Tag Archives: Jaan KOlk

The Ice Pick Cometh — Ottawa Artificial Ice Co.

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The Ice Pick Cometh — Ottawa Artificial Ice Co.
photo Adin Daigle

I saw this photo on Adin Wesley Daigle’s Facebook page and I could not tackle this item quick enough. The ice pick somehow holds great prominence in my mind. I watched my Grandmother attack her 20 by 10 freezer in the 60s that was more ice than food. Sometimes I would come downstairs early in the morning and watch her use that ice pick like her life depended on it trying to retrieve what the ice had eaten up. She would open boxes, and anything else that needed to be opened with it — always in Barbara Stanwyck style. Ice picks were sometimes used in forms of murder, and I wondered what the history was behind this item. Were any murders committed with an Ottawa Artificial Ice Co. ice pick similar to the film Eyes of Laura Mars?

January 13 at 2:51 PM  · A neat ice pick I’ve had for some time…Ottawa Artificial Ice co. Limited….haven’t found much on the company 🤔

Found by Diane Edwards–The Ottawa Journal
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
27 Dec 1912, Fri  •  Page 2

Jaan Kolk posted on Adin’s timeline that The Ottawa Artificial Ice Co. plant was on the east side of Nicholas, midway between Somerset and Mann. It remained in business until the property was expropriated for the expansion of the U of O campus in 1959; however, the Rideau exchange phone number dates the ice pick to before the introduction of automated “dialing” with 5-digit numbers in 1938. Here’s an aerial photo showing the plant in 1933 (cropped from NAPL A4571_26):

Here’s an aerial photo showing the plant in 1933 (cropped from NAPL A4571_26): Jaan Kolk

When my Grandmother got an icebox in the late 30s she told me she could keep milk for a day and meat fresh for 36 hours. I remember the ice man coming in the 50s delivering ice to our home with long tongs in each hand carrying two 25-pound blocks at a time. The deliverymen began their day before dawn to ensure local shops had ice before business hours and then go to the private residences that were waiting for him.

One day I remember that there were no more drip pans to be emptied, and no more ice to be purchased. The electrical refrigerator spelled the end of the iceman and the blocks of ice that were stored in sawdust in dark places.

So why buy artificial ice than purchase regular ice? Jaan Kolk said: “Coincident with the typhoid outbreaks of 1911 and 1912, the Ottawa Artificial Ice Co. was formed to exploit the mistrust of river ice. It produced ice by artificial refrigeration of distilled water, originally, and later water from it’s own deep well. The technical expertise came from Phillip D. Lyons, who had previously run an artificial ice plant in the Caribbean; the investors were the usual suspects, with names like Ahearn, Bate, Booth.”

“Ice cutting on the Clyde River”
Adin Daigle photo

In 1913 the Ottawa Artificial Ice Co. advertised they would supply water from eight taps placed at front of their building on Nicholas St. It was advertised as ‘DOUBLE DISTILLED WATER’ piped direct from their distilling tanks. By running the Distilling plant at full capacity, nearly 5000 gallons over and above what was needed for ice could be made each day. They boasted that the water was pleasant to taste, as the air was put back into the water after it is distilled. It was advertised as a patented process and germ proof made fresh each day

The charges at the water taps were: 25c For ten gallons. 3c Per odd gallon. You were to bring your water bottles to the ICE PLANT and have them filled with the only absolutely pure water that money can buy. They insisted that if you bought spring water it could not be ABSOLUTELY GUARANTEED and you paid 40c to 50c for five gallons of it, so their water and ice was supreme.

Was ice really spreading Typhoid Fever? In reality, the total number of instances of typhoid fever which had been directly traced to ice infection were remarkably few. One was in France, where a group of officers placed ice made from water polluted by a sewer in their wine and afterwards developed typhoid fever, while those of the same company not using ice escaped. A second case was in a small epidemic which occurred in those who used ice from a pond. It was found that water directly infected with typhoid feces and had flowed over. So yes, the advertising was formed to exploit mistrust of regular ice as Jaan said. But today, some articles say to avoid ice because it may have been made from unclean water. So who knows?

So how about those ice pick murders I was looking for? I am disappointed to tell you that the ice pick was only used as a threatening weapon except in the case of the Mafia’s gangsters of Murder Inc. in October of 1940.

“The bum ain’t dead yet.” To make sure, they used a meat cleaver and an Ice pick. The car with its gruesome cargo was left on a, quiet residential street. The gangsters did not know it but. Whitey Rudnick’s corpse was to contribute more to their undoing than anything the little loan shark had done when he was alive.

Okay there was another case in Montreal in 1936….

Five men and a woman will be tried for murder at the Autumn term of the Court of King’s Bench. The murder charges, being heard by Mr. Justice Philemon Cousineau. arose from the deaths of seven persons, three from illegal operations. The others were found, to have been slain with ice pick, axe and club

So I guess it’s back to Lizzie Borden for me. Except, I found this wonderful ad from Oglivy’s that used to be on Rideau Street in Ottawa.  For absolutely free- no strings or obligations whatsoever, you got a free quality ice pick, with a tempered steel blade, and smart, enamelled handle and exceptional construction throughout All you had to do was ask their floorman for one. After he showed to show you the beautiful the 1935 Hostess refrigerator. Now that was a murder of a deal!

The Ottawa Journal
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
01 May 1935, Wed  •  Page 10

Found by Diane Edwards–The Ottawa Journal
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
27 Dec 1912, Fri  •  Page 2
The Ottawa Journal
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
07 Jan 1913, Tue  •  Page 10
The Ottawa Distributors of Kelvinator Electric Refrigerators Commencing in September 1929 the Ottawa Artificial Ice Company, according to an announcement by the officials of the company.
The Ottawa Citizen
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
24 Jan 1913, Fri  •  Page 4
The Ottawa Journal
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
15 Mar 1894, Thu  •  Page 7
The Ottawa Citizen
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
27 Apr 1923, Fri  •  Page 18
photo-Curtis Webster

Related reading

Would You Like Some Ice With that Drink?

Found- Maley’s Medical Knife — Jackknife– So What’s the Story Morning Glory? Jaan Kolk

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Found- Maley’s Medical Knife — Jackknife– So  What’s the Story Morning Glory? Jaan Kolk
property of adin wesley daigle

So Adin found this neat jack knife this week and I was so enthralled with it I had to find where it came from. There is a heck of a lot of Maley’s in the Smiths Falls area, and at first I thought their first store was in Oxford Mills, then Kemptville because this is what I found in local directories. There name through genealogy searches is also spelled Maley or Mealey

Oxford Mills
1861 T. Maley Shoes
Maley, T. F.; 3 Russell St. W. Smiths Falls

Any clippings I found I put it in the ‘ historical area”—but I gave up and called in the ‘big guns’ — which is Ottawa historian Jaan Kolk. I sent my “request for a quest” last night and this morning I got up to this. Thanks Jaan!!!

