Historic Lanark County Documents from the Perth Courier
Received from: Christine Spencer - [email protected]
Contents of this Document:
Lest We Forget: Bathurst
The Gillies Machine Shop Fire
Lest We Forget: North Sherbrooke
Lest We Forget: Lanark
History of Boyd’s Settlement
The Diaries of John Hart
Early History of the Bathurst Congregation
Perth
Courier, March 22, 1935
Lest
We Forget
Bathurst
The Mississippi has numerous rapids
along its course and each one has its beauty spots as Dalhousie Lake, Sheridan
Rapids, Playfairville, and Ferguson’s Falls.
Beauty pictured by nature in repose and tranquility lie peacefully along
the left shore of the Mississippi at Playfairville. The rapids, tumbling and splashing the creamy foam hither and
thither as the water, maddened by obstructions, seeks to find its way to a lower
level of greater expanse. On the
left shore with its velvety green grass and its wide spreading cedars stood the
substantial restful residence of the late Col.
Playfair.
The turmoil of the rapids and the
placidity of the quiet home stand in bold contrast adds to the fascinating
beauty.
The hamlet was properly named
Playfairville as the Playfairs were quite numerous in the vicinity. The late William
Playfair, a man of integrity, owned a saw mill at this hamlet where for many
years he cut lumber and shingles. He
had a large family of more than ordinary ability and initiative. His small son Laurence
had the distinction of being swept over the dam and through the rapids,
arriving at school the following morning bright and cheerful.
He is now an M.D. in some town in western Ontario.
The lay preacher was known as
“little” John Playfair—many
times I sat and listened to him discourse with fluency on both the old and the
new testaments. His memory was
marvelous. Often I have compared
him with George E. Foster because of his wonderful memory and rapidity of
speech. The scripture passages he
wielded with penetrating force and the word of God quickly and powerfully and
sharper than any two edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul
and spirit and of the joints and marrow and was a discerner of the thoughts and
intents of the heart.
Elijah
Playfair lived in the village and James
Playfair cultivated a nearby farm. The
name Playfair stood for honesty and uprightness and square dealing.
G.C.
Mills conducted a small grocery store and kept the
post office. Alex Mills, his son, drove the stage from Playfairville to Perth by
way of Fallbrook and Harper, carrying the daily mail.
The hamlet once boasted a blacksmith shop and a carriage shop.
An old wooden bridge with names innumerable carved with jack knives
spanned the rapids. On the right
shore were the homes of James Johnston
and Dave O’Neil. Topping the
hill stood the modest Methodist Church where Rev.
Mr. Pletts and his successor Rev. Mr.
Roadhouse unfolded the sacred messages and went in and out among the people
delivering the words of comfort or inspiration receiving welcome in every home.
I wonder what is left of this hamlet?
The memory of its people still lingers, reminding us that the only
lasting wealth we can possess is a good name.
Let me now in memory tread the wood
roadway to Fallbrook, admiring as we pass along Alex
Anderson’s beautiful grove of pine. In
about 15 minutes we reach the historic red school house on the top of the hill
overlooking Bolton’s Creed on whose banks the ancient but historic cheese
factory now stands. Ancient?
Well, not youthful. Historic?
Yes. Fallbrook was one
of 17 factories that contributed to making the large cheese sent to the
World’s Fair at Chicago. This
makes it historic and as such should go down in history. The cheese maker was David
C. Ennis who now resides in western Canada.
The cheese weighed eleven tons and was sold to Sir Thomas Lipton on
condition that he draw it through the large cities of England on a truck drawn
by white horses. This he did and
established for Canada a market in Britain for Canadian cheese.
About 100 yards from the factory was the
hotel, general store and post office conducted by Mr. and Mrs. W.G. Cameron. The
hotel at that time was not a paying proposition as lumber operations had passed
their zenith and the trade was gradually dying.
However, many happy hours were spent socially in the old building.
The winter evenings were pleasantly whiled away by playing euchre.
About 7:30 p.m. Bill Gallagher, with his long beautiful flowing beard, Mic.
McCabe, with his typical Irish whiskers, and Mic.
Foley would be in the sitting room of the hotel awaiting developments. Soon
Watty would appear on the scene with a pack of worn cards, pull out a bench and
say “Come on, McCabe, we’ll give the boys a trim.”
Gallagher and Foley would take up the challenge.
Taking their places around the bench, Watty would put the cards close to
Bill and blandly remark “Cut the deal”.
Bill would stroke his long beard and cut. Momentary silence. Then
Bill would laughingly exclaim “By gosh, Watt, it is all mine”.
Bill would shuffle the deck, deal them round and the game of “Take Your
Partner’s Best” was on. The spectators enjoyed the game as much as the players.
Watty’s dry humor, McCabe’s Irish wit, Bill’s soft, measured
censure and Foley’s musical laugh made the game one continuous round of
merriment.
W.G.
Cameron was a man of powerful personality, strong
convictions and rigidly upright in all his dealings with his fellow man.
Mrs. Cameron was a real businesswoman, of strong intellectual ability,
liked by the whole county. Ever
extending help where help was needed, endeavoring always to encourage people to
a higher plane of life, she managed the store and post centre(?).
James Cameron, a boarder at
the hotel and brother of W.G. Cameron, conducted the blacksmith shop and did
wood work such as making wagons and sleighs.
Had he persisted, he might have been a tailor as he spent the greater
part of one whole winter making himself a pair of trousers.
A carding mill operated by Will
Wallace stood near the hotel on the banks of the creek.
