Have you ever wanted to capture the story of a friend, family member, neighbour, or acquaintance? The North Dakota’s State Archives’ virtual workshop will inspire us to record and preserve oral histories. The workshop will cover the fundamentals of capturing oral histories, share practical tips on how to conduct interviews, and build confidence to document personal stories.
[On February 18th, Tom Chase at the ND Heritage Center & State Museum will show us the mastodon that lived and died in the Highgate area. Link.]
This event is part of both the ND250 commemoration of the United States’ 250th birthday this year and Vinterfest, a month-long celebration of winter on the northern Plains featuring educational programs, outdoor recreation, and cultural traditions.
Date & Time: Wednesday, March 18, 2026 – 7:00 p.m. Location:To Be Determined Guest Speaker: Mark French Hosted by: Glencoe & District Historical Society
On March 9, 1819, representatives of the Chippewas of the Thames First Nation and the British Crown signed what became known as Treaty 21—the first of three written versions of the agreement now commonly called the Longwoods Treaty. This treaty set in motion a process that still shapes southwestern Ontario today.
The Longwoods Treaty covered land north of the Thames River, stretching from Strathroy and Komoka in the east to Oil Springs in the west, Bothwell in the south, and Watford in the north. While the second version (1820) repeated the same boundaries, the third version (1822) listed the land as 580,000 acres—a “rounding up” that continues to raise questions about accuracy and fairness.
Unlike earlier treaties, such as one that exchanged two million acres south of the Thames for a one-time payment of goods worth less than $5,000, Treaty 21 introduced the concept of an annuity. For the Longwoods Treaty, the Crown promised $2,400 annually, in perpetuity. While the payment is still made today, it goes into Canada’s consolidated revenue fund rather than directly to the First Nation.
Historical records also show that Indigenous leaders came to negotiations with their own vision for the future, including land for additional reserves, a blacksmith, and support for animal husbandry. Yet none of these provisions were written into the treaty.
Language and worldview also played a role in shaping outcomes. The treaty text, rooted in British legal nomenclature, could not be translated directly into Anishinaabemowin. The very concept of drawing lines on the ground to buy and sell land was foreign to the First Nations worldview, which saw the people as stewards of the land rather than owners.
As Mark French will explain, Treaty 21 is more than a historical document—it is a window into the complex relationships, misunderstandings, and negotiations between Indigenous peoples and the Crown. It also raises questions about what was truly agreed to, and how responsibilities to the land continue to this day.
In the spring of 1890, William Regcraft found some bones while digging a ditch on his uncle’s farm, one mile from Highgate, Ontario. A hardware merchant named William Hillhouse bought the bones, and he and his uncle, John Jelly, also bought the right to continue excavating. What they found was almost an entire skeleton of an Ice-Age mastodon, relative of the modern elephant.
Known locally as the “Mush Hole,” the Mohawk Institute in Brantford, Ont. was Canada’s oldest and longest-running residential school. But on September 30, 2025, it officially became an interpretive historic site. On that solemn day, what was once a place of suffering, erasure and intergenerational trauma was reborn as a museum, teaching site—and a space for truth-telling, remembrance and hope.
The transformation was decades in the making, built on persistent activism, deep community engagement, archival research, restoration efforts and, above all, the resolve of survivors and Indigenous leadership that this history not be buried.
Behind the Bricks: A New Chapter
At the London Museum on September 25, Mary Simpson attended the launch of Behind the Bricks: The Life and Times of the Mohawk Institute. Edited by Richard W. “Rick” Hill Sr., Alison Norman, Thomas Peace and Jennifer Pettit, Behind the Bricks draws together Indigenous and settler historians, community voices, archival researchers, archaeologists and survivors to reconstruct the layered history behind the walls of the institute. Another launch event was held by the Ontario Historical Society a couple nights later.
