Lost Souls –Herron’s Mills

 

What once was at Herron’s Mills. Photo taken at Middleville & District Museum 

Herron’s Mills, originally known as Gillies Mills, is a ghost town in the municipality of Lanark Highlands, Lanark County in Eastern Ontario, Canada, near the community of Lanark.

That same road in all its splendour in the oil painting looked like this years ago when I used to go travel there with my kids. The little yellow house fell apart and they tore it down and we used to call it the Ghost House.

This is one of the old houses that used to make up the village of Herron’s Mills. This house and out the buildings have since been torn down and it is unknown who lived there, except that possibly people who once worked in the Herron Mills Woollen Factory. across the road.

I like old buildings, and wish they would stay up forever. Each time I see an old structure get torn down, I always feel sad inside as I feel they are getting rid of the history of the area.

I don’t understand why a lot of people don’t feel the same way I do about older buildings, or why kids today buy Ikea branded items instead of antiques. There is no doubt that the older buildings and family homes have a soul. Walk inside and you can feel the change in the atmosphere, like you’re stepping back in time and leaving the modern world behind.

I believe that when people die a part of their energy is imprinted in houses or on personal belongings. John Gillies, from the House of Gillies, as I call them had to make a decision and sell his most cherished holdings which was Gillies Mills on May 18th, 1871 and henceforth after it was called Herron’s Mills. I have no idea how he did that and as I write this utter grief fills me. There is something about a place that was once busy but has since been vacant and I know much of what is weighing me down right now is not mine to carry. But as Winston Churchhill said: “We shape our buildings therefore they shape us.”

Herron’s Mills, having now almost entirely disappeared save for a couple original buildings, was once one of the more flourishing industrial centres of this area. Though some remnants of the former village can still be found, almost all traces of this once bustling location have been lost to time

 

Clipped from The Ottawa Journal,  08 May 1943, Sat,  Page 18

 

 

It was 1821 and 10-year-old John Gillies found himself aboard the David of London along with his parents, James and Helen. Their ship was making its way from Greenock, Scotland to Quebec, Canada. Three of the 364 Scottish passengers died during the trip, while another four were born. The passengers had paid their own way to Canada to become part of the Canadian government’s immigration plan which offered immigrants 100 acres of land and free transportation to it from Quebec City.

Fourty days later, the Gillies had made it by boat, foot and cart, to New Lanark. There, John Gillies learned how to clear the land and build a home as his family began building their future in Canada.

By 1840, John Gillies had a plan. He obtained his own land plot near the Clyde River and 100 adjoining acres. It was here that he and his wife Mary built a home and sawmill. Some say that he travelled the 55 miles from Brockville to Lanark with the 90-pound saw on his back.

Gillies dammed the water to allow for enough flow to power his saw. He would sell his lumber for anywhere from $6 to $12 per 1000 feet. His site grew to include a grist and oat mills. On the other side of the river he built a carding mill to process sheeps wool.

Gillies bought a large circular saw and took contracts to cut lumber. One such contract was to supply 3″ thick wood to be used in the construction of the Plank Road between Perth, Balderson and Lanark. He would later claim that he was not paid for this contract.

In 1861 he built a large home for himself and his family which by now counted nine children.

It was about this time that John Gillies had to deal with an inevitable problem. He had cut most of the pine trees from the area and required a new supply for his mill. He had to bring in lumber from other forests. Gillies decided to buy the Gilmour Mill located in Carleton Place and in 1864, Gillies Mill went up for sale.

Gillies eventually sold the mill in 1871 to brothers James and John Herron who purchased 104 acres of land and the mill. They established a company named the J & J Herron Company and the site soon became known as Herron’s Mills. A stone bakehouse was added and used to bake unhulled oats or unshelled peas. From there they were bagged and then ground into grade to be used in oatmeal and pea brose (a Scottish dish).

The mill grew to include barns and stables, homes for the workers and John Munroe’s tannery. For the worker’s children, a school was constructed. Teachers would be given board with local families as part of their payment.

James Herron opened a post office in 1891 that was located in their home. It continued to operate until 1915.

