TALBOT TIMES
Newsletter of the
ELGIN COUNTY BRANCH
ONTARIO GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY
ISSN 0827-2816
VOLUME XVIII ISSUE ONE
MARCH 1999
Extracts of Genealogical information
As I begin my second turn at being chairman of Elgin OGS, I would like to thank the membership for their confidence in me to lead our branch into the next century. I only hope I have the proper computer chip in me so that I do not “shut down” at the end of this year! I would like to take this opportunity to thank Ross Harrison for his leadership during 1998, and to wish him well in his undertakings during this year. I would also like to thank Frank Clarke for his many years as secretary, and we welcome longtime-member Frances Hindmarsh to this position. One of my ambitions during 1999 for Elgin OGS is to gain new members living in the area, and to achieve this goal we will be holding one or two beginning genealogy nights at various locations in Elgin county. The executive and I will also be working on other ideas to gain new members. Our program coordinator Carol Hall has a very interesting lineup of speakers and topics for our upcoming meetings, and I urge all who live in the area to attend. The publications committee has several new publications in the works, one of which is a guidebook on genealogical resources in Elgin county. We hope this publication will be ready in time for Seminar 1999. Watch the newsletter for further details.
I wish you all much success with your research this year.
Jim MaCullom
The Aylmer Express: April 30, 1942
BAYHAM TOWNSHIP HONOR ROLL
An honor roll of all the boys of Bayham township, Elgin county, is being prepared and those who are undertaking this are desirous of having the cooperation of any and all who can furnish any information regarding the boys. The families from whose presence these boys have gone are requested to keep in touch with their own minister – clergyman – who will see that the information is forwarded to the person who is endeavoring to carry out this work. If you desire to send the information direct – Address E.A. Poulter, Box 185, Straffordville, Ont.
Here are the names:
Adams, J.H.F., Capt.
Allen F. * Allen Thos.*
Alward H.L., Spr.
Armstrong, Harold *
Armstrong, Ray*
Axford, Donald
Axford, William Boyd, W.F.
Berden, Wallace
Butcher, T.E., Trp.
Brown, S.S. Cpl.
Baxter, S.R.
Brady, Harold, Sgt.
Brady, Howard
Ball, William
Ball, Richard
Barker, W.L. *
Cranston, F.E. *
Chute, Don
Coene, D.E.
Dennis, Jack
Dennis, Lyle
Drew, Herbert
Ecker, Murray
Eveland, Fred Edward, Reece, Cpl.
Ford, A. Lawrence, Spr. Finucan, Lorne * Fugard, G.R.
Fugard, P.D., Trp.
Ferguson, A.H., Flt-Lieut.
Grant, G.E. Grant, R.V.
Godby, W.W., WO2
Hayward, Jack
Hayward, Nathan*
Hayward, William *
Hodder, Lionel *
Hull, Arthur *
Hull, Douglas *
Horlick, Edwin *
Hughes, Harworth *
Howard, Douglas*
Holbrook, Maxwell *
Honsinger, Ralph *
James, Murray, Spr. * Johnson, R.W., Gnr.
Kennedy, A.G. *
Kennedy, Arthur C.*
Loucks, Blake*
Luce, Bert *
Lester, B.C., Gnr.
Locker, W.L.
Meyer, Mohn, Cpl.
McKillop, J.F.
McCurdy, Jack B.
McDonald, Gordon F.
MacDonald, Jack T.
McGregor, Ross
Malone, Fred, *
McKibbon, Stuart *
Moncao, Marlo * McQuiggan, Leslie *
Martin, J.F. *
Martin, J.A. *
Monk, V.D. (Rev.)
Newell, Gordon *
Palmer, P.E., Cpl.
Palmer, L.H.
Phillips, D.M.
Phillips, C.W., Sgt.
Phillips, G.T.H., Cpl.
Pouter, G.S., Sgt. Parker, Joseph F.
Palmer, G.H.
Procunier, F.A., Capt.
Procunier, G.W., Lieut.
Price, Helen *
Rerison, Reginald, L.A.C.
Robbins, Walter R. Sayers, R.V.
Smith, G.T., AC2
Smallweed, C. Stafford
Stewart, R.F., LAC
Shaw, William* Sutherland, D.L., Cpl.