The book begins by tracing the school’s founding and historical context, before delving into the its architecture and physical spaces, the curriculum and daily regimes imposed on children, religious and governmental oversight, student resistance, and the long process of commemoration and preservation. To close, Behind the Bricks allows survivor voices to speak directly, offering their unique perspectives of lived experience.
The editors have emphasized that the Mohawk Institute was not an isolated institution—it was in many ways a model or prototype for national residential school policy. The takeaway: What can this case teach us about the wider system of Indigenous schooling and control in Canada? How did notions of “civilization,” assimilation and authority operate in this place? How do we reckon with the spaces—the bricks, corridors and dormitories—that bore witness to so much pain? Behind the Bricks does not offer easy answers, but rather invites readers into the difficult task of listening, digging and reflecting.
Allen Deleary of Bkejwanong (Walpole Island First Nation) speaking recently at a special Indigenous Lifeways Workshop locally. Allen shared teachings and insights from Anishinaabe traditions, exploring how Indigenous lifeways continue to guide relationships with the land, water, and one another. The evening included a community discussion, offering space for reflection, dialogue, and shared understanding:
Allen Deleary of Bkejwanong
And then there are the Elders:
Simon Winchester:
They keep a steady hand upon the tiller. That, in essence, seems to be the greatest and most enduring strength of aboriginal peoples around the world. The frantic pace of modern life, the endless bursts of technological advance, the alarums and excursions, and our various political and military adventures all come and go, but all the while and in the background, keeping their wary and watchful eyes upon us, are the wise ones…
When Ron McRae first began researching how to build a cedar strip canoe, it was during the COVID outbreak and at the urging of his son, Steven. Ron had recently retired and he and his wife, Linda had purchased two plastic kayaks. They enjoyed getting out on the water, but Ron found the seating position painful on his lower back. So he began researching canoes.
“I found Bear Mountain Boats in Peterborough,“ Ron recalls. “They sell cedar-strip canoe kits and have all these resources for amateur builders. I contacted them, hoping to register for a workshop with Ted Moores, the founder of the company and the man who wrote Canoecraft, the definitive how-to book for canoe builders. But his wife told me Ted was now in his seventies and had given up his in-person courses. She then said something that stuck with me: ‘Why don’t you buy the book, read it, and call me back if you still think you can do it?’”
So he did.
And he could.
And he did.
Ron ordered his first kit, which came with all the essential parts: carefully milled cedar strips in a range of colours from dark brown to nearly white, ash gunnels, deck pieces and seats and hardware. The key to a sound, straight tracking hull is the molds which shape it. Ron decided to purchase laser cut molds which were perfect, rather than risk cutting them by hand with a jigsaw. He chose a design that balanced form and function= something stable, not too long and suitable for beginners.
“I picked the Freedom 15 design,” he says. “It’s easy to paddle, good for two people or as a solo. I thought it would be a relatively easy build and perfect for novice paddlers like Linda and me.”
“I built that first canoe in about six months and really enjoyed the process. Linda and I have been exploring Southern Ontario paddling opportunities in it for the past three years and we seldom go out on the water without a comment on the beauty of our cedar strip canoe.”
As the agent of his excellency the Right Honourable Lord Howden, Her Majesty’s Ambassador at Madrid, I hereby certify that Mr. James Alexander has been employed as a farm manager on his Lordship’s Grimston Estate for six years.
By his own desire, he will leave this country to try his fortune in America. I have great pleasure in testifying that his conduct has always been most trustworthy, steady and exemplary in the extensive farm works carried on here.
Also, from his good education and experience in farming, I consider him well qualified to conduct and manage any agricultural operation in all its branches.
—M. Harington, Grimston Park, Tadcaster, Yorkshire.
Penned in 1853, this letter of reference launched the Alexander family legacy in Canada—and a long line of dedicated Ontario farmers. More than 170 years later, the Alexanders’ original crown settlement south of Melbourne, Ont. is still a working cattle farm, now into its sixth generation of the family.
