Leeds and Grenville

September 26 2017

Lyn’s Local Factories

John Village of Lyn Elizabethtown Ontario, History of Lyn, Leeds and Grenville, Lyn Ontario 0

Lyn, October 21^st, 1896 (The Recorder Newspaper)

Our industries seem to be running about full time. The Last Factory employing about ten hands in turning blocks of hard maple wood into lasts for the Quebec shoe factories to make their shoes on have been running steadily under A.E.Cumming, proprietor.

The Lyn Agricultural Works owned by Geo. P. McNish have established more than a county reputation among the farmers for his land rollers, cultivators, root cutters, etc. and his sales this season have been larger than ever.

The roller flour mills owned by Jas. Cumming are running night and day by water power with steam auxiliary turning out 300 bags of flour per day, taking a car load of wheat per day to keep them supplied. They have been running behind in their orders all summer and the present boom in wheat has increased that difficulty.

The Lyn Woollen Mills, run by steam power, have had an increase in their trade lately due, no doubt, to the excellent cloths and yarns turned out by Mr. R. Walker. “No Shoddy” is his motto and he is bound to win.

One of the latest industries to start here is that of Mr. Alba Root who manufactures wooden ware including Elm hub blocks, dry and liquid measures, curry combs, etc. Mr. Root started in a small way, and as he is a practical mechanic and oversees all his work, his business has increased. He sells his goods to the wholesale men of our Canadian cities.

The G. & C. Eyre Co. although mot actively manufacturing just now are still able t fill all orders for their several classes of wooden ware.

May 21 2017

Kitley Township Map of 1861-62

John Kitley Township Historical Maps, Kitey Township Ontario, Leeds and Grenville, Map of 1861-62 3

The original 1861-62 map was a large paper on cloth wall map showing all the townships I Leeds and Grenville County. We so happen to have one of these large maps in the museum. However in 1973 Mika Publishing in Belleville reproduced these maps by township in a book called: Historical Atlas of Leeds & Grenville, Ontario” Also included in this book are excerpts and illustrations from Thad. Leavitt’s book “History of Leeds and Grenville from 1749 to 1879” published in 1879.

We have shown an overview view of the map,and then individual sections.

**Concessions 6,7,8,9 Eastern side of Township**

**Concessions 8,9, 10 on the Eastern side of the Township**

**Concessions 4,5,6 & 7 on the Eastern side of the Township**

**Concessions 1,2,3,& 4 on the Eastern side of the Township**

**Concessions 1,2,3 & 4 on the Western side of the Township**

**Concessions 5,6,7 & 8 on the Western side of the Township**

**Concessions 7,8,9, and 10 on the Western side of the Township**

May 20 2017

The One Room Schoolhouse in Elizabethtown- Complete Listing

John One Room School Houses in Elizabethtown Elizabethtown Township Ontario, Leeds and Grenville, One Room Schoolhouse 0

For Photos, Maps etc. look under the school name on our website

Addison School

(School Section No. 21)

There have been four schools in Addison. The first was built of logs and burned. Both the second and third schools[1] in Addison doubled as Episcopal and Methodist Churches. The second school was a stone building which stood beside the third, framed school. This school was moved to Benjamin Scott’s property and used as a horse stable. It was torn down in the early 1950’s. The third school is a frame building which was constructed in the early 1870’s. It continued to be the Addison School until the 1960’s. The building is now privately owned.

In the 1820’s a log school was erected to replace the one room educational centre in the smithy. This building gave way to a stone school which served Addison for 90 years.

Charles O.Stowell, who married the two daughters of John Ketchum, was born in Massechusetts February 17, 1797. Educated in the United States he came to Canada as a young man with a teaching certificate. In 1832 he took a teaching job at the old Addison school about 200 yards south of the old Perth Trail. This pioneer log school was later torn down and the school moved into the Methodist Church. When the Methodists build a new stone church on the other side of the road, now the Addison United Church, the old house of worship became a permanent school. This school served the community for 90 years until it became unfit for school purposes. It ended its days as a stable on the Scott Farm, where it eventually gave way to decay and collapsed.

A wooden frame school replaced the stone structure and in the late 1960’s it was closed. The Addison School was listed as S.S.no. 21

School Superintendents Report (Ontario Archives)

Shows the following information, which in some cases contradicts what we have already researched, and contradicts other filed School Superintendents Reports:

1850: Log building, 20×26 in size, constructed in 1850, condition: Good

1854: Stone building first opened in 1832

Bell’s School (School Section #24)

Wolford Twp (School Section #16)

Bell’s School was a shared school between Elizabethtown and Wolford Township. It was located on the Rocksprings Road and to the immediate east of the schoolhouse is the Bell’s Cemetery. There used to be a stone church in one corner of the emery, but all that remains now are a few foundation stones.

“The school was built on land donated by James Bell who settled there with his family on or before the year 1831. The land for the school was purchased from S. Harper for £30 it was lot 13” (Recorder and Times article)

School Superintendents Report (Ontario Archives)

Shows the following information, which in some cases contradicts what we have already researched, and contradicts other filed School Superintendents Reports:

1850: no report

1854: Log building, first opened in 1838

The following information was extracted from the motion papers of the Elizabethtown Council 1855-1873:

To the Local Superintendent of schools for the Township of Elizabethtown. Pay to Mary B.Smith as ordered out of the school fund apportioned to School Section No. 24 in the Township of Elizabethtown the sum apportioned to said section (Signed and Sealed) Walter Bell and Richard Richards, Trustees-1871

Bolton School

(School Section # 23)

The old Bolton School once stool on the property of Henry White. The school once stood near the Bolton Cemetery on Lot 5 of the Tenth Concession in Elizabethtown. There were several Berry Families located near the school, and their children made up the larger part of the student body.

The Bolton School was located in the hamlet of Shiloh.

School Superintendents Report (Ontario Archives)

Shows the following information, which in some cases contradicts what we have already researched, and contradicts other filed School Superintendents Reports:

1850: no report

1854: Log building, first opened in 1842

Fairfield East School

(School Section #8)

The first school was a log cabin built on the west corner of the farm owned by McDougall’s. Johnathan Barr was the teacher and was noted for his stern and strict qualities. When the community became more settled it was found that the school was not central nor adequate enough so a second school was built about a mile and half farther west. This one also passed into history with the erection of a third, which was built a few rods [sic] east again and which is most up to date.[2]

About 1865 a wooden frame school was built west of the McDougall farm and around 1900 the third Fairfield East School was erected. The school was phased out during the school consolidation of the 1960’s. (R&T Darling Collection Bk3)

School Superintendents Report (Ontario Archives)

Shows the following information, which in some cases contradicts what we have already researched, and contradicts other filed School Superintendents Reports:

1850: Frame Building, size 20×24, no construction date, condition Good

1854: Log building, first opened in 1808

Glen Buell School

(School Section # 16)

“Peter Booth’ School 1842

Dr. John G.Booth’s eldest son was Peter Booth, born at the farm in 1825. In 1842 at the age of 17, he started teaching at the log school in Glen Buell. He had 63 children, ranging in age from 4 to 17, and received the magnificent salary of 2.5 pounds per month. Peter Booth died in 1860, of tuberculosis, leaving a wife and three young children. In 1842, and enthusiastic young buck, he wrote his first report to the district council:

I beg leave to submit the enclosed report of the Common School at present under my instruction. The school house in which this school is taught is on the rear of Lot 31, in the 6^th Concession of Elizabethtown on the Main Road leading from Brockville to Farmersville.

All the pupils that have attended resided within two miles of the school house and there are probably from 16 to 20 children more living within that distance from the schoolhouse between the ages of 5 and 16 whose names are not on this report as they have not been in attendance. The school was commenced about the first pf April last, Teachers wages two pounds five shillings per month with the expectation that further aid would be granted from the public monies.” (from Lea Booth, John Booth, p54-55) [3]

The original school was a small log schoolhouse constructed by Eri Hayes in the 1820’s.

The school was closed in the spring of 1965 and pupils bused to either Addison or New Dublin depending on where they lived. Because of overcrowding at New Dublin a few years later, Glen Buell was re-opened for Grade 1 students for a short time.

School Superintendents Report (Ontario Archives)

Shows the following information, which in some cases contradicts what we have already researched, and contradicts other filed School Superintendents Reports:

1850: Log Building, size 24×24, construction date 1837, condition Good

1854: Frame building, first opened in 1844

The following information was extracted from the motion papers of the Elizabethtown Council 1855-1873:

That the request of the trustees of School Section No 16 be complied with that the sum of one hundred dollars be levied and collected on the rateable property of said section exclusive of expenses-1869

that the Trustees of School Section No 16 be paid the sum of $1 as non-collected school tax an that Lot 34 in the Seventh Concession of Elizabethtown and the Clerk order the sum to be paid to Boyd Hall-1870[4]

Greenbush School

(School Section No. 20)

The first school in Greenbush was built of logs in 1835 on land donated by James Haskin. It burned in 1845 after only ten years of use. The second school, made of stone, was constructed on the same site in 1848. It was twice as large as the first. However it was torn down in 1918 in order to build a larger school. Construction of the brick building was completed within six months, In 1905 the school grounds were enlarged, trees were planted and a fence erected. The land for the extension was purchased from Thomas Webster.

While construction was underway in 1918 classes were held in the United Church Hall. Between 1845 and 1848 classes were held above the store at Millhouse and in one of William Olds’ houses.

The first teacher on record is Miss. Sarah Taggart in 1840. She was followed by Miss. Lucinda Keller who received $5. per month.

The school was phased out of the school system in 1965. [5]

School Superintendents Report (Ontario Archives)

Shows the following information, which in some cases contradicts what we have already researched, and contradicts other filed School Superintendents Reports:

1850: Log Building, size 26×24, construction date 1830, condition Good

1854: Brick building, first opened in 1849

The following information was extracted from the motion papers of the Elizabethtown Council 1855-1873:

That Edward Davis be detached from school section no 18 and be attached to school section no 20-1858[6]

Halleck’s School

(School Section #5)

On June 28, 1963 the school rang its’ bell for the last time. The teacher at the time was Mrs.Marion Ross, and she was the last person to teach at the little brick school house located on the Halleck’s Road. The 27 remaining pupils from this school are being transferred to the Lyn Public School. About 10 years prior there were 34 pupils in the school

The original school was a log school house located in the north corner of the Halleck’s Road and No. 2 Highway. Rev. William Hallock built a school before 1810 which had a ready made class, what with 16 Coles, 13 Clows, 10 or 12 Fulfords and his own six children. The school was replaced by the present building in 1935, a trim neo-classical brick Edifice.[7] The brick school house was built further north on the Halleck’s Road around 1839. The land on which the present school was built was donated by Mr. Caleb Halloch (Squire Halloch) on May 12, 1838 and was built by Archibald Davidson a stone mason. A well was drilled for the new school in the 1930’s and toilets were installed around 1939. In the early 1940’s electricity was installed. Between 1886 and 1900 teachers salaries were from $220. to $300 per year.

Heritage Elizabethtown erected a plaque near the original school recalling an incident that took place during the War of 1812. The plaque reads as follows:

Hallock’s School and the ‘Underhill Incident’

“A one room school near here was the site of an international incident before the war of 1812. William Hallock (1770-1836), a Methodist preacher, established the school in a log cabin on his property. In 1809 the teacher was Isaac Underhill, an alleged American army deserter. On May 1, three American soldiers disembarked from a schooner on the St. Lawrence, seized Underhill at the school and dragged him, bound and gagged towards the river. When Underhill broke free and ran, his captors shot him from behind. They then fled to their boat with armed settlers in pursuit. Underhill died the next day. His murder was a flagrant violation of British sovereignty which outraged Canadians and lingered long on local memory” (Issac Underhill is said to be buried in an unmarked grave in the Fulford Cemetery)

School Superintendents Report (Ontario Archives)

Shows the following information, which in some cases contradicts what we have already researched, and contradicts other filed School Superintendents Reports:

1850: Frame Building, size 24×34, construction date 1811, condition: Not Good

1854: Frame building, first opened in 1817 (this report combines SS #3 and 5)

The following information was extracted from the motion papers of the Elizabethtown Council 1855-1872

That the union of School sections no 3 & 5 be dissolved and that all resolutions uniting the same be rendered the same as if said divisions ere never united at the request of a public meeting held for that purpose signed by Henry Clow, Chairman- 1858

that the Clerk be instructed to prepare a Bylaw to unite School Sections No.3 and No.5 into one section agreeable to the request of the rate payers of said sections- 1869

that the application of the Trustees of School Section No 5 be complied with and the sum of $200 be levied and collected on the Taxable property of said section exclusive of expenses -1872[8]

Hawke’s School

Sectional School No. 27

(Rear of Young SS # 11)

There was a school in Glossville called “Hawke’s School. The school was so named because there were two group of Hawke’s children who attended the school in its early years. One Hawke farm was located north of the school the other farm to the south of the school. The school was sandwiched between the two farm families and filled with Hawke children. It was here that Glossville children were educated. The community sent its children to the old brick school long after people stopped using the name Glossville. After Hawke’s closed the children were bussed to Frankville or to Addison. Land for the school was donated to the area school board in 1857 by John Hawke, and it is probable that the stone building was erected within the following three years. Hawke’s School closed in 1962. The school was located at the junction of Hwy 29 and the Lake Eloida Road.

School Superintendents Report (Ontario Archives)

Shows the following information, which in some cases contradicts what we have already researched, and contradicts other filed School Superintendents Reports:

1850: no report

1854: first opened in 1830

The following information was extracted from the motion papers of the Elizabethtown Council 1855-1873:

that $36 dollars of Clergy money be divided amongst the School Sections of this Township in the following manner, namely Sections No 1 $10, No 12 $5, No 26 $9, No 27 $9.31 cents, No 28 $5, No 29 $2, No 30 $5, No 31 $6 bring union section all the full Sections will leave the sum of $13.11 cents each and the Clerk ? the sum to be paid to the Trustees of each School Section- 1873[9]

Howard School

(School Section #6)

On the 12^th Day of October 1861, a parcel of land was purchased on which to build the Howard School. The indenture was between Andrew Donaldson and his wife Eliza and the School Section number 6 in the township of Elizabethtown, for a sum of sixty dollars. The parcel of land was described on the indenture as a part of the rear of the east half of Lot number twenty three in the Second Concession in the Township of Elizabethtown. In 1946 a well and pump were installed.[10]

School Superintendents Report (Ontario Archives)

Shows the following information, which in some cases contradicts what we have already researched, and contradicts other filed School Superintendents Reports:

1850: no information except: condition: Not Good

1854: Frame building, first opened in 1850

Jellby

(School Section # 22)

School Superintendents Report (Ontario Archives)

Shows the following information, which in some cases contradicts what we have already researched, and contradicts other filed School Superintendents Reports:

1850: No Report

1854: Stone building, first opened in 1826

Lillie’s School

(S.S. No. 12 Elizabethtown)

(S.S.No. 9 Front of Yonge)

Lillie’s School was located at Lillie’s about five miles from Lyn on the Graham Lake Road. The original school was built of wood and located on the west corner of Hendry Road a quarter of a mile west of the new school. The wooden structure blew down in a wind storm. It was replaced by one made of brick in 1880. This school was 40 feet long by 30 feet wide and could accommodate 35 students. The new brick school was used up until school consolidation in the 1960’s. The school was closed in June 1963, and was demolished in 1988.[11]

The school also served as a church and services were held there every two weeks on a Monday evening by Methodists Ministers from Lyn. One the first graduates of Lillie’s School was John Booth who became a provincial land surveyor and helped to survey the counties of Leeds and Grenville.

School Superintendents Report (Ontario Archives)

Shows the following information, which in some cases contradicts what we have already researched, and contradicts other filed School Superintendents Reports:

1850: Stone Building, size 26×36, construction date 1845, condition: Poor

1854: Stone building, first opened in 1842

The following information was extracted from the motion papers of the Elizabethtown Council 1855-1872

That $36 dollars of Clergy money be divided amongst the School Sections of this Township in the following manner, namely Sections No 1 $10, No 12 $5, No 26 $9, No 27 $9.31 cents, No 28 $5, No 29 $2, No 30 $5, No 31 $6 bring union section all the full Sections will leave the sum of $13.11 cents each and the Clerk ? the sum to be paid to the Trustees of each School Section – 1873[12]

Lyn School

(School Section #7)

The first school house was located in the centre of the village by the creek. It was abandoned for a newer one room brick school at the west end of the Village, across from the present building. It was in use until 1867 when it burned down. The growth of the village led to a new two story, four room stone school house being built across from the one room brick structure.

