Perth Courier - Comings and Goings
supplied by Christine M. Spencer of Northwestern University, Evanston, Il., USA.
Perth
Courier, July 5, 1895
Sharbot Lake: A wee girl graces the home of Fred Mulvert. She has
come to stay.
North Sherbrooke, 4th Line:
Mrs. J. Munro presented her
husband with a young daughter on the 11th inst.
Mrs.
C.H. Holbrook and daughter of Ottawa and Mrs.
S.R. Halfpenny of Cobden after visiting their sister Mrs.
John Sinclair of Balderson, returned to Ottawa on Tuesday, July 2, where the
latter intends spending a few weeks before returning home.
Mrs.
M.R. Dodds is visiting her brother John
Allan at Mississippi Station.
On Sunday last while Mr. and Mrs. William Brownlee and family, of Dalhousie, were at
church from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm some person or persons entered the house through
the window, the doors being locked and took from the pocket of a pair of pants
hanging on the bedroom wall, about $15 in silver and made their way out as they
made their way in. They disturbed
nothing else in the home. Mr.
Brownlee has no clue as to who the party was.
Perth
Courier, July 19, 1895
John
Hogg, Paisley, Ontario, and his daughter Miss
Bessie Hogg, of Chicago, are at present visiting his brother, David
Hogg. Mr. Hogg, of course, is a
native of Perth and his school days were spent here, amongst his school mates
being D. Kippen, Hon. John Haggart and
the late W. H. Radenhurst and others. He
left many years ago for Paisley where he has since resided and is now taking a
well earned holiday and at the same time satisfying a desire to revisit his
native town.
Mr.
W.J. Robertson, principal of St. Catharine’s
Collegiate Institute, Mrs. Robertson and family are in town and are guests of
his brother, Hugh Robertson.
Mrs.
Peter McTavish and children are visiting in the
County of Renfrew. She is the guest
of her sister Mrs. Jas. Buchanan of
Renfrew.
Mrs.
J. G. McIntosh of Port of Spain, Trinidad, West
Indies, who has been visiting friends in Canada for some time, is now at her
grandfather’s James Bell,
registrar.
Mrs.
J.W. Inge(?) who has been visiting her parents Mr.
and Mrs. William Hicks for some time, left on Monday for her home in High
River, Alberta
Mrs.
G.E. Neilson, Arnprior, is at her brother’s John
Hart.
Mrs.
William Gibbons, Springfield, Massachusetts, is
visiting her sister Mrs. William Ferrier.
Patrick
McGuiggan of the Hicks House has purchased the lot
and house on Craig Street occupied by Mr.
Robert Brown, for $950. Mr.
Leonard Brown of Montreal was the owner.
By the excursion on Tuesday, the
following parties went to Winnipeg and other points in the Northwest
Territories: Mrs.
Weatherhead, Mrs. Andrew McArthur and her daughter Frances, Mrs. W.A. Moore
and her daughter Winnie, Miss Nellie
Munro and Mrs. Fred Rice of the 2nd
Concession Drummond.
Our young townsman, Ernest Butler, son of ex Mayor William
Butler, has been ordained Deacon in the Anglican Church the ordination
having taken place at Kingston last Sunday, the Atchdeacon of Ottawa’s office.
Mr. Butler has been appointed to the mission at Combermere.
25 years ago on July 5, David
Brownlee of Dalhousie and Elizabeth
Lindsay of Renfrew were united in marriage and their married life begun in
Dalhousie. There they lived until a few years ago when they moved to their
present farm on the 5th (?) 8th (?) line Bathurst.
On the 5th inst., they celebrated their silver wedding
anniversary. In commemorating this
event, besides their own five children—five boys and five girls—a large
company of neighbors and friends to the number of sixty or more assembled to
congratulate them on their long and happy years of married life and to spend a
pleasant evening with them. About
seventy sat down to the “silver wedding” dinner at 5:00 and after doing
justice to the good things on the table, the evening was spent in a most
pleasant manner by the gathering. Among
those from a distance were Mr. and Mrs. Lindsay of Renfrew, brother and
sister-in-law of Mrs. Brownlee; Miss Stevenson of Sand Point; and Rev. D. Currie
of Knox Church, Perth. The presents
were costly and numerous.
Farm For Sale: West ½ Lot 2 Concession 4, Drummond, property of the late John
Hope.
Wemyss:
A girl has arrived at Robert
McLaren’s and has come to stay.
Perth
Courier, July 26, 1895
Christie’s Lake—Mrs. Bartley came home to visit her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Perkiins.
North Elmsley: Miss Sarah Burns
spent Sunday with her aunt, Mrs. Jas.
Huddleston.
Miss
Nettie B.(?) McIntyre, Renfrew, and her cousin Miss
Maud Sheppard, are guests of Mr. and
Mrs. R. Lochead.
Rev.
Mr. and Mrs. Bradshow of St. Angelow, Texas, are
visiting their uncle, John LeMoine.
Messrs.
P. McLaren and Archibald McLaren, of Drummond,
left on Tuesday for the Northwest, the former going to North Dakota and the
latter to his farm at Reston, Manitoba.
Perth
Courier, August 2, 1895
Mrs.
R. H. Bryce of Winnipeg is visiting at her
mother’s Mrs. George Kerr.
W.
A. Bickett (or Rickett) of Sibley, Illinois is in
town having come to attend the funeral of his cousin the late Mr.
H.S. Leckie. Mr. Bickett (or
Rickett) is the manager of the Sibley Farm estate—a farm of 40,000 acres
originally, which is managed on the tenant system.
