Some Halloween Haunts in Our Area

Friday Night October 29…. its all back up!!!

PLEASE NOTE due to the storm this week, this display got totaled. Hopefully it will be up by Saturday

Perry, Steph and Sophia have something new this year. A Halloween extravaganza up this week. 267 Stonewood Drive, Carleton Place every night from 6-9pm (off the Beckwith 9th line)– It’s off Country Lane estates drive,,. there is no light so drive slowly and go right to the end of the road. You can’t miss it.Halloween Town comes to the area..PLEASE do not go on the GRASS.. it would be appreciated.

PM me Linda Seccaspina for anything else we should add.. Happy Halloween

october 27–If you went to 267 Stonewood Drive, Carleton Place last night to see the big Halloween display Steph said the storm yesterday and wind took its toll so according to Steph -” He’s got a lot of work out there to do!” so be patient

Downtown Carleton Place– The Downtown Carleton Place scarecrow stroll starts this sunday and goes till Halloween night !!!

The Carleton Place Recreation & Culture Department is pleased to present the 2nd annual Carleton Place Halloween Scavenger Hunt
Grab a map, or online link, and travel through our Carleton Place neighbourhoods to participate in the scavenger hunt.
The Carleton Place Neighbourhood Halloween Scavenger Hunt will be taking place on October 30th & 31st.
Maps and links will be available starting October 29th, 2021. Interested participants can access Scavenger Hunt maps in the following ways:
-Pick up a paper copy of the map outside of the Carleton Place Arena (75 Neelin St) starting Friday October 29th at 10:00am,
-On the Recreation and Culture Department Facebook Page starting Friday October 29th at 10:00am,
-On the Town of Carleton Place website: www.carletonplace.ca starting Friday October 29th at 10:00am
Participants are reminded to remain on the sidewalk/street while participating in the Scavenger Hunt.
For more information, please contact Jessica Hansen: jhansen@carletonplace.ca / 613-257-1690

Haunted House on George Street Carleton Place

A house of Zombies or Witches #TheHauntedHouseOnGeorgeSt

Take a picture with the Hocus Pocus Sanderson Sisters at Springside Hall on Lake Ave East.. Remember to #supportlocal Photo by John Rayner and Family:0

4th Annual Carleton Place Pumpkin Parade! Monday November 1st from 6:00-7:30 PM, Pumpkin Drop Off and Contest Entry 5-6 PM
What are you doing the night after Halloween? Don’t throw out those pumpkins just yet! Bring your jack-o-lanterns for display to our FREE all ages event! Together we’ll light up the paths at Carleton Junction (beside Wool Growers & behind the Carleton Place Police and Fire Stations) Parking off of Lansdowne Ave. and side streets where permitted.
Monday November 1st! Come out and enjoy the pumpkins of Carleton Place, in an event led by the Carleton Place & District Youth Centre staff and volunteers.
ENTER YOUR PUMPKIN FOR A CHANCE TO WIN! Drop off your carved pumpkin with event organizers between 5-6pm to be judged in our Pumpkin Carving Contest! Local personalities will be judging designs at 6:30 pm with the winners being announced at 7:00 pm.
LED Battery Tea Lights will be provided for your pumpkin(s).
Hot chocolate and popcorn will be for sale to help raise funds for CP Youth Centre!
Pumpkins will be composted after the event.
Mask wearing and physical distancing encouraged. Please so kind as to wear a mask and to try to maintain distance when approaching staff and volunteers.
cpyouthcentre.org
https://www.facebook.com/events/1788768134657193/

PLEASE STAY SAFE!

This is from Jeff Maguire, from The Carleton Place Sister City Committee

Good Morning Everyone:

Jason Collins, president of the Franklin and Williamson County Sister City Board, arrived safely in Carleton Place this morning and Ralph Shaw loaded the 2021 Giant Pumpkin for Saturday’s Pumpkinfest in our American Sister City for the journey south. As you will see in the attached photos there has never been a better fit. It went onto the bed of Jason’s rental truck with about three inches to spare on each side. Ralph and I were amazed! We’ve never seen anything quite like it. A perfect fit!! This one isn’t orange/yellow in colour but more between brownish/green.

Ralph calls this “The COVID Pumpkin. It’s a little sick!” I love that! But in all honesty it is such a nice shape and size that the colour seems immaterial somehow. Thank you Jason for coming to Carleton Place and picking up the pumpkin. It wouldn’t have gone south without you and we appreciate you taking the time to carry out this important task. It was so nice to meet you! A bit of a “flying visit” Jason but I know you enjoyed visiting CP, briefly. Please bring your wife next time and stay longer! Safe travels tomorrow on your long drive back to Tennessee from the Thousand Islands.

Thanks Ralph for all your efforts in securing and managing another real beauty. Awesome Ralph! Thank you are well to our members Nancy Code-Miller (vice-chair) and Kathy Maguire for taking part today in the rain and cold. NOT a nice day here, to say the least! It was much warmer for all of us in the restaurant at lunch. Thank you as well to Amanda Charania, Joanne Henderson and the Town of Carleton Place for all of the nice souvenir items they were good enough to provide for our special guest Jason today.