The stone schoolhouse in Lyn was built in 1867 and served the children of the district until 1959/1960. “The classrooms were on the ground floor and the second floor boasted a small stage so that concerts and plays could take place. Parties and dances were held there too”[13]

The Public School in Lyn was built in the year 1867. Although the first annual meeting of the school, on record, took place in 1876 there was undoubtedly meetings before that, as an entry in the old minute and account book shows that John Halliday was the Sect-Treasurer in 1871. The first annual meeting of School Section No 7 was held in the school hall Wed, Jan 12, 1876 at 10 o’clock. Mr. Norman Coleman was appointed chairman and R.S.Hudson Sect. The school has to date had 60 teachers. The first school fair was held about 1914 on the old “Tan Bark Flats” with entries of cooking, vegetables, fancy work and collections of butterflies and insects. (Suzanne Coke, 1944) [14]

The “New” Lyn School opened its doors to 185 pupils on September 4, 1956. It was planned by architect Mr.Prus and built by contractor Mr.J.Saunders of Prescott for the cost of $92,000. Miss. Anna Hudson was the prince[al of this new school. As the enrolment of the school increased with the closing of the Howard and Halleck’s School, it was found necessary to add four more room sto the original six room building. The addition was completed and ready for use in September 1963. The enrolment then was 263 pupils. Still the number increased and by 1965 all those pupils residing on the Howard Road were transferred to the Tincap School. In June 1965 the enrolment was 295. On June 29^th, 1967 Miss Anna Hudson retired as Principal , Mr.J.Tallmire of Brockville became the new principal. (Anna Hudson, 1967) [15]

School Superintendents Report (Ontario Archives)

Shows the following information, which in some cases contradicts what we have already researched, and contradicts other filed School Superintendents Reports:

1850: no report only: condition: Good

1854: Brick building, first opened in 1850

The following information was extracted from the motion papers of the Elizabethtown Council 1855-1872

that the trustees of Lyn School Section No 7 be paid the amount due said section on account of debentures and the clerk order the same to be paid- 1871[16]

Manhards School

(School Section # 13)

School Superintendents Report (Ontario Archives)

Shows the following information, which in some cases contradicts what we have already researched, and contradicts other filed School Superintendents Reports:

1850: Stone Building, size 18×24, construction date 1847, condition: Good

1854: Stone building, first opened in 1844

Marshall School

(School Section No. 17- Elizabethtown)

(SS # 3 – Augusta)

Alt name Gosford School

The first children of the area of Linden Bank went to school in a crude log building, but in 1869 the farmers of the area constructed what became to be known as Marshall School.

The school was built out of stone on a low knoll on Gosford Road probably 100 yards off the North Augusta Road. After serving generations pf Linden Bank children the school was phased out by the school consolidation of the 1960’s.

The school itself was built on land donated by the Marshall Family. Several families of Marshalls lived in the area, running their farms and contributing to community life. The school had rough wooden benches and desks. It had only one room, in which all the grades were taught. It was designated as Elizabethtown SS No. 17. A plague over the doorway gave the date of construction as 1869.

School Superintendents Report (Ontario Archives)

Shows the following information, which in some cases contradicts what we have already researched, and contradicts other filed School Superintendents Reports:

1850: Stone Building, size 32×26, construction date 1848, condition: Good

1854: log building, first opened in 1844

The following information was extracted from the motion papers of the Elizabethtown Council 1855-1873:

That the request of the trustees of School Section No 17 be complied with that the sum of three hundred and fifty dollars be levied and collected on the rateable property of said section exclusive of expenses-1869

that the Reeve be and is hereby authorised to notify according to law that portion of the Township formerly composed of Union School Section No 29, also School Section No 17 that the council intend to pass a Bylaw to attach the first named portion of the Township to School Section No 17 at the next sitting of the Council on the 4th of Oct next- 1871

that the Trustees of School Section No 17 be paid the sum of $200 dollars being part of the assessment on said Section for school purposes and the Clerk order the same to be paid-1873[17]

Maud’s School

(School Section No. 18)

School Superintendents Report (Ontario Archives)

Shows the following information, which in some cases contradicts what we have already researched, and contradicts other filed School Superintendents Reports:

1850: Stone Building, size 28×38, construction date 1830, condition: Good

1854: Log building, first opened in 1819

The following information was extracted from the motion papers of the Elizabethtown Council 1855-1873:

That Edward Davis be detached from school section no 18 and be attached to school section no 20-1858

That the request of the trustees of School Section No 18 be accepted and that the sum of $60. be levied and collected on the rateable property of said section for school purposes-1862

that the petition of the trustees of School Section No 18 be complied with and the sum of Thirty dollars be levied and collected on the assessed rateable property of said section free of all expenses for school purposes and paid to the trustees of said section- 1867

That the request of the trustees of School Section No 18 be complied with that the sum of sixty five dollars be levied and collected on the rateable property of said section exclusive of expenses-1869

that the application of the Trustees of School section No 18 be complied with and the sum of Eighty dollars be levied and collected on the rateable property of said section exclusive of expenses-1871

that the application of School Trustees Section No 18 be complied with and the sum of $100 dollars be levied and collected on the Taxable property of said section exclusive of expenses-1872[18]

Meads

Sectional School No. 14

School Superintendents Report (Ontario Archives)

Shows the following information, which in some cases contradicts what we have already researched, and contradicts other filed School Superintendents Reports:

1850: Frame Building, construction date 1826, condition: Good

1854: Stone building, first opened in 1820

The following information was extracted from the motion papers of the Elizabethtown Council 1855-1873:

that the sum of three dollars and fifty cents be paid to trustees of School Section No 14 of Elizabethtown as uncollectible and the clerk order the same to be paid Benjamin Frances 1873[19]

Moores School

(School Section #21)

We have no additional information about this school. If anyone has any information or photos, we would appreciate hearing from you.

School Superintendents Report (Ontario Archives)

Shows the following information, which in some cases contradicts what we have already researched, and contradicts other filed School Superintendents Reports:

1850: Log building, 20×26 in size, constructed in 1850, condition: Good

1854: Stone building first opened in 1832

New Dublin School

(School Section #15)

The first school was built near Lamb’s Pond, almost across the road from the Ernest Kendrick farm, later owned by Donald Stewart. Later a school was built on the Horton Farm near the present school. No dates are know for the erection of either of these buildings. The second school was torn down and while the third school was being built pupils attended classes in the first Orange Hall, a frame building between the present school and the Methodist Church. The third New Dublin School was built in 1880.

Annie Scott who taught in 1894 received $310. per year. [20]

School Superintendents Report (Ontario Archives)

Shows the following information, which in some cases contradicts what we have already researched, and contradicts other filed School Superintendents Reports:

1850: Log building, 20×24 in size, constructed in 1837, condition: Good

1854: Stone building first opened in 1813

The following information was extracted from the motion papers of the Elizabethtown Council 1855-1872

That the sum of 21.50 pounds clear of all expenses be levied and collected on the rateable property of school section No 15.- 1862

that the application of the Trustees of School Section No 15 be complied with and the sum of $30 be levied and collected on the assessed taxable property of said School Section for School Purposes exclusive of expenses for the year 1869

that the application of the Trustees of School section No 15 be complied with and the sum of $115 be levied and collected on the assessed taxable property of said section exclusive of expenses for school purposes- 1871

that the application of the Trustees of School Section No 15 be complied with and the sum of $155 be levied and collected on the assessed taxable property of said Section exclusive of all expenses for the year 1872

Purvis Street School

(School Section # 8 Front of Yonge)

The first school was a stone structure built in 1844. The children sat on wooden benches and in the winter these benches were placed around a box stove to keep the pupils warm. On May 12, 1890 the local ratepayer held a meeting and voted to build a new school. The school closed in June 29, 1967. The school was located west of Lyn.

The pupils who attended this school will attend Caintown School until the new modern 12 room school is ready in Mallorytown. The present brick structure was built to replace a stone building which had been erected in 1844. On May 12, 1890 the ratepayers held a meeting and voted 11 to 9 in favour of building a new school. On June 16, 1890 the following resolution was passed “ The tender of George Aaron Purvis of Purvis Street to build a school similar to the one recently built near the Toll Gate on the Perth Road, at the rear of Brockville for the sum of $675.00 and use of the old material from the other school was accepted” The school referred to in this resolution nwas the Brick School on the Chemical Road. A plate bearing the date of the old school was transferred to the new one. The first teacher was Laura Clow (later Mrs.McCraken of Brockville) who received a salary of $225. Mr.Kenny was the inspector. The caretaker received $15. a year and hard maple wood was purchased for the box stove at $1.19 a cord. In 1891 William Young furnished the material and build a wood shed for $90. [21]

The stone used in construction was from another school on the Chemical Road[22]

Read’s School

(School Section 2- Elizabethtown)

(School Section 30 – Augusta)

Read’s Public School, a log structure, was built in 1831 and served the community of Bethel for nearly 50 years until a stone building was erected in 1880 on the same plot of land. The land had originally been donated by UEL Pioneer Guy Carleton Read (1785-1849), The Read family gave their name to the school and the nearby Read’s cemetery which dates back to 1800.

The original log school was also used by Methodist circuit riders for church services.

Among the early teachers were Jehiel Collins, in the early 1800’s; William Garvey around 1820; John Walker 1854; Tom Henderson 1855; Catherine Wright 1858 and many others. The school was located in Bethel.

(Recorder and Times, Darling Scrapbook Collection Book 3 pgs 17-29)

School Superintendents Report (Ontario Archives)

Shows the following information, which in some cases contradicts what we have already researched, and contradicts other filed School Superintendents Reports:

1850: Frame building, 28×30 in size, constructed in 1810, condition: Good

1854: Stone building first opened in 1853

The following information was extracted from the motion papers of the Elizabethtown Council 1855-1873:

that the request of the Trustees of School Section No 2 be complied with and that the sum of $160.00 clear of all expenses be levied and collected on the assessed rateable property of said school section for school purposes for the current year 1867

That the request of the trustees of School Section No 2 be complied with that the sum of two hundred dollars be levied and collected on the rateable property of said section exclusive of expenses- 1869

that the Clerk order the treasurer to pay the Trustees of School Section No 2 or their order the sum of $160 as part payment of the amount due said section- 1870

that the application of the Trustees of School section No 2 be complied with and the sum of Two hundred and forty dollars be levied and collected on the taxable property of said section exclusive of expenses-1871

that the application of School Trustees Section No 2 be complied with and the sum of $240 be levied and collected on the Taxable property of said section exclusive of expenses 1872[23]

Redan School

(School Section # 26 – Elizabethtown)

(School Section #20 – Kitley)

Redan was settled in the years 1840-1860 by Irish Immigrants. The original inhabitants were the Youngs, the Marshalls, Burnetts, Pritchards, Motts, Richards and Wilsons. The old Richardson homestead here was originally part of a clergy reserve. In 1854 the government released all clergy reserve land to the public and the Richard family took a 100 acre plot in the centre of this community.

Redan School was located a short distance from the Mott homestead. The original schoolhouse was a log structure located near the junction of the Rocksprings and Redan roads. The site is now covered by a swamp.

School Superintendents Report (Ontario Archives)

Shows the following information, which in some cases contradicts what we have already researched, and contradicts other filed School Superintendents Reports:

1850: no report

1854: Frame building

The following information was extracted from the motion papers of the Elizabethtown Council 1855-1873:

That the request of the trustees of school section no 26 be excepted and that the sum of $125. be levied and collected on the rateable property for the current year 1862- 1862

that the application of the Trustees of School section No 26 be complied with and the sum of $80 be levied and collected on the rateable property of said School Section exclusive of all expenses-1871

that the application of the Trustees of School Section No 26 be complied with and the sum of $80 dollars be levied and collected on the Taxable property of said section exclusive of expenses-1872

Rock School

The new Rock School, which stands today as a home, was built in 1937. The school was built of native granite quarried a few yards distant from the school. This new school is located on Hwy 2 west of Brockville, and west of Oakland Cemetery. It is regarded as a model rural public school with accommodations for over 30 pupils, indoor toilets, two cloak rooms, a teacher’s room, store room and a basement playroom.

The original Rock School was built in 1844, and stood to the west of the present site. Prior to this stone school and earlier log school stood on the bank of Grants Creek further east of the present location.

Rock Springs School

(School Section #25 – Elizabethtown)

(School Section # 19 – Kitley)

School Superintendents Report (Ontario Archives)

Shows the following information, which in some cases contradicts what we have already researched, and contradicts other filed School Superintendents Reports:

1850: no report

1854: no report

Rowes Corners

(School Section # 4)

School Superintendents Report (Ontario Archives)

Shows the following information, which in some cases contradicts what we have already researched, and contradicts other filed School Superintendents Reports:

1850: Frame building, constructed in 1832, condition: Good

1854: Stone building first opened in 1846

The following information was extracted from the motion papers of the Elizabethtown Council 1855-1873:

That the sum of $73. clear of all expenses be levied and collected on the rateable property of school section No 4.-1862

that the application of the trustees of School Section No 4 be received and laid over for further consideration- 1868

that the Trustees of School Section No 4 of Elizabethtown be paid to Samuel McNish agreeable to the request of the Trustees of said Section- 1871

To the Municipal Council of the Township of Elizabethtown in Council assembled, Gentlemen, Please pay Samuel McNish the sum due School Section No 4 of Elizabethtown, signed Sidney Easton and Cyrus Wright- 1871

that James Daniels and John Daniels be relieved from paying School Tax to School Section No 4 amounting to $6.66 cents as said Daniels belong to the Separate School in Brockville and the collector get a copy of this motion- 1872[25]

Seeley’s School

(School Section #10)

The original school building made of stone was built in 1849. The second building was built of brick in 1889, the brick school burned one cold winter’s day on January 26, 1957. Only the bell in the belfry and one baseball bat in the basement were saved. Seeley’s School was built across from North Star Farms at Seeley’s Corners. There were 17 students in the last class at the school in 1957.

The growth of the settlement at Seeley’s necessitated the building of a school. In 1849 one was built on the corner of Sawmill Road and that leading to Leetuck, or Lee Road on the farm of Thomas Booth. This location was on the 6 acres purchased by Alexander Stewart. In 1889 the school became crowded and John W. Stewart, rather than have the new one so near his own dellings gave anther lot $50 and drew the bricks from one lot to the other. The first teacher of the new school was Homer Moore. On Sunday January 26, 1957 the building was destroyed by fire. The last teacher was Mrs. Allan Stewart and she and her twenty pupils’ were transported to the Old Lyn Public School. Starting the following September the pupils went to the new Lyn School then to the New Dublin School. (Mrs. Allan Stewart 1967) [26]

A teacher’s yearly salary in 1862 was sixty dollars.

The original building was probably a one room log building.

Old School Victim of Sunday Fire. A venerable brick building built in 1889 was complete. It destroyed by fire of unknown origins. The school had a capacity for 33 pupils, however at the end it had 20 students. Mrs. Alvin Gardiner, residing nearby spotted the fire about 1:10pm. Brockville Fire Department was called, but before the men could receive permission to make the trip, a second call was received stating that nothing could be done to save the building. There was no water supply and the nearby creek was frozen solid. The school was a sturdy building that served the community well during the past 68 years. The building was about 40 feet long and 30 feet wide, it had been the means of education for generations of district youngsters. The current students would be bused by Stewart’s bus lines to the Lyn School. [27]

School Superintendents Report (Ontario Archives)

Shows the following information, which in some cases contradicts what we have already researched, and contradicts other filed School Superintendents Reports:

1850: Frame building, constructed in 1810, condition: Not Good

1854: Stone building first opened in 1809

The following information was extracted from the motion papers of the Elizabethtown Council 1855-1873:

that the application of the Trustees of School Section No 10 be complied with and the sum of Two Hundred Dollars be levied and collected on the assessed Taxable Property of said section exclusive of expenses for School Purposes[28]

Sherwood Springs School

(School Sectional #3 Elizabethtown)

(School Sectional # 1 Front of Yonge)

The first school building was made of logs and located on the west side of Sherwood Springs Road, near the site of Jim Eligh’s brick house. It started in 1851, but not opened until January 3, 1854. The second school structure was a framed building built on the north side of Hwy 2 across from where Sherwood Springs Rd. now meets Hwy 2. This building was purchased by Fred Latham and moved down to the opposite side of the road and a second story was added.[29]

The third school was located on Hwy 2, where Woodland Park Zoo was built after the school closed. The school built in 1907 was closed in 1956 with an enrolment of 20 students. The original school which closed in 1906 was located in a white house at Latham’s Corners, Susie Doolan was the first teacher.

School Superintendents Report (Ontario Archives)

Shows the following information, which in some cases contradicts what we have already researched, and contradicts other filed School Superintendents Reports:

1850: Stone building, 30×36 in size, constructed in 1844, condition: Good

1854: report combined with SS#5

The following information was extracted from the motion papers of the Elizabethtown Council 1855-1873:

Annual school meeting of School Section No 3 of the freeholders and householders of said section, acceptance of financial report; that we have a free school this year; that Wm Clow & Mr.S.Fulford be auditors for the ensuing year; that one chord of wood be delivered at the school house and cut by each scholar that the teacher measure the wood and if it falls short that the person who brought it shall bring another chord; that the persons who send children to school shall board the teacher- 1862

That the petition of the trustees of School Section No 3 be complied with and that the sum of $140. clear of expenses be levied and collected on the rateable property of said school section for school purposes for the currant year 1865

that the Clerk be instructed to prepare a Bylaw to unite School Sections No.3 and No.5 into one section agreeable to the request of the rate payers of said sections- 1869

that the application of the Trustees of School section No.3 be complied with and the sum of $18 be levied and collected on the rateable property of said section exclusive of expenses – 1869

that the Trustees of School Section No 3 be paid the sum of $240 the amount levied on said section for School purposes and the Clerk order the said amount to be paid to William Wilson-1873[30]

Spring Valley School

(School Section #11)

Spring Valley School was first located at the corner of W.E.Stewarts field to the left of Ruben Davis’ driveway. The original school was an unpainted frame building, that got so old that it could no longer be kept warm in winter. In 1878 the present school was completed farther down the road and opened in September of that year. The foundation for this school was laid in 1877. The land was donated by Frank McCrae on condition that the building be used for both school and church purposes. The first contract to build the new school was not completed and later Harvey Hayes took the contract and hired James Davidson to do the work. Miss Jennie Grant was the first teacher in 1878. The first gathering in the school was a church service on Sunday conducted by Rev.Mr.Blair who was the Pastor of the Lyn Circuit. The enrolment of the school in 1950 was 18 pupils, in 1902 it was 27. (the original name of Spring Valley was Niblock’s Corners)

The school had it’s last class on June 29, 1965, students were then bussed to the new school at New Dublin.

