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.
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.
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 the Townships of Zone, Euphemia, Brooke, Ekfrid and Mosa on June 30, 1845. On one Sunday of each month he would ride his horse from Zone Mills (Florence) which was his headquarters, to hold services in Wardsville, likely in private homes until a church building was erected.
The first official parish to be formed was Wardsville, Glencoe and Newbury, also in 1845. About the same time, land was given to the Church of England, for the purposes of a church building, by Dr. Abraham Francis. (This land, 102 acres, was on the south Part of Lot 20, Range one North of the Longwoods Road.) A parsonage was subsequently built on this property but the year is not known.
Lots 18 and 19, south of Church Street, were obtained by the Church Society of the Diocese of Toronto by a Bargain and Sale agreement with William Hatelie, et al, on August 22, 1849. This was a year or two after a wooden framed church building had already been constructed on the lot. This is known from a letter penned by Bishop Strachan on May 8, 1848, to Hatelie and the Churchwardens of the Church of Wardsville. He wrote, gentlemen: I have the honour to acknowledge your Memorial of the 2nd instant, in which you state that you have erected a church at Wardsville, Township of Mosa at considerable expense, but that since the erection of said building, you have only had divine service in it every third Sunday. This building served a congregation of approx. 150 members until the very early 1870s when it fell into disrepair.
The Rev. George William Wye, rector from 1870 to 1878, was instrumental in the erection of a new brick church building, on lots 18 and 19, during his tenure in Wardsville. The parsonage and property (known as the Parsonage Farm), on Longwoods was advertised for sale in May of 1880 as it was no longer required by the congregation. The Rector, William James Taylor, was at this time living in Newbury as indicated on the for sale notice in the Glencoe Transcript. By May of 1884, the church building was declared free of debt and on the 24th of May, Rev Maurice S. Baldwin, Bishop of Huron, consecrated the church to the Glory of God. The resident minister at this time was still the Rev. W. J. Taylor, who was living in the new parsonage, which had been built early in 1883, on lot 16, facing Wellington Street.
A horse and buggy shed on lot 17 facing Church Street was put up a little later.
Burials, according to the only known record book, were conducted in the church vault and the lands south and east of the building, from 1873 to 1909. Many of the pioneers and early settlers of the village and surrounding area are buried beneath the ground between Church Street and a monument at the south end of the property, which lists a total of 54 names. I believe there were several more burials. (A Wardsville news item from Nov. 5, 1885 states: Two graves opened in the St. James church graveyard for the purpose of interning bodies elsewhere, disclosed the coffins in a perfectly sound state. They were made of walnut and have been in the ground for 23 years.) (1863?)
I have also found newspaper obituary notices for a couple of people up to the year 1923, that indicated they were buried in this cemetery.
By the beginning of World War 1, church membership had dropped to 87 members. The last resident minister, Rev. R.J. Murphy left the rectory in June of 1926 and ministers were then supplied by the Glencoe parish. The depression of the 1930’s caused a further decline in membership and a subsequent lack of funds for upkeep. The church was declared structurally unsafe at this time, some residents said it was due to road construction, in 1930. In the late winter of 1933 all the furniture of the Chancel, including the platform was transferred from the upstairs to the basement. By early spring of the year services were being held there.
On Sunday morning May 21, 1939 at the re-opening and dedication of St. John’s Anglican Church in Glencoe, the Warden’s of St. James, on behalf of their congregation, presented a beautiful oak reredos and altar.
By March of 1942, the building was in the process of being torn down. By this time the Wardsville congregation was holding worship services at the new St John’s Presbyterian Church and the church was not being used. A meeting in June of 1946 dealt with motions on the disposition of the funds raised from the sale of St James Church and the writing of a letter to the Archbishop concerning the discontinuing of Sunday services.
By this year, 1946, many of the monuments marking the graves had fallen over causing breakage. Weeds and bushes had overgrown the site as well. Correspondence in 1946 from the Village of Wardsville to the Executive Committee, Synod of Huron, Anglican Church of Canada, requested that the cemetery and rectory property next to it, be deeded over to the village with the agreement that the village would clean up the said property, cut down or remove all brush on said property and in the Church Cemetery, erect a good fence between the cemetery and other lots and take care of all arrears of taxes. (That would have been on the rectory property lot 16 and 17).The village also stated in the correspondence, that they wanted to use the property as a playground for the children of the Village and surrounding neighborhood.
Permission was granted on condition that the property be used for no other purpose and that the Village Council undertake that proper care be given to the cemetery.
The taxes on the rectory property, Lots 16 and 17, were in arrears by December of 1948 and the Treasurer, County of Middlesex, put the property up for sale by public auction. James Little of R.R.2 Wardsville submitted the winning bid and gained the two lots totalling three fifths of an acre.
In the next few years, the cemetery property was cleaned up and some of the broken monuments were placed under a stone cairn which Mr. Little had erected at the south end of the cemetery. Other larger, nearly complete stones were removed to a nearby farm. On August 14, 1951, for the consideration of one dollar, Mr Little and his wife Margaret, sold lots 16 and 17 to the trustees of the Kinsmen Club, of Wardsville. In the course of time the Kinsmen Club developed lots 16 and 17 into a baseball diamond and lots 18 and 19 into a parking lot with a good fence dividing the properties. (The name Little-Kin Park comes from this connection)
In 1986 the original cairn installed by Mr Little was refurbished and three new brass coloured plaques, inscribed with the names of internees, were fitted into the stonework.
All of the lots, 16 to 19, are the property of the Corporation of the Municipality of Southwest Middlesex and are as of February 26, 2020, not being used for recreational purposes.
By Ken Willis, Wardsville Historian.
GLENCOE TRANSCRIPT JULY 5, 1883 – Previous to his departure for the old country, the Rev. W. J. Taylor entertained a large gathering of friends at the Parsonage, Wardsville on the evening of June 29. Those of the number who had never before availed themselves of the opportunity of visiting their minister in his new home, were struck with the beautiful and attractive appearance which the Parsonage and grounds had so rapidly assumed. More than ordinary taste was displayed in the arrangement of the ground, which were rendered still more attractive by being lighted with Chinese lanterns. The party consisting of upwards of 120, after having spent five or six hours in pleasant amusements and enjoying a huge repast at the hands of Mrs. Taylor, dispersed about 11 p.m. feeling they had all really enjoyed a very pleasant time.
John Strachan, Bishop of Toronto
TORONTO 8th May, 1848
To William Hatelie Esq., J.P. And the Churchwardens of the Church of Wardsville and the other Gentlemen signing the Memorial from the congregation dated 2nd May, 1848.
Gentlemen: I have the honour to acknowledge your Memorial of the 2nd Instant, in which state that you have erected a church at Wardsville, Township of Mosa at considerable but that since the erection of said building, you have only had divine service in it every third Sunday.
You further state that the cause of religion and morality suffers (greatly) in your neighbourhood on account of this infrequency of public worship and pray that the same may be taken into consideration and that arrangements be made as to give you the inestimable benefit of Divine Service every Lord’s Day.
I beg in the first place to express my thanks, for the exertions you have made in erecting your church and the pleasure it would give me to be able to comply with your request. But, there are difficulties in the way, which though beyond my power to remove may nevertheless in God’s good time, be removed by our people themselves.
You are perhaps not aware that you owe the advantages you now enjoy to the Rev. W.I.D. Waddilove, a Gentleman in the North of England, who with a very few friends actuated by a truly Christian spirit, supports three traveling missionaries in this diocese. To each is assigned a large extent of country to gather our people and to form congregations-expecting that when (these) such congregations are regularly constituted and become strong in the Lord, they will contribute wholly or at least in a great proportion to the support of a resident clergyman for themselves.