He has been manager for a number of years now, has the business in a most
satisfactory state. Corn and oats
are the principal products and hogs the main stock raised.
Perth
Courier, August 9, 1895
The Central Canadian says:
Between 20 and 30 years ago there lived in Smith’s Falls in humble but
honest realms, a man named Devine. The parents
died, leaving one girl and two boys. The
children were given away and assumed the names of the new guardians.
No record was kept except that as the children grew they were told of
their origin and transfer. The boys in time unknown to each other, reasserted the family
name. The girl went west and is out of sight or sound somewhere in the jungle of
the cities. Some time ago the boy
who went west, Alex, determined to
come east to search for his brother and sister. Hearing there was a Devine in Carleton Place, he went there.
A lady heard of his mission who knew a person of that name here and on
Sunday last she managed to have them brought face to face.
The contact instinctively set in motion in each a new impulse and they
looked intently at each other for a few minutes when blood told and they
approached as brother and brother after a separation of exactly 25 years.
The one living here is known as Billy Devine.
He married Miss Beck. He is
the younger brother. The girl came
in between. Their sole though is now to discover their long lost sister.
Farm For Sale: West ½ of the West ½ of Lot 23, 3rd Concession
Bathurst, two and a half miles from Perth.
Daniel Hogan
On adjoining farms on the 10th
Line of Ramsay lives two of that townships oldest residents, Roderick
McDonald, 97, and Peter T. Syme,
96. Apart from the former being
partially blind, both have the use of their faculties.
Gazette
Perth
Courier, Aug. 16, 1895
North Sherbrooke, 4th Line:
Mrs. David Buchen was suddenly
called away on Tuesday last to attend her sister-in-law, Mrs.
David McKay(?) McKey(?) of Westport, who is reported to be almost dying.
Christie’s Lake: Miss Mary Bennet
gave an “at home” in her father’s place on Friday evening. A jolly load drove out from Perth and as they wended their
way through the intricate passages of the Old Sixth, their melodious voices
resounded in the calm night air as they vibrated to the sweet strains of Tommy
Atkins and Roll the Old Chariot Along. On
arrival at Mr. Bennet’s they were joined by some of Miss Bennet’s former
acquaintances. A very pleasant
evening was spent. The hours fled
all too fast until the “wee sun” once more appeared and the old chariot
rolled up to the door to receive its lively freight and although the occupants
numbered the fatal 13 we have not heard of any funerals yet.
Clydesville: Little Charles Cameron
is at his grandfather’s Mr. C.
McIlraith.
Sharbot Lake: John Hetherington’s
infant child is very ill.
Miss
Bessie Cram, 16, daughter of David Cram, mayor of Carleton Place, died last week after a short
illness.
Bolingbroke: Mrs. Brooks and
family of Chicago are visiting at her father’s Mr.
C. Fowler.
Bolingbroke: Mrs. W. Fowler is
at present the guest of her sister Mrs.
G. S. Wilson, Scotch Line.
Perth
Courier, Aug. 30, 1895
Patrick
Byrne, 8th Line North Burgess, sold his
farm of 50 acres for the handsome sum of nearly $2,000 which shows property is
increasing in value in Burgess considering the crops have been below average
this year.
Mrs.
R. A. McLean and Miss Stewart of Drummond returned
home Monday morning on the steamship Parisian after a most pleasant visit of
nearly two months among their friends in Scotland.
Perth
Courier, Sept. 6, 1895
Tatlock:
Mrs. John Guthrie presented
her husband on the 18th of August with a baby girl.
Tatlock:
The homes of Alexander Barr, James
Penman, and Will Penman have been brightened with new arrivals.
Jno.
M. Poole and little daughter of Toronto are
spending a week or two at his father-in-law’s, Charles Meighen.
Mrs.
J. W. Cowie of Balderson arrived home from
Manitoba on Saturday from a visit to her daughter Mrs.
William Couch of Swan Lake.
Miss
Irene McGuiggan of Brockville left for home on
Monday after a five week visit to her grandparents Mr. and Mrs. John Byrne.
Miss
Maggie Lee of Perth, after having completed a two
year course of instruction in the training school at Utica State Hospital, has
passed satisfactorily an examination.
Perth
Courier, September 13, 1895
Prestonvale: Mr. and Mrs. White
of Woodstock are visiting their mother Mrs.
John McFarlane.
Prestonvale: Mrs. Alexander
Sommerville intends taking a trip to Detroit to visit her sister Mrs. Roberts.
Prestonvale: The body of Mrs. Buck
of Oxford Township was brought here and buried in the Union Burying Ground on
Sunday last.
Harper:
Thomas Ryan of Winnipeg passed
through here on a visit to the home of his childhood which is the place owned at
present by James Hopkins of the 9th
Line.
Perth
Courier, Sept. 20, 1895
Farm For Sale: Bathurst, within a mile of Perth. A stone dwelling and other outbuildings are on the property,
it is well watered and fenced, the river Tay running through it.
200 acres John
F. Thompson
Patrick
Doyle Lewiston of Michigan is visiting his
brothers Messrs. Timothy and Martin Doyle
of Drummond for a few weeks.
Thomas
C. Drennan of the firm Drennan and Baldwin,
hardware merchant, Syracuse, New York, is visiting his brother Michael
Drennan here last week.
Perth
Courier, Sept. 27, 1895
Lanark Links: Miss L.L. Drysdale
who has been training as a nurse in Toronto, is home at present with her mother
who is seriously ill.
W.
Manahan, B.A., left Monday last for Cornell
University to take a post graduate course in mental and moral philosophy.