School Superintendents Report (Ontario Archives)

Shows the following information, which in some cases contradicts what we have already researched, and contradicts other filed School Superintendents Reports:

1850: Stone building, 22×28 in size, constructed in 1843, condition: Not Good

1854: Frame building first opened in 1816

The following information was extracted from the motion papers of the Elizabethtown Council 1855-1873:

That the sum of 20 pounds clear of all expenses be levied and collected on the rateable property of school section No 11.- 1862

Tax levies for School section No 11- 1862[31]

Stewarts School

(School Section #1 – Elizabethtown)

(School Section #16 – Augusta)

Adiel Sherwood inherited Lots 1 & 2 on the death of his father in 1826, and four years later sold Lot 1 to Henry Bradfield, a stone mason. Bradfield who lived here for 50 years also donated land for a school in 1860 (S.S.#1) on the Highway. [32]

School Superintendents Report for 1854 shows that the school was made of stone and opened in 1860[33]

School Superintendents Report (Ontario Archives)

Shows the following information, which in some cases contradicts what we have already researched, and contradicts other filed School Superintendents Reports:

1850: Stone building, 20×26 in size, constructed in 1844, condition: Good

1854: Stone building first opened in 1860

The following information was extracted from the motion papers of the Elizabethtown Council 1855-1873:

That the request of the trustees of Union School section No 1 in Elizabethtown and No 1 in the Twp of Augusta be completed and the sum of 90 pounds be levied and collected on that property 1862

that the trustees of School Section No. 1 be paid the sum of $0.67 cts as School tax on 12 acres of land on part Lots 7&8 in the 1st concession of Elizabethtown assessed to William Holms and the clerk order the same to be paid 1870

that the application of the trustees of School Section No 1 be complied with and the sum of $100 be levied and collected on the assessed taxable property of School Section No 1 of the Township of Elizabethtown for school purposes free from all expenses for the year 1870

that the application of the Trustees of School section No 1 be complied with and the sum of $150 be levied and collected on the rateable property of said section exclusive of expenses 1871

that the Trustees of School Section No 1 be paid the sum of $52.82 as balance of the amount levied and collected in said Section for school purposes and the clerk give an order for the same- 1872

that the application of trustees of school section No 1 Elizabethtown be complied with and the sum of $150 be levied and collected and the rateable property of said section for school purposes exclusive of expenses- 1872

that the Trustees of School No 1 be paid the sum of $150 dollars being the amount levied on said section for School purposes and the Clerk order the sae to be paid to Alexander Miller- 1873

that the Trustees of School Section No 1 be paid the sum of $150 dollars being payment of the amount collected on said section for school purposes and the Clerk order the same to be paid to the Trustees[34] – 1873

Tin Cap School

(School Section #9)

The unique name of Tincap was given to the community by some early settlers because the old stone schoolhouse boasted a cupola with a tincap, and as this was the only building of note, Tincap seemed a very suggestive name.

The school was burned about 1894, classes were then held for a short time in a stone house owned by Mr.M. O’Donnell.

A new frame building was built, it was equipped with a tin cap and bell, to keep this school linked to the original. The first teacher in the new school was Miss. Susie Hanna of Lyn.

Here is an excerpt from Alvyn Austin in his unpublished 2000 book “ The History of Elizabeth Township” The Tin Cap- “ Another more fanciful version is that Breakenridge furnished the militia with ‘tin caps’ during the war of 1812 and placed one on the school cupola, which sparkled in the sun and could be seen for miles. The log schoolhouse was replaced by stone in 1850, which burned in 1894; the present school (the 4^th) has a replica of the famous “Tin Cap” in its foyer”

School Superintendents Report (Ontario Archives)

Shows the following information, which in some cases contradicts what we have already researched, and contradicts other filed School Superintendents Reports:

1850: Stone building, constructed in 1844, condition: Good

1854: Frame building first opened in 1800

Tincap School

New Building

The new all brick structure was opened on Monday November 7^th, 1960. The school continued as a complete grade 1-8 until 1972. At that point the older grades were transferred to Lyn School, and Tincap remained as JK to grade ?,

Until it’s final closure in 2005.

Yonge Mills School

(School Section #28 – Elizbethtown)

(School Section # 2 & 3 – Front of Yonge)

The Yonge Mills School house is located on the Yonge Mills Road, some 3 ½ miles west of the village of Lyn. On September 26^th 1874 a ¾ acre lot was severed from the land owned by Mr. Griffin and Phillips and transferred to the Trustees of the Public School Section. The school opened in 1874 and was in use until its closure in 1968. The school was built from stone and similar to others built around the same time period.

In 1954/55 a wall was erected across the room so that the lower level students could be taught by a second teacher. In 1960 a well was dug and a furnace room added. Prior to 1960 the school was without running water and each day a student had to carry a bucket of water from Gardiner’s across the road to the school. The lavatory was divided with the teacher’s in the centre and two on either side for the boys and girls.

The first school in Yonge Mills was a wooden structure located on the corner of Devil’s Door Road and County Road 27, opposite Yonge Mills Church. The second school was a brick structure which held classes from 1859 to 1874. The third school was a stone structure built in 1874 and was open until June 1968.

In 1956 the enrolment of the school was over 50 pupils. [35]

This was a Union School Section some of the pupils coming from Elizabethtown Township and some from Front of Yonge Township.

School Superintendents Report (Ontario Archives)

Shows the following information, which in some cases contradicts what we have already researched, and contradicts other filed School Superintendents Reports:

1850: No Report

1854: No Report

The following information was extracted from the motion papers of the Elizabethtown Council 1855-1873:

Name Unknown (Moores ??)

Sectional School No. 19

School Superintendents Report (Ontario Archives)

Shows the following information, which in some cases contradicts what we have already researched, and contradicts other filed School Superintendents Reports:

1850: Log building, 22×28 in size, constructed in 1836, condition: Good

1854: No Report

The following information was extracted from the motion papers of the Elizabethtown Council 1855-1873:

introduce a Bylaw to set forth and establish the Boundaries of School Section No 19- Elizabethtown

that said by law do now pass and be entitled ByLaw to set forth and establish the Boundaries of School Section no 19- Elizabethtown

That payment of 7 pounds be given to Peter Buell Section Treasurer of School Section no 19 as uncollected and non resident tax for that section

That the sum of $175. clear of all expenses be levied and collected on the rateable property of school section No 19.

that the clerk be authorized to communicate with the Chief Superintendent of Schools respecting voucher for ten pounds of school moneys for school section No 19 in Elizabethton for the year 1860 to inform him if he received such voucher and if the money is available

That Stephen Scott treasurer be authorized to retain $8.13 from the ten pounds revenue from the Chief Super indent of Education and apply it to school purposes ten pounds being moneys paid for school purposes for school section no 19 out of the funds of this municipality in 1862

that the request of the trustee of school section No 19 be complied with and the sum of sixty dollars clear of all expenses be collected of the assessed house holders and free holders of said section for current year 1867

that the application of the Trustees of school Section No 19 be compiled with and the sum of $160. be levied and collected on the rateable property of said section free of all expense

that the Clerk order the treasurer to pay the Trustees of School Section No 19 or their order the sum of $160 as part payment of the amount due said section

that the Trustees of School Section No 19 be paid the balance of assessment due said section and the clerk order the sum to be paid the William Stafford

that the sum of $150 be levied and collected on the rateable property of School Section No 19 for school expenses agreeable to the request of the Trustees of said Section exclusive of expenses

that the Prayer of the Petition Wm Mott and others be complied with and that rear part of Lot No 9 in the first concession of the Township of Elizabethtown from the corporation of the Town of Brockville back to the Second Concession in said Township be detached from School Section No 32 and attached to School Section No 19 is said Township

that the Trustees of School Section No 19 be paid the sum of $52.31 cents being balance of assessment and such section and the clerk order the same to be paid Charles Wesley ? ? Of said section[37]

Brockville Schools

Sectional School No. 29

The following information was extracted from the motion papers of the Elizabethtown Council 1855-1873:

Name Unknown

Sectional School No. 30

The following information was extracted from the motion papers of the Elizabethtown Council 1855-1873:

Name Unknown

Sectional School No. 31

The following information was extracted from the motion papers of the Elizabethtown Council 1855-1873:

Name Unknown

Sectional School No. 32

The following information was extracted from the motion papers of the Elizabethtown Council 1855-1873:

Name Unknown

Sectional School No. 33

The following information was extracted from the motion papers of the Elizabethtown Council 1855-1873:

that the application of school trustees of School Section No33 in the township of Elizabethtown be complied with and that the sum of seventy five dollars be levied and collected on the taxable property of said section for school purposes exclusive of expenses for the year 1873

that the Clerk be and he is hereby authorized to correct the assessment of school Sect No 33 by adding the assessment of Joseph Miller, John B.Moor and Ruben Per to said Section-1873[42]

Sheldon School

Reference Notes:

The following information was extracted from the motion papers of the Elizabethtown Council 1855-1873:

(Petition) To the Honourable Council in New Dublin Assembled; The humble petition of the undersigned most humbly requests that your honourable body will be pleased to grant a sum of money on road section leading from the town line of Kitley to Johnston School House partly between Lots No twenty one and twenty two in the eleventh concession of Elizabethtown the ? obstruction is a steep precipice which is very injurious to the traveling community for which your petitioners shall as in duty bound for ever pray (signed) Bouf W Tackaberry, ?, Joseph Portes, Jacob Smith, S,Johnston. John Humpres-1854

that the clerk be authorized to prepare a Bylaw to Divide the township of Elizabethtown into two Electoral Divisions for elections purposes the first division to be five front concessions and the poling place to be at the Stone School house near the tin cap in the third concession of said township and the second division to consist of the six read concessions of said township and the poling place to be at the town hall at Dublin Corners-1866

that the request of the Trustees of School Section No ? be complied with and that the sum of $85.00 free of all expenses be levied and collected on the assessed rateable property of said school section for school purposes for the current year-1867

[1] Greenbush and Addison Villages a look at the history and homes by Karen Clout BA pub 1994

[2] The Recorder & Times Apr 11, 1927 “ Fairfield and its Pioneers by Mrs. H.E.Pyke

[3] The History of Elizabethtown Township, by Alvyn Austin unpublished 2002

[4] Lyn Museum Archives

[5] Greenbush and Addison Villages a look at the history and homes by Karen Clout BA pub 1994

[6] Lyn Museum Archives

[7] An unfinished history of Elizabethtown Township 2000 by Alvyn Austin

[8] Lyn Museum Archives

[9] Lyn Museum Archives

[10] Board of Trustees Annual report for 1946

[11] Focus on the District by Harry Painting February 1980

[12] Lyn Museum Archives

[13] Lyn 1784-1984 by Mary G.Robb

[14] Women’s Institute History Book 3 page 159

[15] Women’s Institute History Book 3 Pg 167

[16] Lyn Museum Archives

[17] Lyn Museum Archives

[18] yn Museum Archives

[19] Lyn Museum Archives

[20] Recorder & Times May 1965

[21] Women’s Institute History Book 3 Pg 175

[22] Lyn 1784-1984 by Mary Robb

[23] Lyn Museum Archives

[24] Lyn Museum Archives

[25] Lyn Museum Archives

[26] Women’s Institute History Book 3 page 174

[27] The Recorder and Times Jan 1957

[28] Lyn Museum Archives

[29] Education in Front of Yonge 1784-2000 by Sandra Wells 2008

[30] Lyn Museum Archives

[31] Lyn Museum Archives

[32] The History of Elizabethtown by Alvyn Austin 2002

[33] Archives Ontario- Microfisch No.

[34] Lyn Museum Archives

[35] A brief history of Yonge Mills School by Joe Moore 1997

[36] Lyn Museum Archives

[37] Lyn Museum Archives

[38] Lyn Museum Archives

[39] Lyn Museum Archives

[40] Lyn Museum Archives

[41] Lyn Museum Archives

[42] Lyn Museum Archives

May 11 2017

Butternut Bay

John Highway No 2 in Elizabethtown Butternut Bay, Elizabethtown Township, Leeds and Grenville, St. Lawrence Campground 3

Butternut Bay is located at the very western edge of Elizabethtown Township in the First Concession along the banks of the St. Lawrence River.

**Etching from Levaitt’s Book published in 1879**

In Thad. W.H. Leavitt’s book “History of Leeds and Grenville” published in 1879 he writes the following about Butternut Bay: (It was originally called “St. Lawrence Central Camp Ground”

“This beautiful and healthful summer resort and Camp Meeting Ground, is situate on a high bluff of the St. Lawrence, in the first Concession of the Township of Elizabethtown. The ground is admirably located, commanding a fine view of the majestic river. Nature has done much to make the spot a coveted summer retreat. The grounds, embracing some twenty-five acres, are finely wooded, being in that respect superior to the Parks located on Well’s Island. To the untiring exertion of the Rev. A.D. Traveller, assisted by other ministers, is fue the honor of having established the first permanent Park upon the Canadian side of the river. In 1875, the land was purchased and is now held and controlled by the Bay of Quinte Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church. A spacious Tabernacle, a Boarding House and about thirty beautiful Cottages have been erected, and others are in the process of completion. Two sessions of religious services are held each year, one in June and the other in September. Among the contemplated improvements is the establishment of a Telegraph Office, a Post Office and a Custom’s Office. At the close of the season (1878), six series of religious meetings had been held upon the grounds. It certainly is not asking too much of Canadians to expect them to cordially assist the undertaking. The Park is only three and a half miles from Brockville, with which it is in constant communication through the medium of a comfortable steamer, during the sessions of religious service. A special feature of attraction is the establishment of a Sunday School Parliament, which assembles annually during the June Session. The price of lots has been placed very low, to enable all classes to secure a summer home, the intention being to make the Park not only a Camp Ground but also a permanent place of residence during the summer months.”

In Alvyn Austin’s book “Elizabethtown: The Last of the Royal Townships” pub 2009 we learn the following about The St. Lawrence Campground (Butternut Bay).

“Rev. A.D. Traveller, the minister of George Street Methodist Episcopal church in Brockville, bought 25 acres of Jessup’s Tract in 1875, a bluff surrounding a little bay in the river. He planned a religious campground like the famous Chautauga, with lectures and music in addition to the religious sermons. There were several religious campgrounds on the American side, at Morristown and Wellesley Island, larger and more urban than Butternut, as well as further afield like Old Orchard Beach, Maine. There were only in Ontario, the St. Lawrence Campground and Grimsby, which has disappeared.

The Camp meetings promoted a teaching called Holiness, an important evangelical doctrine which permeated Canadian churches into the 20^th century. Holiness teachings (also called Entire Sanctification by John Wesley) stated that believers could by conscious diligence live without sin. Moreover they should expect an intense religious experience, a “Second conversion”, in secular terms ‘regeneration’, and thereafter would live the Higher (or Deeper) Life, free from sin. The best place to induce this emotional fervour was a ‘primitive’ woodland setting, ‘a grove of trees to shade the worshippers, log seats, an elevated stand for the preachers, tents, a spring of clean water, burning pine knots for light, and a way of dealing with rowdies and liquor sellers’

At first the people lived in tents, and the meetings were held under a large marquee ‘tabernacle’. The land was surveyed into lots 30 by 40 feet, and leased to church members for $10. for a tent lot and $25. for a cottage lot “and an annual rental of one peppercorn, for a period of 999 years. The building committee set a standard design for the cottages, a small farm house ornamented with a square, mansard-roofed tower and deep overhanging gingerbread, far out of scale with the house. A frame tabernacle, a post office and telegraph, general store and custom’s house were added. One advertisement enticed prospective buyers with “good lodging, abundant and healthful food, beautiful lots for those who wish to pitch tents or erect cottages, wide streets, broad parks and a fresh water ocean, well stocked with fish, boats, good society, and the very noblest of intellectual and religious entertainment.”

The following are excerpts from a booklet published in 2006 “Butternut Bay a Treasured Summer community” by Dr. Reginald Anderson and Bob Anderson:

The ‘Cliff Chateau Hotel’

The original hotel was built in 1885 and was destroyed in the windstorm of 1888. It was rebuilt in 1889 by Mr. M.B.Slack of Lyn and was known as the Cliff Chateau. It extended along the front of the adjacent woods, facing the river. There is no record to tell when the last guests were accommodated but apparently the hotel was still in operation in the 1920’s.

A brochure for the hotel reads as follows:

The Cliff Chateau- This spacious hotel is situated in a beautiful park, known as Butternut Bay, about six miles above the City of Brockville, on the St. Lawrence River, at the beginning of the Thousand Islands. The hotel is built on a cliff, 75 feet above the river and 50 feet from t, commanding an excellent view of the St. Lawrence in all directions and making it the coolest summer resort on the river. It has been thoroughly renovated and contains large, airy double and single rooms. Spacious upper and lower verandahs. Good home cooking, particularly homemade bread. Cliff Chateau can be reached from Brockville by the Str. Missisquoi on Mondays and Fridays, leaving Mather’s wharf at 1 PM, giving you half and hour’s beautiful sail through some o0f the islands landing at Butternut Bay, three minutes walk from the hotel or any day by conveyance of auto, cab or motor boat. Excellent boating, safe bathing, good fishing, tennis lawn, telephone, daily mail. This hotel opens June 20 and closes October 1^st.

Rates of the Cliff Chateau

2 persons in a room- $20. to $28. per week

1 person in a room- $10, $12 and $15 per week

Reduced rate for children occupying Parent’s or Nurses’ Room

Rate by the day $2.50, single meals, 75¢

Thos. C. Kemp, Prop. and Mgr.