The first thing Jaan said to me was: “Perhaps it’s a medical knife, Linda. It looks like it has… “heeling power”. D’OH—-

Adin Wesley Daigle photo

Jaan Kolk Figuring Out What is What

1-The 1857 Canada Directory has Thomas Maley General Store, Kemptville. The 1869 Province of Ontario Gazetteer has, in Kemptville, Thomas Maley Boots and Shoes. and Maley Bro. & Co., General Merchants. The 1904 Union Publishing Co. Farmers and Business Directory has W.L. Maley Boots & Shoes in both Kemptville and Smith’s Falls, so it appears that T.J. may have taken charge of brother William’s second store in Smith’s Falls while William remained in Kemptville.

2-It looks like the Maleys may not have been in the shoe business in Kemptville continuously through the late 19th century. The 1884 Ontario Gazetteer has W.L Maley Boots & Shoes in Brockville. In Kemptville, it has Thomas Maley as a loan agent, and George T. Maley with a general store. The 1888 edition had the same, with Wm. L. Maley, shoemaker, corner of King and Apple, Brockville. The 1898 Eastern Ontario Gazetteer still has W.L. Maley boots & shoes in Brockville, and the only other Maley business listed was G.T. Maley, banker, in Kemptville.

Mrs. Thomas Maley, mother of T.F. Maley, died in Smiths Falls July 25, 1912, at age 81. She was survived by her husband, son T.F. Maley, and a one daughter. It was written in her obituary that she (and her husband, I presume) had moved to join her son in Smith’s Falls about six years earlier. A social note for Kemptville in the Ottawa Citizen March 15, 1906 said “Mr. Thomas Maley was in Smith’s Falls Monday”, and another Kemptville note July 23, 1907 said “Mr. Thomas Maley of Smith’s Falls spent last week here with his son W.L. Maley.” That would be consistent with Thomas and his wife having from Kemptville to Smith’s Falls 1906-1907. From the Citizen, July 30, 1912:

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The Ottawa Citizen
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
12 Jan 1907, Sat  •  Page 3

3-OK, now I’ve got it. William L. Malley, who established the Smiths Falls store, was the son of shoemaker Thomas Maley, born ca. 1833. Thomas was two years younger than his wife Mary, who was born in Ireland. The 1881 census shows shoemaker Thomas and Mary in Brockville, with son William L., age 20, listed as a clerk. Also listed is daughter Martha, 18, and a son, 12, “Freddie T.” who must be “T.F. Maley.” I believe Brockville shoemaker Thomas Maley was the son of wealthy Kemptville merchant Thomas Maley, born about 1809 in Quebec (although I don’t have confirmation of that.) In the 1861 census he was listed (with wife Mary) as a shoemaker in Oxford Township, Grenville, and it looks like in 1851, young Thomas Maley was with the household of Oxford shoemaker William Dougal, listed as an apprentice. From the 1881 census, Brockville:

In other things Jaan found-In 1863, The Ottawa and Prescott Railway obtained an injunction against the Township of Oxford and several named shareholders to bar them from voting in shareholder meetings. Among them were four Maley, including a Thomas Maley.

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The Ottawa Citizen
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
23 Jul 1907, Tue  •  Page 11
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 - The Ottawa Journal
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
30 Jul 1912, Tue  •  Page 9
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The Gazette
Montreal, Quebec, Quebec, Canada
01 Dec 1930, Mon  •  Page 9

ADIN”S BOTTLES

Mary McNish — Joseph Coombs Druggist Smiths Falls

A. Huckels & Co. -The Story of a Bottle- Thanks to Jaan Kolk

Interesting People –R. E. Irvine — The Story of a Bottle

Blackhawk’s B & B Tonic Carleton Place — The Great Tonic Laxative

When I Say Whoa–I Mean Whoa–The Dairy Horse

Cold Milk Ice Cream and Butter —- Carleton Place

Red Letter Days of the Lanark Fair 1910

More History on the Murphy Morphy McEwen House — Karen Prytula

The World’s Fair- Lombardy Fair

The Marvellous Jaan Kolk

I’ve Got a Hex on You — Jaan Kolk and Linda Seccaspina –Historic Rabbit Hole Series

Was the Butter Tart Really Invented in Barrie, Ontario? Jaan Kolk Files

Particulars About Pure Spring Ginger Ale — Jaan Kolk and Linda Seccaspina Historic Rabbit Hole Series

Talking Through Your Hat? Jaan Kolk

So Where Was Caldwell Mills? Thanks Jaan Kolk

The Thrift Store Couple – More Information-Jaan Kolk

The House on the Hill — Up the 8th Line of Ramsay — Jaan Kolk Files

Britannia Boat House Doomed— April 1907 Ice Jam –Jaan Kolk Files

Sign, Sign, Everywhere a Sign–Dr. Winters 154-160 Bridge Street Carleton Place –Jaan Kolk Files

Please take the Devil Out of Me? Rev. James Wilson of Lanark

Did You Know we Once Had a Grand Hotel? The Grand Central Hotel

The Cholera Epidemic of 1911

The Ashton Hotel– Questions Questions Flemmings and McFarlanes

Benoit & Richardson Photo– a Mystery

Before there was Baker Bob’s There was The Almonte Bakery

Does Anyone Remember Cohen’s in Lanark Village?

A. Huckels & Co. -The Story of a Bottle- Thanks to Jaan Kolk

I’ve Got a Hex on You — Jaan Kolk and Linda Seccaspina –Historic Rabbit Hole Series

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I’ve Got a Hex on You — Jaan Kolk and Linda Seccaspina –Historic Rabbit Hole Series
The buildings, which are designed in a Gothic Revival style, officially opened on June 6, 1866, about a year before Canada’s Confederation. On February 3, 1916, a fire. … Confederation. On February 3, 1916, a fire destroyed all but the Library of Parliament. Reconstruction began later that year and was completed in 1927. When the Centre Block of the Parliament Buildings was rebuilt in 1916, teams of horses hauled six-ton loads of Nepean sandstone blocks from a quarry near Bells Corners. Each team could make the roughly 30-km. round trip just once a day. LIBRARY AND ARCHIVES CANADA / PA-130624

Linda Seccaspina

A few weeks ago I wrote about Mrs. Lowney who lived near Bishop’s Quarry who was recorded in the Ottawa Daily Citizen that her cows would not give milk because someone working in Bishop’s Quarry had the “evil eye”. It seemed to be the norm on those days as those that hailed from Ireland in the 1800s brought over their beliefs in hexes and the dreaded evil eye.

Catherine Lowney, a widow, who lived near Bishop’s Quarry, attributed fear of the “evil eye” on her property because her cows would not give milk, even though it was the height of the milking season. Of course one would think there was a very logical explanation of the absence of milk from Mrs. Lowney’s cows, or was there?

At that period (1860s) stone for the Parliament Buildings was being quarried near Mrs. Lowney’s house and many strangers were employed in Bishop’s Quarry in Nepean. So when gossip starts you know that maybe thirsty strangers from the quarry sneaking into her farm and milking her cows would be a valid excuse. Of course she failed to see anything but some bewitching Hocus Pocus taking root in the neighbourhood. Her belief held firm that a certain neighbor or quarry worker possessed the “evil eye’ and was getting back at her for some imagined wrong. We all know how that goes.

