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Bruce County
Genealogical Society
Box 1083, Port Elgin, ON
N0H 2C0
http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/
~onbcgs
Volume 27, Issue 2
May 2016
ISSN 1184-7387
Bruce Bulletin
Upcoming Meetings and Other Events
Date: Monday, June 13, 2016 @ 7 pmPlace: Chesley CemeteryTopic: Walk and Talk
Date: Monday, July 11, 2016 @ 7 pmPlace: Bruce County Museum and Cultural
CentreTopic: Southampton Walk of History
Date: Monday, August 8, 2016 @ 7 pmPlace: Bruce County Museum and Cultural
CentreTopic: Authors Night with Bruce County
Historical Society
Highlights of Previous Meetings
March: A capacity crowd joined members ofthe Bruce County Genealogical Society fortheir March meeting at the Bruce CountyMuseum & Cultural Centre. Patrick Kelly ofPaisley provided historical background to theIrish Famine Migration The traumaticexperiences of those who emigrated weregenerally not spoken about to familymembers, similar to traumatic war experiencesnot being shared. Through the early decadesof 1800, Ireland was a country rich in
agricultural resources. By the 1840's thedemands of the British government resulted inthe country becoming economically poor, withextreme poverty and destitution, a nation ofpaupers. Ireland's export economics wasunable to support the impoverished population.England declined to offer any charity.
ContentsPage
Upcoming Meetings and Events/Highlights of Previous Meetings. . 1/2
From Globe Newspaper. . . . . . . . . . . 2
Nary a Trace. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2/4
BCGS Cemetery Group/Meaning ofCarvings on Gravestones. . . . . . . . 5/6
Bruce County Strays. . . . . . . . . . . 6/7
News from the Bruce CountyArchives. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Donations List for 2015. . . . . . . . . . . 8
BCGS Information. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
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The Great Hunger had its beginnings inSeptember 1845 when over half of the fallharvest of the potato crop was destroyed. Thepotato crop was devastated through the yearsuntil 1849. Black '47 was descriptive of thoseyears. Two British government officialsvisited Ireland and wrote a report includingsketches "Oxford to Skibbereen". Articleswere published in magazines of the day.English landlords evicted tenants who wereunable to pay their rent resulting in a largeportion of the population being faced with thechoice of death or emigration.
Some emigrated to Britain, some to the USAor Australia but because fares were cheapestto Canada, a large number boarded sailingships for the voyage to Quebec. Many ofthem were ill and unfit for such a journey.Conditions on the ships were very poor.Typhus, a very contagious disease spread bylice was soon rampant on the ships. It wasestimated that the survival rate of fifty percentfor emigration in 1847. A quarantine centre atGrosse Isle provided isolation centres forsurvivors.
Patrick concluded his presentation by offeringa tribute to the legacy of spirit of those whosurvived.
A brief business meeting preceded thepresentation. Lolly Fullerton, CemeteriesCo-ordinator reported that photos ofheadstones in cemeteries in Walkerton andPort Elgin have been uploaded to the OntarioHeadstones site. Sue Schlorf, AssistantArchivist, reported on activities planned forArchives Week. Of special note is the April10 presentation celebrating historical andg e n e a l o g i c a l s o c i e t i e s .http://www.brucemuseum.ca/events/archives-awareness-week-events/
From Globe newspaper August 19, 1875
Nary A Traceby Mary Mackay
Mirran Blue was almost ten years old before sherealized there was something wrong with herfamily. She wasn’t quite three when her familyemigrated from Scotland and settled in ElderslieTownship, Bruce County. Of course she didn’tremember anything about the trip or who allcame with her on the boat but as far back as shecould remember there was Grannie, Granda,Uncle Jim, Aunt Mary and William and Stuartfor her to play with. She knew William andStuart weren’t her brothers; they weren’t evenbrothers, because Stuart had a different lastname. She missed the boys when they started toschool and cried and begged Grannie to let hergo too but Grannie said she was too little towalk the two miles to Gillies Hill School. Itwas not until two months after her seventhbirthday that she was finally allowed to attendschool.
School was wonderful for Mirran. She loved theteacher. She learned to read in no time at all and
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she had a best friend, Christina McDonald.They met at the corner every morning andwalked to school together. The teacher evenlet them sit together. They made up nicknamesfor each other. Christina was “Chrissy” andMirran was “Mur”. Mur sounded so muchbetter than Sarah which the teacher insisted oncalling her. Miss Johnson said there was nosuch name as Mirran in the English Language.Mirran was Gaelic for Sarah and since no onewas allowed to speak the Gaelic at school,Mirran became Sarah but it was very hard toget used to. Sometimes Miss Johnson had tocall twice, “Sarah will you answer thequestion, please?”