At its peak, Herron’s Mill was producing over 8000 feet of lumber per day. In 1919 the brothers passed ownership of the mill down to James’ son, Alexander. When Alexander died in 1946, his sister Mary continued to run the mill for five more years. By 1951 the mill sat in silence.

One small building remains, the mill has lost the roof and one wall but still stands with some of the original machinery inside. A couple of collapsed buildings remain as well. I never did find the old home pictured on the cover of Ghost Towns of Ontario, volume 2. Perhaps the most fascinating part was the stone bridge which was built over the Clyde River. The water still continues to flow underneath it.

 

 

Clipped from The Ottawa Journal,  21 Aug 1980, Thu,  Final Edition,  Page 3

 

 

 

Photo taken at Middleville & District Museum 

 

 

 

J. Herron’s home at Herron’s Mills, Mrs. David Gillies in black skirt. ca. 1912. Item. 
Copied container number: PA-059347.

 

John Gillies Sr. Home at Herron Mills  PA 1912-Copied container number: PA-059347

 

Photo taken at Middleville & District Museum 

 

 

 

The broken bridge and remainder of a mill at Herron’s Mills.

 

 

Clipped from The Ottawa Journal,  26 Nov 1954, Fri,  Page 41

 

 

Photo taken at Middleville & District Museum 

 

Photo taken at Middleville & District Museum 

 

 

 

 

Burning Down the House — Literally in Lanark County

The Gillies Home in the Ghost Town of Herron’s Mills

 

Visiting the Neighbours — Middleville Ontario and Down the 511

The Ghost Towns of Eastern Ontario

Photographer Finds Money in a Local Abandoned Home

 

 

 

 

 

CLIPPED FROM
The Lanark Era
Lanark, Ontario, Canada04 Oct 1899, Wed  •  Page 1

The Ghost Town of Rokeby– Lanark

Photo-Ghost towns in Canada

Rokeby was a postal hamlet and farm settlement, located in Lanark County about 10 kilometres east of Maberley. It was always a small place with a population that hovered between 20 and 30 folks.

At its height, Rokeby contained a general store, post office and a blacksmith, along with a small Anglican church and cemetery. A school was located one concession north and the post office only remained open for a few short years.

 

Today Rokeby continues to support a small population and a number of original structures still stand. These include the store, and a number of outbuildings. Although the church was demolished many years ago, the church grounds continue to be maintained. Unfortunately the same cannot be said for the Anglican cemetery which was classified as “abandoned” many years ago. Files from: Ontario Ghost Towns

 

Rose Parsons– Thanks for this posting ! Now people will know that the place actually exists.. I lived there for over 25 years and this picture is of my Uncles barn on lot 2 The house at the corner was at one time the Anglican Manse and across the road was the Rokeby town Hall in the little field and it is now the barn on the former Greer farm on Greer road. Many memories of this little hamlet and still have family living there!!

 

 

 

Hi Linda – Mary Stewart from Perth here. My husbands ancestry research goes back to Rokeby – his great grandfather was a Boles. I am forwarding info that you may or may not know about the village of Rokeby.

Fagan Lake Cemetery

Location: Lot 19, Concession 9, South Sherbrooke

Details: The cemetery was created around 1863 by the St. John in the Wilderness Anglican Church. The village of Rokeby existed at that time in the same location. A church was built on the site, but was taken down in the early 1900’s. The last burial in this site was in 1945. Most of the people buried here were from the 11 ^th line of Bathurst with the rest being from the vicinity of Rokeby village. There were 2 Belgian construction workers killed in a railway accident who were also buried here. The cemetery was abandoned to the Township of South Sherbrooke before the amalgamation into Tay Valley Township. Other cemeteries

Tay Valley Townships

 

Perth Courier, Sept. 21, 1888

Mr. George Livingston of Rokeby died last week; funeral Friday at 10:00 was held in the English Church, Rev. Mr. Scantelbury preaching a very able discourse.  His remains were laid by the side of his son in the churchyard.  He had been a resident of that place for over 30 years and his age was 72 years.  The funeral was largely attended.