Good to see you this afternoon at the Chamber office Jackie. Sorry we missed you at the Town Hall Doug. But Jason has left you a little something courtesy of Mayor Moore in Franklin. To Jackie and Kate Murray at the BIA, I’m sorry the pumpkin couldn’t be displayed downtown this year but getting it to Franklin was our first priority this time after the lost year in 2020 due to COVID. To our Franklin friends, we are now looking forward to hearing how Pumpkinfest goes on Saturday. Wish we could be there! Maybe next year? (Send photos please!)

BEST WISHES,Jeff Maguire,Chair,The Carleton Place Sister City Committee

Anyone Know About This? Via Dolorosa

Thank you for not trespassing.

If you read some of Daniel Keating’s rules on Abandoned – Ottawa/Gatineau & The Valley

Trespassing is not considered appropriate. It is understood that if we are alerted by a property owner about an area that is owned by them that we will remove your post.We must keep the integrity of the location intact for those that wish to view later.7. Absolutely no vandalism or theft from properties is condoned. Please keep these beautifully abandoned properties in their slowly decaying state.

Linda,

You don’t know me but I follow your posts in the various groups. I live in Beckwith Township and often take rides around the neighborhood. On one such ride I saw this on the side of the road on an old fence. It is located on the Brunton Side Rd. further along where the Beckwith /Montague border is. There is a farm opposite side with a large wooden gateway with a skull and some other stuff (also cool Lol)

Just wondering if you could shed some light on the significance of it relating to the area it is located. I took the photo of the Cross several yrs ago and a friend of mine recently jumped the fence and took the second photo. He did not want to venture any further inside the property as he was alone and probably trespassing. We know it’s religious significance just curious who owns the site etc etc. Any help solving this mystery would be much appreciated. Thanks.

Can anyone help?

The Via Dolorosa (Latin for “Sorrowful Way”, often translated “Way of Suffering”; Hebrew: ויה דולורוזה; Arabic: طريق الآلام‎) is a processional route in the Old City of Jerusalem. It represents the path that Jesus would have taken, forced by the Roman soldiers, on the way to his crucifixion. The winding route from the former Antonia Fortress to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre — a distance of about 600 metres (2,000 feet)— is a celebrated place of Christian pilgrimage. The current route has been established since the 18th century, replacing various earlier versions. It is today marked by nine Stations of the Cross; there have been fourteen stations since the late 15th century, with the remaining five stations being inside the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Wikipedia click here

I assume this is a nature walk for the stations of the cross.. I hope someone knows something about it.But please respect it and keep it safe.

Linda

Have you Ever Seen the Praying Station? The Buchanan Scrapbooks

The Mysterious 5th Line ?????

The Spirit of the 7th Line

Beckwith Mystery — Anyone Remember a Meteor Coming Down on the 7th Line?

The Gnarled Beckwith Oak

So Where is that Gnarled Oak in Beckwith?

Beckwith Schools 1905

A little log school house traditionally has been the first school of many prominent persons in the professions, agriculture and business.  Like others of the province and nation, Lanark county’s humble early schools, despite their disadvantages, and aided by the family backgrounds of their students and teachers, filled this role well.  For a typical early list of eastern Ontario rural and village teachers, Beckwith township’s teachers of 1855 may be taken.  In order of school sections they were:

1U (Gillies) Alex McKay; 2 (Franktown) John Sinclair; 3 (Coocoo’s Nest) Wm. Kidd; 4 (Prospect) Donald McDiarmid; 5U (Tennyson) Donald Cameron; 5 (7^th Line E.) Alex Armstrong; 6 (The Derry) Duncan McDiarmid; 7 (9^th Line W.) Elizabeth James; 8 (9^th Line E.) Elizabeth Murdock; 9 (11^th Line E.) Fleming May; 10 (Scotch Corners) Helen Johnston; 11 (Carleton Place) Margaret Bell; 12U (with S.S.11 Goulbourn) Wm. McEwen.

A glimpse of rural schools of about fifty years ago may be gained in extracts from Lanark school inspector F. L. Michell’s reports of 1905 on Beckwith township schools:

“No 2 (Franktown) – The school suffers greatly from that evil so prevalent in our schools, irregularity of attendance.  School work is well done in the junior grades but unsatisfactory in senior grades.  The grounds are rough and not fenced along the road.

No. 3 (Cuckoo’s Nest) – The school house is small and worn out.  Doing excellent work under disadvantages.

No. 4 (Prospect) – An excellent school property.  Attendance is very large.  The old useless well should be filled in.

No. 5 (7^th Line East) – Always kept in first class condition.  The school work is excellent.  The attendance is small, but few schools in the county have to their credit a larger number of graduates who have taken prominent positions in our land.

No. 5U (7^th Line West) – This is also one of our banner schools.

No. 6 (The Derry) – This is also an excellent section, and like No. 5 it has sent out numerous young people to lives of usefulness.  Attendance is very small.  The school work is excellent.