The Rev. Mr. Gunne is one of these three traveling missionaries and to him is assigned Dawn, Mosa and adjacent parts and he is directed to distribute his services on weekdays as well as on Sundays, as equally for the benefit of the church people within his bounds, as may be in his power. Hence I infer that he allots to the congregation of Wardsville their just share of this time and services.
Now with all due respect, I would remind you that Mr. Gunne’s support comes entirely from England and that many who contribute to that support are poorer than many of you and yet so bright in their Christian faith and charity, that out of their little earnings they give a portion to preach the Gospel in this new colony four thousand miles distant. But they do so in the hope that their example will not be lost and that the congregations which they gather by their Missionaries will be animated by the same Spirit and in a short time support their own clergyman, that they may be enabled to send their assistance to another vacant field in the country, or which there are unfortunately still so many and so on, until the whole Diocese is evangelized.
You must allow that those who sustain the Rev. Mr. Gunne, have a right to say where he shall serve and to proclaim to the different congregations for whose good he labours, that they have equal claims upon sheer benevolence.
What surprises me in your memorial is that you ask for the services of a clergyman every Sunday and do not propose to contribute one farthing towards his maintenance. How is such an additional clergyman to live? And from whence the support of our clergy to come from, except from their own people.
St. James Anglican Church, Wardsville, Ontario
1848 Memorial
Hitherto they have been supported in a great measure by subscriptions from England, from people poorer than many of ourselves, but this cannot continue long and while it does continue, it can go but a little way towards supporting the great number of clergy which we now require. The time has arrived when we must do much more for ourselves than we have hitherto done – nor can we expect the ministry of the gospel to prosper to the full extent of our ability towards the support of public worship and till such a period arrives, we ought to rejoice in the provision made for our religious edification by others, although not so full as could be wished.
How much nearer is the visible church of God now than it was a few years ago. Some of you may remember when there was but one clergyman west of Toronto and now there are more than forty, and they – Blessed be God – are rapidly increasing. Instead of complaining at the little, that has been done, you should, each and everyone of you, do your utmost to enlarge what has been begun, for much, very much remains to be accomplished.
We have indeed one hundred and twenty clergymen in the Diocese, but we require five hundred and we shall gradually obtain them – it is God’s work and it will prosper whether we shall bear or whether we shall forbear and blessed will it be for those who do their utmost to promote this holy work, for on them will the blessing of God rest, through time and eternity.
To murmur is to distrust God and although our congregation may not be able for a time to support the whole expense of a settled clergyman, yet two or three can join and sustain the charge and as they prosper each congregation may after a time obtain one for themselves.
We are in this Province in much the same situation as the primitive Christians, who had to gather their congregations together out of large neighbourhoods of irreligious people.
It was a slow process, but when persevered it was sure to succeed and if we proceed in the same way, it will succeed now as well as then. At first we must creep, so that we may at length walk.
In the meantime we ought to receive contentedly and with thankfulness the means of spiritual edification which has been provided for us, till we can do more for ourselves, always bearing in mind that every Christian Nation has from its conversion supported the Ministrations of Religion and must continue to do so- and although we have been hitherto assisted by our religious friends in England, such assistance will soon be withdrawn; for they are becoming poorer than we are and then we shall be left entirely to ourselves, nor will this be a hardship, if your hearts are in the right place. For what we give towards the support of the Church of God will be returned to us an hundred fold, either in this life or in that which is to come.
I remain, Gentlemen, Your Father and Friend In Christ
John Toronto
ST JAMES ANGLICAN CHURCH
30 Apr 1986 – Site of First Anglican Church and Cemetery Marked With Plaques
In Wardsville children and adults play on the same ground where an early church building stood and where a number of pioneers are buried. “This is holy ground,” said Bishop Derwyn Jones of the Diocese of Huron, Anglican Church of Canada, Saturday as he and others participated in the unveiling and dedication of plaques marking the site of the early church, called St James Anglican. 36 persons attended the 40 minute ceremony, which was chaired by Wardsville Reeve Mary Shamley. Among those present were Russell Walker of Forest, formerly of Mosa and Ravenswood, who Reeve Shamley credited with publicizing the significance of the site and encouraging the recognition of that aspect of local history. The Anglican parish is believed to have been formed in Wardsville during the mid 1840’s.
During the act of dedication and remembrance, Bishop Jones noted that Canada is a fairly young acountry and that people had not taken proper notice of local history until the recent past when Canadians realized that recent history is all we have.
It is good for us to have a sense of where we have been, he added and to realize the history of our settlers. He also noted that St James church was considerably larger than one would normally expect it to have been. “That says a lot for the hopes and aspirations of the early pioneers,” he added.
“We pause to be grateful to their aspirations,” Bishop Jones said but he also added that it is right that some edifices have disappeared. “We still maintain a oneness in Christ,” he added. “Buildings may disappear but we live under a banner of our eternal God who provides us with different places to worship.”
Bishop Jones thanked the Wardsville village “Fathers” and “Mothers” (a reference to Reeve Shamley being a woman) for providing a tangible remembrance of those who walked this place before.
“This is holy ground, people have worshiped here,” he said, before asking a blessing on “All who work, live and play here.”
The Cairn holding the 3 plaques was draped in the Canadian, Ontario and Wardsville Flags for the unveiling ceremony. Clerk Harold Turton removed them.
As if by a ghost of the past, during the dedication prayer, someone elsewhere in the village must have dropped something of iron, the sound that echoed at the historic church and graveyard site sounded very much like a church bell tolling just once.
Members of 4 different Christian denominations took part in the ceremony. Besides Bishop Jones, Rev Charles Shaver (Presbyterian), Archdeacon A.E. Skirving (Anglican), Ian Buist (United), Father T. McNamara (RC) and Rev George Hamilton (Anglican) participated with prayers and readings. Ken Willis, Village Historian, provided a brief history.
Three sides of the four-sided cairn, located in the Wardsville ball park, have brass coloured plaques. One gives a brief description of the history of the church, the others list the names of the pioneers buried there.
The Walker name appears more numerous than any other,it is listed 7 times. Others are: Archer (2), Armstrong (3), Batzner, Bedford, Belford (2), Caisted, Campbell, Draisey (2), Dunlop, Fennell, Hammond, Harris (3), Johnson, Johnston, Keys, Labourer, McMaster (2), Merritt (3), Munro, Munroe (3), Nicols, O’Malley (2), Randall, Robinson, Shepherd, Staples, Stokes (2), Taylor (2), Vyse, Wilson and Wye (2).
Several of those in attendance were descendants of those early pioneers.
Kinsmen Club of Wardsville Formed in 1947
A meeting was held at the Wardsville Inn, to organize a Kinsmen’s Club in the Village of Wardsville. 20 prospective members present. The following officers were elected:
President, G.N. Brossard
Secretary, F.J. Dicker
Treasurer, Ed. O. Pettman
Directors, T.A. Muir, Gordon Watkin, Edwin Ross
Five members of the Kinsmen’s Club of Windsor were present to aid in the formation of the local club. After electing officers it was decided to hold meetings on the 2nd and 4th Mondays of each month at the Wardsville Inn
– A Charter Night was held on Monday, 23 Jun, with a celebration which began with a banquet in the Community Hall, 60 people were served by the ladies of the Wardsville Presbyterian Church
– The Charter was presented by Ken Smylie, Deputy Governor Elect, of London, to Mr Brossard on behalf of the Wardsville Club
– The newly-elected officers were then installed by
Andy Johnston, of Windsor and Kin pins were presented to members.
Brief addresses were given by Mr Brossard and Rev C. Jones
– In addition to the officers, other members of the new club were:
Joe Blain,Tim Buckley, Cliff Davis,Verd Edwards, Bram Gardiner, Len Giles
Raymond Jariett, Jack Miller, Thomas Simpson, Art Stinson,Dave Nisbet,
Art Downie, George Harvey, Gord Nisbet, Raymond Ross, Stewart Nisbet
Prepared by the Executive members for the members of G&DHS. For the AGM April 16, 2025.