Perth Courier, November 1, 1895

Rokeby:  Dancing parties are all the rage.  A very enjoyable evening was spent at the residence of the well known and highly respected Patrick Corley the dance being in honor of Miss Johanna Corley that young lady having been much missed in social circles during her year long absence.

Rokeby:  A reminiscence of old times was the stumping bee called by William Greer and a good day’s work was done on Wednesday.

Perth Courier, Nov. 15, 1895

Rokeby—We are sorry to report the illness of Isaac Duffy, with inflammation of the eye, the inflammation extending to the optic nerve making a very serious case.  Mrs. Joseph Milliken is progressing favorable.  Both patients are under the care of our smart young doctor Alexander Robinson, M.D., a graduate of Queen’s College, Kingston.  Last reports of Isaac Duffy’s case were very serious.  Monday night he was very low with inflammation extending to the cerebral nerves.

Perth Courier, January 6, 1899

The saddest news we have to record this week is the death of our old townsman Judge William Doran of North Burgess which occurred on Tuesday, Jan. 3 at his residence in that town.  His age was about 63(?) years.  Judge Doran was born in the town of Perth and was the son of John Doran, native of County Wexford, Ireland.  The family was a large one and the boys unusually strong, hearty and vigorous and it is sad and also strange to realize that not one of the list of stalwart youths and then grown up men who were so well known in town and country 20 to 50 years ago are alive today.  Of these men two of them, John and William, rose to prominence as public men; both were Liberal candidates at parliamentary elections and both became judges of the Nipissing District by appointment of the Ontario government.  The Doran family were cousins of Messrs. William, Alexander, and Patrick McGarry of Drummond and the late Rev. Father Stafford of Lindsay, Tobias of Renfrew, Thomas of Lanark Township, Henry of Almonte and John of Perth (the last two deceased).  Judge William Doran married Miss McRae of Wolfe Island and leaves behind him his widow and a family of sons and daughters.  He also leaves one sister Maggie who is a nun in Hotel Dieu, Kingston.  Deceased owned a saw mill in Rokeby S. Sherbrooke for some years and gave up that business to accept the judgeship of Nipissing District, a position which he filled with efficiency.  About 1878 he was chosen the Liberal candidate for S. Lanark for the Ontario legislature and made the best fight any Liberal ever made in this Conservative hive going to within 169 of victory.  His opponent was the late Abraham Code.  Judge Doran was a genial, whole hearted man.  He was a member of the Roman Catholic Church.

The Parish of Maberly-Lanark presently consists of four churches and formerly included two others. The mission of Lanark dates back to 1819 and St. Paul’s, Lanark was built in 1842. Land was obtained in 1831 and St. John’s, Balderson’s Corners was erected soon after. Services were being held in Bathurst (later Brooke) by 1849 and the wooden church of St. Stephen’s opened in 1867. The congregation at Maberly dates to 1883 and St. Alban’s, Maberly was opened in 1886. St. Peter’s, Fallbrook was built around 1856, was deconsecrated in 1969, and the closing services were held on June 28, 1970. Land was donated in 1863 for a church and graveyard at Rokeby with St. John the Baptist in the Wilderness, Rokeby consecrated in 1864. The church building was gone by 1925 and the cemetery has been inactive since 1949

St. John The Baptist Anglican Cemetery Lot 19, Con 9, South Sherbrooke Twp., near Fagan Lake, Rokeby, Ont. Burials 1881 to 1945