No. 7 (9^th Line West) – A good site and in fine condition.  The school work was not up to average.

No. 8 (9^th Line East) – An excellent new school house, and work well done.

No. 9 (11^th Line East) – One of the richest sections of the county.  There is no library.  The school ranks excellent.

No. 14 (11^th Line West) – Some small repairs are needed.  The school work is generally good.”

School sections in Beckwith township which had their first teachers in the 1820’s about the same time as Carleton Place were those of the Derry and Franktown. Read –Beckwith One Room Schools– Leona Kidd

Beckwith One Room Schools– Leona Kidd

Beckwith Public School-Alternative School– Graduates 1995

Outhouses Need to Be Cleaned– Conditions of Our Rural School– 1897

The Fight Over One Room Schools in 1965!

Ladies & Gentlemen- Your School Teachers of Lanark County 1898

“Teachester” Munro and the S.S. No. 9 Beckwith 11th Line East School

Looking for Photos of ‘The Castle’ in Ashton

In the books that were donated I have come across some interesting information about a home that was once in Ashton that was called, “The Castle”. It was believed to be build by Mr. Archie Blair and was an imposing 3 storey, 14 room frame bulding painted white.

It had a high roof with four gables and the surrounding verandahs were supported by broad pillars. Over the large hospitable French doors was a very ornate fanlight. Mr. Blair operated a shoemaking business over at the Forester’s Hall and had two sons: Dr. Blair and Jack Blair.

The imposing home was destroyed by fire. Living there at the time of the fire was Mrs. Archie Blair, her sisters Tina and Jessie McEwen and a brother Sandy McEwen. Sandy was in bed with a broken hip when the fire broke out at noon hour. Hilton Fleming was at his home nearby for his midday meal, noticed the smoke and realized that Sandy was upstairs and helpless scaled two fences and enetered the burning building. He was able to snatch Sandy in his arms and head for safety. Sandy kept shouting for his pants, but Mr. Fleming just screamed back ” to hell with your pants’ as he carried him to the safety of the Forrester’s Hall. The hall later was a residence owned by Mr. Slade.

RALPH WALLACE BURTON OIL ON BOARD Grey Wet November Day” Ashton, Ontario

with files from the book donations “Country Tales” Donated by- Ed and Shirley (Catherine) Simpson

CLIPPED FROM
The Ottawa Journal
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada10 Jul 1942, Fri  •  Page 12

The Ottawa Citizen
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada30 Dec 1925, Wed  •  Page 2

CLIPPED FROM
The Ottawa Citizen
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada27 May 1929, Mon  •  Page 2

Name:	Archibald Blair
Marriage Date:	4 Jan 1870
Marriage Place:	Lanark County, Ontario, Canada
Spouse:	Mary McEwen

1871 census

Name:	Archibald Blair
Gender:	Male
Marital Status:	Married
Widowed:	M
Origin:	Irish
Age:	24
Birth Date:	1847
Birth Place:	Ontario
Residence Place:	Goulburn, Carleton, Ontario
District Number:	78
Subdistrict:	d
Division:	02
Religion:	Weslyan Methodist
Occupation:	Shoe Maker
Family Number:	177
Neighbours:	View others on page
Household MembersAgeArchibald Blair24Mary Blair20

CLIPPED FROM
The Ottawa Citizen
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada30 Mar 1935, Sat  •  Page 46

The Ottawa Journal
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada19 Feb 1897, Fri  •  Page 5

Memories of Ashton Station Road –Ashton Feed Mill –Jennifer Fenwick Irwin Photos

1. Wind Storm in Ashton- Heath Ridge Farms 1976 
2. Dust on the Wind –Ashton Social Notes 1887-1897 Names Names Names
3. Another Lanark County “Murdoch Mystery” –Elfreda Drummond of Ashton
4. When Trains Crash —Ashton Train Accident 1950
5. Mrs Crigger’s House in Ashton?
6. The Ashton Hotel– Questions Questions Flemmings and McFarlanes
7. McFarlanes –Stewart’s Fire– and Other Things in Ashton
8. Somewhere in Ashton-The Ashton Curmudgeon
9. The Ashton Funeral to end all Funerals
10. Did Anyone Ever Have Fun in Ashton?
11. Ashton 101
12. Did Anyone Have Fun in Ashton? Part 2- The Fleming House 
13. How to Catch a Pigeon in Ashton
14. The Ashton Carleton Place Car Theft Ring
15. Did Samuel Pittard of Ashton Murder His Wife?
16. Good Old Lanark County Music–From the 70s to now
17. The John Shore House
18. Jenkins: Ashton’s log and mortar-chinked history meets modern times

D.W. Stewart Farm -Kenmore Farm– Illustrated Station

Name:	John Stewart
Age:	24
Birth Year:	abt 1863
Birth Place:	Ramsey, Ontario
Marriage Date:	28 Dec 1887
Marriage Place:	Lanark, Ontario, Canada
Father:	Duncan Stewart
Mother:	Christina McDongall
Spouse:	Hughena Roberts