Preserving Our Family Histories for Future Generations
Our ancestors—whether Indigenous, settler descendants, newer generations, or recent Canadians—have all contributed to the rich history of our communities. Each of us carries important stories that deserve to be told. Historians seek the truth, striving to understand what really happened and how people have worked together over time. We share a common past, woven together through generations. Consider this: each of us has two grandmothers, four great-grandmothers, eight great-great-grandmothers, and so on—each with their own unique stories waiting to be remembered.
Every family needs both storytellers and story keepers. The Glencoe & District Historical Society encourages families to record their histories—write down stories, label the backs of photographs, and document the details that future generations will cherish.
Some families are fortunate to collaborate with authors like CJ Frederick, who transform family histories into engaging historical novels. Others use platforms like Remento or StoryWorth to compile family memories into beautifully bound books that can be passed down for generations. Online genealogy tools such as Ancestry.ca have also made it easier than ever to trace our roots.
Many families bring their archives and precious artifacts to the Historical Society for safekeeping. In today’s digital world, we recognize what a treasure trove these collections are. While digitization allows for easy sharing, it does not guarantee long-term preservation. Whether in digital or physical form, historical records are always at risk. By working together to protect and document our shared past, we ensure that future generations will have access to the rich stories that shape our community.
These are our aims for 2024/2026:
Connect with membership and build close, working relationships with all our local groups, our regional heritage groups, and the elected reps and staff people of Southwest Middlesex and County of Middlesex.
Ramp up our outreach and channels. Mobilize an IT circle to support improved communication and decision-making.
Digitize and record our stories, curate, preserve, upload, and share. Figure out better platforms for working together. Facebook groups don’t cut it.
Learn the tools offered by dynamic governance, and the flourishing business canvas
Bring our elders and youth together. Tell all the stories. 10,000 years of local history. Place making.
Build a cultural network to link history with tourism. Nurture and support the arts in heritage and cultural communities.
Lead the interactive Barn Quilt Trail project, which features an alliance of four organizations plus FedDev Government of Canada, the funder. Link our cultural assets to local tourism strategies and investments. Work with Middlesex county tourism.
Advocate for county archives. Interpret history along the Thames river Watershed arts corridor
Invite skilled local people and support their history passions. Build teams around peoples’ interest. Assign domains. Delegate authority.
Update and revise our bylaws. Build a closer working relationship with the Ontario Historical Society.
Build out our organizational structure. We have a great foundation in our bylaws featuring managers. Build a circular hierarchy to support workers, facilitators, leaders, and admin support.
Engage the branding dream team to do an agile branding process for G&DHS, the interactive Barn Quilt Trail, and our various groups and projects that need a brand
Figure out how to tell our amazing stories, make sure they are preserved and interpret the amazing history of Ontario Southwest, that we want to share with family, friends, community, travelers, guests, youth, new, Canadians, refugees, children, all of the people that make up our Rural society people.
Working towards a County Archives
G&DHS is a member of the Committee to Establish a Middlesex County Archives and we continue to educate and lobby County representatives of the importance of doing their part to preserve our social and cultural history. Middlesex County has no official mechanism for the preservation, storage and archiving of historical documents and artifacts, both public and private.
As the older generation transfers family histories, photos, and records to the next generation, much ends up in dumpsters. Middlesex County is one of a few counties in southern Ontario that does not have a County Archive. This means that the responsibility falls to volunteers and we need help.
Ken Willis and The Wardsville Museum
Link to Ken Willis’ remarks in early December, 2025. Link to Denise Corneil’s remarks to Southwest Middlesex Council April 9, 2025.
For over two decades, Ken Willis, Wardsville’s Official Historian, 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 houses this collection of artifacts and stories that showcase Wardsville and Mosa’s rich history.
On March 13th, the Glencoe and District Historical Society (GDHS) formally accepted the role of custodian for the Ken Willis Collection, which is housed at the Wardsville Museum, located at 1787 Longwoods Rd, Wardsville, ON N0L 2N0.
History of Wardsville Musuem
The Wardsville Museum holds deep historical and cultural value, but it currently faces significant infrastructure challenges:
No running water or bathroom facilities, limiting its functionality and accessibility for visitors.
Lack of wheelchair accessibility, making it difficult for all community members to enjoy.
We worry that these limitations leave the museum vulnerable to being considered “less viable for public use”—a concern given Southwest Middlesex’s past decisions regarding historic buildings.
Following municipal amalgamation in 2000, which merged Glencoe, Appin, Melbourne, Wardsville, Mosa, and Ekfrid Townships into the newly formed Municipality of Southwest Middlesex (SWM), municipal officials began assessing buildings that were outdated and required significant investment to meet modern standards.
Among the casualties was the Wardsville Community Hall, once the heart of the community, with its wood floors, stage, and historic charm. It contained washrooms that served Little Kin Park. Despite its historical and functional value, the hall was put up for sale by public tender with a closing date of June 6, 2001, and ownership was transferred to a new owner.
To preserve a local gathering place, the municipality partnered with the Hammond Masonic Lodge, designating the Wardsville Masonic Hall as the new community center. In 2023, the Wardsville Hammond Masons “went dark,”. In 2025 the Masonic Hall was gifted to Southwest Middlesex.
HERITAGE PLAQUE SIGNS
Nine aluminum signs have been installed on houses, farms, and businesses in Glencoe, Caradoc, Mosa and Ekfrid. They are 11’’ X 16” in bronze or silver aluminum and cost $150. Significant research by Harold Carruthers is required to determine facts about the properties. Contact research@glencoehistoricalsociety.ca if you would like to commission a sign for your property.
Houses: Information includes the year the house was built, the first owner’s name and occupation, the builder’s name, and the heritage location (original address).
Businesses: Name of business, architect, heritage location, and name of the builder.
Farm: original owner of the 100 acres, the builder/owner of the first house, year house was built and heritage location.
Cemetery Signs.
Thirty eight signs have been installed within SWM, and three outside of SWM, but within our area. Hykut Signs was our local manufacturer. These standardized signs show the name of area cemeteries and when they were established. We have identified and signed the forgotten ones also, so that our pioneer ancestors will be remembered. This year, we concluded this project by getting these signs installed. Our partnership with the Municipality of Southwest Middlesex allowed this to happen. Our Society funded the manufacture of the signs and SWM covered the installation.
Ken Beecroft, Gerry Cross and other enthusiasts in the district assist with the Find A Grave.com website database. Find A Grave is a worldwide collection site developed to identify and document those who have gone before us. This initiative depends upon knowledgeable volunteers who share a passion for history. Identifying the individuals who make up history, especially local history is by no means an easy matter. Find A Grave volunteers have identified, pinpointed and defined over half a million cemeteries worldwide.
Ken Beecroft focuses on Find A Grave data development in the G&DHS geographic area, which dovetails well with cemetery and family research information onhand in the Archives. Obituary information used to be painstakingly gathered by volunteers but now it can be entered locally into this huge on-line data base and accessed by descendants from anywhere in the world. A great genealogical tool indeed.
Facebook moderator and Curator of the Glencoe Transcript Archives
Marie Williams has been actively involved in heritage projects, including the murals and house signs, working with Harold and Rick at Hykut Signs to ensure historical accuracy and clarity in the details.
She collaborated with Harold on organizing and promoting the Peter McArthur events, designed event posters for the Society’s monthly meetings, and contributed to online event promotions. She also prepared display boards for both the arena anniversary and the Peter McArthur event.
Marie regularly photographs meetings and events to document and share the Society’s activities.
Marie manages the The Glencoe and District Historical Society Facebook Page which has 1.1K followers, ensuring a minimum of two historical posts per week. Yearbook posts are particularly well-received, along with historical research compiled from the Glencoe Transcript, London Free Press, and other sources. She also collaborates with Harold on historical posts, which inspired her to create dedicated content for Burns Presbyterian Church Mosa in a Facebook Group. .
