TALBOT TIMES
Newsletter of the
ELGIN COUNTY BRANCH
ONTARIO GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY
VOL. 2 ISSUE 2 JUNE 1983
MEMO TO OUR MEMBERS
Reminder:
Would you please direct all mail to Elgin Branch, Ontario Genealogical Society, P.O. Box 416, ST. THOMAS, Ontario N5P 3V2.
– this includes newsletters, queries and memberships.
Elgin County Material – We would like copies of your Elgin family material. We are prepared to photo copy it if you are unable to have it done.
Your Elgin Family Interest – Please let us know your Elgin County connection so that we may serve you better.
1871 Census – If you are physically unable to crawl around cemetery stones or live out of town and cannot help with cemetery transcriptions, but would like to help the branch with its work, we would like your services with the the 1871 Census. We have them divided in sections. Some local and out-of-town members have already started working it. If you would like to help just let us know. We appreciate all the help that we can get.
Pedigree Charts – Is you pedigree chart on file? The forms are available from O.G.S. or from our local branch at .05 per sheet. We want yours.
MARCH MEETING – Motion was passed to request a grant of $35,000. for 14 students for cemetery transcription under the Summer Canada Student Employment Program.
Hugh Sims spoke on many different topics of interest to historians and genealogists. He told of Captain Neil Stormes who saved his neighbours from starvation in 1859. Captain Stormes loaned his neighbours each one bushel of seed wheat, which was to be returned the following year. His generosity saved many. Recently the Elgin Historical Society have erected a plaque on the property owned by Nobel Stafford of Fingal in rememberence of Captain Stormes.
Mr. Sims also told of Irish women being brought into Port Burwell as wives for local settlers. His stories were well received by everyone.
APRIL MEETING – Mr. Bill Yeager, curator of the “Eva Brook Donly Museum” Simcoe, enthusiastically spoke of the new face lift the museum has received. Mr. Yeager brought books with Elgin interest which our group enjoyed. Mr. Yeager is well known to many of our members. He is well informed and an excellent speaker. This issue contains Eva Brook Donly Museum Press Release explaining all the new facets of the museum.
MAY MEETING – Stan Daugharty, vice-chairman conducted the business meeting. It was announced that our branch received a grant of $13,240. under the Sunmier Canada Student Employment Program, to transcribe and index Elgin County Cemeteries.
Saturday May 14 was set as our first group Cemetery recording of the year. It was held at Talbotville Royal Cemetery in Talbotville. Albert Auckland, a new member offered to write a short history of the cemetery to be included with the cemetery transcription. His family have been custodians of the cemetery for many years.
Once again we had a “Show & Tell” night (or perhaps just a “Tell” night), with each member telling of their interest and some of the helpful hints and frustrations. Valuable information was exchanged and we find this a most satisfying type of meeting.
JUNE MEETING– is to be a Cemetery Recording Picnic. We are to meet at 5:30 at the Union Cemetery. Everyone is to bring a box lunch and coffee will be provided. If we have a good turnout and the weather cooperates we should easily be able to complete the transcription of Union Cemetery.
SEPTEMBER MEETING – Our first meeting after the summer vacation will be September 14th.
We meet the second Wednesday of the month at the Research Centre of the Central Collegiate Insitute in St. Thomas. There will be no meeting for the month of July and August. We will however being doing group cemetery transcriptions from time to time.
CORRECTIONS for FROME Cemetery South Side
#77 – Back
Vernon W. FIFE/ Dec. 20, 1898- Apr. 4, 1949/ Resting in Faith/ FIFE/
#8,9,10 – listed as MARR – could be Blackman
#89 – North-west Side
Alex William/ Sharon DDS/ June 1, 1892/ March 17, 1949
FROME Cemetery North Side
#186 – North side/ Annie Sharon/ d. Nov. 20, 1886
Latest Library acquisitions
St. Thomas Troop of Cavalry 1866 – St. Thomas Troop of Cavalry 1870
List of families raided August 16, 1814 – List of Families Raided September 20, 1814
List of Men Called Out to Repel Raid of May 20, 1814 – Talbot’s Militia List 1819
Pay Sheet List of Ta1bot’s Middlesex Militia 1812
The Above Donated by George Thorman. All lists deal with Elgin County Names Only.