Name:	Duncan Stewart
Gender:	Male
Racial or Tribal Origin:	Scotch (Scotish)
Nationality:	Canada
Marital Status:	Married
Age:	31
Birth Year:	abt 1890
Birth Place:	Ontario
Residence Date:	1 Jun 1921
House Number:	21
Residence Street or Township:	Ramsay
Residence City, Town or Village:	Township of ??
Residence District:	Lanark
Residence Province or Territory:	Ontario
Residence Country:	Canada
Relation to Head of House:	Son
Spouse’s Name:	Isabel Stewart
Father’s Name:	John Stewart
Father Birth Place:	Ontario
Mother’s Name:	Hughena Stewart
Mother Birth Place:	Ontario
Can Speak English?:	Yes
Can Speak French?:	No
Religion:	Presbyterian
Can Read?:	Yes
Can Write?:	Yes
Months at School:	00-80
Occupation:	Farmer’s Son
Employment Type:	2 Wage Earner
Nature of Work:	Fathers Farm B
Duration of Unemployment:	0
Duration of Unemployment (Illness):	0
Municipality:	Ramsay
Enumeration District:	97
Sub-District:	Ramsay (Township)
Sub-District Number:	38
Monthly Rental:	01
Number of Rooms:	0
Enumerator:	A. S. Duncan
District Description:	Polling Division No. 3 – Comprising the east half of the 8th concession from lot no. 1 to lot no. 14 inclusive; also the 9th, 10th, 11th and 12th concessions from lot no. 1 to lot no. 15 inclusive except that portion belonging to the town of Almonte
Neighbours:	View others on page
Line Number:	12
Family Number:	21
Household MembersAgeRelationshipJohn Stewart56HeadHughena Stewart46WifeDuncan Stewart31SonIsabel Stewart26Daughter-in-lawAlexander Stewart8/12Grandchild

It would be impossible to give an entire list of the names of the early immigrants of Beckwith, but some of the earliest as follows:Duncan McEwen, Donald Anderson, John McLaren John Cram, and John Carmichael in the 10th concession.Peter McDougall,  Duncan . McLaren, AIex. and Donald Clark, John and Peter McGregor, in the ninth concessionAlex McGregor, Peter Anderson, John Stewart, and Donald Kennedy in the eighth concessionFindlay McEwen, Archie Dewar John and Peter McDiarmld in the seventh concessionRobert, John James, and Duncan Ferguson, and Duncan McDiarmid in the fifth concession.

From a glance at the names it is pretty obvious that the folks came from the “heathery hills of Scotland”, but it might be of interest to know that they came to form a miniature colony. Although a few returned to there original homeland most would never see their loved ones or homes again.After six weeks journeying across the Atlantic they arrived at Montreal, and proceeded in small open boat’s up the St. Lawrence to Bytown/ Ottawa. Then they began another weary journey to the solitude lands of Beckwith, where there travel was more impeded than ever. No railway lines, no roads, simply a narrow blazed trail through the leafy woodland. Read Beckwith 1820 Census Lanark County–Who Do You Know?

CLIPPED FROM
The Windsor Star
Windsor, Ontario, Canada23 Apr 1898, Sat  •  Page 5

People of the 7th LINE in Beckwith

Thanks to Margaret McNeely

Here is a pic of my father-in-law Lorne McNeely he was 18 so would be 1929. Taken on the farm on 7th line Beckwith

Know your ancestors thanks to Donna Mcfarlane

Know your ancestors thanks to Donna Mcfarlane

This is the Rev. James Carmichael who preached one of the last sermons at the old church on the Beckwith Township 7th line….mentioned in one of your articles– Have you read The Spirit of the 7th Line?

Photo from Corry Turner-Perkins.. Beckwith School on 7th Line about 1960 Top Row- Keith McNeely, Miss Griff, Dennis(?), Dave Turner, Donnie McNeely, Ronnie MdNeely,Jim NcEwan,Raymond Stanzel, 2nd row from top- (?) Jorgenson, Jerry McNeely, Edward Stephens, Bert Jorgenson, Joyce Spoor, Nancy McNeely, (?) White, 3rd row-Arlene McEwan, Jennifer White, Barbara White, Sharon McGregor, Lorain McNeely, Dorothy Stanzel, 1st row- Wayne McNeely, Eddie(?), Hallie Flegg, Perry Stephens

Related reading

Beckwith Mystery — Anyone Remember a Meteor Coming Down on the 7th Line?

The Spirit of the 7th Line

The Manse on the 7th Line of Beckwith

Saw this online a 7th line property for sale

for sale click

Information about the D.W. Stewart Farm came from:

About WI
Women’s Institute is a local, provincial, national and international organization that promotes women, families and communities. Our goal is to empower women to make a difference.

About FWIC

The idea to form a national group was first considered in 1912. In 1914, however, when the war began the idea was abandoned. At the war’s end, Miss Mary MacIsaac, Superintendent of Alberta Women’s Institute, revived the idea. She realized the importance of organizing the rural women of Canada so they might speak as one voice for needed reforms, and the value of co-ordinating provincial groups for a more consistent organization. In February 1919, representatives of the provinces met in Winnipeg, Manitoba, to form the Federated Women’s Institutes of Canada.