Christina McDonald was two years older thanMirran but Mirran soon caught up to her andthey did their lessons together .The weekbefore “Chrissy’s” 12th birthday the girls werevery excited. The days dragged by. WouldFriday never come ? Mur” was to walk homeafter school with “Chrissy” and stay overnight. Uncle Jim said he would hitch up thehorse and come for her on the jumper onSaturday afternoon.
Mirran noticed something very different aboutChrissy’s family as soon as she hung up hercloak and heavy stockings on the hooksbehind the door . Chrissy’s mother met themat the door with a hug and then continuedstirring the stew. Chrissy’s two little brotherswere playing on the floor. Her older brotherhad run home ahead of them and already wasout helping his father.
“Where is your Grannie and Granda?” Mirranwhispered after the girls climbed the ladder tothe loft. And don’t you have an uncle and anaunt living with you?”
“Grannie and Granda live farther down theroad,” replied Chrissy. “ I have uncles but theydidn’t come to Canada with us. I helped myPa write a letter to them telling them theyshould join us here,” Chrissy replied proudly.
Mirran was silent for a few minutes. A strangefeeling came over her. Was it homesickness? Noshe was ten - well almost ten and had beenlooking forward to this day all week “Comelet’s play naughts and crosses,” she suggested.
“I think I should go down and help my mother.She expects my help as soon as I change out ofmy school clothes.”
“Aunt Mary helps Grannie,” Mirran commented, “But I help with the clean up,” she addedquickly.
After supper the girls sat at the big table doinghomework and drawing pictures. Chrissy’smother sat near the light with her knitting andher Pa and brothers whittled until it was toodark to see what they were doing.
Mirran lay awake for a long time after Chrissyfell asleep. One thought was whirling throughher mind. She told Chrissy about it nextmorning when they were carrying the waterfrom the spring. “Chrissy, I don’t have amother.”
Chrissy stopped dead in her tracks and lookedsquarely at Mirran.”Of course you have amother. Everybody has a mother.”
“I don’t.” replied Mirran, I don’t have a father,either.”
“Lots of people don’t have a mother or fatherliving with them but your Grannie looks afteryou. Sometimes mothers and fathers die . Butsomebody else in the family always looks afterthe children,” said Chrissy reassuringly. “Doesn’t your Grannie ever tell you stories aboutyour mother or father. My Grannie has adifferent story to tell me about my mother everytime I go to visit.”
Mirran wrinkled her brow trying to imagineGrannie, or Granda either, telling her stories,“No, she has never told me any stories. UncleJim talks a lot about Scotland and the trip over
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on the boat. I’ve heard about that so often it’salmost as if I can remember it. But he nevermentioned a mother or father, I don’t thinkWilliam or Stuart have a mother either.”
“What about your Aunt Mary? I thought shewas their mother.”
“Aunt Mary? Havers no,” exclaimed Mirranborrowing one of Grannie’s expressions. “They aren’t even brothers. Aunt Mary wasnever married. She doesn’t even like men. Shehas told me many times to never get married.Men just want sex and someone to darn theirsocks.”
Chrissy burst out laughing. Chrissy had suchan infectious laugh that soon Mirran wasgiggling too and that was the end of thediscussion. On the way home later thatafternoon Mirran decided to ask Uncle Jim. “Uncle Jim, why don’t I have a mother andfather like Chrissy does?”Uncle Jim gave a loud guffaw. “You don’tneed a father . You’ve got me, I’m better thanany father, don’t you think?”
“Of course you are Uncle Jim, and thank youvery much for coming to get me. I wasbeginning to get lonesome.”
“Lonesome for me, were you? It was Grannieand Aunt Mary who were lonesome last night.The house was so quiet: we ate supper insilence. It will be so nice to have you homeagain. Are you ready to lead the singsongtonight?”
“Uh-hu,” and Mirran snuggled under thewarm robe and slept the rest of the way home.Her last thought was I will ask Grannie assoon as I get home. But she never did. Threedays after her visit to Chrissy’s Grannie had astroke and two days later she died.
