Lyn, October 21st, 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 […]
Kitley Township Map of 1861-62
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 & […]
The One Room Schoolhouse in Elizabethtown- Complete Listing
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 […]
Butternut Bay
Butternut Bay is located at the very western edge of Elizabethtown Township in the First Concession along the banks of the St. Lawrence River. 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 […]
My Cousin
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 […]
Forgotten People from Our Past
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 […]
Photos from an Album taken around 1914
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 […]
Patrick Johnston and Louise Knox – Our People, Our Heritage
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 […]
Major William Read, United Empire Loyalists – Our People, Our Heritage
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 […]
Yonge Mills School Minute and Ledger Book 1877 to 1893
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 […]
Montgomery Cemetery
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 […]
Long Beach Motel
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 travellers. It started out as a small […]
Brock Tourist Villa
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 […]
A “French Cuisine” Restaurant
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 […]
Nirvana Court
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 […]
A Social History of Lyn
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 […]
The Devil’s Door
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 […]
Random Memories of Lyn
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 […]
Kitley Agricultural Society
Kitley Agricultural Society The annual meeting of this society was held at the Edger’s House, Frankville, on Thursday last. N.H. Beecher, chairman; W.D. Livingston, secretary. The treasure’s report read as follows: Receipts from all sources, including balance from last report, $811.56; expenditures, $500.78; leaving a balance on hand of $310.78. The following officers were elected: […]
The Unionville Camp Meeting of 1895
The Unionville Camp Meeting Tuesday Aug 13, 1895 issue The Unionville Camp Meeting A union camp meeting will be held by the Athens, Addison, Frankville and Toledo, Lyn and Mallorytown circuits of the Methodist church on the Unionville fair grounds, commencing Wednesday afternoon, August 21st. Arrangements are being made to have the grounds thoroughly equipped. […]
Fairfield East – News from the Village
The Athens Reporter and County of Leeds Advertiser Excerpts have been taken from this paper referencing the following hamlet for the years 1889, 1894 and 1895 Tuesday July 2, 1895 issue Fairfield East, Friday, June 28 – The Ladies’ Aid hald a lawn social on the grounds at the Manhart church on the evening […]
Toledo – News from the Village
The Athens Reporter and County of Leeds Advertiser Excerpts have been taken from this paper referencing the following hamlet for the years 1889, 1894 and 1895 May 7 1889 There was buried yesterday at Toldeo one of the pioneers of the township of Kitley in the person of Mr. George Marshall. Who passed away […]
New Dublin – News from the Village
The Athens Reporter and County of Leeds Advertiser Excerpts have been taken from this paper referencing the following hamlet for the years 1889, 1894 and 1895 Jan 8, 1889 Miss. Hester Wiltse has been engaged to teach school in New Dublin for the coming year. Saturday June 22nd 1889 Mr. Byron Cadwell of New Dublin […]
Lyn – News from the Village
The Athens Reporter and County of Leeds Advertiser Excerpts have been taken from this paper referencing the following hamlet for the years 1884, 1889, 1894, 1895 and 1924 March 28, 1884 – The Breaking of a Dam Floods the Village The Village of Lyn situated five miles west of Brockville is today undergoing all the […]
Greenbush – News from the Village
The Athens Reporter and County of Leeds Advertiser Excerpts have been taken from this paper referencing the following hamlet for the years 1889, 1894 and 1895 Greenbush- Jan 15 1889 Peace has been restored and the ‘little brown jug’ found. That ‘man in the North End’, mentioned by your occasional reporter, assisted very kindly to […]
Frankville – News from the Village
The Athens Reporter and County of Leeds Advertiser Excerpts have been taken from this paper referencing the following hamlet for the years 1889, 1894 and 1895 Tuesday Oct 30, 1894 issue- Frankville, Oct 28- The new fence erected in front of the McCrea property adds much to its appearance. Wesley Brown’s new house […]
Addison – News from the Village 1889-1895
The Athens Reporter and County of Leeds Advertiser Excerpts have been taken from this paper referencing Addison for the years 1889, 1894 and 1895 Jan 8, 1889 Miss. Jane Brown, Addison and Mr. Earl, of Young, were married on the 12th inst, at the residence of the bride’s father, amid festivities and pleasure. There […]
Frankville Fair – Sept 26th and 27th, 1895