The identity of the Women’s Institute still lies profoundly in its beginnings. The story of how this historic organization came to be is one that resonates with women all over the world, and is engrained in the mission and vision Ontario WI Members still live by today. CLICK here–

The Mann Family of Black’s Corners – Carly Drummond

Hi Linda! I am going to start collecting info on my moms family (the Mann family of Blacks corners) for you!– Carly Drummond

This is just wonderful and thank you Carly!!!!!

Herbert (the father) passed away September 3, 1978

My dad was born Herbert John Vidamour in Guernsey. His family arrived in Alymer Ont in1922 when his mother took ill. A nurse by the name of Hazel O Mann was the attending nurse. His mother asked if she knew anyone who could adopt Herb as he wasn’t even 2 yet and she took him home to her sister Ellen Mann who adopted Herb and that’s where the name had changed from Vidamour to Mann.

He went back to England with Ellen and was raised there then joined the British army and then got transfer to the Canadian army and brought his wife and two daughters back with him. Searched and found all his birth brothers and sisters. ( of them all in the Windsor & London area

Irene (mother) passed away in August 10, 2020

Name:	Irene B. V. Mann
Birth Date:	1928
Death Date:	2020
Cemetery:	Saint James Cemetery
Burial or Cremation Place:	Carleton Place, Lanark County, Ontario, Canada
Has Bio?:	N
Spouse:	Herbert J Mann

About my wonderful grandmother: She was born to the late John and Violet Hibberd of Southampton, England. Predeceased by her husbands Herbert John Mann, Charles Kritsch and William Empey and also by her brother Kenneth John Hibberd (Sheila-surviving). Dearly loved mother of Carolyn (Don Mann-Smith), Hazel (Robert Adey), Susan (Clemente Munoz), Lorraine (Brad Smith), Gary Mann, Gayle (Tony Higgins), Jayne Porteous (Tim McIntyre) and Patricia Morrice (Dave Richardson). Predeceased by her daughter Heather (Tim McGonegal) and son-in-law Ronnie Porteous. Fondly remembered by her 15 grandchildren Stephen King, Charlena Mann, Nicole Richards, Paul Adey, Angela Duff (John), Heather Lynn Stanzel (Duane Locke), Melissa McGonegal (Norm Davidson) and Mark McGonegal, Trevor and Haley Mann, Sarah Higgins (Vishal Trivedi), Victoria Saavedra (Rob), Kayla Somers (Scott), Carly Drummond (Dan) and Jack Morrice (Corrina). Adored by her 13 great-grandchildren Mackenzie, Mercedes, Brooklyn, Brandon, Ian, Trinity, Kylee, River, Paisley, Rhett, Silas, Harlyn and Raimey, Bryar & Liam.

The Mann Family England > Kingston (between 1955-57) > Barrie > Toronto > Barrie > New Brunswick > Carleton Place > Blacks Corners (1967) Their house in Blacks Corners was on Dakers Road. The only son, Gary, owns and lives in their homestead to this day. Carolyn & Hazel – born in England Susan, Lorraine, Heather, Gary – born in Barrie Gayle – born in Toronto Jayne – born in Barrie Patricia – born in New Brunswick As you can tell, Hebert Mann was in the military which is why they moved around quite a bit before settling in Blacks Corners.

In the family there are, in order: Herbert Irene Carolyn Hazel Susan & Lorraine (twins) Heather (passed away from cancer is 2010) Gary Gayle Jayne Patricia

This is a family picture from 2018. My grandmothers 90th birthday. The two men beside her are her nephews who surprised her with a visit all the way from England (where my grandma was born & raised) There is also all the siblings, children & most of the great grandchildren

Related Reading

Looking for Information on the Mann Family of Blacks Corners

Blacks Corners:
Named after John Black an early settler. The Knox Presbyterian Church was built there in 1846. It shows in the Historical Atlas for Lanark County.

The March to Black’s Corners

The Devlins and Weldon Armour– Ray Paquette

Dishing up the Memories of The Devlins

Almonte Ramsay Beckwith Fire Department Photos

All photos thanks to Sarah More thanks to an identified donor

All photos thanks to Sarah More thanks to an identified donor

What’s In a Name? Lanark County 101– Or What’s What in 1934

Lanark was a provincial riding in Ontario, Canada, that was created for the 1934 election. In 1987 there was a minor redistribution and the riding was renamed to Lanark-Renfrew. It was abolished prior to the 1999 election. It was merged into the riding of Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke.