Of course my interest wheel piqued to HOT and I began to wonder where the former Bishop’s Quarry was. As I searched for information I came across Bruce Deachman’s article in the Ottawa Citizen. Q is for Quarry: Forgotten, overgrown quarry provided the building blocks of Ottawa

Since I could find nothing about Bishop’s Quarry I somehow knew after reading his article that this forgotten Campbell’s Quarry in Nepean was one and the same. Campbells quarry closed in 1962, when the National Capital Commission expropriated the land for the Greenbelt. Situated right beside Highway 417, just west of Moodie Drive, lie overgrown remains of the former Bishop’s/Campbell’s Quarry that supplied building material for the Parliament Buildings, the Dominion Observatory and the Canadian Museum of Nature.

(We love comments and input–this from Tim Cartwright)

(Tim Cartwright Campbell’s quarry is not the site directly beside the 417. It still exists within the property of Natural Resources off of Haanel Dr. This is why they objected to having it reopened in more recent times.

So, just to make sure I wasn’t going in the wrong direction and steer my readers into reading a fish tale I contacted my historian friend Jaan Kolk. Actually it’s more of a Facebook ‘pity” PM that begins with: “JJJJJJJJAAAAAAAAn, can you help me please”?

Jaan Kolk

Yes Linda, it must be Bishop’s quarry to which Bruce Deachman refers. Henry Bishop owned 200 acres of farm land with a stone quarry: Lot 6, Conc. II OF. The 1879 Belden Atlas shows his house and “white sand stone quarry” on the south side of Corkstown Road, about midway between Moodie Drive and Eagleson. The Canadian County Digital Atlas Project gives the year settled as 1821.

The 1965 aerial photo layer at GeoOttawa shows the bright scars of what looks like quarrying on both sides of Corkstown Road about 2 km west of Moodie (halfway between Moodie and Eagleson.) Zoomed in, one can see a road along the strip stretching south. Google maps shows traces of the same features, and shows the pathway identified as Greenbelt Pathway W. / Trans-Canada Trail. I believe the Citizen photo is of the area in the woods where the trail bends south away from the Queensway. That was Henry Bishop’s quarry in 1861; the quarries north of Corkstown would have been Keefer’s. Campbell began operations on that extended sandstone ridge in 1916, and shut down when it was bought out by the NCC about 1962. I can’t say exactly where they were operating then; there appears to have been a second roadway into that general area from Hazeldean Road

Henry Bishop’s was not the only stone quarry in the area, and may not have been the biggest supplier of stone for the Parliament Buildings. In “The City Beyond”, Bruce Elliott writes: “In the spring of 1861 nearly a hundred quarrymen and stonecutters were boarding in and about Bells Corners. Henry Bishop boarded about 30 of the quarrymen who were working at Keefer’s quarry on the Corkstown Road. He also ran a tavern, which he came to regret because of the insobriety of some of the workmen.

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The Ottawa Citizen
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
09 Jul 1960, Sat  •  Page 35

Nevertheless, his fine stone house was built with the profits. Maps show A. Keefer as part-owner of the lot on the north side of the Corkstown Road, directly across from Bishop’s. Elsewhere, Elliott notes that fine stone house (“Bishop’s Palace”) was built with stone from Bishop’s own quarry.

Here is an Apr. 30, 1966 Citizen note on the demolition of Bishop’s hotel for the Queensway -Jaan Kolk
Linda Seccaspina

Actually, it was recorded in the History of the Ottawa Valley that Mr. Henry, father of Mr. Bishop of Wellington Street had a fine place, Bishop’s Palace. Their sandstone quarries out which much of the ‘decoration’ of the parliament buildings of the city was produced was located between Courtney’s and Pollock’s.

The Irishmen like Henry Bishop’s family who founded Nepean’s Corkstown not long afterwards are believed to have started settling there as early as the 1840s. It became a substantial community, partly due to the flourishing quarry works established nearby that employed as many as 100 men at a time, and provided much of the fine Nepean sandstone used in the first Parliament Buildings.

These men had many hardships to deal with, and one of the first houses along the old Corkstown Road was soon turned into a tavern where the weary workers could raise their flagging spirits. Henry Bishop owned it, and his comfort station was known far and wide as the Bishop’s Palace.

The two-storey stone structure, built in 1861 was known before, the turn of the century as “Bishop’s Palace” when it served as an inn for travellers, area farmers and workers from nearby Nepean Sandstone Quarries.

In April of 1966 National Capital Commission awarded a contract to Alfred Beaulne Construction for the demolition of Bishop’s Palace on the south side of Corkstown Road. It had also served as a private residence from the early 1900s until 1938 when it was acquired by NCC. News of impending demolition was greeted with “regrets and resignation’ ‘by Nepean Township Historical Society.

In an odd note, maybe there was a hex of some sort in that area near the quarry. Today, Campbell’s/ Bishop’s Quarry now sits abandoned, and years ago it stopped being able to provide sandstone. According to Deachman’s article on the abandoned Campbell/ Bishop’s Quarry-” repairs to the generally neglected stonework of the Museum of Nature required many tons of replacement sandstone (approximately five per cent of the museum’s stone had to be replaced), architect Barry Padolsky and the Department of Public Works attempted to have the quarry re-opened. Their efforts ultimately failed, however, when Natural Resources Canada objected, noting that the heavy machinery needed for the quarry would throw off the calibration of the instruments at their research laboratory adjacent to the quarry.” (Q is for Quarry)

What was once a historical workplace for 100s of men now fades into the sandstone so to speak. So thanks to Jaan Kolk for his help– another historical area like the Pure Spring Ginger Ale water spring is documented for generations to come.

Pointing to the sandstone buildings around us, some of which had stood there for several hundreds of years, she commented on how old everything in Oxford looked. Can’t they afford anything new? she asked earnestly.”-In the Light of What We Know

CLIPPED FROM
The Ottawa Citizen
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
01 Dec 2018, Sat  •  Page A2
Henry Bishop

1880s- 
Legislature of the Province of Ontario

Descriptive Catalogue
of Ontario Minerals
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Henry Bishop–Ottawa Daily Citizen
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
05 Apr 1851, Sat  •  Page 2
Campbell's Quarry--Archie Campbell

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The Ottawa Journal
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
09 Jan 1932, Sat  •  Page 13
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The Ottawa Citizen
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
14 May 1960, Sat  •  Page 44
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The Ottawa Citizen
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
29 Jul 1949, Fri  •  Page 15
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The Ottawa Citizen
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
02 Sep 1959, Wed  •  Page 21

Q is for Quarry: Forgotten, overgrown quarry provided the building blocks of Ottawa

The Marvellous Jaan Kolk

Talking Through Your Hat? Jaan Kolk

So Where Was Caldwell Mills? Thanks Jaan Kolk

The Thrift Store Couple – More Information-Jaan Kolk

The House on the Hill — Up the 8th Line of Ramsay — Jaan Kolk Files

Britannia Boat House Doomed— April 1907 Ice Jam –Jaan Kolk Files

Sign, Sign, Everywhere a Sign–Dr. Winters 154-160 Bridge Street Carleton Place –Jaan Kolk Files

Please take the Devil Out of Me? Rev. James Wilson of Lanark

Did You Know we Once Had a Grand Hotel? The Grand Central Hotel

The Cholera Epidemic of 1911

The Ashton Hotel– Questions Questions Flemmings and McFarlanes

Benoit & Richardson Photo– a Mystery

Before there was Baker Bob’s There was The Almonte Bakery

Does Anyone Remember Cohen’s in Lanark Village?

