pioneers

My Friends, The Trees

My Friends, The Trees

Glencoe & District Historical Society

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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Thomas Gardiner: The Ghost of Cashmere March 12, 2025

Thomas Gardiner: The Ghost of Cashmere March 12, 2025

March 12, 2025.  7:00 p.m.    Onsite at The archives and via  Zoom.  

Come to the Archives or tune in via zoom to meet the author, Daniel Perry.  Instead of helping launch a new book, Daniel wants to meet with us as part of the research.  

The material in this presentation is the partial basis of a non-fiction book he is working on, but it’s unlikely to be published (or even submitted to a publisher) by the time he visits.  He will present the work-in-progress to us.  He is hoping that local people will have more stories and clues to fill in the gaps.  

 

Thomas Gardiner’s younger brother Singleton (1774-1834) is well documented in local history as the effective founder of the vanished village of Cashmere, along the Thames in Mosa Township. But what of Thomas? 

Thomas Gardiner led a life both ordinary and extraordinary. Before his death in Mosa Township around 1840, Thomas served in the Irish Volunteers during the Rebellion of 1798, joined the Lincoln Militia in Canada, feuded with the Anglican Church, taught school, and likely endured epidemic cholera. He documented much of his life in letters to the Executive Council of Upper Canada in the 1830s, now preserved in Library and Archives Canada. But was he a reliable narrator? Missing from his account is, for example, his arrest for leaving Canada during the War of 1812.

Let’s help Daniel Perry unravel the truths and myths behind Thomas Gardiner’s fascinating story.  Read this post for more about this ambitious book project.  

 

Daniel Perry grew up in Glencoe, Ontario, and has lived in Toronto since 2006. His stories have been short-listed in the Vanderbilt/Exile Competition, have twice earned Summer Literary Seminars Unified Literary Contest fellowships, and have appeared in The Dalhousie Review, Exile Literary Quarterly, The Prairie Journal of Canadian Literature, The Nashwaak Review, White Wall Review, Little Fiction, NoD, In/Words, Paragon, Ottawa Arts Review, Sterling, the quint, echolocation, The Broken City, Wooden Rocket Press, Hart House Review, Broken Pencil– Death Match IV, and the Stone Skin Press anthology, The Lion and the Aardvark.

He has a great website where you can find links to a lot of his short stories and check out his just published book: Modern Folklore.

Modern Folklore, a horror novella has arrived on Planet Earth in both physical and electronic format. Published by Toronto’s Canada’s hottest new indie horror press and bookshop, Little Ghosts Books, it’s on the festival circuit, gracing Toronto’s Word on the Street and the Mississauga Literary Festival.

Christmas at the Manse – Melbourne Dec 7, 8

Christmas at the Manse – Melbourne Dec 7, 8

Two days:

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.

Ref: http://www.ontarioarchitecture.com/italianate.htm

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!            
Storytelling: A Stroll through Time, North Mosa

Storytelling: A Stroll through Time, North Mosa

Feb 9, 2025.     Story telling begins at 2:00 p.m. sharp.    No snow date.  Rehearsal is Sunday Feb 2, 2025 at 2:00 p.m.  

Welcome to A Stroll through Time – Celebrating 190 years of Burns Presbyterian Church, Mosa. 

Join us as we share stories about the Kilmartin community who established Burns Presbyterian Church in the hills of North Mosa.  

The Old Log Church was replaced with the first “Brick” church but it was eventually replaced by the existing church in 1891 when it encountered structural difficulties after a heavy slate roof was added.

 

The history of Burns’ Presbyterian Church

Burns Church  has deep roots in the traditions and values brought over by Scottish immigrants. Many of the pioneers who established the church originated from the Highlands of Scotland, particularly from Argyleshire. Their strong sense of faith and resilience, hallmarks of Highland character, guided them through the challenges of settling in Canada West in the early 19th century. These Scottish settlers arrived in the townships of Mosa, Metcalfe, Ekfrid, and Brooke, at a time when the land was still largely an unbroken forest. Despite the physical hardships of pioneer life, they carried with them a strong Presbyterian faith, holding regular meetings for prayer and worship, often in their homes or in the forests, before the establishment of a formal church.