These deep agricultural roots sprouted in rural Forfarshire, Scotland, before blossoming on a Yorkshire estate owned by a British lord and later blooming across the ocean in Southwest Middlesex. The Alexander story is a true migrant tale, showcasing the upheaval, ambition, dedication and success of newcomers to Canada.
As our Uber approached the stately manor house at Grimston Park, a historic North Yorkshire estate about 25 minutes west of York, the size of the property immediately struck us. The sprawling 2,500-acre estate was a far cry from our quaint 200-acre family farm in Ekfrid Township near Melbourne, Ont.
But surprisingly, we felt right at home.
Along with my parents, Debbie and Alexander, we had travelled to this far-flung county to visit this rather impressive place because our ancestor James Alexander (1824-1895), my three-times great-grandfather, once lived, worked and worshipped here. (Though he likely arrived here via Scotland by horsedrawn coach, not electric car.)
Middlesex County Approves Feasibility Study for County Archives
In a landmark and unanimous decision, Middlesex County Council has voted to move ahead with a Middlesex County Archives Feasibility Study, marking the most significant progress to date toward establishing a permanent county-wide archives.
In November 2025, the motion—brought forward by Mayor McMillan and seconded by Mayor DeViet—sparked thoughtful questions around the council table, with councillors expressing both strong support and prudent concern for the project’s long-term sustainability. Following discussion, the vote passed unanimously, prompting applause from the gallery filled with advocates, historians, and community supporters.
For the Committee to Establish a Middlesex County Archives (CEMCA), this moment represents a breakthrough many years in the making. The idea of a county archives has circulated for decades. CEMCA has spent the past several years building awareness, engaging municipalities, and championing the need for proper stewardship of Middlesex County’s more than 225 years of documentary heritage.
While the vote does not commit the County to building an archives at this stage, it does confirm the County’s intention to undertake a comprehensive, professionally guided study. This study will assess needs, gaps, costs, and opportunities—ensuring that decisions about preserving local history are grounded in strong evidence and reflect today’s economic realities.
CEMCA emphasizes that all heritage, cultural, and community organizations throughout Middlesex County will be encouraged to participate in the study process if invited. Broad input will be essential to reflect the diversity of local collections, stories, and archival needs.
This important step could not have happened without the many residents, volunteers, historians, journalists, and local groups who wrote letters, attended meetings, raised awareness, and kept the conversation alive.
CEMCA extends heartfelt thanks to all supporters and media partners. The work continues—but the door is now open.
Mary Simpson, President, 2024-2026, Glencoe & District Historical Society
Tracing a Journey of Faith: Author Maria Moore shares the migration history of Old Colony Mennonites and her own family’s story during a presentation hosted by the Glencoe Historical Society.
The Old Colony Mennonite story stretches across continents and centuries—a journey shaped by faith, identity, and the ongoing search for a place where religious convictions can be lived without interference. This history, and its enduring impact, was the focus of a recent presentation by author Maria Moore at the Glencoe Presbyterian Church, hosted by the Glencoe & District Historical Society.
A Remarkable Revival of Scots Gaelic Heritage at Tait’s Corners
Written by Trevor Aitkens | Directed by Antje Giles Performed November 15–16, 2025
The Glencoe & District Historical Society was honoured to sponsor and support June Journey / Turas an Ògmhìos, a beautifully crafted Gaelic play written by Trevor Aitkens and hosted at the historic Tait’s Corners Schoolhouse. Over three sold-out performances on November 15–16, 2025, audiences filled the lovingly restored 1910 one-room school to experience a deeply moving, often humorous, always heartfelt return to the early school days of our region.
A Cast of 18 Bringing 1910 Back to Life
The production featured a remarkable cast of 18 local actors, intergenerational in age and representing families from across Southwest Middlesex and Strathroy-Caradoc. Their portrayals of teachers, students, elders, and neighbours transported audiences directly into a 1910 classroom at the very moment when Scots Gaelic—the language of their parents and grandparents—was slipping out of daily use.
