Frozen Pipes on the Range

Almonte January 1926

Mrs.P. J. Campbell met with an accident last Monday morning which might easily have ended much more seriously than it did. In fact she had a narrow escape of losing her life. Mrs. Campbell had just gone into the kitchen of her home. early on Monday morning, and was about ‘her household duties’ when suddenly the cooking range exploded with a loud report. Mrs. Campfoell was thrown through the open doorway from t/he kitchen into the -dining-room, and rendered unconscious.

One of the iconic images of the 1920s kitchen is the special gas cabinet range, with its distinctive barrel-door warming oven on top. Designed for constant use by large families or boarding houses, these ranges combined three or more broiling and baking ovens with multiple burners. 

 

When she recovered consciousness she found herself lying on her back -and just beside her a large piece of the stove. It seems that one of the water pipes from the stove had became frozen, and as the steam developed it could not escape and an explosion occurred. The stove was smashed into small pieces and much damage was done both in the kitchen and in the dining room. The crockery and other articles being broken and one of the pieces of the stove hit the ceiling and damaged it also. 

The word is is that Mrs. Campbell was not hit by the flying metal, and although she was badly shaken and bruised she suffered no serious injury. Mr. Campbell was in another part of the house at the time of the explosion.

1934 Almonte gazette

In other news of January 1926

Miss Welhelmine Reid, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John R. Reid of Ramsay, won fifith prize at the- ‘Ottawa Winter Fair’ last week for milking. She was first for the county of Lanark. Her prize was $6. The competition was open to girls under 16 years of age. Miss Reid had very poor luck. The cow she drew the ballot for was a young and nervous animal which could not be induced to stand still. This lost her a good deal of time.

DetailSource

Name:	Wilhelmine Reid
Gender:	Female
Racial or Tribal Origin:	Scotch (Scotish)
Nationality:	Canada
Marital Status:	Single
Age:	13
Birth Year:	abt 1908
Birth Place:	Ontario
Residence Date:	1 Jun 1921
House Number:	28
Residence Street or Township:	Ramsay Tp
Residence City, Town or Village:	Township of Ramsay
Residence District:	Lanark
Residence Province or Territory:	Ontario
Residence Country:	Canada
Relation to Head of House:	Daughter
Father’s Name:	John Reid
Father Birth Place:	Ontario
Mother’s Name:	Margaret Reid
Mother Birth Place:	Ontario
Can Speak English?:	Yes
Can Speak French?:	No
Religion:	Presbyterian
Can Read?:	Yes
Can Write?:	Yes
Months at School:	8
Municipality:	Ramsay
Enumeration District:	97
Sub-District:	Ramsay (Township)
Sub-District Number:	37
Enumerator:	Thomas Cochrane
District Description:	Polling Division No. 2 – Comprising the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th concessions from lot no. 15 to lot no. 27 inclusive also the 8th concession from lot no. 13 to lot no. 27 inclusive
Neighbours:	View others on page
Line Number:	7
Family Number:	28
Household MembersAgeRelationshipJohn Reid48HeadMargaret Reid47WifeAnnie Reid15DaughterWilhelmine Reid13DaughterMable Reid9DaughterWilfred Craig17Helper

DetailSource

Name:	Mary Wilhelmina Reid
Gender:	Female
Age:	21
Birth Year:	abt 1908
Birth Place:	Almonte, Ontario, Canada
Marriage Date:	15 Jun 1929
Marriage Place:	Ramsey, Lanark, Ontario, Canada
Father:	Jno. R. Reid
Mother:	Margaret A. Reid
Spouse:	Raymond Hazlewood Kemp

Dugald Campbell Memories of Ramsay Township and Almonte — Town Merchants etc.

Dugald Campbell of Vancouver who learned his trade in the Gazette office and has been a representative of the Linotype Co. in Western Canada for many years: Vancouver, B.C.

