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William Aitken
BIRTH
12 Dec 1857Rosetta, Lanark County, Ontario, Canada
DEATH
16 Jun 1940 (aged 82)Lanark County, Ontario, Canada
BURIAL
Auld Kirk Cemetery
Mississippi Mills, Lanark County, Ontario, Canada

1940, Thursday June 20, The Almonte Gazette page 4
Mr William Aitken

Mr William Aitken, for many years a resident of Almonte, passed away Sunday afternoon, June 16th, at the home of his daughter, Mrs D.J. Thompson, Lanark Township. His parents were William Aitken and Isabella Turnbull, pioneers of the district. He was born at Rosetta, in 1857 and received his education at Rosetta School House. During his lifetime he attended four successive churches on the one site. At an early age he entered public life, taking much interest in church, school and municipal affairs, acting first as councillor in the township and later as reeve. He also was clerk of the Grange, which was held at home of Mr George McFarlane at Rosetta, in the ’80’s. He was married in 1878 to Alice Knapton of Rosetta, a daughter of Silas Knapton and Mary Harrington who died in 1904. There was a family of nine, William of Regina, Sask.; Edwin, who was killed in action at Vimy Ridge in 1917; Jack of South Porcupine, Ont.; Mary, Mrs D.J. Thompson of Lanark Township, Isabel, Mrs A.M. Ranney of Oxnard, Cal; Alice, Mrs F.E. Ranney, deceased; Agnes and Estella who died in infancy and Ella of Santa Monica, Cal. In 1905 he sold his farm at Rosetta and moved to Regina, Sask. where the family resided for four years, when he married Miss Agnes Dick of Almonte, and returned to Almonte shortly after. She predeceased him in 1927. In Almonte he also took a keen interest in church and municipal affairs, being treasurer of the Bible Society Branch, also clerk of the session of Bethany Church. He also served on Almonte Council as councillor and as reeve. Shortly after the death of his wife in 1927, he took up residence at his daughter’s home in Lanark Township with the exception of some winters spent in Almonte. He left 22 grandchildren and 20 great grandchildren. The funeral was held Tuesday afternoon from the home of his daughter Mrs D.J. Thompson, to Rosetta Church, where service was conducted by the Rev Stanley Smith of Middleville. Many friends and neighbours were present. The pallbearers were six grandsons, Harvey, Edwin, Russell, Malcolm, John and Billie Thompson. Interment was in the Auld Kirk Cemetery at Almonte.
Contributor: Gary J Byron (49329383)

Agnes Jane Dick
BIRTH
Aug 1864Almonte, Lanark County, Ontario, Canada
DEATH
1 Jun 1927 (aged 62)Almonte, Lanark County, Ontario, Canada
BURIAL
Auld Kirk Cemetery
Mississippi Mills, Lanark County, Ontario, Canada

1927, Friday June 3, The Almonte Gazette front page
Mrs William Aitken
There passed away shortly after midnight on Wednesday morning, Agnes J. Dick, wife of Mr William Aitken, ex-reeve, of Lanark Township and ex-reeve of Almonte. She was 63 years of age, and had been ill all winter on an internal malady. She was the second daughter of the late John Dick and his wife Mary Young, children of Scots pioneer folk. who had farmed at Rosetta and came to Almonte about 70 years ago. When the late Mr Dick carried on the business of carriage building and enjoyed a wide reputation. Mrs Aitken was born in Almonte in the house on Main street on the banks of Mississippi in which she died and in which she had lived practically all her life. She was married in 1908 to Mr Aitken who at that time was living in Regina. The marriage took place at Winnipeg. next year they came to Almonte to reside. She was a member of St John Presbyterian Church, which later united with St Andrew’s and became known as the Almonte Presbyterian Church. When that congregation entered the United Church she remained with it and was a prominent worker for union. Mrs Aitken will long be remembered for her charitable and Christian labours. She gave generously of her means to the needy and to the helpless and the distressed she was an angel of mercy. her whole life was a long endeavour to do good and her passing will be sincerely mourned in many homes. Her actively in church work was great and the Women’s Missionary Society was her particular interest. She was one of the society’s mainstays in Almonte and for many years one of its officers. her home was a great gathering place and her charming personality gained for her a very wide circle of friends. She endeared herself in particular to the members of her husband’s motherless family, and all of them, except Mrs Ranney who was unable to come, were here to see her before she passed away. They are: Mary, Mrs D.J. Thompson, Lanark Twp; Belle, Mrs A.M. Ranney, California; William H. Aitken, Santa Monica, Calif; and John Aitken, South Porcupine, Ont. She also leaves one sister and two brothers: Mrs Mary Arnott, of Port Arthur, Ont; James and David Dick, of Almonte. One brother John died in childhood. The funeral which was largely attended, was held this Thursday afternoon from her late residence to the Auld Kirk Cemetery. The service was conducted by Rev J.R. MacCrimmon. The pallbearers were Messrs James Dick, D.J. Dick, John Aitken, James Dick, Jr., John Neilson and Donald McLean.
Contributor: Gary J Byron (49329383)

