebe came out. He approached Mr. Meretsky and was about to reprimand him for incivility when a near fight seemed in order as discussion became snappy.” I’m sorry, you’re not a young man or I’d certainly trim you,” said Mr. Applebe. “Alright, come ahead now. Just drop that cane and I’ll break every bone in your body. I’m right here with the goods and if ever I got my hand on your throat I would pity you,” replied Meretsky. “You’ve got a few dollars, but what did you ever do for Windsor? How much did you ever give for charity?”
Meretsky finally went back and took his seat in the council chamber. He was welcomed by much laughter and apparently felt himself the hero of the hour.37
However, it was Aaron Meretsky’s avid concern for local small businesses that prompted him to urge City Council to take more interest in street maintenance, including the construction of curbs on the south side of Pitt Street between Windsor Avenue to Market Lane. In July 1911, he presented five other petitions for street paving and sewers. A month later, while chastising a fellow council member for objecting to the payment of $35 to cover the travel expenses for someone who wanted to attend a convention, Meretsky quipped,
That’s all right . . . we all know you are an employee of the Railway and get passes whenever you want to travel. You have just returned from a trip to Toronto and your Railroad fare didn’t cost you a cent. When the question of granting the Windsor and North Essex Agricultural Society a per grant of $3,000 with which to erect fair buildings came up, you were right there in supporting it.38
Stories were told about Aaron Meretsky falling asleep during Council sessions and, even though he missed quite a few around the 1911 High Holiday season, he was present and paying attention when the time came to announce his intentions to again run in the next election.39 Once nominated, he appealed to his constituents to vote for a candidate who stood for the people’s rights and was progressive enough to support certain worthwhile building projects.40 Yet he was frugal enough to oppose expenditures he considered unnecessary, such as the $17,000 earmarked for some fire hall equipment.41
A Liberal Party supporter who had also sat on the dais at a Conservative Party convention, Aaron Meretsky handily won his City Council seat. Mayor Hanna, also re-elected by a big plurality, immediately appointed him to the fire and light committee, as well as making him chairman of the market and property committee.42 Regrettably, the mayor died early in 1912, leaving a big gap in Windsor’s political hierarchy.
Meretsky continued to make strides promoting Windsor as a good place for industry to grow by supporting motions such as granting bonuses to companies interested in locating there. In his attempt to improve the market, he proposed that a new building be erected. However, to make the project financially more viable, he suggested to the police commissioner that, while the market would be housed on the ground floor, the upper level could be used for a new police headquarters. In that connection, the Evening Record carried the following report on the front page of its July 20, 1912 edition:
I am going to try and have a fine building put up, one that will be a credit to the city of Windsor,” stated Ald. Meretsky. “I would like to see a market building here as good as they have in Chatham, or better. If I can get the council to back me up, I will arrange for a building with police cells in the basement
