James Ingram was indeed a son of Bellamy’s Mills. His father Alexander Ingram was born on W. Lot 25 Concession 3 –J
ames Ingram 1851–1940 BIRTH ABT 1851 • Ontario DEATH 23 DEC 1940 • Brockville, Leeds, Ontario, Canada. He said the reason he lived so long was because he was born in Clayton near Almonte, and people tend to live longer and are happy there.
His father Alexander joined him later in in Brockville and died in 1875. He was married to Wife Almira F. Fraelich(1840–1907) 8 Feb 1907 and her sister Elmira Fraelich after the death of Almira • Brockville, Leeds, Ontario, Canada. He had 4 children.
The Regiment was formed on 5 October 1866, as the 42nd Brockville Battalion of Infantry with Companies in Almonte, Brockville, Perth, Fitzroy, Landsdowne and Smiths Falls. In 1871, the Pembroke Infantry Company became the Battalion’s seventh Company In 1870, the Battalion (with its attached Brockville and Ottawa Battery (Railway) of Garrison Artillery) was called out on active service during the Fenian Raids. In the same year, a small detachment deployed with the Red River Expedition. The Battalion was reorganized in 1897, as the 42nd Lanark and Renfrew Battalion of Infantry located in the counties of Lanark and Renfrew. The Battalion was renamed the 42nd Lanark and Renfrew Regiment in 1900.
After a very successful book launch my book “Whispers from the Past, History and Tales of Clayton” sold out the first printing of 200 copies during the first week. Today I picked up the second printing, so we are back in business! If you want to purchase a book please email me at rose@sarsfield.ca or call me at 613-621-9300, or go to the Clayton Store, or Mill Street Books in Almonte.
Place names in Lanark County usually are derived from original settlers in the localities or from points in the Old Country where the pioneers lived before embarking for the wilds of Canada.
Another example of this was I brought to light, recently, by Mr. Abraham Evans of Clayton. He noticed in an article written for The Gazette by Mr. W. H. Black of Toronto, that a question was raised as to how Clayton and Rosetta got their names. He claims that Clayton was called after Colonel Clayton, an original settler in that district, and that Rosetta got its name from a Miss Rosetta McFarlane or Rosetta Craig, who were among the first to live in that part of the County. The Bellamys went to Clayton after the Colonel had been there for some time. It was they who built the grist and saw mills. Up to the time of their coming, pioneer residents like Mr. Evans’ grandfathers, had carried their grist to Perth on their backs, to have it milled. Bellamys offered to build the mills provided the farmers around what is now known as Clayton Lake, agreed to let them dam the stream emptying out it thus raising the level of the water by 12 feet. Anxious for the facilities offered the people came to terms with the Bellamys and as a result of this agreement the lake was first known by the name of Harmony. It appeared that way on old maps but as time passed and the reasons for this rather fancy appellation faded into the distance, the body of water above the Village became known variously as Watchorns Lake, Evans’ Lake, Thompson’s Lake and Clayton Lake. Finally the last label stuck, and today, Clayton Lake is famous for its pike fishing. Mr. Evans, maternal grandfather, Donald Munro, came out from Scotland and settled in the Clayton district 140 years ago. His paternal grandfather, Richards Evans, was a native of Wales, and carved out a home for himself on the shores of the lake about the same time as the Munros.
After a very successful book launch my book “Whispers from the Past, History and Tales of Clayton” sold out the first printing of 200 copies during the first week. Today I picked up the second printing, so we are back in business! If you want to purchase a book please email me at rose@sarsfield.ca or call me at 613-621-9300, or go to the Clayton Store, or Mill Street Books in Almonte.
Rose Mary Sarsfield OMG Linda This is so much crap!!! See below– ( I love Rosemary LOLOLOL)
The Name of the Village From the very early days the settlement seems to have been known as “Bellamy’s Mills”. It was also called “Bellamyville”,1 or “Bellamy’s” by those outside the community. The river was named the Indian River on the map made by the surveyors in 1821.
The difficulty with the name Bellamy’s Mills was there was another community with the same name in Augusta Township, Leeds County. The village now known as North Augusta was settled by Edward Bellamy’s brothers. Imagine the confusion of trying to deliver letters to the correct persons with only the address of Bellamy’s Mills.
