November 10 1871–Almonte Gazette
A three-year ewe by Mr. John Gilmour, the local butcher was just killed and dressed and weighed over 147- lbs. Considering that the average weight is about 80 lbs., this specimen of a dead giant sheep ls worthy of a special mention in our paper. It was reared on the farm of Andrew Cochrane, of Ramsay, and was of the Leicester variety.The sheep apparently was as ‘large as the famous *Derby Ram whose praises are sung in story. Cochrane’s ewe has supplied our citizens with “chops” and “roasts” on Tuesday last.
April 2 1897–Almonte Gazette
Smith’s Falls is bound to outdo Carleton Place. The news tells of a freak owned by Mr. J . H. Gould—a calf with five legs, four ears and three eyes. Four of the legs are where nature intended they should be, and the fifth is growing just near the root of the tail. The ears are placed where they should be, but two on each side, and the additional eye is just behind one set of ears.
March 28 1873–Almonte Gazette
On the 16th a ewe belonging to Mr. John Sutherland, 7th concession of Ramsay gave birth to a ram lamb having six legs—all perfectly developed. The lamb is of unusual size and very woolly. The two extra legs protrude from the front shoulder, one of them being turned backwards. A large number of people have visited Mr. Sutherland’s farm to see this modem wonder, and have expressed their astonishment at such an unusual freak of nature.
April 30, 1897-Smiths Falls Recorder
A cow belonging to Mr. John McLeod, Smith’s Falls, gave birth to a calf with two heads.
April 2 1897–Carleton Place Herald
Dr. McGregor, of Carleton Place has secured a freak—a calf with two distinct heads and two necks. He will have it taken care of by Pete and Jimmy Garvin who did a lot of taxidermy on High Street. See also-Shades of The Godfather in Dr. Preston’s Office in Carleton Place
April 30 1897-Almonte Gazette
Mr. John Lindsay, of Blakeney, has a Plymouth Rock hen that laid an egg for the Almonte Gazette competition that measures 7×84 inches —and it wasn’t a good day for laying, either. She is understood to be reserving herself for even a greater effort. The egg can be seen on the editor’s desk.
1873-Almonte Gazette
Mr.William *Devlin, of Perth, blacksmith, has in his possession a young eagle caught in a trap in Drummond township, about two months ago, by his brother, Samuel Devlin. The bird measures, seven feet from tip to tip, and is still vigorously growing. When caught it was manoeuvring around the carcass of a horse, whose attractions were too powerful to be withstood by the bird of liberty, even with an ugly looking trap placed in a leading position in the middle of the equine remains
*Derby Ram The Derby Ram or As I was Going to Derby is a traditional tall tale English folk song (Roud 126) that tells the story of a ram of gargantuan proportions and the difficulties involved in butchering, tanning, and otherwise processing its carcass.
Perth Courier, March 21, 1890
*Devlin–On Wednesday last the remains of Mr. William Devlin, Sr., of Drummond were brought to Perth and interred in the Roman Catholic Cemetery, Rev. Father O’Donohue conducting the burial service. The late Mr. Dodds died at the age of 94 years having been born in the town of Castlebar, County May, Ireland about the year 1790. He came to Canada in 1821 settling at once in the Township of Drummond. He had a family of 9 children, 6 of whom with his aged widow survive him. Mr. Devlin was a man of sterling character and a firm Liberal. He had many connections in Drummond, Perth and other parts of this section of Ontario and being widely known in the locality his funeral was a very large one. The infirmities of old age were aggravated by an attack of La Grippe which was the immediate cause of his death.
Come and visit the Lanark County Genealogical Society Facebook page– what’s there? Cool old photos–and lots of things interesting to read.
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Related reading
Shades of The Godfather in Dr. Preston’s Office in Carleton Place
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