Historical Documents
Early Lanark Village
supplied by Christine M. Spencer of Northwestern University, Evanston, Il., USA.
EARLY
LANARK VILLAGE
Perth Courier, March 16, 1900
From the Era
It may not only be interesting but also
profitable to look upon the past and make a comparison with a view to
improvement. With this end in view
I write my recollections of the past 31 years.
On December 1, 1868, I arrived in Lanark
Village to serve my indenture as a clerk in a general store.
The terms were these: I
agreed to serve my employer faithfully, to be obedient to his commands and
regulations, and on all occasions to guard his reputation and property.
During said three years my employer agreed on his part to teach and
instruct me in the business of a general store, to provide board and lodging,
and to pay me at the rate of ten pounds for the first year, twenty pounds for
the second year and thirty pounds for the third year.
My recollections of that day and the night following always remain vivid
in my memory. I had left the home
of kith and kin to enter on the responsible duties of life on my own account
among strangers. A feeling of
loneliness was mine, though kindness was shown me by all with whom I came into
contact.
I arrived by the mail courier from
Rosetta, the route being by Middleville and Hopetown which were served
tri-weekly from the Lanark post office. Thomas
Dodds (now in Mayo), was the courier and he was an obliging one too.
As I look back to the day, oh! What a change one third of a century makes
in a village and its inhabitants.
The village was incorporated six years
before. William Robertson now of Pilot Mound, Manitoba, at that time
occupied the position of Reeve, Warden of the County of Lanark, Justice of the
Peace and Issuer of Marriage Licenses. His
office was situated on Mill Street, near the red bridge in a frame building
since destroyed by fire. The councilors were Boyd Caldwell, Peter McLaren, Sr., Thomas Baird and James Drysdale,
all of whom have passed “the borne from whence no traveler ere returns”.
John T. Robertson was village
clerk Finlay
McIntyre was treasurer and Peter
McLaren, Jr., was assessor.
The royal mail from Perth arrived in the
village (heralded by the blowing of a horn) during the night.
John Wardrope was the driver,
employed by James Allan, the
contractor. The post office was
opened at 9:00 am and closed at 5:00 pm. The postage on a half ounce letter was three pence.
The following mails were sent out as Lanark was the central point for the
distribution of mail which was sent as far north as Renfrew, east to Carleton
Place, and to the limits of Lanark County.
Rosetta, Middletown and Hopetown were carried twice a week; Watson’s
Corners mail by Poland; McDonalds Corners and Elphin went three times a week, John
Henderson being the courier; Playfair post office having Mr.
Mills as courier and its mail going once a week.
The patriarchs of the village were Robert
Drysdale, carpenter by trade yet endowed with much mental capacity, who
wrote for the local paper. I shall
never forget the first salutation on his coming to the store.
I had been instructed to ask every person that came in if there was
anything I could do for them. His
answer was to give another question: “Your
name and your place of abode?” We
afterwards became fast friends. He
called often to chat with my employer and to get the reading of his paper and
books.
Adam
Craig was another prominent figure in those days
with white flowing beard who daily appeared on the village streets with kindly
manner and friendly questions to all strangers as to their welfare and gave
prudent and good advice to the young.
John
Mair, Sr., a retired shoe maker was methodical and
stately in his manner and ever Sunday was to be seen wending his way twice a day
to the Presbyterian Church.
John
Smith, Sr., was a tanner by trade and an
Englishman by birth. By his
industry and businesslike abilities gained a well earned
George
Blair, Sr., was a weaver and nursery man.
He also had an apiary and exported forest seed which he collected and
prepared. He was noted for his
precision and knowledge in these lines.
Thomas
Kelso was a well known, genial Scotch farmer.
He and others from the back townships were to be seen on Saturdays coming
in for the weekly paper. One of
these was taken by each household and exchanges were made to circulate the news
of the day. The leading papers were the Toronto Globe, Carleton Place
Herald and the Perth Courier.
The venerable men mentioned were great
readers and took a great interest in the public questions of the day.
At the time of which I write those spoken of were retired from active,
public business.
Perth Courier, February 27, 1900, by “Mac”
From the Perth Courier, old home week
issue 1924
Men of Lanark Township 75 Years Ago
By Donald Fraser of Victoria, B.C.
There were four families of striking
promise in Lanark when I was a boy 75 years ago. The Rev. Thomas Fraser
and four sons Thomas, John, Andrew and Joshua; John Hall and three sons John,
Francis, and Alexander; James Mair and four sons William, James, Holmes and
Charles; the Caldwell brothers William Boyd and Alexander; of the Thomas
McLarens, only one was prominent, Peter,
afterwards senator. I knew all
these men in the strength of their young manhood and to some extent I could
particularize but must content myself with speaking generally.
Of the Fraser family the sons for the
most part took possessions and left Lanark at an early age.
All the others remained, identifying themselves with lumbering and the
mercantile business. As I remember
these men I would find it difficult to duplicate them in appearance, physical
energy or business capacity in any community.
They were the mainstay of Lanark and surrounding country and exemplified
the highest type of citizens. Lumbering
was done principally in square timber, the product finding its market in Quebec.
John G. Hall built a large steam saw mill near the Mississippi bridge
intending to cut lumber for the American market.
I remember the building of the mill very well.
Unfortunately, it was destroyed by fire soon after it was finished.
Of all the names I have mentioned, there is so far as I know only one remaining at the present time, Charles, the youngest son of the Mair family now in his 87th year. He finished his classical education in Perth, afterwards graduating in Arts from Queen’s University, Kingtston at an early age. His literary career and thrilling experiences in the
Northwest Rebellion are matters of history. His alma mater has recently conferred upon him the honorary degree of L.L.D. At his advanced age, his natural forces are somewhat abated but his eye is not diminished by any means and his mind and memory are astonishingly clear. Nothing gives him more pleasure in his retirement than to talk about old times in Perth and Lanark. He has recently read the special edition of the Courier covering the old boys reunion of 1905 and is looking forward to another account of the present reunion with much interest.
Posted: 09 June, 2005