As before, new honors certainly await him.
6th Line S. Sherbrooke:
Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Flemming
buried their infant son last week.
Middleville: A beautiful and costly granite monument has been put up in
the Hopetown Cemetery by George McIlraith
of Darling in memory of his father and mother.
Middleville: James H. Rodger,
who was awarded the contract for drawing the mail to and from Lanark commences
his trips on Tuesday, Oct.1. He
will make an active and obliging official.
Middleville: Mrs. Yule of
Arnprior mother of Mrs. A.R. McIntyre,
after spending a few weeks pleasantly here has taken her departure for home.
Middleville: The home of William
McIntyre was brightened with a new arrival on Wednesday of last week.
It is a bouncing boy and William is a proud man.
Middleville: A
little visitor made its appearance at the home of George
Penman on the 10th inst. Mother
and daughter are doing well.
J.
M. Balderson, barrister, intends leaving shortly
for England to look up an estate in or near Liverpool claimed by Matthew
Gould of Balderson and his friends as their inheritance, the value of the
estate being estimated at 13,000,000 dollars.
The heirs say there is little doubt that the estate exists and that their
claim is good if the laws, delays and difficulties and lapse of time since 80
years do not keep them out of it.
Perth
Courier, October 4, 1895
James
Foote of this town has loaned us a copy of the
Bathurst Independent Examiner printed at Perth, U.C. under the date of Friday,
28th August, 1829. It
contains an account of the terrible Easby
murders in Drummond on the 10th December, 1828 and a full report
of the trial and execution. The
Examiner became merged with the Courier in 1834 under the management of John
Cameron, brother of Hon. Malcolm
Cameron.
John
Allan of the Mississippi is visiting his friends
here and is the guest of his sister Mrs.
M.R. Dodds.
John
Jackson, Drummond, has returned from visiting his
brother, James Jackson, Winnipeg and
formerly of the same township.
Alexander
Bryson of Winnipeg arrived in town Saturday to
attend the funeral of his father on Monday and will remain a short time with his
mother here before returning.
Perth
Courier, Oct. 11, 1895
William
Salter of Montague, who was recently married to Jennie
Leach of Beckwith, has purchased the farm and homestead of William
Leach, Beckwith and will shortly take possession.
The following particulars about the Gould family of Drummond and their claims upon the Liverpool estate and of the estate itself has been furnished us by a friend of the family.
Matthew
Gould, Ensign, 4th Royal Veteran’s
Battalion, was born in Sheffield, England; at an early age he had a longing for
the military life. His father
opposed his wishes and at the age of 15 he ran away from home and enlisted in
the army. His father bought him out
but he ran away again. He enlisted
again and told his father he need not buy him out again for he was bound to be a
soldier. For 27 years he served in
the 27th Regiment and took part on many fights in land and on sea and
received a medal for valuable service in Egypt. While in the East Indies he married the widow of Sir. Robert
Hewett, an officer in the army. At
the time of the American War in 1812, England formed a battalion of her old,
experienced soldiers and sent them out to protect Canada.
He was appointed Ensign of the battalion.
After a few years were spent in Kingston and Quebec on garrison duty and
along the line whenever the enemy attacked them, until peace was restored, when
the old soldiers received their discharge papers.
Mr. Gould received a large pension of $1.25 per day and a government
grant of 80 acres for long service. Soon
after, the family came to Perth, driving from Brockville.
Upon arrival, Mrs. Gould asked the driver how far they were from the
city. “Madam” he said, “you
are just now in the midst of it”. The
only building then in Perth was the government depot which was being erected
where the supplies were received and given out to the settlers.
A house was built and the family lived in Perth a year before moving to
their land. Mr. Gould, who was in a
position to hire men, had his lands partly cleared and a house built before
moving his family out. The old
couple who always kept a servant, lived in a house on the same farm as their son
James until their death. Mr. Gould
died April 7, 1852 at the age of 83 and Mrs. Gould two weeks later, at the age
of 80. They are buried in the
English Cemetery at Perth. Their
eldest son George was born in Egypt, William on the island of Malta, John was
born crossing the Atlantic and Jas., his only surviving son, father of James
Gould of Perth, was born in Quebec. Mr.
Gould is now in his 88th year and since his wife’s death lives with
his daughter Mrs. Donald McIntyre, near Balderson.
Two daughters were born in Kingston who are still alive.
In 1849 a notice appeared in the Montreal Herald giving the year Mr.
Gould sailed for America and the regiment he served in.
It stated that the Walton Hall estate, three miles from Liverpool and two
and a half million pounds sterling had been left to him and was signed by the
executors. Rev. Mr. Harris, then
English Church minister in Perth, read
the notice and drove out to Mr. Gould’s with the paper as the family attended
his church, but Mr. Gould was indifferent to it and upon Mr. Harris’ urging
him to attend to it he said his boys would be happier on their farms and that it
might do some of them harm. He died
a few years later without answering it. Some
years later the sons consulted Mr. McMartin, then a lawyer in Perth, about it.
He would have nothing to do with them unless they would guarantee his
expenses which they would not do. Three
of the grandsons have been on the estate: William
Gould, who now has a large orange grove in California, went over for a trip
twenty years ago and five years later two of the grandsons from Oxford County
went over. The estate was then in
Chancery but was in perfect order and harvesters were there from Ireland taking
off the crops. By that time they
had looked upon it as lost and made no attempt to claim the estate.
Upon hearing later that estates could be claimed 100 years back, and as
it is only 46 years since the notice appeared, it was decided to try for it.