 

By 1835-36, the community had built its first log church on what is now Kilmartin Cemetery grounds in Metcalfe Township. Though the church was incomplete and lacked doors, windows, or a roof, it became a place for gathering and worship. Despite the harsh conditions, the congregation remained devoted, listening to sermons on cold winter days while seated on rough wooden sleepers. As years passed, clergy such as Rev. Alexander Ross and Rev. Donald McKenzie occasionally visited, providing spiritual guidance and conducting services. These visits were cherished, and many traveled long distances through forests and swamps to participate, highlighting the central role religion played in the lives of the settlers.

 

In 1842, Rev. Duncan McMillan visited the area to perform baptisms and organize prayer meetings. It wasn’t until 1844 that the Mosa congregation was formally organized by the Presbytery of Hamilton. For several years, the congregation shared clergy with nearby Knox Church in Ekfrid. Services were initially held in barns and homes, notably the McLauchlin family barn, before another log church, known as “The Old Log Church,” was built around 1844.

 

Rev. Wm. R. Sutherland was ordained as the first permanent pastor in 1848, and the church flourished. He frequently traveled throughout the region to communities like Wardsville and Euphemia, to preach, marry couples, and baptize children. He travelled by horseback or on foot in all weather conditions.  

The fourth building – Burns Presbyterian Church Mosa. Opened in 1891.

Plant a tree to honour our author, Peter McArthur

Plant a tree to honour our author, Peter McArthur

Peter McArthur died October 28, 1924 ……..and we will plant and dedicate a “scarlet maple” in his honour near his grave at the Eddie Cemetery October 27, 2024 at  2:00 p.m.        Exactly 100 years later….          We plan to celebrate with selected readings on site.

For your comfort, please bring a lawnchair….. Also, walk with care as the ground is uneven. Take time afterwards to roam around and listen to the stones at Eddie Cemetery.

 

Park across the road in Mark McGill’s farm laneway.  We have his permission.  Do not park along the highway.  It’s a dangerous knoll.  

If the weather is poor, please come to the Archives instead, 178 McKellar St., Glencoe, ONtario.

 

 “Although I have lived in far countries and great cities, no place ever was my home except this farm.”  – Peter McArthur

 

 

 

When I strive to fathom the secret of this love I find that it is due to the fact that I learned history, not from books, but from the lips of the men and women who made Canada—that I learned the history, not of the government, but of the people. The spirit that broods over me to-day is the same that danced among the shadows beside an open fireplace while I listened to endless crooning tales of the sufferings and hopes of the pioneers.

 

 

THE SOUL OF CANADA – CHAPTER XXI

Book Title: The Affable Stranger
Date of First Publication: 1920
Author: Peter McArthur

 

It is all very well for men like William Lloyd Garrison to exclaim, “My country is the world.” I cannot lay claim to so broad a humanitarianism. Though I do not see the need of hating any other man’s country, there is one country that means more than any other to me. How could I reprove the people of the United States for loving their own country—for being jingos, if you will—when I know that their home love cannot exceed mine?

Let me confess. Often and often I have thought of writing something about the love of my native land, but was restrained by the feeling that it was too intimate and personal to be exposed for the entertainment of the public. Goodness knows I have gossiped about almost everything in the most shameless way, but there was something about love of the land that seemed too sacred to reveal even to intimate friends. But now I am emboldened to hang my heart on my sleeve and talk to those of my readers both in Canada and the United States who have felt the love of the land and know what it means. I have the good fortune to be living on the farm on which I was born—the farm which my father cleared. Although I was born too late to take a hand in the work of clearing,

 I learned the history of every acre before an open fireplace many years ago. The history of the clearing of the land, the first crops, the names and characters of the horses and cows on the place, are so interwoven with my youthful recollections that I seem to remember them all as if I had taken part in the battle with the wilderness myself, and had shared in all its triumphs and sorrows. Something of this farm struck a tendril into my heart which neither time nor distance could break. It is the only spot on earth that ever gave me the feeling of home. Even after being away for years I have sat down in New York or London, England, and have been as homesick for this farm as a little boy who makes his first journey away from his mother’s side. At any time I could close my eyes and see the quiet fields, and I would wonder what crops they were sown to. At all times it was my place of refuge, and, when I finally returned to it, it was with a feeling that my wanderings had ended, and that I could settle down and enjoy life where I belonged.