In October 1855 advertisements for businesses in Bellamy’s Mills began to appear as “Clifton”.2 This carried on until late 1858 when the name “Clayton” started to appear. But often the names were used interchangeably for a few years. The name Bellamy’s Mills was what people were used to using. It seems that it may have been the Post Office department that changed the names. While the name of “Almonte” was made official by a bylaw passed by the Bathurst District Council, nothing similar can be found for Clayton. The name “Clifton” was probably removed for the same reason as “Bellamy’s Mills” because there was another town called “Clifton” in the western part of the province.
Where did the name Clayton come from? There has been a story that has been repeated in the Almonte Gazette over the years, which now must be corrected. My mother, Mrs. Kate Richards, told the story of an old gentleman coming to visit my father, Harry Richards in 1938. The conversation got around to the subject of how Clayton got its name. My Mother, being young and brash, said, “Oh there was probably some old Colonel Clayton around that they named it after.” The next week, to her horror, the story appeared in the Almonte Gazette that this gentleman had reported that Clayton was named after a Colonel Clayton, a settler in the area.
My Mother, not wanting to cause embarrassment to the old man, said nothing. And so, the myth continued. It was even repeated at the opening of the Clayton dam in 1970. I have done a lot of research to see if there was any possibility of this having even a shred of truth, and there is none. There never was any Colonel Clayton anywhere in Lanark County. The truth is we don’t know where the name Clayton came from. It was most likely chosen by someone in charge of Post Offices at the time.
In the year 1888 there was a lot of publicity in the town papers over a peculiar case in Lanark County in which a whole family of nine, one after the other, contracted typhoid fever.
The family was respectable and clean, but as the house did not have any drainage there was a lot of discussion, in which the the family doctor, and newspapers participated, as to the cause of the disease. The house had a sink in a summer kitchen and this was connected with the drain. Over this sink there was hot controversy.
The doctor declared the sink was not “trapped.” but it was also declared there was a trap on the fewer pipe and that the sink had played no part in the cause of the disease. And so the argument waged. The family doctor stated that if the nature of the disease had been known in the first place (it was not for several weeks) the spread of it might have been avoided by certain sanitary precautions which had not been regarded as necessary.
What was left of the family was ostracised by the community instead of looking for a reason this happened.
Typhoid Mary
Mary Mallon was born in Ireland in 1869 and emigrated to the United States in 1883 or 1884. She was engaged in 1906 as a cook by Charles Henry Warren, a wealthy New York banker, who rented a residence to Oyster Bay on the north coast of Long Island for the summer. From 27 August to 3 September, 6 of the 11 people present in the house were suffering from typhoid fever. At this time, typhoid fever was still fatal in 10% of cases and mainly affected deprived people from large cities .
The sanitary engineer, committed by the Warren family, George Sober, published the results of his investigation on the 15th of June 1907, in JAMA. Having believed initially that freshwater clams could be involved in these infections, he had hastily conducted his interrogation of the sick people and also of Mary who had presented a moderate form of typhoid [7]. Mary continued to host the bacteria, contaminating everything around her, a real threat for the surrounding environment. Although Sober initially feared that the soft clams were the culprits, this proved to be incorrect as not all of those stricken had eaten them. Finally Sober had solved the mystery and became the first author to describe a “healthy carrier” of Salmonella typhi in the United States.
From March 1907, Sober started stalking Mary Mallon in Manhattan and he revealed that she was transmitting disease and death by her activity. His attempts to obtain samples of Mary’s feces, urine and blood, earned him nothing but being chased by her. Sober reconstituted the puzzle by discovering that previously the cook had served in 8 families. Seven of them had experienced cases of typhoid. Twenty-two people presented signs of infection and some died.
Outside the home, on County Road 29, a passersby can read a plaque detailing the connection to James Naismith. The local hero was born in November 1861, in a home on the same property, all of which was owned by his extended family. Unseen James Naismith Photos and his Real Birthplace
When he was nine years old, his father got work at Grand Calumet and the family moved. But typhoid fever felled both parents, leaving nine-year-old James, his sister and brother orphans. The young trio returned to the stone home and were brought up by their uncle. Today there are memories of James Naismith in the restored rooms. The Smiths were diligent in the restoration, repairing stone work, refinishing floors, re-installing the trademark wrap-around veranda’ and reshingling the roof with cedar.