From the pages of The Athen’s Reporter and County of Leeds Advertiser, Tuesday Aug 20, 1895 issue we have learned a bit about the annual Fair held in Frankville. Unlike the fair held at Unionville, it appears to be a smaller county fair. The list of prizes and judging catagories gives us some idea into […]
Unionville Fair – September 17th, 18th, and 19th, 1895
CENTRAL CANADA’S GREAT FAIR BIGGER AND BETTER THAN EVER Unionville, September 17th, 18th, and 19th, 1895 Prince Leo Giving High Wire Performance He will perform innumerable acts on a spider-looking wire sprung from two to the highest telegraph poles which can be secured. A few of his acts are: Running forward and backward with feet […]
Unionville Fall Fair – News of the Fair, 1895
Unionville Fall Fair Unionville fair directors are always to the front in the line of special attractions and are able to announce that for this season they have a grand array of Talent engaged for the last two days of the fair on the 17th, 18th and 19th, September. An indenture of agreement has been […]
McLean House at Fernbank
Robert McLean House at Fernbank The old brick house painstakingly constructed by hand in 1823 with every brick handmade on the land surrounding the dwelling was built by Robert McLean. Five generations lived in the house until 1933 when it was sold. The Building of the McLean House and early […]
The McLean’s at Fernbank – Our People, Our Heritage
Robert McLean at Fernbank The old brick house painstakingly constructed by hand in 1823 with every brick handmade on the land surrounding the dwelling was built by Robert McLean. Five generations lived in the house until 1933 when it was sold. The story of the McLeans goes back to old Paisley in Scotland where Alexander […]
St. Lawrence Park
St. Lawrence Park Few people today realize that the first St. Lawrence Park in Elizabethtown was located several miles west of where the present park is located in Brockville. This park was located just to the west of Grant’s Creek and was accessed by the King’s Highway or by daily steamer’s that would dock at […]
The Old Perth Road
The Old Perth Road The Old Perth Road, which ran north-west from Brockville to Perth, followed a path that is in many ways similar to that of the modern Highway #29. There were, however, some significant differences on its specific path. Although much of the southern portion of the Perth Trail is lost in the […]
Bellamy’s & Clark’s Crossing – Forgotten Hamlets in Elizabethtown
Bellamy’s & Clark’s Crossing Are these two places forgotten hamlets or just names of railroad crossings on a map ? We have been unable to find out any information on either place. As the map shows Bellamys did have a station on the Brockville and Ottawa Railway, Clark’s Crossing did not. The only information we […]
Toledo – A Village in Kitley
Toledo There was a time when this fine old Kitley Village was known simply as Bellamy Mills, due to its proximity to the mills operated by Chauncey Bellamy on Bellamy Lake west of the village. The actual survey of Kitley was delayed for seven years until 1797. In the meantime, Kitley had its first settler, […]
Shane’s Corners – A Forgotten Hamlet in Kitley
Shane’s Corners The area around the community was initially settled by Lowland Scots. Otter and Hutton Creeks passed through the area but these waterways were not large enough to support a mill operation Shane’s Corners was a small settlement located along Highway 29 near what was the First Concession of Kitley. Shane’s Corners was settled […]
Newbliss – A Hamlet in Kitley
Newbliss The village dates back to 1802, when United Empire Loyalists settled on grants of land given them by the Crown. Rachel and Isaiah Wiley were granted Lot 13 on the 4th Concession and opposite it Lot 13 on the 5th Concession was granted to Catherine Moore in 1805. Two dirt roads crossed at the […]
Mott’s Mills – A forgotten Hamlet in Kitley
Mott’s Mills History has not recorded the early days of Mott’s Mills, but it is known that a homesteader, John Mott, built the first mill near his farm which straddled Hutton Creek, Mott lived in the area around 1820. The Mott family is mentioned a number of times in Leeds County archives. Ruben Mott lived […]
Kinch Street – A Forgotten Hamlet in Kitley
Kinch Street The great Irish immigration into Canada in the late 1830’s and early 1840’s brought the first Kinch Family to this old community. They carved a homestead out of the wilderness beside the road that is known as Kinch Street. Although always prosperous because of the fertility of its’ farms, Kinch Street had no […]
Lehigh Corners – A Hamlet in Kitley
Lehigh Corners (Kilborn Corners) This community is situated on the southern fringe of Frankville, straddling No.29 Highway. In the late 1800’s a toll gate was operated here on the old Victoria Macadamized road running between Brockville and Smith’s Falls. The original settler was Gideon Leehy, somewhere around 1800. The spelling of the family name was […]
Judgeville – A Forgotten Hamlet in Kitley
Judgeville Unfortunately this forgotten hamlet, remains a mystery. As of the fall of 2016 we have been unable to find any information on Judgeville. If anyone has any history, stories or photos of this old hamlet we would appreciate hearing from you.