At the present time this love of the land appeals to me as being especially significant. The turmoil in the world to-day recalls to me the great purpose which moved my father and mother to undertake the task of making a home for themselves in the wilderness. They wanted to establish a home where their children and their children’s children could be free. I know the oppression and hardship from which they escaped in the old world, and the toil and hardship they endured in the new before their dream was realized. It is high time that we who are native-born realized the price that our parents paid for the freedom and liberty we have enjoyed. The freedom that they won by their toil and sacrifice is a heritage worthy of our sons who did battle so that it may endure.

There have been times when I thought that the men of my own generation were escaping too lightly in the work of establishing a Canadian nation, but I think so no longer. This new nation was founded by our freedom-loving and infinitely patient fathers, and defended by our freeborn and heroic sons. It is true that we came too late to take part in the pioneer work, and were too old to take our place in the trenches. But on us there rests a heavy responsibility. It is for us to pierce through the confusions and selfishness of political strategy and establish the truth and justice that alone can make a nation endure. We must be true to the great purpose of our fathers and the splendid courage of our sons. Here is something that strikes deeper than party politics, that demands the best that is in us of wisdom and sanity. If we fail to do our part nobly the whole fabric of nationhood will fall. Love of the land carries with it a responsibility that may try us as sorely as the wilderness tried our fathers or as the battlefront tried our sons. And for us there is no escape. The future of Canada is in our keeping.

Whenever I read history, even the history of Canada, I feel like the American soldier who was wallowing through the mud after the battle of Spottsylvania Court-house. Saluting his officer, he exclaimed bitterly: “If ever I love another country, damn me!”

History, as written, is largely a record of crimes and blunders that are exposed or whitewashed according to the political bias of the man who is writing the history. Historians, as a rule, are more given to the use of whitewash than a political investigating committee. Fired by a patriotic desire to picture for us a country worth loving, they suppress much, glorify everything that seems worth glorifying, and give us something that is no nearer the truth than the crayon portraits you see in many country parlors. If historians told the simple truth, every nation with a scrap of decency would be trying to live down its history, just as a convict tries to live down his past. And yet—and yet I confess to a love of Canada that is not simply a patriotic emotion, but a passion to which my whole being vibrates. To me Canada is a living soul—a Presence that companions me in the fields—a mighty mother that nourished my youth and inspires my manhood.

Whenever I think of Canada I remember Carman’s (Bliss) wonderful lines:

“When I have lifted up my heart to thee,
Then hast thou ever hearkened and drawn near,
And bowed thy shining face close over me,
Till I could hear thee as the hill-flowers hear.”

When I strive to fathom the secret of this love I find that it is due to the fact that I learned history, not from books, but from the lips of the men and women who made Canada—that I learned the history, not of the government, but of the people. The spirit that broods over me to-day is the same that danced among the shadows beside an open fireplace while I listened to endless crooning tales of the sufferings and hopes of the pioneers. The Spirit of Freedom that led them into the wilderness became my spirit, and their dream of a free Canada became a living spirit that danced about me in the flickering light of the flaming back-logs.

By some trick of the imagination I have always thought of Canada as the blithe spirit that haunted my childhood. But in my childhood she did not always come in the same guise. Sometimes she would come gliding out of the depths of the forest, a shy and dusky sprite that would take me by the hand and teach me the love of flowers and birds and the infinite mysteries of Nature. Again she would come as a country maid, glowing with the joy of life, who would lead me through the fields where she reaped the harvest and bound the sheaves. Always she walked in the sunlight and though her moods were full of song and care-free laughter

“She had the lonely calm and poise
Of life that waits and wills.”

As the years passed and the burdens of life began to press, I lost the intimate touch with the spirit of my country. But always I was conscious that back of the turmoil she was working her will and shaping the destiny of a free people. Though I might be stunned and disheartened by the greed of commerce and the clamor of politics, I could still see dimly that the spirit that companioned my youth was at work wherever men and women labored. And her love was not only for those who could claim it as a birthright, but to all who came to Canada in quest of freedom. Creeds and nationalities and old hatreds were nothing to her. No matter what wrongs or abuse of power there might be in high places, the spirit of Canada was nourishing the weak, teaching them the lesson of freedom, and moving to her place among the nations.