In a recent 28-day period, the Society’s Facebook page achieved the following:
Page Views: 43,232
Reach: 10,245
Content Interactions: 999
New Followers: 24
Followers:1100
Heritage Mural Project.
In 2022, G&DHS was initially approved for a Grant from Middlesex County, the “Makeover Middlesex 2022” program, which paid for the mural signs. The historical society funded the installations.
We have plans for more murals in Appin, Melbourne, and Wardsville and need to find sponsors. Harold Carruthers is coordinating. Current locations are:
McKellar Hotel – 230 Main Street, Glencoe, ON. Photo shows East side of Main Street. Between McRae and McKellar Street
CIBC, 252 Main St, Glencoe, ON N0L 1M0. Photo shows Main Street during the 1890s looking north.
The Archives – Photo shows the Glencoe Town Hall, 1898 – 1962.
The Archives – Photo shows the Glencoe Post Office and Customs House, 1909 – 1965.
Appin Main street – Photo shows General Store east side of Main Street.
Wardsville, 1787 Longwoods Road on the Wardsville Museum wall – photo shows Main Street.
Glencoe Fair Grounds, two murals featuring the Glencoe Fair installed by the Glencoe Agricultural Society.
Foodland – 195 Main St, Glencoe, ON N0L 1M0. Photo shows Apple Pickers, Ekfrid Gore Road.
Mary Simpson’s grandson Ryan Snider at Strathburn Park, 3577 Middlesex County Rd 2, Glencoe, ON N0L 1M0.
Connecting with Membership
By Harold Carruthers
Current membership on March 31, 2025 is 109. This is up from approximately 55 in 2023. Seven members were gained from the House Sign project.
Estimated Volunteer hours – April 1, 2024 – March 31, 2025 – 1945 hours. Those are just the recorded hours. Three times as many estimated.
Operational Roles
We have incredible volunteers and need more. We think we are a pretty fun group: talk to Mary Simpson or any executive member about what we need to support this work.
General Manager – Harold Carruthers
Archives and Collections – Norm McGill
Treasurer – Diana Jedig
Secretary for the Executive – Denise Corneil
Membership Secretary – Harold Carruthers
Facebook Page – Marie Williams
Church Architecture – Interior & Exterior documentation – Bill Simpson
Objective – build close, working relationships with all our local groups, our regional heritage groups, and the elected reps and staff people of Southwest Middlesex, Newbury and County of Middlesex.
We do our best to support other cultural and heritage groups in our district:
A Split Village at a Crossroad, Melbourne, Ontario. JoAnn Lucas Galbraith, Richard Hathaway. They publish a weekly on-line newspaper.
Your Wardsville – Wardsville Museum – Official Historian Ken Willis
Appin Ekfrid Museum – Heather Jacobs, Dunc Hodgson, Marilyn MacCallum
Tyrconnell Heritage Society – Backus Page House and Museum
Middlesex Centre Archives
Committee to Establish a Middlesex County Archives
Strathroy & District Historical Society – great monthly programs.
Upper Thames Military Re-enactment Society. They organize the annual memorial in early March every year.
Chippewa of the Thames cultural staff
Muncey community – Mt. Elgin Residential School – Deb Richter and Reta Hart. Brown Tom’s School Days.
History Symposium – monthly events.
Municipality of Southwest Middlesex – new CAO Amanda Gubbels and recreation staff, Kevin Miller.
United Empire Loyalists
Royal Canadian Legion Reg Lovell Br 219, Glencoe
Royal Canadian Legion Branch 510, Melbourne
Words – by Josh Lambier. Monthly author series often featuring authors who write historical fiction and local histories.
Roots and Neighbours Community Summit
We want to work with SWM and all the organizations in our District on building collaborative working relationships. Sometime in 2026, we hope to meet at the “Roots and Neighbours Community Summit” to strategize to make the most of scarce resources and have fun doing it.
Because of taxpayer support, G&DHS gives a safe home to documents, photographs and artifacts of local historical significance, which have been donated to us by area residents and Society members. The Archives has room for meetings, restoration workshop, a sales area, an office, stacks for books, documents and artifacts along with special collections, microfilm library, and archival space for artifacts.
Due to the commitment of Harold Carruthers, Irene Mathyson, and the Society during the 1990s, instead of being shredded after being digitized by the Ontario Government, our precious property records have made their way home to the original Registry Office, which we now call “The Vault”.
We share this space with the community. This wonderful facility, The Archives, allows us to host educational activities onsite. We have everything available –access, washrooms, seating capacity, wifi, parking – the only think we are missing is a kitchenette.
G&DHS and the Municipality of Southwest Middlesex have an agreement for the stewardship of 178 McKellar Street. In March 2025, we met with municipal staff to clarify responsibilities for the building and grounds.
We share The Archives with other community organizations. Organizations such as local cemetery boards, such as Oakland and Eddie, and Southwest Middlesex’ “Celebrate Community Committee” have conducted their routine members’ meetings at 178 McKellar Street.
Southwestern Ontario’s barn quilts
The barn quilts—vibrant artworks adorning barns—continue to captivate travelers, yet their origins and connections to local history remain unknown to many.
In 2024, four groups applied to the Tourism Growth Fund to transform the Barn Quilt Trails into a tourism experience: Glencoe & District Historical Society; Creative Communities – stewards of Barnquilttrails.ca ; Chippewa of the Thames cultural group; and EXAR Studios. While the request was unsuccessful, the Glencoe & District Historical Society remains committed to supporting barn quilts.
This year, efforts will focus on revitalizing the Native Women’s Trail of Tears Barn Quilt Trail and sustaining BarnQuiltTrails.ca, the national barn quilt database.
G&DHS and the Middlesex Centre Archives take turns finding authors to contribute to the Archive Alley, a full page featured in this biweekly newspaper covering Middlesex County news. This past year:
Peter McArthur by Stephanie McDonald March 2024
Barn Quilt history by Mary Simpson and Denise Corneil. April 2024
Profile of Jean Hewitt May 20 2024
Installment of suffragette history by Jean Hewitt complementing the 1st Wave Suffragettes meeting held at Tait’s Community Centre, June 2024.
Reverend Enos Montour (1898-1985) a United Church minister and writer from Six Nations of the Grand River Territory. Brown Tom’s School Days, 2nd Edition.
Local Author bookfair – On December 5, 2024, we supported an Afternoon With Authors book sale organized by the Mary Webb Centre in Highgate, a fundraiser to restore the beautiful stained glass dome.
“Peter McArthur: Our Famous Canadian – 1866 – 1924”
February 22, 2024, we kicked off a year long tribute to our local sage, Peter McArthur. Joining from Ireland, guest speaker Stephanie McDonald, described McArthur’s life and works, focussing on the last 16 years of his life after he moved back to the home farm in Ekfrid Township.
Another long- time McArthur enthusiast, Don Sinclair closed the afternoon event, speaking about his connection to McArthur through the home farm and, in particular, the demonstration woodlot where McArthur wrote about his unique appreciation for rural life and nature.
June 16, 2024. Peter McArthur.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.
October 27, 2024: Tree Planting to Honour Peter McArthur. Nineteen were in attendance for the tree planting ceremony honouring Peter McArthur held at the Eddie Cemetery on a sunny Sunday afternoon, October 27, the 100th anniversary of McArthur’s death.
Isabel Sinclair and Kasia Kalita – next generation historians learning and sharing stories about their heritage.
Programs: Sharing Our History
Obj: Discover, preserve, and share the incredible stories of Southwestern Ontario’s history. We aim to ensure these histories are safeguarded and interpreted for all—family, friends, community members, travelers, guests, youth, newcomers, refugees, children, and everyone who contributes to the fabric of our rural society.