The cast brought warmth, laughter, tenderness, and occasional heartbreak to the stage. Audience members noted that the play felt “like watching our great-grandparents speak again.”
The cast takes a bow. the students earned a certificate for their commitment to learning Gaelic and their lines.
By Mary Simpson and Caroline Gough, November 8, 2025.
The Glencoe & District Historical Society is absolutely buzzing this week. A remarkable gift has just arrived at The Archives: the enormous scrapbook collection lovingly created over a lifetime by Mrs. John Alberta (Bertie) MUNSON McFarlane. Her daughter Caroline and granddaughter Betty Ann have generously entrusted this treasure trove to our care.
Bertie was one of those extraordinary rural women who quietly carried the heartbeat of a community. She clipped everything. Births, marriages, deaths, retirements, accidents, reunions, graduations, memorable storms, championship teams, church news, farm sales… you name it, she saved it.
A portion of her scrapbook fonds: Mrs. John “Alberta” McFarlane of R.R. #4, Appin, ON
This collection is enormous. What you see in the photo is perhaps one-fifth of the total “fonds” . The rest fills an entire wall of boxes. In archival science, a fonds is a group of documents that share the same origin and have occurred naturally as an outgrowth of the daily workings of an individual, or organization
Caroline Gough, Bertie’s daughter, told us that as a girl she never quite understood her mother’s hobby. Caroline loved horses and dance, while her mother spent evenings with scissors, glue, newspapers, and her other talent, fine needlework. But now she sees the magnitude of what her mother created: a family and community archive of extraordinary depth and love.
This is exactly why our Middlesex County so urgently needs a proper county archives system.
Collections in attics, closets, basements, and cedar chests across Middlesex are at risk. Families, genealogists, and volunteer-run museums can’t always preserve these materials safely or make them accessible. We need help to preserve the originals and then we can hopefully digitize important selections so future generations can search, learn, and piece together their histories. But we have to preserve the originals.
So consider this a gentle encouragement to everyone: take a look through your own family papers. Add your memories. Label the photographs. Write down the stories. And tell the stories to your grandchildren. We are the storykeepers. Preserve them, and pass them on to the next generation of storytellers.
She was born Dec. 7, 1903. She lived her entire life on the farm where she was born. Sometimes she was called Bertie. Her parents were Edgar & Ida Munson. They sold their farm to John McFarlane, the boy from over the line from next farm and they moved to Glencoe. John & Alberta were married on June 23, 1926 when they went to Hamilton to her uncle Rev. Hewitt who married them.
Alberta had a sister Ruby Munson who was a school teacher. Ruby married Herb Neeb of Zurich. John had 3 sisters & 3 brothers. Alberta & John were members of the Appin Presbyterian Church and she was president several years of the Appin Presbyterian Busy Bees. John was an elder of the church.
Being a busy farm wife she saved papers and magazines that she could use later for her favorite hobby of “scrapbooking.” They had a daughter Caroline and a son Wilfred and 4 grandchildren and several great grandchildren.
She died Sept. 9, 1989 at age 85 and was buried in Kilmartin Cemetery. Now we are sharing some of the many scrapbooks to the Glencoe & District Historical Society.
But why the name Bertie – Alberta?
Caroline always wondered why her mother was named Alberta. A quick search revealed the answer—she was likely named for Princess Louise Caroline Alberta, (18 March 1848 – 3 December 1939) daughter of Queen Victoria. The province of Alberta, in fact, was named after the Princess just 18 months after Bertie was born—a fitting historical echo for a woman whose life’s work was preserving the stories of others. And that’s maybe why her daughter was named Caroline. Caroline’s not sure… she forgot to ask her Mom. That makes me think of all the questions I didn’t ask my Mom.
This generous donation reminds us how essential it is to care for our family archives. These homegrown collections deserve professional preservation, cataloguing, and digitization so that families, genealogists, and historians alike can continue to piece together the stories that define who we are.