Then came the day when the war trumpets sounded and the soul of Canada flamed to her full stature. She heard the call of the oppressed and hurled her legions against the oppressor. Not hers

“To mix with Kings in the low lust for sway,
Yell in the hunt, and share the murderous prey.”

Nourished in freedom she gave battle for freedom. To-day I see her, as I saw her in the time of war, roused but unafraid, and watching with questioning eyes the sacrifice of her sons. Standing heroic on the soil that gave her birth she marks with glooming brows the madness of the nations. This is the hour of her decision. Woe alike to those who would stay her hand and to those who would hurry her to destruction! Born of the dreams of humble people who toiled and served for the freedom on which she was nourished, Canada must be forever free! As a free nation within the Empire she has given lavishly of her best, and as a free nation she must endure!

-30-

Barn Quilt Trail Movement: A Journey Across North America

Mary Simpson

By Mary Simpson and Denise Corneil. Featured in the Middlesex Banner.

The Barn Quilt Trail Movement, which started in Ohio, USA, has blossomed into a colorful journey across North America, thanks to the vision and dedication of individuals like Donna Sue Groves, now deceased. Inspired by her love for quilts and barns, Groves initiated the movement in 2001 when she painted the first quilt square on her family’s barn in Adams County, Ohio.

In Canada, the movement found roots in Temiskaming, Ontario, in 2007. Bev Maille, Marg Villneff, and Eleanor Katana spearheaded a project to paint 200 quilt squares, adorning barns and historic landmarks across the region in time for the International Plowing Match 2009. This initiative not only added vibrant colors to the landscape but also attracted tourists and boosted economic development.

Wardsville, Middlesex County, Ontario, joined the trail in 2009 when Denise Corneil’s mother, Eileen, returned from the U.S. with a barn quilt brochure. Denise, along with a team of volunteers, stitched a story quilt commemorating Wardsville’s founders, Mr. and Mrs. George Ward, for the village’s 2010 Bicentennial celebration. This project revitalized the community and became a testament to the power of preserving local heritage.

The movement continued to flourish in Ontario. With support from the Sand Plains Community Development Fund, over 100 quilts were created, each telling stories of settlement, community building, and rural life. Barn quilt trails spread up and down the roads of Middlesex, Elgin, Oxford, Norfolk, and Brant Counties in 2011. 

Here in Middlesex, women living along Longwoods Road and the community of Chippewa of the Thames, worked side by side to plan two trails explaining how the War of 1812-1814 affected the lives of women, children, and families.  The winter of 1813 was particularly bad.  

Trail of Tears- Family. Located in the community of Chippewa of the Thames

The result was the Trail of Tears Barn Quilt Trail, a collection showcased on Chippewa of the Thames locations, and a trail stretching along Longwoods Road from Delaware to Thameville – plus two beautiful quilts and many new and enduring friendships.  These trails and many more trails across Canada are curated at barnquilttrails.ca.  

In 2013, all major barn quilt trails in Ontario were curated on one website, barnquilttrails.ca, supported by the Ontario Trillium Foundation. This initiative aimed to provide guidance and encouragement to communities starting their own barn quilt projects, ensuring the movement’s sustainability and growth.  This website continues to be curated by volunteers and now showcases barn quilts across Canada.

As barn quilt trails spread across Canada, the United States, and around the world, they became more than just colorful displays; they became a way for communities to share their stories and preserve their heritage. 

Today, as new projects like those in South Bruce and Osgoode Township emerge, the legacy of the Barn Quilt Trail Movement lives on. Denise Corneil, Wardsville, along with a dedicated team, remains committed to supporting and promoting these initiatives, ensuring that the colorful journey across North America continues to thrive for generations to come.

The Fabric Quilt: Honoring Mr. & Mrs. George Ward

Mr. & Mrs. George Ward, founders

Some community barn quilt projects start the planning process with a theme and a story quilt.  In 2009, Wardsville started up with the War of 1812 theme.  Eleanor Blain and Sue Ellis, seasoned quilt makers, devised a plan to engage people of all skill levels in the quilt-making process. 