BLAKELY Family from Irene Soper – GEORGE FISHER and family from William Stewart McLARTY family history from Doloris Willerton – SILCOX family history from Marg
Daugharty
HAIGHT Family History from Mrs. Harry Lawton, through Norma Smith
WILLIAM HATCH Family History through Norma Smith
PINEO Family History from Mrs. Mel Pineo through Norma Smith
COULTER Family history from Pauline Lindsay
Some ELGIN COUNTY CEMETERY RECORDS by H. Orlo Miller
WILTON Family History fron Mr. Ross Wilton
HOFSTEE Family from Tony Hofstee
HODGKINSON Family History from Mr. R. Brian Pierce
NEEF Family from Tony Hofstee
PHILPOTT Family Tree and Notes from Lyla Best
JEREMIAH J. MILLER, Ancestors & Descendants from William F.M. Haight
Ancestery & Descendants of DAVID FOSTER Sr., of Williamstown, Mass. from Jean Gordon VAN DER DUIM Family History from Tony Hofstee
Extracts from the Visitors Book for SS #14 Southold.
Mr. Archibald B. Taylor, teacher, on August 19, 1872.
“There are 48 of the natives present and they appear to be contented and happy; hoping that nothing will mar our happiness.”
Mr. McLarty, teacher, sometime in 1871
“I think that many of the records contained within this book are not as they should be. They do not state the truth, which should at all times be written in a visitors book. Fear of man and desire to flatter, are the reasons why so many of these minutes are misstated.”
Robert Taber, teacher, Union School Southwold Yarmouth #24 & 25, January 20th, 1875
“Visited this school today the order was tolerable. The scholars are pretty backward. Miss Robinson has tolerable command of the school. She has only been teaching a short time)’
McLarty, June 23, 1875
“Visited the school today and find the pupils well behaved and much interested in their studies.
The teacher also Miss Hattie Robinson seems to be doing her utmost for the advancement of the school.
B. Taylor, August 19, 1865
“Commenced shool August 19th found the Natives peaceful and happy.”
Poem at the back of the book.
GIRLS
These girls are all a fleeting show
For man’s illusion given;
There smiles of joy, there tears of woe, Deceitful shine, deceitfull flow There’s not one true in seven.
Historian Probes Strange Symbol Appearing on Few Elgin Headstones October 1981, from London Free Press by Dave Dauphinee. St. Thomas Bureau
Mapleton – The late October sun sinks on the horizon and headstone shadows of the cemetery push out through the longish grass. A mystery is at rest here.
Duncan Crane was a pioneer school teacher, by all accounts methodical and deeply concerned
for his students. At the age of 24, however, he caught a lingering illness and died of complications, a victim of the harsh winter of 1857.
Over in Union, a young boy, David Eveland died about the same time and was buried by his parents John and Elvira. In St. Thomas, an early pioneer named David Mandeville was buried. Near Vienna, a name now obliterated appears on a headstone in the Edison cemetery. And finally, Adoniram Chute, a very early pioneer, lies buried beneath a gravestone in the Lakeview cemetery.
This is not the stuff of imaginary goblins or kiddies in masks, for these five persons, widely separated in age and occupation and location, have identical symbols on their headstones, symbols found nowhere else in Elgin County.
Carved into the head of each stone is a circle. Within that circle is an equilateral triangle with the words, Love, Purity and Fidelity carved into each side. Finally, within the triangle is a star, sometimes with five points, sometimes with six. The only discrepancy in the symbols is the “lazy Triangle” of Mandeville, a low triangle.
Historian Hugh Sims has travelled to each of the dozens of cemeteries in Elgin County sometimes using information gained from interviews with oldtimers, to uncover long-overgrown cemeteries left to return to nature. There are no other such symbols, he says.
“I have been trying to find a common thread, a connection for these symbols, but I haven’t been able to,” he said Friday. “I really can’t tell you why there are so few or why these particular people had them.”
Oddly in Crane’s case, his brother who took over when Duncan died in the middle of the school term, lies buried beside him with a different and much more common stone.
But where did the symbol come from?
“I don’t know, but it must have some deeply religious significance,” said Sims.
An antropology researcher at the University of Western Ontario noted that while the components are common, he has never heard of that particular arrangement, and said he will investigate.
Suggestions the symbol might stem from a mystical order–Mandeville was a master of the Masonic Lodge of Sparta–seem to fall apart because of the age of the child who could not have been a member of any such society.