Mr. Balderson has obtained letters from the leading men in government
here and a letter to Sir Charles Topper(?) in England to gain his influence.
So for the first time since it was left, legal steps will be taken to
obtain the money and the estate.
Farm for Sale: Lot 16, 5th Concession Drummond, 100 acres
Adam Morris
Dr. Kellock arrived home Monday morning on the steamship Vancouver from his old country trip and looked well and robust. He had a thoroughly pleasant time from beginning to end.
On Monday George Couttes of Oliver’s Ferry, bought from Hon. Peter McLaren the farm owned by him in Kitley a few miles
beyond Lombardy consisting of 150 acres, for $7,500. There are a large number of outbuildings, and a dwelling on
the premises. James Couttes takes for himself the homestead farm on Ferry Road,
paying his brother and sister $1,000 each to wife off their share.
Mrs.
Jas. Tovey of Minneapolis and Mrs. Harry Miller of Chicago are visiting their parents Mr.
and Mrs. Jas. Conlon of Glen Tay.
Dr.
A.E. Hanna has bought the residence of Robert
Lillie, west Gore Street, for $3,000. Isaac Wilson has purchased the house on Drummond Street opposite the
court house from Thomas McLaren for
$1,350.
Miss
Tina DeWitt who is training as a nurse in the city
hospital at Rockford, Illinois, has passed her first year examination
successfully taking the highest average of her class, 96%.
Notice of dissolution of partnership:
Charles Austin and W. H. James
Stanleyville: A rare and affecting spectacle took place late Sunday at St.
Bridget’s Church, Stanleyville. At
11:00 the appointed time for divine service, there was borne to the church the
remains of the late Peter Farrell and
Miss Mathilda Lally of this township, followed by the largest procession of
mourners witnessed here for many years.
The bodies were met at the door by the Rev. Pastor Father O’Connor and
after the usual prayers for the dead, were placed side by side in the portico of
the church during the celebration of the holy sacrifice of the Mass.
The beautiful and substantial church, St. Bridget’s, was filled as it
never was before by a conclave of people who came to pray and by their presence
pay the last tribute of their respect for the departed.
At the conclusion of the sermon, the funeral procession wended its way to
the graveyard where prayers were said. At
the close of the service, the bodies were interred in the Stanleyville Cemetery.
Stanleyville—On Sunday evening, Mr.
John Lally, who lives about seven miles from here near the Rideau Lake, sent
an adopted boy to the pasture for the cows.
The boy was away a little longer than expected and Mr. Lally thinking he
might have been lost in the dense bush, went out in search of him, taking his
gun and dog with the object of firing off the gun to indicate to the boy which
way to come. He had scarcely gone
five minutes when he met the boy returning with the cows and also his dog. The two dogs began fighting and Mr. Lally tried to separate
them with his gun, putting the butt between them with the muzzle pointing
towards himself. The lad cried out
to him to take care of the gun but scarcely were the words uttered when the gun
went off and the charge entered Mr. Lally’s stomach, making a terrible wound
some of the buckshot going clear through the body.
Rev. Father O’Connor of Stanleyville was sent for and he arrived in a
half hour and at the same time Dr.
Frank Hanna of Perth was summoned and he too reached the house of the sufferer
with all possible speed. Both
pastor and doctor did their utmost for the dying man who passed away peacefully
about 5:00 Monday afternoon. He was
buried on Wednesday in Stanleyville Cemetery.
Deceased leaves a wife and child and parents and brothers and sisters.
It is sad to think his sister was buried on the day of the accident and
also that his parents lost four children within the past five years.
Port Elmsley: John C. Clark,
blacksmith, who sold his business and property in this place to Mr. Johnston,
has accepted a situation in Westport and will probably take up his residence in
that place. We are sorry to lose
Mr. Clark. He was a good citizen and fine mechanic. The family, we understand, intends remaining here for the
winter.
Perth
Courier, Oct. 18, 1895
Althorpe:
The most sad and shocking accident that has ever happened in this
neighborhood came sorrowfully to us Thursday evening past.
It was the death of John Porter Norris, son of the late James Norris. The young
man, in company with Thomas McMunn,
had some time ago cut wood on the shores of Bob’s Lake six of seven miles up
the lake and at the time of the accident went up with two or three other men to
put the wood into the lake to float it down.
He had a gun along with him and went to lat it down across some brush
which had the effect of the gun going off and the contents entered his left side
just below the heart. It threw him
a few yards from where he was standing. He
said to his companions “I am done, I was always too careless with the gun”
and asked to be taken to the camp which was only a few yards away; but shortly
after they put the man in a boat and started to his home.
He did not reach the foot of the lake when life fled.
He was sensible to the last minute and prayed all through his suffering.
From the time of the accident until he breathed his last was about three
hours. It happened about 5:00 in
the evening. Deceased was an
obliging young man and was a great favorite with everyone.
His funeral on Sunday to Bolingbroke was followed by an immense throng of
sorrowing friends.
Watson’s Corners: Mrs. James White, Sr.,
who has been in the hospital in Ottawa for a couple of months undergoing
treatment for cataract in her eye, returned on Friday last with her sight fully
restored. Mrs. White’s eyesight
has been impaired for over twenty years and for quite a number of years she has
been almost totally blind. Her
restoration is something wonderful.
White:
Mrs. Hunter of Brockville
returned home after visiting her parents Mr.
and Mrs. William Bradford.
Miss
Bowsy (or Boway) of Brockville returned home on
Friday after a visit of some weeks at her sister’s Mrs. John Wilson of the Hicks House.