With the assistance of local historian Ken Willis, who provided valuable insights into the Wards’ history, the quilt committee traced the Wards’ journey from establishing a settlement along Longwoods Road to enduring the trials of the Battle of the Longwoods and the ensuing accusations of treason. Thirty quilt blocks were meticulously selected to depict key moments in the Wards’ lives, ensuring that Mrs. Margaret Ward’s contributions were honored too. 

The quilt-making process was a labor of love, with countless hours spent selecting fabrics, cutting shapes, and stitching together each block. Ellis and Blain invited community members, both experienced quilters and novices, to lend their hands to the project. The quilt frame at Beattie Haven Retirement Home became a hub of activity as individuals gathered to contribute stitches to the communal creation.

The quilt telling the story of George and Margaret Ward being stitched at Beattie Manor retirement home.

When the George Ward Commemorative Quilt was unveiled at Wardsville United Church in May 2010, it elicited gasps of awe from the crowd. The quilt’s was entered into the Group category at the 2010 International Plowing Match Quilting Competition in Shedden,where it claimed second prize.

What is a Barn Quilt?

Barn quilts are eight-foot square (and larger) painted replicas of actual fabric quilt blocks installed on barns. Barn quilts draw attention to Canada’s disappearing rural landscapes, timber frame barns, and the family farm. Each barn quilt tells a story and draws attention to unmarked historical places.

They can be scattered through the county mounted on beautiful barns (like Huron County), or they can create a themed route, leading visitors from one site to the next.

Tourists are Interested in our local history

With the aging baby boomer cohort, there is a lot of interest in nostalgia and history.  There is a growing recognition that tourists are interested in our local history too.

The Canadian federal government is investing in rural and remote tourism.  The tourism industry is realizing what barn quilt enthusiasts always knew.  Statistics Canada shows that tourism provides billions of dollars in revenue and accounts for 10% of local jobs in rural (non-metro) areas.  A federal spokesperson said that “Tourism can diversify and strengthen the economic base and viability as well as safeguard local culture, language and heritage. Businesses benefit from increased income from direct sales of homegrown and locally made products.  Visitors want to participate in authentic Indigenous experiences, and 62% of Indigenous tourism businesses are in rural and remote areas.” 

Louise Long applies masking tape prior to painting. Three coats. (Photo by Dave Chidley)

And so the barn quilt movement continues to spread.  Go to barnquilttrails.ca to find the trails in Middlesex County and southwestern Ontario.  Embark on a journey through time and space. This isn’t just tourism; it’s a love letter to the land, a celebration of heritage, and a testament to the power of community. 

The Appin Cemetery Commemoration

The Appin Cemetery Commemoration

Brien Page

Appin Cemetery Commemoration   July 28, 2024

As part of an annual commemoration of area cemeteries, Glencoe & District Historical Society (G&DHS) organized a presentation and community walk at the Appin Cemetery. Prayers, dedications, singing, and community conversation were key parts of the afternoon.

Members of the G&DHS and guests offered welcome, poetry reading, and historical insight to the cemetery and its connection to the community.

Jim May, Appin Cemetery board member, offered an historical account of the origins and continued support for the cemetery “on the sandy knoll above the town of Appin”. His address mirrored a, 10 year ago, presentation at the hundredth anniversary celebration of the Appin Cemetery. Here it is at this link.

The cemetery land was procured in 1914 and a company was formed, Appin Cemetery Co. Ltd., by a group of community members. Eleven men agreed to pay $15 per share to form the company to purchase the land. The property, 4 acres plus roadway, was purchased for $400.00.

The price of a plot, which included 8 burial sites, was $15.00. Several families representing early shareholders, (Johnson, McFee, May), purchased large family plots with 32 graves each. This provided early operating funds for the new company.

There was a total of 6 burials in the first year.

The stone gates were built at the entrance in 1957-58. The iron arch was added in 1974 and has since been refurbished.

Women have played a key role in the development and maintenance of the cemetery. Appin Women’s Institute helped create the roadway and tree planting efforts. They also offered the first donation for the stone gate construction and maintained persistent pressure for its completion through organizations such as the Appin Dramatic Club, headed by Ivy Galbraith.

Marj Zavitz was the first female Secretary-Treasurer of the cemetery board and many other women followed to support and lead the board.