Was the Butter Tart Really Invented in Barrie, Ontario? Jaan Kolk Files

Was the Butter Tart Really Invented in Barrie, Ontario? Jaan Kolk Files

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Was the Butter Tart Really Invented in Barrie, Ontario? Jaan Kolk Files

Jaan Kolk It’s difficult to believe butter tarts were invented in Barrie, Ont. in 1900. The claim is actually “first printed butter tart recipe”, based on Mrs. Malcolm MacLeod’s small submission to a cookbook published to raise funds for Barrie’s Royal Victoria Hospital.

977-08 Opening of the Royal Victoria Hospital, 1897, Copyright: Public Domain

None of the other recipes claim to be original, and it’s difficult to believe no one in the world ever made a simple tart filling consisting mostly of sugar and butter before. Here’s what was in the cookbook:

Jaan was right—–While butter tarts are known around the world as the quintessential Canadian dish, the invention of this confection actually goes back to before Canada was even a country. During a ten-year period, from 1663 to 1673, at least 770 young women were sent to Quebec by Louis XIV to help with colonization. These single ladies were sent with dowries to help boost settlement in New France, meaning they were going to marry, then cook, clean and procreate (the baby boom after this immigration was bigger than post-WWII). These King’s Daughters (or Filles du Roi) as they came to be known did what any resourceful baker would do: they made do with what they had. With the abundance of new food they created the butter tart forerunner with baking ingredients readily available like maple sugar and dried fruit. This ancestral tart later led to variations like tarte au sucre and the butter tart.

Jaan Kolk It would be quite a task to scour old cookbooks for a similar recipe, but it’s easy to search newspaper archives for the term “butter tart” (a term not even used in the Barrie cookbook.) Here’s what I found:

1889-1891, several US newspapers published “The Uncle from America” from a French work “The French Epoch.” Uncle Bruno had returned from America and was coming to see his family at his birthplace, near Dieppe. All were keen to impress the uncle. The description of the spread which had been prepared ended with “…and a butter-tart completed the bill of fare which made the children exclaim with delight.”

January 31, 1899, a “cheering, clean, and cheap” Montreal eatery advertised in the Gazette a 10-cent meal which could include butter tarts.

Jaan is right on this too. Throughout the early 1900s butter tarts gained popularity and variations were published in Toronto’s Daily News and included in the 1911 Canadian Farm Cook Book. Butter tarts became all the rage in the 1920s and 1930s, and by the 1980s readers were desperately writing The Vancouver Sun’s fictional baking expert, Edith Adams, for a copy of her recipe.

Chatelaine page from 1931
he Queen of Tarts from 1931. Photo, Chatelaine.

20171219_195335-01.jpeg


Jaan Kolk
 Linda, I had come across recipes for lemon butter and apple butter for tarts and pies from the 19th century, but considered them somewhat far from the filling in butter tarts. Pecan pie, I think, is closer.

Slice of Quebec sugar pie on a plate with whipped cream
Quebec Sugar Pie-https://www.ourhappymess.com/quebec-sugar-pie/

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The House on the Hill — Up the 8th Line of Ramsay — Jaan Kolk Files

Britannia Boat House Doomed— April 1907 Ice Jam –Jaan Kolk Files

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A. Huckels & Co. -The Story of a Bottle- Thanks to Jaan Kolk

A. Huckels & Co. -The Story of a Bottle- Thanks to Jaan Kolk

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A. Huckels & Co. -The Story of a Bottle-  Thanks to Jaan Kolk

Linda, I thank you for all your research into your local soda water bottlers.

You have a great future treasure in your town. Adin Daigle is a very keen collector of Carleton Place and area history. You also are lucky to have Scott Wallace. Please involve Adin in research projects and mentor him in research. One day this will pay off in preserving the local history for generations to come.

I have a challenge for you. I have two bottles from A. Huckels & Co. from Ottawa. I cannot find information them. He has a flag for a logo. No one has been able to tell me the significance of the flag. Perhaps you can unlock this secret?

I hope you join our hobby, it holds lots of history and we have some passionate collectors like Adin and Scott. You would be very welcomed.–Glen William Gordon–

Linda says: We are on this Glen– with my Ottawa historian friend Jaan Kolk

Photos of bottles by Glen William Gordon-

Jaan Kolk

Jaan Kolk—In 1901, A Huckels and Co. was at 326-328 Queen street, with about 8 employees. By 1909, Huckels and his company had moved to nearby 181-185 Lyon Street.


Jaan Kolk
 This is pure speculation, but given that the flagship ( 😉 ) product was “German Seltzer”, the flag in the trademark may have represented the National and merchant flag of the German Empire, 1871-1918, which was three stripes: black, white, red. From the 1901 city directory:

Image may contain: text that says '(A Huckels & Co), Huckels Alexander h 326 Queen HUCKELS A & co (Alexander Huck- els, Frederick Cirkel) ,Mineral and Aerated Waters and Bottlers, 326- 328 Queen, Telephone 1082'

Jaan Kolk—The company was established in Ottawa in 1894. Here is an ad from the Citizen, June 29, 1894

Image may contain: text

Jaan Kolk A note from the Citizen, Sept. 27, 1895 on the display at the Exhibition

No photo description available.
Image may contain: text

Jaan Kolk–In 1912, The A. Huckels operation was taken over to become the Ottawa branch of major beverage producer J.J. McLaughlin Ltd. (of Canada Dry Ginger Ale fame), retaining the same 1082 phone number. From the Citizen, Mar. 29, 1912

Jaan Kolk—I could not find much mention of Alexander himself in the papers, except for this incident you might find amusing, Linda: Alexander was assaulted by Johnny “Dixie” McDowall, “America’s oldest newsboy.” From the Citizen, Aug. 25, 1910

Image may contain: text

Linda says:

Linda Seccaspina

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Ottawa Daily Citizen
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
07 Jun 1894, Thu  •  Page 8
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Ottawa Daily Citizen
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
07 Aug 1894, Tue  •  Page 7

According to a research book the A. Huckels & Co. were one of Ottawa’s larger bottlers and operated from 1894-1911 and then seem to disappear. Their bottles were also smaller from the typical soda water bottle possibly 6 ounces or 7.5 ounces in size. The Huckel family was well known in the Ottawa area and when I get a chance I will write about Benjamin and the tragedies he went through.

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The Ottawa Journal
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
17 Jan 1900, Wed  •  Page 7

Alexander Huckels was of German descent and as Jaan Kolk said given that the flagship product was “German Seltzer”, the flag in the trademark may have represented the National and merchant flag of the German Empire. Mr. Davis was noted as one of the managers of the company.

