The obituary for Alfred Nickerson was most likely written by nephew Levi Young of Port Bruce who supported in school by his Uncle.

Aylmer Express, 29 April 1909; front page
"Captain Nickerson Dead
A Long Life Ended
There passed away on Friday last Captain Alfred Nickerson at the ripe old age of 84 years. His was an eventful life. He was born in Malahide at the Nickerson's corner, now Dunboyne where he spent his early life, and many an acre of primeval forest was felled by his industrious axe. Somewhere in the fifties he went to Wisconsin taking with him Catherine Harmon as wife. He next moved to Ohio and in 1856 moved to Nebraska. Next year he journeyed to Oregon by the overland route, passing through the long stretch of territory at that time inhabitated by the savage Indian. The caravan in which he and his wife crossed was fortuantely not molested except the stealing of a beautiful black stallion one dark night when they were encamped on the banks of Snake river. The caravans that preceeded them and the one that followed them were all massacered. He settled in the Willamite [Willamette] Valley about 40 miles from Walla Walla. Here he remained for 10 years engaging in farming and ranching. It was on the trail of the Oregon gold mines and everything raised brought high prices. Oats sold a $6 per bushel. Having amassed some wealth he returned to Canada via Portland, San Francisco, Isthmus of Panama and New York. After his return to Canada in 1867, he lived at Port Bruce, Port Burwell, on his father's old farm, Aylmer and on the farm about 4 miles southeast of St. Thomas where he died. His wife had predeceased him about 12 years. He leaves no children. His neice, Sarah Young, kept house for him. Levi and George Young are nephews. In his boyhood days it was the habit of all the young men in the neighborhood used to assemble evenings on the corner and play old fashioned ball and he was usually chosen captain and it was from this that the cognomen of captain was given him and which has followed him through life. Of the young men who used to gather for sport at that time only four, Nicholas and George Brown, Sylvenus Young and a brother Levi of Ohio are known to to be alive today." (Transcribed by Bruce C. Johnson Jr., July 1991, Port Bruce, Ontario)