David May, current President of the cemetery board spoke and offered welcome and highlighted the current situation with the Appin Cemetery. He indicated that land had been purchased to expand the cemetery from its current location, along the laneway to Thames Road at the gates.

Having a place of remembrance and honour was the focus for those original settlers. They envisioned and built a resting place for community members in and around the town of Appin.

The Appin Cemetery has been part of the community for over 100 years and is a reflection of the people who were and are in our midst.

Like the toils on early farms and settlements that made up Ekfrid and Appin, much hard work and dedication was necessary to have a lasting and sustainable place for family members to find their final rest.

The Glencoe and District Historical Society are thankful to The Appin Cemetery board for the cooperation and support for this commemoration event. Community spirit creates strength for all.

Mary Simpson, President of Glencoe & District Historical Society, and Ken Beecroft, Past President start the afternoon program.
James May shares the history of The Appin Cemetery
Glencoe Fair Sept 20, 21

Glencoe Fair Sept 20, 21

September 20, 21, 2024 Fair weekend.

For fair information: https://glencoefair.ca/

Help Us Keep Our History Alive!

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.

 

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.  

Glencoe & District Historical Society

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
Read more →
Peter McArthur: Our Famous Canadian – 1866 – 1924

Peter McArthur: Our Famous Canadian – 1866 – 1924

Glencoe & District Historical Society

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.

Read more →
Blood on the Snow – lecture about the Donnellys

Blood on the Snow – lecture about the Donnellys

Glencoe & District Historical Society

Glenn’s talk on YouTube – give it a listen

Glenn Stott tells about 33 years of troubles that took place in Biddulph Township and Lucan Ontario region in Upper Canada from 1847 to 1880 and ended with the murder of five members of the Donnelly family.

Read more →

Lecture about the Donnellys: Blood on the Snow

Glenn Stott – Blood on the Snow: The Donnellys and the Biddulph Tragedy

December 16 @ 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm

Register : https://www.historysymposium.com/glenn-stott

The talk will be a livestream on YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCeOdo89QhQQOSnROHKN3HoA.

The Donnellys are one of Southwestern Ontario’s most notorious families. This talk will be an overview of the 33 year troubles that took place in Biddulph Township and Lucan, Ontario region from 1847 to 1880 and ultimately ended with the murder of the five members of the Donnelly family.

 

The “Black” Donnellys were an Irish Catholic immigrant family who settled in Biddulph township, Canada West (later the province of Ontario), about 15 km northwest of London, in the 1840s. The family settled on a concession road which became known as the Roman Line due to its high concentration of Irish Catholic immigrants in the predominantly Protestant area. Many Irish Canadians arrived in the 19th-century, many fleeing the Great Famine of Ireland (1845-52). The Donnellys’ ongoing feuds with local residents culminated in an attack on the family’s homestead by a vigilante mob on 4 February 1880, leaving five of the family dead and their farm burned to the ground. No one was convicted of the murders, despite two trials and a reliable eyewitness

Farmer, writer, radical, sage: Re-introducing Peter McArthur

Farmer, writer, radical, sage: Re-introducing Peter McArthur

Thursday 22 February at 2.00pm ET.   Hybrid: zoom or attend The Archives, 178 McKellar St, Glencoe, ON N0L 1M0.  Stephanie McDonald, local gal living in Dublin, Ireland, will re-introduce us to our local writer who was very famous in his day. 

Join Zoom Meeting by clicking below. 

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/81540475927?pwd=DcbqT7GRFgXCiJ24ScHZ4g6lZkQbQn.1

Meeting ID: 815 4047 5927.  (in case you are asked for it)

Passcode: 809749

 

In 1908, at the age of 42, Peter McArthur returned to his family farm in Ekfrid Township with his wife and five children after living and working in Toronto, New York and London, England. For the next 16 years he wrote weekly columns in The Globe, amusing and enlightening his readers about life on a rural Ontario farm. 

 

October 28, 2024 will mark the centenary of McArthur’s death at the age of 58 following an operation. The man dubbed the “Sage of Ekfrid”, who had the most famous farm in Canada, is now nearly forgotten. With wit and wisdom, McArthur interrogated questions that we’re still asking today – how to bridge the rural/urban divide, how to protect the natural environment, and how to spend our days and live a good life.