RR #3, Brockville, Ont.

Because of very poor roads and unreliable early model automobiles, except for the last year of two of its operation, all the hotel guests would have arrived by steamship. (The S.S. Brockville was still bringing cottagers to Butternut Bay as late as 1920) One wonders about staying at the hotel in September, noting October 1^st as the closing date. The weather can be chilly in September and it is difficult to visualize how the “Large airy rooms” could have been heated. It is interesting to recall that in the early 1920’s there still remained an indication of the lawn tennis court in front of the hotel.

The following photos are undated, but will give you some idea of what Butternut used to look like:

**Victorian Style of one of the many cottages**

**Summer Cottage life, notice the hammocks on the front porch**

**A row of Victorian Gingerbread cottages**

**Swimmers in their bathing suits and caps**

April 25 2017

My Cousin

John Stories by Walter Billings Elizabethtown, Leeds and Grenville, Lyn, Stories of Lyn, Walter Billings 0

From the book “How Dear to My Heart” by Walter Kilborn Billings

My cousin Eck Kilborn, a boy of about my own age, and doubly related to me, (his mother was a first cousin of my father and his father a brother of my mother), was an only child and so for companionship was always ready to come to my house. We were great chums, and I am sorry to say we seemed to get into more trouble than any others of my family. His home was about four miles from mine, and he was always planning, when we were together, some reason for my going home with him.

One day he and his father and mother came to our house, driving a team of horses on a lumber wagon with a high box. They had a spring seat raised up and resting on the side board of the box. A heavy buffalo robe was thrown over the east, hanging down in front and behind and touching the floor of the box.

My Cousin suggested that, about the time they would be ready for home I get into the box, crawl under the seat inside the robe, and lie down on an old cushion he had put there for me. At last they were ready, and I climbed in and we started off. We had decided I should crawl out when we were well on our way and too far from my house for me to be returned. All went well, although the stone road was so rough that I got a lot of bumps on the way down. My cousin said he would kick the robe with his feet when it was time for me to appear, and I watched patiently for the signal. Finally it came. I crawled out in front of my aunt and uncle. It was too late for them to turn back and take me home, so they decided to drive on and send word to my grandfather’s that I was with them.

My family missing me, started to search the barn, down at the creek and at the neighbour’s. Finally word came to them that I had hidden in the wagon and was at my cousin’s. My parents came down that night for me and as punishment I had either to take a thrashing or agree not to go to my cousins for two months. I was just a little fellow only seven years old, so finally I took the strap, on Eck’s advice.

Buggy Shafts were the poles in front of the buggy that attached to the horse

One day my cousin came to see me, driving with his parents in their covered buggy. It was quite new, and had such high wheels that to climb in you needed a box to stand on. They had unhitched the horse, and left the buggy in front of the barn. My sister, my cousin and I were playing around it and as there was some mud on the wheels we decided to run it down to the creek, going around by the cow path and on down where it was not to steep. My sister climbed up in the seat, the back curtain of the top was rolled up and I got in and held up the shafts, my cousin pushing behind. Finally as we moved off, he climbed up on the axle and stood looking through at me in the shafts. The buggy gained speed. I tried to make the turn and keep in the track but fell. I hung on to the shafts and was dragged down almost to the high edge of the gravel pit where there was a drop of about forty feet to the boulders and water below, when the ends of the shafts started digging into the ground. I still hung on and finally we stopped…

They had to hitch the team to the back of the buggy to get the shafts out of the ground and haul it back up the hill. My sister was crying and I was muddy and scared. One shaft was splintered but they took a strap from some old harness and wound it around and put some tacks in to get home. I had already suffered my punishment as I was sore and sick for a week- but we didn’t wash the buggy!

My cousin Eck was a great one to go exploring wherever there were old machines or iron stored. On one of his visits with us we went up into our shed, that later was moved away to make room for the more modern woodshed. There were a couple of scantling nailed against the end of the building and cleats nailed on making a ladder to climb up to the little square door opening into the upper floor, It was quite a feat to go up this ladder, open the door and climb in.

We three, my cousin, my sister and I were all up there. Eck was pulling out an old piece of iron that lay on the floor. The sap buckets made of wood at that time, were piled one above the other on the floor, and as he pulled again, he tipped over the pile of buckets. Al at once there was a loud buzzing, and a cloud of bumblebees swarmed around our heads. My sister was nearest the door and she tried to get down the ladder, but got several stings before getting outside. I took off my new hard sailor hat and started fighting the bees with it. My cousin headed for the door and he got his share of stings. When I finally got down, all that was left of my new hat was the brim.

It was a warm rainy day in August. To deaden the stings, my sister said to go out and get some mud from the road, put it on the spots and let it stay there for awhile. The road at that time had been covered with red cinders from the Chemical Works, and the mud from these left a red stain on everything it touched. But we did not care! We started daubing our stings with mud so that when we were through we looked like spotted tigers. We went into the house, and didn’t we get it! “Where in the world have you been and what has happened?” my mother exclaimed.

When later I rescued the crown of my hat, Mother sewed it to the brim and I had to wear it like that all the rest of the summer.

April 18 2017

Forgotten People from Our Past

John Family Photo Albums Genealogy, Leeds and Grenville, Lyn Ontario, Unknown People 0

In our various collections we have photos of people with no names attached, our forgotten people. Take a look and see if you recognize anyone, if you can put a name and date with a photo please let us know. There are a total of 150 photographs.

Perhaps you will discover a part of your past !

Photo No. 114 (Kingston Bridge Brockville ?)

Photo No. 123 (Falkner Photographer,Athens)

Photo No. 124 (Gamble Photographer, Brockville)

Photo No. 125 (Joynt Photographers, Athens, Ontario)

February 2 2017

Photos from an Album taken around 1914

John Family Photo Albums Elizabethtown Kitley Township, Leeds and Grenville, Lyn Museum, vintage photographs 4

Unfortunately not all of the photographs in our collection are identified. In this instance we have a small black photo album that was donated and we know nothing about it. The photos are not labelled. From the clothes and the military uniforms on some of the men we would estimate the dates of the photos between 1910 and 1920. The photos are not of the best quality, but nonetheless they do give us a good insight into how the people lived back then.

If anyone recognizes any thing familiar in these photographs we would appreciate hearing from you.

**1-This old unpainted clapboard house is prominent as a background in many of the photos**

**4-What special occasion would bring the family together for this photo?**

**6-The same people are in most of these photos**

**7-For some reason they choose the corner of the house for many photos.**

**8-Is this all one family ? Four boys and three girls. The man with the moustache is the same one in the photo above.**

**11-Is this the farm house in the background ?**

**15-Mothers and daughters in front of the shed. Unfortunately the sign on the barn is un-readable, notice the chicken in front of the barn door.**

**17-This couple in their everyday work clothes**

**19-Where did they get the ship’s life preserver ?**

**20-In town now, is this the same white horse as pictured before ?**

**21-A mother and her two sons and three daughters ?**

**22-Same location as the above photo ?**

**31-An indoor family gathering, perhaps a young people’s social ?**

**36-Are those canal gates behind them, could this be the Rideau Canal ?**

**38-Watch for the dogs in the next photos**

**50-Are those large buildings in the background**

**51-Friends at steps along the canal?**

**54-Does anyone recognize this church ?**

**59-Making good use of the wheel barrow**

**61-By the corner of the Clapboard house**

**66-Taken in front of the barn and barn yard**

**71-What a shame that the names of these people are lost to history**

1940 Johnsto Farm Lyn Rd- Mack Digital (2)

January 20 2017

Patrick Johnston and Louise Knox – Our People, Our Heritage

John Our People Our Heritage Elizabethtown Township, Johnston Family, Leeds and Grenville, Louise Knox, Lyn Road, Patrick Johnston 0

Patrick Johnston and Louise Knox

This is the story of two ordinary people who, in search of a better life, migrated to Canada in the early 1800’s.

They were both born in Antrim, Belfast, Northern Ireland and knew each other in their early days there, but came to Canada separately, only to meet up later and marry.

Louise Knox was born in 1822. We know little of her life in Ireland, except that she came from a large family of two brothers and five sisters, Louise being the third youngest. From what we know, she moved with her older sister, Eleanor, and Eleanor’s husband John Kerr, to the area around Mountain, Ontario. While we are uncertain of the date they left Belfast, Eleanor’s first child, Robert, was born in Canada in November of 1840, so the chances are good that they left prior to this date quite possibly in 1839. Louise would have been around 16 years old when she started out on her big adventure. Settling in Mountain Township with her sister and brother-in-law, she would no doubt have been a great help to her older sister and her young family.

Patrick Johnston was born in Antrim, Belfast, Northern Ireland in 1819. It was said that he was the least educated of his three brothers (John, Samuel and James) and one sister, Eleanor. This may have been the reason he decided to leave the security of his home and immigrate to Canada. Perhaps as a young man in his 20’s, he was just out looking for adventure. We know nothing about his sailing and arrival in Canada. The ship on which he sailed most likely took him to Montreal, where he would have then taken a smaller ship up river and then by road to his final destination of Elizabethtown, or what is now known as Brockville. What brought him to Brockville is unknown.

He must have travelled around the area, because on one of his trips to Bytown (Ottawa), he ran into a friend from Belfast who told him that Louise was living in the Mountain area. Patrick found his childhood friend Louise. They were married around 1845 and settled west of Brockville. Their first house was located in what is now Oakland Cemetery. The stone foundation can still be seen in the westerly portion of the cemetery, backing onto Grant’s Creek. Judging by the size of the foundation the house was small, probably a log house, with a dirt floor and loft for sleeping.

Patrick and Louise started their family with the birth of their first child William James in 1846, who died the next year in 1847. Their family grew as the years went by and eventually they had nine children, six boys and three girls. Two of the boys died in their youth, William at 1 year and David at 3. Both children would have been buried in an unmarked area of the cemetery reserved for children.

Their children would have gone to school at the Rock School House, a stone school built in 1844 and located just west of where they were living.

Patrick was a cabinet and furniture maker as well as a mechanic, perhaps a “Jack of All Trades”. How good he was is unknown, but he must have been able to make enough money to support his wife and seven remaining children. At some point the family moved from their small cabin to a house located on the Halleck’s Road just west of where the Lyn Road used to cross over the Grand Trunk RR Tracks. (The location is now buried by Highway 401.)

Home purchased by John F. Johnston in 1887

In 1887 with their family grown and having moved out, their youngest son John, purchased a house and farm with 75 acres on the Lyn Road just south of the Grand Trunk Railroad. Patrick and Louise moved in with him and the three of them lived together in this small, five-room house. In May of 1891 John married Lilly Bell Patterson, and she moved in with her new husband and his parents. Perhaps the last thing a new bride wanted in those days was to live with her in-laws, but she accepted it and they all managed together.

In August of 1892 Patrick, at the age of 73, met an untimely death. He unfortunately had taken a “fondness to Drink” and would take the ferry from Brockville across to Morristown, N.Y when the taverns were closed in Brockville. On one of his adventures to Morristown, he may have had a bit too much to drink, for on his return when stepping off the ferry onto the dock at Brockville, he slipped into the water between the ferry and dock and drowned. An inquest into his death was held, and the corner ruled it an “Accidental Drowning”.

Louise continued to live with her son John and his wife Lilly Bell, and their family of three small girls, until her death in 1911 at aged 88. She was remembered as a very kind woman, who would sit rocking in her rocking chair smoking a clay pipe.

Their children married and had their own families. The boys grew into tall men, all over 6 feet.

Samuel went into the “Saloon” business and somehow managed to scrape together funds to purchase a Saloon/Hotel in Brockville called the Commercial Hotel. After selling that, he bought the Windsor Hotel located on Perth St. The building still stands today, but not as a hotel. Sam’s two brothers John and Stewart would work for him on weekends acting as ‘bouncers’ for those customers who got too rowdy. Samuel died in 1909.

John is the tall man on the deck next to the monument

John learned the trade of a stone mason and worked for a time at the Brockville Cemetery Memorial Works, and later went out on his own as a stone mason. Some of his work can still be seen around the area. He died in 1950.

Stewart moved to Gananoque and met an untimely death by drowning in the St. Lawrence River in 1902.

William, (named after his deceased older brother who passed away at the age of one), worked as a painter at Canada Carriage, a very large carriage factory in Brockville. He died in 1918.

Patrick and Louise along with their son Stewart lie buried in Oakland Cemetery across the road from where they first lived.

The descendants of Patrick and Louisa now number over 600 known relations and have moved throughout Canada and the United States.

This is the story of two ordinary people who moved to Canada in search of a better life. In so doing they gave their descendants a chance to grow and thrive in a free and democratic society.

Oakland Cemetery Tombstone for Louise Johnston

Oakland Cemetery, Tombstone for Patrick Johnston

News Story on the death of Patrick Johnston

News Article from the Evening Recorder, Monday, August 29, 1892

Accident or Suicide

Another Body Found in the River

Between six and seven o’clock this morning the body of a man was found floating in the Transit’s slip at the C.P.R. dock by a labourer named Kelly. He immediately gave an alarm and a large crowd was soon gathered. The remains were quickly identified as those of an elderly cabinet maker named Patrick Johnston, who resided west of the town on the Lyn road. After being taken from the water the body was given in charge of Undertaker Clint and removed up town for holding an inquest. Chief Rose enpanelled a jury which viewed the remains and adjourned until tomorrow night at seven o’clock.

The fact of the body being found floating gives the affair an air of mystery though it is generally thought the Transit’s wheel may have brought it to the surface. In so far as known there are no marks of violence on the body and as deceased was seen alive on Saturday he could not have been long in the water.

Deceased who was 67 years of age and a fine mechanic was somewhat given to the use of intoxicants, but would be very unlikely to take his own life. He leaves a wife and large family of grown up children all respectably connected and who are at a loss to know how the unfortunate man met his death. The funeral will take place to-morrow at 2:30 p.m. from his late residence to the cemetery.

The Evening Recorder, Tuesday Feb 14, 1911

Mrs. Patrick Johnston

Another of the elderly residents of this section, Mrs. Patrick Johnston breathed her last evening at the home of her son, Mr. John F. Johnston, Lyn Road, after an illness of several months, the last three of which she had been confined to her bed. A breaking up of a hitherto robust constitution incidental to her advanced years was the cause.

The late Mrs. Johnston was born in Ireland ninety years ago, her maiden name being Louise Knox. Coming to Canada she settled in Elizabethtown sixty five years ago and had since been a resident of the Township. Mr. Johnston died nineteen years ago, and a family of two sons and two daughters are now called upon to mourn the loss of their mother. They are Mrs. Harry Woods, of Vancouver, B.C.; Mrs. E. Tobey, Montreal; Wm. J., Brockville and John F. Elizabethtown. In religion she was a Methodist.

The funeral will take place from her son’s residence to-morrow at 3:30 to Brockville cemetery. Service at the house at 3 o’clock.

John F. Johnston, stone mason- 1866-1950

John Johnston, farmer clearing his land c1900

The Windsor Hotel, Brockville photo taken in 2000

Advertisement for the Windsor Hotel, Samuel Johnston Prop.

January 19 2017

Major William Read, United Empire Loyalists – Our People, Our Heritage

John Our People Our Heritage Kitley Township, Leeds and Grenville, Major William Read, United Empire Loyalist 3

Major William Read, United Empire Loyalists and settler in Kitley Township

Major William Read came to America from his native Ireland as a young man and settled on Bison Creek in the Parish of St. George, Queensboro Twp, Province of Georgia. The Reads, Lyles and Russells all had come from Ulster in the northeast part of Ireland (capital city Belfast). Young William Read arrived in Savannah on the ship “Hopewell” in 1769.

There, William, in true pioneer spirit through toil and the sweat of his brow cleared the land and built himself an increasingly prosperous farm. There he also met and married Jennet Russell the daughter of his neighbours David Russell and Jennet Lyle and soon began a family of his own.

When the war broke out in 1777 William, an outspoken young man, identified by the rebels as a danger to their cause, eventually sought refuge in east Florida where his father-in-law David Russell was already in exile. There he joined Colonel Brown’s Florida Rangers and stayed with them until Georgia was taken over by the British army. He served at the siege of Savannah following which he was discharged from the Florida Rangers. He was then commissioned as a Lieutenant in the Georgia Militia and was later granted a captain’s commission by Sir James Wright. He remained in the King’s service until the evacuation of Savannah and then went to St Augustine. During the war he was taken prisoner once and clothing and arms valued at 12 pounds were taken from him. His lands and possessions were confiscated and sold.

In 1784 he took his family to the Gut of Canso in Nova Scotia, arriving on the good ship Argo where he attempted to farm for several years. Finding the land too inhospitable, he abandoned his hopes for success there and set off first for Quebec where he applied for land in Hinchinbrook Twp but didn’t stay there long. William Read in response to Governor Simcoe’s proclamation about new lands available in Upper Canada for settlement then moved his family to Leeds County about 1897, first to Yonge Twp, then Elizabethtown Twp, Augusta Twp, Bastard Twp & Kitley Townships. He and his family finally settling in Kitley Township on Lot 27 Con 8 near the village of Frankville.

There William Read built a home for himself and his family from a clearing in the forest and began to prosper once again. He and his wife Agnes (Nancy) Russell (daughter of David Russell and Janette Lyle) eventually had a total of 13 children. The Rev William Bell, a dour Scottish Presbyterian minister, seems to have been quite friendly with William Read as he is referred to a number of times in Rev Bell’s journal.