April 17. 2024 – Annual report for 2023 and highlights from the meeting. Marilyn McCallum and Ken Willis retired from the Executive but continue their work as local historians. Joining the Executive were Diana Jedig (Treas), Denise Corneil (Sec’y), and Rhonda Long (Promotion).
May 25, 26, 2024 – Canadian Wartime Homefront – Backus Page House and Museum. Our volunteers participated in this event to bring awareness to what life was like on the Canadian Homefront during the two world wars. There were interactive stations, educational booths and book signings. We learned about wartime livelihoods: Rationing, Red Cross Efforts, Farmerettes, Entertainment, the Miss War Worker Pageant, and a Wartime Wedding.
May 29, 2024 The Famous Five presented by the London Women’s History Project at Tait’s Corners Community Centre. Set in Edmonton during the Great War, we saw the Famous Five return from a protest march to drink tea and discuss their cause and the war. Prime Minister, Robert Borden is in Edmonton and they must speak up.
Edmontonian Emily Murphy became the first female judge in the Commonwealth on January 1, 1916. On her first day in court and frequently thereafter, lawyers would begin their presentation by objecting to having their case heard by a woman judge because, they said, women were not “persons” as defined by the British North America Act of 1867.
Luckily for the women of Alberta, in 1917 the ruling by a Calgary judge, Alice Jamieson, was upheld by the Supreme Court of Alberta, thereby establishing the principle that both men and women were persons and therefore equals.
June 16, 2024. Peter McArthur. The “Haunts of Peter McArthur” road trip Sunday afternoon, We started 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.
June 22, 2024. Royal Canadian Melbourne Legion Branch 510 dedicated a beautiful new mural painted by Ohla Kovalenka located at the Melbourne Legion, 21884 Melbourne Rd, Melbourne.
July 20, 2024 – Tartan Days in Glencoe, over the past several decades, has been a unique opportunity for the community to celebrate its Gaelic heritage and allow the people of Glencoe and area to get involved in local activities and have some fun. G&DHS hosted an open house event at the ARCHIVES. After numerous visitors made their way to the Archives throughout the morning, a ceremony was held at 1:00 pm, celebrating the 150th anniversary of the incorporation of the Village of Glencoe, the belated 200th anniversaries of the Townships of Mosa and Ekfrid, the 170th anniversary of arrival of the first train in Glencoe.
G&DHS also had a booth near the Glencoe Train Station beside the Old Auto magazine. Author CJ Frederick joined the booth offering local readers a sneak peak to her first full length historical fiction novel, Rooted & Remembered. The author’s parents and husband were on hand to help CJ Frederick get this new book into the hands of readers.
July 28, 2024: – Appin Cemetery Commemoration
Every July we take time to honour those who came before us by conducting Memorial Service at an area cemetery. This past year it was held at Appin Cemetery, Ekfrid Township, where we enjoyed a beautiful Sunday afternoon under the shade, with about 40 people present. It was noted that the cemetery was very well maintained. The history of the Cemetery was provided by James May along with several Cemetery Board members and G&DHS members. After the Memorial, folks toured the cemetery. We are planning this event for July 2025 for Simpson Cemetery in Mosa Township. Link to event report.
August 21, 2024: McEachren Collection at Forty-87 Well over 100 visitors, including members of the Glencoe and District Historical Society, neighbours, community members and John Deere enthusiasts from far and wide, gathered at the home of Dave McEachren on Olde Dr. on Wednesday evening, August 21.
After self-guided tours of his outdoor displays, Dave spoke to the crowd explaining that, at age 10, he had first become involved in the Glencoe Fair farm toy competition. He recalled buying his “first toy that he didn’t play with” from Tips. Following the advice of his uncle, he chose to focus on one thing to collect and he chose John Deere. His focus grew from toys to signs, memorabilia, tractors and other equipment.
Heritage Farm Show, September Labour Day Weekend – Backus Page House Annual Farm Heritage weekend. Thanks to our volunteers, we were able to provide our travelling display inside the agricultural museum for the two day event. This certainly a worthwhile event for families. G&DHS has made a commitment to support this event every year.
Author and storyteller Bob Gentleman signed his new book, “They Settled in Riverside,” and presented a copy to Ina Nelms for The Archives in Glencoe.
Gail McHardy-Leitch showed off her sunflower quilt block, painted at the Crazy 8 Barn, to barn quilt enthusiast Denise Corneil at the Heritage Farm Show.
Glencoe Fair, September: Harold and Norm maintained a steady presence at Glencoe Fair alongside the Quest Centre booth and CJ Frederick’s book promoting her new book, Rooted and Remembered.
October 27, 2024: Tree Planting to Honour Peter McArthur. Speakers at the event, recognizing the “The Sage of Ekfrid” were Mirah Simpson, Isabel Sinclair, Kasia Kalita and Harold Carruthers.
November 11 – “ Remembrance Day” G&DHS always lays a wreath in tribute to those who served during Canada’s wars and military conflicts. This year our wreath was laid by Past President Ken Beecroft and honourary member, Ina Nelms, who celebrated her 100th birthday on December 17, 2024.
January 25, 2025. The Truth in Truth and Reconciliation Educational Board Game.
Aya Macdonald hosted a game board meetup. Says Aya: “Authentic, Original, Indigenous, all elements of this board game are credibly sourced. This board game is designed as a grade 10 History class resource but is not just for students and teachers — we all have a role to play in Truth and Reconciliation”
Norm McGill is our Vice-President and curator. He carefully organizes and describes our collection of artifacts and papers. Saturdays are a great time for members to drop in and we have started organizing special activities for our members and the public. Norm has organized a couple.
On March 15, 2025, we encouraged members to drop in with their computer and phone issues. Aya Macdonald was available to help people with their glitches and devised work flows for handling photos.
Karen Aranha goes home happy after Ayako solved her phone problem.
March 16 – John Little In Conversation: Reimagining The Donnellys
An on-line visit with award-winning author and filmmaker John Little to talk about The Donnellys, his two-volume tour-de-force history of Southwestern Ontario’s most famous true crime story.
Thank you from James Stewart Reaney, President: London and Middlesex Historical Society. londonhistory.orgJust a quick note of appreciation, Josh, for the first-rate conversation with John Little. The Donnellys tragedy was reimagined over the fascinating twists & turns & revelations of the Words event. The audience was engaged & many seemed to be personally involved through family & other connections. Thanks, Mary Simpson, for bringing The Glencoe & District Historical Society family to the party. On behalf of The London and Middlesex Historical Society, thanks Josh & John & Mary for this excellence — & let’s see what other adventures we might find.
March 30, 2025. Burns Presbyterian Church.
A great crowd attended Sunday’s “Stroll Through Time” at Burns. The event had been postponed from February due to icy conditions. Morgan MacTavish served as narrator with cast members Sarah, Sophie, Anela and Audrey Faulds, Andrew Johnson, Courtney Bailey, John David MacTavish, Taylor Chalupka and Carol Leitch doing a great job in their roles. Scriptwriters and organizers were Flora Walker, Louise Campbell and Mary Simpson.
Meet our Executive
Mary Simpson, President 519-318-1074 mary@glencoehistoricalsociety.ca
Rhonda Long, Director 519-873-0243 Retiring after one year.
President, Mary Simpson: Mary is a champion for collaboration and is intent on inviting the younger generations into culture and heritage spaces. She enjoys networking with our sister organizations and identifying speakers and activities for future programs. She is half way through her two year term and is actively seeking people who have a passion for local history to join the fun at the Society.
Vice President, Norm McGill: “Growing up in West Lorne after WWII, there were so many different veterans from different wars and eras and some of them told their stories. I always liked the old artifacts. Objects help us remember people and places. A lot of my personal collection is family and local – not expensive articles – but objects that become treasures as the years pass”. Norm is a passionate collector who cares for the artifacts and papers housed in The Archives. He started collecting coins and stamps when he was five years old and the collections grew from there.
