Local History
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Journey of the Highgate Mastodon
Written by Merry Helm. Reposted from the Dakota Datebook Archive. July 23, 2004. Details of the Highgate Mastodon museum tour Feb 18, 2026. 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,…
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And then there are the Elders
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…
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The Alexanders: A Migrant Story
By Kellie Davenport 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…
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From Yorkshire to Ekfrid and Back Again
By Kellie Davenport 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,…
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Remembering Our Ancestors at Simpson Cemetery
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).
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St James Anglican Church & Cemetery, by Ken Wilis
By Ken Willis, Wardsville Historian, July 2023 It was in the year 1839 that John Strachan became the first Bishop of Toronto. When he received this appointment, his diocese covered the land area now known as Southern Ontario. The Rev John Gunne was licensed ‘To perform the office of Travelling Missionary’ by the Bishop, for…
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Bandit of Skunk’s Misery: The Life and Times of Orval Shaw
Orval Shaw, a name that once echoed through over 40 cities, towns and countryside of Ontario, was more than just a petty criminal. He was a symbol of defiance, a master of evasion, and a figure who captured the public’s imagination. I have drawn his story from historical accounts and newspaper reports, revealing the life…
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Capturing Living Oral Histories – Carrie Jeffery
Personal storytelling can be both fun and provide new perspectives on how we came to be. These stories can challenge our understanding of the past and give a voice to people who are often left out of traditional historical records: the everyday people that played a role not just in our own lives but also…