As far as Sims is concerned, the symbol must have come from a religious order of the time.
The circle, he says, must represent eternal life, a continuance of life after mortal death. The triangle represents the Christian diety, God being Father, Son and Holy Ghost. The star, he says, represents radiance, the pervasive nature of belief. But on the Halloween night, with a thin crescent moon in the sky and a wind chasing leaves through the gravestones, no one can really say they have solved the mystery of the tombstones of Crane, Eveland, Mandeville, Chute and a nameless person who died about 125 years ago.
NEXT ISSUE – “Secret of Symbol Revealed?”
St. Thomas Times-Journal, March 4, 1897.
“Where they eat cheese, and know when it is good, a small bottle, and a note and a reply.”
Our Sparta correspondent writes: –
Mr. A. 0. Clark, our Sparta cheese maker, sometime last summer corked up in a small bottle the following note, and placed it in a cheese he manufactured.
“The finder of this note will confer a great favor on me, if you will let me know where this cheese was cut, by whom and how you like it.” signed A.O. Clark, Sparta, Ontario.
He received the following reply;
Capetown, South Africa
Mr. A. 0. Clark,
Dear Sir, In a cheese imported from London, we found a small bottle with the enclosed memo, and have to say the cheese, of which we have a large quantity, is good and turns out to be very rich and nice for sale use. Having cut the cheese myself, I can recommend it as a quality suitable for grocer’s requirements. We cannot do with any poor cheese, and there is no use sending them to this part of the world. I shall be glad to correspond with you at any time, having 20 years experience here.
Yours, T.W. Lewis & Co., Capetown, South Africa.
Thanks to Eleanor Willson OGS #2280 Elgin #10 for this newspaper article.
John W. Scott bought the Sparta cheese factory ca 1878 from Wm. Yoe and sold it to George and Charles McCullough in 1911 (Sparta Tweedsmuir Book). A.O. Clark made cheese for John Scott, and he was nephew of Mrs. John (Deborrah Clark) Scott.
PRESS RELEASE EXCITING NEWS FOR GENEALOGISTS AT THE NEW, LARGER EVA BROOK DONLY MUSEUM
The completion of basic construction on the renovated and expanded Eva Brook Donly Museum in Simcoe has coincided with some exciting expansions in the holdings of the museum’s well known Norfolk Historical Society Archives.
Museum and Archives Expansion: With the doubling in size of Museum building, there is a huge new research room, a large fire-resistant stacks and comfortable new facilities for the physically handicapped alongside the much improved areas for display, storage, reception and office.
Wintario grant for Archives Expansion; The largest archival purchase ever possible at the Museum has been made through the award of a special Wintario grant of $2,500 to match a challenge $2,500 donation from a private individual. 155 microfilm reels of local newspapers, the 1881 Norfolk & Haldimand census, 19th century provincial business directories and local document collections formed the bulk of the acquisitions. Of special interest to genealogists without Norfolk County ancestors are over 30 volumes of early New York German Valley church records ca 1700-1850, “The Palatine Transcripts”, with tens of thousands of indexed marriages-baptisms – funerals.
Additional News : The Auseum has just acquired its third microfilm reader, along with a group of 25 microfilm reels of special interest for Oxford County research, The steadily growing Early American collection has added a variety of thick volumes of early genealogical records for several states (Pennsylvania, New York & Connecticut), and the Museum will soon announce arrival of a generous new donation of over a hundred years of an important New York genealogical magazine. The 1851, ‘61 and ‘71 Norfolk County census records have been transcribed and indexed by township, and work is now going on to make a huge master card index of two local newspapers’ births, marriages and deaths up to 1900.
The Eva Brook Donly Museum is open Wed. to Sun. afternoons, 1-5 PM (much extended hours May to September) 1-519-426-1583.
QUERIES
Elgin Branch Members may have two (2) queries published free of charge in each newsletter.
Non-members will be charged $3.00 per query per newsletter.
F.Y.I. – Commonly used short forms, please note, no periods.
anc ancestor b born bd buried bapt baptised c about (time) cem cemetery ch children dau daughter desc descendant info information m married
prts parents
PALMER, Sarah (Sara) b Feb. 2, 1801, d June 7, 1875 m John Amos Scott b Jan 29, 1797 in Niagara d Mar. 1, 1897 (100 yrs, 1 mo, 1 da.). Sara dau of Amos Palmer & Mary Merrit (Said to have lived South Yarmouth 4th Concession?. Sisters Anna Mary & Deborrah Palmer. Brothers Merritt & Benjamin Palmer. Info to #10 Eleanor Willson, 302-20 Dunkirk Dr., St. Thomas, ON N5R 5R5.
