More Memories of The Beckwith McTavish House

Update to the: The House on a Beckwith Hill–The McTavish House and Ceiling Medallions

Thanks goes to all of you who comment and send me great stories. Keep on sending them. This is from Jennifer Butler.

Hi Linda:

David Butler and I purchased the McTavish house in 1973 from Don and Dot Miller. David passed away in February 1986, The photo shows his mother, Winifred, when she was visiting from England, with our son Martin. At the time of his death I had Martin 15, Adam 14 and Stephanie 12. I stayed on at the farm till 1993 and then sold it to a Gomez family. They lived there approx. 2 years and then sold it to the current owner and his late wife.

The medallion in the living room shows a beaver and as far as I know it is still there. (Author’s note– the current owner has advised me it is still there!!) The front room, parlour, has hand painted thistles in each of four corners and a plaster medallion in the centre. I held a large plate around the thistles so the ceiling could be painted without destroying the outer lines of the thistles and I hope they too are still there. Also inside the house the ceiling over the stairs had been lowered and the banister rail removed and all boxed in. From a house on Waverley Avenue in Ottawa I was able to purchase a similar railing so we could open the whole thing up again. The upstairs has a beautifully built curved wall which is typical I think in some of the stone homes of this era. I wonder if it was the same builder. We replaced the old wood windows and it seems to me there were 23. When they were measured and delivered they were all identical in size so fit any window in the house!!!

There was a summer kitchen on the back of the house but it wasn’t in good shape and the end was taken off and a large garage door replaced it. We took down the structure and built a new one with a basement. In hindsight I would have left the original structure there and in some fashion rebuilt the end portion which faced south. My husband felt we needed a modern basement. The original log barns unfortunately burned in January 1986 and I had the loafing barn built in the summer of 1986. The Gomez family built a horse ring. I hope this is of interest.

Jennifer Butler

Jennifer!!!!

Information where you can buy all Linda Seccaspina’s books-You can also read Linda in The Townships Sun andScreamin’ Mamas (USA)

Come and visit the Lanark County Genealogical Society Facebook page– what’s there? Cool old photos–and lots of things interesting to read. Also check out The Tales of Carleton Place.