Orena Villa of Beckwith — Boy do I feel Stupid– Duff Williamson and McNeely Genealogy

For a couple of years now I have been clipping newspaper articles from different historical media. I have been seeing many social notes about vacations being spent at Orena Villa in the Carleton Place area. Last month I got rid of some and those “Orena Villa” were among them as I figured I would never find this place. This morning when I was writing a story about the early mills in Carleton Place I somehow found mention of it. It was under my nose the whole time, and had I asked Jennifer Fenwick Irwin who did an exhibit on Annie Duff at the Carleton Place and Beckwith Heritage Museum she would have told me. Boy, did I feel stupid.

Orena Villa built in the 1850s belonged to William Duff b: 1784 in Muirend, Auchtergaven, Perth, Scotland d: 4 Jan 1864 in Orena Villa, Beckwith, Lanark Co., Ontario, Canada ) on the 11th Concession. The family emigrated in 1843 and within 10 years of settling down in Beckwith he was able to build this fine home which was of course called Orena Villa:)

Clipped from

The Ottawa Journal,
17 Apr 1899, Mon,
Page 5
Clipped from
1. The Ottawa Journal,
2. 01 Mar 1910, Tue,
3. Page 7Denysa Duff at Orena VillaDuff of Orena Villa guest book click here.
  Cheryl McDufff—I am the grand daughter of Lyal Claude Rueben Duff born in Beckwith on Nov 12, 1900. He was a brother of Robert George Duff born May 16, 1895 and of Andrew Ebenezer Duff who went to serve in WW1 in 1916. Isabella Corissa Duff was his twin sister and was known as “Isa”. He legally changed his name on Sept 29, 1928 to Claude Roland McDuff and lived in Regina, Sask until his death on Jan 31, 1978. He had one son, Gerald William McDuff born on Aug 20, 1937 in Regina. Gerald William McDuff is my father as well as the father of 2 other younger daughters, Gina Marie and Leanne Gay.

Clipped from

Annie Duff

Born in Carleton Place in 1871, her early life was spent at “Oreno Villa”, the family homestead at Duff’s Bay on the 11th Concession of Beckwith. She studied painting and fashion design in New York City in the late1890‘s and spent time working there for Vogue Magazine.
Returning home to live with her sister Denysa, Annie spent her time painting and taking photographs. Her work depicts rural life in Ontario and includes scenic landscapes, scenes of hunting, camping, family life and wildlife. She was known for hiding in greenery with food in her hands to order to attract the birds! The National Gallery of Canada holds much of Annie’s original works and she is credited as the first Canadian female to portray maternity in “Woman by the Sea” –-Carleton Place and Beckwith Heritage Museum