Rescuing the Money Pits —The Other Dunlop Home with the Coffin Door

Part One– In reference to the story I did: Rescuing the Money Pits —The Dunlop Homes

Jayne Munro-Ouimet from the Lanark County Genealogical Society has been extremely kind to me. We worked on putting pieces together for the story about The Lost Mineral Salt Springs in Pakenham. If you are looking for information about your family, they have archives of information, as well as our local Carleton Place and Beckwith Heritage Museum.

After reading the initial Dunlop home story I wrote she emailed me back. Frances Copper, their LCGS Director of Membership Networking: (Family History/Queries) sent along information about the original Dunlop home (pictured above) that was built by James Dunlop(1828-1887). May it be also noted that it also has a wider door like the Bell house on High Street– that is considered to be a coffin door.

 Information from Frances Copper- LCGS Director of Membership Networking

James’s son, James Fitzcharles Dunlop suffered a stroke in 1931 and had to retire at 71. Canada did not have any old age assistance until 1940 and it was only $10.00 per month at that time. Coal was about $8.00 per ton and it took nearly a ton a month to heat the house in January.

In 1942 James Fitzcharles Dunlop and Mary Ann Bremner had to sell their beautiful home for $1200.  They did not have the cash to heat this big house, and what few savings they did have were wiped out by the stock market crash of 1929 to 1933.

They went to live with their eldest daughter, Clara Gemmill Dunlop  and son-in-law, George Nelson Humphries on their farm in Pakenham Township,  Lot 17 E, Concession 10. They lived there for the rest of their lives. (They obtained this information from Mr. Humphries’ son, Rollie who lived in Edmonton, Alberta).

This is not a unique story–My home was built in three parts beginning in 1867. One of the owners that owned the home for many many years before me had the same dilemma. It has been told to me many times that they burnt furniture in the fireplace to keep the house warm in the dead of winter. Having experienced my own heating dilemma last year in February, I cannot even imagine what these people went through to reside in their homes. As in most older homes, I have the original radiators- not run by a furnace- but by a hot water boiler which is extremely expensive to replace. Preserving the architectural integrity of an older home is a challenge to anyone these days.

Photos of the Dunlop family Fran sent. Thanks Fran and Jayne!

Posted By: Roland HumphriesDate Posted: Dec 6, 2008 Description: This is the family of James Dunlop and his wife Anne Chambers (Rollie’s Great Grand Parents) left to right; Back; Jennie 1855-1953 m Andrew Cram; Minnie 1866-1922 m Dr. Roland E. Loucks of Smith Falls; Anne 1863-_1949 m Charles C. Allen of Carleton Place, ON.; Front; Adam C. Dunlop 1857-1954 m Matilda Kellough; Martha 1853-1929 m John Ackland of Perth, ON; James FitzCharles Dunlop 1960-1947 m Mary Ann Bremner of Mayo,Hastings Co. ON. in 1890. (the latter being Rollie’s grandparents who lived in the Dunlop house on Town Line in Carleton Place, ON.Date Taken: 1886-Place Taken: Carleton Place, ON.Owner: R. Humphries

Date Posted: Jan 31, 2010 Description: This house was built by James Dunlop b:1828, second youngest son of Pioneers John Dunlop and Jean Liddel who settled in Ramsay Twp. in 1821, from plans brought from Boston.Located on the Ramsay side Townline in Carleton Place, it was built about 1851. It has been declared a Historic site by the town after it became 100 years old. The photo is now over 100 years oldDate Taken: about 1900-Place Taken: Carleton Place, Ontario Owner: R. Humphries–Please note that the Carleton Place and Beckwith Museum did not have a copy of this and is thrilled to now have it in their files. Note the windmill in the backyard behind the roof line.

Description: Rollie’s grandfather, James F. Dunlop age 18-Grandpa Jim, was a millwright like his grandfather, John Dunlop the Pioneer who built so many of the mills on the Mississippi River at Appleton, Almonte and Carleton Place, ON.Jim may have been in Montreal studying for his Apprenticeship at this time, we do not know the occasion.Date Taken: 1878Place Taken: Montreal, PQ.Owner: R. Humphries

Posted By: Roland Humphries Date Posted: Jan 31, 2010 —Description: This is the last photo taken of my Grandpa & Grandma Dunlop about 18 months before he died.James FC Dunlop 1860-1947 with his wife, Mary Ann Bremner 1864-1955Date Taken: 1945Place Taken: Pakenham, Ontario Owner: R. Humphries. This the last picture taken of James Fitzcharles Dunlop & his wife Mary Ann Bremner. May it be noted that Fran exchanged family history information with Rollie for years. He died in 2010.

Buy Linda Secaspina’s Books— Flashbacks of Little Miss Flash Cadilac– Tilting the Kilt-Vintage Whispers of Carleton Place and 4 others on Amazon or Amazon Canada or Wisteria at 62 Bridge Street in Carleton Place