(The Cavers name has become familiar to me because of a visit to the Cavers family home here in Ramsay recently. The farm holds a great deal of interest for me and I have come to learn a little of the people who lived there. —
Yours truly, Daphne Stevens Carp
November 1980- Almonte Gazette
This is another memory of the Cavers family in Appleton
Appleton postcard 1907 Thanks to Cathy and Terry Machin
Only two years after the Collie Woollen Mills began production World War Two began. The war was a major boost to the local economy. The mill shifted to 24 hour a day production in order to fill the military contracts. The mill produced woollens for uniforms, blankets and other military needs.
The war deeply affected the community of Appleton as sons and daughters enlisted to protect their country while families worked extra shifts at the mill.
When the war was over, the community prepared an honor roll that hung in the Appleton Community Hall. The honor roll now resides at the North Lanark Regional Museum in Appleton:
This honor roll, which hung in the Appleton Community Hall until it was destroyed by fire, commemorates those Appleton residents who volunteered for active service during World War II. A silver star denotes those soldiers who gave their lives.
Bert Aitken Stewart Aitken John Barden Leslie Barden Gertrude Blaney Earle Bridges Frank Cavers (*) Harold Cavers Melville Cavers John Collie Jean Collie Henry Collie Forest Dezell Harold Dowdall Gordon Duncan Hugh Duncan Kenneth Duncan Robert Duncan (*) William Duncan Arthur Fee Elizabeth Fitzpatrick Leonard Ford Jack Gallagher James Galvin Jack Gladish Max Gladish Gordon Hallahan Rupert Hopkins William B. Hopkins Russell James (*) Hugh Kennedy Earle Lowe Stewart Neil Bernard Pye James Pye (*) Keith Salisbury Clyde Service Ralph Sinnett Harold Snedden Lawrence Spinks Leonard Spinks Eric Stead Neil Stewart Raymond Struthers William Struthers George Walkley
Entrance Examinations
List of Successful Candidates to the Carleton Place High School:
I could not help but notice in your list of those who made the ultimate sacrifice in World War II, an error in a family name That is the name of Frank Cavers, misspelled as Frank (The C Cavers name has become familiar to me because of a visit to the Cavers family home here in Ramsay recently. The farm holds a great deal of interest for me and I have come to learn a little of the people who lived there. Fortunately their history is fairly recent and easily obtainable. It is through this interest that my attention was drawn to your list of men and noticed that Frank Cavers was not remembered. Please let us give proper credit where it is due. Yours truly, Daphne Stevens Carp
November 1980- Almonte Gazette
Author’s Note: When I came upon this letter to the editor from 1980 I knew Frank Caver had to be documented for posterity.
CANADIAN VIRTUAL WAR MEMORIAL
Robert Franklin Cavers
In memory of:
Warrant Officer Class II Robert Franklin Cavers
March 23, 1943Yarmouth, Nova Scotia
Military Service
Service Number:
R/97637Age:
26Force:
Air ForceUnit:
Royal Canadian Air ForceCitation(s):
1939-45 Star, Atlantic Star, War Medal 1939-45, Canadian Volunteer Service Medal and Clasp.
Additional Information
Born:
April 23, 1916 Appleton, OntarioEnlistment:
March 14, 1941 Vancouver, British Columbia
Son of Thomas Edgar and Bessie May (nee McNabb) Cavers, of Almonte, Ontario. Brother of Harold, Melville and Agnes.
Commemorated on Page 145 of the Second World War Book of Remembrance. Request a copy of this page.
Burial Information
Cemetery:
CARLETON PLACE UNITED CEMETERIES Ontario, CanadaGrave Reference:
Lot 20.