Mr.
and Mrs. Charles Austin left last Thursday for
London where they will in the future reside.
Word came by wire to Peter Hope on Monday that his younger brother Andrew Hope of Devil’s Lake, N.D., had died on the day before of
hemorrhage of the stomach. Deceased
had been in delicate health for some time before and his system gradually gave
way until death took him away. About
three years ago he was married to Jennie Nicoll(?) of this town who with a small
family survives him. His brother
William Hope who lives in Dakota was with him when he died and his brother Peter
Hope and his wife’s father and mother left on Monday for the funeral.
Deceased was born in Perth and was age 36.
Perth
Courier, October 25, 1895
An inmate of the Perth gaol, Grace
Martin, one of the homeless poor, died there on Saturday last, aged 75, from
cancer of the breast. She came from
North Elmsley. Her remains were
buried in Elmwood Cemetery.
Principal
Grant has announced that on September 20, the
degree of G.A. was conferred among others on Robert A. Croskery of Perth.
Mr.
S.J. Rathwell, son of the ex-reeve of Lanark, has
been admitted as partner in the law firm of Hough and Campbell, of Winnipeg.
Mrs.
Joseph P. Dunne and her daughter Annie who have
been visiting James Dowdall of Perth
and friends in Drummond, for a few weeks have gone to Eganville to visit Rev.
F. Dowdall before returning to her home in Ottawa.
Mr.
and Mrs. G.E. Lyon of Ottawa; Major Jno. W. Douglas of Shelburne; Mr. E. D’Avignon of Windsor;
and Mrs. James Douglas of Sandwich
were in town this week on the occasion of the funeral of James Douglas.
Fred
Playfair of Playfair’s Mills has been elected
president of the graduating class of Queen’s University and Mr. W.B. Munro of Almonte, historian.
Port Elmsley: On Monday morning of this week William Moore, Sr., was taken suddenly ill but we are glad to report
he is improving at the time of this writing. Mr. Moore is one of our oldest and most respected inhabitants
and the community is very anxious as to his condition and hopes to see him
around again.
Port Elmsley: Word was received from Leadville of the death of James
Moore, son of William Moore of
this place. The cause of death was
the explosion of a blast in a mine where he was working.
Port Elmsley: Mr. H. Johnston,
blacksmith of this place, has gone and taken unto himself a wife and is
preparing to take up his residence amongst us.
They are moving and expect to be settled down to the stern realities of
life this week.
Mrs.
J. Munro of McDonalds Corners is visiting her
daughter Mrs. R.A. Duncan at present.
Mrs.
George Bond of Fallbrook was the guest of her
daughter Mrs. Jas. N. Dobbie last
week.
Perth
Courier, November 1, 1895
Elphin (Crowded Out Last Week)—John
Millar, Dalhousie, was an excited man one day last week. It’s a boy.
Maberly (Crowded Out Last Week)—Joseph
Munro has moved to his farm and rented his house in the village to Mr. McQuoid
who is a dealer in tea and his wife will carry on a millenary business.
Maberly (Crowded Out Last Week)—Elijah
Buchanan of Perth, visited friends here also B. Lake of the Scotch Bush.
Mr. Lake is one of the pioneer settlers and this is his first visit in 21
years.
Clydesville—A social will be given to
the Sabbath School children and friends generally in Herron’s School house on
Friday night November 1. Excellent
music will be furnished by the Doroway family of Lanark Village
The contract for the new town hall at
Carleton Place has been let to M. Ryan of Smith’s Falls.
Smith’s Falls Echo:
On Saturday night parties were here to meet the remains of Thomas
Hutchins of Calgary who died on the 15th inst of Bright’s Disease.
They did not arrive until Sunday morning and they laid over at the
station all day and were forwarded to Brockville in the evening to go to their
destination at Newboro by the B&W Railway.
The certificate pasted on the case gave his age as (illegible, maybe 33
or 35?). His relatives reside near
Newboro.
Rokeby:
Dancing parties are all the rage. A
very enjoyable evening was spent at the residence of the well known and highly
respected Patrick Corley the dance being in honor of Miss Johanna Corley that
young lady having been much missed in social circles during her year long
absence.
Rokeby:
A reminiscence of old times was the stumping bee called by William Greer
and a good day’s work was done on Wednesday.
An exchange states that Mr. W.B.
Blaisdell, a native of Arnprior, is now one of Lillian Russell’s (the great
opera queen) chief singers.
Archibald Guthrie, son of William
Guthrie of Reson, Minn., was accidentally killed two weeks ago last Friday in
the lumber yards of the Foley Brotehrs of St. Cloud, Minn.
He was a brakeman in the yards of this company and on the fatal day was
walking down a track when an engine coming from behind struck and killed him
instantly. The deceased was born in
Middleville. His relatives there
are Archibald Rankin who is a cousin; Mrs. F. Scantlion of Lanark who is an
aunt; Mrs. William Strang and J.D. McInnes who are cousins.
Mr. Guthrie was a married man aged 30.
His wife and two daughters survive him.
Era
Lanark Links: (Left Over From Last Week)
On Tuesday evening last John Miller who lived several miles north of this
village was found lying unconscious in a field near his house.
He had been working and took a stroke of apoplexy.
He died Wednesday morning.
Lanark Links: Miss Nellie C. Young went to Beaverton on Saturday to attend
the funeral of her brother-in-law the late F. Medill(?), M.P.
