How the Chatham Coloured All-Stars defied race barriers in baseball

CBC Radio ‘Ideas’: Until the past few years, the story of the Chatham Coloured All-Stars was not widely known outside their hometown. But thanks to the Chatham-Kent Black Historical Society and the University of Windsor’s Centre for Digital Scholarship, with the help of the Harding family, the legacy of the Chatham Coloured All-Stars lives on. They reconstructed the 1934 season, and the team’s history through newspaper clippings, scrapbooks and interviews with the players and their descendants.  

Everyone’s efforts led to the Chatham Coloured All-Stars being inducted into the Canadian Sports Hall of Fame in 2022 — 88 years after their 1934 season opener.  

Listen to this hourlong podcast by CBC Ideas. Link here.

Everybody knew, in the neighborhood, all the men playing on the team…. And they played a really competitive, athletic, exciting kind of baseball.

Heidi Jacobs, author of 1934:The Chatham Coloured All-Stars’ Barrier-Breaking Year.

Five months after their opener in October 1934, the Chatham Coloured All-Stars became the first all-Black team to win the Ontario Baseball Association championships, then known as the Ontario Baseball Amateur Association. 

Source: CBC Ideas. Radio for the Mind.

HOW THE “COOKIE WITH THE HOLE” CAME TO BE

HOW THE “COOKIE WITH THE HOLE” CAME TO BE

The history of Hollandia Bakery & Sons

by Tony Bruinink

The story I am about to write happened in 1954 at the humble beginning of Hollandia Bakery, Wm. Bruinink & Sons,  the start of what is now known as Hollandia Bakeries Ltd.  The village of Mt. Brydges had a population of approximately 1200 souls, at least that is my recollection.  Fire hydrants were a square hole of 24” x 24” approx. 6 feet deep.  The water supply to homes was a piston pump pounding happily when it was encouraged to supply water.

The first Hollandia was located in what is now Sunshine Bakery.  If one were to take down the brick wall, on the exposed wooden wall one would find the words Hollandia Bakery painted by John Kolstein.  It was John who we kept busy painting our delivery vans which were later observed in the surrounding communities.  The original Hollandia was known as Robinson Bakery until it was purchased by brother Henry in 1953. 

Henry did the baking and I did the selling house to house in Mt. Brydges and Strathroy.  Some of my customers were Northcotts, Lucas, Daucetts, Orrs and many more whose names have slipped my memory.  In Strathroy one of my customers was Pastor Buursma of the CRC.  It was he who put me in touch with Bill Jervis who owned the IGA store on Front Street.  This store became the stepping stone to wholesale selling. 

Hollandia Bakery & Sons was to be established in what was known as Gold Seal Dairy on the main street in Mt. Brydges, between Young and Regent streets.  My parents Bill and Dorothy Bruinink, my brother Bill and I took up residence in the front of the dairy bar which, by the way, had gone bankrupt and we bought at a good price.  In 1955 we added 75 feet to the back of the building which was to be the “enlarged” bakery.  This expansion became an annual event until we reached Emerson Street.  In 1961 an addition of approximately 300 feet was added to the north side of the building.  In 1970 the bakery was destroyed by fire and rebuilt south of Mt. Brydges.  It is difficult to imagine that 60 years have passed since Hollandia had it’s humble beginning.   In 2014, Hollandia celebrated its 60th anniversary!

Going back to 1955, I was  in charge of the sales organization while brother Henry  and my father ran the bakery and its ever growing staff.   In 1956, my brother-in-law, Joop de Voest, joined our now Hollandia Bakeries Ltd. and took on the job of Secretary-Treasurer and administrator.

I recently had a “flash back” regarding the thriftiness of being Dutch.

The Grandmothers Sugar Cookie by Hollandia Bakery & Sons, Strathroy, ON

Cookie with the Hole:

One of our most popular cookies was the sugar cookie.  We were selling this item at .39 cents retail for a 13 oz. package and they “walked off the shelf”. This caught the attention of father William.  He called us together and read the riot act pertaining to this cookie. 