RIBBLE – Charles & Mary. Was tax collector in Bayham c 1885. 1861 Census indicates they were b Upper Canada – Where? Who were their prts? When Married? Ch Ira, C. Arthur, William, Henry J. (m Eliza Tribe), Roxie Jane (m. John Tribe) Interested in info of any descendants.
TRIBE, James b c 1816 England, wife Jane b 1822 Ireland. Parents’ names? Parishes? Ch
William, Mary Jane, Melissa, Susan, George, John Murray (m Roxie Ribble), Eliza C. (m. Henry Ribble). Interested in info on any desc to #60 Debra L. Tribe, Box 326, Jordan Station, ON L0R 1S0
BASTEDO-WELTER – Christina Bastedo, b Niagara District, m John Welter, b Pennsylvannia, on Jan 24, 1828 in Southwold Twp. Need prts of both, names of any desc of Christina. Info to #71 Mr. Byron Dow, 144 Elmer Avenue, Toronto, ON M4L 3R8
McALPINE, Peter b 1923 Scotland, m 1) Nancy Sinclair 2) Mary McNeil, Dunwich Twp.
Married? d March 2, 1854 b Blacks Cemetery. Info to #173, Robert A. McAlpine, 61 Queen Mary Cr., London, ON N6H 4B5
WILLIAMS-CARTER-PILLEN (PILLON, PILLING), Are these related to early settlers of
Southwold Twp.Henry Carter and Williams fam? Benj. Williams Eng desc b Canada m
Susannah (Susan) Carter b Can, ch b Ont. Mathew 1829; Jane 1832 m Ont c 1860 Robert
Brown; Abigail m Ont 1853 Lorenzo D. Pillen, s!o Geo. & Mary Elizabeth (Hough) Pillen (Geo. b Lancashire, Eng); Samuel 1840 m Sarah; Benj. Jr 1845 m Jane. Pillens to Muskegon Co MI & Williams sons & Browns to Huron Co, Mich. Postage refunded. To #161 Margret Behme, 7072 W. Coldwater Rd., Flushing MI 48433.
DUNLOP, Margaret Ann (1828-1891) m Henry PRESSEY (1821-1884) of Malahide, ch George William, Elias. Albert Solonas, John Americus, Mary A., Ella May, need info prts of Margaret Ann Dunlop, any info on ch?
JOHNSON, Richard of Malahide, b c 1811 m 1) Mary Nighton, 2) Sarah Nighton (1820- 1867) ch George Hamilton, David, Mary E., Arthur Merritt, Sydney and Rebecca. Any info on above to #93, Evelyn Elliott 17 Gablewood Cres., London, ON N6G 2Z8.
BOBIER, Thomas -m Elizabeth Weldon. Where is the farm of James Bobier? – Dunwich Twp Elgin Cty. Wish to make contact with desc. To #96, Ms. Bessie C. Bobier, 2290 Charleswood Drive, R.R. #5, Box 17, Kelowa, BC V1X 4K4
McGOWAN, James, wife and family lived Elgin Cty, Son Fred b., Dec. 5, 1855, m Harriet Henderson b New York. Any info to #179 Mrs. R.A. Ferrie, 20853 Newlands Drive, Langley, BC V3A 4M3
CORLISS, James and wife Mary Nichol lived Con. 8, Lot 27 Bayham Twp in 1861 with family David, Daniel, John, Maria and Mary. Seek more information on my anc John and wish to contact any desc of this family. James b 1801, Mary b 1801, John b 1836. Where are they buried? Any info to #90, James L. McCallum, Box 71, Monkton, ON N0K lP0.
CARTER-ROCHE – Maria Carter, b c 1839-40 in Canada, m 1856 to William Elliott Roche b 1835 in Ireland, where? Lived Lucan 1856-76; Springfield Village 1876-1883; Minnedosa, Manitoba 1883-1888; Detroit, MI 1894 to when? Who were prts and siblings. Info to #121 Shirley P. Rawlinson, 805 N. E. Colorado Lake Drive, Corvallis, Oregon 97333.