When Dugald Campbell was born on May 9, 1886, in Lanark, Ontario, his father, Donald, was 48 and his mother, Christinia, was 41. he lived in Almonte in 1901. He married Sarah Garret Johnston on September 10, 1913, in Vancouver, British Columbia. They had four children during their marriage. He died on August 17, 1973, in Vancouver, British Columbia, at the age of 87, and was buried there.

Dec. 12th, 1956. Editor of Gazette: ( this was written in the early 1900s)

It is a long time since I left the home environments of Ramsay Township and of the little towns of the Ottawa Valley, and more particularly the town of Almonte. I recall, at this Christmas seeason, the inherent goodness of the people of my youth, of their quiet and simple lives and of the home attachments which was to them and to me, of such vital importance. Ramsay Township was the home, in my youth, of a great host of Scottish folk, many of them had emigrated from the land of the heather and settled there, and there were many, even then, almost fifty years ago, who were second and third generation Canadians.

These people, and the Canadian bom with them, had simple habits, homely tastes and a good philosophy of life. Most of these people had strong church attachments and their Sabbatarian habits, were of such a nature that much of the adolescent wildness was kept in check. Among these grand folk, many of them now resting in peace in the Auld Kirk Cemetery, were the salt of the earth. It is true of the farming folk who contributed so much to the life of the township, equally as with the townfolk who centred their busy hours with the textile industry.

We ought to remember them, in these hectic days, as a race of good folk, who sought to follow the precepts and commandments of the Book, and whose lives were circumspect to a more than usual degree. I recall such folk as the great family of Youngs, many of them living in town and country. Sturdy, genial and kind, their contribution to the community was great.

I recall the town merchants, A. J. McAdam, James Robertson, D. H. Davis, Ben Williams, O. E. Henderson, E. W. Smith, John Donaldson, Alex Allan, James Forgie, John O’Reilly and his son, Eugene O’Reilly, Dan Shaw, Tom White, Manassah Patterson, James McLeod, H.H. Cole, Ed. Scott, Hube McFarlane, Wesley West and many others.

There were several medical doctors—D. P. Lynch, John F. Hanly, A. A. Metcalfe . The lawyers—A. M. Greig, Harry Jamieson, W. H. Stafford. There were the barbers—Geo. Gilbert, Billy Boyle, Paddy Malone, Pete Malone, Jim m y Hogan, all of them social celebrities of no mean degree. On Bridge street were G. W. Willoughby, Geo. Illingworth, Jim Robb, P. C. Dowdall, Mick McCabe, and a few others. The Christmas season gave us great times, what with public and high school entertainment.

Dugald Campbell

BIRTH	9 May 1886Almonte, Lanark County, Ontario, Canada
DEATH	17 Aug 1973 (aged 87)Vancouver, Greater Vancouver Regional District, British Columbia, Canada
BURIAL	Pacific Heritage CemeteryBurnaby, Greater Vancouver Regional District, British Columbia, Canada
PLOT	102-01-A, interred 6 Sep 1973

A Tale From Almonte High School –Dugald Campbell

Almonte Christmas Concert 1900 Dugald Campbell

Do You Remember? 1900 in Almonte — Dugald Campbell

Dugald Campbell –Memories of Ramsay Township and Almonte–Ministers Hunters and Schools

When Dugald Campbell was born on May 9, 1886, in Lanark, Ontario, his father, Donald, was 48 and his mother, Christinia, was 41 he lived in Almonte in 1901. He married Sarah Garret Johnston on September 10, 1913, in Vancouver, British Columbia. They had four children during their marriage. He died on August 17, 1973, in Vancouver, British Columbia, at the age of 87, and was buried there.

Dec. 12th, 1956. Editor of Gazette: ( this was written in the early 1900s)

The Sunday School affairs.