Mirran was married the day before hernineteenth birthday. Life was not the sameafter Grannie died. Aunt Mary complained allthe time about all the work she had to do andMirran ended up quitting school to help her.
But then Mirran’s life brightened up whenAlexander came ‘a courting’. Mirran likedAlexander. He was a lot older than her–almostas old as Uncle Jim but that didn’t matter. Hemade her laugh and made her feel important.She longed to be married and have a baby of herown to love. A baby who would know who itsmother was. So on June 4th Mirran andAlexander started a new life together.
By fall Mirran was a bit suspicious she mightbe pregnant but she didn’t share the good newswith Alexander until she felt the baby move. ByChristmas time she could feel the bump in hertummy growing. On a very snowy day the endof March she went into labour. Alexander wentfor Mrs. McDougal. Right away Mrs.McDougal realized something was wrong andsuggested Alexander go for the doctor.
Alexander headed out through the storm but bythe time he returned with the doctor it was toolate. The baby was breathing on her own but shewas very weak. Mirran just opened her eyes andwhispered, “Take care of my baby. Take her toyour mother. Tell her she had a mother wholoved her very much. Tell her she had amother……” She closed her eyes and the angelscarried her soul to heaven.
With tears streaming down his cheeksAlexander bundled up the infant and headed offto his parent’s place.
In a lonely corner of the graveyard almostcovered with moss and brush is a small slab ofcement bearing this inscription:
In memory of my beloved wife Mirran Who died March 30, 1868 Age 20 yr. 9 mo 3 days Also her infant daughter Sarah Age 4 months 27 daysThe lives of some of the early pioneers snuffedout leaving nary a trace.
That’s when I write a story.
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BCGS Cemetery Groupsubmitted by Lolly Fullerton
Our BCGS Cemetery Group worked hard thissummer. We took photos of every stone in theWalkerton Cemetery and in the Calvary /Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Cemetery too.
Our group this year consisted of AnneGoeden, Bill Stewart, David MacRae, GlenysJohnson, Lolly Fullerton with Biscuit the dog,Pamela Binnendyk, and Sylvia Hasbury. Wehad so much fun and accomplished lots. Allt h e p h o t o s a r e g o i n g o nhttp://cemetery.canadagenweb.org/ It willtake a while to transcribe every photo. It tookus from July – October going basically once aweek. Not all of us went every week butgenerally from August on, there were at leastthree of us every morning, stopping for a spotof lunch close by!
COME AND JOIN US THIS SUMMER!
The term "Relict" on a tombstone means thatthe woman was a widow at time of death,consort means that her husband survived her.
"Cenotaph" engraved on a tombstone indicatesan empty grave with the stone erected in honoror memory of a person buried elsewhere oftenerected in honour of a person lost at sea.
Meanings of Carvings on Gravestones
Arches- Victory in DeathArrows- MortalityBouquets / flowers- Condolences, grief, sorrowBuds / Rosebud-- Morning of Life or Renewalof LifeRoses- Brevity of earthly existenceFull-Blown Rose- Prime of LifePortals- Passageway to eternal journeyBugles- Resurrection and the MilitaryCrossed Swords- High-ranking military personFlying Birds- Flight of the SoulFruits - Eternal plentyGarlands - victory in deathImps--- MortalityShells- Pilgrimage of LifeThistles- RemembranceTombs- MortalityTrees- LifeTrumpeters- Heralds of the ResurrectionWillows- Earthly SorrowMorning Glory- Beginning of LifeButterfly-- Short-lived; Early DeathPalm Branch-- Signifies victory and rejoicingIvy- Friendship and ImmortalityLaurel- Fame or VictoryOak Leaves & Acorn- Maturity, Ripe Old AgeWeeping WiIlow- Emblem of SorrowCorn--- Ripe Old AgeSheaf of Wheat-- Ripe for Harvest, DivineHarvest,Poppy- SleepLamb- InnocenceDove- Innocence, Gentleness, Affection, PurityCherub- AngelicCross- Emblem of FaithAnchor / Ships- Hope or Seafaring professionBroken Ring-- Family Circle SeveredBroken Column--- Loss of Head of FamilyTorch Inverted-- Life ExtinctUrn with Blaze -- Undying FriendshipHarp-- Praise to the MakerHandshakes-- Farewell