Thomas Edgar Cavers
BIRTH
9 Feb 1883Ramsay, Lanark County, Ontario, Canada
DEATH
23 Dec 1957 (aged 74)Almonte, Lanark County, Ontario, Canada
1957, Thursday January 10, The Almonte Gazette, page 6 Obituary THOMAS EDGAR CAVERS The funeral of Thomas Edgar Cavers took place December 26th from the Fleming Bros. Funeral Home, Lake Ave. West, Carleton Place to the United Cemetery for interment. Rev. J. Ray Anderson of Almonte conducted the service. Mr. Cavers died in the R. M. Hospital, Almonte, on December 23 after a short illness. He was 74 years of age and was born February 9th, 1882 in Ramsay Township, son of the late Thomas Cavers and his wife, Margaret Miller Thom. He had farmed for years in Ramsay and attended Appleton United Church. He was married in June, 1915, to the former Bessie May McNab. Surviving besides his widow are two sons, Harold of Toronto; Melville of Almonte, a daughter (Agnes), Mrs. Tudor of Perth, a brother, James of Carleton Place and a half sister, Miss Margaret Cavers of Almonte. The pallbearers were Messrs. Ollie Stewart, Victor Kellough, Duncan Stewart, Stewart Cavers, John Lowe and Edward Lowe. Among the beautiful floral tributes were pieces from Almonte Legion, Weaving Room of Collie’s mill, Appleton W.I.. Appleton W.A
Bessie May McNabb Cavers
BIRTH
23 May 1892Carleton Place, Lanark County, Ontario, Canada
DEATH
18 Apr 1980 (aged 87)Carleton Place, Lanark County, Ontario, Canada
1980, Wednesday May 7, The Almonte Gazette, page 2 Bessie May McNabb Cavers, Nel-Gor Castle Nursing Home, Carleton Place, died April 18, at the age of 87 Mrs Cavers was born May 23, 1892. in Ramsay township, the daughter of the late David McNabb and Agnes Kellough On June 30. 1915, she married the late Thomas Edgar Cavers, a farmer, in Appleton Mrs Cavers was a member of Zion Memorial United Church, a charter member of the Appleton Women’s Institute, and a life member of the Ladies Auxiliary of the Royal Canadian Legion, branch 240 She was the mother of the late Frank and Harold Cavers, and the sister of the late David, George, and Welland McNabb. Mrs Cavers is survived by her daughter Agnes Tudor, of Toronto, and her son Melville Cavers, of Almonte A public funeral was held April 21 from the Alan Barker Funeral Home The service was conducted by Reverend Mitchell. Burial took place at the United Cemeteries. Ashton Mrs Cavers pallbearers were Tom Proctor, Delbert Barr, Art Fulton, Doug Stewart, Bert McRae, and Bill Struthers
From the North Lanark Museum ( Appleton)
Only two years after the Collie Woollen Mills began production World War Two began. The war was a major boost to the local economy. The mill shifted to 24 hour a day production in order to fill the military contracts. The mill produced woollens for uniforms, blankets and other military needs.
The war deeply affected the community of Appleton as sons and daughters enlisted to protect their country while families worked extra shifts at the mill
When the war was over, the community prepared an honor roll that hung in the Appleton Community Hall. The honor roll now resides at the North Lanark Regional Museum in Appleton:
This honor roll, which hung in the Appleton Community Hall until it was destroyed by fire, commemorates those Appleton residents who volunteered for active service during World War II. A silver star denotes those soldiers who gave their lives.
