Glen Buell  (Hayes Corners)

This quiet hamlet on Highway 29, nine miles north of Brockville has a long and chequered history dating back to 1787. Back then it was wilderness dotted by farms and homesteads of the early settlers. It is located where Hwy 29 crosses the Seventh Concession of Elizabethtown,

 

Originally known as Hayes Corners, from the numerous Hayes families which lived here, the hamlet was given the name of Glen Buell in the late 1800’s. No one knows for sure how Glen Buell was named; although the Buell name was well know in Brockville and district.

 

 

Old timers recalled that years ago the Brockville and Westport Railway line cut through a shallow rock outcropping, and the rock cut was known as “the Glen”. A board fence at the rock cut protected the tracks from winter snowdrifts. So it is possible someone joined “Glen” and “Buell” to create the name.

The Hayes family settled at this corner around 1805. Family tradition says the Hayes were closely related to Rutherford Hayes (1822-1893) , 19^th president of the United States. The Hayes migrated here from Connecticut.

In the 1840’s Glen Buell must have been fairly populous, for 17 year old teacher Peter Booth reported in 1842 that he had 63 pupils in his one room country school. Booth the first teacher estimated there were as many more eligible students in the area.

The first known record relating to the Glen Buell area is the deed granting Lot No. 28, Seventh Concession of Elizabethtown to Henry Clow on November 5, 1787.  ^{(Recorder and Times c1980, Darling Book #3)}

 

The Hayes Family (Leavitt)

Eri Hayes, Sr. was born in Connecticut, December 6^th, 1780, his parents being Ashael and Anna Hayes. In 1796, Eri removed to Canada and in 1805 he settled on Lot No 32 in the 6^th Concession of Elizabethtown; he afterwards purchased 35 acres at the place known as Hayes’ Corners. Mr. Hayes married Anne, daughter of David Derbyshire. In 1807 the parents of Mr. Hayes came to Elizabethtown, locating on Lot 30 in the 5^th Concession. Eri died in 1839, his wife surviving until 1860. His family consisted of the following children: Eri Jr. born January 24^th 1808, married Betsey daughter of Benoni Wiltse; Carmi, born in 1810, married Mary, daughter of Neil Palmer; he died at Grand Rapids in 1876; Daniel born in 1811, married Deborah, daughter of Daniel Wing; Ira, born in 1815, died in 1844; Chauncy, born in 1816, married a daughter of William Knowles.

 

Joseph Hayes was born May 10^th 1818; he resides on the homestead. In 1839 he married Thankful, daughter of Gardiner Lee, by whom he has ha five children. Mrs. Hayes dying in 1850, Mr. Hayes married for his second wife, Emily, daughter of the late Rosewell Rowley of Elizabethtown. Mr. Hayes’ family consisted of the following children: Ervin, who died in Michigan in 1874, leaving a widow and two children; Eri Jr. born in 1844, married Louisa daughter of John Cummings of Elizabethtown; William born in 1846, resides in Michigan; Charles , born in 1848, married a daughter of James Cummings of Lansdowne; Emeline, born in 1850 married Solomon Rowley of Elizabethtown.

Eri Hayes, Sr. had the following daughters: Sarah married Albert Blanchard; Orilla resides in Iowa.

^{(History of Leeds and Grenville by Thad. Leavitt pub 1879)}

Hayes Family Updates

The following information and pictures were sent to us in 2019 by a descendant of Eri Hayes who lives in Tennessee. We appreciate this information as it adds to our area history.

 

 

 

 

The Following has been taken from the Hayes Family Bible

Hayes Births 

Joseph Brouse Hayes was born on the 20^th Day of March 1879

Edith Emily Hayes was born on the 12^th Day of December 1880

Laura Ethel Hayes was born on the 6^th Day of July 1883

Arthur Cornell Hayes, was born on the 26^th Day of January 1885

William Stanley Hayes was born on the 18^th Day of October 1888

Abram Waldron Hayes was born on the 22^nd Day of January 1892

 

Hayes Marriages 

Eri Hayes & Mary Louise Cummings were united in marriage by the Rev. William Blair, on the 23^rd day of November in the Year of Our Lord 1876

Arthur Cornell Hayes & Lulu Langdon were united in Marriage by the Rev. Mr. Sellery of Brockville, on] the 23^rd day of May In the Year of our Lord 1906

William Stanley Hayes & Florence Weaver were united in Marriage by the Rev._____ of Goveneur N.Y. on the 18^th day of October 1911.