Shared with gratitude by the Glencoe & District Historical Society, November 2025.
So, we invite everyone: go through your family papers, label your photos, add your stories, and pass them on when the next generation is ready to be the storytellers and caretakers.
The Archives
Come to the Archives and spend an afternoon
As I flipped through just one small volume, up popped a handwritten transcription of my Aunt Dorothy SIMPSON Parker’s wedding to Rev. Harvey Parker, Sept. 20, 1947.” This handwritten announcement – (why was it hand written? Did she borrow the local paper and have to give it back to someone?) fits perfectly with the video I have of Uncle Harvey, telling the story of meeting Dorothy at a young people’s gathering in London. Harvey was serving graduated as an Anglican minister at the end of the war. We filmed him telling stories not long before his Dorothy died. Here is a clip:
The Glencoe area was settled predominately by Scottish immigrants many of whom spoke Gaelic.
Duncan Mitchell (1838-unknown) from Metcalfe Township lived on the South 1/2 of Lot 18, Conc 13. He had this book of 41 Gaelic poems published localy in Rodney, Ontario in 1887. This book was generously donated to the Historical Society from the McAlpine family in 1986, and several poems were translated by Donald Campbell in 1999.
D. Campbell included notes with the translation explaining that most Gaelic speakers did not learn to read and write from formal education, and that to a modern reader his spelling is very poor. He surmises that Duncan was likely quite a fluent speaker who wrote in Gaelic using what he had learned from personal study and practice. Campbell also states that he clearly used a regional dialect of Gaelic and that he was writing according to his accent, which was common.
Druchd Na Beinne (Original Gaelic Text) Druchd na beinne, druchd na beinne, Druchd na beinne, o anail Chriosd, Druchd na beinnes’s Dia bhi lienne ‘N am na gainne’s gus a chtioch.
Druchd na beinne, gu ar comhdach, Air an lon anar bhios sin sgith; druchd na beinne bheiradh beos dhuinn Air an rod san tsaoghal shios.
Druchd na beinne ann’s an fhasach, Gu ar sasachadh gu sior: Leis an dochas chaoidh nach basaich; Ach gu brath a mhareas fior.
Druchd na beinne ‘n am an earraich, Gu ar tarruinn dhionnsuidh Chriosd Druchd na beinne tha toirt barrachd: Bheir nach fannaich sin gu sior.
Druchd na beinne tha cho beodhach, Air na rosaibh sruthadh sios; ‘S leam bu tatneach e bhi dortadh; Air gach neonnan buidhe blion.
Druchd na beinne ‘n am an t’samhraidh, ‘S e a b’ansuidh lainn gu fior; Gu ar cumail dlu r’ar n’annsachd: ‘S tiormachd samhraidh orn’ a crion.
Druchd na beinne ‘n am an fhaoghair, Gu ar cumail dlu ri Criosd; Gu ar neartacha ‘S g’ar cobhair: Ann’s gach obair gus a chrioch.
Druchd na beinne’n am a gheamhraidh, ‘N nar bhios teanndtachd air tir; Druchd na beinne chum na cranndachd: Chuir a dh’ anntaobh chaoidh gu sior.
Druchd na beinne ann’s an t’siorruitrheachd, ‘S mi nach iarradh uaith gu fior; Ach bhi’m shuidhe’n sgail na diadhachd: ‘N glachdadh Chriosd gu suthinn sior.
The Dew of the Mountain (English Translation) The dew of the mount, the dew of the mount, The dew of the mount from the breath of Christ, The dew of the mount God being with us In the time of famine, to the end.
The dew of the mount, to cover us, on the morass when we are tired; dew of the mount that would enliven us on the road in the earth below.
Dew of the mount in the wilderness, To give us satisfaction never ending: with the hope that will never die; But forever will last true.