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The Ottawa Journal
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
29 Aug 1895, Thu  •  Page 3

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The Ottawa Citizen
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
15 Dec 1898, Thu  •  Page 6

Huckel’s was once located at 326-328 Queen Street in Ottawa-328 Queen St. E. has been vacant for more than a decade. It was extensively damaged in a 2009 by a fire that was blamed on faulty wiring.

David Helwig

Not much is known about his private life but in May of 1907 he began building a lovely home on Slater Street for a mere $4000.

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eThe Ottawa Citizen
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
30 May 1907, Thu  •  Page 1
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The Ottawa Citizen
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
26 Jun 1906, Tue  •  Page 3
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The Ottawa Journal
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
11 Sep 1897, Sat  •  Page 2

Of course with everything there were discrepancies in the water.. just like today..:P Check out the article below.

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The Ottawa Journal
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
08 Mar 1911, Wed  •  Page 2
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The Ottawa Citizen
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
06 Nov 1909, Sat  •  Page 1
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The Ottawa Journal
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
03 Feb 1911, Fri  •  Page 4

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Ottawa Daily Citizen
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
10 Jun 1897, Thu  •  Page 8
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The Ottawa Citizen
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
13 Aug 1909, Fri  •  Page 4
Adin Wesley Daigle
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The Ottawa Journal
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
03 May 1899, Wed  •  Page 1

Interesting People –R. E. Irvine — The Story of a Bottle

Where Were the Miracle Salt Springs in Pakenham? I Love a Challenge!

Social Note Shenanigans from the Almonte Gazette June 1899

Mrs. James Lawrie and Her Ginger Beer

“One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer” in Lanark County

Mississippi Hotel Beer — Brading’s Beer

The Marvellous Jaan Kolk

Talking Through Your Hat? Jaan Kolk

So Where Was Caldwell Mills? Thanks Jaan Kolk

The Thrift Store Couple – More Information-Jaan Kolk

The House on the Hill — Up the 8th Line of Ramsay — Jaan Kolk Files

Britannia Boat House Doomed— April 1907 Ice Jam –Jaan Kolk Files

Sign, Sign, Everywhere a Sign–Dr. Winters 154-160 Bridge Street Carleton Place –Jaan Kolk Files

Please take the Devil Out of Me? Rev. James Wilson of Lanark

Did You Know we Once Had a Grand Hotel? The Grand Central Hotel

The Cholera Epidemic of 1911

The Ashton Hotel– Questions Questions Flemmings and McFarlanes

Benoit & Richardson Photo– a Mystery

Before there was Baker Bob’s There was The Almonte Bakery

Does Anyone Remember Cohen’s in Lanark Village?

Talking Through Your Hat? Jaan Kolk

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Talking Through Your Hat? Jaan Kolk

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Say Linda, you’re a hat lover. Do you know the origin of the expression “talking through your hat”? (Trick question – nobody does.) Jaan Kolk. 

Well Jaan, I know about ‘mad as a hatter’ and ‘hat trick’ but no idea on this one..:)

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May 1891 Chicago Tribune

There seems to be agreement that the expression originated in the US the late 19th century, but nobody knew quite where it came from even in 1890. The earliest I could find it in newspaper archives was a puzzling 1886 note in the New York Sun:
“The very latest remark about the young man who has coralled everything from beer to champagne the night before and gets around morose and silent is that ‘he is talking through his hat.’ It is said that this is quite as expressive as anything he could say.
Talking through his hat - origin - The Buffalo Enquirer
Buffalo, New York
23 Jul 1891, Thu  •  Page 5
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historicalnotes

 

Killrain and Sullivan talking through his hat -  

CLIPPED FROM

The Gazette
Montreal, Quebec, Quebec, Canada
08 Jan 1889, Tue  •  Page 8

 

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 and The Tales of Almonte

 

Jaan Kolk

So Where Was Caldwell Mills? Thanks Jaan Kolk

The Thrift Store Couple – More Information-Jaan Kolk

The House on the Hill — Up the 8th Line of Ramsay — Jaan Kolk Files

Britannia Boat House Doomed— April 1907 Ice Jam –Jaan Kolk Files

So Where Was Caldwell Mills? Thanks Jaan Kolk

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So Where Was Caldwell Mills? Thanks Jaan Kolk

 

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Linda; Pleasure talking with you. I am looking for the location of CALDWELL’S MILLS, FOR A VISIT, and any details on those mentioned below.

Private

CALDWELL, ALEXANDER
MAXWELL

Service Number 447289

Died 24/11/1916

Aged 23

50th Bn.
Canadian Infantry

Son of James and Ellen Caldwell, of
Caldwell’s Mills, Ontario.
I also found 3031581 Robert Austin Closs killed 1918 also from Caldwell’s Mills–. We have all sorts of letters, death plaque, and original wooden cross(still wrapped in burlap) belonging to him.

thanks
Norm Christie
Read all about Norm Christie here

 

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The Ottawa Citizen
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
11 Dec 1917, Tue  •  Page 3

 

 

I asked my favourite historian Jaan Kolk and here is what he found:

 

Hi Linda,

According to various directories I have – Ontario Gazetteers 1884 and
1888, and Eastern Ontario Gazetteer 1898 – Caldwell’s Mills was the
official (Post Office) name of the community also known as Clyde Forks.
The post office “move” you found was perhaps just a renaming.

Is it just the post office you are looking for, or other info? It looks
like the Calwell’s were at several location in Lavant Township.

Clip from the 1881 Gazetteer attached

Jaan Kolk

Capture (1).jpg

 

 

historicalnotes

Ninety-eight years later, historian finds ‘missing’ soldiers from the Battle of Vimy Ridge

For close to a century, the remains of more than 40 Canadian soldiers have lain forgotten in what is a potato field in northern France

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CLIPPED FROM

The Ottawa Citizen
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
14 Mar 1924, Fri  •  Page 3

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 and The Tales of Almonte

Caldwell’s Roller Mills and Sawmill Burnt to the Ground –$30,000 Damage

A Postcard to Caldwell’s Mills

 

The Thrift Store Couple – More Information-Jaan Kolk

The House on the Hill — Up the 8th Line of Ramsay — Jaan Kolk Files

Britannia Boat House Doomed— April 1907 Ice Jam –Jaan Kolk Files

Drugs of the 1950s from Mac William’s Shelves– Iodine, Liniment and Camphor Oil

The Savoy Medicinal Truffle at Pattie’s Drugstore

Who was the “Drugstore Woman” in Asselstine’s Rexall?

I Will Take Some Opium to Go Please —The “Drug Dispensary” at the Chatterton House Hotel

What the Heck was Electric Soap? Chatterton House Hotel Registrar

The House on the Hill — Up the 8th Line of Ramsay — Jaan Kolk Files

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The House on the Hill — Up the 8th Line of  Ramsay — Jaan Kolk Files

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It began with a question to the Lanark County Genealogical Society— Chris Michie asked: “Is there any information on the old house in the bush at the corner of Camelon road and Ramsey concession #8??”