Business was brisk as the farmers for many miles in the surrounding
country brought their wool to the factory.
George Wallace and George Buffam,
two old residents, were known as mill wrights, an art fast disappearing.
The MacIntosh brothers were
kept busy in making boots and shoes for the inhabitants of the village and
adjacent territory. If the boots
were somewhat large they would shrink and if somewhat small the leather would
surely give. In any case, they were
just as the maker wished them to be
John
Buffam, carpenter, attended to the necessary
repairing of old buildings and to the erection of new ones.
Simon
Falls, skilled in the woolen trade, opened a small
factory near Lees’ flour mill doing carding and spinning for his many
customers.
William
Lees, for many years representative for Lanark in
the legislature, owned and operated a flour mill and a saw mill both situated on
the Fall River. The saw mill gave
employment to a number of men in the summer and the hauling of lumber to Perth
employed men in the winter. Somewhat
distant from the village, on Boulton Creek, James Cameron and Hugh Blair operated a small saw mill until it was
destroyed by fire.
Another general store was conducted by John
Fumerton and was close to Cameron’s blacksmith shop.
In conjunction with this store was the large hall where different
denominations held church services. Anglican,
Methodist, and what was known as The Brethren used it.
The representative of The Brethren society was a Mr.
Dunlop. A calm, gentle, dignified gentleman, traveling from place to place
carrying the gospel message.
At the end of the bridge crossing the
Fall River stood a formidable house under the command of Henry Buffam. No horse
or carriage was permitted to pass without first handing over the compelling
talisman. This done, the traveler
was permitted to pass on his way with all good wishes for a save return with the
necessary coin to ensure Buffam’s “pass, my man”. The purpose of the toll gate was to collect money from those
who used the road; this money being used to keep the road in good repair and
possibly paying a small dividend to the shareholders of the road.
Settled on the north shore of Bolton’s
Creek, cultivating their productive farms were Josh Gallagher and Bill Gallagher, George Kerr, Andrew Bain, John Bain,
William Mackie and Charles Mackie. Going
up the 11th Line, the homes of Bill Johnston, Sam Buffam, Hugh McDonald, R. Dickson, D. Ennis, J.
Warrington, T. Ennis, J. Anderson and W. H. Blair still stand in reality as
in memory of 45 years ago. To
portray these different characters with a degree of accuracy would require page
upon page; suffice it to say all were human, prone to stumble but strengthened
by the spirit of helpfulness, companionship and charity.
No farther seek their merits to disclose
Or draw their frailities from their dead
abode.
Ninety One
Carleton
Place Herald, March
27, 1906
DISASTROUS FIRE THIS MORNING
The Gillies Machine Shops Sadly
Damaged—Loss Very Heavy
One of the most disastrous fires we have
had in Carleton Place for some time occurred this morning this morning in the
machine works of the John Gillies Estate Co., Ltd., when the two upper flats
were destroyed, with a number of the new launches—some finished and some in
course of construction—all the wood working machinery and all the patterns and
stock carried on the third floor were destroyed. The loss is inestimable at this writing but it will not be
less than $10,000 and is probably greater and is complete as the Company carried
their own risk. At least twenty men
will be out of employment for a time and those of them working on the second
flat have lost their tools as well.
The fire started about 8:35 and was
caused by an explosion of gasoline in a launch that was about complete.
Master George Dougherty was
operating the engine with a view to testing it, when a spark somehow got to the
gasoline tank, causing an explosion that blew the end out of the boat and
scattered the fire instantly amongst the flammable material in the shop.
Dougherty was badly scorched about the hands and arms and his face and
neck were singed. How he escaped
worse injury is marvelous. He also
has a foot badly bruised. The
spread of the fire was so rapid that the man had to flee at once and it was no
time until the third flat, where was stored the valuable patterns, finished in
oil and varnish, was all ablaze.
The alarm was sounded at once and in a
remarkably short time the fire brigade responded. Two lines of hose were attached to the hydrant in front of
the Canada Woolen Mills and water was soon playing; a third line of hose was
attached from Brown’s pump and a little later two additional streams were
thrown from the fire engine on the river bank.
A third stream was run from the factory later, making six in all but the
fire being in the upper part of the high building and with so much material to
feed the flames, made it difficult to handle and before the last spark was
extinguished the best part of the roof of the building and the floor between the
second and third flats were destroyed.
There were five complete launches in the
shop—one was valued at $1,200—besides other boats partly built.
Whilst these are not completely destroyed, the loss is very considerable
and the damage by water to the valuable machinery on the lower floors will also
be heavy.
Mr.
James Gillies, who is president of the company,
has been in poor health for a week or two and is not in a position to give an
explanation as to the loss or what action the company may take to restore the
establishment. Messrs. William
and David Gillies are also at home, and witnessed the heroic work of the
firemen and others as they struggled with the devouring elements.
Meanwhile the employees will devote
their energies to protecting the plant and doing what they can to save the
perishable material.
The disaster could scarce have come at a
worse season, when the Company were busy with orders and everything was humming
in the expectation of a busy season in the launch and engine business.
Much regret is expressed throughout the
town, as the loss will be felt in more ways than one and it is hoped the company
will see their way to rebuilding without delay.
Perth
Courier, March, 1935
Lest We Forget: North Sherbrooke
Nearly half a century has elapsed since
I had the privilege of living in North Sherbrooke, Lanark County, in that part
of the township in the vicinity of Elphin, which originally was known as Mann’s
Corners. The country is very
picturesque with its rolling lands, maple woods interspersed with evergreens;
the wooded hills, the green pastures, the pasture lands, the modest fields of
grain, and the luscious apple orchards surrounding the pleasant farm homes
inviting the attention of the traveler to dine upon the landscape beauty.