There were good ministers and priests as well—Rev. A. E. Mitchell, Rev. O rr Bennett, Rev. Chas. Daly, Rev. Dr. Chown, Canon Low, and the1 venerable old saint of St. Mary’s church, the late Father Foley. We had lots of other interesting characters in and around Almonte. Too many churches now have no evening service. There are scarcely any tea meetings or church socials such as we knew them

There were great hunters such as John Dulmage, Mack Fraser and others. There were some good baseball players—Chippy McGrath, Davy Hart, Hughie Clarke, Alex McGregor, the Grey boys, the Dixon boys, the Nagle boys and so on.

The school teachers—P. C. McGregor, W. C. Black, John McCarter, R. L. McDonald, all the McGregor girls, four of them, J. A. McPhail, J. W. Donnelly, R. E. Tasker and the inimitable Miss Armour, the teacher of French, and the classical headliner of the high school, Miss Margeret Thompson. No wonder the marks of the fellows and girls of those days were good, they had good and splendid teachers. I remember one remarkable character—Johnny Duncan. He was the ice man for years at the open air rink. He also built a boat for the Mississippi. It was quite a wonderful boat, but there certainly was no money in the venture, and its usefulness did not continue.

W. W. Pittard owned and printed the Almonte Times, always a hand set paper. Pitt was really something when the spirit moved, and that was often enough. The Gazette, under McLeod & McEwen, later James McLeod, and from then on to now, always had a good paper. It was always progressive, always Liberal and always considered sound.

The town band also was something unusual. Tom Brown wag leader, and he had a few of the following — Sid McLean, Bob Dodds, Andy Hill, Walter Scrimegeour and his son, Charlie, Josh McCallum, Alf Proctor and Ernie Proctor, and some of us kids were allowed to hold the music when the band played on the town square.

Recently the editor of the Carleton Place Canadian sent me a photo of the Perth Crescent lacrosse team of 1903. The Crescents were champions, and some one had routed out the picture and it was printed in the Perth Courier. In 1905, and it was really a great year under old Jimm y Porritt and Mike Gleason.

The C.P.R. were running wooden cars from Montreal to Vancouver what a difference from the modem ‘Canadian’ which crosses the continent now. Six days from Montreal to Vancouver, now three and a half days by rail; by air from Vancouver to Toronto now 11hours. Modern life has speeded u p greatly, but we ought never to forget that the days of the 1900 era were also good. The horse and buggy days were good days.

If you could just see some of the farm lands of western Canada, with their tractors and gas propelled machinery, scarcely a horse on the vast prairie country now at all. Times have changed and the wheat farm ers are taking off — wheat crops of 500 and 600 million. Down in the fruit valleys of British Columbia they take off several million boxes of apples per year, nearly everyone has their own home and their own car.

There are too many centralized TV picture shows in every home, most of them and no wonder there is world trouble. We are getting plenty of Hungarian refugees coming in air lifts over the Arctic to Voncouver these days, starving people, without any of the North American comforts, who are coming to us from hunted Europe.

Let us give thanks in Canada at this Christmas time for all the blessings which we enjoy. Let us be very sure that we deserve them because war clouds are gathering which are anything but good.

This is Ramsay –History of 1993

John Ibbitson Citizen staff writer

No one would want to spend a glorious spring Saturday cooped in a church hall debating planning issues. So the 70-odd people who gathered at Almonte United Church to tussle with the question of Ramsay township’s future may all have been a little mad. But then, the people of Ramsay Township care about the place. And Ramsay Township must soon choose its fate: to preserve itself, or let itself be transformed into a suburb.

It is an old township. People started coming here in the 1820s; people still live in houses built more than a century ago. Part of the land valley farmland: fairly flat, criss-crossed with concession roads, dotted with farmhouses and barns. The rest to the west is Shield: the roads meander over hills and around rocks and through the maple bushes that are the only crop. It is a place of split rail fences, dirt roads, stone houses; of tiny villages created around the grist and saw mills that once exploited the rivers but now have vanished or are in ruins; of families that go back seven generations and remember all of it.