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Hearts-» Soul in Bliss or Love of ChristHorns-- The ResurrectionHourglass-- Swiftness of TimeOpen Book / Bible-- Deceased Teacher,Minister, etc.Lily or Lily of Valley- Emblem of innocenceand PurityTree Stump with Ivy- Head of Family;ImmortalityUrn with Wreath or Crepe–MourningStars & Stripes Around Eagle- EternalVigilance, LibertyHourglass w/ Wings of Time-- Time Flying;Short LifeCandle being Snuffed-- Time, mortalityCoffin, Father Time.Picks /Shovels, Darts-- MortalityHand of God Chopping-- Sudden DeathWinged Effigies- Flight of the Soul
Bruce County Strays as found in
Victoria Daily Colonist, Victoria, BCCompiled by: Leona Taylor
Died August 7, 1937 at Victoria, BC, JamesHenry Dickson, 73, of 202 Raynor Avenue,son of James Henry & Phoebe Dickson, bornin Thorold, Ontario, resident here 37 years,formerly senior member of Dickson & Howes,cabinet manufacturers of Victoria.Predeceased by his first wife, Ellen WhitefieldDickson in 1901, he leaves widow HannahJessie [daughter of John & Caroline [Haslam]McDonald of Prince Edward Island, bornKincardine, Bruce County, Ontario], 6 sons:Arthur in Everett; Howard, in Birmingham,Alabama; Percy, in Seattle; Gordon, Victoria;Donald, Sayward; George, Nanaimo, and 3daughters, Mrs E LaPine, Seattle, Mrs Smith& Miss Margaret Dickson, Victoria [2013:now Mrs Margaret Trowsdale, 97, stillresident of Victoria]. Pallbearers: W A Blake,H E Wille, A Stevens, G Okell. Family plot,P 092 E I.*
August 14, 1937, 16 - Bruce County Old Boys’Assn hold 5 annual picnic at Victoria. Officersth
are: James Dinsmore; Frank Schroeder; W AHendry; Angus Galbraith; Robert Allen, A BMcNeill.*Died October 26, 1937 at Victoria, BC, MissEmma Lillie Blakeway, youngest daughter oflate Mr & Mrs Thomas Blakeway. Born inChesley, Bruce County, Ontario. Leaves sisters,brother. ROBP*Died December 10, 1937 at Vancouver, BC,Lady Christina Margaret McBride, 67, widow ofSir Richard McBride [ex-Premier of BC]. Born1870 in Ripley, Bruce County, Ontario,daughter of Neil McGillivray, she came to NewWestminster, where she was living at the timeof her marriage in 1896. Their home for 12years, between 1903-1915, was at Gleneig,Gorge Road, when McBride was Premier of BC.When Sir Richard went to London in 1915 asBC Agent-General, Lady McBride accompaniedhim, but returned here after his death in 1917.Until 2 years ago she lived at 830 Quadra Street,but latterly had been staying with 2 of herdaughters, one in Calgary and latterly inVancouver. She leaves 6 daughters. December14, 6 - funeral... Pallbearers, all sons-in-law:Marshall Beck, Captain Macgregor Macintosh,Dr John H Moore, Maurice Carmichael, BasilHood, Bruce Forbes. Family plot, R 077 W R.*Died December 9, 1937 at Victoria, BC,Alexander McLellan Bannerman, 79, born atChesley, Bruce County, Ontario, resident here50 years. He was an alderman here nearly 30years ago. Leaves widow, Fannie Louise,daughter, son. Pallbearers: A E Mallett, MKirkpatrick-Crockett, A , T S Mills, FredButterfield, Cyril Barker. Family plot, H 087 E16.*January 26, 1938, 2 - died yesterday at Victoria,BC, Mrs Sarah Schroeder, 96, born at Peterhead,Scotland, resident at Chesley, Bruce County,Ontario before moving here 10 years ago.ROBP*
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March 10, 1938, 5 - died March 8 at Victoria,BC, John McHardy, 77, who came to BC fromLucknow, Bruce County, Ontario in 1888. Helocated at Port Moody, where he engaged indiving. In 1899 he came to Victoria, bringinghis diving apparatus, and started in businessfor himself, later becoming associated withthe Bullen brothers when they formed aconcern to salvage damaged and wreckedvessels. It was known as BC SalvageCompany, later becoming Pacific SalvageCompany, which has become noted for manysuccessful salvage jobs.*
News from the Bruce CountyArchivesAnn-Marie Collins, ArchivistSue Schlorff, Archival AssistantDeb Sturdevant, Archival Assitant
New Online Collections Database!