“Boys” he said, “We have to make a fundamental change to the weight of the sugar cookies.  The package is simply too heavy for what we get in return.  I propose that we reduce the count to 20 cookies in the roll from 24.” 

My reaction was prompt – “But Dad, this would make this package a lot smaller and our sales would go down.  Why not increase the selling price?”  This was not a bad idea, but it would take this item out of the occasional 3/$1.00 special category.  Suddenly Henry said “how about if we put a hole in each cookie? This will bring down the weight.”  

Voilá – The Grandmothers Sugar Cookie was born and became our biggest seller.  ‘The cookie with the hole’ was now a favourite with children and adults.  Children enjoyed putting their finger in the hole.  A contest was born – Who could keep the cookie from falling apart while eating it with their finger in the hole?!

It is amazing how the thriftiness of the Dutch could produce such an incredibly popular cookie.

As the remaining survivor of the founders of Hollandia Bakeries Ltd. and now retired and no longer involved,  I am pleased to submit this brief history.

Tony Bruinink

The Ferguson Odyssey: A Voyage of Discovery of Our Scottish Ancestors.

Over 60 history buffs gathered, in person and online, to listen to Doug Ferguson as he described his “Ancestral Odyssey” at the Glencoe and District Historical Society Archives on Wednesday evening, January 17, 2024. His Ferguson ancestors had left Craignish, Argyleshire for Aldborough Twp. in 1818 and then moved to northern Mosa Twp. in 1827. The McDonalds left Inverness for Quebec in 1830, before settling in Ekfrid Twp. in 1835.

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Christmas Cheer at the Archives

Christmas Cheer at the Archives

The Glencoe and District Historical Society welcomed members, volunteers and special guests for a Christmas open house on Thursday afternoon, December 12, 2024 to celebrate the season and the Society’s many partnerships.

Jim May and Harold Carruthers stand beside the Masons display. The Glencoe Masons ‘went dark’ in 2024.
Tony Bruinink shares the story of the ‘Cookie with the Hole’ and the humble beginnings of Hollandia Bakery
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Snapshot: Jamie Reaney (1926-2008) and Jeff Culbert

Recording of memories and stories

James Reaney Memorial Lecture: Snapshots of Jamie with Jeff Culbert – 19 October 2024

Hosted by Words Artistic Director Josh Lambier.

In conversation with Jeff Culbert and Josh Lambier of Words Fest

This Lecture celebrates the legacy of London poet and playwright James Crerar (Jamie) Reaney (1926-2008) and his late wife, the poet Colleen Thibaudeau. Jamie Reaney was friends with Jeff Culbert, a connection that began in the 1980s.

With Josh as tour guide, Jeff recalls his roles in the Reaney creative process and will be performing selected readings and songs on this journey.

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Peter McArthur: the “horrible, horrible” war

Peter McArthur: the “horrible, horrible” war

Part 1: Peter McArthur, the hardest question and the “horrible, horrible” war

By Stephanie McDonald, December 2024

It’s a question from a child no parent is equipped to answer: Should I go to war? It was what Daniel, eldest son of Mabel and Peter McArthur, asked of his father in the early years of the First World War. 

Even as prolific a writer as Peter McArthur was, one can imagine how the man dubbed the “Sage of Ekfrid” struggled to find the right words to share with his son. His response reveals both his wish for his child to come to his own decision as well as the urge to protect and keep him safe.

Peter penned his answer to Dan’s question in a letter on January 25, 1916, a year and a half into the war:

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My Friends, The Trees

My Friends, The Trees

By Peter McArthur

Near the house there is a sturdy oak tree that I always think of as one of the oldest of my friends. I grew up with it. Of course that is not exactly true, for I stopped growing many years ago, while it kept on growing, and it may keep on growing for centuries to come. But when I was a growing boy it was just the right kind of a tree for me to chum with. It was not too big to climb, and yet it was big enough to take me on its back and carry me into all the dreamlands of childhood.

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Support our Local Authors

Support our Local Authors

Local stories written by local folk for us:

On December 5, 2024, the Mary Webb Centre in Highgate organized an Afternoon With Authors book sale as a fundraiser to restore the beautiful stained glass dome.