The original settlers hailed from
Scotland—the land of Bobby Burns and like Burns, were bold, upright and
honest. The present generation
still carry the Scottish accent as well as the other characteristics of their
progenitors. They were people
overflowing with hospitality, tenderness and kindness.
The outstretched hand was always ready to help the needy.
The store at Elphin was conducted by the
late Peter McIntyre and in a small
annex J. Shane practiced the trade of shoe making. The annex becoming too small for his expanding trade, Shane
moved about a mile east to a building which had been owned by a gentleman who
had the burning impulse of bringing beautiful horses from western Ontario and
selling them for high prices to the Elphin farmers.
His profits were high as his costs were merely those of stealing the
horses from the owners without the owner’s knowledge. Persisting in this business, government officials sought his
companionship and graciously escorted him to a home near Kingston prepared by
the government for characters such as he.
Directly across from McIntyre’s store
stood the cheese factory and close by Danny(?)
Munroe had a blacksmith shop where he was always ready to shoe horses, trade
watches(?) or enjoy a smoke.
The store was the rendezvous for the
clan—gathering there on winter evenings to swap stories.
Dane(?) McYuan generally was
the grand aggregate while Jim Brownlee ran a good second.
About fifty yards from the store, was a
small church built of sided(?) logs (the work of the broad axe) but not in use
as the congregation was too numerous to be accommodated within its historic
walls. A large hall over a shed was
used as a place of worship. Here, Rev.
Alexander McAulay ministered faithfully to his flock, Will
Miller and John Stewart were two of the elders.
The people were loyal to their church and the services were well
attended. About a mile east was the
school house where the village teacher taught his little school for forty pounds
a year.
A little to the north of the highway
leading from McDonald’s Corners wended the Mississippi river down which
thousands of logs were annually guided by jolly river drivers.
The Caldwells of Lanark and
the McLarens of Perth were the
leading lumbermen of the day. Where
the hydro equipment plant now stands, where the High Falls offered obstructions
to the river men. To overcome this
natural obstruction an immense slide was constructed on the north side of the
stream down which the logs were run without damage.
This slide was the cause of a long drawn out and costly law suit
centering on what is known as “The Streams(?) Hill(?)”.
Such names as McDonald, McIlquham,
Barber, Bowes and Greer are known from the headwaters of the Mississippi to
the mills at Carleton Place. Peter McCallum, I believe, is the only one of those hardy farmers
who can now answer the “roll call”. Down
the stream from the High Falls, stood Geddes’ Flour Mill, where the stone process of making flour was in
its heyday. Here at the rapids is
Dalhousie Lake—now renowned as a summer resort—then resplendent in its
natural beauty. Around this section
we find the Geddes, Smiths, Pauls,
McDugalls, Duncans and Millers, pioneers of large muscular frames, whose
hospitality was in keeping with their frames.
In the immediate vicinity of Elphin, George
Wilson (postmaster), James Brownlee,
D. McVean, Jeff Pitcher, R. Balfour, M. McFarlane (carpenter), R.(?)
Campbell, W. Smith, T. Wilson and T. Izatt(?), performing the daily farm
tasks. Settled on the surrounding
farms were H. Weir (weaver), J.
Miller (drover) H. Wilson (late Chief of Police of Carleton Place) R.(?)
Bain, (first letter of name illegible) Clement,
R.(?) Wilson (drover), Duncan
Ferguson, G. Campbell, F. Ferguson, D. McVean, A. Ferguson, William Nusbett, and
Sandy Crawford—the precenter of the Kirk.
These pioneers have all departed, so
have the captains and kings, but the richness of humanity’s texture is
strengthened more by the quiet, unselfish life than by that of those who stride
the course to the sounds of trumpets. Their
power have created wealth which is dead, but the hospitality, the quietness and
the tenderness march on.
It was not uncommon to see the wool
taken off the sheep, carded by hand, made into rolls, spun into yarn on the
spinning wheel and knit into mittens and socks or sold to M. Weir to be woven into cloth.
Sugar making was carried out somewhat
differently fifty years ago. Troughs
were made for catching the sap. Spiles(?)
were made of cedar and the tapping was done by means of an auger and gauge.
The sap was boiled in metal or iron coolers arranged in rows of five or
six. These coolers were hung over
an immense fire which added brilliancy and delight tot eh work. The farmer’s implements consisted of ploughs and harrows, scythes, rakes, etc.
Few owned mowing machines or reapers.
Transportation was not by motor car but
by a wagon drawn by six horses. Great
pride was taken by the farmers for having beautiful horses full of pep, and
action.
These people had their amusements.
In summer, they had special gatherings and picnics in which the whole
neighborhood heartily participated and thoroughly enjoyed.
The picnic grounds were at Mr.
McDougall’s grove, an ideal place, now only a memory as the woodsman’s
axe has wrought a change.
In the autumn corn-huskings and
apple-parings followed by the old fashioned square dance whiled away many a
pleasant hour. Young and old
mingled in the whirling mane exhilarated by the lively strains of “The
Soldier’s Joy” and “The Gay Grandsire Whisked Beneath The Garden of
Threescore”.
Winter brought sleigh riding when the
horses hooves kept time to the musical chimes of the merry bells.