 

Stephanie McDonald grew up on a mixed farm in Ekfrid Township. She has worked as a newspaper reporter in the Canadian Arctic, and in communications, policy and administration roles in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, Ottawa and now Dublin, Ireland. Stephanie has had articles published in various newspapers and magazines, mostly about farmers, farming, food security and the climate crisis.

 

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Meeting ID: 815 4047 5927

Passcode: 809749

Farmer, writer, radical: the Sage of Ekfrid

 

 

Crofters from Argyllshire, Scotland

Doug Ferguson: Ancestral Odyssey – The Family Ferguson

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. 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. Read more →

McGill Farm History & the Gunnery School

Glencoe & District Historical Society

My name is Andrew McGill, I’m a young farmer and a photographer. I grew up on a farm 6 kilometres north of Glencoe, Ontario. In mid 1940 my great grandfather Fred McGill purchased a farm building which was to be moved from the site of the No. 4 Bombing and Gunnery School at Fingal Ontario. The building was dismantled and moved 45 kilometres north of Fingal to its final resting place on the McGill farm at Taits rd. Glencoe where it has sat to this day. My father and I think the building was then reassembled with a new roof sometime in 1941. The site of No. 4 B&G school sat on a swath of 724 acres of land that was returned to the crown for the purpose of building the training facility. One can imagine the numerous agricultural buildings on the land that would have had to be dismantled and moved in short order to make way for the multiple airplane hangers and triangle runway of the Fingal school. 

Aerial photo of the McGill farm circa 1977. The building in question can be seen directly to the left of the barn. (Photo care of McGill family Archive, 1977.)

McGill farm building moved from Fingal Bombing And Gunnery School site in 1940. (Photo: Andrew McGill. September, 2022.)
Aerial photo of the site of the Fingal Bombing and Gunnery School. (Photo: Commonwealth Air Training Plan Museum.)
Route from Fingal B&G school site to the McGill farm. (Photo: Google Maps)
Interior detail of the McGill farm building which continues to house tools and horse equipment which would have been used by the late Fred McGill circa 1940’s. (Photo: Andrew McGill, 2016.)
A restored 1942 Minneapolis Moline “Waterloo” tractor stored in the building on the McGill farms site. (Photo: Andrew McGill, 2022.)
Winifred (Eddie), Fred, and Blake McGill using their 1942 Minneapolis Moline Tractor to plant sugar beets for seed to aid the allied forces war effort. (Photo care of McGill family Archive, 1942.)
Alternate angle of Winifred (Eddie), Fred, and Blake McGill using their 1942 Minneapolis Moline Tractor to plant sugar beets for seed to aid the allied forces war effort. (Photo care of McGill family Archive, 1942.)
Clare McGill and Dorothy Brown in front of the McGill homestead with the 1942 Minneapolis Moline “Waterloo” tractor. (Photo care of McGill family Archive, 1942.)
Clare, Winifred (Eddie), and Blake McGill in front of the McGill homestead to mark the moment King George VI announced enlistment of eligible men into the military in Canada. (Photo care of McGill family Archive, 1941.)

 

Blake McGill standing with his newly restored 1942 Minneapolis Moline tractor on the McGill farm in 1993. (Photo care of McGill family Archive, 1993.)
McGill Farm
Aerial photo of the McGill farm taken the year of its 100th anniversary in 2016. The relocated building can be seen clearly to the left of the barn. (Photo care of McGill family Archive, 2016.)
Dorothy (Knapp), Doug, and Ron McRae in Ilderton Ontario, 1955
Dorothy (Knapp), Doug, and Ron McRae in Ilderton Ontario, 1955. During WWII, as a 13 year old, my grandmother Dorothy along with her schoolmates were tasked with finding a plant called Alder Buckthorn, which because of its consistent burn time was used to create fuses for depth charges used to sink German navy vessels. It is told that Dorothy found enough of the valuable plant for her father to pay off the mortgage of their farm. (Photo care of the McRae family Archive, 1955.)

Glencoe historians pay homage to Gough Cemetery

Glencoe & District Historical Society

by Marie Williams-Gagnon, Hayter Publications Inc.  