There were many outbreaks in the form of typhoid fever, diphtheria, scarlet fever, and smallpox in the area. Murray Guthrie remembers some Brits being bitten by mosquitos and thinking they had small pox. They stayed at the “Pest House” on Roy Rogers’ farm on Country Street in 1930. According to the Almonte Centennial book, Faces and Places: 1880-1980, “It was here that men returning from the lumber camps were sent when they had contracted contagious diseases.”
Clipping from The Almonte Gazette Friday December 28th, 1917, page 8
Physicians had a variety of treatments for typhoid fever including the administration of turpentine, quinine, brandy and quinine sulphate, or hygienic measures considered by most “by far the more important”. When Fanny died she was 33 and he was 51.
Carleton Place
Donald and George Cameron, the two brothers who conducted the butcher business, have been particularly unfortunate in the last year. Some months ago their father and mother and two brothers died of typhoid fever. They have been in business about a year and were making good advancement. Their insurance will fall considerably short of the loss so they will not likely re-establish. Their horses and rigs were at their home on another street which was not reached by the fire. 1909
One interesting thing was the wells was said to have fine water but the wells were never tested. They may have been, but there is no reference to the fact– nor complaints about the water. In those days, people were used to getting some dirt in their mouths from time to time. They drank out of delivery barrels from the hardware store which were seldom cleaned, and out of their own barrels which were frequently uncovered and subject to dust and contamination. But somehow or other they survived.
The days of the civic wells are gone, never to return, now that we have filtered water. But in the typhoid epidemic of the nineteen hundreds, the people were glad to use the new bored wells.
By the middle of the 1870’s, it was expected that a fashionable home in Carleton Place would have running water and an indoor bathroom. This was generally accomplished by placing a large water tank in the attic which was usually lead lined — one reason the average life span was shorter back then.
One water pipe usually ran down to a boiler in the kitchen, where it could be heated 1860s
I like to focus on folks in town and keep us all aware of what’s going on. So here is one of our new barbers in town: Kyle Blundell in his own words. I like people to tell me all about themselves as it’s their story right?
Kyle Blundell
I decided to open up a barber shop in Carleton Place as it seemed like a better idea then competing with 500 other places in Ottawa. I also have a lot of friends and family in town my parents have lived in Carleton Place since I was 5 years old.
After Covid first began I left barbering downtown Ottawa, and moved to Almonte with my girlfriend to “quarantine”. With all that free time on our hands, we made a baby —which is due In March 2021. After the initial good news I decided —- after years of my dad asking me to move out here, Id open a shop in Carleton place when restrictions were done.
I jumped on that and opened a week after I was allowed after renting my spot at 103 Bridge street and naming the shop Towne Barber. This November, my girlfriend and I are moving to Carleton Place and going to raise our child in Carleton Place.
I’ve been cutting hair for about ten years and originally began styling just on friends before nights out on the town. I realized I had talent and love for it and pursued in the trade.
It’s been a dream for me to open my own shop and I couldn’t be happier I chose Carleton Place after meeting all my customers and other local small business owners. It’s also super cool that my shop was originally a barbershop back in the day. There’s a picture online of the barber waving out of the door at a parade when it was beside Olympia restaurant.
Barber Howard Little Bridge Street-The picture above is of Howard Little courtesy of Julia Waugh Guthrie- thank Julia!
With my name getting out with social media and word of mouth, I’ve been blessed with a steady clientele which gives me a chance to give back to the community a little which lead to my idea to give free haircuts for back to school for boys who’s parents may have lost work from Covid or just needed the extra help.
Author’s note- I can see from photos that the Towne Barber is kid friendly.
Now the 25% from gift card sales from now until Christmas will go towards the Lanark County Food Bank
Now the 25% from gift card sales from now until Christmas will go towards the Lanark County Food Bank since the Santa Claus parade won’t be there for the same charity funding. I plan on always doing what I can to help Carleton place and the people living here. .