The Read home was located about halfway between Brockville and Perth so a likely stopping point for travellers. His father-in-law David Russell, who had fought beside William Read in Brown’s Rangers, died of a fever in St Augustine in 1782. In 1783 his widow Janet Lyle returned to Ireland with her five dependent children.

As early as 1807 William Read began to gather volunteers for a militia anticipating that there might be future troubles. In 1812 William Read once again found himself taking up arms to defend his country when the War of 1812 broke out serving as second in the 2nd regiment of the Leeds County militia commanded by Colonel Joel Stone.

William Read’s daughter Elizabeth married a gentleman by the name of William Magee in 1822. Their two eldest daughters Euretta and Marinda both married Kirks. The Kirk and Magee families lived in Leeds until the 1840’s when they migrated to the Huron Tract and settled northeast of London along with many other Leeds families. The Kirk family lots became the village of Kirkton in Usborne Twp. Huron County, Ontario. The Magees settled nearby and had 13 children of their own.

After his death in February of 1828, at 79 years of age, William Read was buried on his farm near Frankville in Kitley Twp. Line 8. His life a testament to the indomitable will of the Loyalists who survived the losses and hardships of pioneer life to forge the foundation for a nation.

This story was copied from the United Empire Loyalists’ Association of Canada, the information is from Donna Magee UE

This story is of interest to us because Major Reid, resided in Kitley Township and is buried in the Montgomery Cemetery. There is no headstone for his grave. His story makes up part of our history and our heritage. Unfortunately no pictures exist of Major Read.

For information on the Montgomery Cemetery go to our post on Cemeteries in Kitley

January 17 2017

Yonge Mills School Minute and Ledger Book 1877 to 1893

John One Room School Houses in Elizabethtown Elizabethtown Township, Leeds and Grenville, One Room School Houses, Ontario, Yonge Mills School Elizabethtown 2

Yonge Mills School

S.S. No 2 & 3 in Young and S.S. No. 18 in Elizabethtown

We are fortunate to have in our collection the Minute Book and Ledger for this school for the years 1877 to 1893. Unfortunately there are some pages missing and some so faded that they are un-readable.

This book gives us some insight into the function of the school during this time period.

The Expense Ledger is located in the middle of this page.

Local School Tax Assessments by landholder is at the bottom of this page

Teacher’s Contract for 1882

Memorandum of Agreement made this 31^st day of January 1882 between the Public School Trustees of S.S. Nos. 2&3 Yonge and 28 Elizabethtown and Florence Sherwood of the Town of Brockville, the holder of a Third Class Certificate of Qualification as a Public School Teacher in Ontario as follows:

The Trustees hereby employ for their said school such teacher at the yearly salary of two hundred and fifty dollars ($250.00) for the term of one year beginning on the first day of January one thousand eight hundred and eighty two and ending on the thirty-first day of December in the same year. And further agree that they and their successors in office will pay such salary to the said Teacher at least yearly, and will exercise all powers and perform all duties under the Public Schools Act, and Regulations of the Education Department which may be required for making such payment.

The Teacher agrees with the said Public School Trustees to teach and conduct the said school during the said term according to the said Law and Regulations in that behalf.

The foregoing is subject to the following conditions: (1) That the Teacher shall continue to be the holder of a legal Certificate of qualification as a Public School Teacher in Ontario (2) That holidays and vacations prescribed by the Law and Regulations are excepted from the said term (3) That the days on which the Teacher has attended the meetings of Teacher’s Association or Institutes as certified by the Inspector of Chairman thereof, shall be allowed her as if she had actually taught in the said School; and (4) That in case of sickness as certified by a registered Medical Practitioner, he shall be entitled to receive his salary without deduction for such period as may be authorized under the Statute in his behalf.

The Trustees and the Teacher may at their option respectively terminate this agreement by giving notice in writing to the other of them at least ___ months previously and so as to terminate on the last day of a calendar month.

This agreement shall also be construed to continue in force year to year, unless and until it is terminated by the notice herein before prescribed.

As witness the Corporate Seal of the said Trustees and the hand and seal of the Teacher, on the day and year first above mentioned.

Signed: Florence Sherwood, Teacher

Trustees: G.A. Purvis; James Dickey; Nelson Forrester

Teachers as per Record Book:

1877 Caroline A. Murray

1881 Hattie Davis, salary $250.00

1882 Florence Sherwood, of the Town of Brockville, salary $250.

1883 Jennie Robertson, of Augusta, salary $265.00

1884 Jennie Robertson, of Augusta, salary $265.00

1885 Jennie Robertson, of Augusta, salary $265.00

1886 Christine Wilson, salary of $300.00

1887 Jennie Madden of Delta , salary $280.00

1889 Jean Beatty of Lansdowne, salary of $300.

1889 A.R.Rowsom of Athens at $25. per month for the term beginning 19^th August 1889 ending the 31^st of December of the same year

1890 Edith Tennant of Caintown , salary of $275.00

Accounts Ledger for Yonge Mills School 1877 to 1893

1877	Credits
	Balance on hand from last account	$17.48
	Clergy Money	$2.33
	County Assessment for Yonge	$27.00
	County Assessment for Elizabethtown	$2.66
	Clergy Money for 1874 $1.00 Elizabethtown	$1.00
	Government Grant	$24.08
	Rate Bill for 1877	$316.95
	Total:	$391.50

	Notes at end of page
	Bought of John Dickey eight cords hard wood at $2.75 per cord
	Bought of Anson McLean four cords soft wood at $1,75 per cord
	Bought of J.P.Buell 125 posts at $10, per hundred
	Bought twenty five hundred ft lumber at $10.00 per thousand
	one hundred lbs nails at $3.00 per hundred

1877	Debits
Feb 8th	paid John Dickey per James Dickey for wood	$15.00
“	for postage and change of money	$0.05
Feb 14th	Bought one pail and dipper	$0.50
	postage	$0.05
	A. H. McLean for wood	$7.00
	paid J.P. Buell for posts	$10.00
	one broom	$0.30
	Paid H. Clow for building	$16.00
	Paid Teacher	$15.00
	Paid Teacher	$24.08
	Paid for posts	$2.50
	paid J.Phillips for repairing stove	$1.50
	paid for sawing 10 1/4 cords wood .45¢ per chord	$4.62
	Paid Henry Clow 50¢ extra for gateway	$0.50
	paid to H.McLean for lumber	$1.30
	paid to H.McLean for drawing lumber	$5.00
	paid for lumber 2500 ft	$25.00
	paid for 83 lbs nails at 3¢ per lb	$2.61
	paid for building fires	$2.00
	paid for cleaning School house	$2.00
	Paid Teacher	$15.00
	Paid Teacher	$70.00
	Paid interest on H. Clow’s note	$0.56
	paid for prize books	$5.00
	paid for collecting school bills	$3.17
	paid for wood John Dickey	$1.50
	paid Teacher in full	$125.92
	paid difference on J.McNish’s School bill	$1.49

1878	Money Received
	balance on hand from last account	$33.18
	Municipal Assessment for Yonge	$25.50
	Municipal assessment for Elizabethtown	$4.06
Aug	Government grant for Yonge	$21.86
	Government grant for Elizabethtown	$4.09
Dec	School assessment for 1878	$248.18
	Credits	$336.87
	Debits	$328.39
	Balance on Hand	$16.38

1879	Money Received
	Balance on Hand from last account	$16.38
Jan 16th	Municipal Assessment for Yonge for 1878	$24.24
“	Municipal Assessment for Elizabethtown for 1878	$5.89
Aug	Government Grant for Yonge	$20.00
	Government Grant for Elizabethtown	$3.20
Dec	School Assessment for Yonge	$231.65
	School Assessment for Elizabethtown	$75.14
	Total	$376.50
	Expenses	$298.87
	Balance on Hand	$77.63

1879	Expenses
Jan	Postage	$0.14
“	Broom	$0.25
Feb	Chalk	$0.30
“	Paid Teacher	$30.13
“	Paid A.H. McLean for Wood	$16.00
June	Dilaper [sic] from L.W. Coward	$0.13
“	Paid Teacher	$25.00
Aug	Paid Teacher	$23.20
“	buy a broom	$0.30
Oct	Three Window Curtains	$1.60
“	Chalk	$0.40
Nov 23rd	Paid for sawing wood @ .35¢ per cord	$3.50
Dec 23rd	Paid Teacher	$112.67
Dec 17th	Paid Teacher	$75.00
“	Interest on Note	$0.75
“	Paid J.Scott for repairing grounds around house	$3.50
“	W.Scott for building fires	$2.00
	Abe ?? For whitewashing and cleaning house	$4.00
	Total	$298.87

1880	Money Received
	Balance on hand from last account	$77.63
Jan 23rd	Municipal Assessment for Yonge for 1879	$23.67
	Municipal Assessment for Elizabethtown for 1879	$3.49
Juy 31st	Government Grant for Yonge	$17.69
“	Government Grant for Elizabethtown	$2.34
Dec 20th	School Assessment for Yonge	$172.42
“	School Assessment for Elizabethtown	$74.55
“	Government Grant for Elizabethtown	$1.24
Dec 24th	Received for Prize Books	$0.60
	total	$373.63
	expenses	$344.69
	Balance on hand	$28.94
	$7.40 Dollars to be collected on Yonge Mills Property

1881	Money Received
	Balance on Hand from last account	$28.94
Jan 24th	Municipal assessment for Yonge for 1880	$21.00
“	Municipal assessment for Elizabethtown for 1880	$5.02
June 13th	Received from Council for use of School House	$3.00
July 28th	Government Grant for Yonge 1881	$19.76
“	Government Grant for Elizabethtown 1881	$3.10
Dec 24th	School Assessment for Yonge	$171.85
“	School Assessment for Elizabethtown	$63.15
	Balance	$315.82

1881	Expenses
Jan 8th	For cleaning School House and after Election	$2.50
Jan 29th	1 Box of chalk	$0.35
Feb 2nd	5 cords of Soft Wood at $1.60 per cord	$8.00
“	5 cords hard wood at $2.50 per cord	$12.50
Mar 3rd	Two Brooms	$0.50
April 7th	paid insurance on School House	$6.40
June 20th	One pail $1.25 and dipper .13¢	$1.38
Aug 20th	Cleaning School House	$2.00
Aug 24th	Paid Teacher	$26.02
Aug 30th	for postage	$0.06
Oct 2nd	Paid Teacher	$22.86
Dec 1st	Sawing 10 cords wood at .30¢ per cord and putting in shed .25¢	$3.25
Dec 23rd	Paid Teacher in Full	$201.12
Dec 27th	Drawing Lumber from Lyn	$0.75
	Total	$287.69

1882	Receipts
	Balance brought forward	$28.13
	Received .50¢ for door	$0.50
March 18th	Received from the Municipal Assessment for Elzabethtown in 1881	$2.24
April 5th	Received from the Municipal Assessment for Yonge in 1881	$22.00
October 28th	Government Grant for Yonge	$20.86
Dec 5th	Government Grant for Elizabethtown	$3.60
Dec 22nd	Received School Tax Yonge	$183.00
Dec 26th	Received School Tax Elizabethtown	$76.11
	Total	$336.44
	Expenses	$274.34
	Balance on Hand	$62.10

1882	Expenses
	Paid F.Cowley for building fires for 1881	$2.00
Jan 9th	Paid N.L Gardiner for cleaning the school	$2.00
Jan 10th	Paid John McKay for plastering	$1.50
Jan 30th	Paid Edwin Bagg for porch and repairs	$16.68
March 1st	Postage	$0.06
“	1 box Chalk	$0.35
March 18th	Paid Teacher	$2.24
April 5th	Paid Teacher	$22.00
Sept 2nd	2 brooms	$0.50
Oct	Paid Teacher	$20.85
Dec 5th	Paid Teacher	$3.60
Dec 18th	Paid Clifford Kerr for building fires	$1.25
Dec 22nd	Paid as Final Payment to Teacher	$201.31
	Total expenses	$274.34

1883	Credits
	Balance brought forward from last account	$62.10
Dec 29th	To cash for use of Schoolhouse for the municipal election 1882	$4.00
March 5, 1883	Received from Municipal assessment for Yonge $20.03	$20.03
June 4th	Received from Township Treasurers for use of schoolhouse for Municipal Elections, 1883	$3.00
August 20th	Received from Municipal assessment and Government Grant for Elizabethtown	$5.89
Sep 10th	Received Government Grant for Yonge	$28.22
Dec 15th	Received School tax for Yonge	$183.37
	Elizabethtown Government Grant	$1.00
	Received School Tax Elizabethtown	$41.63
Dec 26th	total	$351.41
	Expenses	$296.90
	Balance on hand	$54.51

1883	Debits
Jan 2nd	Paid for cleaning schoolhouse after election	$2.50
Jan 9th	Paid A.McLean for sawing wood	$3.50
Jan 13th	Paid Henry Gibson for 10 cords wood, 2.50	$25.00
Jan 16th	Paid to J.Jarvis for building fires	$0.50
March 6th	Paid J. Robertson, Teacher cash	$30.00
June 9th	Paid for cleaning schoolhouse after election	$2.00
	paid postage	$0.05
Aug 18th	Bought dipper for School	$0.10
Sep 12th	Paid Jas. Cummings Arbitration bill	$8.20
Sep 29th	Paid J. Robertson, Teacher cash	$24.00
Dec 15th	Paid for chalk and brooms	$0.80
Dec 18th	Paid J. Robinson balance of salary	$176.00
	Paid J. Phillips for fixing stove	$1.75
Dec 21st	Paid Jas. Dickey for building fires	$2.50
	total	$296.90

1884	Credits
Dec 26th	Balance on Hand	$54.51
Feb 2nd	Municipal Assessment Yonge	$26.80
	Municipal Assessment Elizabethtown	$4.70
Apr 19th	Rent for School House	$8.00
July 30th	Government Grant for Elizabethtown	$3.78
July 30th	Government Grant for Yonge	$26.63
Nov 25th	Received School tax for Yonge	$184.39
Nov 25th	Received School Tax Elizabethtown	$58.13
	Total	$367.02
	Expenses	$323.96
	Balance on Hand	$43.06

1884	Debits
Jan 3rd	Postage	$0.08
Feb 2nd	Foe cleaning school house	$2.00
Feb 5th	Insurance on School House	$5.28
Feb 5th	for wood	$4.00
March 7th	Cutting wood and splitting same in wood shed	$5.20
Apr 14th	For 13 cords of wood at $2.50 a cord	$32.50
June 2nd	for cleaning school house	$4.00
July 15th	Paid James C. Dickey for wood and lime	$3.15
Dec 13th	Paid Teacher	$265.00
Dec 17th	Crayons	$0.25
	building fires	$2.50
	total	$323.96

1885	Credits
Jan 2nd	Balance on hand	$43.06
Feb 14th	Municipal Assessment Elizabethtown	$2.82
Feb 14th	Clergy Reserve	$1.00
Feb 14th	Municipal Assessment Yonge	$26.78
Mar 2nd	Clergy Reserve	$1.25
Mar 2nd	Rent for school House	$4.00
Mar 2nd	Rent for school House	$4.00
Mar 2nd	for glass that has broken	$0.20
Sep 1st	Government grant for Elizabethtown	$1.15
Sep 1st	Government grant for Yonge	$16.07
Sep 1st	Clergy Reserve for Yonge	$0.22
Sep 1st	School tax for Yonge	$199.68
Sep 1st	School tax for Elizabethtown	$58.87
	Total	$359.10
	Expenses	$326.90
	Balance on Hand	$32.20

1885	Debits
Jan 10th	for cleaning school house	$2.00
Jan 10th	Lining Stove Bond [sic]	$2.50
Feb 7th	Paid James Polly for eave troughs	$14.45
Feb 20th	Paid Arthur Purvis for 13 cords wood at $2.50	$32.50
March 2nd	paid teacher	$30.00
May 22nd	paid for brooms	$0.60
July	paid teacher	$10.00
Sep	paid teacher	$15.00
	Paid balance due teacher	$210.00
	for building fires and furnishing kindling	$4.00
	for cutting wood and putting same in wood house	$5.85
		$326.90

1886	Credits
Jan 1st	Balance on hand from last year	$32.20
Feb 18th	Municipal assessment Yonge	$21.89
	Municipal assessment Elizabethtown	$4.43
March	Rent for school house	$4.00
Aug 17th	Government grant for Yonge	$18.80
	Government grant for Elizabethtown	$5.22
	Received for glass that was broken	$0.40
Dec	School taxes for Yonge	$204.57
	School taxes for Elizabethtown	$71.59
	total	$363.16
	Expenses	$329.85
	Balance on hand	$33.31

1886	Debits
Jan	for cleaning house	$2.00
Jan	for five cords of wood at $2.80	$14.00
March	material for blackening the blackboard	$0.40
March	two brooms, one pail, box of crayons	$1.15
March	paid the teacher	$25.00
May	Water Barrel	$0.50
July	Box of crayons	$0.25
July	paid the teacher	$50.00
Aug	for cleaning house	$2.00
Sept	paid the teacher	$25.00
Oct	paid for glass and putty	$0.25
Oct	paid Robert Ayers for painting school house	$1.50
Dec	paid the teacher	$200.00
Dec	paid G. Burnham for putting wood in wood house	$1.00
Dec	for building fires and furnishing kindling	$4.00
Dec	paid James Purvis interest	$2.00
Dec	paid Able McLean for repairs	$0.50
Dec	for stationary and postage	$0.30
		$329.85

1887	Credits
Feb	Balance on hand from last account	$33.31
Feb 8th	Municipal grant for Yonge	$20.40
“	Municipal grant for Elizabethtown	$5.02
June	received for rent	$8.00
Aug	Government grant for Yonge	$16.90
“	Government grant for Elizabethtown	$5.25
Dec	School taxes for Yonge	$177.82
Dec	School taxes for Elizabethtown	$68.42
	total	$335.12
	expenses	$297.63
	Balance on hand	$37.49