Staunton, Keith *
Smythe, Earl *
Smith, Garfield *
Southwick, Ray *
Smith, E. (RCAF) *
Tribe, John Cameron
Taylor, Andy
Travis, Gerald, Stoker
Thompson, A.*
Thompson, Gray *
Vidamour, Stanley
Vaughan, Harry
Wilson, Ross
Whaley, C.D., Cpl.
Williams, M.D., Flt.-Lieut.
Wright, Jack A., LAC
Webster, Dr. Grant
Warren, Robert *
Two names are added of persons who were on the Merchant Marine and who gave their lives in service – Jack Ball and Walter Brackenbury, both of Port Burwell.
The names marked (*) are the names of the boys whose addresses we have not as yet received and so we cannot write them. If any one can give us this information, we will greatly appreciate it for we desire to keep in touch with every boy in uniform. We ask your cooperation. It is no easy task, but from the letters received so far, it is very worthwhile. The boys do appreciate very much the idea and we have written to every boy whose address we have.
It is our plan to hold a special patriotic service every three months in all the churches of Bayham township, in which this honor roll will be read and the boys commended to our Heavenly Father’s care.
Any information, suggestions or criticism will be greatly received.
The Aylmer Express, Aug. 25, 1938
COLONEL TALBOT’S BAD LANGUAGE DREW REBUKE FROM SETTLERS
Godwin and Moore Families Among Earliest of Bayham’s Pioneers; Heroine of War Rewarded with Land in Township.
The history of Bayham Township, Elgin County, began about 1810 when James Gibbons, axe in hand, started hewing himself out a home int he dense pine forest. Mr. Gibbons selected a spot north of what is now Talbot Road, but which was then nothing more than a blazed trail through the woods. This lot he soon sold to Joseph De Fields, who was the first magistrate in this section, acting in the capacity from 1818 until 1832. Squire DeFields built his home on the bank of the Big Otter and there h lived acting as chief advisor to the settlers and keeping an open house to footsore and weary ravellers. Strangely enough little is known of his activities and no records tell of his death or burial. The property passed into the hands of Thomas Godwin, many of whose descendants still farm in that vicinity. The Godwins were prominent among the settlers and were men of deep religious convictions. It is related that Thomas Godwin was building a bridge across the Otter in 1814 when Colonel Thomas Talbot came along with a retinue of militiamen. For some reason the worthy Colonel began to swear considerably and he was quickly brought to task for his error by his namesake Godwin. Sometime later when the colonel and his men returned by the same way they had come, Talbot was overheard to caution his men against using bad language while passing Godwin’s place.
Pounds and Moores Arrive
Two other early settlers in Bayham were David and John Pound. They came from the Niagara district and when the War of 1812 broke out they returned to Niagara for its duration. In 1815 David Pound returned, this time accompanied by Jeremiah More.
They came on horseback, while the latter’s nephew, Solomon Moore, Jr., a land of 17, walked along by their side. The Moores were Virginians of Irish origin and had left all during the American War of Independence, arriving in Canada after fording the Niagara River on horseback.
Jeremiah Moore was a man of considerable enterprise and by 1824 he was running a grist mill in the hollow formed by the Springer Hills, eight miles east of Aylmer. It is interesting to note that in August 1938, T. Merritt Moore, a grandson of Jeremiah’s half-brother, Thomas, had the huge millstone taken up out of the gully where it had lain for over a hundred years, and brought to Aylmer where it is now mounted on a foundation in his front lawn. The stone weighs 2616 lbs. And is 4 feet in diameter. It was no easy trick to take it out of the creek bed and bring it up a steep clay bank 75 feet high. It is one of the finest specimens of millstones to be found in Ontario and Mr. Moore intends to mark the stone with a bronze plaque giving the age of the stone, where it was found and all particulars that it may be preserved for future generations Moore’s grist mill was the first in this section and prior to its erection, the settlers had to go to Backhouse’s mill at the mouth of the Silver Creek, and before 1820 as far away as Long Point Bay.
His Enemy With Poker
Another interesting settler was Mrs. Edward De Fields. Mrs. De Fields and her husband moved into Bayham shortly after the War of 1812 and settled on a lot which was given to Mrs. De Fields for bravery during the war. Her father was an hotel keeper at Long Point and two of his guests, his daughter discovered, were none other than American spies. She quickly notified the British officers, who attempted to surprise the Americans. The latter, however, showed considerable fight in the course of which Mrs. De Fields hit on the arm with an iron poker, breaking that member and allowing him to be captured.