James Scott was listed as a carriage and buggy manufacturer– was this his home at the bottom of the hill? Some people call this the tannery.

Dawn Jones– The Clappertons resided in this house in the 70’s. Ian was his name. His first wife was a teacher of home economics at Naismith. I was sure that he and second wife still lived there. I always thought the Tannery was the school house as that is what we called it. The school house is owned by the MacPherson family

 

Jaan Kolk That is, I think, in the NW corner of Ramsay Conc. VIII, lot 16. The 1879 Belden Atlas marks a carriage shop at about that location. James Scott, listed as a carriage manufacturer, owned lot 16 in concession VII across the road. Here is crop from the Atlas. 

I presume The Tannery references the tannery marked in the 1879 Belden atlas. As James Scott was listed as a carriage and buggy manufacturer, it would have made sense for him to have a tannery as well.

30653307_10155702234801886_6111382336404717568_n

30715266_10155702234976886_9133007385235816448_n.jpg

Ottawa historian Jaan Kolk tried to help, and our local historical gal Jennifer E. Ferris contributed greatly to try and find out who owned the former home.

30653044_10155702234956886_6547453436869214208_n

I felt like I was standing back in time as I walked up the hill accentuated with fences from a time gone by.

30688407_10155702234806886_3134745446501580800_n.jpg

The house was not hard to spot, but had the trees been in full foliage. A clear view might have been difficult.

No automatic alt text available.Jennifer E Ferris—1863 map Ramsay twp. Possibly R. Yule with a wee line drawn to the lower box. There is a Robert Yuill on land record at that time on 3/4 of an acre.

30656721_10155702234826886_3546554401265025024_n.jpg

It was a house that appeared to have long been empty. The house seemed to be standing on memory alone.

30708503_10155702234836886_2032428938793320448_n.jpg

Imperfection is still beautiful, and all I wanted to do is paint sunlight on the side of the door.

Jennifer E Ferris I remember someone living there when I was younger. They had a dog that would bark when you went by on a bike. It looked run down then.

So what can you tell us about this home?

 
Brian Munro The last resident’s grandson lives in house behind it
 

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When you turn off the main road you have to expect things you would not see every day. These signs were a few feet down the road

Deb Knapton I believe that belonged (belongs) to Barr’s who built the bungalow across the road and whose family built the split level on the same property just ahead up Camelon. I think there used to be a sign on the property placed by the historical society. There were several right at that corner (Leckie’s Corners), pretty sure they have all disappeared.

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Photo Jennifer E Ferris-1863 map Ramsay twp

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Jo Camelon There was a Camelon family cemetery near there I think.

Thanks to Jaan Kolk and Jennifer E. Ferris for helping out!

historicalnotes

Ramsay Township Settler list click here

 

 - On Monday morning Mr. William Berksr. of the...

Clipped from

  1. The Ottawa Journal,
  2. 26 Nov 1886, Fri,
  3. Page 4

 - ; "'.rAMES GLEESON.1". ' ALMONTE, Dec 4...

Clipped from

  1. The Ottawa Journal,
  2. 05 Dec 1942, Sat,
  3. Page 18

 - PATRICK C. GLEESON. ALMONTE, Feb. 15. (Special)...

Clipped from

  1. The Ottawa Journal,
  2. 16 Feb 1946, Sat,
  3. Page 23
  4.  - Fire Razes Log Home Of Ramsay Farmer ALMONTE,...

Clipped from

  1. The Ottawa Journal,
  2. 07 Apr 1958, Mon,
  3. Page 27

 - al-' The funeral of the late Mrs. Steen...

Clipped from

  1. The Ottawa Journal,
  2. 13 Feb 1899, Mon,
  3. Page 2

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.

Information where you can buy all Linda Seccaspina’s books-You can also read Linda in The Townships Sun andScreamin’ Mamas (USA)

relatedreading

Britannia Boat House Doomed— April 1907 Ice Jam –Jaan Kolk Files

 
Leckie’s corners– thanks to Ramsay” Women’s Institute

Sign, Sign, Everywhere a Sign–Dr. Winters 154-160 Bridge Street Carleton Place –Jaan Kolk Files

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Sign, Sign, Everywhere a Sign–Dr. Winters 154-160 Bridge Street Carleton Place –Jaan Kolk Files

 

23244150_10155664155480516_7105743335803776673_n.jpg

From Andy Graham–‎Lost Ottawa
 

This painted window screen has been in my family forever, likely found by my dad or one of his brothers or one of their “questionable friends”.  I’ve always been curious to know when and where (likely in the Glebe somewhere?) Dr. Winters had his/her practice. (edited by Linda to keep Dad’s legacy intact LOL–well done though Andy)

 
Well our amazing historian Jaan Kolk took up the challenge once again and posted this. The funny thing is I posted the same clipping last week, but in reality it was just another newspaper clipping until Jaan dug more information and now it is
brought to life.
 
 

 

Jaan Kolk added this.

I believe these two men were from Carleton Place originally. In 1898, dentist W.R. Winters is mentioned in the Carleton Place column of the Ottawa Journal (mostly for his hunting trips.) *Henry Winters is also mentioned in the same year as coming home from and returning to dentistry school in Toronto . Since the the sign does not identify which Dr. Winters, I suspect it was from W.R. William’s office in Carleton Place, when he was the only one. It may have been kept by W.R. as a memento when he moved to Ottawa. Here’s one for you, Linda Seccaspina!

Here’s a clip from the Carleton Place column of the Ottawa Journal Oct. 7, 1898. Apparently, false reports of the deaths of prominent people did not begin with internet social media!

 

 

Ottawa Journal Oct. 7, 1898

historicalnotes

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154-160 Bridge Street Carleton Place Circa 1885- Sumner Block

Valiquette’s hair dressing was in this building and later Dr. J.A. McEwen had his office
here. Max Movshovitz’s dry goods store was located in what was known as the
Sumner Building. Morbic Sumner operated a dry goods store also. The Sumner Building at 154-160 Bridge Street is on Lot 25, which is one of the larger lots on Bridge Street. In the 1960’s a large fire occurred and a parking lot took over where some of the businesses had been. So it is unclear based on land deeds if some of the businesses were located in the Sumner Building or at what is now the parking lot. Dr.  William Reuben Winters was a dentist here and lived on High Street. His practice was taken over by Dr. Smith an MD. Two Stanzel sisters operated a millinery store here also.