Kae Elgie and her book about the history of her family farm in Lambton County at the Book fair at the Mary Webb Centre, Highgate on December 7, 2024.


The Mary Webb Centre 
came to life in 2010 when a group of people in the Highgate area saw an opportunity where the wrecking ball threatened to demolish the 100 year old United Church. The vision was to create community centre, art gallery and concert hall and now in 2024, 14 years later, the 250 seat venue is a “must-play” address for renowned as well as up-and-coming musicians from across Canada and for local performers too.

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Ken Willis, Curator, Wardsville Museum

Long-time Dedication

For over two decades, Ken Willis has dedicated himself to preserving Wardsville’s history, curating a collection donated by residents that tells the story of Wardsville and its people. The Wardsville Museum is a cherished part of our community that houses a collection of artifacts and stories that showcase Wardsville and Mosa’s rich history. The museum depends on community support to preserve its treasures.

Ken Willis, the long-time curator of the Wardsville Museum, shares his personal story and an appeal for support.

Ken is committed to the museum’s future and is planning for the museum’s collection.  He is asking Your Wardsville Community Association to step in. Proceeds from the Your Wardsville Silent Auction (Dec 3–10, 2024) supported this vital effort.

Please denote your donation to benefit the Wardsville Museum and a tax receipt will be issued. Every dollar helps preserve Wardsville’s heritage for future generations.

Your support means the world to Ken and the entire Wardsville community. Thank you for helping us keep our history alive!

Post by Denise Corneil, December 1, 2024.

Mohawk Warriors, Hunters and Chiefs

Mohawk Warriors, Hunters and Chiefs

What happens when the story gets twisted?  The story keeper and the storyteller got their wires crossed.  Bunny, the story keeper, decided to tell a different story about her son.  And the extended family all colluded. Eventually the son found out his true story – ‘the last man standing’.  Tom Wilson discovered he is a descendant of  mohawk warriors, hunters and chiefs …but he was denied the truth until he was in his 50s.  You can see his artwork at the TAP Centre of Creativity until December 21st.  Now he gets to tell his story – his story can be viewed here on film.  

Everyone has a story.  And all our stories are compelling and amazing.  Why not write yours down for your descendants?  Our children want to know about their ancestors and our ancestors want us to tell their stories. Truth preferred – the truth as we know it and have experienced it.   Story keepers and story tellers.   – Mary Simpson

Art by Tom Wilson

TAP Centre for Creativity presented Mohawk Warriors, Hunters and Chiefs, a solo exhibition of the artwork of Tom Wilson tehohåhake (two roads). Tom is a musician, writer and visual artist based in Hamilton, Ontario. Tom’s art exhibition ended December 21, 2024

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Brown Tom’s School Days, 2nd Edition

Brown Tom’s School Days, 2nd Edition

Book about Life at Mt. Elgin Residential School, Chippewa of the Thames, a local Indian Residential School.

Books available for sale at The Archives or from the bookseller. University of Manitoba: https://uofmpress.ca/books/brown-toms-schooldays 

The Author: 

Reverend Enos Montour (1898-1985) was a United Church minister and writer from Six Nations of the Grand River Territory. 

Over the course of his retirement, Rev. Montour wrote a collection of stories about Mount Elgin Industrial School at the time he attended (ca.1910-1915). Mount Elgin is one the earliest United Church-run Indian Residential Schools and was located on the Chippewas of the Thames First Nation. With the help of Dr. Elizabeth Graham, Montour finished and titled his book Brown Tom’s Schooldays.