	Robert Ancil Boles, died Sept. 6, 1902, aged 6 years, 5 months and 6 days. (son of Thomas and Mary (Donnelly) Boles, who fell out of a tree on a picket fence and died of injuries a few days later)
Kathleen Brookes, wife of Wm. R. Greer, born in Widness, England, died June 22, 1926, aged 56 years.  Her mother, Mary E. Brookes – White, died Mar. 23, 1911, aged 75 years. (Kathleen is buried outside the cemetery with a fence around it.)
	Child’s Stone – Illegible.
In Memory of James Erwin, died May 29, 1901, aged 78 years.  Isabella Foster, died Dec. 29, 1910, aged 82 years.
	In Memory of, Mary E. Erwin, died Dec. 30, 1914, aged 51 years, wife of James Geary (died Apr. 4, 1945, aged 86 years – not on stone)
In Memory of, Robert Hughes, died July 22, 1910, aged 85 years.
	In Memory of, Robert Hughes, died Nov. 7, 1881, aged 20 years. Also Mary Hughes, died May 19, 1902, aged 45 years, wife of William Milliken. Also Letita Hughes, died June 20, 1902, aged 35 years.
In Memory of, George Livingston, died March 18, 1887, aged 26 years. Also, George Livingston, died Sept. 5, 1888, aged 72 years.
	In Memory of Charles McMullen, died Feb. 1, 1892, aged 19 years. Also Thomas McMullen, died May 29, 1898, aged 19 years. Also Mary Ann Cole, did Sept. 3, 1909, aged 75 years, wife of William McMullen.
In Memory of James B. McMurray, died Oct. 25, 1892, aged 29 years.
	In Memory Of Margaret Moore, died Sept. 24, 1887, aged 8 years. Also, David H. Moore, died Oct. 10, 1877, aged 6 years. Children of Thomas and Margaret Moore.
Interments – No Markers 1 – Infant child, died March 14, 1907 – daughter of Mr. & Mrs. George Dowdell. 2 – Margaret Livingstone, died Jan. 18, 1900, aged 84 years. 3 – Mrs. Margaret Allan, died Jan. 20, 1886, aged 67 years. 4 – Albert Boles, Thomas Boles and Mary Boles.  There are very likely more Boles family members buried here. There are two small ground level markers on the west side of the Church site which are Boles.  Robert and Johanna Boles, the parents of Tom and Mary Boles are likely buried here. 5 – Fanny Geary, died Dec. 13, 1894, aged 81 years.  Mary Ann Geary, died Jan. 1, 1915 (Mrs. James Geary).  Ruth Geary, died Dec. 13, 1899, aged 72 years. 6 – Martha Foster, died Jan. 15, 1904, aged 73 years. 7 – Isabel Erwin, died Dec. 31, 1910, aged 81 years, 9 months, (Mrs. James Erwin). Anglican Archives in Kingston, Ontario. 1 – Elizabeth Robinson, died Jan. 5, 1885, aged 35 years. 2 – Thomas James Robinson, died June 29, 1893, aged 8 years. 3 – William Henry Robinson, died Nov. 12, 1894. 4 – Jane Robinson, died March 19, 1897 (old age)
Pictures by Keith Thompson, 27 October, 2001 CLICK here

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.

The Ghost Towns of Eastern Ontario

Halls Mills Ghost Town- Another W. H. Wylie Connection

The Gillies Home in the Ghost Town of Herron’s Mills

The Ghost Ship of Brown’s Hill

The Ghost of the Lanark County Old Log Cabin

Paranormal Hauntings of the Rideau Canal and other Unsolved Ghost Stories

Allan’s Mills— Lanark County Ghost Town

 

Clipped from The Ottawa Journal,  19 Jun 1971, Sat,  Page 49

 

 

Allan’s Mills, named for William Allan, was a small milling hamlet located just west of the town of Perth in Lanark County. The community got its start after Allan built saw and grist mills, followed by a general store and blacksmith shop. A post office was opened in 1872.

At its height, Allan’s Mills included a wagon maker, shoemaker, carpenter and two blacksmiths. The surrounding area was dotted with other small mills that included the McCabe Mill, the Ritchie Mill and the Bowes Mill. A school located on the Scotch Line was shared by all the surrounding settlements.

By the late 1890s, business was beginning to slip. Timber supplies had become depleted and farmers were making a gradual transition from wheat to dairy farming. Many of the mills did not survive the upheaval.

 

Photo-

“William Allan’s grist mill on the Tay.  Allan was a prominent citizen of North Burgess in the 19th century.

Farmer, mill owner, storekeeper, postmaster, councillor and Township treasurer.”

Picture supplied by Pat Allan – 13 Aug, 2011

 

The Scotch Line bordered the former townships of Bathurst and North Burgess. Nearby Grant’s Creek flowed directly into the Tay River, which provided more than ample water power resources. Before long the countryside was dotted with grist and sawmills that were kept busy by the burgeoning lumber and farming industries.