The high mountain at the back of McLaren’s Depot provided an ideal
toboggan slide. Here the younger
people enjoyed the clear, frosty nights sliding down the mountain side for the
distance of a mile, then laboriously pulling the toboggans back to the summit to
repeat the operation. The air was filled with mirth and jollity.
Eby(?)
Wilson was the dentist for the neighborhood, at
least for all emergencies requiring extraction, having acquired the art in
uprooting boulders, not molars, by means of the plough.
His instruments consisted of a peculiar shaped lance for tearing the gums
and what was known as a key for the extraction operation.
When his knee was planted firmly on your chest it was considered an
anesthetic for agony when it is at its height, is mute.
But why linger on this painful scene?
The Scottish people are said to thrive
on porridge, the Bible and the shorter catechism but these good people were
progressive and required a more varied diet and for their daily menu had
porridge, the Bible, the shorter catechism and the Perth Courier.
Gone are these settlers of nearly fifty
years ago. No more they lift the
latch to welcome strangers. Their
contributions to life and to the world has been made quietly, humbly and
persistently.
Let not ambition mock their useful toil,
Their homely joys and destiny obscure
Nor grandeur hear with a disdainful smile
The short and simple annals of the poor.
S.S.
Perth
Courier, April 5, 1935
Lest We Forget: Lanark
Middleville, lovliest village of the plain
Where hearth and plenty cheered the laboring swain
How often I have loitered o’er thy green
Where humble happiness endeared each
scene!
Middleville, a name which would suggest
a certain location inland as being in the middle of the township or possibly
that of the county, may be the hub towards which the people of the township
converge. Like its neighbors Lavant, Darling, Dalhousie, the early settlers were
of Scotch origin and thoroughly educated in honesty, thrift and frugality.
As I remember the village it consisted
of two general stores, a blacksmith shop, shoe shop, carriage shop, saw mill,
two stopping places and three churches and a school.
Climbing a gentle incline on the Lanark
road, the traveler approaches the home of William
Borrowman, whose surroundings would indicate the owner to be a man of
intelligence and interest in the finer arts.
Entering his residence he is found to be not only a gentleman farmer but
a jeweller whose tradesmanship is not surpassed
by the city tradesman.
Some short distance from the Borrowman
home is the Congregational Church and manse occupied by Rev. J. Lambert Alexander, a young clergyman beginning his career in
the ministry. He is a true success.
His real object was that of
including the principles of Jesus in the minds and hearts of each hearer.
He was a promising youth and afterwards became a leading light in church
union. He was strong
intellectually, easily approachable, of kindly disposition and tolerant in his
views.
Sickness in the village was rare but
what did occur was skillfully taken care of by Dr.
Mather, a graduate of Queen’s. The
clever young doctor was a most sociable man, humorous and intensely interested
in the gems of literature. He had a
hobby of taking snapshots and developing the same. One fair day he had a few in his window getting the sunlight
to bring them to maturity. They
remained in the window overnight. The
next morning the old lady who cared for his office sympathetically remarked
“You didna sell many of your pictures, doctor?”
A carriage and wagon shop was operated
by David Dobbie. Carriages, wagons, cutters, and sleighs were then in demand
as the motor car was then just an infant. Dave
was meticulously exacting in his workmanship and a neck yolk has been known to
stay in the vice for three or four weeks before released to the purchaser.
Bill
Sommerville, stone mason and plasterer, spent most
of this time out of the village in the summer performing work in his line for
farmers and other builders. He was
always happy and in rain or in shine his greeting was always:
“Y-a-a-a, it is a fine day!”. Through
time he left the village and took up residence in Lanark where he is now a
valued and respected resident.
One of Middleville’s (illegible word)
characters was the late Mrs. Guthrie.
She was of a calm, refined temperament. Her acts of goodness were kindly
performed. Her welcomes were
genuine and her life was one of kindness, helpfulness and good will for all.
She was a beautiful character the memory of whom will glow forever.
The Presbyterian Church had for its
clergyman Rev. Mr. Smith, a man of
strong personality. He was a
Scotsman and had a good deal of a “burr” in his accent which made him very
pleasing to hear. Meeting him in
his home was a rare treat. His
affable, pleasing manner had a fascinating power which drew the visitor close to
him making him forget his vices and his woes while the pastor good naturedly and
kindly pointed him to the skies. He
did not gain greatness by political power neither by financial power but by
service. His was true greatness.
He served in the pulpit and out of the pulpit, in times of joyousness and
in times of sadness he was with his people, rejoicing with those who rejoiced
and weeping with those who wept. He
was one of them. In memory I can
see and hear him as he expounds on the text “Grieve not the holy Spirit
whereby you are sealed unto the day of Redemption”.
The sermon done, he placed a hand under each cover and suiting the action
to the words said “The book is closed, the sermon is sealed and there was a
good one.”
The merchants were Mr. Croft and A.R. McIntyre. General
stores were necessary in county villages at that time.
The great chain stores almost annihilated the small country stores to
detriment of the community. These
general stores were the meeting places in the evenings, particularly winter
evenings, when weighty subjects were good naturedly discussed.
An outstanding man was Archibald Rankin who for many years was clerk for the municipality
of Lanark township. He was
thoroughly skilled in municipal law
and was a councilor to the members of the Council.
He was active in all social activities being a stager of ability.
Another singer of note was Peter
Morris who I can still hear singing “The Old Oaken Bucket”.
The Sons of Temperance was a thriving
organization with a large membership. The township of Lanark was deprived of the
right to sell spirituous liquors by what was known as the Dunkin Act and is
still under that dispensation.