1887	Debits
Feb 8th	Insurance on School House	$5.28
“	paid for splitting wood	$0.50
“	cash for one calculator	$1.50
“	paid for cleaning School House	$2.50
“	paid Teacher	$10.00
May	paid Teacher	$5.00
“	Cash for Black board	$2.50
“	Two Brooms .60¢, Box of Crayons .25¢	$0.85
“	Repairs on Door	$0.25
June	paid Teacher	$25.00
Sept 15th	paid Teacher	$5.00
Oct	paid Teacher	$30.00
“	repairing windows	$0.25
Dec 23rd	Cash to Teacher	$205.00
“	paid for building fires and furnishing kindling	$4.00
		$297.63

1888	Credits
Jan 2nd	Balance on hand from 1887	$37.49
Feb 27th	Municipal grant for Yonge	$16.64
“	Municipal grant for Elizabethtown	$3.44
March 5th	Received for Rent	$4.00
Sept 15th	Government Grant for Yonge	$17.75
“	Government Grant for Elizabethtown	$1.09
Dec 14th	School Tax for Yonge	$206.00
“	School Tax for Elizabethtown	$75.43
	total	$361.84
	expenses	$339.50
Dec 26th	Balance on hand at year end 1888	$22.34

1888	Debits
Jan 25th	Paid for splitting and piling wood	$1.00
Feb 11th	Paid for cleaning school house	$2.50
Mar 10th	Paid for 18 cords stove wood at $1.75 per cord	$31.50
Mar 24th	paid for glass and putty	$0.25
Mar 28th	Paid Teacher	$5.00
Apr 4th	Paid Teacher	$15.00
Sep 12th	Paid Teacher	$10.00
Sep 21st	Paid Teacher	$15.00
Nov 29th	One box of crayons	$0.15
“	one light of glass	$0.10
Dec 15th	Paid Teacher	$255.00
Dec 26th	Paid for building fires and furnishing kindling	$4.00
		$339.50

1889	Credits
Jan 1st	Balance on hand fro 1888	$22.34
	Municipal grant for Yonge	$16.77
	Municipal grant for Elizabethtown	$2.23
	Legislation grant for 1889	$19.70
	” Elizabethtown	$2.18
Dec 17th	received for rent	$4.00
	School tax for Yonge	$252.48
	School tax for Elizabethtown	$84.87
	total	$404.57
	expenses	$353.18
	Balance on hand at year end 1889	$51.39

1889	Debits
Jan 2nd	Repairing the door	$1.50
Jan 12th	paid for cleaning the school house	$2.50
Jan 21st	paid for two brooms	$0.60
“	paid for light of glass	$0.20
Mar 29th	paid for wood	$17.00
“	Paid Teacher	$19.00
April	paid for tablets	$2.75
July 1st	Paid Teacher on salary	$80.00
Oct 11th	Balance for wood	$4.00
“	Box of Crayons	$0.25
“	nine inch Globe	$10.00
Nov	Repairs for outbuilding	$2.50
	One lock for the door	$0.75
	113 feet of lumber for school	$1.13
	for nails and hinges	$0.70
	for advertising	$1.00
Dec 24th	two rods for stove and repairs on evespout	$1.50
“	building fires	$4.00
“	interest on money	$2.80
“	Paid Teacher	$76.00
“	Paid Teacher	$125.00
	Total expenses for 1888	$353.18

	1890 Credits are un-readable
	1891 Balance sheet is missing

1892	Credits
	Balance on hand from 1891	$26.51
No Dates	Municipal grant from Yonge	$18.15
given	Municipal Grant from Elizabethtown	$2.72
	Legislative Grant from Yonge	$18.00
	Legislative Grant from Elizabethtown	$1.87
	School Section Taxes	$63.27
	Township school taxes	$26.64
	School Section Taxes Yonge	$209.61
		$366.77
	Debits	$308.34
	Balance on hand at year end	$58.43

1892	Debits
No dates	Repairing porch	$1.50
given	1 light of glass	$0.08
	two brooms	$0.40
	1 Box chalk	$0.25
	Paid Teacher	$20.00
	12 cords stove wood at $1.75	$21.00
	1 cord dry wood	$3.00
	Sawing wood	$0.50
	Planting Trees	$2.00
	Paid Teacher	$20.00
	2 brooms .50¢, 1 box chalk .25¢	$0.75
	2 lights glass 16¢, 2 Dozen hooks .50¢	$0.66
	1 lock .90¢, 1 latch .25¢	$1.15
	for putting on locks, hooks etc.	$0.80
	Cleaning School House	$2.25
	Building fires	$4.00
	Balance of teachers salary	$230.00
	Totals:	$308.34

1893	Credits

No dates	Balance on Hand from 1892	$58.43
given	Municipal Grant fro Yonge	$18.02
	Municipal Grant from Elizabethtown	$4.20
	Legislative Grant from Yonge	$23.00
	Legislative Grant from Elizabethtown	$4.23
	School Section Taxes Elizabethtown	$89.40
	Township election for use of School House	$4.00
	School Section Taxes Yonge	$269.87
	Total receipts	$471.15
	debits	$440.24
	Balance on Hand	$30.91

1893	Debits
No dates	Paid Teacher	$20.00
Given	Cleaning School House	$2.25
	15 cords stove wood 1.70 per cord	$26.25
	splitting and putting in wood	$1.25
	paid on seats	$25.00
	putting in seats	$1.50
	bringing seats from Brockville	$2.00
	Painting School House	$16.00
	Paint, oil etc	$8.19
	Cleaning School House	$2.00
	Putting in wood	$1.50
	Glass and putting in	$0.55
	Brooms	$0.45
	Balance on School Seats	$69.30
	Balance on Teachers Salary	$260.00
	Building fires	$4.00
	Total:	$440.24

Tax Assessment for 1877

Name	Assessment	Tax
Amos Gardiner	$1,900	$9.50
Joseph Parker	$600	$3.00
Samuel Holbensworth	$1,600	$8.00
Henry Caldwell	$1,200	$6.00
Mark Green	$1,600	$8.00
William Tufts	$500	$2.50
Nelson Pennock	$400	$2.00
William Eyres	$250	$1.25
Richard Eyres	$250	$1.25
Burrell Burnham	$550	$2.75
James Purvis	$3,000	$15.00
Samuel Avery	$1,600	$8.00
Joseph Avery	$2,100	$10.50
Arthur Purvis	$2,850	$14.25
Henry Gibson	$400	$2.00
Ormond Gibson	$200	$1.00
Alexander Gibson	$200	$1.00
John A. Dickey	$1,450	$7.25
James Dickey	$1,950	$9.75
James Munroe	$2,300	$11.50
Anson H. McLean	$1,800	$9.00
Francis Scott	$750	$3.75
Johanthan Scott	$400	$2.00
Samuel Shipman	$1,100	$5.50
Erastus Brown	$2,100	$10.50
John Phillips	$1,600	$8.00
John S. McLean	$2,000	$10.00
John H. McLean	$600	$3.00
Norris G. Gardiner	$1,500	$7.50
Morton B. Gardiner	$1,500	$7.50
George Gardiner	$2,000	$10.00
Nelson Shipman	$5,480	$27.40
Lutger M.Shipman	$1,600	$8.00
Samuel H. Shipman	$1,925	$9.62
Bert Kelenbee	$400	$2.00
Sheldon Haws	$150	$0.75
John G. McDonald	$100	$0.50
G.G. Forrester (one forth off)	$3,200	$12.00
Nelson Forrester (one forth off)	$1,644	$6.16
James McNish (one forth off)	$8,500	$31.87
Abram Game (one forth off)	$1,600	$6.00
Rufus Game (one forth off)	$1,000	$3.75
John H. Game (one forth off)	$2,038	$7.65
		$316.95


Tax Assessment for 1878

John A. Dickey	$1,600	$6.40
Samuel Shipman	$1,000	$4.00
A.H.McLean	$1,800	$7.20
Francis and Johnathan Scott	$1,100	$4.40
Erastus Brown	$2,000	$8.00
John Phillipws & Snider	$1,600	$6.40
James A. Dickey	$1,800	$7.20
Norris L. Gardiner	$1,500	$6.00
J.S. & J.C. McLean	$2,900	$11.60
G.T. Railroad	$500	$2.00
N.Shipman	$5,250	$21.00
L.M. Shipman	$1,800	$7.20
S. H. Shipman	$1,925	$7.70
Morton Gardinwe	$3,000	$12.00
Amos Gardiner	$1,900	$7.60
Joseph Parker	$550	$2.20
Edward Quinsey	$100	$0.40
John G. McDonald	$100	$0.40
G.G. Forrester 1/4 off $3170.	$2,378	$9.51
N.Forrester 1/4 off $1630.	$1,223	$4.89
James McNish 1/4 off $7890.	$5,918	$23.67
Abram Lane 1/4 off $1700.	$1,275	$5.10
Rufus Lane 1/4 off $1000	$750	$3.00
John H. Lane 1/4 off $2038	$1,529	$6.11
Cheese Factory 1/4 off $1000.	$750	$3.00
		$176.98
Brought Forward		$72.40
John A.Dickey over assessed		-$1.20
Amount of School Assessment for 1878		$214.18

January 17 2017

Montgomery Cemetery

John Cemeteries in Kitley Kitley Township, Leeds and Grenville, Montgomery Cemetery, Ontario Cemeteries 0

Montgomery / Harlem / Delta Cemetery– Concession 8, Lot 25 or 26 ,GPS: 44.713472, -75.990880- in field on private land.

The Montgomery’s were the owners of a log cabin that was relocated from their farm to Highway 29, Frankville and eventually moved to Upper Canada Village. They along with others are buried on the old family farm.

Joseph Montgomery Sr Dec 23 1883 @ 93yrs

Margaret Pratt Died Jan 1, 1808, age 62 years

Location of Montgomery Farm on Kitley Line 8

Gravesites in the Montgomery Cemetery

Joseph Montgomery Sr. died 23 Dec. 1895 age 93 yrs.

Margaret Montgomery died 20 Mar 1869 age 82 yrs.

Joseph Montgomery Jr., died 24 Jul 1892, age 68 yrs

Etta Montgomery died 15 Apr 1900 age 82 yrs.

William Montgomery died 21 Jan 1895 age 66 yrs

George Pratt died 13 Jan 1929 age 84 yrs

Mary Pratt died 1 Jan 1908 age 82 yrs

Major William Read died 8 Feb 1828 age 79 years

William Morrow- no information

January 13 2017

Long Beach Motel

John Highway No 2 in Elizabethtown Elizabethtown Township, Hwy No 2, Leeds and Grenville, Long Beach Motel, Motels 25

The Long Beach Motel is the last stop on our drive through the southern part of Elizabethtown along Highway No. 2 going from East to west.

This hotel is now gone and nothing remains of a building that held wedding receptions, dances, great meals and rooms for overnight travelers.

It started out as a small two story hotel and restaurant with rooms attached. Unfortunately there was a fire and the eastern part of the building burned and was removed leaving only the main building hat now stands today.

**Fire destroys part of the building in 1971 (photo #3)**

We are very short on the history of the Long Beach Motel, the name was later changed to The Flying Dutchman. The one thing that we do have are some photos of this one time great motel.

**Driving into the main entrance (photo #6)**

**The Motel from the main drive leading into it (photo #8)**

**Long Beach Motel Brockville (Photo #9)**

**Aerial view of the motel with the St. Lawrence River in the background (Photo #10)**

**A look inside one of the rooms (Photo #11)**

**Business Card for the Long Beach Motel (photo #12)**

**New sign after Hwy 401 was built with an intersection at Long Beach. The motel is on the left (photo #14)**

A Brief History of Motels

The 1950s and 1960s was the pinnacle of the motel industry in the United States and Canada. As older mom-and-pop motor hotels began adding newer amenities such as swimming pools or color TV (a luxury in the 1960s), motels were built in wild and impressive designs. In-room gimmicks such as the coin-operated Magic Fingers vibrating bed were briefly popular; introduced in 1958, these were largely removed in the 1970s due to vandalism of the coin boxes. The American Hotel Association (which had briefly offered a Universal Credit Card in 1953 as forerunner to the modern American Express card) became the American Hotel & Motel Association in 1963.

As many motels vied for their place on busy highways, the beach-front motel instantly became a success. In major beach-front cities such as Jacksonville, Florida, Miami, Florida, and Ocean City, Maryland, rows of colorful motels such as the Castaways, in all shapes and sizes, became commonplace. [Wikipedia]

Motel building boomed in the ‘50s and ‘60s and establishments began to offer families the adventure they were seeking right at the site. Tourists could engage in recreation at the motel site, keep their cars outside the door, lock their belongings in the room, and employ a chain lock to keep out intruders; adventure and security offered in one package. The enormously popular Holiday Inn formula moved the trend in lodging more toward the old hotel form and started eroding the original motel form. Motels bypassed by the interstate system left once thriving businesses [America’s Roadside Lodging: The Rise and Fall of the Motel Lori Henderson]

**Yellow Pages Ad from the August 1959 phone book (photo #15)**

January 13 2017

Brock Tourist Villa

John Highway No 2 in Elizabethtown Brock Tourist Villa, Elizabethtown Township, Hwy No 2, Leeds and Grenville, Tourist Cabins 0

Here was another popular place to stay if you were travelling along Highway No. 2 in the 1950’s and 60’s. The Brock Tourist Villa was on located on the north side of the highway just east of the now Hwy 401.

Very popular in its’ day when staying in these small cabins was the only way to travel.

“A 1927 New York Times article declared “touring motorists can now sleep in bungalows if they do not want to pitch tents—large roadside industry developed.” Precursors to the motel, these cabin camps were only the beginning of a large roadside industry. The article reported that the growth of the bungalow camp “has been sensational” particularly in the west and that “these camps are nearly all privately owned and they are in direct competition to the municipal camp.” This article also foretold the future of competition among roadside cabin camps and their descendants, the motel, describing the different amenities provided by different proprietors. Some operators brought guests flowers and others provided hot water.” [1]

[1]America’s Roadside Lodging: The Rise and Fall of the Motel by Lori Henderson Lori Henderson

January 13 2017

A “French Cuisine” Restaurant

John Highway No 2 in Elizabethtown Elizabethtown Township, Leeds and Grenville, Restaurant 2

This building is now a private residence located on the south side of Highway No.2 just east of the Halleck’s Road.

It was operated as a restaurant in the late 50’s or early 60’s. Unfortunately at this time we don’t have much history on the business If anyone knows anything about this we would appreciate hearing from you.

January 13 2017

Nirvana Court

John Highway No 2 in Elizabethtown Elizabethtown Township, Leeds and Grenville, Nirvana Court, Tourist Cabins 0

Heading west along No. 2 highway the next place you would come to would be on the river side of the highway. A good place to spend the night or a few days vacation as they had cabins and a small beach on the river. The court was operated in the 1950’s and 60’s. With the introduction of ‘motels’ and the opening of Highway 401 in the mid 1960’s the traffic along Highway 2 decreased and so did their business.

Road side sign with a view of the cabins in the distance

January 11 2017

A Social History of Lyn

John Village of Lyn Churches of Lyn, Elizabethtown Township, History of Lyn, Leeds and Grenville, Lyn 0

A Social History of Lyn

By an unknown author written around 1953

The village of Lyn is situated in the Pre-Cambrian Shield six miles west of Brockville and one hundred and forty one miles west of Montreal. In relation to the St. Lawrence it is three miles north of the point where the ship channel crosses from the Canadian side to the American side, called by the inhabitants “The Five Mile Light” or “Cole’s Ferry”

From the time of the first settlement on the rocky ledges covered with rough scraggy timber, the name of Coleman was connected with this place, in fact until the year 1837 it was known by the name of “Coleman’s Corners”. The Leavitt’s History of Leeds and Grenville says “Able Coleman, the man who caused two blades of grass to grow where before there was only one, is characterised as a public benefactor.” It would seem that he started his first mill in 1788, the date inscribed upon the first millstone, but when government rations were with held after the second year of the settlement’s establishment, he sold the village site to a Mr. Haleck for a small sum and then went to Montreal to work at his trade as a tanner. With his earnings he bought a cow, returned to Coleman’s Corners and became a miller, tanner and farmer.

The oldest inscription in the Lyn Cemetery reads: “In Memory of Able Coleman, who departed this life in Full Assurance of Eternal Life, April 25^th, 1810”

Richard Coleman bought the town-site from Mr. Halleck for he conceived the idea that it would be a fine place for a manufacturing town. It was surveyed into lots in 1813. The first house was built in 1814 by Mr. Brownson for a hotel. The same house is now occupied by (Mrs. Stephen Boyce) Mr. Charlie Lewis, although it has been remodelled and changed hands many times since then. The house now occupied by Mr. Widdis. Mr. Mel Davidson was the second one built the original builder being Capt. Stuart, and army captain.

For the next score of years the village made rapid progress under the pushing energies of its owners, Messrs. Coleman.

In 1820 a frame grist mill was erected and although not conducted on the roller system it was a great boon to the countryside. In 1837 the question of the name of the village came to the fore. “Lowell” was its new designation, no doubt because many of the settlers were sons of U.E. Loyalists, and still had tender recollections of their native state of Massachusetts. It was soon discovered however that another village in Ontario bore the same name, and it was necessary to change the name again “Lyn” was thought an appropriate one, for the word, lin, being the Scotch name of a waterfall.