Past President, Ken Beecroft: This position provides continuity and transition from President and past president acts in the President’s absence. Through 2023-24, G&DHS continued with on-going agenda items, allowing Past President duties to encompass “house projects”. One Project involves Ken’s interest in assisting with the Find A Grave.com website database. Find A Grav.com is a worldwide collection site developed to identify and document those who have gone before us.
Secretary, Denise Corneil: Taking on the role of Executive’s secretary, she is beefing up the Society’s admin capacity and acting as a link with Ken Willis to Wardsville. Denise was integral to the launch of North America’s first “Story Telling” barn quilt trail. Denise animated the Wardsville residents to design a unique trail project which intertwined fabric, film, paint, and pen, showcasing the life of founders Mr. and Mrs. George Ward through thirty 8’x8′ barn quilts crafted with 1000 volunteer hours in 2010.
Treasurer, Diane Jedig: Diana has 19 years of board governance within the Canadian CED Network. With 35 years in non-for-profit management, Diana Jedig excels in fundraising and project coordination. She is a member of Creative Communities and a stalwart supporter of Canada Barn Quilt Trails. She is one of the protectors of the Native Women’s Trail of Tears Barn Quilt Project and lives in Chippewa of the Thames community.
Director, Promotions & Outreach: Rhonda Long is a passionate advocate for Southwestern Ontario tourism, dedicating 18 years to promoting the region through “Daytripping in Southwestern Ontario.” With a knack for forging connections across the tourism sector, from Direct Marketing Organizations to quaint museums, Rhonda’s mission is to unveil the wonders of one’s own backyard.
Director: IT & HR, Ayako MacDonald – Aya is a recent arrival from Tokyo who is captivated by local culture and history. One cultural insight that truly surprised her is the limited emphasis on local history in Canadian schools. This discovery ignited her passion for preserving the stories and traditions that shape our community. Aya brings a fresh perspective to our historical society by: modernizing workflows, connecting the past and present, and helping us plan for the future.
General Manager, Harold Carruthers: Harold manages operations and is assisted by Norm McGill. Harold is a wealth of knowledge and keeps the Archives and its collections and programs coordinated and supported. He is the official historian for the Carruthers Clan internationally and is widely known throughout history circles.
Honouring Lorne Munro
We miss Lorne. We lost Lorne at Strathroy Middlesex General Hospital , Strathroy on Monday, March 18, 2024 William “Lorne” Munro passed away in his 91st year. Predeceased by his wife Phyllis (2023). Dear father to Janice and Tom McCallum, Susan Sinclair and Steve Schneider and Cheryl and Roy Neves.
Lorne was a great supporter of local projects. When the local Society didn’t have many active projects, Lorne encouraged us to support other projects. Lorne helped digitize 2300 wills and maintained a list of obituaries and births dating back to the 1870s.
Objects of G&DHS
Founded in 1978, the Glencoe & District Historical Society (G&DHS) set out on a mission to preserve the rich history of Southwestern Ontario, particularly around the Glencoe area. Ambitious projects, such as mapping local cemeteries, took place from 1978 to 1988. In 1983, G&DHS found a home in the basement of the old Andrew Carnegie Library and expanded to both floors in 1994. A substantial collection of land registry deeds was rescued in 1997, finding a secure home in the original land registry vault. The partnership restoration of the Glencoe Train Station in 2001 became a symbol of the society’s commitment to preserving local heritage. The Society is a not-for-profit volunteer organization with charitable status and a member of the Ontario Historical Society.
The 2018 relocation of the Glencoe library allowed the Society to shift to the old land registry office and library at 178 McKellar Street, inadvertently returning the land deed collection to its original home, now known as The Archives. Facing the challenge of preserving historical materials in a digital world, G&DHS actively educates and lobbies for administrative and archival support, supported by a membership of almost 100 individuals and backing from the Municipality of Southwest Middlesex.
Our objectives are:
To promote, encourage and foster the study of local history and genealogy, including original research. We encourage, support and solicit research information on heritage buildings in our District. We lend our support to other community groups who are active and interested in the preservation and restoration of heritage buildings.
To provide and maintain a local archival repository for the collection and preservation of books, manuscripts, typescripts, charts, maps, photographs, journals, Photostats, microfilms, tapes and artifacts.
To reproduce some of the presentations presented to the Society, as well as other research and materials.
To provide education through newsletters, presentations, social media and participation in local and surrounding area events.
The Society actively collects and preserves local artifacts, showcasing rotating displays and a captivating train display on Main Street.
Operating three days a week, G&DHS opens its doors to the public, offering free access to historical materials. Marie Williams maintains a popular Facebook Page featuring local photos and history from the Transcript and Free Press archives. An up-to-date website features reports of our events, photos, videos, and history vignettes.
G&DHS actively supports neighboring heritage organizations. We work together to foster an appreciation for Southwestern Ontario’s rich history.
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 BakeryRead more →
Saturday, December 7, 2024 | 1:00 – 4:00 PM Sunday, December 8, 2024 | 1:00 – 4:00 PM
NEW Melbourne United Church, 592 John Street, Melbourne, Ontario
Step back in time and celebrate the season with us at the Manse, a classic example of Italianate architecture.
What to Expect: 🎄 Period Christmas Decorations: Experience the charm of Victorian-era holiday décor.
📜 Historic Displays: Explore exhibits showcasing Melbourne’s local history, including fascinating artifacts and stories of the area’s past. 👀 Signature Quilt: See the 1918 signature quilt on display—could your ancestors’ names be stitched into its fabric? Discover your family connections!🛷 Kilbourne Cutter Sleigh: Admire this elegant piece of local history on the front lawn.
Architecture Highlight The Manse, built with locally-made brick, features a wide central hall, a stunning staircase, and large windows with stained glass. While originally designed without modern conveniences like bathrooms, later adaptations—including 1960s enclosed porches—have added layers to its architectural story over the decades.
The Italianate design of this home was inspired by plans published in the Canada Farmer magazine in 1865, which highlighted this style for its practicality and grandeur.
Giving Back In the spirit of the season, we are graciously accepting non-perishable food items and cash donations for local food banks. Join us for a heartwarming afternoon filled with history, holiday cheer, and community spirit. We can’t wait to welcome you!
Simpson Cemetery.Located at 21563 Pratt Siding Road Woodgreen (Hwy. 76), Municipality of Southwest Middlesex, South of Longwoods Road (Hwy. 2) – between River Drive and the Thames River
It’s going to be hot! Please come prepared with umbrellas, water, hats, cool damp cloths for your neck, suncreen and all your favourite ways to keep cool and comfortable. There is shade but not a lot.
PROGRAM (Updated)
11:00 a.m.
Bring your family and make a day of it and arrive in the morning and explore the
Simpson Cemetery. Bring a photo to tape on your ancestors’ stones. Tell your kids
about their ancestors.
12 Noon Picnic
Time for an old-fashioned picnic. Spread out your blanket and share a meal with your
family and friends.
1:00 p.m. Commencement
Welcome and introductory remarks (Brian Huis)
o Land acknowledgement
Remarks from the President, Glencoe and District Historical Society (Mary Simpson)
History of the Simpson Cemetery (Ken Willis)
Walk with the Ancestors: a series of rotating talks and activities:
o Spirit walk with “Nicolas Bodine”
o The “Simpson” Ancestors (Wendy Bestward, Dennis Simpson, Wanda
Simpson, and Micheline Champagne-Johnston)
o Demonstration: How to properly clean and care for a gravestone (Norm McGill)
o Demonstration: How to do a gravestone rubbing (Ken Beecroft and Gerry
Cross)
o How to fix an old broken gravestone (Harold Carruthers)
2:00 p.m. Gather to Remember
Honour Roll – Reading of the names from the plaque of those who served their
country in times of war (is there a name attached to this?)
Tribute to “Nicholas Bodine” (1788 to 1885), Upper Canada militia veteran, War of
1812 (Harold Carruthers)
Closing prayer (Ken Willis?)
