52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks - Week 15 (Taxes)

I had difficulty thinking of what to write for this week's topic of 'Taxes'.  I have yet to spend time researching tax records of my ancestors, so I have not been able to draw upon such resources.  Most of my ancestors have been farmers - of small family farms, not large ranches.  Many did move around, but I'm not aware of any of the moves being initiated by "loosing the farm" due to unpaid taxes.

The only tax related thought that kept coming to mind was my father, Jack Allen, filing his income tax each year during my lifetime.  When I would question him why he seemed to be thrilled having to send a cheque along with his income tax submission, despite his employer withholding funds for income each pay cheque.  But when I had a better understanding of his earlier life, I had a better understanding why he felt it was an honour to have to pay additional taxes above and beyond what his employer had already collected on his behalf.

He grew up on his family farm in Simcoe County, Ontario, the second oldest of ten children.  His older brother, Ab, had left the farm before World War II to work in Toronto but there were four other sons as well.  When my parents married in 1949, Jack wanted a better life for his family and around that time had been hired as a plumber by a mechanical contracting company doing work at nearby Camp Borden.  He learned the trade on the job, as well as welding, steam fitting and other related trades.  He obviously impressed his employer as he continued to work on their other projects around Ontario and eventually was assigned to set up an office in Kingston Ontario.

From a childhood on a small family farm in rural Ontario, he became a well respected Manager of a construction company - with the appropriate salary.  The reason why he would have to submit more money each year for his income taxes, above and beyond what had been deducted from his weekly paycheque?  Investments.  Over the years, in addition to be able to provide (quite well) for his family, he had been able to invest money.  When he dead unexpectedly in 1990 at the age of 67, he had still been working and was able to leave a good nest egg for my mother so that she had no financial worries.