It is also a place of ranch-style bungalows that look as though they were plucked from Barrhaven and tossed, haphazard, onto the protesting landscape. It is the place of Greystone Estates, Mississippi Golf Estates, Hillcrest, Carlgate, Ramsay Meadows suburban subdivisions of monstrous homes on big lots. There’s no place in Ramsay township that’s more than an hour’s drive from downtown Ottawa, and that fact has started to sink in.

“If you have a house going up here, a house going up there, that’s one thing,” protests Clarence Gemmill, who has run the Gemmill’s General Store in Clayton with his wife Betty for nearly 19 years. “But you get these subdivisions, they’re different. People are just there to sleep between trips to the city.” Ramsay Township, like so many within driving distance of Ottawa, is in danger of losing its identity as a rural Valley place, and turning into something of which only ; a Nepean politician would be proud.

The township needs to update its official plan. Two years ago, a planner hired by the township proposed a new plan at a public meeting. There was so much anger and criticism that the township council promptly scrapped the plan and started again. “It was presented as ‘Here’s what we’re going to do to you,’ ” remembers Cliff Bennett, one of the organizers of the Saturday meeting. ” ‘Over our dead bodies.”

People were angry, not so much with what the planner had planned, but that no one had asked them what they wanted. So now there are committees, and subcommittees of committees, and there are forums and discussion papers and polls and presentations. ; “You’ll have as much public participation as any municipality in the area,” promises Ben James, a township councillor. This time the people are going to be heard. Some people at the planning seminar talked about ending strip development single houses on lots along the concession roads. Some talked about clustering houses together, off the road and out of sight to protect the natural look of the place.

Some talked about imposing rules on what houses should look like. Julian Smith, a heritage architect who lives in Appleton and works in Ottawa, pleaded for a re-thinking of the planning philosophy. Forget about zoning, he argued: Forget about densities and land uses. Simply apply this rule: “Any development should be shown to improve what’s around it.” But little of what the group proposed sat well with Brian Keller. Keller is a truck driver who lives in Clayton. He came to the workshop because “I wanted to see that it was more of a full consensus of the whole population.” Everyone was going on about housing clusters and setbacks and protecting this environment and that environment.

“They’re all typical city ideas, that people are saying can work rurally,” said Keller, dismissively. The last thing he thinks Ramsay needs is more restrictions on the rights of property owners. His wife’s father has been trying to sever his farmland for years, so the children will have a place to live. But the township won’t let him. “He told me, I can’t give my land to my own family. I’ve got to wait for a politician to tell me.’ ” Councillor James understands Keller’s concerns. “Over the past hundred years, individual landowners have had autonomy in what they do with their land. And you don’t want to curtail that too much. You have to let people do what they think is best, within certain limits.” But if some people want to see controls on development, and others want to protect the rights of property owners, can there be any real hope for consensus? “Not likely,” James acknowledges. “Not in total.”

The Duncan family has been farming on the Ninth Concession since 1821. But no more. There isn’t any money in it, and the latest batch of kids are pursuing different careers. The Duncan home, built in 1870, is being turned into a bed-and-breakfast. But Don Duncan doesn’t feel like offering any heart-in-the-throat eulogy to a dying way of life. “The Ramsay township of the past doesn’t have any future. The question is, what kind of future will there be?” The township council hopes to have its new official plan by 1994, maybe 1995. There will be more meetings and more presentations and more groping toward consensus. Three new subdivisions were recently approved.

CLIPPED FROMThe Ottawa CitizenOttawa, Ontario, Canada12 Apr 1993, Mon  •  Page 17

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

Stories of Ramsay Township– Leckies Corner’s – James Templeton Daughter’s 1931

Conversations with Brian McArton– Henry Wilson of Carleton Place and the McArtons of Ramsay

A Trip Along the Ramsay Sixth Line –W.J. Burns

Remembering (William) Earle Simpson of Ramsay

The Ottawa Citizen
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
18 Oct 1940, Fri  •  Page 18