The Oldest Murder
To the Editors of the Perth Courier:
Dear Sir:
Your last issue contained an account republished from the Perth Examiner of October 28, 1829 of what you describe as the “Oldest County of Lanark Tragedy”. This, no doubt, was the most horrible but not the first murder that had been committed in the county since English settlers entered it. A man named Porter was foully murdered in the year 1821(?) by a certain O’Connor who lived at that time on the 2nd Line of Drummond about four miles from Perth. O’Connor had gone into Perth in the morning with a funeral; returning later in the day he met Porter just leaving his house. O’Connor entered (his house?), procuring a musket and following Porter along the road deliberately shot and afterwards clubbed him to death with the butt of the musket, breaking the stock of the weapon in doing so. The murdered man was found almost immediately and the murderer arrested and taken to Brockville, there being no jail at that time in Perth. He was convicted and hung. The chief witness in procuring a conviction was the grandfather of the writer of this letter. He also was returning from the funeral about the same time and met O’Connor near the scene of the crime. The latter threw down the broken musket at his feet and said: “I have killed Porter I must go to jail.” The murderer’s motive was brought out at the trial. It was jealousy.
Miss Adele Snyder of Port Elmsley,
teacher in the Iroquois High School, has had the degree of M.A. conferred upon
her at Queen’s University at Kingston.
Mrs. A.M. Greig of Almonte has been
visiting her mother in town, Mrs. Neilson, for the past week.
Mrs. John Smith of Smith’s Falls was
visiting her sister Mrs. T.B. Moore of Drummond last week.
John Brown of Thielmanton(?), Minn., is
visiting friends in this quarter. He
is a brother of Mrs. H.S. Leckie and Mrs. (Dr.) Kellock. His wife is a sister of the Messrs. Ritchie, Scotch Line.
Perth Courier, November 8, 1895
Auction Sale Farm Stock and Implements:
Patrick O’Keefe, Lot 7, 7th Concession Lanark.
Mr. O’Keefe is retiring from farming and everything will be sold.
The subscriber has a few hives of bees
for sale cheap James Marguerat,
Harper Post Office.
Mr. G.B. Farmer of this town has devised
an appliance which, he claims, is an efficient help in keeping people free from
colds and preventing to a great extent diseases of the nose, throat and lungs.
It is a small curved spring inserted into the nostril which by distending
it, prevents the wearer from breathing through the mouth and compels respiration
to be conducted solely through the nostrils as nature intended.
He claims through the authority of eminent physicians that diseases of
this kind referred to above are most likely caused by mouth respiration and to
take away the cause of course, prevents the effect. The wearing of the apparatus is not unpleasant or noticeable
after a time.
Alexander Allan, late hardware merchant,
Smith’s Falls, ahs made an assignment.
Robert Allan, Scotch Line, at the Glen
Tay turning, has sold his farm to Francis Spalding, Jr., North Elmsley for
$5,500. The farm comprises 150
acres. He gives up possession in
the Spring and will then come to Perth to live.
Lanark Links: Mrs. Deachman of Ashland, Wisconsin spent several days
visiting friends here last week.
We are glad to hear of the return of
Lewis and George Sommerville who have been in Manitoba for some time.
We regret to hear of the serious illness
of David Roger, son of James Roger, Sr., who resides in Dakota.
Middleville—Gavin McAllister and his
daughter Jessie have taken up their residence in this village.
Middleville—Mrs. Rankin has gone to
visit her son in Saginaw, Michigan. She
may stay for the winter.
Middleville—John Caldwell of Darling,
who is nearly 90 years old, but still active, was visiting for the past few
weeks at his daughter’s, Mrs. Peter Reid, Jr.
Middleville—The home of William
Affleck was brightened by a new arrival last week, a daughter.
Middleville—Miss Annie Code who has
been visiting her sister Mrs. Thomas Liddell, intends returning to her home in
Drummond the latter part of this week.
Word came from Ouray, Colorado on Friday
last that William James, son of the late William James of Lanark Township, had
died on the first of November and was buried on the third.
Deceased left Innisville about 17 years ago and his friends in Canada
never heard from or about him until the letter announcing his death.
His brothers and sisters in Ontario are: John
James at Peterboro; Henry James of Perth; Thomas James near Clayton; Mrs. George
Butler of Perth; Mrs. Richard Warren of Bathurst; Mrs. John Warren of Perth; and
Mrs. William R. Singleton of Delta. His
brother Henry left for Ouray on Wednesday morning to look after the estate.
John Robertson of Darling Township is probably the oldest Free Mason in the province having received the third degree in St. Ayles Lodge #96, in Scotland in 1829 and received his certificate on Dec. 9 of that year—66 years ago. Although an old man now he still enjoys good health and his fresh appearance was a well preserved constitution. He came to this country from Scotland in 1839.
Perth Courier, November 8, 1895
The Easby Murders
For the Courier:
The recent publication in the Courier of
the trial of Thomas Easby in 1829 brings to the mind of the writer various
incidents connected with this sad tragedy.
The event occurred before the writer’s time, at least previous to his
being able to comprehend the nature of the occurrence but many years after it
was a subject of discussion amongst the youth of the school.
The writer remembers when about twelve years of age coming into contact
with a bundle of old newspapers amongst which was one from which you have taken
the article referred to. Being quite a favorite in the family with whom the late Dr.
James Wilson, during his bachlerhood, boarded, he had many opportunities to hear
much in connection with the murders of the Easby family. It is believed that the doctor had the skeleton of the
murderer, at all events there was a table in the cellar of the above named
family under which there were large drawers securely locked, the property of the
doctor which the boys of the family surrounded with mystery and made it a means
of exciting the superstitions of the domestics and not infrequently frightening
them. The various numbers of the
same paper likely contained a full account of the murders and the means of
fastening it upon the father of the family.