The blacksmith was a very busy man
shoeing horses, making chains, ironing wagons, buggies, cutters and sleighs.
Albert Cunningham, and R.(?) B.(?)
Somerville stood the strain of this heavy work for many years before being
compelled to retire. Christy Jackson, a
free going, likeable man, conducted a stopping place near McIntyre’s store and
catered to the traveling public with courtesy.
Across a little vale from Somerville’s
shop, then up a slight incline to a small tableland
stood the school house where Miss Spence taught many of the beginners at that time to recognize
“hat, coat, rack”. Yes.
36 years ago.
The great annual event of the village
was the “Fair” or more aristocratically speaking “The Exhibition”.
This being the last fair of the year, it was always well patronized.
Once visited, the conclusion is that fairs of major importance rank as
minors in art skill and workmanship. In
the building, the paintings, pencil work, crayon work, etc. hold the visitor.
The needle work draws the admiration of every on looker; the fancy work
of every description demands the unstinted praise of young and old, of the
professional and the amateur. Outside
the building lovers of animals leisurely move around viewing the horses, sheep,
swine, cattle, calves, lambs and the common expression “did you ever see
better?” is heard on all sides of the ring.
When the day is over, the directors county their earnings and in their
joy another success financially has been added to their credit.
The surrounding country is beautiful—the land productive and settled with a sturdy class of people. Here we find the Afflecks and the Somerville string to out number each other. No finer type of citizen to be found anywhere. The Crofts, the Guthries, the Blackburns, the Mathers, the Yuills, the Mitchells and many others of like type. These are real citizens co-operating in all good work their motto being “service for mankind”.
Ninety Nine
Perth
Courier, October 24, 1946
History
of Boyd’s Settlement
The following sketch was prepared by Mrs.
Wesley Willows and Mrs. Earl Willows is an outline of the early history of
Boyd’s Settlement in Lanark Township a few miles from Innisville.
A tribute to the past
A record for the present
A message for posterity
In the year 1815 a proclamation was
issued in England which greatly affected the lives of many British subjects and
the history of the new world. This
proclamation offered free passage to such natives of Great Britain as might wish
to set sail for Canada for the purpose of settling there.
Free provisions as an inducement were also offered until such time as the
land which they were given would produce enough to support them.
Besides this they were to be given ten pounds as a loan.
Each group of four families were to receive a grindstone, a cross cut
saw, and whip saw. To each family
was given an adze, a hand saw, draw knife, one shell augur, two gimlets, door
lock and hinges, scythe and snath, reaping hook, two hoes, one hay fork,
skillet, camp kettle, one blanket for each member of the family.
This process was eagerly read by man in
the old land. The old system of land holding was oppressive and the people knew
little of freedom or equality. As a
result, the younger and more adventurous thought with longing of the new world.
It would appear that many who were friends in Ireland must have come to
Canada within a short time of each other and gathered in communities together.
They landed at Montreal and came on to
Brockville by steamboat or scows towed by oxen. They probably crossed the Rideau at Rideau Ferry as that was
the only crossing place along that part of the river. It is likely that they also passed through Perth.
An ocean voyage took at least seven
weeks and parcels and letters took a endless time to reach the new world.
The immigrants were crowded into the holds of ships and deplorable
sanitation added to the discomfort and disease.
Ship fever broke out and took a heavy toll.
Of 100,000 immigrants coming to Canada, it is estimated that 5,000 died
at sea and 20,000 after landing at St. John, Quebec and Montreal.
The original settlement of Lanark
township was commenced in 1820 and was marked by a piece of paper nailed to a
tree on the side of a street in the present village of Lanark.
On this piece of paper were the words “This is Lanark”.
In the same year Boyd’s settlement was opened to settlers.
The first home was begun by Sam
Boyd, unmarried, who settled in the field now south of the present cheese
factory house. It was a square
built house with a roof going up to a square instead of the usual ridge.
John Boyd, his brother, whose
wife died at sea, settled where his great grandson Franklin Boyd now lives.
Henry Hammond and wife Margaret
Boyd (sister of the Boyd men), settled on the farm now owned by Mr. and Mrs. William Crosswell.
Andrew Stevenson and wife Mary
Boyd lived on the farm now occupied by Mr.
and Mrs. Ed Ventress. Foster
Stern, married Jane Boyd and
settled on a farm on the town line now owned by Clifford
Hammond. George
Code married Sara Boyd and lived
on what is now Russell Willows’
farm. This George Code is the son
of the Code family which lived on the farm now owned by Oscar Ventress. There
were many brothers and sisters in the family and they make many an interesting
story but we need only think of those who lived right here in the settlement.
Another brother lived on the present Munro
farm. The last Code on the old homestead was Thomas Nancable Code. He
was musical and conducted a singing school and led the church choir for many
years.
There were also two Jackson brothers
–one was Thomas Jackson who married
Rachel Code and lived where Clifford
Hammond now resides. Some of
their descendents are Robert of
Vancouver, Judge Arthur Jackson who
recently retired from the bench in Toronto and Bessie
(Mrs. Sher. (?) Willows) of Calgary. There
are also Nellie, wife of John
Tennant. Lantrim
Jackson married Erlen(?) Ennis and settled where Earl Willows now lives. They
were the grandparents of Mrs. Alfred
Hammond, Colin and Wesley Willows—and many others too numerous to mention.
William
and James Magee lived on farms later owned by William
Bailey and now the property of William
C. McCall. It is believed that William D’Arcy Magee, one of the fathers of the Confederation, was
a brother of these men.