Marriage 1896

6947-96 (Lanark Co) William Reuben WINTERS, 27, dentist, Pontiac, Carleton Place, s/o Hector & Anna WINTERS married Ellen ELLIOTT, 21, Brockville, Carleton Place, d/o Johnston B & Abigail ELLIOTT, witn: John DAVISON of Carleton Place & Carrie WINTERS of Pembroke, 31 Dec 1896, Carleton Place

 

Clipped from The Ottawa Journal,  22 Jan 1904, Fri,  Page 3

 

I assume that Henry is the brother of William

Clipped from The Ottawa Journal,  07 Oct 1899, Sat,  Page 6

 

 

William R. had the older practice. . I see no mention of family for W.R. in Journal archives. Henry had a daughter Beatrice, mentioned in the Carleton Place column Sept. 12, 1898. May 16, 1917 the Journal reported Dr. Henry Winters’ daughter Beatrice had graduated for U of T, and another note in 1919 had Beatrice Winters on the committee for an Ottawa Collegiate reunion dance–Jaan Kolk

 

Clipped from The Ottawa Journal,  13 Aug 1901, Tue,  Page 2

 

 

Clipped from The Ottawa Journal,  14 Oct 1899, Sat,  Page 6

 

Clipped from The Ottawa Journal,  07 Oct 1899, Sat,  Page 6

 

William Winters
Canada Census, 1901
Name William Winters
Event Type Census
Event Date 31 Mar 1901
Event Place Lanark (south/sud), Ontario, Canada
Gender Male
Age 31
Marital Status Married
Nationality Canadian
Ethnicity English
Religion Methodist
Relationship to Head of Household (Original) Head
Birth Year (Estimated) 1870
Birthplace Ontario—

 

 

 

relatedreading

He Hailed from Carleton Place– Harold Box– The Forgotten Scientist?

Jaan Kolk Files—–

Please take the Devil Out of Me? Rev. James Wilson of Lanark

Did You Know we Once Had a Grand Hotel? The Grand Central Hotel

The Cholera Epidemic of 1911

The Ashton Hotel– Questions Questions Flemmings and McFarlanes

Benoit & Richardson Photo– a Mystery

Before there was Baker Bob’s There was The Almonte Bakery

Does Anyone Remember Cohen’s in Lanark Village?

The Children of Ross Dhu –Evacuation to Canada

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CLIPPED FROM
The Lanark Era
Lanark, Ontario, Canada
30 Apr 1902, Wed  •  Page 5

Please take the Devil Out of Me? Rev. James Wilson of Lanark

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Please take the Devil Out of Me? Rev. James Wilson of Lanark

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Photo Lost Ottawa Photo Lost Ottawa–Image source: Library & Archives Canada

Abbie Gourgon on Lost Ottawa–This is rather a long shot, but I was hoping someone on here might recognize the house in this photograph from circa. 1910. The photographer was James Christopher Donaldson, whose studio was on Sparks Street

Jaan Kolk– (Linda’s historical lifesaver 🙂 A search for “Donaldson Studio” at LAC turns up only one hit:

“Unidentified house on mount stamped with ‘Donaldson Studio, 202 1/2 Sparks Street, Ottawa, Ontario.’ “

So, the question Jaan asked which I found quite amusing was: It is identified as part of the collection of Rev. James Wilson of Lanark. One wonders if the “Devil’s Lake” pennant on the building (look closely) wasn’t a bit of ironic humour for the good Presbyterian minister.

Author’s Note: Knowing the once piousness of Lanark County I doubt it, but sometimes one would like to think humour might be afoot.

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1960 collector’s plate for St. Andrew’s United Church, Lanark–Kijiji-

historicalnotes

Perth Courier, July 10, 1896

St. Andrew’s Church, Lanark, Historical Sketch by Rev.D. M. Buchanan, B.A.

1821-1986

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Photo- Archives Canada thanks to Jaan Kolk

The village of Lanark is situated on the River Clyde and is near the center of the county of Lanark.  The name “Lanark” and “Clyde” betray the origins of the early settlers who came chiefly from Lanarkshire and Renfrewshire, Scotland, many of them were Paisley weavers.  The first to settle in this vicinity was a ship load of immigrants from Scotland, who arrived near the present site of this village in the latter part of the summer of 1820 and who spent the first winter in the land of their adoption encamped on the hill near where the Episcopal Church now stands.  Though assisted by the government to make a start in this new land—then a wild forest—they nevertheless had to endure indescribable hardships and troubles.

In October, 1831 the contracts for building a manse were issued.  Messrs. Drysdale and Hay contracted for the mason work for 57 pounds.  The stone house now known as the old manse, was completed the following summer and continued to be used as the manse upwards of 62 years when it was sold to Rev. Mr. Wilson on his retirement.

On May 6, 1862, Rev. James Wilson, M.A., began his ministry and was regularly inducted to the pastorate on June 11, 1862.  The induction service was held in the Town Hall, the new church not being yet completed.  Mr. Wilson was for three years a missionary under the Colonial Committee in Nova Scotia and having returned to Scotland was minister of Maxwelton Church, Dumfries for a short time.  He came then to Canada and officiated for a short time on St. Joseph Street, Montreal.  The elders of the congregation at the time of Mr. Wilson’s induction were Messrs. Robert Mason, Alexander Stewart, Robert James and Peter McLaren (teacher) and the membership of the church numbered 106.  The congregation had been for some time wading in deep water and the finances were in a very unsatisfactory state the congregation being then deeply involved in debt.  The collection per Sabbath amounted to only sixty cents.  However, under the new minister the work revived and the people received fresh inspiration and entered upon the work with renewed energy and zeal.  The new church being completed a few months after Mr. Wilson’s induction, was opened on Sabbath, August 10, 1862.  The Rev. Mr. Wilson preached the first sermon at the opening of the church from Ezra vi:14 “and they builded and finished it according to the commandment of the God of Israel”.

On December 20 of the same year, Messrs. James McIlquham and John Brown were ordained as elders.  It can therefore be seen that Mr. McIlquham is the oldest elder in the congregation and is the only member of the session as it was constituted in the first year of Rev. Wilson’s pastorate that is now with us.  He is now in the 34th year of active service in the session.  Other ordinations to the eldership during Mr. Wilson’s time are as follows:  on September 20, 1868, Charles McIlraith and Robert Fleming were ordained and John Nicol was admitted to the session having acted as elder before coming within the bounds of the congregation.  On June 24, 1876, Robert James, Jr., George Blair and Andrew Blair were ordained.  Of these, Charles McIlraith and George Blair are still members of the session but all the others have gone to meet their eternal reward with the exception of John Brown who removed several years ago to the U.S. and Andrew Baird who is now serving as elder in Middleville.

The introduction of the organ to aid in the service of praise was a matter that agitated the congregation during the first decade of Mr. Wilson’s pastorate to some extent.  Some were in favor of its introduction whilst others had conscientious scruples against what has often under such circumstances been termed as a mark of reproach “the kist o’ whistles”.  But to the credit of the congregation—the organ was introduced in the latter part of 1872 with almost the unanimous consent of the congregation and has ever since been used as a means to aid the singing.

At the close of the year 1892 after a long pastorate of over 30 years, the Rev. Mr. Wilson feeling the infirmities of age, retired from the active duties of the ministry, the congregation granting him the use of the manse for life, which arrangement  was afterwards changed to selling to Mr. Wilson the manse property for $450.  Under Mr. Wilson’s pastorate the congregation made considerable progress.  Having found it in unfavorable financial circumstances he left it in good financial standing.  The weekly collection had risen from sixty cents to about four dollars and the membership had increased to 128.  The attendance at the Sabbath School was about 60.