In 1838 a new grist mill, larger and of improved design, replaced the earlier one. This original mill is now the Post Office and store. In 1841 a saw mill was erected. Then a tannery for the manufacture of sole leather, as well as one for the manufacture of uppers. The manufacturing of the year 1844 was given as no less than $500., all of which was consumed within the province, the raw hides being what was termed “Spanish” and imported from the United States, some of them weighing when ready for market. 45 pounds.

The Recorder of 1850 says “Thanks to the Colemans, Lyn has the most celebrated and extensive tanning establishment in the United Counties of Leeds and Grenville.” There were at this time employed by the Colemans between 30 and 40 men whose wage amounted in one year from $1500.- $1750. The majority of these men were transients, a number coming from Montreal. They lived in shacks – some on the mill road and others back of the pond. Other industries in Lyn about the same time were shoe, whip, comb and stave makers as well as a flax mill and a brickyard which made Lyn one of the best paying stations on the Grand Trunk Railway.

Lyn, although not celebrated as a seat of learning, has always had a good school. The first one was situated near where the lath factory stood and was used until it became too small for the fast increasing population. The house next used was situated near Mr. Halliday’s store. The brick one was then built and used until 1867 when the stone one now in use was built.

The social activities of the village were many. There were dances, a number of them formal, and the store being stocked with rich and expensive materials which were made up by local dressmakers. The dances and entertainment were held in the Buell and Pergan halls. There was a club called the Quintet Club, consisting of five young men-about-town who were the chief instigators of these affairs Skating on the Pond was the main sport in winter, and a game like hockey was played with sticks made from branches of trees.

The church played an important part in social the life of the village. There were parties for the children at New Year’s and the tea meetings were very popular, being like our church suppers with a program given by the local talent. In the summer there were picnics, people going by boat to Alexandra Bay, and later by the Brockville and Westport Railway to Westport.

In 1849 an Agricultural Society Fair was held, with prizes offered for horses and cattle and domestic manufactures, agricultural implements and ploughman ship with Charles Booth as Secretary. In June of the same year between 500 and 600 people attended a public meeting for the promotion of temperance. Speeches were given by Canadian and American speakers and the “Sons of Temperance” appeared in their regalia.

Until 1855 the Colemans had water for their mills from natural sources, but with the cutting of the forests, the supply was reduced. Then they bought the wild land running back from Lyn for six to eight miles, and converted marshes and shallow lakes into a series of reservoirs, canals being cut and dams erected.

In the Fellows’ Directory of 1866, we find Lyn described as a thriving and progressive village, a station of the Grand Trunk Railway. The prosperity was due to a large extent to the manufacturing’s, of which James Cumming was agent. The boot and show factory was the most recent addition to the business and was sufficiently extensive to require the services of between 40 and 50 men. The local stores were described as commodious and well stocked with merchandise of every description. The best example of this is given by an advertisement in the Fellows’ Directory which reads thus: “A.T. Trickey, druggist, general merchant, Main street, Lyn, manufactures of two conditioning powders for horses and cattle, has established correspondence with a reliable House in Montreal, receives direct from them in regular supplies which enables him to offer great advantages to the Counties’ trade.”

The Dominion Directory of 1871 gave Lyn a population of 750 and just ten years later the Lovell’s Business and Professional Directory of Ontario gave the population as only 300.

The Grand Trunk Railway (CNR) owned the sand pit but in 1940 Wells Simpson bought it from the railroad. The Brockville- Westport Railway was begun in 1885 and finished in 1888. Then on Saturday, August 30, 1952 the line was discontinued. Mr. Tobin was the last station master in Lyn.

The old red brick schoolhouse mentioned previously was burned down several years ago but was rebuilt using the same walls. It is just across the road from the present school and is now a private dwelling.

Just besides this building is another old landmark. It used to be an old rough-cast hotel by Mr. Gilleclain but is now occupied by Miss Florence Roberts. Beside this hotel there were four others – one just on the corner which was the Dr. Brown house, and one known as Stack’s Hotel, which was burned 26 years ago (1939). The double house owned by Charles Lewis and the rough-cast house where Jock Stewart lives were both very old hotels.

A very old bakeshop was located behind the Coon Bake shop (now closed) in what was known as the Baxter Block. There was another bakeshop back of the Oddfellows’ building. Then J.C.Cumming built the stone building across from Herbison’s blacksmith’s shop. It is now a dwelling owned by Mr. Baillie, an old Irish sailor and his daughter Rhoda. Lyn also had its own blacksmith shop. One was located behind the Coon Bakery. It was first run by George Stratton and then Bill Yates. Charles Herbison bought it from the latter and then sold out to Bill Wiley. Charles Herbison bought the old carriage shop about 25 years ago (1940) from Bill Tennant who had it for years. The stores in Lyn were handed down from family to family. Joshua Lillie ran the post office and store, sold to Mort Gardiner, and then to Omar Mallory who shared with Walter Billings. The latter ran it after Mr. Mallory’s death. These were all relations. Then Kenneth Bolton bought it and sold it to B.H.Bishop. The post office was given to Blake Mott (after Mr. Billings) and located where the W.I. is now in the Oddfellows’ building. Then David McCrady had it in connection with his hardware store in the Mason’s building. Then last year it went to Earl Miller. The Buell store was owned first by Mills and McManus from Morrisburg, then George Buell, finally James Greer. Ray Stewart bought it and converted it into a garage. The Belsile store was first a harness shop owned by Stelton Horton, changed to grocery owned by R.P. Boyd. Then William Laverty converted it into a barbershop and sold to Robert Willey who operated a meat shop there. William Quinn and Heaslip ran it for a while and then changed it into a residence. It was a general store run by Belisle. The McCrady store was owned and operated by: first A.T.Trickey, second Mort Gardiner, third C.M.Taylor, fourth John McCrady. Then John’s son Dave took over and after him his brother Frank who sold it to Earl Miler. The old Pregau store was originally a shoe making store. Alex Pergau was the shoe maker and then Jim who did mostly repairing. The building is now just a dwelling.

There have been several attempts made to have an organized sports programme. Below the Green Hill, across from the Mill, was a Tan Bark, over 70 years ago. It was burned and for some time was a baseball diamond and in winter a boarded in skating rink. About 15 years ago (1950) a rink was built behind Miller’s Store and again a few years ago another attempt was made but both failed because it was too hard to get good ice. The Jr. Farmers had a ball team for a couple of years recently.

Methodist Church then Roman Catholic Church

There is no Catholic Church in Lyn. They go in to their own church in Brockville but they have now purchased the old Methodist church and plan to have their own church here.

There are a number of Lodges, namely, the Masons, the Oddfellows, and the Rebecca’s. There is also a Women’s Institute and a Young Peoples’ Union.

The early settlers did not neglect the religious side of their life. Although they did not have a church, they held services in halls or houses. The first church was built by the Methodist body on the spot where the Church of England sheds now stand. It was the only church for miles around and people used to walk or ride long distances to attend a ‘quarterly meeting.” It would seem that this church was used by other denominations, who did not have a church of their own at that time, and it was sometimes spoken of as the “Union Church.” Maurice Brown in a letter states that he believed the first Methodist Conference to be held in Eastern Ontario of the Methodist Episcopal Church was held in it and most of the delegates were from New York State, and that a number of Bishops were in attendance. James Cumming told me when he first came to Lyn it was the only church in the village, that my grandmother used to sit in a rocking chair in front of the seats and rock and say “Amen” and “Bless the Lord.” The Methodist Episcopal Church for some unknown reason left this site and built a brick church on top of the hill above Lyn on the way to Lillie’s. The only ministers names which we can find associated with this church are Gifford, Perley, Brown (maybe also Mr. McDowell and Mr. Ainsworth). At the tie of union in 1884 of the Wesleyan Methodist and the Methodist Episcopal, to quote from Maurice Brown’s letter again “In Lyn the usual difficulty was experienced. As very often happens as to the choice of a church when they could not agree in Lyn, the Board of Wall St. Church was asked to come and make the choice. They did so and unanimously selected the one by the school which was a very fortunate decision as I will explain to you. There was a church funeral for a man who lived where Grant Hudson lives at present. A very severe windstorm came up and the Methodist Episcopal Church blew down. It was the bricks from that church that built the present Glen Buell edifice.”

The Presbyterians were the next to organize. Their first service was held in the ballroom of the Bronson Hotel and conducted by the Rev. William Smart, who was one of the pioneers of religion than whom no man did more for the moral and religious interests of the people for, as it is said “so long as the children of the original settlers maintain their memories. The name of Rev. William Smart will e held dear by them.” A Sabbath school was also organized in this same room by Mr. Smart and Adiel Sherwood, who was at one time Sheriff of Brockville. Services were held occasionally in the old Methodist Church and then in Pergau’s Hall until the church was built. It was only a mission station until the year 1855, when Rev. Robert McKenzie was given the charge. Rev. R.McKenzie was succeeded by Rev. John Burton who was later pastor of the Northern Congregational Church, Toronto. Then for six years the Presbyterians were without a settled minister until 1874 when Rev. Arch Brown was called and settled here.

The Lyn section of the Presbyterian congregation resolved in the autumn of 1874 to build a church and the work in connection therewith was commenced in April 1875. Donor of the building site was James M.Cassels, M.D., of Quebec, Robert Cassel was chairman. The building committee was composed of James Cumming, Chairman, Robert Bryson, treasurer, John Halliday and James Bulloch, James Hamilton, Archibald Davidson, Peter Purvis and John McNish. The architect was W.G. Thomas, Montreal, and the contractors Hugh McKay, Joshua Franklin and William Whitton, masonry and plastering, Edwin Bagg.

The building is stone, covered with slate, of the Gothic Order with an auditorium of 60 x 34. The vestry, in rear, is 10 x 16, and tower on side 14×14. Total cost was about $4000.

From “Evening Records” Brockville, Thursday, May 15, 1875 – “On Friday afternoon the 7^th inst. The cornerstone of a new church for the Presbyterian congregation at Lyn was laid by the Rev. William Smart of Gananoque, assisted by the Rev. Archibald Brown, Rev. James Hastie of Prescott and the Rev John Burton of Belleville. The weather being favourable a large assembly gathered to witness the interesting ceremony. Copies of the Recorder (daily and weekly, Monitor, Montreal and Toronto newspapers and current coins of the Dominion were deposited in the stone, together with the engraved copy of the following: “Memorial –In the name of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost on the 7^th day of May in the year of our Lord, one thousand eight hundred and seventy-five, in the thirty-eight year of the reign of Victoria, and while the Right Honorable the Earl of Dufferin was Governor-General of the Dominion of Canada and the Hon. John Crawford Lt. Governor of the Prov. Of Ont. This cornerstone of Christ Church, Lyn in connection with the Canadian Presbyterian Church was laid by the Rev. Wm. Smart of Gananoque.”

A few of the first settlers of Yonge, Elizabethtown and Augusta, deploring the want of religious ordinance, applied at the beginning of the present century to the London Missionary Society to have a missionary or minister to settle over them. The directors of the Society recommended Rev. Wm. Smart who had just completed his theological study at Gossport to accept the call implied in the petition, and offered to pay his passage and outfit. Mr. Smart, having acceded to the proposal, and having been ordained in the Scotch Church, Swallow St., London, arrived in Elizabethtown (no Brockville) in October 1811 and commenced his ministerial labours there extending them to Coleman’s Corners, Yonge and Augusta In 1812 the people under his care were formed into a regular ministerial charge. In 1846 he resigned the charge of Brockville, but continued to preach for some time to the rural part of the congregation. Coleman’s Corners (Lyn) was, after Mr. Smart left the district, supplied with preaching by the Rev. Mr. McMurray and the Rev.J.K.Smith who succeeded the charge of Brockville. The first minister of Lyn and Yonge was the Rev. Robt. McKenzie who remained from July 5^th 1859 to 1862. He was succeeded by the Rev. John Burton, who was ordained on November 17, 1864. Under Mr. Burton’s pastorate the congregation of Fairfield was united with Lyn and Yonge. Mr. Burton accepted a call from the congregation at Prescott on Feb 4, 1868. After his departure the Fairfield congregation was separated from Lyn and Yonge and the charge remained vacant yill May 19, 1874 when the Rev. Archibald Brown was inducted. He office bearers being: Elders, Jas. Hamilton, John Halliday, James McNish, John Dickey, Jacob Warren and Wm. Forrester. Board of Managers: Robert Bryson, Treasurer: James Cumming, Archibald Davidson, John Armstrong, Peter Purvis and James Bulloch. Trustees of Church Property: Robt. Bryson, Peter Purvis, James Hamilton and James Cumming. The chief subscriber was James Cumming who promised twice the amount given by any other donor. All the pews were numbered on brass plates affixed to the pew. At the right and left of the pulpit are square pews which had a certain social distinction. The right one was occupied by the Manse family, and the one on the left by th Cassells family who gave the land to the church for one dollar. At the rear of the church is a magnificent memorial window placed by the Cassells family. It was imported from Belgium in 1875 and placed there when the church was dedicated. Underneath the centre panel of this window is their coat of arms.

The church was dedicated by Rev. Dr.MacVicar, the principal of the Presbyterian College, Montreal on Feb. 6, 1876 and was known as Christ Church and was so registered in the deed of the property. The offering at the opening amounted to $146.00. The proceeds of the tea meeting amounted to $240. The bill advertising this meeting is in good preservation at the Manse. The communion cloths used for the covering of the front pew are still in good condition and were used when the Presbytery met here in 1950. The Baptismal Font was presented by James Cumming in memory of his wife and is of Italian marble. It was placed in the church in 1893. The pulpit was hand made by the uncle of George A.McNish (elder for over 40 years) in 1876. It was a labor of love as it took over a year to make. The church bell was brought over the frozen St. Lawrence in 1870 and weighs half a ton. It was first put in the Wesleyan Methodist Church but when in 1939 the congregation moved from that church to Christ Church the bell was also moved. The cost of the bell today would be more than $1500.

In 1916 Anniversary Services were held. The following excerpt being taken from a paper owned by Miss Mary Cumming, Lyn, March 1, 1916: “The 40^th Anniversary Services of Christ Church, Lyn, was conducted by the Rev. S.G. Brown of Almonte on 27^th inst. The Methodist Church cancelled their service in the morning so that all could attend and commemorate the opening of Christ Church in Lyn 40 years ago. The Rev. Gentleman in the morning spoke on “Influence of the Hill” in furnishing inspirations to Christians in all ages. The first Pres. Missionary to Lyn came from the Hills of Scotland sent out by the London Missionary Society in 1811. He held his first service in the Court House in Brockville in the morning and preached in the upper room of a tavern in Lyn in the afternoon nearly 105 years ago. After 65 years of faithful services between Kingston and Cornwall the Rev. Wm. Smart gave his last public address at the opening of Christ Church, Lyn, 40 years ago. The old members who took art in the opening of the church 40 years ago, were taken to the Hilltop by Mr. Brown’s stirring sermon and with the presence of their Methodist brethren, notwithstanding the storm raging without, the uplifting power of God’s presence was felt in this Anniversary Service. At the evening meeting Mr. Brown spoke most touchingly of the Heroism of Canadians in the present crisis and craved the prayers of all for a new consecreation for God, King and Empire. Mr. Brown’s eldest son having given up his life as an offering for his country, with the Princess Patricia’s, gave point to his words of cheer and comfort for those whose friends are now fighting the battles of the Empire. His eloquent, uplifting discourses last Sabbath will linger in the memories of the worshippers of Christ Church.”

At the time of Union in 1925 the Presbyterians and the Methodists decided to use the Methodist church, but as the years went by it was decided to move back to the Presbyterian Christ Church, for the costs of repairs became so extensive to the Methodist church when it was hit by lightening twice. In keeping with this decision renovation of Christ Church was begun. This included digging and extension of a cellar in order to have a Sunday School room and kitchen. Following this renovation, which cost over $4000. which was paid off in two years, Dr. Kent of Queen’s University re-opened and dedicated Christ Church in October 1939. Since this time six memorial windows have been installed adding greatly to the atmosphere of worship with God’s house.

The membership of this Church has altered since 1940 from a rural congregation to a suburban one since so many of the congregation work in the different plants in Brockville and live in Lyn.

The list of ministers which has served Christ Church is as follows: (Before the building of the church) Rev. Wm. Smart 1811-1846; Rev. Mr. McMurray, Rev. J.K. Smith, Rev. Robert McKenzie 1859-1862, Rev. John Burton 1864-1868, Rev. Archibald Brown 1874- ?; Rev. J.J. Richardson; who was the first minister called after the church was built in Rev. A. Brown’s term of office. Rev. J.J Wright; Rev. Chas. Daly, Rev C.E.A.Pocock 1916-?, Dr. D.M.McLeod, Rev Mr. Gardiner, Rev Mr. McCrea till Union in 1925. Rev R.A. Delve 1929-35, Rev A.S. Doggett 1935-40 when Chrisy Church was reopened. Rev H.B. Herrington 1940-42, Rev C.K. Mathewson 1942-59 (the present)

Records in connection with the early history of Lyn congregation are scarce and we have to rely on the memory of those who knew in their early years or learned from the lips of the older generation, the facts connected with the origin of St. John the Baptist Church.

The first trace of an Anglican service in this locality is found in connection with a “United Church” which stood where the Anglican church sheds now stand (these have been removed, but position would be about one hundred yards east of the church). There are in St. John’s Church at present a pair of wooden collection plates with “St. Paul’s Church, Lyn” written on them. Whether we take this as evidence that the Union Church was called St. Paul’s or not does not alter the fact that tradition states that it was the first in these parts, several denominations, including the Quakers, using this old “Union Church” as a place of worship. The Church of England Services there were conducted by Rev John Stannage, who came from New Dublin to officiate. The fate of this building is not known to those who supplied the previous information, but for some reason the Anglican services were transferred to Pergau’s Hall in the present Pergau bock in Lyn. There Dr. Lewis, Rev. Stannage and Rev. Mr. Jones held services while the present church was in the course of construction.