William Allan was the son of one the early Scottish immigrants. Born in Ontario in 1833, he purchased a large piece of land just south of the Scotch Line and built a sawmill and a stone grist mill. He then added a grocery and dry goods store, along with a blacksmith shop. Just north of the shops, he built a beautiful, stately home to raise his growing family. Allan’s Mills gained official status in 1872 when he opened a post office. As busy as he was, Allan also found time to become active in local affairs and served as both a councillor and township treasurer.

A small town site popped up around William Allan’s mills that included Pat Fagan, a wagon maker, Ed Murphy, a shoemaker and William Steele, a carpenter. Henry Harper and George Murphy worked as blacksmiths as did, for a time, William’s son, James. Many of the surrounding mill owners, such as George Oliver, T. and J. Scott and George Ritchie, also chose to make Allan’s Mills their home. The school was located on the Scotch Line and shared by all the surrounding settlements. Other prominent residents included John Armour, who owned a large plot just south of Allan’s Mills. The number of villagers ranged from about 50 to 75.

George Oliver owned the first parcel of land just behind the Allan mills, where he also operated a grist mill. John Ritchie’s sawmill was located north of the Scotch Line on Concession 1, Lot 12, along the Tay River in Bathurst Township. The Scott brothers’ sawmill was located in North Burgess Township on lot 17, five lots west of Allan’s Mills. Their grist mill could be found in Bathurst Township on Concession 1, Lot 17. At the foot of road, right at the Scotch Line leading to the mill was a tollgate, blacksmith and cheese factory. Just to the west of the Scott grist mill on Lot 15, were the Wilson saw and grist mills.

By the late 1890s things were beginning to slip. Both the wheat and timber supplies had become depleted and farmers were making a gradual transition from wheat to dairy farming. This was not good news for the mill owners and many of the mills did not survive the upheaval.

The Wilson mills and the Scott sawmill have both disappeared. The Scott grist mill was purchased by the Bowes family and renamed Bowes Mills. Later on, it was converted to an electrical power plant that provided power to the town of Perth up until the 1920s. The old mill has been well preserved but the dam has deteriorated badly. The Ritchie sawmill still exists but is derelict and in a serious state of disrepair. The McCabe mill, across the road, has been renovated and is now a private home. Oliver’s mill survived the carnage and is presently being used as a barn.

By 1892, William Allan had sold the grist mill to the Burgess Milling Company, who reportedly kept it going until the 1970s. Allan continued operating the store until his death in 1908. His son James took over the post office until the arrival of rural mail delivery in 1914. Allan’s stone grist mill was by far the most fortunate. The stately mill, along with the general store, the blacksmith shop and William Allan’s magnificent home, have all been restored and are now privately used. The schoolhouse, located next to the Scotch Line Cemetery at the north end of Allan’s Mills Road, is owned by the cemetery and remains in use. The area, which is located about 10 kilometres west of the historic town of Perth, remains busy and active and continues to support a large rural population.

Thanks to Robert Thomas for sharing the information on the schoolhouse.–Ontario Ghost Towns

Grant’s Creek doesn’t even make it on to the map (as a tributary of the Tay River) but, it rushes at full spring speed roaring past the former Allan’s Mill.  On Grant’s Creek which joins the Tay above “Roger’s Road” there were two power plants at Allan’s Mills, a mill was built by John Allan and later sold to Francis Allan as a saw mill.  This was replaced by a roller mill in 1890.

William Allan was born in Ontario in 1833. He purchased property south of the Upper Scotch Line on Grant’s Creek, (concession 10 lot 12, North Burgess) and built a saw and grist mill. The mill first began operation in 1878. A grocery and dry goods store, as well as a blacksmith shop and post office, were added to Allan’s Mill at a later date. William’s son, James, worked as the blacksmith at one point.

In 1892, the Burgess Milling Company purchased the mill from William Allan and it continued to run until the 1970’s. The grocery and dry goods store was run by William until his death in 1908, and James took over the post office until rural mail delivery was established in 1914.