It was a matter which could not be accounted for until some time after
the occurrence. As we understand it
from the traditions current as the writer grew up, Easby was a man of fair
reputation. No suspicion was had
until quite a while afterwards for the neighbors had only pity for the poor man
who had met with such a sad bereavement. The
little prattling boy whom the murderer had spared was said to have been the
means of exciting the inquiries of the offices of the law. Easby remained in the vicinity and the boy was cared for by a
kind family whose name the writer had forgotten.
While some of the boys of that family were cutting wood the little fellow
picked up a club and in handling it talked after this style:
“This is the way my daddy done my mammy; this is the way daddy done to ---“,
mentioning each of the children. The
boys quietly informed the matter to the proper authorities and Easby was
immediately arrested. In his
statement the murderer said that he had dispatched the rest of the family
without hesitation but the appeals of the little fellow as he in his innocence
said “Daddy, do not kill me” so affected him that his courage failed him and
he desisted from his murderous work. The
bodies of the slain were disinterred and the words of the little fellow were
found to be correct. The writer has
given this account as current reports had in several years afterwards errors and
he has no doubt that this is correct. Signed,
M. (Editor:
The fate of Easby and his unfortunate victims is now made sufficiently
known to this generation by the notes of the circumstances published in the
Courier. What became of the only
survivor of the unhappy family, the little fellow who was the innocent
instrument that led to the discovery of the crime and the punishment of the
father is perhaps not so well known. It
is stated on good authority that the child was immediately taken care of by the
government and sent to England, his name changed and his identity hidden; so
that he grew up forgetful of the dreadful controversy.
What ultimately became of him no one knows and it is probable that he is
now dead or if living to be an aged man of 71 years old.)
Lanark Links: John Buffam is a happy man at present, another boy.
Lanark Links: Thomas W. Cameron of this village has sold his farm in
Dalhousie to James Campbell of Bathurst. Mr.
Cameron has bought the village property from his father and intends making his
permanent residence here.
Perth Courier, Nov. 15, 1895
Rokeby—We are sorry to report the
illness of Isaac Duffy, with inflammation of the eye, the inflammation extending
to the optic nerve making a very serious case.
Mrs. Joseph Milliken is progressing favorable. Both patients are under the care of our smart young doctor
Alexander Robinson, M.D., a graduate of Queen’s College, Kingston.
Last reports of Isaac Duffy’s case were very serious.
Monday night he was very low with inflammation extending to the cerebral
nerves.
Miss Theresa Jackman of Bathurst,
daughter of Mrs. John Jackman, is home from the Montreal Hospital where she had
been undergoing treatment for typhoid fever.
Perth Courier, Nov. 22, 1895
Narrows Lock: The body of Mr. Washburn who was drowned in the lower Rideau,
has not yet been recovered.
Mrs. James Turpin and Mrs. T.N. Miller
of Toronto are visiting at their father’s William Hick, of Drummond Street.
Mrs. R. Lochead is spending a fortnight
with her daughter, Mrs. P. McVicar of Wiarton(?) Wharton(?).
G.B. Farmer left for Michigan last week
and returned on Wednesday bringing with him his brother Edward Farmer who is not
in good health.
Watson’s Corners: Mr. Boyle moved into his new house some time ago; it is both
commodious and comfortable. Anyone
intending to build a house should see the plan of Mr. Boyle’s house.
John McNichol on the same line also has built a new house.
Christie’s Lake: James Kirkham has leased Mike Fleming’s farm for three
years. Thomas Tysick has purchased
Daniel Watson’s farm which adjoins his own.
Auction Sale Farm Stock and Implements:
Hugh Campbell, Lot 3, 5th Concession North Elmsley.
Mr. Campbell has given up the farm of Mrs. Cullen and has to dispose of
his stock.
Auction Sale Farm Stock and Implements:
Charles McShane, Burgess at the residence of James Anderson (the Matheson
Farm)
Auction Sale Farm Stock and Implements:
David Donaldson, Lot 26, 12th Concession Bathurst
Bush Lot For Sale:
George Rae, Harper, West of Lot 9, 9th Concession Bathurst
John Telford(?) has sold his farm near
Innisville to John Fender and has bought Mrs. John McEwen’s house and lot in
Drummond at the town limits for $600 and will occupy it at once.
Perth Courier, November 29, 1895
On Monday evening, Nov. 18, a well known
resident of Dalhousie, John McDonald, over (age illegible, 50 or 60?), living at
the Highland Line turn, had been in Lanark Village drinking and left for his
home near McDonald’s Corners with a span of horses and a milk wagon.
On Tuesday morning the wagon was found turned upside down.
The horses were found on Tuesday evening.
Parties in the vicinity where the wagon was found turned out to search
for him on Tuesday but did not find him until Wednesday forenoon when his body
was found in Bolton’s Creek, lying in shallow water.
John Purdon has purchased the farm
belonging to the estate of the late John Hope in the 4th Concession
Drummond, 100 acres, for $1,375.
Mrs. C. Coghlan returned on Tuesday
after spending a few days with her daughter Mrs. E. H. Elvidge at Cornwall.
Perth Courier, Dec. 6, 1895
Mrs. F.F. McNab of Arnprior is visiting
her sister Mrs. D. Kippen, who is ill.
Perth Courier, Dec. 13, 1895
Lanark Links: James Pepper, cartoonist of our village, is engaged with the
Burtch Company. He is a clever
cartoonist and will assuredly be successful in his work.