Enjoy browsing descriptions and images of as a m p l e o f o u r C o l l e c t i o n a tcollections.brucemuseum.ca where you may alsosearch the Museum’s archival material, books,photographs and objects. Currently, only a smallportion of the Bruce County Museum & CulturalCentre's Collection is searchable through this site;however, we are adding more records on amonthly basis. As always, if you are unable tofind the resources you are looking for, pleasecontact or visit us!
Our other sites: photos.brucemuseum.ca andbruceremembers.org are also available forsearching photographs and military-relatedresources.
New Additions to the Archives & Research Room
Some highlights of donations received to date in2016 include the following. More informationabout each of these donations is available atcollections.brucemuseum.ca.
1. Records and photographs related to BruceCounty Rebekah Lodges, including:
a) Rebekah Kincardine District No. 11Minutes, 1925-1953; b) Rebekah District No. 24 SouthLodge record books, 1956-1977: c) Officer’s Roll Call Books for HilltopRebekah Lodge No. 371 of Bervie, 1954-1984;d) Officers' Roll Book, Jewel RebekahLodge No. 270 of Lucknow, 1925-1942;e) Officer's Roll Call Books, Huron StarRebekah Lodge No. 303 of Ripley, 1930 -[1945?], 1952-1957, and 1967-1972f) Photographs
For more details, use “Rebekah Lodge” int h e k e y w o r d s e a r c h a tcollections.brucemuseum.ca.
2. "Twelve Crosses" booklet by Ripley-Huron(Ontario Branch No. 404) of the RoyalCanadian Legion, 1989.
3. Materials gathered by the Bruce CountyHistorical Society as part of their militaryproject. Much of the information gatheredhas been added to bruceremembers.org.For more details, use keyword searchA 2 0 1 6 . 0 0 7 * a tcollections.brucemuseum.ca.
Archives Hours
The Research Room is open Monday toSaturday 10:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Please checkour website for holiday hours and call ahead ifyou are planning to view items stored in thearchival storage area. The Bruce CountyArchives is part of the Bruce County Museum &Cultural Centre, 33 Victoria Street,Southampton, Ontario, 519-797-2080, ext. 129.
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Bruce County Genealogical Society-2016E-mail: [email protected]
http://www.rootsweb.com/~onbcgs
Executive
President: Doug Lennox
Vice President: Glenys Johnston
Secretary: Marilyn Perkins
Assistant: Sylvia Hasbury
Treasurer: Anne Goeden
Membership Secretary: Anne Goeden
Past President: Anne Goeden
Committees
Mail Secretary: Helen W uerth
Cemetery Co-ordinator: Lolly Fullerton
Library Co-ordinator: Cecile Lockrey
Research Co-ordinator: Sylvia Hasbury
Newsletter Editor: Shirley Moulton
Newsletter Assistants: AudreyUnderwoodMary MacKay
Webmaster: Louise Stewart
E-mail Correspondent: Anne Goeden
Publication sales: Helen W uerth
Publication Co-ordinator: Bill Stewart
Publicity: Marilyn Perkins
Clipping Collection: Volunteers
Cards: Judy MacKinnon
Newsletter
The newsletter is published quarterly: February,
May, August, November. Articles of interest
may be submitted for inclusion and should give
credit to the original source.
Newsletter Editor: Shirley Moulton
763 Brentwood Dr.
Port Elgin, ON
N0H 2C4
(519) 832-3206
E-mail: [email protected]
Donations List for 2015
Rita GreigJoyce HowlettLillian NelsonFlorence MackesyCatherine CluleyMyrna AustenMurray PletschLinda HuberJohn & Linda MacNeillDonna MainePatrick KellyAlice HoyleDorne C. FitzsimmonsWilliam CannonGordon RichardsonRuth BainbridgeJudith BushekBarbara AitkenNora FarnsworthPatti RothwellHeather IbbotsonRichard A BruntonColleen HauswirthAllister CampbellJames StruthersWalter HeathersMax F McDonaldErnest StepanSusan J McKenzieKathy V Hunt-TrumbleDonald Meyer Bonnie FosterPatricia StevensShirley ReaburnLeslie FullertonStuart & Rosemary LawrenceAnne JuddAnne GoedenRichard A. BruntonMary I. MacKayJames D StruthersGlenys JohnsonJoyce HowlettDonna MaineElizabeth ReidPatricia StevensFrancis Lamont
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