In 1933, in an austerity measure to mark the depression times, the province passed an update to the Representation Act that reduced the number of seats in the legislature from 112 to 90. The riding of Lanark was created from parts of Lanark North and Lanark South and consisted of the townships of Beckwith, Bathurst, Burgess North, Dalhousie, Darling, Drummond, Elmsley North, Lanark, Lavant, Montague, Pakenham, Ramsay, Sherbrooke North and Sherbrooke South. It also included the towns of Almonte, Carleton Place, Perth, and Smith’s Falls and the village of Lanark

1934-

W H A T ’S in a Name? Sometimes very little. Scores of townships in On- ” tario are called after old-time members of the Provincial Legislature big frogs in the little political puddles of their day—whose names mean nothing to this generation. Sir John Graves Simcoe, first Lieutenant-Governor of Upper Canada, gave his own name to one of our counties. Lady Simcoe claimed a share in the work; and to this day three of the townships in that county bear the names of her pet spaniel puppies, Tiny, Tay and Flos. •

 But often in the place names of a community there are suggestions of its ” early history and the origin of its pioneers. The Highlanders who settled Glengarry county have left proof of their love for the old land in the names we find there—Lochiel, Dunvegan, Lochinvar, Dalkeith, Athol, Glen Roy and a dozen others. The Highland emigrant never forgot. 

Lowlanders who came to our own country in 1811-1822 for- or fail to renew in Canada the names of shires and streams and towns which they had known a t home. Lanark, county, township and village,—the Tay, the Clyde, Kilmarnock, Clyde Forks, Glen Tay, the Scotch Line, all remind us of the districts in Scotland from which thousands of our first settlers came. But now our townships, for the most part, preserve the names of the great or near-great men then concerned, in their colonial government or their friends. 

BURGESS, probably from the Bishop of Salisbury, school-mate and friend of Prime Minister Addington (Did you know that North Burgess is now part of Tay Valley?) read- McLaren’s Phosphate Mine — BurgessWood Housing– Anglo Canadian Phosphate Company

ELMSLEY, after Hon. John Elmsley, second Chief Justice of Upper Canada;  Read-A Town Called Barbodies–Port Elmsley 101

BECKWITH and MONTAGUE after Commander J. Beckwith and Admiral Sir George Montague who were friends and guests of Earl Dalhousie Quebec during his term as Governor; – Read-The Beckwith McGregors or readThe Barren Lands of Montague?

DARLING, after Col. H. C. Darling, Military Secretary to Lord Dalhousie for whom he made an inspection and report regarding the Perth and Rideau settlements in 1822. By the way, many years ago I was told by one of the ‘oldest inhabitants’ that this township was named in honour of Grace Darling, the heroic lighthouse girl who, alone in her frail skiff, rescued nine sailors from the wrecked schooner, “Forfarshire” in the storm swept North Sea. Every school reader fifty years ago contained the story of that braV’e deed. One would like to : believe that the township owed its name to her; but she was only eight years old when the survey and naming were completed, and the more commonplace explanation must be accepted.  Read-People are Afraid to Work– Jennie Majaury- Darling Township

DRUMMOND—Sir Gordon Drummond was born a t Quebec .where his father was paymaster of the military forces. Sir Gordon entered the army and served with distinction in Holland, Minorca, Egypt and Gibraltar before coming back to Canada in 1813 to take a gallant part in the war against the United States Read-Drummond Centre United Church — and The Ireton Brothers 38 Year Reunion–Names Names Names

SHERBROOKE—Sir John Cope Sherbrooke followed Drummond as Governor. Perhaps in Quebec he might have worked out some peaceful solution of the troubles and conflicts, even then becoming acute, between the French Canadians, and the British minority there. But the shuffling policy of the British Colonies office convinced him that the task was hard, and his failing health hastened his resignation.  Read-What’s Happening at Christie Lake June 23, 1899

LAVANT—Sherbrooke was succeeded as Governor by the Duke of Richmond. Richmond Village, the Goodwood river (commonly known as the “Jock”) and the townships of Fitzroy, March and Torbolton in Carleton county get their names from the Duke’s family or estates, and our township of Lavant recalls a village near the Goodwood racetrack on the Duke’s estate in Sussex, England. Read-The Lavant Station Fire 1939

Driving between Ottawa and Franktown one passes a cairn on the roadside in memory of the tragic death there of Charles Lennox, fourth Duke of Richmond. 

The story has been often published with varying details. But the account written by his son, Lord William Pitt Lennox, has not, I think, been reproduced in recent years. It may be of interest to read his own words:

That a far cry from the glitter and glamour of his vice-regal courts at Dublin and Quebec, from his sumptuous entertainments at Goodwood, from the gorgeous ball at Brussels where the Richmonds entertained Wellington and his officers on the eve of Quatre Bras and Waterloo, to this poor crazed Charles Lennox, running madly through a Canadian swamp, and dying at last on a pallet of straw in a back-woods cow byre. “He was born in a barn, and he has died in a barn” said the gossips, when the news reached England. Which was true. Read-The Haunted Canoe from the Jock River

Immigration/ settlers stories

Ramsay W.I. Tweedsmuir History Book 1—SOME EARLY RAMSAY HISTORY

Plans For the Lanark County Townships, 1827, with Names Names Names

How Did Settlers Make Their Lime?