Address: 103 Bridge St, Carleton Place, ON K7C 2V4
A fire destroyed the building in 1960, but it was rebuilt and opened again in 1961. Jim Antonakas had previously purchased the building 2.5 years before that fateful day. Antonakas had originally operated a restaurant in the Byward Market in Ottawa.
Everything in the restaurant and garage was destroyed but the firemen aided by the residents of Carleton Place were able to save almost all of the equipment in the barber shop. A fire that amounted to $75,000 worth of damage to: The Olympia Restaurant, Howard Little’s Barbershop and a garage owned by Elmer Robertson containing a small amount of furniture fell prey to the flames. In 1961, the Olympia was rebuilt and reopened. At this time, Stewart Comba leased a part for his furniture shop and R.A. Downing had an office here.
Ray Paquette
The loss of the Olympia Restaurant was a minor tragedy for teenagers in Carleton Place. It was where we gathered to plan our activities for the weekend. On a personal note, the loss of Howard Little’s Barbershop meant I had to find a new “hair stylist” although in truth my crew cut could be duplicated by any of the numerous barbers that plied their trade in town at that time.
The morning after the fire I was on my way to my summer job at 6:00 a.m. and they were still hosing down the remains of the business block. The rebuilding of the Olympia was undertaken quickly so we teenagers were not without a “hangout” for a lengthy period of time.
The only -thing missing was the snow. Christmas lights hung from the trees, The picnic tables were dressed with Christmas tablecloths, and the full-size Christmas tree in the cottage was decorated with candy canes and gifts.
The idea of celebrating Christmas in July came to the LeMaistre family when they were right in the midst of the festivities last December. Someone said it was a shame that when the family had so much fun at the regular celebration Christmas it couldn’t be repeated in the summer.
The family that is always ready for a party could see no reason why Christmas could not be celebrated twice a year, and no sooner were the decorations taken off the tree last winter, than the family began planning for the Christmas-in-July party.
The LeMaistres have what is commonly called in the Valley “a large connection,” and on Saturday night almost 50 people turned up at the Mississippi Lake cottage of Ted and Elizabeth LeMaistre. Instead of sleighrides and snowball fights, the guests swam and sat under the trees to get out of the hot sun.
But inside the cottage, turkey, shortbread and all the Christmas trappings usually prepared for Dec. 25 were brought out. And after the feast, gifts were handed out. Then came Christmas carols. Would they do it again? You bet they would, said Elizabeth. But they have to get Dec. 25 out of the way first.
Education at our school has just suffered a grievous blow. It has little to do with Bill 160, although that may have been a factor. One of our best teachers has retired. It is true that Ted has seen younger days. His hair is white and it has been for as long as I have known him. He has seemed tired lately. Yet, without him, our school is diminished.
We will miss the compassionate way he dealt with students, the high quality of his programs, his strong sense of values that came forth in every lesson he taught. We will also miss his quick wit, his broad range of experience, which he shared with us when we weren’t sure how to deal with particular situations, his wisdom and his involvement in extra-curricular activities.
We will miss his friendship and sympathy when we were in difficulty and his practical jokes, which livened up our days and gave us a laugh when we needed it. We will miss his dedication to his job and the example he set of what a professional teacher should be.
Yes, he will be replaced by a young teacher with boundless energy and enthusiasm. This teacher has all the qualities of a good teacher but it will take years of experience before he can contribute to the children and to the life of the school the way Ted did. Ted’s skills are complete and have been for quite a while. A young teacher’s skills need to mature over time. Every school has and needs teachers like Ted. No school can get along without them. Before people become too enthusiastic about replacing all of our old teachers with young ones, think about it.
Looking for information about George Millar.. most likely from Almonte as thanks to Jim Houston I have a copy of a poem he typed in 1942 about the Almonte train wreck.
Almonte Wreck by George F. Millar Dec, 27, 1942
This is an original copy given to me from Jim Houston
I was feeling pretty low that night, and sort of on the shelf
For I was looking forward to getting back myself
When the telephone rang, and there was Tom, I could hardly believe my ears,
A terrible wreck, just happened now, the worst in years and years
The Sunday local on the CPR to Ottawa was starting back,
The night was dark, a dirty sleet was filling up the track,
Witch coaches full,packed in the aisle, of folk from far and near
Returning again to their varied jobs, to commence a brand new year.