Dew of the mount in the spring time, Drawing us toward Christ Dew of the mountain that surpasses: Enabling that we shall not faint ever.
Dew of the mount that is so enlivening, On the roses dripping down; With me would be desirable to be pouring; On each small wilted yellow flower.
Dew of the mount during summer time, It would be preferable to us; to keep us close to our attachment: while drought of summer withers us.
Dew of the mount in time of autumn, To keep us close to Christ; Strengthening us, relieving us: in every toil to the end.
Dew of the mount in time of winter, When the land is paralyzed; Dew of the mount to put anger: To one side always and forever.
Dew of the mount in eternity truly, I would not desire to be without; But that I’d be sitting in the shadow of God: in the everlasting embrace of Christ.
There is never a doubt that a soldier marching obediently into a volley of musket fire is a hero. An army surgeon, his white apron stained with blood, working countless hours in the heat to save whomever he can, is also a hero. What of Generals, Lieutenants, and Captains who give orders, strategize, and feel the weight of entire armies on their shoulders as they command men to give everything to a cause? Surely, they are heroes as well. Historically, it seems easy to list the heroes of war, but it is rare that ordinary women and children are included on these lists. Today, I invite you to consider those left behind. They are not left behind by choice or lack of courage. Not because they didn’t feel the pull of the cause as deeply and passionately as their male counterparts. They were left behind, in the shadows, to do what women have always done: endure the hardships and try and prosper, all while maintaining their family’s wellbeing.
“Soldiers on a March.” The Army Children Archive (TACA), 14 Jan. 1884, www.archhistory.co.uk/taca/move.html. Accessed 14 Aug. 2025.
Contributions by Brian Huis and Gregory Childs. Edited by Mary Simpson.
On Sunday, July 27, 2025, the Simpson Cemetery in Southwest Middlesex came alive with memory, history, and community spirit. Over 50 descendants, neighbours, and friends gathered under the shade of the massive White Oak “heritage tree” for the annual cemetery memorial hosted by the Glencoe & District Historical Society (GDHS). This year a group of Simpson descendants, Micheline Champagne-Johnston, Wanda Simpson, Wendy Bestward, Jan Simpson, Dennis Simpson, Mary Simpson, and Brian Huis, joined in to give the event an interesting twist.
Cemeteries, particularly in rural Ontario, have long been places of both remembrance and reflection. Their park-like settings provide green space, cultural continuity, and a sense of belonging. This year’s memorial carried on the tradition of visiting and honouring one local cemetery each year.
Cemeteries are not only about the past; they are living classrooms and gathering spaces that remind us of who we are and the legacies we carry forward. – Brian Huis
Honouring Nicholas Bodine, War of 1812 Veteran
The central feature of the 2025 memorial was the recognition of Private Nicholas Bodine (1788–1885), a War of 1812 veteran buried in Simpson Cemetery. Bodine served in the 2nd Company, 1st Regiment of the Norfolk Militia and fought at the Battle of Lundy’s Lane on July 25, 1814—one of the war’s bloodiest encounters.
Nicholas’ service with the Norfolk Militia is perpetuated by the current Reserve Army Regiment, The 56th Field Artillery Regiment of the Royal Canadian Regiment of Artillery (56 FD), headquartered in Brantford. The Government of Canada awarded several War 1812-15 battle honours: ‘Detroit’, ‘Niagara’, ‘Queenston Heights’, ‘Defence of Canada 1812-15’, some of which, if not all were likely fought by Nicholas. The Norfolk Militia was also involved with the skirmish at the McCrae House near Chatham.
Born in Pennsylvania, Bodine came to Upper Canada in 1811, married Charlotte Sovereign, and farmed 50 acres in Mosa Township. His long life of 97 years was remembered in the Glencoe Transcript obituary of 1885, which praised his loyalty, faith, and wide respect in the community.