Balderson—We are sorry to hear of the
illness of Mrs. Alexander Findlay who took a slight stroke of paralysis last
week. She is still in critical
condition.
Balderson:
Mrs. William Croft of Middleville is at present waiting on her daughter
Mrs. McIlraith who has been somewhat indisposed for a day or two but is almost
well again.
Farm For Sale: Hugh Devlin, 200 acres, East ½ Lot 18, and West ½ Lot 19, 5th
Concession Drummond.
Perth Courier, Dec. 20, 1895
Mrs. (Col.) G.T. Denison, with her
little daughter Clare, are visiting at her aunt’s Miss Glossup.
James Knowles, barrister, formerly of
Almonte is doing newspaper work on the Chronicle, a leading Liberal paper in
London, England.
James Knowles, after an absence of 13
years, is visiting his parents in Poland.
Henry James has returned from Colorado
after succeeding in partly settling up the estate of his late brother there.
John Cameron, late of Brockville, who
died on Dec. 12 at the age of 87 years, from malaria, was buried in Smith’s
Falls on Friday. He was a native of
Invernesshire, Scotland and his family when he was young, settled in the
vicinity of Perth. He was a
bachelor and quite wealthy.
The Winnipeg Free Press of November 27
contains the notice of the death of Mrs. W. Burns of Blythfield on Thursday,
November 21. Deceased was a sister
of Mrs. H. Philip (or Philp) of this town and was born in New York State 55
years ago. She was a staunch
supporter of the Presbyterian Church.
J.B. Hughes has opened a restaurant in
the Brooke block next door to the Courier office.
The Carleton Place Herald tells of the
following lamentable accident to a young man formerly a resident of Dalhousie:
“It is only a few weeks since Andrew Easton, in the employ of the
Canada Atlantic at Ottawa had his foot injured.
At that time his wife pleaded with him to give up railroading and find
another employment. Previous to
that he had met with another accident while working there.
On Friday evening he made his last trip.
Just how the accident happened is not clear.
His duty was to assist in making up the outward friend train which draws
out from Rouse’s Point at 7:50, his particular job being to couple the cars of
that train. While at work a crash
was heard and poor Easton was found lying on the empty track between two freight
cars, dead. It is thought he was
caught between the cars. Dr. McCormack was summoned but he could only pronounce
life to be extinct, the cause in his opinion, being a broken back.
When the sad news was conveyed to Mrs. Easton, her grief was something
pitiful to behold. She is now a widow with two fatherless children.
Mr. Easton was a native of Lanark County and began his railroad career in
Carleton Place. He was about 30
years of age, a bright man who everyone liked.
He was a member of the Brotherhood of Railway Trainman, Missing Link
Lodge, Carleton Place, and also belonged to the A.O.U.W. here.
His remains were brought here on Saturday evening and yesterday morning
were conveyed to Lanark. The
members of the Workmen’s Lodge and railroaders turned out in large numbers."
The Almonte Times of December 14 says:
“On Wednesday night of this week another of the well known and highly
respected pioneers of Lanark Township passed away after a short illness in the
person of Mrs. Thomas Moulton at the age of 80.
The subject of this short sketch, whose maiden name was Miss N. Cardiff,
was born in the County of Carlow, Ireland in 1815 and came to Canada in 1822
with her parents and settled in Lanark Township.
There she was married to the late Thomas Moulton whom she survived over
29 years. The union was blessed
with a large family of eight sons and four daughters but several of them have
crossed to the other shore. They
are William who lives on the homestead; Thomas of Prince Albert, NWT; Joseph of
Manitoba; Robert and James of Combermere(?), Renfrew County; and George, John
and Benjamin who are dead. The
daughters are Mrs. Isaac Halfpenny of Lanark Township; Elizabeth on the
homestead; Mrs. Adam Ireton and Miss Jane who are dead.
The funeral took place on Friday to the Boyd’s Settlement Cemetery.”
J. M. Balderson, barrister, who went to England two months ago to investigate the status of the legacy alleged to be due the Gould family of Drummond has found, we understand, that although there was a fortune left by the will to the head of the family at Balderson, now dead, it was not claimed by him and the property has gone otherwise as provided in the will. Mr. Balderson will arrive home on the 27th inst. We regret to learn that he was taken ill with typhoid fever while visiting Dublin and was a patient there in the hospital until his recovery.
Perth Courier, Dec. 27, 1895
Westport Notes: William Thompson of Bedford has purchased the farm of John
Forrester on the Newboro Road about two miles from Westport, 110 acres, for
$5,400, one of the best farms here, and it was very cheap.
On Friday, Frederick McGowan was
arraigned before Judge Senkler on the charge of endeavoring to extort from his
brother Chief McGowan, Smith’s Falls, by threats to ruin his character.
The prisoner pled guilty and when the judge was about to pronounce
sentence the chief asked leave to address the court.
He related the whole circumstances and gave particulars about Fred’s
career and asked the judge to let the prisoner out on a suspended sentence but
prohibiting him from coming nearer Smith’s Falls than fifty miles for two
years. The judge gave judgment accordingly.
On Monday, 19th December the quiet village of Maberly was thrown into excitement when a report went round that Matthew Marks was dead. Mr. Marks, upwards of 70 years of age, and a number of years a resident of this village, ate his breakfast as usual and then went to butcher a hog for A.E. Elliott. While engaged in talking the hog out of the water he fell and never spoke afterwards. Mr. Marks was widely known and by his genial nature had many friends which was shown by the largest funeral procession that ever went from the village. He was an uncle to Marks Brothers, comedians and leaves five daughter all of whom are married.
Posted: 09 June, 2005