The Wrights
and Wellwoods lived on the 11th Line down near Mud Lake on land
now owned by William S. Munro.
We have a story told by Thorpe Wright about the experience of his parents in crossing the
water. The vessel carried 341
passengers and no doctor. Cholera
broke out and 41 died and were buried at sea.
Mr. Wright was a tailor by trade and made the caps and gowns for students
of Trinity College in Dublin, Ireland. On the ship he sewed the dead bodies of the cholera victims
up in blankets for burial. Mrs.
Wright fell ill and the ship’s captain was about to bleed her, which was the
customary procedure. Mr. Wright,
who did not agree with this method of treatment, took his shears and fought off
the captain. His own treatment was
to steam the patient. This he did
after he scared off the captain and his wife recovered.
The care of their infant child was thrust upon the tailor and he solved
the food problem by preparing a mixture of powdered biscuit, sugar and water
upon which the baby fed and thrived for three weeks. The vessel, however, having hid one man, brought the epidemic
to Quebec where thousands died and were buried in trenches on the Plains of
Abraham.
After these settlers arrived, they found
things were not as easy as they expected. Provisions
were not as easily obtained as promised. The
implements furnished were big and clumsy. Even
years later, when Henry Hammond had a daughter grown big enough to grow
potatoes, she declared “it was a big enough job to carry the shovel let alone
use it to dig the potatoes from among the roots of the trees.”
Mr. Hammond was the first to own a horse in the settlement and quite a
novelty it was. His son tells that
he remembers the first dollar he saw. It
was obtained by shipping potash to England and the dollars were shipped back in
payment.
Before coming to this new land, Sam Boyd
was a teacher in Ireland. It is
also said that it was he who opened the first Methodist Sunday school in that
part of Ireland. After coming to
Lanark township, he became a leader in the life of the community and it is
believed that he may have been the first school master here. When he came to this country, Sam Boyd left behind him a dear
friend in the person of a young lady named Nancy. It is said that he was quite sick and ailing much of his time
until at last one day Nancy arrived from the old country.
After that Sam made a remarkable recovery and married his Nancy.
The first school was in the corner of
the cemetery near Clifford Hammond’s
fence. It was the first school for
miles around and as a result had a large attendance. As many as 70-80 were enrolled.
The school was simply set down in the middle of the forest.
One day during the years when the school was under the direction of a
school master named John Manley, a very fierce storm developed.
It was called “The Slash” because it ripped down a strip through the
forest leaving a mass of tangled, twisted wreckage of trees, trunks etc., lying
in its wake. In the path of The
Slash lay the school house. When the storm subsided, Mrs.
Lantrim Jackson hurried up to the school, terrified lest she find it in
ruins. To her surprise, she found
the trees lying all around the school house but the building itself was not
damaged. Mr. Manley, a God fearing
man, on seeing the storm sweeping down on them, dropped to his knees and prayed
for Divine protection for the children in his care.
Later, John Manley became a preacher and was a minister in Toronto when
100 years old and died not so long ago. He
had gone to Toronto to be with other Manley families settled there—one of whom
was the father of Laura Manley Secord of Beaver Dam fame.
The God fearing pioneers were not such
as would leave their faith neglected in the new country. In 1821 we find Rev.
J.G Peale stationed at Perth and walking out to Boyd’s Settlement carrying
his saddle bags on his back. On his
arrival he had services in the home of Henry
Hammond. From that time on
services were held from shanty to shanty (as the homes then were called).
Then they met in the school house until the first church was built.
The first church in this district was
built just inside the present cemetery gates.
The resolution passed at the time to decide to build a new church read in
part as follows: “we shall build
a house of Divine Worship which shall be called the Jackson Street Methodist
Church, 12th Concession Lanark, to be built of cedar logs 26x36 feet
inside. The building committee to
be F. Stern, Andrew Stevenson, William
McGee, and Thomas Jackson”. Another
resolution read as follows: “The
meeting house on the 12th Concession Lanark, be open for the Church
of England, Presbyterian, Baptist and Quakers when not occupied by the
Methodists”.
Much more could be told of the early
history of Boyd’s Settlement, but it would make this story cumbersome.
However, in conclusion, we might say that in many communities, the
earliest settlers thought that they required stimulants to give them strength
for their heavy duties. It was not
so much in this settlement. The
earliest settlers of Boyd’s were a temperate class.
People who lived to bring in the Kingdom of God in their community and
today we are reaping the fruits of their labors and that of their children.
Perth
Courier, April 24, 1925
The
Diaries of John Hart
When an Ottawa Citizen reporter was in
Perth a few days ago gathering material to boost Perth’s Old Home Week, he
obtained a diary of the late John Hart
from his grandson, W.B. Hart and we
re-publish the same below.
John Hart was born in Paisley, Scotland
on the 6th November, 1808. In
1841, he decided to seek his fortunes in Canada. He was married and had four children. He had no intention of leaving them behind in the old
country. To transport the family
would mean a great deal of expense and although he evidently was a man of
substance he was also “canny.”