Glenn Stott and son, Brad Stott, stand attention to honour Nicholas Bodine, September 27, 2025Read more →
I am at a bit of a disadvantage writing about a man I never met. Those who remember him will each have their personal remembrances, that I know nothing about, but wish I did.
I have a hard time using the term “Grandfather” to describe this man. The name “Bill” comes easier and I will use it as I relate information about him. To a lot of people, Bill Edwards was “Stubbles from the Farm” in the person of “Claud Hopper” the central character in this farm based series.
The UTMRS— the Royal Scots —are more than skilled re-enactors; they are devoted stewards of local memory and dedicated community builders. Under the leadership of committed champions like Glenn Stott, they have brought the history of the Battle of the Longwoods to life for countless residents and visitors alike.
The Longwoods Memorial Service, held each March, is a vivid example of their impact. For decades, the story of the March 4th, 1814 skirmish was largely forgotten. In the 1980s, when my mother, Betty Simpson, noticed a solitary wreath placed at the federal monument near our family home, she discovered it was the Royal Scots who had revived this commemoration. Their dedication inspired local neighbours and organizations—including our Historical Society—to get involved and ensure the memory of those who fought and fell is never lost again.
The Royal Scots’ efforts extend beyond a single memorial service. They have taken on the ambitious Longwoods Heritage Weekend, an undertaking that draws families, students, and history enthusiasts from far and wide. Through authentic re-enactments, educational demonstrations, and engaging storytelling, they make our shared past accessible and meaningful for new generations.
Moreover, the UTMRS’s leadership and volunteer spirit have rippled outward. Champions like Glenn Stott were early supporters of the Canada Barn Quilt Trails project—encouraging community heritage work far beyond the battlefield. Their members give countless hours in costume and behind the scenes, sharing history with honesty, passion, and respect for the land and peoples connected to these stories.
Their work has even inspired film. The 2017 documentary by Barbara Urbach and Crocodile Productions is a testament to how the UTMRS bring history alive in both intimate, human ways and grand, dramatic moments on our historic landscapes.
In every sense, the Upper Thames Military Re-enactment Society are true keepers of our community memory. Their dedication ensures that stories like Lieutenant Patrick Graeme’s sacrifice—and the broader heritage of the War of 1812 in our region—continue to inspire reflection and understanding.
For these reasons, the Glencoe & District Historical Society wholeheartedly endorses the Upper Thames Military Re-enactment Society for the Governor General’s History Award. They richly deserve this recognition for their outstanding contribution to community history and heritage education.
There is so much more we could add. Please do not hesitate to reach out to us to learn more about their wonderful community work. It’s so much fun to work with them – they never say ‘no’ when we ask for a re-enactor to attend an event – no matter how small or modest the event is.
Normally, if you want to see the pioneer buildings constructed by our ancestors, you have to visit a museum like Fanshawe Pioneer Village. That’s because most of our early buildings were torn down and replaced with larger, grander ones as soon as it was practical to do so. If not demolished, the earliest buildings were usually modernized to include electricity, plumbing, openable windows, and insulation. Nobody likes privations.
That’s why it’s fascinating to enter one of those rare pioneer structures that’s almost completely unchanged. I’m talking about St. Mary’s, Napier...
George Ward – the founder of Wardsville and for whom the town is named – had an impressively interesting life that took him from his native Ireland and, as part of his military service, to many parts of the burgeoning British Empire. He ended up in Southwest Ontario, retired from the army and established an inn at Paint Creek (now Wardsville). He survived – just- the American invasion of 1813, and suffered, in addition to the loss of his property, the accusation of treachery due to his confused involvement in the Battle of Longwoods. Nevertheless he lived to the ripe old age of 87, and established a family that cherishes their ancestor to this day.
The connection to St John’s Anglican is through the oak altar table and reredos, seen here in the chancel under the stained glass window, and which memorialises George Ward and his immediate family:
Zooming in the altar table reveals the memorial plaque:
…which reads:
In Memoriam George Ward, his wife Margaret Shaw, their son Alexander O.Ward, his wife Mary Ann Neil, their daughter Martha Ward, her husband Malcolm Gordon Munroe.