 

 

 

Joseph Hayes Marriage

Joseph Hayes Esq. And Emily Cummings were united in marriage at Glen Buell, Ontario on the thirty-first day of December in the year of our Lord 1886 (1861) In the presence of Charles S. Bonesteel & Merrick Mott, signed Jno. Breddin, Pastor.

 

Hayes Deaths

Laura Ethel Hayes died January 5^th, 1884

Edith Emily Hayes, Died January 3th, 1886

Joseph Brouse Hayes, Died August 6^th 1879

Abram Waldron Hayes, Died February 26^th, 1893

Mrs. Emily Hayes Dies June 17^th, 1895

Joseph Hayes, Died October 17^th, 1906

Eri Hayes, Died June 22^nd, 1913

 

Obituary for Eri Hayes June 22^nd, 1913

The death occurred at Glen Buell yesterday morning at 6’o’clock of one of the oldest native born residents of that section when Mr. Eri Hayes passed away in his 69^th year. He had been residing in Toronto for about six months previous to his death, only returning a few days ago to spend his last hours at his old home in Elizabethtown. He was a son of the late Joseph Hayes a pioneer of the township of Elizabethtown, and spent practically all of his life in that township. He was a farmer and a man of splendid physical appearance and strong character, one whose word was as good as his bond. He leaves behind to mourn the loss of a loving husband and kind father his wife and two sons. They are Messrs. Arthur Hayes, Glen Buell and Stanley Hayes, Toronto. He is also survived by two brothers and one sister. They are Charles, Glen Buell and Frank, of Cass City, Michigan, and Mrs. S. Rowley, of New Dublin. He was a Methodist in religion and an active member of the church at Glen Buell. In politics Mr. Hayes was a staunch Liberal and one whose advice was frequently sought and cheerfully given.

The Reorder extends sympathy to bereaved relatives.

The Funeral will take place to-morrow, at 2 o’clock, to the Glen Buell church, where the services will be …..

 

 

Obituary for Joseph Hayes

From Monday’s Daily. Joseph Hayes

Another of the old residents of Leeds county passed away last night at ten o’clock in the person of Mr. Joseph Hayes, of Glen Buell. The deceased was an octogenarian, being in his 89^th year. He was born in the vicinity in which he died and had lived all of his long and useful life. He was honest, upright character, holding the respect and esteem of all who knew him. By his death another of the pioneers are removed and the community has lost a useful citizen. He leaves to mourn his loss three sons and one daughter. They are Franklin Hayes, Bay City; Mrs. Rowley, Elizabethtown; Chas. And Eri Hayes, of Glen Buell. Mr. A. Cummings, of this town was a stepson of the deceased.

The late Mr. Hayes was a Methodist in religion, and the funeral will take place to-morrow to the Glen Buell Methodist Church.

 

William S. Hayes, October 18, 1888 to 1966

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Waldron S. Hayes September 28, 1913 – March 25, 2000

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Methodist Church

Glen Buell Methodist Church- The land for this church was bought in 1888 from Boyd Hall and his wife. The church was built in 1890 with William Gray and Edmund Westlake as carpenters. The bricks used to build this church were brought from Lyn. They were from the Wesleyan Methodist Church in Lyn which was blown down during a storm in 1888.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Glen Buell Cemetery (Located on Highway 29)

 

Glen Buell Cheese Factory

In the spring of 1881, Mr.C.J.Gilroy erected the cheese factor which is illustrated at the head of the article. The cut is from a pencil sketch by our special artist and was engraved especially for the columns of the Reporter.

The making room is 28×32 feet, is well arranged and under the efficient supervision of Mr. B.S McConnell, is so well kept and clean that there is scarcely color enough to indicate the business carried on in the room. The drying room is 20×40 feet. On the day of our visit there were between 75 and 100 cheese on the shelves which had a remarkably fine and uniform appearance. The whey house is a separate building in the top of which are the vats for the storage of whey. A steam injector forces the whey into these tanks, from which the drawers get their supply under cover.

This spring Mr. Gilroy threw out the old boiler and supplied its place with a fine new one of 16 horse power, and in order to make room for it and a large water reservoir, he enlarged the engine room to more than twice the size shown in the cut.

The factory is now in its eleventh year and under Mr. Gilroy has steadily increased in business and popularity until this season he is making up the milk from 586 cows. He assured our representatives that this large number of cows was obtained without driving a mile or canvassing a single person for their milk. We understand it is Mr.Gilroy’s intention in putting in te large boiler to heat the building with steam and thus paving the way for making up to the 1^st of January each year.