1940 tractor– STOCK PHOTO

Name:	William Earle Simpson
Gender:	M (Male)
Birth Date:	6 Feb 1908
Birth Place:	Ramsay, Lanark County, Ontario, Canada
Death Date:	18 Oct 1940
Death Place:	Ramsay, Lanark County, Ontario, Canada
Cemetery:	Auld Kirk Cemetery
Burial or Cremation Place:	Mississippi Mills, Lanark County, Ontario, Canada

William Earle Simpson

BIRTH	6 Feb 1908Ramsay, Lanark County, Ontario, Canada
DEATH	18 Oct 1940 (aged 32)Ramsay, Lanark County, Ontario, Canada
BURIAL	Auld Kirk CemeteryMississippi Mills, Lanark County, Ontario, Canada
MEMORIAL ID	211229589 · View Source

1940, Thursday October 24, The Almonte Gazette front page
Tragic Death Of Ramsay Farmer
Young Man Falls Under Tractor While Operating It Near Home
Friends of Almonte and district were shocked, Thursday evening, Oct 17th, to learn of the tragic death by accident of Mr William Earle Simpson, well known young farmer who resided on the Ninth Line of Ramsay. Mr Simpson had been plowing in a field not far from his house and when time came for the evening meal, about five o’clock, Mrs Simpson thought it strange he did not shut off the tractor and come home. She went to investigate and was horrified to find her husband’s body under one wheel of the machine. She closed off the engine and sent for neighbours who came to her assistance. No Inquest Necessary The coroner, Dr A.A. Metcalfe, was summoned and he found the victim of the accident had sustained a broken neck. No inquest was considered necessary.

It is thought Mr Simpson must have slipped off the platform of the tractor while standing up or leaning forward. In this way he would fall in front of one of the drive wheels. It was a new machine having been purchased about a month ago. A son of the late William McKenzie Simpson and his wife, the late Emma Munro, the young man was born on Feb 6th, 1908 on the homestead where he met his death. He attended Greig’s School and the Almonte High School. His mother died in April and his father in July, 1938. He continued to operate the farm very successfully being a good worker and having a thorough understanding of the business. On Oct 18th, 1938, he married the former Jean Aird, a daughter of Rev Wm and Mrs Aird of Almonte. She survives him with one daughter, Kathryn fourteen months old. There is also a sister, Mrs J. Dequettville of Almonte. Funeral Saturday.

The funeral was held on Saturday afternoon from the family residence ninth line of Ramsay, to the Auld Kirk Cemetery. Rev Wm Aird of Almonte Baptist Church; Rev J.F. Dingman of Carleton Place Baptist Church and Rev A.J. Fowlie of Almonte Presbyterian Church, took part in the service at the house, while Rev G.C.R. McQuade of Trinity United Church, Almonte; Rev W.J. Scott of Bethany United Church and Rev Wm Aird officiated at the graveside. The pallbearers were Messrs A.W. Matthews, Wilfred Metcalfe, Roy Rodgers and Melvin Rae. Included in the floral tributes were offerings from the Baptist Church Board of Almonte and from the neighbours. Among those attending the funeral from a distance were the Misses Florence and Jennie Scott of Sault Ste Marie; Mr and Mrs Duncan McIntyre of White Lake; Mr and Mrs Robertson of Waba; Mrs and Mrs A. Scott and Wm Scott of Peterborough and Miss Helen Aird, Reg N. of Boston. The late Mr Simpson was the treasurer, a trustee and deacon of the Almonte Baptist Church. The sympathy of a shocked community goes out to the widow in her hour of great sorrow.

His wife

Name:	Jean Bonnsley Aird
Age:	26
Birth Year:	abt 1912
Birth Place:	Chatham, Ontario
Marriage Date:	18 Oct 1938
Marriage Place:	Canada, Almonte, Lanark, Ontario
Father:	William Aird
Mother:	Alice Aird
Spouse:	Willaimm Earl Simpson

The Ottawa Citizen
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
11 May 1984, Fri  •  Page 26

Daughter- Kathryn Simpson McGregor

Husband

McGREGOR, James Duncan Peacefully at the Queensway Carleton Hospital on Thursday, October 20, 2005, in his 75th year. James will be missed by his loving wife Kathryn (nee Simpson). Cherished father of David of Stittsville, Alice (Terry) McGuire of Seaforth, and Kevin (Carole) of Perth. Grandfather of Michael McGuire. Survived by his sisters Jean Mahon of Brockville, and Phyllis Frizell of Smiths Falls. Predeceased by his three brothers George, Harold, and Lester.