John Matthews is responsible for the restoration of the mill, general store and blacksmith shop, and in 2010 it was bought by new owners. William Allan was a prominent man in the township and is remembered as being a farmer, mill owner, store keeper, post master, councillor and township treasurer.-Historic Mills Tay Valley

Scotch Line Cemetery

Location: 513 Scotch Line, Lot 12, Concession 10, Upper Scotch Line, North Burgess

Details: In 1886, a half-acre of land on the Upper Scotch Line passed hands from Gilbert Wilson and his wife Marian, to a group of men wishing to have a community cemetery. The cemetery trustees were John Wilson, Robert Allan and Robert Hendry. They purchased the half-acre for $75. Although the land was not officially a cemetery until 1886, around ten people had been buried there previous to the purchase. In the same year as its purchase, the Scotch Line Cemetery had its first official burial. The man’s name was Mr. George Oliver, a local mill owner, who died at the age of 49 on June 26, 1886. A fence was put up around the cemetery in 1887 and the cost of $40, as well as the purchase price of the land, was paid for by a group of 24 men in the area.

A piece of land 10 feet in size was added to the west side of the cemetery in 1920. Also added was a strip of land 40 feet wide fronting the Upper Scotch Line and 210 feet to the rear of the cemetery. The strip was purchased in 1941 from the Scotch Line School, which shared the same lot as the cemetery. In the same year, the land between the west side of the cemetery and Allan’s Side Road was purchased for $100 from Gilbert Wilson. The project of planting 200 pine seedlings was completed in May of 1942, with the trees being placed along the fence separating the cemetery from the school, as well as the fence by Allan’s Side Road. After its closure in 1968, the remaining school property was purchased for $1000 on July 12 ^th . This purchase would mark the final expansion of the cemetery. The Scotch Line School is still situated on the cemetery lot and is a beautiful addition to the land.

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.

The Ghost Towns of Eastern Ontario

Halls Mills Ghost Town- Another W. H. Wylie Connection

The Gillies Home in the Ghost Town of Herron’s Mills

The Ghost Ship of Brown’s Hill

The Ghost of the Lanark County Old Log Cabin

Paranormal Hauntings of the Rideau Canal and other Unsolved Ghost Stories

Photos thanks to Celeste Reisinger on Abandoned – Ottawa/Gatineau & The Valley

Allan’s Mills ghost town. All private property in the Tay Valley, ok’d by Admin

The Ghost Towns of Eastern Ontario

 

 

 

Read about all of the ghost towns here—Lanark County is in bold below– and lots of information below.

 

Allan’s Mills–read about Alan’s Mills here
Andrewsville
Balaclava
Beales Mills
Bedford Mills
Bellamy’s Mill
Blairton
Brudenell
CFB Picton
Clarendon Station
Clontarf
Corbyville
Cordova Mines
Eldorado
Esmonde
Foymount
Gagnon
Glanmire
Grant

Farm building next to Hall residence– From Hall’s Mills Ghost Town–©Copyright: Yvan Charbonneau– see my story about Hall’s Mills in related reading

 

Herron’s Mills- read more about my story on Herron’s Mills in the related reading section below.

Halls Mills-read about Hall’s Mills here
Herron’s Mills-read about Herron’s Mills here
Horaceville
Khartum
Lemieux
Letterkenny
Malone
Marlbank
Marysville
Millbridge
Millbridge Station
Mohr’s Corners
Munroe’s Mills
Murphy Corners
Newboyne
Newfoundout
Petworth
Point Anne
Port Milford
Robertsville: Read more about Robertsville here
Rokeby: Read more about Rokeby here
Vanbrugh
Vennachar and Glenfield
West Huntingdon
Wilbur: Read more about Wilbut here
Yonge Mill

 

 

Perth Courier, November 1, 1895

Rokeby:  Dancing parties are all the rage.  A very enjoyable evening was spent at the residence of the well known and highly respected Patrick Corley the dance being in honor of Miss Johanna Corley that young lady having been much missed in social circles during her year long absence.

Rokeby:  A reminiscence of old times was the stumping bee called by William Greer and a good day’s work was done on Wednesday.