Growing accounts were reaching Great
Britain in those times of golden opportunities offered to those willing to brave
the dangers and the hardships of the voyage across the Atlantic and offers of
generous grants of land to settlers were proving exceedingly attractive to able
bodied Britons who saw no very rosy future in store for them
in their own country. He
conceived the idea of organizing a group of these and was so successful that he
gathered nearly 400 passengers, chartered a vessel, provisioned it, obtained the
necessary permits to emigrate, and financed the expedition so successfully that
he was able to land himself and his family on this side of the Atlantic without
any expense. He frankly boasted of this achievement for although it turned
out successfully, it might have proved a disaster for him as he had advanced the
money himself for a great many of the passengers and allowed them to pay all
save a small deposit, after they had reached Canada. It is recorded that only one of the 400 people fell down on
his payment and that one only because he seemed to have ill fortune in the new
land.
The wording of the diary of John Hart
proves that he was a man of great determination and courage, canny to a degree,
but withal, possessed of such a keen sense of humor that his records of
financial “coups” are exceedingly humorous to read. He had, moreover, an evident relish for good spirits,
incidents related below proving that he was as zealous to procuring a little
more of those as of the Bibles and Testaments presentments presented to the band
of immigrants.
The vessel chartered by John Hart was
the Carlton. She left Glasgow on
April 15, 1842, and arrived at Quebec on June 5, the voyage taking exactly 51
days. Here the diary concludes but
footnotes by a descendent of John Hart state that the voyage was continued up
the St. Lawrence to Montreal, and up the Ottawa River to Bytown. There they again changed vessels and sailed up the Rideau
Canal to Oliver’s Ferry whence they completed the journey to Perth in wagons
over rough roads. From Glasgow to
Perth the journey occupied nine weeks and it is reported that Perth, as John
Hart found it, was a thriving town.
A few extracts from the diary suffice to
give a vivid picture of the hazardous undertaking.
April 16, 1842 Bread and potatoes brought on board—passengers can cook
victuals very well as galley is well made.
Some passengers are unable to purchase food so made a collection of one
penny from all on board.
Tuesday, April 19, 1842—Served two
pounds of biscuits to each passenger; tea, one pound sugar, one pound peas, one
pound meal but the most tedious job we had today was serving out the rum.
We bought twenty gallons and eleven gallons of gin.
There were six bottles of rum came to my share and two bottles of gin.
Bibles and Testaments were also distributed. I got a bible and five Testaments—although it was more than
what came to my share.
Wednesday, April 20, 1842
Highlanders came on board with fine pig.
21 of us bought it for 21 shillings.
Thursday, April 30—Going at a fine
rate. Six miles per hour.
Bought a coffee mill for one shilling at Port Glasgow.
I hire it out for one penny each to grind coffee as we had forgot a
coffee mill so my shilling will pay me well.
Saturday—Served out gin today, I had
two bottles. Capital stuff.
We had a very busy day today as we did not want to be giving out anything
on the Sabbath. We have prayer and
praises every evening. Some of the passengers are already green with sea sickness.
The sea was rough and we must stay in our berths to keep from falling.
There was a storm today and all the chests in our room fell around.
It was laughable, really, to have seen me crawling out from under
although it was serious.
May 4, 1842—This day very coarse; we
could not cook much. We lost two
and a half bottles of rum to the storm. The
passengers were all starving for water but Jamie and me—we always managed to
have some but served it out in small quantities and made it go far.
May 6, 1842—Well, Jean very poorly in
and she has fouled her stomach. I
think from taking gruel with a lump of butter on it.
Today we had an addition to our number.
Mrs. Vallance(?) Valliance(?)
had a new child.
May 21, 1842—Very cold, some of the
passengers frost bit. Fishing boats
around the ship.
May 22, 1842—Very calm and on the lee bow(?)
6:00—Where we were yet
11:00—Still where we were
May 27, 1842—Friday Rob Blackburn’s youngest child died of measles.
Our first death. Burial at sea. However,
had me made a fine new shooting(?) coat at the top of fashion.
I wear it as I write this.
The writer of this unique diary or log
from which the above extracts are taken lived to a ripe old age and died
lamented by the whole settlement of Perth on October 23, 1881 being then 73
years of age.
Perth
Courier, August 10, 1834
Early
History of the Bathurst Congregation
In May of 1873, work in connection with
the Bathurst mission of the Presbyterian Church in Canada was commenced, the
Presbytery sending out into the field a Mr.
F. Ballantyne, who served from June until August at Bathurst and Maberly.
The services at Bathurst were held in McClellan’s school house.
The Union Church was built that year on the McLellan property on the
Upper 3rd Line and opened for public worship in 1874. Mr. Vanderwert carried on the work.
In 1875(?) Thomas Bennett carried on the work for five months and in this year,
services were held at Althorpe. In
1876 G.D. Boyne had charge of the
field on the same plan as the previous year. Mr. Penman
followed in 1877 and preached on the Scotch Line on Sabbath evenings.
G.R. Fitzpatrick conducted
services at Bathurst, Althorpe, Scotch Line, and 6th Line and was
followed in 1879 by R.C. Murray.
In 1880 Mr. Pollack and Mr. McLean worked the field for ten weeks,
discontinuing the Scotch Line. J.C.
Campbell supplied in 1881 and resumed the Scotch Line meetings.
In 1882 John Moore continued
the work dropping the Scotch Line and holding the service at Althorpe every
Sabbath.
In 1883 the Mission was under the care
of F.W. Johnson, followed in 1884 by J.F.
Smith and in 1886 by Arpad Govan. J.W.H. Milne
continued the work in 1886 and resumed the Scotch Line meetings. W.J. Drummond
followed in 1887 and D.R. Drummond in
1888 and James Hodge in 1889.
A.D.
Menzies took charge of the field in 1890
discontinuing the 6th Line services and was followed by R.G.
Gow in 1891 who followed the same plan.