Seated in the shade of an old pine tree, a group of over 40 gathered to honour those interred at the Gough Cemetery on Sunday afternoon, July 28, 2019. The community memorial service, an annual event held at a different cemetery each year, was hosted by the Glencoe & District Historical Society.

The Gough Cemetery is located at 5018 Scotchmere Dr. in Adelaide-Metcalfe.After Society president Ken Beecroft welcomed guests and area historian Ken Willis offered a dedication and prayer, historian Harold Carruthers provided some background on the Cemetery itself which is on the property settled by the John and Eliza  (Kellestine) MacGoughr (later Gough) family in 1845.

The couple had a large family of 13 but their son Nelson died in 1849. His was likely to be the first burial at the site, followed by those of his sisters Hannah in 1855 and Elizabeth in 1865. Since that time, the predominant family names of those interred on the tiny property are Ash, Boyd, Gough, Hetherington, Moore, Olde, Towers, Williams and Yager. Society member Marilyn (Gough) McCallum provided a detailed history of the “MacGoughr” family that voyaged to Canada from Ireland in 1831.

The family was among the earliest settlers of township in the early 1830s with Metcalfe itself not existing prior to 1846 when Ekfrid and Adelaide were divided. “They endured all the hardships of pioneer life having cut out of the wilderness homes for themselves on land given to them by the Crown.” McCallum detailed the life of settlers John and Eliza MacGoughr who received title on the property.

Sometime in the 1850s, the “Mac” and the “r” were dropped from their name. She shared details about family members, including those buried at that particular cemetery. She recalled visiting the cemetery as a child. “We would tread softly, touch the stones, speak the names…of those who came before.”

Lorne Munro added some information about the Kellestine family before the service closed. The property was sold to Charles Towers in 1909. The Cemetery is personally maintained by Heather and Charlie Towers who were recognized for their efforts and the new fence they constructed at the front of the property. They took over the responsibility from Reta and Alex Johnson and Vern and Shirley Towers who had maintained it over the years. 

Staying out of the heat while gathered in the shade, Glencoe historians and family members joined together at the Gough Cemetery in Adelaide-Metcalfe for a service of remembrance. The Glencoe and District Historical Society holds services at a different community cemetery each year. Photo by Marie Williams-Gagnon, Hayter Publications



Gough Cemetery

July 28, 2019.  Community Memorial Service.  Gough Cemetery, 5018 Scotchmere Drive, Glencoe, Metcalfe Township, ON.  2:00 p.m. Bring a lawn chair. No rain date.   In case of rain, the event will relocate to The Archives, 178 McKellar Street, Glencoe, ON.

The Lands and The Lucas’s

October 16, 2019. at The Archives. 7:00 pm
The Robert Land / Clement Lucas Family Trees

JoAnn Lucas Galbraith, Charter Member of The Glencoe and District Historical Society, Charter member of the Ekfrid Museum, member of the London Branch U.E.L., Strathroy Historical Society, Author, Genealogist, and Historian, will take folks back in time beginning in the 11th century at the time of the Norman Conquest in the British Isles.

JoAnn will tell of the family’s voyage from the British Isles to America, their achievements, their similarities and the talents of her United Empire Loyalists families.

The Archives in Glencoe, Ontario, Canada

Open House!

May 15, 2019. Open House at The Archives! 178 McKellar Street, Glencoe, ON. Come and  see what we are all about.

10 a.m. – 9 p.m.

Ribbon Cutting at 11 a.m.  Re-dedication of Rotary Memorial.  Refreshments and tours.  Draws for free memberships.

Main Price – Ancestry DNA kit.

(4:00 p.m.  Guy St. Denis is presenting his new book at the Glencoe Library.  Then he is coming to do a Q&A at The Archives.  Books available for purchase) 
6:30 p.m.  Author Guy St. Denis signing his new book: The True Face of Sir Isaac Brock
Take your lunch break with us. There will be coffee and goodies. This is a fantastic new public space that is yours to enjoy. Buy a membership. Do your family tree. Borrow a book. Bring us your family documents to preserve.

Black History

February 20, 2019. “I Continue the Journey”.

Stan Grizzle and his father both have devoted their lives to fighting racism.

Join us for this important event during Black History month. 2:00 pm. 178 McKellar Street, Glencoe.