Mothell Parish familes that are in the 1816-1822 1816 – 1824 Beckwith Settlers Names

The Old Settlers Weren’t so Old After All

Dear Lanark Era –Lanark Society Settlers Letter

Ramsay Settlers 101

Beckwith –Settlers — Sir Robert the Bruce— and Migrating Turtles

Come to Canada– the Weather is Fine — Immigration Links

Lanark Settlement Emigrants Leave Scotland

Sheppard’s Falls — Shipman’s Falls — Shipman’s Mills –Waterford — Ramsayville Victoriaville and Almonte — Senator Haydon

ROCKIN’ Cholera On the Trek to the New World — Part 4

Rock the Boat! Lanark County or Bust! Part 1

It Wasn’t the Sloop John B — Do’s and Don’t in an Immigrant Ship -Part 2

Riders on the Storm– Journey to Lanark County — Part 3

The Derry Farm of Angus McDiarmid

This 200-acre farm – lot 24, concession 5 was originally a Clergy Reserve. In 1854 it was purchased from the Crown by Angus McDiarmid.The price paid was 100 pounds Sterling. Angus McDiarmid came to Canada with his father, Duncan, in 1818, and settled on the west half of the farm. Being a Clergy Reserve, he could not obtain title, but remained as a squatter until the lot was thrown open for sale. 

This history of the east 100 acres is rather vague. It seems certain that a man named Leslie once lived here, but at what time and for how long is not known. He, too, must have had only squatter’s rights. In any case the entire lot was farmed by Mr. McDiarmid long before thedate of its purchase.

Angus McDiarmid married Annie Livingstone, a first cousin of the African missionary, her father, Donald, who is buried in Kennedy’s Cemetery, being an uncle of the explorer. The McDiarmids had a family of eight children, named as follows: 

Donald, who died while he was studying to enter the ministry; Dr. Peter, who practiced medicine

In Iowa; Dr. Duncan, who practiced in Western Ontario; Dr. James, who also practiced

in Western Ontario; John, who inherited the farm; Margaret, who married John

Ferguson, living on the farm directly to the north of her home; Janet, who never

married; and Mary, who married Joseph Kidd. A fourth girl, Jessie McDiarmid,

although only a first cousin of the others, was brought up as a sister.

The present home is very old, having been built by Angus McDiarmid but the date is not known. It is a log house. The logs were covered with metal siding around 1900. Today the house is covered with aluminum siding. It was screened from the sixth line by a grove of trees which was planted by Dr. Duncan McDiarmid while a young man. 

He had been teaching in a grammar school in Glengarry County, and had asked for a raise of salary to 700 dollars. On being refused he resigned, and while at home he planted the trees. Some of these trees are still growing on the property today. At one point there was an earlier log home which stood at a point to the south of the present one, and across the creek, but all traces of it hav disappeared. Angus McDiarmid, on his decease was succeeded by his son John, who married Janet McRorie. John conducted a singing school in The Derry during the 1870’s. He died at an early age leaving two boys, James and John.

 His widow married Samuel Simpson, who lived on the farm until John the 2nd reached his majority. John the 2nd also known as Jack married Tena Drummond and had four children, Viola, Roy, Earl and Eric. John died in 1938 and Earl took over the farm. Earl married Mary Thom and they had two daughters. Marjorie married Douglas Campbell and lives on the ninth line of Beckwith. Catherine married Neil Thomas, their home is built on a corner of the McDiarmid farm. Earl died in 1975 and Mary in 2002. John Campbell, Earl’s grandson and his son Joey Campbell are farming the McDiarmid land today. Earl’s grandaughter Janine McLeod (Thomas) and her family live in the house built by Angus. Seven generations of the Angus McDiarmid family have lived on and worked this farm.

Beckwith Heritage Committee-Information submitted by Leona Kidd 

Cemteries

Kennedy Cemtery-459 Glenashton Road Lot 24, Con 8 The cemetery was named after the Kennedy family who settled in Beckwith in 1818 from the Parish of Comrie of Perthshire Scotland. The land belonged to John Kennedy and later owned by Robert Kennedy. An annual memorial service is held in June of each year, along with the Dewar Cemetery. 4.

459 Glenashton Road Lot 24, Con 7 The Dewar Cemetery is named after the Dewar family who settled from Perthshire Scotland in 1818. The land for Dewar Cemetery was donated by Mrs. Archie Dewar on the condition that the family plot would receive perpetual care.

Old Kirk of Beckwith township. The remains of the recently demolished Old Kirk Ruins may be seen near Carleton Place on the Seventh Line road of Beckwith township, two miles south and a mile east of Blacks Corners. The stone church was built in 1832, replacing a log church building. It served the first two Canadian generations of the first large settlement of Gaelic-speaking Scottish Highlanders in the district of Upper Canada north of the Rideau River.

Perth Courier, November 7, 1873–On Monday last Angus McDiarmid of Beckwith went to Prospect village to make some purchases. On returning home, which he had left in apparent good health, he was taken suddenly ill and sat down by the side of the road where he was afterwards found dead. The cause of his sudden death was heart disease. He was a man much respected in his neighborhood.