From Petawawa down they took on load, as each station drew nigh
The platforms again were thronged with folk and baggage piled up high.
But little was thought amid the last farewells while some a tear would hide.
That the Angel of Death was lurking near, this is their long last ride
The train pulled into Almonte, oh how we know that town.
Sure we played Lacrosse and Hockey, the Valley up and down
But now we have a different scene, a headlight glares in the night
A troop train that had just caught up to a passenger train that was running slow,
A bang, a rip, a bang, a smash, how far will that ting go?
Oh duck, get down. Oh God what’s up, she yelled and grabbed a hand.
And in the seat behind, she saw a big black monster stand.
The engine plowed through coaches two, and stood now in the third from rear.
The coaches smashed to kindling wood, and a mass of twisted gear.
Some thrown beyond the mass of wreck, others mangled in the gear.
And then the ones all shaken up, kept searching in the debris near.
A dress, a doll, a compact small, a bra and undies too.
A coat that had a sleeve torn off, a leg in a bloody shoe.
The Almonte folk now joined the scene, their doors they opened wide,
A steady stream of wounded moved, from the wreck to the warmth inside.
A call for doctors, nurses too, went out on S.O.S.
But speed and all, to answer the call, saved neither Jean or Bess
Pillows, blankets, sheets and towels in haste pulled from the bed,
With never a thought a thought of their return, let’s cover up these dead,
And while we can, bring comfort to the wounded and the maimed
There was the spirit of Almonte to us their deeds are famed,
Before the doctor was in sight right on that very train,
There was a nursing sister brave, who kept so cool and sane.
To give first aid she had no kit, but her clothing she simply tore,
And used the strips for bandages, and saved so many more.
The Town Hall soon became a morgue, the Hospital over-flowed
And more and more picked from the wreck to be bandaged and some sewed
The night wore on, and it got late, for workers no relief,
And then the train for Ottawa bent, with its load of pain and grief,
Our hearts go out to all the folk whose homes are hit so hard,
We’re trying now to ease the load, by word, or deed, or card,
And there was he of the other train, who went through a little hell,
A few more runs and he’s be through, with a record clear as a bell,
And here he was, no fault his own, just seemed to be his rate,
For fortune deals some awful hands, that local just had to be late.
He thought so much of what others might think, and all that be said.
Our hearts go out to this poor guy, in this hour of grief,
But God above is God of Love, and HE will hold no brief,
But instead He’d say, you’ve naught to pay, your load was too much to bear,
It’s me in your need, yes tis indeed, for such is the Kingdom I bear.
Pte. F.R. Whitta gave up his shirt and tunic to make bandages and tourniquets, then aided doctors in surgery for hours in the falling snow. He and another soldier, Sgt. J.W. Gillespie, were awarded the British Empire Medal for their actions that night, while Lt. Nursing Sister Anne Thorpe received the Royal Red Cross, Second Class.
Deborah was born on 8 Oct 1853 in Montague Township, Lanark County, Ontario, Canada. Christened on 27 Dec 1853 in Wesleyan Methodist, Montague Township, Lanark County, Ontario, Canada. Deborah died in Ocean Grove, New Jersey, USA, on 27 Jul 1923; she was 69- 71. Buried about 1923 in Ocean Grove, New Jersey, USA.
Her middle name is very likely Brownlee.
Deborah was unmarried and was 16 years of age when her widowed father moved westward to Warwick Tp., Lambton Co., Ontario, Canada and took up land there. A year or two afterwards she moved to the nearby village of Watford where she learned the trade of dressmaking. When her father sold his farm in the fall of 1882, and retired to Watford with his two sons, she kept house for them again which was typical for an unmarried daughter.
After William’s death in April, 1883 she and the two boys moved to Detroit, Michigan, U.S.A. where she still kept house for them. She spent her summers at the farm home of Eliza and John Morris and never married. After brother Richard’s marriage in 1891, she trained as a Deaconess in the Deaconess Home and Training School where she served for the remained of her working life. Deborah became a deaconess (an order or sisterhood dedicated to caring for the sick or poor, social duties as teaching or missionary work) non ordained ministry for women in the early Protestant church. Deborah and 11 other women were boarders at the place. Most of her adult life was spent at Detroit, Michigan. She spent her last years at a rest home for missionaries and deaconesses at Ocean City, New Jersey, where she died.