Caleb Cook, a veteran of the Battle of Queenston Heights, arrived in Bayham with his wife and two children in the year 1815. The four of them arrived on the back of the same horse, and when they got on the Richmond Hill the horse played out on them. Since it was almost night they built a hut with brush and spent their first night in Bayham township. The next morning they began the work of clearing and erected a log house within a few weeks.
Such were the first pioneers of Bayham township, men and women who had left their homes of comparative ease for the onerous task of starting anew, so that they might live and die as British subjects, or who, already living under the British flag had hastened to its defence when their rebellious cousins to the south tried to persuade them with the help of ball and blade to join their new-born republic.
“GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN”
By Jane L. Down
In April 1997 while searching my great grandfather’s family (JEWELL) in the 1871 census for Elgin County, I discovered his oldest sister. The census page was very faded and hard to read. I thought her name was Theressau and called her that for the next 9 months. She was 9 years old in 1871. Last January (1998), my great aunt died and her son was going through the family papers and came across an old photo album of the JEWELL family. Since the JEWELLs were not part of his family (he descends from my great grandmother’s second husband), he kindly sent me the album. I now know what the expression “I was beside myself..” means. When I opened the album for the first time, I could hardly contain myself. It was full of beautiful studio shots. There were pictures of JEWELLs that I never thought I would ever see – for instance, a picture of my great, great grandmother JEWELL. When I saw her, I stepped back – or really jumped – I was beside myself with excitement. The best part of all was that my great uncle had labelled all the people in the photos. He even labeled the pictures of the neighbours! It was a true genealogical treasure! A beautiful studio picture of my great grandfather’s oldest sister’s family was labeled “Frank BUSH and Family (Thursa JEWELL)”. So she was Thursa not Theressau. Thursa was gorgeous and her three children Clara, a younger daughter (not named), and Ernest were gorgeous too. I was particularly taken with Clara.
Over the past year, I have taken this album out and poured over these pictures many times. I kept wondering what happened to Thursa and her family. I noticed that Clara’s older picture was taken in Essex, Ontario – perhaps the family moved there. I was able to find Thursa’s marriage certificate to Frank BUSH. They were married on December 31, 1879 in Tyrconnell, Ontario. He was a shoemaker in Dutton when they were married which explains why the children’s boots were shiny and new in the family photo even though 5 year old Ernest is wearing darned leggings.
One night in November (1998), it came to me that I had never looked for BUSH entries in the OGS Tyrconnell cemetery transcriptions – JEWELL yes, but not BUSH. I had the books at home and quickly looked up BUSH. There was one lonely entry. It read: “Clara L. BUSH, daughter of Frank and Thirsa BUSH and wife of F.W. Stolz, died August 14, 1902 in her 22 year. Gone but not Forgotten.”
I was devastated! How could she die so young? How did she die? When did she get married? I looked again at her pictures in the album and touched them sadly. Poor Clara!
The next day, I set off to the Family History Center to find Clara’s death certificate and marriage certificate. They did not register her death so I was unable to determine her cause of death but her marriage certificate was there. She was married in Essex, Ontario in June 1902 – a short two months before her death – how sad.
In December (1998), dear Alice Paterson at the Tyrconnell Heritage Society to whom I had written asking for information on my JEWELL and MORRISH families (great great grandmother JEWELL’s maiden name was MORRISH) put me in touch with a long-lost cousin who had written a book on the MORRISH family of Tyrconnell. I purchased a copy of the book and it arrived on December 24th. What a Christmas present! Among other wonderful things such as pictures of great great grandmother JEWELL’s mother and father, there was information on Thursa’s middle child – her name was Maud.
Finally, we come to January 1999 when I have been entering all this sad but wonderful information on Thursa’s family into my genealogy database. As I was entering Clara’s tombstone inscription, I noticed there was another inscription on her stone which I had not seen before. It read:
“Clara Irene, daughter of Hallam and Maud Hathaway, born May 15, 1913, died October 2, 1913″
So sister Maud had a daughter and named her after Clara. Maud’s poor Clara died at five months old. Was it a comfort to Maud in her sorrow to bury her daughter with her namesake? To have the two Claras buried together – forever? There is something tragic about these short-lived lives that pulls at our heart strings. Is this why we do genealogy? To know more about these people, to find out what happened to them, to grieve for them when we do? Now when I think of the two Claras, the inscription on their gravestone comes back to me and I think how true it is even to this day – they are sadly gone but certainly not forgotten. I know I will never forget them – will you? If anyone reading this happens to visit St Peter’s Cemetery in Tyrconnell, please do me a favour and visit these two Clara’s grave site and remember them for me.