Related reading

“You Can’t Ship a Tractor with Soil” but…. Photos of The Lanark Federation of Agriculture Farm Tour

She Doesn’t Think My Tractor is Sexy–The Farmer’s Wife 1889

The Old Steam Engine Tractor on Mullet Street

The First Burns Anniversary Supper Almonte 1830 notations Of Bairns and Burns

A unique notebook or album kept by the late James Wilson, who died
years ago, was one of the treasured possessions of his daughter, Miss Flora Wilson. It contained many interesting things, amongst them being a report of the proceedings of the first Burns Anniversary Supper held in Almonte in the year 1830, which anniversary has been faithfully kept by the succeeding Scots.

Therefore in January in 1928 the present day Scots will sit down to supper in memory of Robert Burns for ’the hundredth time since the settlement of Ramsay’. The record of that first supper was made by William Wilson, a native of Kilmarnock, Ayrshire, Scotland, who had come to Ramsay to settle.

Later on he sent for his sweetheart, Flora Lallie, to join him here and they were married on her arrival. Miss Lallie came from Kilmarnock also. William Wilson was the father of James Wilson and the record does not say where the first Burns Supper was held. It just says: “The first supper held in Ramsay on Burns the poet’s natal day was January 25th, 1830.“

Mr. James McFarlane was appointed to the chair. After complimenting the meeting on the honour conferred on him, he gave as a toast to the Literature and Agriculture of Ramsay. After which he rose from the
chair, which was instantly filled by Mr. James Bryson, vice-president who gave the toasts.

Did you know we have a Lanark Highlands Tartan? This is from the Middleville & District Museum.. This tartan was designeed by Susi Reinink for the Township of Lanark Highlands as one of the town’s millennium projects. It was registered with the Scottish Tartans Society on the 20th November 1999.

The colours in the sett follow this symbolism:

The fields of agricultural land (brown),
dependent on the township’s many lakes and streams (dark blue),
are surrounded by maple forests (green).
Their foliage turns into bright autumn colours (red and yellow) by October.
Soon winter sets in and the lakes start to freeze over (light blue).
Finally snow (white) covers the township,
so that the granite (grey) of the Great Canadian Shield is only occasionally exposed.SETT
** If you intend to weave or otherwise use any of these patterns, please be aware that you may need the written permission of the designer or producer. This information can be found in the Scottish Register of Tartans.

LT/8 B16 G40 R8 G4 Y4 G8 LB12 W44 N/8 (STA No. 2637)

COLOUR CODES

https://www.tartanregister.gov.uk/tartanDetails?ref=2038&fbclid=IwAR32tUairnYr1ZenlH3h9AmN-ZmUBGtAg7VQKYVrx2IfHVSOgxvYVhcz2Ps

Ottawa Daily Citizen
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
06 Nov 1877, Tue  •  Page 4

The Ottawa Citizen
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
02 Dec 1909, Thu  •  Page 7

The Lanark County Council Scottish Poem– names names names

The Unbelievable History of the Cameronian Church

Pease Pudding in the Pot, Nine Days Old

It Takes a Lot of Wind to Blow a BagPipe

How the Beckwith Scotch Turned Defeat into Victory

Shadows of Beckwith Cemeteries

The Beckwith Highlanders and “Humpy Billy” Moore

I Belong to Glasgow in the Month of August

The Craig Family 1930s Goulburn North Gower and Lanark County

Hand Typed Notes Ramsay Township

A long time ago students of A.D.H.S typed historical notes about Almonte and the surrounding area. Some of them still exist today at the Almonte Public Library.