Residence
1900 • Detroit Ward 2, Wayne, Michigan, USA
From another researcher: Her mother died when she was a child. The following anecdote illustrates her childhood in the middle of the last century as well as the bonds that developed between her and her sister Eliza. There was not enough room at the table for everyone to sit down at once and the three girls had to take turns eating. Deborah who was older persuaded the two younger girls that it would be the same if they waited and let Deborah go first every time. Then the two younger girls who were close could eat together. When Deborah went to Watford to learn dressmaking Lydia and Eliza had to do all the housework including making all the meals. This continued until Lydia was married. When she died at an early age (34) she left a husband and three small children.
Birth
8 October 1853 • Montague Township, Lanark, Ontario Canada
Parents William Kerfoot and Mary Brownlee.
Death
3 June 1923 • Ocean Grove, Monmouth, New Jersey, United States
Deborah remained single, died age 69 years 7 months 25 days. According to reports where these women (deaconess) are buried in Ashbury Park is isolated, run down and rarely used or visited now. It will take great effort to restore.
Our recent acquisitions of the 1830’s KERFOOT FAMILY BIBLE, which includes marriage notices, family photos, searched family history is a great addition or our research resources. The bible has a interesting background it was left outside a church Thrift Shop in Victoria, BC to sell in a Vintage Sale. There is quite a bit of information including about 20 pictures, a tintype photo, death notices,. Recorded in the bible or copies of event includes MARRIAGES Marriage of Richard Kerfoot to Mary Ann Millikinn both of Lanark, Co. 7 May 1863 at Smith Falls/ Minister Robert Brewster, Methodist Minister Witnesses: Robert Kerfoot and Elizabeth Foster
BIRTHS Richard Kerfoot, born Beckwith, 16 April 1838; Mary Ann Millikin , South Elmsley, 22 July 1839
One of the volunteers, Noreen Nash, undertook to locate family descendants and reached out to LCGS in hope to locate family members.
Mothell Parish Families Desiring to leave to go to Upper Canada 1817 – 1818– Names
1817
Emigrants from Counties Carlow & Wexford to Canada. By 1817 there was a post war recession and Irish crops were failing. Soldiers returning from the Napoleonic wars on the European mainland were flooding the labour market. There had been a war in North America between the Americans and the Canadians (1812-14). The English government offered free land to settlers (preferrably with military experience) to defend Canada from the Americans. .
With Hugh Masson’s (related to the Willoughby’s) notes in brackets.
7. KIRFOOT, William , Elizabeth, Jane, Thomas, Samuel, Eliza, [this KERFOOT family settled Con 4 lot 25 Beckwith Twp. Lanark Co.
8. GRIFFITH, Henry, Catherine
9. LETT, John, –olly, Martha, 3 more unscrambled names,[ this family was one to move with some of the Willoughbys to Lambton Co.]
10. STONE, William, Susanne, John, Eliza, Jane, William , George,
11. FLEMING, John, Betty, Jane, William ,Richard, Dorah,
12. WARD, John, Anne, Ellen, Mary died,
13. WARD, Luke, Betty, Richard, John Anne,
14. GORDON, Samuel, Mary, John, Samuel,
15. KIERFOOT, George Senior, Jane, Jane Foxstone servant,[ George KERFOOT was known to come but died at Nepean’s Point 1819 before rest got to Beckwith]
24. BRADLEY Samuel, Betty, Isaac, John, [Samuel will be related to the Kerfoots via Wm’s wife Elizabeth. Records indicate she was Elizabeth Bradley, the widow Wilson before her marriage to Wm Kerfoot. Sam might be a son of Eliz]
25. BASSETT, Edward, Mary, John, Peggy, Thomas, William, Edward? Bassett? Michael Leach/Leech apprentice, Sally Bradley, gone to America 1817, family emigrated to America, probably Canada in 1817,
26. BRADLEY William, ..ea perhaps Jane Shea noted in burial Register Mothel ,Shea Bradley Coolcullen died of fever Oct 12th buried Coolcullen, ..illy, Betty, Henry, John, Alley, Thomas, Samuel,
27. SCARF James Anne, Enoch, Joseph, John, Becham,[Scarfs are found throughout Carleton Co. Scarf family is being traced by Barbara Hadden]