If you have further information on any of these people, I would be thrilled to hear from you. Please write to Jane Down – Email: [email protected]
REUNIONS
BOWLBY REUNION
July 23-25, 1999, Blackburn College, Carlinville, Illinois
All Bowlby, Bolby, Bowlsby, Bolsby, Bowlesby, etc. families in the USA & Canada are descended from the “First American Bowlby” Thomas Bowlby and his four sons who settled in West N.J. in the early 1700’s. Contact: Ms. Christina Downey, Blacburn College, 700 College Ave., Carlinville, IL 62626 – 217-854-5522. Or David Dean Bowlby,
Pres. Bowlby Family Assoc. P.O.Box 92, Virden, IL 62690
CHRISTIAN REESOR and FANNY REIFF REUNION June 24, 2000, Markham Ontario.
Updated genealogy and addresses required by Dec. 15, 1999. Contact Paul Burkholder,
Chair, Historical and Genealogical Committee, 6742 Steeles Ave. E., Markham, ON L3S 3J5, 905-294-1485
LOUKS – LOUCKS FAMILY ASSOCIATION REUNION July 2,3, 1999 Highgate, Vermont
For information contact: Barbara Dundas, Canadian Membership, 40 Nickerson Ave. St.
Catherines, ON L2N 3M4 – 905 937 4402 or Kenneth Loucks, President
PORT BURWELL – 1861 CENSUS NOTES
by Ken Light
1861 Canada West Census – 58 A
Agricultural census of Elgin County
Backside of page 17 – Microfilm #C1019
The inhabitants of the village of Port Burwell is composed of the representatives of almost every part of the British Provinces of North America and the United States with a considerable number from the different Nations and States of Europe being composed of such materials there is consequently little unity in either Religion or Politics.
The Exports from this place consist chiefly of Lumber and Timber, there is more Lumber sent from this Port than any other place on the North shore of Lake Erie, Sometimes there are as many as 15 to 18 vessels (some of them of large size) loading here at one time. A considerable share of the finest Pine Lumber produced in the Province is exported from this place. Our exports of Grain chiefly wheat will not exceed 40,000 Bushels annually.
Port Burwell Harbour which consists of a continuation of the Big Otter Creek by the erection of artificial Piers extending from the outlet , is unfortunately for the interests of those most particularly concerned, owned by parties who have no direct interest in the growth or welfare of the Village or trading community. The owners are nearly all Farmers living some distance from the place who are merely interested in the amount of dividends they receive from the capital they have invested. In a place like this where Nature has done so much, a comparatively small sum of money judiciously expended could construct a safe and large Harbour of Refuge acceptable at all times during the season of Navigation..
In this Ward there is three School Houses. One frame building one story in the West Section with an average attendance of 16 scholars during the year. Another frame building of one story in the East Section with an average attendance of 11. And one large House two storys built of Brick, in Port Burwell occupied by two Teachers with an average attendance of 89 scholars the School is kept open all the year, the others only part of the time.
1861 Canada West Census – 58 A
Agricultural census of Elgin County
Backside of page ? – Microfilm #C1019
That portion of this Ward which lies to the North and East of Port Burwell embracing rather the largest half is but recently settled in comparison to the Western part, and the quality of the land in general is greatly inferior. It is mostly composed of light sandy soil, principally covered with Pine and Hemlock, and with the exception of four or five Farmers, who are in totally comfortable circumstances, the rest appear poor, their clearances small, their dwelling and steadings of a very inferior sort, their principal attention is directed to Lumbering, and is generally the case the Farm is neglected and sacrificed, for that which yields the quickest though smallest return. With the few exceptions above noted, I consider them very deficient in enterprise industry and energy qualifications necessary to ensure success.
That portion of the Ward lying to the West of Port Burwell is principally inhabited by a hardy persevering industrious race, who immigrated from Nova Scotia, a good many years ago, they are mostly Baptists, and nearly all in very comfortable circumstances, dwelling houses barns? Granaries <?> giving indication of wealth energy and enterprise.
