Finding the Woman in the Well

It had been a long day, and Ellen’s tooth throbbed. She felt a bit warm, which meant she probably had an infection. But she didn’t have the money or time to have a dentist pull a tooth. With a husband and a young daughter to feed and clothe, she had to put herself last. There were only so many ways a woman could make money in 1913 in a small prairie town.  Her way was frowned upon.

Things were looking quite bleak. Ellen and her family had moved from the USA to the Canadian prairies, hoping the economic boom pushing Canada forward would make life easier. But with a world war looming, the economy had come to a halt. Life was challenging.

When Ellen left work at the local hotel, dusk was beginning to envelop the small town in which she lived. The beautiful pink and orange sunset slowly inched up the western skyline. Her footsteps clicked on the cobblestone walkway. Ellen’s thoughts focused on the next few hours: a meagre supper of leftover potatoes and boiled chicken. Then a quick sponge bath for her daughter, followed by a bedtime story. Once she was asleep, Ellen would handwash a few items of clothing so they would dry overnight. Then she could sit for a while and read the Saskatoon Daily Star before turning in for the evening. Maybe she could have a cup of tea. Tomorrow would be another day.

With a sigh, Ellen turned to go down the alley leading home. She was almost there. Ellen felt a mixture of relief and dread at this thought. Ellen loved her young daughter. The wee one made her life bearable. She loved being a mother. Subconsciously she reached for the gold necklace she always wore. It had belonged to her mother, whom she missed dearly. Someday it would belong to her own daughter.

Suddenly, Ellen noticed a shadow to her right. Her heart raced. She turned to see who was coming up beside her. She saw a familiar face, but it was filled with rage. Then she noticed the raised arm, and her world went black as something crashed into her head.

This story is fiction. But, in 2006, an old well was discovered by workers excavating underground fuel tanks at a gas station. The gas station was located on property that was once a hotel. The well contained a barrel and the remains of an unknown female. The remains were well preserved due to the mixture of water and gas in the well. At that time, police were able to announce that the burlap-wrapped body belonged to a female who died sometime before 1920.

Based on an analysis of the body and clothing, police reported she was of Irish descent, 25 to 35 years of age, and five foot one. She had a cavity and an abscessed tooth. Also found with the remains were a fitted jacket, a high-collared blouse, a long skirt, a broken golden necklace, and a man’s vest and trousers. An autopsy revealed that the woman died under suspicious circumstances.

The body was buried three years after being pulled from the well, in an unmarked grave.

The case sat silent for almost 20 years until there was a breakthrough thanks to advances in DNA and genetic science. Saskatoon police worked with members of Toronto police’s investigative genetic genealogy team to track down possible relatives and develop a family tree. Through DNA mapping they were able to identify her, but they did not know how she ended up in Saskatoon. Her name was Alice Spence (née Burke).  

Police learned that Alice Burke married Charles Spence in the USA.  She lived in Saskatoon in 1913 and 1914 with her daughter and husband—the house was just metres from the well she was dumped in. Historical records indicate that the Spence home burned down in 1918, and Charles Spence died of a heart attack years later. The daughter was left an orphan. At that point, the trail went cold. Police eventually tracked down living descendants of Alice, who knew nothing of her fate. Alice’s daughter, who has since passed, had never mentioned her mother to any family members.  Regardless, the family is planning to put a marker on her grave. The hole in the family tree has been filled.

Police have a good idea who murdered Alice Spence, but too much time has passed to pursue justice and those involved are deceased. At least she has been “found”.  

I had never heard of the Woman in the Well until I listened to a recent media conference with members of the Saskatoon Police Service. For some reason, it really struck a chord with me. Maybe it is the loneliness associated with the case. Apparently there were no photos and no missing person or death reports for her. How does that happen? Did no one look for her? Did no one care? Her family didn’t even know of her existence until they were contacted in 2025 thanks to DNA connections. There must be more to this case, but I suspect that story is buried with Alice.

Alice went missing about 112 years ago. Times have not changed, and people continue to go missing. I can’t imagine the pain families must feel wondering about the fate of their loved ones. I can’t imagine carrying the knowledge of someone’s unfortunate fate with me forever.

“There are no goodbyes for us. Wherever you are, you will always be in my heart.” —Mahatma Gandhi

Interesting Reads & Things

https://www.msn.com/en-ca/society-culture-and-history/history/how-police-solved-the-century-old-mystery-of-the-woman-in-the-well/ar-AA1OL6Ln?ocid=BingNewsSerp

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatchewan/woman-in-well-remains-identified-1.7646811