With no publisher in sight, photocopies were made and distributed to family members in the early 1980s. This important book is difficult to find today, so Professor McCallum, worked with the University of Manitoba Press,  Dr. Graham, and Montour’s two granddaughters Mary I. Anderson and Margaret Mackenzie, to issue a new edition.  

~~~~

“Trial By Fire, 1915″ – from Brown Tom’s Schooldays

By Reverend Enos Montour

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WWI Sacrifice – Private Ellwyne Ballantyne

WWI Sacrifice – Private Ellwyne Ballantyne

Ellwyne Ballantyne’s twenty-two years of brief, bright life are summed up on a simple plaque attached to a majestic buttonwood tree in Carruthers Corners. When local author CJ Frederick first saw the memorial tree in the rural area just outside of Glencoe, ON, she experienced a keen reverence. “It’s just a dot on a map. I was not prepared for how beautiful the tree was. It looked like it was wearing a cloak; as my mother says, ‘wrapped in a queen’s robe’. Knowing that this tree was dedicated to the life of someone who had given that life in a faraway, long-ago conflict really made me stop and think about remembrance and the enduring nature of love.” Ballantyne’s story had to be told; Frederick was eager to record it.

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Rooted and Remembered, published 2024

Rooted and Remembered, published 2024

Book launch – Rooted and Remembered: a story of faith, love, and remembrance.

Buy this book. Support your local bookstore or order from Google. Ask at your local library. Contact the author, CJ Frederick through her website.

Launched! Rooted and Remembered Oct 23, 2024

Great evening with James Carruthers, the story keeper; CJ Frederick, the story teller and author; and Patrick, the story champion. We packed the Archives and hosted a few people via zoom as well.

Stories ripple all around us, if only we’re willing to hear them. In 2012, CJ first learned of Ellwyne Ballantyne and the astonishing relationship he forged with two strangers after reading a short newspaper article about the dedication of an unusual tree to a long-dead soldier from World War One. With obligations to work and family filling her time, she wasn’t yet ready to hear his story. It took a global pandemic, with the prospect of lockdowns and unexpected forced time at home, to open her ears, mind, and heart and be ready to explore the roots of Ellwyne’s story that took place more than a century before.

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Yoshio Shimizu, a prisoner in Glencoe during WWII

Yoshio Shimuzu: “You have to remember that we had been driven from our homes by racial prejudice in British Columbia, reviled and despised by the bulk of the population, and here in the farmlands of southwestern Ontario, we were welcomed as equals and saviours by the farming population.”
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History of The Appin Cemetery

By Jim May

Presented to the Appin Memorial Day gathering August 1, 2000 by Jim May, whose family had a long association with Appin Cemetery. Jim’s first recollection of the cemetery was a phone call in the early 1950s: “Could my Dad come with his truck to help collect up stones for the cemetery gates?” This presentation tells the history of the Appin Cemetery, Appin, Ontario, Canada

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Glencoe Masons Lodge Goes Dark After 152 Years

Glencoe Masons Lodge Goes Dark After 152 Years

Written by Harold Carruthers, No. 282 Lorne Lodge Mason historian, July 2024.

If one were to trace the history of any one Lodge, it might be compared with that of trying to determine the very origin of humanity.  I am talking about the meeting places of the members of the organization called Free Masonry. The history of our local chapter, Lorne Lodge No. 282 Glencoe, can be traced back to 1872  and ended this year 2024 when our Lodge went dark after 152 years.

Last meeting of #282 Lorne Lodge: back row L-R: Keith Dickie, Alex McLean, Ron Livingston, Harold Carruthers, Doug Reycraft. Front L-R: Bob Munroe, John Mitchell, Ryan Brubacher, Bev Whitlock, Jim May, Terry Plant. Missing: Allan Mayhew, Brad Walker, Chris Yates.

Meetings were held in some of the most historical buildings in the village of Glencoe, Middlesex County. 

McKellar House hotel 1872

On May 8, 1972, 16 men held a meeting at the original McKellar House hotel and decided to form a Masonic Lodge in Glencoe, Ontario.  Several of the original charter members came from ‘mother’ lodges in London, Mt. Brydges, Newbury, Seaforth, Grimsby, Iona Station and Collingwood. The men’s names were inscribed on the Charter dated July 11, 1872 which was issued from the Grand Lodge and affixed to the east wall of the Lodge meeting room. Charter member occupations were railway employees, farmers, hotel keeper, lumber contractor, druggist, medical doctor, engineer, wagonmakers, merchant and registrar.  