Perth Courier, Nov. 15, 1895

Rokeby—We are sorry to report the illness of Isaac Duffy, with inflammation of the eye, the inflammation extending to the optic nerve making a very serious case.  Mrs. Joseph Milliken is progressing favorable.  Both patients are under the care of our smart young doctor Alexander Robinson, M.D., a graduate of Queen’s College, Kingston.  Last reports of Isaac Duffy’s case were very serious.  Monday night he was very low with inflammation extending to the cerebral nerves.

Perth Courier, January 6, 1899–The saddest news we have to record this week is the death of our old townsman Judge William Doran of North Burgess which occurred on Tuesday, Jan. 3 at his residence in that town.  His age was about 63(?) years.  Judge Doran was born in the town of Perth and was the son of John Doran, native of County Wexford, Ireland.  The family was a large one and the boys unusually strong, hearty and vigorous and it is sad and also strange to realize that not one of the list of stalwart youths and then grown up men who were so well known in town and country 20 to 50 years ago are alive today.  Of these men two of them, John and William, rose to prominence as public men; both were Liberal candidates at parliamentary elections and both became judges of the Nipissing District by appointment of the Ontario government.  The Doran family were cousins of Messrs. William, Alexander, and Patrick McGarry of Drummond and the late Rev. Father Stafford of Lindsay, Tobias of Renfrew, Thomas of Lanark Township, Henry of Almonte and John of Perth (the last two deceased).  Judge William Doran married Miss McRae of Wolfe Island and leaves behind him his widow and a family of sons and daughters.  He also leaves one sister Maggie who is a nun in Hotel Dieu, Kingston.  Deceased owned a saw mill in Rokeby, S. Sherbrooke for some years and gave up that business to accept the judgeship of Nipissing District, a position which he filled with efficiency.  About 1878 he was chosen the Liberal candidate for S. Lanark for the Ontario legislature and made the best fight any Liberal ever made in this Conservative hive going to within 169 of victory.  His opponent was the late Abraham Code.  Judge Doran was a genial, whole hearted man.  He was a member of the Roman Catholic Church.

St. John The Baptist Anglican Cemetery

Lot 19, Con 9, South Sherbrooke Twp., near Fagan Lake, Rokeby, Ont.

Burials 1881 to 1945

Perth Courier, March 29, 1889

Maberly News:  Last week Charles Strong was injured by digging stones with a crowbar and a short time after he died.  He was buried on Tuesday.  —  Mary Sargent was married to Mr. McDonald of Robertsville.  —  Word has reached Kingston that Miss Beatty, a graduate of the Women’s Medical College of that city and a resident of Perth for some time, who some time ago went as a missionary to Indore, India, has been obliged through ill health to cease her labors.  Fears are expressed that she will have to return to Canada.

Perth Courier, March 3, 1899

Elphin:  Mrs. McDonnell (ne Alice Sergeant) widow of the late John McDonnell, of Robertsville, died on Saturday night of pneumonia after a short illness, aged 63.  She was a kind mother and neighbor.  Her husband died one year eleven months ago.  Her family, except for one son, are married and have moved away.

Mrs. John McDonnell of Robertsville aged 63, died at her residence on Feb. 25 and was buried on the 27^th inst. In the Crawford Cemetery. 

McDougall – On Friday, Jan. 30th there passed to his reward one of the oldest residents of our Mississippi in the person of Mr. Allan McDougall. Mr. McDougall had been blessed with good health practically all his life and appeared about as usual when the end came. He was born in Bathurst Township on Feb. 2, 1830, and when he was quite young the family settled in Palmerston Township on the farm now owned by Mrs. Duncan McDougall. After his marriage to Miss Hannah McDonald of the same township, he purchased the farm on which Robertsville was afterwards built by the Bethlehem Steel Co. After many years of residence there he removed to Wilbur, where he was employed as foreman by the mining company, and where he continued to reside until the death of Mrs. McDougall ten years ago. Mr. McDougall was widely known and respected by all his acquaintances. He is survived by two sisters: Mrs. Hughes and Mrs. Lake of Palmerston, and six members of his family: Mrs. Miriam of Chatham, Mrs. Roche of Wilbur, Mrs. Sairs of Kingston, Alex of California and John and Daniel of Kisbey, Sask.