The construction did not proceed very rapidly as the Brockville Recorder points out in its article on the subject “That the number of people holding Anglican views in this community were few.” In the course of ten years from 1858 to 1869, the work lingered for some time only the basement being finished, i.e. foundation. Then renewed efforts completed the task in August 1869. On Sept. 1, 1869 it was opened by Bishop Lewis.

In the period of construction James Coleman of Coleman Brothers, the millers of Lyn, were particularly active. It is reported that Peter Pergau supplied the lime for the building, that the rough stone was quarried on the B.C. Brown place now owned by Joseph Bolin, while the dressed stone came from Hector Bradfield pace east of Brockville and was dressed by a stone cutter named Dyer, and was teamed to Lyn by the men of the congregation. Also, that Edwin Bagg who lived where C. Imerson now lives had the contract for the carpentry work. The stone fence in front of the church was built by George Monteith, who lived in Lyn and is buried here.

At the opening service in 1869, Dr. Lewis, former rector of St. Peter’s Brockville, and then the Bishop of the Diocese of Ontario, was present and confirmed a large class. Other clergy present included Rev. John Carroll of Gananoque, Rev. G.J. Low of Delta, Mr. Denroche of Arnprior and Mr Cook of North Augusta.

The following clergy have given of their services to the church during the past years: Kearney L. Jones, Henry Auston, G.W.G. Grout 1881, T.A. Smith 1901, J.D.P. Wright 1912, John Lyons 1917, T.F. Dowdell 1925, A.E.U. Smart 192, Ernest Teskey 1926-33, F.O. Ware 1933-41, R.M. Savory 1941-42, R.S. Foreman 1942-44, A.B. Caldwel 1944, E. LeGrow 1944-45, J.B. Hall 1945-47, F. Payne 1947-50, J.M.Cameron 1950 –

Lyn has become a residential village for the people who work in Brockville and commute every day by car or bus. Lyn has lost its importance as a manufacturing village and it can never hope to be the site of large factories for it has no waterfront nor railway terminal. Its future lies in its growth as a village for workers who wish to live in the quiet of the country, when the St. Lawrence Seaway is finished which will bring with it the extension of manufacturing sites along the shores of the river.

The Church has a vital function to perform in such an industrial residential area for it must bring to those people who do a monotonous factory job a wider vision of life, its worth and its meaning, for this is the only institution which cares for other than material values in the lives of these people. The sad part is that many of these people have become so busy with the material on every day and all days that they do not take the interest in the church which the first hardy founders of this village did. It thus provides the church with an opportunity and a challenge which I am sure the Spirit of God will use for the furthering of God’s Kingdom.

January 11 2017

The Devil’s Door

John Village of Lyn Devils Door Road, Elizabethtown Township, Leeds and Grenville, Lyn, Ontario 1

The Devil’s Door

A story about growing up in the 1950’s By Ellery Edgeley

It could never be said, we kids were ever bored, or, had nothing to do! Regardless of the fact we lived in a smallvillage in the country, some activity or interesting diversion could always be found, to entertain ourselves, and occupy our recreational time. Typical of young children, we discovered a new and very different way of having fun, spending a few hours just relaxing, and, at the same time, touring the country side. Each day, Monday through Friday, the mail had to be delivered to the surrounding rural areas of Lyn, and this particular job belonged to a man named Mr. Ladd. Early every morning he would pick up the mail from the post office at Miller’s General Store, load his truck and head out to the back areas to deliver it. During the summer holidays one of the kids, who happened to be hanging around the store, asked Mr. Ladd, if he could go along, and assist him with the mail, and he agreed. This, as it turned out would be of great help, because now, if the mail box was located on the right hand side of the road, the truck pulled over and the helper could put the mail into the box, thus saving Mr. Ladd, from having to put the truck out of gear, hold the brake, lean over and place it in himself. The truck he drove was an old dark blue 1930’s Chevrolet with a square cab designed to hold two people, and on the back it had a large platform enclosed by front and side racks, probably used at one time to haul cans of milk. Having this helper along became a daily practice. Some of the other kids found out about these little jaunts their friend was making, so they asked Mr. Ladd if it would be all right if they could come along too, and being the good soul he was agreed. It wasn’t long before word spread, and soon the back of that old truck was beginning to fill up with anywhere from six to over a dozen kids. I honestly believe, even it there had been twenty or more kids, wanting to climb aboard and ride along, Mr. Ladd would have found some way of piling every one on. And the group was not all boys. This was one activity in which boys and girls joined together and shared the fun.

Mr. Ladd usually departed from the general store around 9:30 a.m. so everyone would have to be there shortly before then. As a rue, most kids our age are not early risers and hate to get out of bed in the morning, especially during the summer holidays, but there was always a couple who would be there at 8:00 anxious to get underway. One, by one, each of us would saunter up to the gathering place, some still half asleep, and wait, as Mr. Ladd sorted his load of mail.

There was one particular chap, named Dickie, who on many a day managed to just barely make it on time. Everyone would begin yelling for him to hurry up, and he would come running down the street, still munching away on his peanut butter and toast. His hair would be uncombed, sticking straight up, and he appeared as though he had slept in his clothes all night. Just as the truck started up, Dickie would jump up onto the back with the help of many hands.

The entire rural route usually took about three hours to complete. The long duration of time it took was probably due to the fact that very road travelled was dirt, with the exception of about half a mile. On hot, dry summer days a long cloud of dust trailed the mail truck as it journeyed along with its cargo of mail and kids. Leaving the village, we headed west into the country which contained some of the most beautiful dairy farms to be seen anywhere. In their lush green pastures, large herds of Holstein cows, along with a sprinkling of Jerseys could be seen grazing, while other fields contained clover and sprouts of corn. There were fields of uncut hay and its tall strands flowed like waves in a sea of green, as gentle summer breezes blew across them. The air had what we called, “that farm smell”, a combination of hay, silage and manure. Farmers were always busy working, whether on a tractor or driving a team of horses, but sometimes if they were near the road, they would often stop and come over for a short visit with Mr. Ladd and we kids. It didn’t take long, and after a few trips, we got to know everyone on the mail route. Not all of the homes on the route belonged to farmers; countless others were owned by people who were employed in the Town of Brockville. Besides travelling by farms the route also wound its way through heavily wooded areas, and in some places ran parallel to a couple of beautiful lakes.

During those long, hot summer days, only one thing ever stopped us group of kids from making the daily trip. Rain! On these days, only a helper went. But the rest of the time, the number always varied. As the days passed, we all became closer, like a family. We’d tell stories, make up games to play, and sing all kinds of songs. Riding in the open air with the wind blowing in our faces was thrilling and refreshing. There were a couple of spots o the route, where apple trees grew next to the road, and late in the summer they would start to bear apples. Mr. Ladd would sometimes pull off to the side of the road under them, and let us pick a few to eat. At this time of year, they were still quite green so we didn’t eat that many. No one wanted to get a stomach ache or worse. Most times, we’d just use them for target practice, throwing at a tree of large boulder in a field.

As I mentioned, the mail route ran through several heavy wooded areas, and one particular road on it was called ‘The Devil’s Door’ road. Located in the Yonge Mills area about five miles west of Lyn, it derived its name from the fact that it possessed a secret doorway to the bowels of the earth, and Devil himself. A short distance from the road an entrance to a passage-way could be seen, running between towering, deep crevice, rock edges on each side. Tall trees and a heavy concentration of thick brush shrouded the entire area in darkness, giving it a frightening, foreboding look, as if to warn any curious or daring soul, they should proceed no further. Should one be foolish enough to do so, they could be in grave, perilous danger. Wild stories were abound, of individuals, who had dared fate to enter ‘The Devil’s Door’ never to be seen again. It had been said to, that young children in particular should stay far away from the area, and never, never, venture too close, because the Devil would get them, and take them back to the centre of the earth. Each morning that old mail truck full of kids, had to pass by ‘The Devil’s Door’!

Every day, as we approached and passed by, everyone on the truck would stare at that entrance in fear, and pray that the old truck wouldn’t break down or quit right there. Once by we all breathed a little easier. Sometimes as we neared the door Mr. Ladd would slow down the truck, and holler ot and ask, if anyone wanted to get off and see the Devil. There was never any response; there were no brave takers on that truck. Still we were curious. Deep down inside, we all knew we wanted to see what was hiding beyond that entrance. The question was, were we brave enough!

Finally after much deliberation, we had all decided that the time had come. We should enter ‘The Devil’s Door’! The next morning we all gathered at Miller’s General Store, excited and ready to follow through with our planned escapade. With new found courage, we asked Mr. Ladd, if he would stop at ‘The Devil’s Door’, and take us in. He paused for a few seconds, glanced around at the dozen wide eyed kids and asked. “Are you sure you want to go in there? The Devil might get all of you kids!” At the moment we were still in village and everyone was brave, so without hesitation, a chorus of voices hollered out. “We’re not afraid of the devil, we’ll go in! There’s no devil there anyway.” With a twinkle in his eyes, Mr. Ladd agreed. “OK, I’ll stop and take you in, but remember, I warned you.” Everyone piled onto the back of the old mail truck and in boisterous, wild chatter we all began saying what we’d do when we got to the door and came face to face with the devil. As we pulled away, we secretly wondered if we’d ever see the village again.

A short distance from Lyn, we began making our first mail drops. ‘The Devil’s Door’ was still about a half hours drive yet, but the closer we got the more silent everyone became. There was no more brave talk or singing. Each person was quietly wrapped up in their own thoughts. As the truck turned onto ‘Devil’s Door’ road, all the bravery suddenly seem to dissipate. Everyone’s mind went into high emotional gear, conjuring up all kinds of wild notions and scenarios, about what may lie in waiting ahead. With intent eyes, we scanned the woods, expecting at any moment now, for a red man with horns, goatee and long sharp pointed tail, to leap out and pounce on all of us defenceless children. With his three pronged spear, he would force us deep into the bowels of the earth. The old truck rounded a slight bend in the road and came to a stop. There it was! The ‘Devil’s Door’! Now, as we stood in the safety of the truck, it looked more foreboding and sinister than ever before. Mr. Ladd turned the motor off, and got out of the truck. The silence was deafening. What if it wouldn’t start up again? Maybe we should leave while there was still time. Besides, I don’t recall seeing a rural mail box here on the side of the road with the name ‘Satan’ emblazoned on it, indicating a stop. “All right, who’s coming”, Mr. Ladd invited us. For a few second, no one spoke or moved. “I’ll go” came a voice, not exactly exuding a tone of courage. One by one, individuals climbed down from the truck, until a meagre total of seven brave soles gathered beside Mr. Ladd. Four boys and three girls. “What’s the mater?”. He asked, “Doesn’t anybody else want to come?” As the rest of us cowered in the back of the truck, I said “No Thanks, I can se it fine from right here.” No sense in chancing fate, I thought; all of those stories we heard, might just be true. I wasn’t about to be taken by the devil, down into the dark abyss of the earth, and hell below, sentenced to an eternity of stoking furnaces or worse. I was almost certain I hadn’t committed and sins recently, but then, maybe I had. Just to be on the safe side, I’d better not go. Better safe than sorry. As I looked around, it was relieving to see, that I was not the only smart person on board that truck. Or should I say, coward! Someone should stay behind anyway, in case something terrible did happen, we could go for help or let relatives know what had happened, when the others failed to return. All we could do now was watch, as Mr. Ladd, led the seven foolhardy, ‘would be’ adventures, into ‘The Devil’s Door’, and beyond. Slowly, they moved ever so carefully along the front of the towering stone walled ledge which ran up to the door and disappeared into the darkness beyond. This was probably, the last time we would ever see our friends again. We waited for what seemed an eternity. “Maybe we should holler and see if they’re OK!” someone peeped up. “No! Keep quiet! Do you want the Devil to know we’re here?” So we waited. Sitting there I knew that I had made the right decision not to go. Suddenly, screams came from somewhere deep in ‘The Devil’s Door’. Now, the screams verified I had been right. “What are we going to do?” Somebody yelled “Let’s get out of here!” All eyes were focused on the door entrance. “No. We have to wait for them.” The terrified screams continued, and before we could move someone came bolting out from the entrance. It’s always been said that boys can run faster than girls, this day proved it. For boys came blasting for dear life, out from the darkness and towards the safety of the truck and their waiting comrades. “Where’s everyone else?” Then came the three screaming girls, scrambling like the devil himself were chasing them. “What happened?” we demanded. Everyone was trembling with excitement! Still huffing and puffing to catch their breath, they quickly related their horrifying experience beyond the door way. Once they were deep inside the dark passage-way, surrounded by hugh trees, someone though they had seen what might have been the Devil himself. Mr. Ladd had seen the person or object first and warned the rest and, it was then that everyone began to scream and run for their lives and safety. “Oh no!” someone shouted. “Where’s Mr. Ladd? The Devil got him!” Now we were all doomed for sure we thought. Suddenly a relieved voice cried out. “There he comes, he’s OK! The devil didn’t get him.” Funny but Mr. Ladd didn’t seem to have the same urgency to run fro the entrance that the others did. As we watched him walk toward the truck, everyone was wishing he would hurry faster so we could get as far away from that spot as quickly as possible. “Where’d everybody go?” he asked.” I though you wanted to see the Devil and his passage-way.” No one spoke a word. We just stood in the back of the truck and stared at the entrance, waiting to see if the Devil was coming after us. As Mr. Ladd opened the door, and climbed into his truck, I could not help but notice a wide mischievous grin on his face. It was then that I began to wonder, just who the real devil might be. Much to our relief, the old mail truck fired up and slowly we crept away from “The Devil’s Door”.

We kids continued to ride along on that mail route for the rest of the summer, but every day when we passed by ‘The Devil’s Door’, everyone fell silent. To compound our fears, and apprehension, every so often, Mr. Ladd would slow down as if he were going to stop, and then ever so slowly drive on. The subject of ‘The Devil’s Door’ was never brought up again.

It had been a fun and mist unforgettable summer, but it came to an end. September meant we kids had to return to school, leaving Mr. Ladd to drive the rural mail route alone, without our help and company. In some ways it was probably a relief for him, not to have a bunch of noisy kids along, but then, being the kind of man he

was, I think he truly missed us. And now, the dark old blue mail truck, with its load of carefree children and our eerie, creepy visit to ‘The Devil’s Door’, are happy memories, from a time long ago.

January 11 2017

Random Memories of Lyn

John Village of Lyn Elizabethtown, Leeds and Grenville, Lyn, Ontario 0

Random Memories of Lyn

By Jessie Kilpatrick

My first drive in Eastern Ontario was on a June afternoon. My Mother, my two brothers, Herbert and Roy, and myself had arrived at Brockville only that morning and had been met by my father who had several months before accepted a position of district manager of the present Mutual Life Assurance Co. of Canada. We were the guests of his old time friend, John Elliott, on the staff of the Brockville Collegiate. It happened to be Circus day and so that morning I stood on Pearl St. and witnessed my first Circus parade, and shuddered with terror and delight as I saw the huge lumbering elephants and the cages with ions and other wild animals.

In the Early afternoon we had our first drive out to our new home in Lyn. I can still remember the exclamations of my mother over the beauty of the winding creek near the Billings’ home which always attracts my attention today.

When we reached the stucco covered old stone house that father had rented from Mr. Nelson Shipman we found that it was still in the process of being painted by Mr. Shipman’s nephew, Horace Gardiner. And the cute little front porch was all wet paint. It was only a little while before my brother Herbert had gotten his nice new suit covered with wet paint, much to the annoyance of my mother.

It was not until the following fall that I started to school. My first teacher was Miss. Ena Williamson, who had charge of the junior room which then occupied all of the lower floor. She became the wife of Dr. George Judson at the end of the year and my next teacher was a Mrs. Knapp. When I was promoted to the Senior room, my teacher was Miss Christina Wilson for the four years I spent there. When the Entrance examinations were tried, out of a class of eight pupils only one failed. The required marks for passing were 422 and I had the honor of heading the class with a total of 581 marks. Later on when I became a student in the Brockville Collegiate, it was found that I had obtained the highest marks of any student in the newly formed first form.

The original BCI before the fire of 1929 destroyed the school

At that time the Lyn students travelled to Brockville on the Grand Trunk Railway. The station was about a mile distant from the village and the students usually walked to catch the 8 a.m. mixed train which was very irregular in its time, sometimes not reaching town until nine o’clock. However we were not late very often. We would proceed to the school via the William Street crossing and return the same way to board one of the passenger cars awaiting us. Our evenin

Leeds and Grenville

Lyn, October 21st, 1896 (The Recorder Newspaper)

From the book “How Dear to My Heart” by Walter Kilborn Billings

Perhaps you will discover a part of your past !

Patrick Johnston and Louise Knox

Major William Read, United Empire Loyalists and settler in Kitley Township

Yonge Mills School

S.S. No 2 & 3 in Young and S.S. No. 18 in Elizabethtown

Teacher’s Contract for 1882

Teachers as per Record Book:

Accounts Ledger for Yonge Mills School 1877 to 1893

Tax Assessment for 1877

Tax Assessment for 1878

Gravesites in the Montgomery Cemetery

A Social History of Lyn

The Devil’s Door

Random Memories of Lyn

Lyn, October 21^st, 1896 (The Recorder Newspaper)