Much has written about George Ward – follow this link to learn more.
This memorial table and reredos were created (when?) by <who?>.
The altar table (measuring 20 ft x 5 ft) is carved in oak, and finished with bright varnish. The front is divided into three panels, separated by pillars. Each panel has an upper row of quatrefoils above blind trefoil arches, and a lower row of larger trefoil arches. The design is reminiscent of many upper stories in larger churches.
The reredos (wooden screen behind the altar) measures (x by x). Notice that it is just a little too tall and covers the bottom of the stained glass window behind. However, it very nearly fills the width of the rear wall, suggesting that the St James chancel was of very similar dimensions.
The reredos is made from the same wood as the altar table. “Holy Holy Holy” is written across the reredos in carved wooden letters.
Along the top of the reredos can be seen what are called “crockets” – stylized carvings of flower leaves and buds. These are commonly added to wooden decorations in churches. The screen has a row of the same blind trefoil arches found on the altar table.
The altar table and reredos came to St John’s from St James Anglican Church in Wardsville when the latter was sadly demolished.
More information about St James Church may be found here.
Windows on the past Part 3 St James Anglican Church, Wardsville by Bill Simpson
St James Wardsville was torn down in 1942 after the foundations were fatally undermined by improvements to the adjoining Hagerty Road. Sadly, there are no known pictures of the interior of the church, and we have only an image of the exterior to let us know how it looked.
The design looks very similar to that of St John’s Glencoe, with the exception that the belltower is offset to the side of the entrance rather than where the entrance porch is shown. This explains how the reredos (wooden screen in the chancel) fit so snugly into the chancel at St John’s when it was moved there. (I am writing another post about this memorial reredos and altar table.)
It was noted in an Anglican News article that St James had many beautiful ornamental and memorial windows, but we have no pictures of them.
But, remarkably, a small part of one of these windows was discovered by Wilson Bowles while renovating his house on Talbot Street and was given over in to the care of Ken Willis, the Wardsville Historian. Ken speculates that this fragment was rescued by Abraham Linden, who occupied the house previously.
Charles O’Malley (the elder) was born in 1809 in Ireland. His name also appears on the memorial cairn that is all that marks the old church and its graveyard:
Note the other O’Malley listed – this is “Herona O’Malley”, granddaughter of Charles the elder and daughter of Charles the younger. Herona was five or six years old when she died in the same year 1880 on Dec 11th.
Unfortunately, I have no other information on Charles the elder except that he was the father of one of the more interesting residents of Wardsville also called Charles A. O’Malley (the younger), who seems likely to be responsible for this window remembering his father.
The more interesting Charles O’Malley the Younger was born on December 17th 1840 to Charles O’Malley the Elder and his wife Honora. He was a successful farmer, stock breeder, community activist, militia officer and in later years a member of the provincial police force in For Erie from 1893 to about 1900. In March 12th 1901, he provided a Toronto address to which his service medal could be sent, He moved back to Wardsville after retirement, and his wife lived with his son Peter on his farm immediately north of the village. He died on March 21 1921,and is buried in the O’Malley cemetery directly west of the old O’Malley farm. See M9 – ARCHER-O’MALLEY in Mosa Township cemetery listing.
Charles O’Malley the Younger’s career in the militia deserves its own article, but suffice it to say here he rose steadily from the lowly post of an Ensign to the be the Lieutenant-Colonel of the 25th Battalion Elgin Militia. While his career was coincident with the various ill-fated Fenian inspired invasions of the Canada which occurred from 1867 to 1870, there was no involvement by any of the militia units in which he was involved.
Given how this memorial was preserved and then accidentally rediscovered suggests that there may be other such items tucked away, waiting to be found. We can only hope.
Note: Here is link to more history of this church by local historian, Ken Willis.