Thanks to the Almonte Public Library for treasuring them. No date

 

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

1. Information where you can buy all Linda Seccaspina’s books-You can also read Linda in The Townships SunScreamin’ Mamas (USA)  and The Sherbrooke Record

   

Sutherland Genealogy– Ramsay Township Looking for GEORGINA

PATERSON Families of Ramsay Township

The Moir Family of Ramsay Township

Almonte and Ramsay Pioneers – Rafted Down to Their Locations

Union Almonte & Ramsay Contagious Hospital (Pest House) — Looking for Information

Tidbits About Ramsay S.S. #9 The Tannery School

Women of Ramsay – Spindles and Flyers–Sarah Ann

Ramsay 1927 — The Depression

1. The McArton’s of Ramsay

2. Some Cold Hard Facts- First Tailor in Ramsay and a Cow Without a Bell

3. Ramsay Settlers 101

4. What is the Biggest Change in Your Lifetime? Ramsay 1979

5. Hand Typed Almonte History Notations Part 2

6. Hand Typed Almonte History Notations Part 1

Tidbits About Ramsay S.S. #9 The Tannery School

Photo 1981 thanks to Lorraine Nephin- Bruce Sadler’s vintage Canadian/Almonte newspapers

 

1.Built in 1856 the one room school house was on the 8th line of Ramsay and after it was closed it was converted into a private home.

2. The youngsters played games in the schoolyard and had nature walks along Wolf Creek.

Photo 1981 thanks to Lorraine Nephin- Bruce Sadler’s vintage Canadian/Almonte newspapers

 

3. Edna Scott attended S.S. #9 before the turn of the century and grew up in a house just up the hill. Miss Edith McKecnie was her teacher and yellow flowers grew around the school.

4. Did you know Wolf Creek once overflowed its banks that the water was so high up on the road that some students had to be driven to school as it was waist deep.

5. Miss Edna Lowry (Gardiner) taught part of a term at the Tannery School as it was known in the Spring of 1916.

6. Mr. John C. Sutherland was once school master from 1923 to 1928 and  the first male teacher. There were 5 scholars: John Waddell, Graham Simpson, Jean Naismith and Charlie and Harold More.

7. Mr. Sutherland was paid 80 dollars a month: $50 savings, $20 for room and board to his mother and that left him $10 a month for spending money.

 

Photo 1981 thanks to Lorraine Nephin- Bruce Sadler’s vintage Canadian/Almonte newspapers

 

8. From 1928-1938 Miss Winnie Lamrock taught school. One of her former students Logan More kept a dollar coin Miss Lamrock gave him for work well done at school. Mr. More was once Ramsay Township’s road superindent.

9.  Lila Corkery was the school’s last teacher. She taught there for 12 years from 1958-1970 when the school finally closed and she was bussed to Naismith School in Almonte.

Dawn Jones said.. It was Lily Corkery not Lila.. Thanks Dawn~

 

 

S.S. No. 9 Ramsay, 1898 – Courtesy of Edna Scott & Jean Macpherson. Seated: Dan Barnes and Wilfred Barnes Standing: Gertie Allen, Eva Shane, Hanna Coon, Julia Burke, Lillian Scott, Eva Coon (in front of Lillian), Edna Scott, Pearl Allen, Orville Allen, Annie Burke, Bertha Craig, Mary Burke, Laura Scott, Alfred Ragsdale, and teacher Edith McKechnie beside her bicycle

S.S. No. 9 Ramsay – Leckie’s Corners, School, Hillside Public School or The Tannery
1953 Ramsay Con 8, Almonte