Elizabeth ‘Lizzie’ McDougall was born in Robertsville on Aug. 4, 1860. In 1881 she was not living at home anymore. In 1901 she was 40 and living with her parents at Wilbur in Lavant Township, however the census says she was married, but didn’t give her married name. Also listed was a grandson, John McDougall age 10, who may be Elizabeth’s son.When her mother died in 1910, her death notice indicated that Elizabeth was married with the last name of Sairs, and was still living in Wilbur. I checked the 1881 census of Palmerston and found a George Sairs and wife Elizabeth, age 22, and I believe this is Elizabeth and she was married to George Sairs sometime between 1877 and 1881. George was listed as a Baker in 1881. In 1911 the Lavant census shows her as Elizabeth Sairs and she was living with her father, Allan McDougall, her husband was not in the census. When her father died in 1920, Elizabeth was living in Kingston, Ontario.

Hannah McDougall, born Jun 02, 1862 in Robertsville, Ontario, Canada; died Jan 28, 1914 in Wilbur.

The Wilbur mine operated until 1911. Since almost everyone in town worked for the mine, the community was abandoned after the mine shut down. The post office closed in 1913 and recent floods have obliterated almost all traces of the community. However, if you travel along the old KPR rail bed, you’ll find signs of Wilbur coming back to haunt you. The railway station sign, a building thought to be the rail station and a humorous sign post announcing your arrival in Wilbur still remain.

January 10, Halls Mills 1899 – Perth Courier

Miss Maggie Camelon is on a visit to her mother at Tatlock.

John White has removed to Jamieson and his brother Robert has already moved to the place vacated by him.

Miss Arnoldi, our popular teacher, is meeting with success in our school, and we expect she will leave a record hard to equal.

W e are sorry to state that two o f our most trustworthy farmers are leaving with their families for North Gower in the persons of Messrs. John Thomas and Daniel Rintoul.

La Grippe is gripping severely in this section. D . McIntyre has been confined to his house for nearly five weeks, but is now improving. Mrs. Arch. McGee, P. F. Barr, A . J. McKay, Mrs. Nora Whitten

Related Reading:

Halls Mills Ghost Town- Another W. H. Wylie Connection

The Gillies Home in the Ghost Town of Herron’s Mills

Photographer Finds Money in a Local Abandoned Home

Gold in Dem Dar Hills of Lanark

Have you Ever Heard about Doran? Here Come da’ Judge!

Come and visit the Lanark County Genealogical Society Facebook page– what’s there? Cool old photos–and lots of things interesting to read.

Information where you can buy all Linda Seccaspina’s books-You can also read Linda in Hometown News and now in The Townships Sun

Halls Mills Ghost Town- Another W. H. Wylie Connection

Halls Mills

History

Farm building next to Hall residence– From Hall’s Mills Ghost Town–©Copyright: Yvan Charbonneau

Seems William Wiley  of Carleton Place had connections in everything around the area. From and Almonte woolen mills to mines and sawmills. When I did research I found out that he had was part of a mining venture also.

From Hall’s Mills Ghost Town–

By the 1870s, Hall’s sawmill, located on Lot 1, Concession 10, was in full operation. In 1883, Hall opened a post office and gave the community his own name. A school, one of only four in Darling Township, was located on Lot 1, Concession 9. By 1884, Halls Mills had grown to around 50 people. These included, John Abraham, David Barr, Archibald Boyle, James Kilgore, Robert Lett, Thomas Murphy and the Munro and Robertson families. Daniel Munro was the blacksmith. Hall went on to form a partnership with William H. Wylie of Carlton Place to embark on a combination of mining and mineral lands dealing. Whether the venture was successful is unknown as Hall reportedly passed away in 1885 or 1886.– read the rest at Hall’s Mills Ghost Town–

Dawn Jones added:

 Interesting story. My brothers and aunts and uncles attended public school at Hall’s Mills in the 50’s and 60’s. The teacher at the time was Ida Guthrie. The school house still stands and was renovated into a house. My grandparents bought their farm ( a large property that extended from the 8th concession to the 9th concession of Darling Township from David Caldwell in the early 50’s.