2. First Town Hall, Glencoe. 1873 – 1893

The Town Hall 1873 

Looking for a more permanent home than the local drinking establishment, the executive of Lorne Lodge signed a debenture with municipal trustees to lease the upper floor of the two year old Glencoe Town Hall  for a meeting room.  This new hall was located behind the McKellar House and across from the present-day Southwest Middlesex municipal office.  

On September 22, 1893, twenty years later, a fire broke out in the McRoberts Livery Stables next door and after a few hours all was destroyed.  Fortunately for the Lodge, most of the valuables in the Lodge room were saved from total destruction by the actions of several citizens.

3. Clanahan Block, Glencoe, ON. 1893 – 1896. Home of Lorne Lodge 282.

The Clanahan Block 1893

The next Lodge room chosen was the 233 Main Street Clanahan Block (now owned by Godfather’s Pizza), directly across from the McKellar House.  Again, there was a fire and the Lodge members were again on the street looking for a new home.

French Hall 1896

Worshipful Brother William J. French offered the use of the upper floor of his business block at the corner of Main and Symes Street in Glencoe until suitable quarters could be obtained.  This building still stands but it was moved a short distance to 167 Symes Street so a new Memorial Hall could be built on the corner lot by a chapter of the I.O.O.F. – International Order of Foresters, another men’s club. 

4. French Hall, Glencoe, ON. 1896 – 1902.

Dixon Block 1902

In 1902, Arthur E. Sutherland, publisher of the The Glencoe Transcript local newspaper, offered to lease the upper floor of his Dixon Block, 243 Main Street, Glencoe and fitted it for Masonic use.  Sutherland became a brother Mason the following year.  This location served the Masons very graciously for 57 years.

Harold Carruthers, Lorne Lodge Mason historian

Dobie Block 1959

In 1958, Right Worshipful Brother Herman Bauer made the motion that the Lorne Lodge consider purchasing the Dobie Block, a brick building built by George Dobie as a bank in 1885.  It was decided by the executive and fellow members to purchase this building and decorate it up to be used for Lodge purposes and lease out the lower rooms.

This building served the Masons well for 59 years.  Through a combined effort of every member, the second floor was rebuilt and on November 11, 1959, a cast of Grand Lodge officers dedicated the new Lodge room.  Over the years, Masons made several structure changes, added blinds, painted, and added air conditioning to make the room more attractive and comfortable.

Collection of Harold Carruthers, Lorne Lodge Mason historian Lorne Lodge 282 Glencoe ON Locations - Dobie Block
6. Dobie Block 1959 – 2018

Hammond Lodge 2018 – 2024

In March of 2017, the executive and membership decided to sell the Masonic building due to declining membership.  The building was sold and a decision was made to rent the Masonic Hammond Lodge in nearby Wardsvile 21996 Hagerty Rd.   The first meeting was held September 11, 2018.

Lorne Lodge 282 Glencoe ON Locations. Hammond Lodge - Wardsville. 2018 - 2024.
7. Hammond Lodge – Wardsville. 2018 – 2024.

Glencoe Lodge Goes Dark 

In the early years, Masonic districts were usually laid out in unison with the railways.  

In 1872, the Glencoe Lorne Lodge was part of the London District .  Then in the years 1887 – 1923, Lorne Lodge became part of the Erie No. 1 Masonic District.  In 1923, redistribution took place and Lorne Lodge members found themselves in the Chatham District.  

Over the 152 years that the Lorne Lodge existed, there have been 583 initiated members, 120 Masters, 12 District Deputy Grand Masters, 14 Grand Stewards and one Grand Chaplain. 

Lorne Lodge has tried to maintain a high standard throughout its Masonic history with dignity, perfection of work and upholding their strict Masonic principles, all of which could not have been obtained without the fullest cooperation of its members past and present and future. 

Unfortunately, due to aging membership and a decline in new members, the members made the difficult decision to close. 

I am proud to have served as historian for the past 34 years.  

Harold Carruthers, Lorne Lodge Mason historian

They Settled in Riverside – family history book

They Settled in Riverside – family history book

By Bob Gentleman and Kathy Evans. Review printed with kind permission from the Middlesex Banner.