In 1892 C.D. Campbell worked the field and held in mid-week services at the
6th Line. C.G.
Young followed in 1893.
J.B.
Boyd was sent into the field in 1894.
In September of that year, the congregation decided to carry on the
mission throughout the twelve months and Mr. Boyd continued in the field.
Up to this time, services were conducted occasionally by Perth ministers
and then later by the Methodist ministers on the Maberly circuit during the
winter months.
Mr. Boyd continued the work in 1895
until September when at a meeting of the Presbytery held in Arnprior, the Home
Mission Committee discussed the advisability of sending a continuous supply to
the mission fields of Bathurst and S. Sherbrooke. A.A. Scott of
Carleton Place was appointed to visit the field and ascertain the feeling of the
people as to the advisability of providing such supply. Mr. Scott was instructed to commence with the minister of
Knox and St. Andrew’s Churches in Perth to ascertain the bearing on such a
move on their congregations. Mr.
Scott visited the field in September and found the people in favor of the
proposed change. They decided to
make a canvas of the congregation to raise funds.
At a meeting of the Presbytery held in
Carleton Place in November of that year, it was resolved that Bathurst and S.
Sherbrooke “be erected into a mission field and that Mr. Scott of Carleton
Place and J.S. McIlraith of Balderson
be appointed to organize the station, to open a communion rail and take steps
towards the formation of a session of which Mr. McIlraigh would be interim
moderator and also in organizing the mission field.
The Presbytery recognized as the regular preaching stations the two
already established namely the one at S. Sherbrooke and the one at the church at
Bathurst, having only one preaching station in the Bathurst section of the field
and that the usual appointments, renewable from six months to six months be
accorded to Mr. Boyd with allowances of $7 a week with board and horse hair or
$1 per week in lieu of the grant from the Home Mission Field to be $2 per
Sabaath.
On November 24, 1895, a meeting of he
congregation was held in the Union Church at which Mr. A.A. Scott and Mr.
McIlraith were present. A communion
roll was drawn up and the following names are office bearers who were elected.
Session—Andrew W. Gamble, William A. Scott, Andrew Palmer, George Miller
Managers—Andrew B. Miller, Andrew W. Miller, W.J. Palmer
Secretary—John Jordan
Treasurer—Nichol Stewart
Auditors—Alexander Palmer, Sydney Miller
On March 17, our newly appointed elders
were ordained and inducted into their offices by Rev. J.S. McIlraith and Rev. J. Crombie of Smith’s Falls after
which the Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper was dispensed.
In the fall, Mr. Boyd’s ministry came
to a close and William J. McDonald
came to the field. In the following
year Calvin Church was built on the property of John
Cameron at a cost of $1,450. The
new church was opened and dedicated for public worship on September 13 of that
year.
J.W.C.
Bennett was appointed to the charge in 1896 and
labored for two years. On August 21
of that year W.J. Palmer was ordained
into the eldership, elected by vote of the congregation to take the place of the
late William A. Scott.
Rev.
James Stewart came to the field in the spring of
1900 followed in 1902 by Rev. J.G. Greig who
carried on the work very successfully until the beginning of 1907 when he
accepted a call to Cumberland and Rockland.
In 1903 an additional piece of land was purchased from Mr.
Cameron and the manse was built at a cost of $950.
After Mr. Greig’s departure a call was
issued to Rev. H.J. McDiarmid of St.
Lambert, Quebec which call he accepted and was inducted into the charge October,
1907. The following year a session
was elected in South Sherbrooke consisting of Albert Norris and James Kilpatrick who were ordained to the
eldership on the 31st May, 1908.
In the fall of 1911 Mr. McDiarmid retired from the ministry.
J.T.
Carswell, a student from Queen’s College, was
sent to the field in 1912 and continued for three years. He was followed by Charles
H. Ballard, also a Queen’s student who worked the field two years.
Rev. William France followed
in 1917.
The pulpit was again vacant in 1921 and Rev.
G.G Treanor of Balderson
conducted services in Calvin Church for the summer months.
In 1922 Donald McFarlane and
Robert Palmer were inducted into the eldership by the moderator Rev. Mr.
Treanor. Mr.
W.D. Maxwell, a student from Knox College had charge of the field for 18
months followed in 1923 by Mr. J.M.
Miller and by Mr. Newton Reid in 1924.
In June of 1925, Rev. H.G. Steers of Avonmore was sent to the field until December,
1927 when he accepted a call from Athlaston(?) and Kensington, Quebec.
Mr. D.B. Gordon a Queen’s
student had charge of the field from April, 1928 to September, 1929.
On May 29, 1929 a joint meeting of the
official boards of Bathurst and Maberly charges was held in Maberly to consider
the union of the two charges. The
meeting was called by Rev. J.M. Allen,
Convener of Home Missions of the Presbytery.
Rev.
J.M. Allen and Rev. F.C. Brown presented the work
of the church and property that these fields, united, services could be held at
only Bathurst, Althorpe, Bolingbroke and Maberly. The meeting agreed to this arrangement. The union, however, did not go into effect until the
following year, 1930.
Mr. A.W. Harding of Toronto served the Bathurst field from November of 1929 to June of 1930 doing splendid work. In July of 1930, Rev. R.B. Harrison was the first minister to be stationed in the united field of the Bathurst-Maberly charge. On Feb. 15, 1931, John Jordan, Sr. and James W. Scott were ordained to fill the vacancies which were caused by the deaths of John McFarlane and George Miller.
Posted: 08 October, 2005.