Jasper – A Hamlet in Kitley
Jasper ( Irish Creek, Olmsted’s Mills) Jasper lies in the North East section of Kitley along the boundary with Wolford Township, with Irish Creek running through the village. Joseph Haskins, the first miler in these parts, settled on the future site of Jasper in 1802. At that time, Irish Lake was a muddy swamp […]
Crystal – A Forgotten Hamlet in Kitley
Crystal Crystal is an old Irish community located east of Frankville. It lies along Leacock Road. The easiest way to reach Crystal is by taking the Leacock Road out of Frankville and heading due east until reaching Crystal No.8 L.O.L. the centre of the community. The Irish of Crystal congregated on Lots No 1 to […]
Blanchard’s Hill – A Forgotten Hamlet in Kitley
Blanchard’s Hill Blanchard’s Hill is reached by two roads, off of No.15 and off of No.29 highways. A large sign on No.15 Hwy three miles southwest of Lombardy proclaims “Blanchard’s Hill Road”. The road takes off from No.15 on an abandoned section of pavement, and then climbs the hill towards the old Blanchard Homestead. From […]
Bellamy’s Mills – A Forgotten Hamlet in Kitley
Bellamy’s Mills The Livingston Brothers were among a group of settlers brought to Kitley by Able Stevens, the pioneer Baptist missionary whose settlements led to the establishment of both Bastard and Kitley townships. John Livingston dammed Irish Creek to provide a mill pond for his mill. The damming created a lake in the hollow, and […]
Frankville – A Hamlet in Kitley
Frankville The first Loyalist came in 1784 and a large number settled in Kitley Township in the years 1784 to 1830. They laboured hard to build up this community. Kitley was surveyed in 1797 and thrown open to settlers. Among the first to arrive was Loyalist Major William Read who had originally secured Crown land […]
Spring Valley – A Hamlet in Elizabethtown
Spring Valley (Niblock’s Corners) Spring Valley is located 7 miles north of Brockville on Highway 29, or what once the Victoria Macadamized Road, the main road, and stage coach route, leading from Brockville to Perth. Located at Spring Valley is a famous old inn “Toppler’s Tavern” built in 1808. The home was originally built for […]
Row’s Corners – A Hamlet in Elizabethtown
Row’s Corners While the United Empire Loyalists of 1784 opened up the St.Lawrence River areas of Elizabethtown and Augusta late in the 18th Century, it was not until the early 1800’s the tide of immigration reached the ‘back40’s’ of these townships. One of these early homesteaders was farmer Peter McEachron who proved up on a […]
Rocksprings – A Hamlet in Elizabethtown
Rocksprings This old community is reached by Leeds County Road 7 which runs north from Greenbush and runs directly into this hamlet. Around 1855, Billy Wilmer heard of an everlasting sweet water spring near the Elizabethtown – Kitley border. He decided he would find it and settle there. He reached the spring and discovered that […]
Linden Bank – A Forgotten Hamlet in Elizabethtown
Linden Bank Linden Bank was founded by United Empire Loyalists in 1798, 14 years after the initial UEL drive into Leeds and Grenville in 1784. The community did not receive its name until 135 years ago. Col. John Butler Checkley, an Irish militiaman, came to Canada in the 1890’s to settle on the front half […]
Jellyby – A Forgotten Hamlet in Elizabethtown
Jellyby Jellyby was named for the pioneer Jelly’s who settled these fertile fields back in the 1820’s, but just how and where the letters “by” were added is unknown. John Jelly didn’t know but pointed out that early cartographers sometimes added a letter or two to place names to make them more distinctive. As far […]
Tincap – A Hamlet in Elizabethtown
Tincap The address ‘Tincap, Canada’ was familiar all over the British Empire, almost, wrote the postmaster in 1905, and very often letters came here addressed Tincap from Ireland, England and the United States. There are several stories how the village got its unusual name, though all agree the ‘old schoolhouse which sat on the brow […]
Greenbush – A Hamlet in Elizabethtown
Greenbush (Old’s Corners) Origins The lure of a fresh spring in the Canadian wilderness led to the founding of this community. In 1790, an 18 year old immigrant, whose family tree could be traced back to France of the 16th Century trekked overland from his home in Andover, Massachusetts with his bride, and after a […]
Gosford – A Forgotten Hamlet in Elizabethtown
Gosford This old community, lying in both Elizabethtown and Augusta Townships is reached by the Gosford Road which leads off the Brockville-North Augusta road eight miles northeast of Brockville. The early history of this old Elizabethtown township community has been lost in the mists of time, but it is known that settlers were living here […]
Edna’s Scrapbook – News Stories of Elizabethtown
“Edna’s Scrapbook” is a paperback book written by Edna B. Chant and was published in 1998. Edna Chant was a reported with the “Athens Reporter” for 23 years and she is the author of four books. Her book, which is made up of news clippings from various sources, from which we have taken excerpts, gives […]
Edna’s Scrapbook – News Stories of Lyn
“Edna’s Scrapbook” is a paperback book written by Edna B. Chant and was published in 1998. Edna Chant was a reported with the “Athens Reporter” for 23 years and she is the author of four books. Her book, which is made up of news clippings from various sources, from which we have taken excerpts, gives […]
St. Philip Neri RC, Old Cemetery
St. Philip Neri Roman Catholic Cemetery, Toledo Old Cemetery: west from Toledo to King Rd., to Lake Eloida Rd.