In July of this year, family and friends gathered at Arrowwood Farm, a beautiful property in Riverside, just south of Melbourne, to celebrate the publishing of a book written by my uncle, Bob Gentleman. The farm that is now called Arrowwood Farm (6460 Riverside Drive) has sentimental value to our family, as it was once owned by the Gentlemans, purchased in 1870. 

Bob’s book, titled “They Settled in Riverside,” is largely a family history, documenting the arrival of our ancestors in the Riverside area and describing their family branches. But Bob also captures an era now decades past as he shares stories of early Riverside neighbours and of growing up in Melbourne in the 1930s. He recalls his paper route, the school, town merchants and businesses, the railroad, and the neighbours and friends who were important in his life.

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The Mona Lisa

“It’s a Silent Fire”!

Film industry pros sweat the possibility that many digital files will eventually become unusable — an archival tragedy reminiscent of the celluloid era.

Martin Scorsese: “The preservation of every art form is fundamental.”  

For the movie business, these are valuable studio assets — to use one example, the MGM Library (roughly 4,000 film titles including the James Bond franchise and 17,000 series episodes) is worth an estimated $3.4 billion to Amazon — but there’s a misconception that digital files are safe forever. In fact, files end up corrupted, data is improperly transferred, hard drives fail, formats change, work simply vanishes. “It’s a silent fire,” says Linda Tadic, CEO of Digital Bedrock, an archiving servicer that works with studios and indie producers. “We find issues with every single show or film that we try to preserve.” So, what exactly has gone missing? “I could tell you stories — but I can’t, because of confidentiality.”

Specialists across the space don’t publicly speak about specific lost works, citing confidentiality issues. So, only disquieting rumors circulate — along with rare, heart-stopping lore that breaches public consciousness. One infamous example: In 1998, a Pixar employee accidentally typed a fatal command function, instructing the computer system to delete Toy Story 2, which was then almost complete. Luckily, a supervising technical director who’d been working from home (she’d just had a baby) had a 2-week-old backup file.

Experts note that indie filmmakers, operating under constrained financial circumstances, are most at risk of seeing their art disappear. “You have an entire era of cinema that’s in severe danger of being lost,” contends screenwriter Larry Karaszewski, a board member of the National Film Preservation Foundation. His cohort on the board, historian Leonard Maltin, notes that this era could suffer the same fate as has befallen so many silent pictures and midcentury B movies. “Those films were not attended to at the time — not archived properly because they weren’t the products of major studios,” he says.

Excerpt from:

“It’s a Silent Fire”: Decaying Digital Movie and TV Show Files Are a Hollywood Crisis

BY GARY BAUMCAROLYN GIARDINA. MARCH 15, 2024

Can you imagine digitising the Mona Lisa painting and destroying the original? The Magna Carta?  The British North America Act? 1798 Act of Parliament to create London District? The answer to  maintaining records is not paper or digital – it is both! 

Committee To Establish a Middlesex County Archives
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Peter McArthur’s beloved farm, his grave, and back to the Archives in Glencoe.  

Peter McArthur’s beloved farm, his grave, and back to the Archives in Glencoe.  

Marie Williams: An impressive crowd gathered for the “Haunts of Peter McArthur” road trip Sunday afternoon, June 16, starting out at what was the McArthur homestead on McArthur Rd. before moving onto the Eddie Cemetery on Glendon Dr. and finally back to the Archives in Glencoe. Two plaques were unveiled along the way as McArthur trivia and memories were shared. Both young and more established fans of the works of the “Sage of Ekfrid,” family members and historians enjoyed the afternoon which was organized by the Glencoe and District Historical Society. The Society is marking the 100th anniversary of the death of Peter McArthur in 2024. See photos on Facebook Post.

Drawing by CW Jeffery CW Jeffery drawing on sheet music, My Home
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Peter McArthur: Our Famous Canadian – 1866 – 1924

Peter McArthur: Our Famous Canadian – 1866 – 1924

Marie Williams, Glencoe: The huge crowd that packed into the Glencoe and District Historical Society Archives on February 22 proved that the “Sage of Ekfrid” is as popular today as he was over 100 years ago. In addition to 30 viewing online, over 50 turned up in person.

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