Hamilton & Aitken Photos by Nancy McKenzie Dupuis

Almonte Hunting Parties — November 1941– Names Names and more Names

Greville Toshack poses with his hunting dog and rifle.
1900
Almonte Mill of Kintail Conservation Area Lanark, Ontario Photo

November 1941- Almonte Gazette

The old saying about distant fields looking green certainly applies to deer hunting this year. While more hunters than usual are roaming the wild country around the Black Donald and Matawatchan, and the northern parts of Lanark and Frontenac Counties deer have walked right into town as if they knew all the crack shots were far away.

The other day a deer swam across the river landing just above the fairgrounds. This may have been the same buck that appeared on Tuesday in the Spring Bush, now a part of Gemmill Park. The animal was spied on by the Separate School pupils and as it was nearly time for the junior room to be let out the class was dismissed. Another deer swam the river and landed at John Grace’s farm on highway 29.

Other similar instances are being reported from many points and it is hard to keep track of them all or to verify the stories. W. A, Jamieson, E. C. Gourlay, Jas. McDonald and Louis Peterson are hunting up at White Lake. Reports have reached civilization that Mr. Gourlay got a deer. Another buck or has it that the party bagged a large bear. Whether it is a polar bear, a grizzly bear or a common brown bear has not been learned nor is it clear which one of the Nimrods shot it although some give credit to Mr. Jamieson.

read-WHO’S AFRAID OF BIG BAD BEARS? Louis Peterson and Harvey Scott

On the other hand Mr. Peterson has long been considered an authority on bears since one night, long ago, when he and a friend hid all night in his car at the Black Donald while a bear sniffed around near them. Robt. Cochran shot a deer right near his home in the woods on R. A. Stewart’s farm. In this party were Wilbert McKay, Jim McKay, Harvey Boal, Russell Cochran and Archie Lockhart. This was on Monday.

Mayor Scott has been hunting in the Burnt Lands with the Meehan boys, Jack Command and Jack Kennedy. The first day Messrs. Command and Kennedy each got a deer. Hunting at White Lake also included Bob Leishman, Andrew and Robt. McPhail, Mel Royce, Oral Arthur and Mike Walsh. This party got two deer—one on Tuesday and another on Wednesday.

Among those from this district who are deer hunting are the following: Wm. and Mac Davis, Eddie Moone, Bob Cochran, E. C. Gourlay, Walter Moore, Carmen Munroe, Ronald Gunn, W. J. Drynan, Harry McGee, Clayton, W illard Smithson, Charles McKay, Clayton, Cyril Pierce, Herb and Elmer Rath, Clayton, James M. Brown, Gervaiss Finner, Eddie Manary, A. J. McGregor, W. A. Jamieson and Bill, Felix Finner, Michael Walsh, Jerry Price, John Gourlay, John H. Munroe, Russell Cochran, W. G. Yuill, Gordon Hanna, Andy McPhail, Wilfred Meehan, Corkery, Harvey Boal, John Command, Allan Carswell, Wilbert McEwen, Desmond Vaughan.Among those from this district who are deer hunting are the following: Wm. and Mac Davis, Eddie Moone, Bob Cochran, E. C. Gourlay, Walter Moore, Carmen Munroe, Ronald Gunn, W. J. Drynan, Harry McGee, Clayton, W illard Smithson, Charles McKay, Clayton, Cyril Pierce, Herb and Elmer Rath, Clayton, James M. Brown, Gervaiss Finner, Eddie Manary, A. J. McGregor, W. A. Jamieson and Bill, Felix Finner, Michael Walsh, Jerry Price, John Gourlay, John H. Munroe, Russell Cochran, W. G. Yuill, Gordon Hanna, Andy McPhail, Wilfred Meehan, Corkery, Harvey Boal, John Command, Allan Carswell, Wilbert McEwen, Desmond Vaughan.