2: 45 p.m. Wrap-up and Adjournment
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
2:30 – 5:00 Bill Allan’s Celebration of Life at the Glencoe Agricultural Hall – we will miss him.
Wendy Simms Bestward telling a story about her ancestor, Simpson Cemetery, Woodgreen, Southwest Middlesex, ON
Organized by the Glencoe & District Historical Society and the Simpson Descendants Circle: Micheline Champagne-Johnston, Brian Huis, Wanda Simpson, Wendy Bestward, Jan Simpson, Dennis Simpson, Mary Simpson.
“Beyond the gates of the cemetery lives an historical account of our past, a rich heritage populated by friends and relatives. Loved ones who can no longer be with us, but whose memories live on.” – Josh Kekosz.
Simpson Cemetery is located at M4. Our District includes Woodgreen, Newbury, Mosa, Ekfrid, Alvinston, Caradoc, Appin, Melbourne, Wardsville, Glencoe and the Thames Valley Watershed,
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.
As you enjoy the festivities, we invite you to support the Glencoe and District Historical Society by volunteering your time. Your participation helps us preserve and celebrate our community’s rich history.
Why Volunteer with Us?
Preserve Our Heritage: Assist with maintaining and sharing our unique local stories and artifacts.
Engage with History: Get hands-on experience with archival work, event planning, and outreach.
Connect with Community: Join a dedicated team and make meaningful connections.
How You Can Help:
Staff Our Archives: Help organize and manage historical collections.
Support Our Events: Assist with setup, coordination, and guest interactions.
Promote Our Mission: Contribute to outreach and public engagement.
Assist with Research: Aid in digitizing and cataloging historical records.
Interested in making a difference? It’s simple! Just fill out our volunteer form: bit.ly/4cVCIUw
Featured Image Above: The Crystal Palace
The Crystal Palace on the fairgrounds in Glencoe. It was home to about 50 Japanese Canadians in the summer of 1942 who were forcibly removed from their homes on the west coast. the men were paid 35 cents per hour to work on farms in the area before leaving November 11th. The building would later house prisoners of war from Germany and Italy.
Message from the Ag Society
For hundreds of years, the Glencoe Agricultural Society has hosted events, promoted new and established businesses, supporters, exhibitors and built upon Glencoe’s sense of pride and fellowship. Empowered by the incredible support of our sponsors and the exuberance of our townspeople, we look forward to continuously renewing – and building upon – our commitment to agricultural and philanthropic vitality. Throughout the year, Glencoe citizens and visitors from across the region can look forward to special events – large and small – that create the very best excuses to get out of the house and spend time with loved ones.
We always welcome feedback from our community members and monthly meetings are held to ensure we are aligning with the best interests of the people and personalities who sustain our vibrant community. The Glencoe Agricultural Society is bolstered by the thoughtfulness and dedication of our board members and volunteers as well as the continued support of our constituents. We invite you to learn more about our long, rich history and to see what exciting new initiatives we are looking forward to implementing. Should something spark your interest, please don’t hesitate to reach out to find out more about getting involved.
Report for the Glencoe & District Historical Society
Date & Venue: Wednesday, April 17th, 2024, at the Archives, 178 McKellar Street, Glencoe.
Attendance: A solid turnout of 30 members, with all executives present except President Ken Beecroft.
Opening: Vice President Mary Simpson initiated the meeting at 7:00 PM, welcoming members old and new.
Remembrance: A moment of silence was observed for the late Lorne Munro, a member for 20 years.
Business as Usual: The minutes from the previous year’s AGM were approved without issue, and discussions moved smoothly to current matters.
Financial Health: Treasurer Marilyn McCallum presented a detailed financial report and budget for the upcoming year, which were both accepted unanimously.
Membership Milestone: Harold Carruthers announced a record membership count, (over 80 members) reflecting the society’s ongoing relevance.
Engaging Programs: Program Director Mary Simpson introduced upcoming events, including a talk by local author C.J. Fredericks.
Election Excitement: Nominations for the new executive team were made and approved smoothly.
Dynamic Presentations: Members shared updates on various projects, showcasing the society’s diverse activities.
Denise Corneil reported on the alliance formed by Glencoe & District Historical Society, Creative Communities, barnquilttrails.ca, the Chippewa of the Thames cultural group, and EXAR Studios to build a story telling app to enhance the Barn Quilt Trails, a grassroots arts movement.
Harold Carruthers noted the 100th anniversary of the death of “The Sage of Ekfrid” Peter McArthur. There will be an interesting event on Father’s Day, June 16th at 1:00 p.m.
Norm McGill conducted a Show and Tell in which 8 people participated.
Closing: The meeting concluded at 8:50 PM, setting the stage for the incoming executive team.
Looking Ahead: With new leadership in place, the society is poised for another productive year.
7:00 p.m. Arrive at 4087 Olde Drive, Glencoe, ON. Bring your lawn chairs. Stroll around the half-acre tractor collection.
7:30 p.m. Dave McEachren will tell us about local dealer history.
8:00 p.m. Explore the new museum.
As a 10-year old boy, Dave witnessed a few fellow neighborhood farm boys displaying their collections of farm toys at the Glencoe Fair. It was that day that he decided to stop “playing in the dirt” with his toys and start collecting them instead. More than a few decades later the dream of opening his own museum to share his ever-growing John Deere collection has come to light.
The McEachren Collection @ Forty-87 includes over 40 real tractors, thousands of farm toy models, and tens of thousands of pieces of memorabilia and sales-related literature. There will be something of interest for everyone, from local dealer history to samples of equipment you may never knew existed.
March 6, 2024 – A revised Memorial Service to remember those who sacrificed at the Battle of the Longwoods in 1814 was resumed this year, at 1:45 p.m. on a beautiful Sunday afternoon, at Battle Hill National Historic Site, 2945 Longwoods Rd, Southwest Middlesex. The Upper Thames Military Re-inactment Society was present, along with a number of G & DHS members and other interested individuals. In all, there were about 65 people present. O.P.P. presence on Longwood’s Road maintained traffic safety. There were about 25 memorial wreaths laid, including one from us. The usual soup and fellowship event after service was re-instated this year at the Anglican Church in Wardsville, and enjoyed by those who attended. It was funded by a free will offering.
The Battle of The Longwoods has always been observed as being a significant local historical event that has played a strong role in the interests of the G&DHS.
Watch this beautiful short video of the MOURNING RING OF LIEUTENANT PATRICK GRAEME OF THE 89TH REGIMENT OF FOOT. KILLED ON MARCH 4, 1814, WHILE LEADING THE BRITISH ATTACK AT THE BATTLE OF LONGWOODS.
The Glencoe & District Historical Society was formed in 1978 to promote local history research. We are a registered non-profit organization, staffed by volunteers who are keenly interested in maintaining our objectives. Our objectives are:
To promote, encourage and foster the study of local history and genealogy, including original research. We encourage, support and solicit research information on heritage buildings in our District. We lend our support to other community groups who are active and interested in the preservation and restoration of heritage buildings.
To provide and maintain a local archival repository for the collection and preservation of books, manuscripts, typescripts, charts, maps, photographs, journals, Photostats, microfilms, tapes and artifacts.
To reproduce some of the presentations presented to the Society, as well as other research and materials.
To provide education through newsletters, presentations, social media and participation in local and surrounding area events.
First, It should also be pointed out, that during the past year G & DHS did resume normal activities, as the Covid 19 pandemic was basically over. Letters were issued in August to reach out to our members, Membership renewals were encouraged, and consequently our membership was mostly restored. Several patrons provided financial donations also. Appreciation goes out those who contributed during this time. Service fees for research services were still somewhat reduced. Consequently, again during the past year, as a not for profit organization, it has been a difficult several years. Our Financial Report may detail some of this later.