Bert Aitken
Stewart Aitken
John Barden
Leslie Barden
Gertrude Blaney
Earle Bridges
Frank Cavers (*)
Harold Cavers
Melville Cavers
John Collie
Jean Collie
Henry Collie
Forest Dezell
Harold Dowdall
Gordon Duncan
Hugh Duncan
Kenneth Duncan
Robert Duncan (*)
William Duncan
Arthur Fee
Elizabeth Fitzpatrick
Leonard Ford
Jack Gallagher
James Galvin
Jack Gladish
Max Gladish
Gordon Hallahan
Rupert Hopkins
William B. Hopkins
Russell James (*)
Hugh Kennedy
Earle Lowe
Stewart Neil
Bernard Pye
James Pye (*)
Keith Salisbury
Clyde Service
Ralph Sinnett
Harold Snedden
Lawrence Spinks
Leonard Spinks
Eric Stead
Neil Stewart
Raymond Struthers
William Struthers
George Walkley
Rank: Warrant Officer Class II Trade: Air Gunner Service No: R/97637 Date of Death: 23/03/1943 Age: 26 Regiment/Service: Royal Canadian Air Force, #113 Bomber Reconnaissance Squadron (Yarmouth,, Nova Scotia) Citation(s): 1939-45 Star, Atlantic Star, War Medal 1939-45, Canadian Volunteer Service Medal and Clasp
Killed at Yarmouth airport, N.S., with 3 other aircrew, when their plane crashed after take-off and then exploded. Son of Thomas Edgar and Bessie Cavers, of Almonte.
The blueberry crop was said to be almost a complete failure in August 1894. Fire, thought to have been started by berry pickers burned across some 400 acres and menaced several farm homes in the Wolfe Grove section before it was brought under control by a heavy rain storm.
Although it was said the blaze started on a Thursday no general alarm was given until the Saturday when the fire had gained considerable headway. Farmers did a lot of hard work fighting the flames and were meeting with little success until rain came to their assistance. Even after the fire was over remaining coals were still smouldering in the burned area and the situation was being watched closely. The blueberry bushes were destroyed.
In August of 1934, serious damage was done to the blueberry crop in the Almonte area as there was a lot of damage done by a hail storm. It did considerable harm through a paper of Ramsay and Huntley.
Several fields of grain belonging to Mr. Arthurs and Mr. P. Syme were badly threshed out by the hail, many of the stones measuring from 4 to 6 inches in circumference. In Beckwith too, many farmers suffered loss, while in North Elmsley the damage done to the the grain and vegetables was serious.
It was reported here that the dwelling of Mr. H. Cavers, Ramsay, was struck by lightning on Saturday.The report was untrue but Mr. Alex. Caver’s dwelling near Appleton was hit. The lightning struck the chimney, demolishing it entirely, and passed through the house, scattering the plaster from the walls in all directions. The veranda was also shattered and the posts ripped to pieces. No one was injured. The damage will amount to about $200.
Other stories about Chimneys in Appleton
Appleton’s Twisted Chimney
Digital Photo, Fall 2012 Donated by Sarah Bennett This digital photograph from 2012 shows the once famous log cabin cottage in Appleton owned by the Gilmour family (left side of photo). Here is the full story, written by Kenneth Godfrey:
My grandfather, Harry D. Gilmour built this cottage, and put a ‘beehive’ shaped stone fireplace into one corner. He asked Beatty Hamilton, a well-known bricklayer from Carleton Place, to build its chimney, but literally with a “twist”. Beatty was at first not pleased with the idea, as he feared that folks might think it a poor job on his part, but H.D. (who enjoyed verbal and visual jokes) prevailed, and persuaded him to build it as a spiral, and I think it stood for many years until a fairly recent renovation, and alas, the chimney (like many other unique quirks from the past) is no more.
The annual Union Hall Blueberry Tea was held on Sunday afternoon, August 27. Judging from the feedback at the event, the chatter and laughter, and the smiles all around when the homemade desserts were served, the event was a great success!–https://millstonenews.com/community-enjoys-annual-union-hall-blueberry-tea/
Blueberries also have an interesting history! We’ve read that in Ireland, baskets of blueberries are still offered to a sweetheart in commemoration of the original fertility festival that happens each August 1. Although we don’t how true that is, it does sound lovely! They call it Lammas day, which is also their harvest celebration.
Did you know that blueberries are native to North America? Long before they were cultivated in the early 1900s, they grew wild, and were enjoyed by the Indigenous people. Of interest, they harvested the “star berries”, which are the blossom ends that form at the end of the berry, and is shaped like a five-point star. Thereafter, they ate them fresh or dried them for later use.
lindaseccaspina 