St. Philip Neri, RC Cemetery
St. Philip Neri Roman Catholic Cemetery, Toledo This is the new cemetery, Across the road (Hwy 8) from old cemetery, take road on the left or right to cemetery.
Lehigh Cemetery
Lehigh Cemetery – Concession 10, Lot 22, Twp of Elizabethtown Kitley*, GPS: 44.707355, -75.952617- Hwy 29 to Line Road 9 turn west south side of road. One mile south of Frankville on the Leigh Cemetery Road. (all photos taken November 2016) […]
Soper’s School – A One Room Schoolhouse in Kitley
Soper’s School (Otterman’s School) School Section No. 13 Concession #9, Lot 12, built 1850 (see map) The origins of the original Soper School have been lost in the sands of time. It was probably a log cabin school and existed on the site as early as 1820. This original one room school was known […]
Rock Springs School – A One Room Schoolhouse in Kitley
Rock Springs School (School Section # 19 – Kitley) (School Section #25 – Elizabethtown) 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 If anyone has any information on this […]
Redan School – A One Room Schoolhouse in Kitley
Redan School (School Section #20 – Kitley) (School Section # 26 – Elizabethtown) 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 […]
Newbliss School – A One Room Schoolhouse in Kitley
Newbliss School (School Section No. 5) Concession #4, Lot 13, built late 1830’s (see map) Newbliss village had a log school which was replaced in 1874 by a stone structure. Newbliss School was phased out of existence in 1961 with the pupils being transferred to Jasper. Newbliss had two schoolhouses to serve the community, […]
Mott’s Mills – A One Room Schoolhouse in Kitley
Mott’s Mills School (School Section No. 3) Concession #3, Lot 21, built c1833 (see map) Generations of Mott’s Mills children were educated at the community’s old one room school, which closed around 1950. The original log school was built on Lot 21 of the 3rd Concession of Kitley. It was succeed by a frame […]
Lake Eloida School – A One Room Schoolhouse in Kitley
Lake Eloida School School Section #17 Concession #10, Lot 27 (see map) Known as “17 Kitley and 19 Yonge” built on part of Concession 10, Lot 27 in KItley. It served the rear lots of 10 to 30 of Concession 10 in Kitley, Concession 11 of Yonge and some of Bastard. It was built […]
Frankville – A One Room Schoolhouse in Kitley
Frankville School We are not sure if the school S.S. 14 was the earliest school in the Frankville area. Frankville has a rather distinctive history as far as schools are concerned considering that it was the only centre in Kitley to have a grammar school which was the equivalent of a present day high school. […]
Cornell’s School – A One Room Schoolhouse in Kitley
Cornell School (School Section No. 9) Concession #5, Lot 22, burned down in 1865 (see map) If anyone has any pictures or information on this school we would appreciate hearing from you.
Unidentified – A One Room Schoolhouse in Kitley
Concession #6 Lot 28, see map Location found on map of 1861-62, however we cannot match up with any known school. If anyone has information on this we would appreciate hearing from you.
Glossville – A Forgotten Hamlet in Elizabethtown
Glossville The motorist passes through the former hamlet of Glossville so fast that they don’t realize that they just passed through a bit of Elizabethtown history. Probably 100 to 125 years ago, Glossville was in its glory. But when the oldest residents of the area were in their childhood, the name of Glossville was already […]
Riverside Park Ice Skating
Riverside Park Ice Skating Rink Across from the mink farm, during the winters of the 1930’s was an open air skating rink that was enjoyed by both the people of Brockville and Elizabethtown. Located on the south side of the highway, across from the Lyn Road, the rink was lit up at night and if […]
Browntown – A Forgotten Hamlet in Elizabethtown
Browntown Few people today have ever heard of Browntown, but 100 to 150 years ago, this village of the Browns was a bustling, industrious community, with mills, houses, a black smithy, stores, hard working ambitious people and a fringe of prospering farmers with huge herds of cows. Prickly ash cover the slopes and only the […]
St. Andrew’s Church Cemetery
St. Andrew’s United Church Cemetery, Toledo, Concession 6, Lot 23,St.Andrew’s United Cemetery Board*, GPS: 44.739357, -75.997335 The cemetery is located between the two churches in the heart of Toledo St. Andrews United Church James Hudson d April 27 1884 and Margaret Hudson d Aug […]
Bolton School- A One Room Schoolhouse in Elizabethtown
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 […]
Bell’s School – A One Room Schoolhouse in Elizabethtown
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 […]
Genealogy
We have spent time going through our various scrapbooks, books of obituaries and special events of the people who lived in and around Lyn. From this we have managed to compile lists of names of the various people in these books and placed them in one central location in our upstairs Mary Hudson Room. The […]