In so long a pastorate, the congregation passed through many experiences and the pastor had his days of discouragement as well as sunshine.  Probably the most trying period of Mr. Wilson’s pastorate were to have on more than one occasion has work interrupted by the introduction into the community of self elected and self named evangelists who would be better described as fire brands destroying the peace and retarding the progress of the Church of Christ.  In the midst of such scenes and against the opprobrium of those who were carried off their feet with the wave of popular excitement, Mr. Wilson remained true to his sacred trust and maintained the doctrine of the Word of God at all hazards.  To Mr. Wilson’s steadfastness to the doctrine of Presbyterianism, yea to the truths of the Gospel and to those staunch and stalwart Christians who stood by him in the face of all such waves of excitement must in a large measure be attributed the solid foundation of Presbyterianism in Lanark today.  Mr. Wilson is still with us and it is the prayer of his many friends that he may be long spared to enjoy his well earned rest and to spend the evening of his life among us.

After Mr. Wilson’s resignation, the pastorate was vacant for over six months during which time candidates were being heard.  At a meeting of the congregation on the 4th of June, 1893, Rev. D.M. Buchanan, B.A., was called and at that meeting it was also agreed to sell the old manse property and proceed to build a new one.  Mr. Buchanan having agreed to accept the call, was inducted by the Presbytery of Lanark and Renfrew in the church on July 20.  The elders at the time of his induction were Messrs. McIlquham, Blair, Charles McIlraith and Robert James who died a few months afterwards.  Nearly three years have elapsed under the present pastorate during which time the congregation has made rapid progress but the history and details of these years must be left to be written by another pen.  Permit us, however, to give a few of the leading particulars and the present numerical strength of the congregations.  The new manse which cost about $1,825 was completed and the minister’s family began to occupy it in December, 1893.  During the following summer, commodious sheds for the horses costing in all about $325 were built.  Additions were made to the session as follows:  on January 7, 1894 Peter Duncan was ordained as elder and on September 23 of the same year Messrs. John Smith, John Manahan and Stewart McIlraith were ordained.

lanark-county-social

Perth Courier, December 5, 1879

Graham-James—Married, on the 19th (?) Nov., at the residence of the bride’s father, by Rev. James Wilson, Lanark, Mr. William H. Graham, Cumberland, Ontario, to Miss Ellen James, daughter of Mr. Robert James, Esq., Lanark.

Campbell-Shanks—Married, on the 17th Nov., at the residence of the bridegroom’s father, Dalhousie, by Rev. James Wilson, Lanark, Mr. John A. Campbell to Miss Catherine Shanks, daughter of Mr. Samuel Shanks, Esq.

Perth Courier, Jan. 2, 1880

McCurdy-Crawford—Married, on the 17th Dec., at the Manse, Lanark, by Rev. James Wilson, Mr. John McCurdy to Miss Agnes Crawford, youngest daughter of Mr. Robert Crawford, Esq., Drummond.

McDougall-Johnson—Married, on the (date illegible) December, at the Clyde (?) Hotel, Lanark, by Rev. James Wilson, Mr. Charles McDougall to Miss Sarah Ann Johnson, daughter of Mr. Arthur Johnson, Esq., of the same place.
Perth Courier, Feb. 13, 1880

Stead-Lee—Married, at the Clyde Hotel, Lanark, on the 29th Jan., by Rev. James Wilson, Mr. William Stead to Miss Catharine Jane Lee, daughter of the late Mr. Peter Lee, Esq., and granddaughter of Mr. John Donald, Esq., all of Dalhousie.

McDonald-Purdon—Married, at the Clyde Hotel at Lanark on the 7th Feb. by Rev. James Wilson, Mr. Alexander McDonald to Miss Jennie Purdon, daughter of Mr. William Purdon, Esq., Dalhousie.

Perth Courier, July 9, 1880
McFarlane-Dobbie—Married, at the Clyde Hotel, Lanark, on the 23rd June, by Rev. James Wilson, Mr. James McFarlane of Drummond to Miss Charlotte E. Dobbie, eldest daughter of Mr. Thomas Dobbie of Lanark.

download (4).png

Terry Anderson from  Lost Ottawa As soon as I zoomed in on that house I thought “cottage.” I think the pendant on the front porch says Devils Lake. There is a Devil Lake about half-way between Smith’s Falls and Kingston – south west of SF, almost due north of Kingston. The front porch has a hammock, rocking chairs, and everyone looks pretty relaxed. Might this be some family’s summer place at the lake?

Author’s Note–  Terry Anderson –AGREED–I am wondering if the Devil’s Lake marked on the pennant is not a cottage at Devil’s Lake 10 minutes out of Westport? In looking at the residential buildings in that area it seems there are a lot of older homes that make up the area.

Jaan Kolk- The lake near Westport seems to have been consistently called “Devil Lake” while the pennant appears to say “Devil’s Lake” (with a very prominent apostrophe.) Given that the photo was in the family collection of Presbyterian minister Rev. James Wilson, it seems quite plausible that the devilish pennant was placed on the summer home as a wry joke – so it may be a red herring as a clue to the location.

So What do you think?

Red Herring? Joke? Or Name of Lake?

The Old StoreThis beautiful, fully winterized 3 bedroom cottage / home on Devil Lake is full of history. It is the original corner store & post office in the quaint settlement of Bedford Mills–

Jaan Kolk- This is a bit of a long shot, but the house looks somewhat like the old manse at Lanark – perhaps at a different time. Does anyone have other pictures of the old Presbyterian Manse at Lanark (built 1832)?

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

relatedreading

Did You Know They Moved St. Paul’s Cemetery?

The Jaan Kolk Files

Did You Know we Once Had a Grand Hotel? The Grand Central Hotel

The Cholera Epidemic of 1911

The Ashton Hotel– Questions Questions Flemmings and McFarlanes

Benoit & Richardson Photo– a Mystery

Before there was Baker Bob’s There was The Almonte Bakery

Does Anyone Remember Cohen’s in Lanark Village?

The Children of Ross Dhu –Evacuation to Canada

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Friday October the 13th– 6:30.. meet in front of the old Leland Hotel on Bridge Street (Scott Reid’s office) and enjoy a one hour Bridge Street walk with stories of murder mayhem and Believe it or Not!!. Some tales might not be appropriate for young ears. FREE!–

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Here we go Carleton Place– Mark Your Calendars–
Friday October the 13th– 6:30.. meet in front of the old Leland Hotel on Bridge Street (Scott Reid’s office) and enjoy a one hour Bridge Street walk with stories of murder mayhem and Believe it or Not!!. Some tales might not be appropriate for young ears. FREE!–

Join us and learn about the history under your feet! This year’s St. James Cemetery Walk will take place Thursday October 19th and october 21– Museum Curator Jennfer Irwin will lead you through the gravestones and introduce you to some of our most memorable lost souls!
Be ready for a few surprises along the way….
This walk takes place in the dark on uneven ground. Please wear proper footwear and bring a small flashlight if you like.
Tickets available at the Museum, 267 Edmund Street. Two dates!!!
https://www.facebook.com/events/1211329495678960/

OCT 28th
Downtown Carleton Place Halloween Trick or Treat Day–https://www.facebook.com/events/489742168060479/

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