The Lanark Era – Wed May 19th 1897Malvern, York County, Ontario, on Saturday, Dr. McDiarmid, aged 67 years. A son of the late Angus McDiarmid, and a cousin to William, Duncan, and Robert McDiarmid of Carleton Place .

The Derry” while recognized as a community for almost two hundred years has never been officially recognized as a place name on a map.   Yet  “The Derry” is a well known location throughout  the larger community of southeastern Lanark and southwestern Carleton Counties, Ontario.  The Derry compromises the former school section, SS No. 6, and generally recognized as lots 17 through 26 of concessions 5 and 6 Beckwith Township.  
In “The Story of the Derry”, (p. 52), George Kidd writes about origin of “The Derry” as the name of this community.

The origin of the name “Derry” is directly connected with this farm (S.W. 1/2 Lot 22, Concession 5, Beckwith; Robert Ferguson farm).  The story is told by James D. Ferguson of Winnipeg:  “The word ‘derry’ means a grove, such as is comprised principally of ash, oak or birch trees.  It seems probable that my grandmother, finding all these trees growing on her son’s farm gave the place this name, which eventually came to include the whole community.”  Mr. Ferguson states further: “There is a song which I heard sung long ago, but I remember only the chorus-
Hame, Derry, hame: and it’s hame we ought to be
Hame Derry, hame: to our ain countree
Where the ash and the oak and the bonnie birchen tree
Are all growing green in our ain countree.”

There is a place in Perthshire of the same name.  The fact that it is always spoken of as “The Derry”, and not “Derry” seems conclusive evidence that the word is the Gaelic name for a grove, containing especially those trees mentioned in the song.  The baptismal records for Donald Ferguson’s children all include “Donald Ferguson in Derrie and his wife Mary Ferguson his spouse had their son baptized”;  providing additional insight about the origin of the name given to the community.

Until the last quarter of the twentieth century, many of the farms were owned by descendants of the pioneers who had arrived beginning in 1818. The  Ferguson, Kidd, McLaren, McDiarmid, and Stewart families lived on farms carved out of the forests by their ancestors.  Other families associated with the settlement of the Derry – Leach, McEwen and Davis lived nearby as did descendants of the Scott family.  But a decade into the twenty-first century much has changed.  Only one surname of the pioneer families, i.e., Kidd, is found on the many mailboxes which line both the sixth line, now Kidd Road and the fifth line, now Ferguson Road.  A great-great-great-granddaughter of Angus McDiarmid lives in the home which he built  and a great-great-great-granddaughter of Samuel Leach lives nearby in the fourth concession overlooking the farms of The Derry.

Also read-

Duncan McDiarmid — Family of the Derry

My favourite picture from Donna.. children of dorothea mcdiarmid of anna bertha cram and wm judson mcdiarmid

Clippings of the McEwens and the Beckwith Quarry

Lorne McNeely crushing rock in the Beckwith quarry
One of the largest crushers was a model produced by Taylor Engineering in 1919. It had a 60-inch (152-cm) receiving opening and remained in first place until Taylor produced the 72-inch (183-cm) gyratory crusher in 1969. It served as the world’s biggest and only machine at that size until 2001,

april 1873

The Ottawa Journal
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
07 Oct 1899, Sat • Page 6

Findlay C McEwen
3 March 1844–19 June 1922

 
 
 
 

Different location but same idea for the Beckwith and Almonte Quarries-Joel Barter

Admin
  · February 10, 2020  · 
Scotstown Quarry

Finley Kearney McEwen

1965

Finley Kearney McEwen was 95 in September. He owned the farm that borders the Beckwith airport. He had a brother Keith and another Fraser. Finlay has one son Paul, Fraser had no children, but Keith did have. Finlay was one of the original Beckwith firemen..

The farm has been sold I think for housing development and Finley and Mary have moved to bungalow off the tenth line.

The Findlay McEwen mentioned in the ad above would be Finleys grandfather who was married to Elexey Duff.. Finley’s father was William.

Name:	Finlay McEwen
Age:	20
Birth Place:	Beckwith Township
Residence:	Beckwith Township
Spouse Name:	Elexi Duff
Spouse Age:	23
Spouse Birth Place:	Scotland
Spouse Residence:	Beckwith Township
Marriage Date:	21 Mar 1862
Father Name:	Hugh Cott Mc Ewen
Spouse Father Name:	William Duff
Spouse Mother Name:	May Duff
County:	Lanark
Microfilm Roll:	1030059

Samantha Rye–That’s my uncle Findlay  the farm is called Glen Athol and if you’d like a detailed history of it/the CP McEwens let me know

Scott HendersonSuch a nice man. Findlay and my dad we’re partners in a hobby steam engine. Spent many a Saturday at the his farm with my dad working on the steam engine

Phyllis ByrneWe bought a lot of lumber from this lovely man. You could talk to him all day long. So informative.

Roy CokerGreat friend. We determined through comparing notes that I had worked with his brother on helicopters in the Canadian Navy