This past year our Society was involved as a partner with The Municipality of Southwest Middlesex (SWM), for the manufacture and installation of identification signs in all of the active and abandoned cemeteries within SWM. Our plan called for 30 signs within SWM, and three outside of SWM, but within our area. Hykut Signs was our local manufacturer. These standardized signs outline to the public, the name of area cemeteries and when they were established. We have identified and signed the forgotten ones also, so that our pioneer ancestors will be remembered.
Join us on March 5th as we commemorate the Battle of Longwoods which was originally fought on March 4th 1814. Arrive at 1:45 p.m. and park carefully. We will remember them.
We will remember those injured and killed at the Battle of the Longwoods in 1814.
Watch this beautiful short video of the MOURNING RING OF LIEUTENANT PATRICK GRAEME OF THE 89TH REGIMENT OF FOOT. KILLED ON MARCH 4, 1814, WHILE LEADING THE BRITISH ATTACK AT THE BATTLE OF LONGWOODS.
K.W. Beecroft, President, G & DHS. Dated April 20, 2022
The ARCHIVE – G&DHS and Municipality of Southwest Middlesex have an agreement for the use of the facility at 178 McKellar Street. This has proved to be a very positive arrangement for both parties involved. There is room for G & DHS meetings, restoration workshop, a sales area, an office, stacks for books, documents and artifacts along with special collections, microfilm library, and archival space for artifacts. Key also for the move is that the precious property records again make their home in the original Registry Office, which we now call “The Vault”.
Our new facility allows us to host educational Program activities onsite, as we now have everything available –access, washrooms, seating capacity and parking. We are also pleased to say that we share our facilities with other community organizations, on a revenue neutral basis. Organizations such as local cemetery boards, such as Oakland and Eddie, and Southwest Middlesex’ “Celebrate Community Committee” conduct their routine members’ meetings at 178 McKellar Street.
“Beyond the gates of the cemetery lives an historical account of our past, a rich heritage populated by friends and relatives. Loved ones who can no longer be with us, but whose memories live on.” – Josh Kekosz.
Each year the historical society honours those who came before us. On July 24, 2022, the Cemetery Memorial Service was held at Oakland Cemetery, which was opened May 1894 by a group of ten men who formed a Board of Directors.
Five acres was purchased from a local farmer in Mosa Township and surveyed into plots of 16 feet X 16 feet. These plots were purchased by families. One plot had room for 8 burials. The first burial was Thomas Hopkins in May 1894.
The community was previously served by small family plots and St. Andrew’s (Graham) Cemetery at 112 Main Street Glencoe (Concession 1, Lot 1). St. Andrew’s eventually contained approximately 500 burials between 1841 – 1931. It still exists and is classified as ‘abandonned’.
After the new Oakland Cemetery opened and families started purchasing plots, new stones were installed and the names of beloved previously deceased family members were commemorated. This could explain why there are 175 inscriptions whose dates of death are prior to May 1894.
Records are poor but we surmise that sometimes stones were moved to the new Oakland. Sometimes the stones might have been buried or lost from their original family plot locations. And what of the bodies? We guess that bodies probably remain in their original resting places. It seems doubtful if they would have been disinterred and moved
Federal and Provincial Governments in Canada have mandated that public records be officially archived for legal, governance, and historical purposes.
The division of records kept usually coincides with jurisdictional boundaries: Federal, Provincial, County, and Municipalities. (Library and Archives of Canada Act, S.C.2004).
Ontario has further mandated that preserved public records be available to the public. (Archives Act, RSO 1990; Archives and Recordkeeping Act, 2006; Archives and Recordkeeping Amendment Act, 2019.
The Ontario Municipal Act 2001, S.O. 2001. C. 25 Section 254 further states that municipal offices must preserve certain documents and they are to be publicly accessible. Those records need to be adequately stored. It further indicates that municipal offices could deposit their records in an archives.
Many neighbouring Ontario counties have created their own archives to fulfill their legal obligations and to preserve important heritage materials. These include Elgin, Oxford, Huron, Perth, Grey, Bruce, Lambton, Haldimand, Wellington and more recently in 2020, Norfolk. Middlesex County has not done so yet.
Often records are not easily accessible due to the location of the records in the municipality. They are either stored off-site in another municipal structure or are not available for access to the public. Whether in digital or hard copy, records need to be accessible in a timely manner, especially when there are MFIPPA requests.
Environmentally controlled (EC) storage facilities are necessary for preserving records. The temperature must be 18-21 degrees Celsius, which is colder than an office environment. Relative humidity (RH) should be between 45-50%. If both elements are not met, mold can occur if humidity is too high, and paper can deteriorate if the temperature and RH are too low. Based on the surveys returned from the municipalities in Middlesex County, none of the records are in EC areas. A few municipalities indicated the records are stored in their community centres. While these facilities may have air-conditioning, the RH control is still an issue.
Even if municipal records are covered in Records Retention Schedules as per the Municipal Act 2001, S.O. 2001. C. 25 Section 253, some records have historical value that can be retained for researcher and/or historical value. When records no longer serve administrative value, they could still have cultural value for information. Less than 3% of municipal records are archival. While it might not be a lot, municipal records like tax assessment rolls, building plans, environmental assessments and other documents should be considered for placement in the Middlesex County Archives.
Written by the Committee to Establish a Middlesex County Archives, July 2021
Mission: to promote, encourage and foster the study of local history and genealogy including original research.
The Historical Society primarily focuses on local history within the bounds of the current Municipality of Southwest Middlesex, located in the south-west tip of Middlesex County.
The area includes:
Village of Glencoe
Ekfrid Township [Former]
Mosa Township [Former]
Appin
Newbury
Melbourne
Middlemiss
Wardsville
Local Expertise: Many of our members are experts in regional history:
land registry records for West Middlesex 1790-1973
regional settlement in the 1800’s
life and culture throughout the past 200 years
involvement in WW1 and WW2
history of local families
significant buildings and structures
local agriculture
building design and methods, and
textiles, sewing, quilting.
Objectives: The Glencoe & District Historical Society is an incorporated non-profit volunteer organization. It is a member of the Ontario Historical Society and the Ontario Genealogical Society. Our objectives are:
To promote, encourage and foster the study of local history and genealogy including original research.
To collect and preserve information, including books, manuscripts, typescripts, charts, maps, photographs, photostats, microfilms, tapes and related material for such historical study.
To reproduce some of the talks presented to the Society, as well as other research and materials, particularly relating to the region and to sell such reproductions.
To encourage, support and solicit research information on heritage buildings in our District as well as lend our support to other community groups who are active and interested in the preservation and restoration of heritage buildings.
The founding president Reverend George Hamilton held a strong passion regarding the preservation of local history and believed in the importance of sharing knowledge and engaging people with an organization that would provide an environment focused on encouraging these interests. The Society was formed in April 1978.
Certainly the major event of our spring schedule was to host our official opening at 178 McKellar Street, the new “Archives”, on a bright and sunny May 15th. Much planning and preparation went into making this wonderful day a success. The extended hours of 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. planned for our event enabled visitors to come and go as their time allowed. The ribbon cutting at 11 o’clock was attended by SWM Municipal Council, our G & DHS Executive and about another fifty-five or so people. This gathering also was present for the re-dedication of the Rotary Memorial at the front of the Archive building, and for the awarding of lifetime memberships to long serving members Ina Nelms and Louise Campbell. Congratulations to them.
Throughout the day guests and visitors were encouraged to sign the guest book and enter the draw for prizes. Visitors also toured the building and displays, chatted with volunteers and members and enjoyed the refreshments provided. In the early evening, we were pleased to have historical author Guy St. Denis talk about his fascinating new book “The True Face of Sir Isaac Brock“.
Much appreciation goes out to those who made this day possible and to the approximately 180 people who came through our doors. We were pleased to have the opportunity to share “who we are and what we’re about” with our community.