Mr. Gilroy is and has been the efficient secretary of the Brockville Dairymen’s Board of Trade for several years, a position he occupies to the satisfaction of the cheese men and credit to himself. He is also the proprietor of a finely arranged country store, is postmaster of Glen Buell, and runs a large farm in connection with his other business. He is also identified in active church work and the fine new brick church, now nearly completed, owes its inception and present location in a large measure to the untiring energy and zeal of Mr. Gilroy. On the day of our visit a number of the farmers from the vicinity were busily engaged helping Mr. Gilroy plant some very fine ornamental trees in front of the church lot. It is expected that the church will be ready of dedication in a short time, when we hope to be able to give a short synopsis of the opening as well as a cut of the building.

We may add in some conclusion that the neighbourhood of Glenn Buell is peopled with a class of farmers whose comfortable condition, industrious habits, genial disposition, and courteous intercourse with each other are very commendable. These are the sterling qualities which go to form the basis of Ontario’s intellectual, social and financial greatness.

Article from the May 10, 1892 issue of the “Athens Reporter”

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 us a glimpse into life in our area for over a hundred year period ending with stories from 1975.

While her book covers many areas of Leeds and Grenville we have only focused on the area within Elizabethtown-Kitley Township.

Glen Buell

The new Methodist Church at Glenn Buell was built in 1890 and 91. The mason was James Walker of Algonquin. All the limestone used for the foundation, base, corners and sill were taken from the old Methodist Church at Lyn and redressed by Charlie Denny stone cutter of Athens.

A well known Glen Buell resident, Walter Darling, was drowned in Watertown, NY on July 1, 1893. He was employed in Brockville as a bookkeeper. The body was brought to his home at Glen Buell where the funeral was held.

Mrs. Sarah Collins of Glen Buell, aged 87 years, has been a very active woman and hard worker both inside and out. On May 10, 1897 she was carrying a mattress upstairs when she dropped dead with the mattress on top of her. She had carried it down a few hours before and out it out in the sun to air.

Milo Lee of Glen Buell died in a mysterious way on April 8, 1897. He was repairing a windmill for George Elwood and was at the top of it, when his body was seen to be hanging by one arm. He made no reply to shouts from the ground so Mr. Elwood climbed up to see what was wrong, and found he was dead. Help was soon on hand and it was with great difficulty that the body was lowered to the ground. He had slipped his arm through a brace at the top and this had prevented him from falling down.

Just five minutes after the teacher at Glen Buell schoolhouse called her pupils in after recess, a high wind blew the roof off of the school, on April 21, 1909. If the children had been in the yard some might have been killed.

On July 12, 1915 a Ford car driven by T.J.McConnell of Lyndhurst was struck by the B&W train at Glen Buell crossing. Passengers in the car were Mrs. George Rooney, her son Travers, Miss. Alma Graham and Miss. Beatrice Webster. All were thrown out except the driver who had a fractured leg. He was sent to hospital in Brockville. Dr. Roy Donovan of Brockville was on the train and he attended the injured. The ladies had cuts and bruises. Miss. Graham required stitches to her face and knee. The driver and all his passengers said the train did not whistle. It was raining at the time and the car top was up and the side curtains closed. The car was damaged beyond repair.

November 18, 1919 the Glen Buell Cheese Factory was burned.

The house and barn of Burton Baxter at Glen Buell were burned on October 16, 1930. The cows were saved but everything else was destroyed. A year ago another barn owned by Mr. Baxter was burned.

On August 31, 1953 Robert Perkins age 72 years was instantly killed on the highway near his home at Glen Buell when a farm tractor he was driving was struck by a car driven by J.B. Kelly of Athens.

In September 1958 the Glen Buell Church was saved from burning by the quick action of neighbours. Mrs. Melvyn Benton went into the church to place flowers in memory of her mother. When she opened the door she was met by the flames. She ran to a nearby house and rang the fire alarm system which worked well, as in a very short time help was coming from all directions. The stove sitting just inside the door burned its shape into the floor when a leg on the old woodstove gave way and the stove fell over on its side. The church board are going to order an oil burner.

Three persons died in a two car head on crash at Glen Buell on November 15, 1967. Mr. and Mrs. Philip Pereira of Athens were returning from an auction sale near Lyn when their car was in collision with a car driven by Joseph Burke of Ottawa, who was accompanied by his wife. Mrs. Pereria and Mr. and Mrs. Burke were killed. Mr. Pereira was seriously injured. Both cars were wrecked.