WILLSON, David b c 1780 – d Palaski, NY m Jemima Jones (1788-1860) of Richland or Palaski, NY. Need info on ancestors
WILLSON, David s!o Benjamin Wilson b 1732, a New Yorker & first settler of Oshawa, Where in the States did David & sister Ann return after leaving fathers home in Oshawa, ON? Any info on this family appreciated – to #193 Dennis WILLSON, 8 Kemano Rd., Aurora, Ontario L4G 2Y1
BEGG – CANNON. James S. Begg m Caroline Cannon in Kingston, ON 1884. Son Alexander Cannon Begg b 1885. Family moved to St. Thomas c 1886. Other children b St. Thomas were Stanley, Gord, Helen. James was a tea merchant, d April 4, 1906 in St. Thomas. Family went to Alberta. Any info on above ancestors while in St. Thomas or info on the tea store to #153 Mrs. Lynne Charles, 3349 Tennyson Cres., North Vancouver, BC V7K 2A9
GILBERT – FRASER – John Fraser b 1807 near what is now Ottawa to Almedia Gilbert b Southwold Twp 1814. Any info on Gilberts of Southwold Twp Ira, Elijah, Hannah, Nancy, Albert.
HODGKINSON – Any info of any Hodgkinson of Elgin County. Info on either of above to #180 Brian Pierce, 190 Chalet Cres. London, ON N6K 3C8.
PHILLIPS, Nicholas & Effie pre 1850 Bayham Twp.
McGREGORY, Philander White pre 1850. Any info to #195 Robert G. Smith, 2257 Deerfield Way, Geneva, IL 60134.
SMITH, James b May 10, 1842 Aberdeenshire, Scotland s!o George Smith & Mary Cheyne. Lived Frame 1873.
LEAR, George m 1) Elizabeth Wilson, 2) Christian Lefler, came to Canada pre 1840. Ch William, Elizabeth. William m. 1) Hannah Lefler, 2) Mary Jane Roloson, – Children? Elizabeth m James Fitzsimmons Mar 24, 1863, Any info on above to #193 Mrs. Elna Schooley, 146 Wellington St., Waterford, ON N0E lY0
MATHEWS, Abram (b 1827) m Susan Spitler (1832-1932) 13 children. Need info on family.
SPITLER, John m 1826 to Sarah Ann Steinhoff. Also Joseph Spitler. Any info on above to #192 Mrs. Susan Christman, 44040 N. Stanridge, Lancaster CA 93535.
S.A.E. – When asking a reply from an individual member, please remember a self-addressed stamped envelope.
A record of the proceedings of the Township Meeting held the 1st of January 1849 in the village of Vienna in and for the Township of Bayham, John Burwell Esq. Chairman.
Wm. Hatch Township Clerk
Jeremiah Moore Assessor and Collector
Pathmasters as follows:
- Thomas Springall
- Henry Hullet
- John High
- John Sanger
- Ambrose Wilson
- Alex Summers
- Isreal Stilwell
- John Cone
- Hiam Moss
- Caspar Best
- John Jones
- Joseph Pearson
- Edmond Titus
- Sam’l Livingston
- Lose Denton
- Jared Mastin
- Sam’l Howey
- Finlay Malcolm
- Frederick Best
- John Mills
- John Burger
- Jacob Bentley
- John B. Teal
- John Rorase
- Noah Cook
- Rodney Hubbard
- Henry Swan
- Nathan Andrews
- John Clause
- John Clause
- James Martin
- Isaac Williams
- John H. Elliott
- Win. Smuck
- David Sibley
- Alex’r Saxton
- Edward Cooper
- John Ault
- John Eichenberg
- George Silverthorn
- John Nelles
- Jas. Tribe
- Moses Cook
- John B. Foster
- B. Tenpenny (on the Townline West
- Jas. Fitzgerald (on the town to no. 5 between the 2nd and 3rd Concessions.
In the margin are the names of: Andrew High, Geo Pecunier, Benj. Shippy, Peter Crossett, John Weaver, Will Clareston, R. Nelles, R. Bain, Fred Richardson, John Farthings, John H. Elliott, W. Belzen, Robert Eakins, Thomas Haines, Chas. Roy, Mahlon Winana, B. W. Shaw, L. Nelson Leach.
This was taken from the Town Book Township of Bayham