28. RATHWILE/ Rathwell/Rothwell, Edward, Jane and Jane FENNEL[Rothwell is the spelling used in the Tithe applotment book 1824 for Prospect church Coolcullen. Ireland and in land records for Con 4 lot 26 Beckwith Twp.1880]
29. ROSE Widow, Joseph, Betty, James, and James servant
30. KEAYS/ KEYES/ Keys Thomas, Mary,
Mary left 1818 ,Mary Married William ??, William left 1818 William married Mary??, Jane, Mary or May, Elizabeth, Richard
31. KIERFOOT/KERFOOT George, Deborah, William,
32. EUSTACE William, Catherine, left 1817
33. GARLAND Thomas, Jane, Elizabeth, Thomas, Nicholas, Anne
34. ALCOCK, Thomas, Dorah, Mary, Thomas, Joseph, Mary, Francis [Alcocks settled near Kerfoots on Con 4 at Prospect, Beckwith Twp. Peter Light is tracing some of these]
35. TRISTRASSE??, Thomas, Catherine, Patrick, Mary, Thomas, Adam, family left 1817
36. SHIRLEY Basil, Jane, Ellen Morris servant [see families 16 & 17 Shirleys married into Willoughby, some Shirleys stayed in Ireland]
2. JACKSON Robert, Mary, Hannah, Sally, Mary, Robert,
3. LUCAS Widow, Robert, Sally,
4. TOOLE, James, Susan, Robert, Sally [might be POOLE as Pooles settled on Con 4 near Prospect, Beckwith Twp. Lanark Co along with Alcock, Willoughby, Kerfoot]
5. DUCK / AUCK / HUCK William? Margaret? Jonathan married to Anne, Richard
The great tarpaulin theft, as it has come to be known here, takes its place on the records of local crime as a classic. It will be recalled that Almonte borrowed a big piece of canvas from Carleton Place to cover a newly laid sidewalk around the Bay. Men were working on the job all night, lanterns twinkled here and there and a watchman was supposed to keep an eagle eye on equipment. But despite all these commendable safeguards the tarpaulin disappeared about ten o’clock that night. Those in charge of the work, and the local police authorities were astonished !
No, the explanation was too fantastic because the police didn’t believe in ghosts. It appeared from the evidence of two ladies homeward bound on the night of the theft that, as they walked along the street that skirts the Bay, they were discussing how ghostly the white tarpaulin looked in the dim light of the lanterns. Then a horrible sensation—the great sheet began to move. Slowly, but surely it crept under the railing that runs along the edge of the sidewalk and prevents pedestrians from falling into the Spring Bush ravine.
The two ladies’ who saw this phenomenon stood rooted to the spot. They gazed at the tarpaulin in horror as the tail of it disappeared under the rail. They had an instinctive feeling that invisible hands were propelling the sheet of canvas into the obscurity of the deeply wooded gully. As it faded into the darkness the two witnesses rushed to where men were, working on the sidewalk and raised the alarm.
The men did not believe in ghosts either so they told the police.That night the chief, aided by a number of volunteers armed with lanterns, searched diligently in the Spring Bush for signs of the departed tarpaulin. But though they scratched their faces and barked their shins not a clue did they find for several days. Then the “law” got on the track of the evil doers. The tarpaulin turned up in the fire hall one night as mysteriously and unexpectedly as it had disappeared. A young man made a confession implicating another chap who had “done time”. When the police went after “the other chap” he had decamped to the woods where he led a sort of Robin Hood existence for the rest of the summer.
The most serious count standing against the fugitive is that on one of his surreptitious visits to town, under cover of night it is presumed, and he was refused admittance to a certain house. On being barred by the owner he is alleged to have thrown him down, drawn a knife and threatened to cut his throat.
After this he turned up in Windsor having followed a girl there whose family moved to the Western Ontario city. His attentions were represented and the girl’s mother informed the police whereupon the man was taken into custody. Almonte authorities were notified but whether the crown attorney cares to take action is doubtful as it would cost a considerable sum to bring him back and it is argued, so long as there is a warrant out for him locally he will give the town a wide berth.