Built in 1856 of local limestone on the 8th Line of Ramsay Township just west of current day Almonte, S.S. No. 9 Ramsay is an excellent example of a mid-nineteenth century rural schoolhouse.  It remained in continuous service as a school and meeting hall for the residents of Leckie’s Corners and surrounding area for 114 years.  In 1917, the school inspector, Willis Froates wrote that the school should be condemned, but not much was done to improve the situation. In the 1940s, music teachers, Hector Dalimore and later Dana Featherstone, travelled to the different schools in the area. Teacher, Miss Winnie Lamrock gave each pupil, who did well, a silver dollar in 1937 when King George VI was crowned. Mrs. Lillie Corkery began teaching in this school in 1958, until it closed in 1970. In 1984, this property was designated under the Ontario Heritage Act for its architectural and social importance.  Michael and Jean Macpherson converted the school to a home when they became the owners in 1971.

Afghan knitted by students at S.S. No. 9 Ramsay as part of the war effort, 1943 – Courtesy of Ray Barr. Back: Myrna Papineau, Earl McIntyre, Iris More, Donald Barr, Bob Rollins. 2nd Row: Irene McIntyre, Elsie More, Irene More, Elizabeth More, Jean McGregor, Ruth Rollins, Ray Barr, Bert More, Laurie More, John More, Gordie Barr. Front: Margaret More, Carmel More, Lois Rollins, James Gleeson.

 

From the scrapbook of Joan Stoddart

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

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

 

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

The Grieg School– The Fire and Mrs. Pearl McCann

Ramsay Barn Fire-Why Were the Tracks on Fire?

Ramsay 1927 — The Depression

 

 

The Depression raged from 1929-1939—the Ramsay farmers had enough food until help came, but things were tough.

Ross Craig– The Depression was bad enough, we were never hungry but things were tough. We had the farm– it was always something to fall back on.

Bert Young- Depression brought hard times especially with the prices of the farm produce. In 1931 our families income was $397 on which three people had to live. There was no money, but we were never hungry.

Mrs. J McPhail– Money was scarce and we had to survive on what we grew on the land. We learned to use everything and had no waste.

Jack Gleeson– As long has you had your two hands there would always be food on the table.

Mr. and Mrs. Victor Kellough– One Sunday we were without money for the church collection and before we went we searched the entire house from top to bottom for change. Under one of the rugs we found a dime which we proudly placed on the collection plate. It taught us that money was not and is not everything in this world.

Norman Paul– The Depression left a mark on me and everyone else that has gone through it. I now have a saving streak.

 

With files from Ramsay Reflections 1979

By the 1920’s 90 per cent of the urban population was dependent on a wage or salary. Most families lived on the edge, relying on the often irregular employment of a male breadwinner. There was no welfare state to fall back on in tough economic times. A generation earlier, most of the population was rural and relied on their farm work for food and fuel. Living in the city meant reliance on a job to stay alive. To a large extent, the Elizabethan Poor Laws (of 1601) were still in effect in Ottawa. 

 

 

 

Clipped from

1. The Ottawa Journal,
2. 12 Nov 1927, Sat,
3. Page 30 

   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)

   

    

   The McArton’s of Ramsay

   Sutherland Genealogy– Ramsay Township Looking for GEORGINA

4. Some Cold Hard Facts- First Tailor in Ramsay and a Cow Without a Bell

5. Ramsay Settlers 101

6. What is the Biggest Change in Your Lifetime? Ramsay 1979

George Eccles Almonte Hero!

George C. Eccles was born and raised on a farm just outside Almonte. He is virtually unknown now, but has been recognized as the first wireless telegrapher to die while carrying out his duties on board a ship. The ship, the S.S. Ohio, struck an uncharted rock in Swanson Bay off the British Columbia coast on Aug. 26, 1909. Eccles stayed at his post transmitting SOS signals to the end and the water in the sinking ship had reached him.

George Eccles was slipping from memory on a rotting wooden sign on Concession Road 8, in Ramsay Township has been replaced with a new one.

 

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)

 

 

Carleton Place Boy Brings Down 10th Hun Plane — Daniel Galbraith 1917

The Real Dunkirk–A Local Story

The War Children that Tried to Come to Canada–SS City of Benares