Though this part of the Ward is much superior to the Eastern part, in capital skill industry products and soil, it is in general a poor wheat producing part of the country. The soil is composed of a light sandy loam resting on a stiff , hard clay bottom almost impervious to water. Timber principally Beech and Maple. The land is so level that the water has no fall to drain off, so that in the event of a late or wet spring the operations of the Farmer are much retarded. They raise but very few turnips carrots or other roots and they are very deficient in most of the new and modern improvements connected with their profession. Notwithstanding all these drawbacks, as a community they cannot fail to prosper.
In the Ward there is a Baptist Chapel a neat plain Edifice capable of seating 400 persons it is generally well attended. A English Church capable of seating 250 persons attendance small. A Wesleyan Methodist Chapel with seating for 250 on some special occasions well filled but oftener poorly attended.
Saint Georges Ward of Bayham Township
QUERIES
BRAYNE / ALLWORTH – Anna BRAYNE b ca 1822 & John, b 1841, Southwold Twp., Elgin Co., ON – grandchildren of Richard BRAYNE. Need names of prts and dates of Anna’s prts. Where did Anna live? Gain schooling and work before marr to Rev. William H. ALLWORTH ca 1848 in Southwold Twp. Richard BRAYNE b Eng. ca 1753, living in 1851 in Southwold. Richard’s wife’s name, dates, origin ? Location of Richard BRAYNE, said to be a clothier? later a farmer? Cemetery? Edward A. ALLWORTH, THOMPSON / THOMSON – Seeking info re fam of Matthew THOMPSON in 1842 Yarmouth Twp census. Wife Elizabeth ?. Fam of 8 included Richard, John & Murdoc (?). Muriel E. HODGINS,.
FULCHER / GIBSON – Looking for prts, siblings, descendants of Elizabeth GIBSON b 1877 in Brantford m Bartley FULCHER, Brantford 1897, d 1951 Brantford. Did GIBSON fam reside near St. Mary’s, ON. at one time? PAGE – Need identity of Jesse PAGE who settled in Elgin County in the 1800’s? Was he s/o Joseph PAGE who participated in the Wars around Niagara in late 1790’s and early 1800’s? Joseph lvd Niagara area for many years. Did Jesse marry? Are there descendants? Ross HARRISON,
WALKER / SMITH – Need info on Ira WALKER b ca 1830 in Ontario. Md Margaret SMITH – b 1832 in ON, living in Windham Twp. Norfolk Co. 1871. Ch: William, Charles Henry, Ira, James. Pat TEMPLE,
WHITE / PENNOCK / BARKER: James WHITE and Mary (Ann/Nancy) SCOTT, immigrated from ? Ireland c1834-36. Lived in Westport area of North Crosby, Co. of Leeds-Grenville with ch: Joseph – lived in Jaffa, Elgin Co.; Martha – m Sterling PENNOCK of Elgin, S. Crosby Mary – m Enoch BARKER of Westport; Benjamin born at sea? lived in Jaffa, Elgin Co. & John b. Yonge Twp, lived in Markdale, Ont.
EDMONDS/ HORSMAN / DOHM/ GARLAND: William Henry EDMONDS, b1833, Downton Wilts England, immigrated 1836 to St. Thomas, Ont. d, 1914, m. Maria HORSMAN b1833, died c1866, Elgin Co. ? m. Losina (HINES) DOHM, b1844, d1914, Vermont both immigrated 1867-68 to 414 E. Front St., Traverse City, Mich. Ch: George H. b1857 d1889; Charles T. b1859, d1949 marr. Sarah A. SARENT b1857, d1927 & Harriet (WEED) DICKISON; Samuel b1863; Eliza M.or W. b1865, d1912 m Charles GARLAND and Arthur J. b1881
HASSARD / PERRY – Alexander HASSARD b.?, m. 1867 Emily PERRY, b.? Ch: Theresa, Robert Henry, Alexander, James, Johnston, William John. And seeking obituaries on Catherine HASSARD, bur. 16 Aug. 1903; Wm. John HASSARD, bur. 2 Feb. 1925; Emily HASSARD bur. 26 Apr. 1929; Elizabeth HASSARD, 14 Dec. 1929 in the Clemish Cemetery, Bellanaleck, Enniskillen, Fermanagh, N. Ireland. Brenda Edmonds